Is this Hypoglycemia or Diabetes?

I had quite an episode while working Sunday! I had a package of oatmeal @ 830 then a light yogurt @ 1000 and at 1230 I got all week and jittery, and had blurred vision, confusion slurred speech.  Well I tested my sugar with one of those at home testers.  My sugar was too low to read twice, then I ate some candy and it came up to 62. So I ate my lunch, then 2 hrs later it dropped again... so I ate a candy bar at 230 .. and by 5 I was low and shaky again..

I have always experiences this at some level just never this bad...

I have been experiencing these spells quite often and was fine with just eating something to treat them until Sunday I was all confused and couldn't talk right that scared me pretty bad. (since I am a dispatcher and was dispatching 4 fires at the time.. I just know that the firefighters were thinking what the hell is wrong with her?? she can't talk today!)

I just don't know if my dr will take this as seriously as I feel it is..

I have modified my diet over the last weeks to include more protein, and it seems to be getting worse not better. 

SO any input would be appreciated, I am seeing my Dr Tomorrow.

Thanks Nicole

Diabetes is diagnosed by high blood sugar readings.  Since diabetes is precipitated by the reduction of insulin it results in elevated blood glucose levels.  Talk to your doctor, and good luck!

It sounds more like hypoglycemia than anything else. My brother went through similar spells until he was diagnosed with hypoglycemia.

He has to watch his diet very carefuly, though he's pretty good at controlling his blood sugar. The trick for him was to eat carbs WITH proteins, so it slowed down the release of sugar and kept his sugar levels steady. He still has bad days where he gets weaker than usual and gets the shakes; typically when he gets busy and forgets to eat.

Good luck at the doctor's tomorrow. =)

I rather suspect hypoerglycemia.  You might have to reevaluate how frequently you eat and what you eat.  The reaction is the same as a diabetics to low sugar levels, but I suspect that your body is over producing insulin or producing without your eating to prompt it rather than not producing enough insulin.  Definitely make sure your doctor takes you seriously, if they fail to it's time to find a new doctor.

A packet of oatmeal at 8:30 = 120 calories

A light yogurt at 10:00 = 40 calories

Total calories consumed = 160 ... and you're wondering why you feel weak and disoriented at 12:30? EAT SOMETHING! Problem solved.

please consult your doctor about it and be honest about your eating habits.  candy bars make your blood sugar go very high and then shoot back down but sugar cravings can also be a sign of diabetes.

I appreciate everyones comments, but i think you guys misunderstand and think that I am not eating enough!!That isn't the case.. I have had these spells since getting out of high school (13 yrs ago) and it has never been this bad. 

I used to only eat around 1200-1800( depending on exercise) calories but for like the last month I can't go anywhere below 2200 or so because I have to constantly eat to keep these spells from happening. I have been switching things around, eating more protein, less white sugar, just trying to maintain it without getting all shakey.

Also I have had to severly cut back on my exercise, I went from exercising daily to exercising 3-4 times a week.

I guess that is why it is so frustrating for me, because I am and have tried to adjust my eating habits to make this better.

And when I get my sugar cravings,it is an intense feeling not like a pms craving, like Ihave to have it right now. I have been trying to follow those up with a protien of somesort after the initial craving is quenched..

At this point my wieght is not even an issue!!!! and I mean that... My overall health and well being is at stake here and I just wanted comments from people that have some understanding of what I have been going through!

I am a dieter, and an exerciser but that crap is out the window until my health comes back good!

My kids and my life, and if I am not healthy than I am not being a good parent!

oh now i understand. at this level, i think any doc takes you seriously. all the best for you.

I have the same issue and have to be careful what I eat.  I have hypoglycemia and have to monitor my sugar. I always keep either a packet of peanuts in my purse or a piece of jerky.  This will help until I can have a regular meal.  My doctor said eating sweets was the worse as it shoots the sugar level up and then you crash.  I usually have an english muffin in the morning with peanut butter and a banana and then mid morning a piece of cheese with an apple. This seems to keep me on an even keel.  I wish you luck with your doctor.

I was diagnosed with Hypoglocemia when I was about 14. I am almost 19 now and both my mom and my grandma have it. Lately I have been having more trouble with it and cannot even fill it going down. I just fill tired all the time and have to take naps during the day. I am hoping that when I go to the doctor that he can recommend something but I have always been told to eat. I do eat and probably more than I should the last week or so. I passed out and hit a door frame about 5 times. I live in a college dorm and it is hard to live with this. My mom tells me that peanut butter is good to get your sugar up. She also says that drinking mountain dew to shoot it up quickly is good to do as long as you eat something that is going to keep it up. Cheese is good to eat after you finish everything to keep your sugar up.

It sounds to me like Hypoglocemia unless you have checked your sugar and it has been around 200 or higher. The highest my sugar has ever been when I checked it is about 130.

Hi Nicole,

Hopefully you found your answer at the Doc today, but what you describe sounds exactly like Hypoglycemia. I was diagnosed with it about 20 years ago when I was in my early 20's. My doctor gave me a test that I don't recall the name of but I had to drink this horrible sugary syrup after fasting for 12 hrs prior. They then monitored my blood sugar levels at different intervals for several hours. I remember by the end of the test, my blood sugar crashed so hard I almost passed out, I had blurry vision and couldn't think clearly. The diagnosis was Hypoglycemia.

The Doc gave me a high protein/ low sugar diet to try. It worked wonders but I did have to COMPLETELY CUT ALL HIGH FRUCTOSE FOODS FOREVER. I used to be a Dr. Pepper addict. I switched to only diet soda if any at all. I no longer eat candy bars, hard candy, licorice, or anything with those kinds of refined sugar concentrations. I found that eating those types of junk foods, even accompanied by healthier foods gave me a blood sugar crash every time. I have had my blood sugar completely under control for many years now, but I know what to avoid and I eat small amounts of healthy foods every few hours. I do best starting my day with a good breakfast, one packet of packaged oatmeal would never cut it for me. Don't get me wrong, I don't pork out, but I eat foods that will sustain me longer... lots of protein. I am an avid exerciser and never have a problem as long as I stay away from refined sugars.

Hope this is of help to you. Good Luck!

Thanks, I go for the nasty fasting glucose test in the morning!! I am honestly fearful of driving to my appt.  Because I have been eating hard boiled eggs as my food to maintain my drive to work which is normally at 530 am and my appt isn't until 8...

Yeah I have been trying to add more cheese, meat, cut out sugar when I can It just seems to be worse and worse...

I would love to get an outlined diet to help me I am hoping the dr will get me the info I need or refer me to a dietician. 

He is also testing my thyroid, HCg(I had a molar pregnancy a year ago), my liver function, my kidney function and something else...

He told me to carry a big purse full of quick sugar foods, then protien to back it up!!! lol I got a kick out of that.

Yeah, if I had your diet I would feel the exact same way!

This usually sustains me for a day (and remember, if you start to feel lightheaded, confused, or whatever your common symptoms are, eat the next meal sooner!)

breakfast: 3-4 egg white omlet w/ ounce of soymilk - 100cal, 13-16g protein

1 piece of whole wheat or 7-grain toast - 85cal, 3 g protein

snack: 1/6 cup unsalted soynuts/soynut and dried fruit mix - 100cal, 5g protein

lunch: 1.5 cups Homemade Salmon-Cauliflower Chowder - 260cal, 17g protein

snack: 1 granny smith apple w/ 1 tablespoon peanut butter - 190, 6g protein

snack(I eat dinner late): 1 bowl of whole irish oats w/ Westsoy Soymilk - 200, 8g protein

dinner: 2 whole wheat pitas - 240cal, 12g protein

2 smart dogs w/ hot-dog fixins - 90 cal, 16g protein

snack(right before bed): 1 orange - 80 cal, 1 g protein

.5 cup granola - 240, 8g protein

This comes out to about 1600 cal, plenty suitable for someone looking to lose weight but not crash throughout the day.  No refined sugar, no simple carbohydrates.  Always eat fruit with protein.  Always have the presence of protein, at least 5g per snack.

The trick is to eat small meals, or you won't feel like eating 2-3 hours later.  I ate exactly this today, felt a little weak before dinner, which is why I added the extra snack, and was hungry for everything.  Luckily, when you eat complete proteins like salmon and eggs, you boost your metabolism too.

The soup, which I can lend a recipe for, was brought to work, as well as the soynut mix, apple w/ peanut butter and soymilk.  Westsoy Unsweetened Soy/Almond milk is a lifesaver if you need a fast and long-lasting boost and your work has a fridge.  You'll need to accept the fact that either you need to start bringing tons of tupperware to work, or go shopping for 3-4 small meals when you're out.

Make friends with a health food store in your office's neighborhood.  Also, it's a real medical condition that if left untreated (or not thoroughly treated with regimen) will make you feel absolutely awful and, as you've seen, lower your work performance.  Don't feel embarrassed to be the one in the office taking the snack breaks.

Good luck!

p.s. your morning oatmeal is probably instant, which has one of the highest GI ratings...aka is like eating cotton candy.  Try steel cut oats.  And combine with milk or soymilk.

Yep,!!

My whole diet is going to have to be reworked!! I had my fasting glucose test today and it went ... well... awful.

My first reading was 85.. perfect.!

So I drank my lovely fruit punch, was ok at the 1/2 hr reading, going up like it should, high at the 1 hr reading just like it should be.

Then at the 2 hr reading when I should have still been Mid 100's it was 85

then at the 3 hr reading it was 50!

So needless to say they were feeding me juice, peanut butter and crackers on top of the candy I was already eating. 

This stinks so bad, at least I know now that I am not doing it to myself with diet.. there is some sort of medical issue that needs addressed.

I go back to the Dr tomorrow hopefully everything can get lined out.. I hate feeling that way. I went to High School with the receptionist where I had my test today, and she loved talking to me, the longer we talked the goofier I got.. funny to her but not to me!

Does anyone have any good resources for me?

Books or diet plans to keep from crashing all the time?