blood glucose of 2.9 an hour after breakfast - what might this be?

[anothersoddingnamechange]

All I could get from Dr Google is that I must secretly be stealing someone's insulin. I'm not.

Basically, I gave birth two months ago and have been feeling ill ever since, and have had endless blood tests done. Unless now, all that came back was a bit of anaemia. Throughout pregnancy, all my bloods were fine, I didn't develop any symptoms of GD apart from being thirsty and my baby was a healthy weight. I don't know exactly what I weigh but I've always been a size 8-10.

Could I be developing diabetes? Or merely hypochondria??

The anaemia could be the cause of general unwellness, even being slightly Anaemic made me feel pretty bad and it can take a long time to get levels back up. Are you breastfeeding? And are you eating more than "usual" if so? I know from experience that low blood sugar can make you feel really bad but eating something with sugar should quickly make you feel fine again (although try to have some slower release carbohydrate as well to stop you yoyo-ing from high to low). Probably worth carrying some glucose tablets, eg lucozade, around with you for the moment in case you suddenly feel low.

It could be reactive hypoglycaemia, where effectively your insulin production is out of kilter. This can be a stand alone condition, and possibly exacerbated in your case by breast feeding, lack of sleep etc, or can be a precursor to either type 1 or 2 diabetes. I developed Type 1 as an adult and I did suffer from low blood sugars prior to the diabetes developing fully. It is still very rare to develop type 1 as an adult, and since you are not overweight you'd be unlucky to be developing type 2 so I wouldn't start thinking the worst just yet.

I very much agree with the others that a blood sugar meter would be well worth getting and test several times a day for a couple of days to try and get a picture of what exactly your blood sugars are up to. Good luck.

Thanks. The doctor I spoke to seemed to think the anaemia might be contributing to how I feel. I am BFing, but really not sure how much I'm eating. I'm prepared to be corrected, in any case. And I'm cooking a meal now, and have roped in one of the DCs to 'help' me in case I go wobbly and have to stop abruptly.

I really didn't feel comfortable leaving the house today, but I will buy a blood glucose metre tomorrow.

Diabetes is what I fear most Is there any genetic link to adult-onset Type I? No family history, so maybe grasping at straws.

Thank you, though, for your help. As ever on MN a lot of people with a lot of experience.

It is very early days to be worrying too much about diabetes, it is far more likely to be the anaemia and a bit of reactive hypoglycemia, possibly exacerbated by you not eating enough for two! My advice would be try to eat little and often, avoid processed sugar as much as poss. as this will trigger a sharp insulin response. Eat more complex carbs which will release into the blood stream more slowly, some people find eating protein with the slow release carb also helps.

Type 1 diabetes does have a genetic component, but it can skip generations. No-one else in my family has it although doctors are always surprised to hear that so maybe I'm an exception!

Finally, whilst I've told you not to worry about diabetes... I know you will...so being afflicted myself I can reassure you that it's not the worst thing to get. It can be a bugger for sure, but with modern insulins, meters, pumps etc it is no longer the life-changing, life-limiting condition of the past.

Low glucose in the blood is not diabetes - that only happens in diabetics in response to over treatment.

Your doctor is talking out of their A* about not being able to do anything until bloods are repeated. It takes all of 30seconds or so to get a finger prick spot blood glucose test done and see what your current levels are. If you feel dizzy go to A&E and they will do this then and there. If normal then probably the anaemic issues causing the dizzyness, if not they are going to need to sort out why and get this looked at. If you go to bed with low glucose and it gets lower you simply might not wake up. Eating is one way to help it but if the previous test result is correct then sounds like something is causing yours to become low and there is no knowing how low it will go and how it will affect you.
Call an ambulance if you feel bad and have no transport. I bet the ambulance will carry a glucometer too.

My understanding is that low blood sugar CAN be a symptom (rarely) of pre-diabetes as the damaged Beta cells release insulin inappropriately (delayed for example). Hypoglycemia is a condition that is not solely the province of diabetics who have over-treated.

However, it is unlikely OP has pre-diabetes. I get the impression that OP does not feel totally better after treating the "hypo" so sounds like something else is going on. Monitoring the blood sugar would certainly be a sensible way forward. I don't think too much reliance should be put on one abnormal blood result.

I would also keep a bottle of lucozade around for when you start feeling hypo.

don't like the sound of this. If you have no lucozade I'd suggest raisins/sultanas/any dried fruit you have around. Raisins are good for anaemia too. Chocolate biscuits are not bad, especially if dark chocolate. ,

Hope you feel better soon

Well, I'm still here. Sort of fuzzy and woozy but full of lentil curry with brown rice followed by more chocolate biccies. Will report back after tomorrow's appointment.

Thanks for everyone's support.

if your gp doesn't mention it you might ask if you should have a thyroid test. I'm not sure about this but I think that may be related to low blood sugar and thyroid problems are pretty common post pregnancy. If it was it would probably clear up in time.

I didn't know that. But the nurse I saw this morning told me I'd already had TSH and T4 done and both were OK.

I bought my own glucose monitor on the way home. Will make a start and see how that goes.

Oh shit. Being admitted to hospital.

I don't know whether I'll be able to get online there but if I can, virtual grapes would be appreciated. Preferably of the fermented variety.

Thanks for the update. Hope you are doing well soon. Do update us when you get a chance and take care.

What happened?
Hope they get you sorted out quickly.

Sending best wishes and virtual wine!

Let us know how you get on!

expect they need to run some tests on you and want to do so quickly. Grapes not good for you, sorry, - they have too high a sugar content so your blood sugar would drop afterwards. Not sure about the fermented variety but have some virtual dark choc and a hug.

Oh no! Hope they get to the bottom of it soon xx

Still here. Not quite sure how it came about but I go.t very dizzy and confused and seem to have scared the gp. Being hooked up to all sorts of monitors and nonstop bloods. Grateful though at least that being taken care of. Thanks all of you.

It must all be very frightening, I hope you get some answers sooner rather than later, and start feeling better very soon. Have you been able to see your children? Wishing you all the best.

should be less scary to be in hospital than at home. They will observe you carefully and you will hopefully get quicker results. OK it makes it seem serious but I think we'd probably worried you enough to feel better in hospital .

Have they checked your adrenal function? Sounds a little like low cortisol.....

How are things with you today op?

Just saw this. Am so glad you are in hosp, although must be difficult being away from DC's. Good Luck OP.

Gosh, just catching up here. Hope you they are getting to the bottom of what's causing this. Take care.

I'm home. Thank you all for your lovely messages.

My blood sugar levels hovered around 4 whilst I was there, so good that they're not always as low aas the 2.9 one. I had blood tests for insulin, cortisol etc and everything came back fine. The possibility of me developing diabetes was mentioned once or twice and then dismissed as unlikely. But whereas I am obviously relieved that I am probably in little danger of collapsing into a coma, I'm still no further forward in trying to sort out how ill I feel.

I think I'm going to try and have a play round with the glucose monitor and to attempt to work out if there's anything particular I eat which is causing the hypos, or what might help. Does that make sense?