What can hypoglycaemic episodes indicate?

[JapaneseMargaret]

Obviously diabetes, but anything else?

I have had several over the past 12-ish months. I posted on here asking what these turns I was having were, and went to my GP who gave me a blood testing kit. I've had two turns since, with readings of 2.9 and 3.1.

So, my blood sugar is low when they happen. I've been referred to an Endo and am going private, but the soonest he can see me is 11 June. He's the only private practitioner in the city (I'm not in the UK).

I'm trying to see if I can get an appointment in my home city, but it's much smaller, so not holding out any great hope.

Obviously diabetes is the first thing to spring to mind. I'm not overweight. My BMI is 21. I don't carry weight around my middle. I'm tall with a defined waist, so my abdominal circumference is way less than half my height. If anything, type 1 is ringing more bells than type 2. But is there anything else it might be? My diet isn't perfect, but I cook from scratch practically every night, aside from the occassional takeaway. I don't avoid sugar.

I do skip breakfast quite often as I have zero appetite in the morning, but these episodes always happen in the afternoon, after I've had lunch. Obviously I'll stop doing this if it's causing problems.

I realise this is speculation, but am just trying to educate myself.

Hi I hope this answer sheds some light as a possible explanation for your light-headedness; When you eat a big meal (the effects will be especially exaggerated if you haven't eaten all morning), blood rushes towards your digestive organs for the digestive process - this lowers your blood pressure and you can feel faint.
Here's an article that explains this:
www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/eating-can-cause-low-blood-pressure

You could also have low blood sugar as you haven't eaten all morning. Which will exacerbate the situation.
To overcome this here's some safe suggestions you can do on your own whilst you wait for your consultants appointment in June.
Eat little and often (every 3-4 hours).
Make sure you eat protein at each meal - e.g. 1 boiled egg at breakfast, or plain yoghurt and fruit smoothie or handful of almonds if you can't stomach much in the morning.
Take 200mcg of chromium a day to help with blood sugar control.
Make sure you're drinking enough water.
Go and see a qualified nutritionist if you need help in implementing a plan. Good luck and best wishes.

Thanks both, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. :)

I don't have low blood pressure. It's typically on the slightly high side, though of course I've never had it checked during one of these turns. But yes, if anything, it's traditionally slightly high.

The eating little and often goes against what I'm used to - I'm not really a snacker. But obviously if I need to make some changes I will, and this is something to try.

I like the protein suggestion. I probably don't eat enough, except at dinner time.

How high in carbohydrate is your diet? Give us an idea of your typical day's meals.

Surely diabetes results in high blood sugar, not low blood sugar? Low blood sugar would be the result of more insulin/less blood glucose, if you were diabetic wouldn't you have too little insulin/too much blood glucose? Just wondering.

Yes, if you had undiagnosed diabetes your blood sugar would be high. If you had undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes, you would have been very ill indeed fairly quickly.

Type 1 is generally (but not exclusively) seen in younger people and children although new diagnoses in adults are rising. If you had it your bg readings would be much much higher than 2.9!

Try Googling reactive hypoglycaemia. I suffer with it, my trigger is wheat. I don't understand it particularly, just try to avoid wheat, and carry glucose tablets in case I succumb to a bagel or piece of cake.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. My day-time diet is almost certainly too carbohydrate-heavy. My evening meal not so much, although even that could probably be improved.

Reading about reactive hypoglycaemia makes me think this is possibly what's going on.

While I wait for my appointment, I am going to make some changes to my diet, and the way I eat.