I'm diabetic aren't I ?

[LaurieFairyCake]

Completely coincidentally my docs last week texted me and said your latest blood test indicates pre-diabetes. This was really annoying as my 'latest' blood test is a year ago and they've just texted me

I normally get a bit shaky and 'hangry' if I don't eat regularly but on Thursday I had a full on hypoglycaemic attack (never had it before) I had:

Boiling hot/sweating profusely/heart palpitations (completely terrifying) starvation, weakness, shaking

Unfortunately I was in a meeting and couldn't leave to get food so I basically thought I was going to die for about 35 minutes

I've never been so scared or so unwell
When I left the meeting I ate cheese and a protein bar (had sugar in it too) but I didn't feel right for an hour

I'm completely baffled by this as I've only had symptoms since losing nearly 5 stone - I'm now 'just' overweight and continuing to lose weight easily

Anyone have any thoughts?

Go to your Drs.

You've done well to lose the weight, but I'm concerned you're still losing weight easily as well as these feelings.

It's not normal for 'pre diabetic'.

You need, at the very least, some current blood tests.

If you're pre-diabetic, which would indicate type 2, and unmedicated, you shouldn't be having hypoglycemic attacks.

If you have pre-diabetes then your GP is suggesting the stage before Type 2 diabetes.

This doesn't come with hypos unless you are on treatment. Hypos are a part of Type 1 diabetes if you have too much insulin, or Type 2 if you are on insulin or some tablets which can drop your blood sugar.

Symptoms of diabetes are blood sugar that is too high.

Given your 'latest' blood test was a year ago and you have lost nearly 5 stone since then, you might not even be pre-diabetic anymore and what you were experiencing was just being hungry/low blood pressure. Make sure you are drinking enough!

Agree that you need a new set of bloods but hyperglycaemia is usually caused by too much insulin (injected if you’re a diabetic) and whilst not impossible in non-diabetics, true hypoglycaemia is pretty rare - as opposed to feeling shaky because you haven’t eaten in a while. It does seem inconsistent with pre-diabetes.

If it’s T2 pre-diabetes and not LADA then you’re unlikely to get the honeymoon phase of insulin so I wouldn’t say your symptoms are necessarily consistent and definitely get checked out for other possibilities.

No one here can say if you're diabetic. Those symptoms need investigating, they could be related to diabetes, or they could be many other things, such as thyroid problems or anxiety. Make an appointment to see your GP. If they do bloods, call back a few days later and ask for a copy of your test results.

If you're pre-diabetic, which would indicate type 2, and unmedicated, you shouldn't be having hypoglycemic attacks

This. You won’t be hypoglycaemic unless you have too much insulin. Diabetes by definition is too little/ineffective insulin, so a hypo is only possible if you’re Type 1 and you’ve taken too much.

You’re symptoms could be anything from menopause to blood pressure. Get checked.

Ah thank you, didn't even think of low blood pressure

I should have said that the reason the docs texted me was to send me for another blood test in a couple of weeks - that's booked now but it's not a fasting blood test, just in the middle of the day

Is that a problem?

It sounds like you aren't eating enough if you have lost 5 stone easily.

A sugary processed protein bar isn't the best either. Can you plan balanced meals, maybe wholemeal bread with butter, cheese and veg? You can't work properly with all that going on. Try to eat small amounts more regularly.

HBA1C is a non-fasting blood test. It measures your blood sugar level over the past 3 months and gives an average.

If your bloods are pointing to pre-diabetes then it mean your sugars are creeping up and are too high.
Type 2 diabetics don’t get hypos unless they have moved on to insulin.

I had a gastric sleeve 18 months ago, hence the weight loss - yes, I eat very small meals (approximately 1000-1100 calories a day) - but I don't count calories, I eat whatever and whenever I want

It's definitely not anxiety and I'm on HRT

I think what you've described is a false hypoglycaemic attack - so similar symptoms but your actual blood sugar levels would have been normal. My understanding is that too much insulin is what makes you have blood sugar levels low enough to cause a hypo. If you're an untreated diabetic you're not producing enough insulin not the other way round.

That doesn't mean that what happened the other day isn't very unpleasant and scary. First thing to do is book yourself in for a fasting blood sugar test at your GP surgery and they'll advise you from there.

I don't know if what happened means you're a diabetic. You'd probably have other symptoms such as constant tiredness, super thirsty, frequent need to urinate if you'd tipped over in to full diabetes.

You won't know until you get tested.

You're on a restrictive diet after bariatric surgery. You should have been having regular blood tests since the surgery.

I've only had one blood test since the surgery

And I've completely failed to get them to give me my vitamin injections every 3 months - I've had it twice

I frequently get symptoms like that if I don't eat regularly, but I'm not diabetic.
I try to keep a handful of boiled sweets in my handbag - a couple of these makes me feel better quickly.

Hi Op, I used to get this really frequently and you do feel really horrible. I’ve always been a healthy weight and don’t have diabetes. However, I did eat a fairly poor diet for many years-high carbs/sugar. For me reducing my sugar drastically and eating more heathly proteins, less refined carbs really helped. I still can’t tolerate high GI foods without eating some protein with it or the same happens eg cake on its own-but a small piece of cake after a high protein lunch would be fine.