Is it typical to experience hypoglycemic symptoms at levels between 70 and 80?
Is it typical to experience hypoglycemic symptoms at levels between 70 and 80?
These numbers are technically above the medical definition of hypoglycemia but on the low end. Its borderline, but is it typical to start having severe panic attacks and dizziness when your sugar barely drops below 80?
A little background. I have an inflammatory auto-immune condition affecting my stomach and recently had inflammation in my pancreas. I have had these reactions often in the past….never after eating too much sugar, only at odd random times, mostly just the symptoms of hypo and never really hyper.
Coffee makes it way worse. I have also been experiencing them after taking certain pain medication and I wonder if its slowing down my pancreas….I actually get anxiety from vicodin instead of relaxed and I had a hypoclycemic event without even feeling hungry. Just doom and terror. It got better after eating. I was diagnosed with panic disorder but i dont think I even have panic attacks but just hypoglycemia that they missed because I didnt have low blood sugar during my morning fasting blood test (I dont get low blood sugar from skipping breakfast) but only get them at seemingly random times that are entirely unpredictable.
Thank you for the details. It looks like I have two or three best answers to choose from.
Anyway, here are some more details.
I am not diabetic….that I know of. I do not take insulin.
My blood sugar usually runs between 110 and 150. I dont know if it often goes higher or higher before crashing, but these hypo symptoms seem to have NOTHING to do with my eating schedule. I dont automatically get hypo when I dont eat. I can skip breakfast and often be fine. I wonder if I have some kind of auto-immune or hormonal problem because these are totally random and are just as likely to occur after skipping breakfast as they are an hour after eating dinner. Planning my meals doesnt help and I dont take insulin.
And another strange thing is that I dont experience hunger with my hypo-symptoms…..I might have a cortisol deficiency. I feel too stressed and panicked to be hungry.
I did recently find inflammation in my pancreas as a secondary effect of Crohns.
Nick, symptoms of anxiety and hypoglycemia are quite similar – shakiness, confusion or dizziness, sweating, hunger, etc….
Its not entirely abnormal to feel hypo between 70 – 80. If your blood sugars generally run higher than that and your body can become used to a higher range and start to feel uncomfortable when it drops to 70. It also depends on how quickly it drops.
Every person is different, and some normally run in the 60’s and feel perfectly comfortable, while someone like me would be trembling like crazy with hypo symptoms.
Also, anxiety and panic can make the situation worse and becomes more of a physiological trip. Ive gone through this before in the past where I had some bad lows and after that I would freak out anytime my sugar began to lower because I was afraid of becoming too low and my panic would set in, making my symptoms even worse.
Several things affect your blood sugars including hormones and they can cause random highs and lows. If you are stressing you may notice a drop or rise in your blood sugars.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:00 am
No.
References :
November 18th, 2009 at 1:20 am
People whose bodies are used to a very high blood sugars can experience symptoms of hypoglycemia at 70 or 80. I’ve seen people experience these symptoms at 100(they are usually the uncontrolled diabetics!) Continue to check your blood sugar and follow your doctors recommendations for treatment. If it gets worse call your doc!
References :
Nurse
November 18th, 2009 at 1:37 am
Yes, IF the sugar has plummeted from a very high point, so you may well be having high sugars too. If you just took insulin, then you may expect the hypo to get worse. But, if the sugar has stopped falling, then you are right where you want to be, at 70 to 80. Sit tight and you will feel better.
If the episodes seem unpredictable, the key is to organize and schedule your meals, your insulin, your whole life really…more rigidly, with more order. controlled carbohydrate meals and controlled insulin doses reduces the number of unknown variables. Your emotional and physical health can also be factors.
Also, coffee is making you more sensitive, so try quitting it.
References :
November 18th, 2009 at 2:13 am
Hi Nick Jinn,
I like your question and the amount of details you have given. However, I am not comfortable with your assumption that "hypoglycemic symptoms" are only due to blood sugar levels of 70 to 80.
Nick, I know I am not really answering your question but please consider the following factors which are also likely to give you "hypoglycemic symptoms".
1. Medications.
2. Coffee, stimulants etc.
3. Arteriosclerosis of the arteries
4. Trauma/medical conditions of the carotid artery (s)
5. Tumours
6. Conditions of the ears
7. Meningitis etc.
I am sincerely sorry for not answering your question directly.
References :
November 18th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Nick, symptoms of anxiety and hypoglycemia are quite similar – shakiness, confusion or dizziness, sweating, hunger, etc….
Its not entirely abnormal to feel hypo between 70 – 80. If your blood sugars generally run higher than that and your body can become used to a higher range and start to feel uncomfortable when it drops to 70. It also depends on how quickly it drops.
Every person is different, and some normally run in the 60’s and feel perfectly comfortable, while someone like me would be trembling like crazy with hypo symptoms.
Also, anxiety and panic can make the situation worse and becomes more of a physiological trip. Ive gone through this before in the past where I had some bad lows and after that I would freak out anytime my sugar began to lower because I was afraid of becoming too low and my panic would set in, making my symptoms even worse.
Several things affect your blood sugars including hormones and they can cause random highs and lows. If you are stressing you may notice a drop or rise in your blood sugars.
References :