Question on odd symptoms

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

dhess - 25 Jan 2004 22:01 GMT

Diabetes runs in my family. Recently have been experiencing a "tingling"
sensation in my head. Happens on both sides but never at the same time.
Tingling goes down my whole body sometimes, but not always. It seems to
be just a crawling on the surface of the skin. Sometimes get dizziness
with this, sometimes not. Sometimes get rapid-heartbeat and extreme
shakiness/weakness in WHOLE body. All of this happens on both sides, not
just one. Tingling is back of neck and head and top mostly, rarely face.
Anyone with blood sugar problems (high/low) experience this? Dr.'s are at
a loss. No blurry vision, no headaches (other than sinus), no difficulty
moving limbs, no weakness on just one side. Just this wierd numbness or
tingling. Which last for a few seconds at most.
Thanks.

Reply to this Message

oldal4865 - 25 Jan 2004 23:57 GMT

dhess wrote in message ...

>Diabetes runs in my family. Recently have been experiencing a "tingling"
>sensation in my head. Happens on both sides but never at the same time.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>tingling. Which last for a few seconds at most.
>Thanks.

Some folks report similar sensations (just similar, not exactly the
same) when suffering from very low blood sugar.

Periods of low blood sugar are characteristic of Reactive Hypoglycemia which
is considered a symptom of developing Type 2 diabetes.

If Type 2 diabetes "runs in your family", you could be developing Type 2
Diabetes yourself and thus suffering from Reactive Hypoglycemia and thus
might have some odd sensations when your blood sugar drops.

The answer to all these "some's", "could's", "might's " and "thus's" is to
measure your blood sugar during one of these episodes.

The Wal-Mart Relion brand of home blood sugar testing meter and blood sugar
test strips is about the cheapest available in the U.S. Spend $30 and buy
a meter and 50 test strips and run a few tests. You could save the $30
by borrowing one of your Type 2 Diabetic relatives' meters. (They do
have spares don't they? I have six meters myself)

You might also measure your blood sugar at 2 hours after a carb-rich meal
while you're about it.

Be alert to any blood sugar below 70 mg/dL or above 140 mg/dL and report
such to your doctor.

Regards
Old Al

Reply to this Message

dhess - 26 Jan 2004 00:19 GMT

Thanks for the reply. I have suspected rective hypoglycemia. I do test my
blood sugar and while it's never really low or high, it seems to drop
rapidly. But, it has been as low as 65 (overnight fasting) and as high as
163 depending on what I eat. Laying off the carbs seems to help, and it
DOES get noticable after I eat if I eat lots of carbs. The tingling is
what threw me off.
Thanks,
dhess

> Some folks report similar sensations (just similar, not exactly the
> same) when suffering from very low blood sugar.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> Regards
> Old Al

Reply to this Message

oldal4865 - 26 Jan 2004 14:14 GMT

dhess wrote in message ...

>Thanks for the reply. I have suspected rective hypoglycemia. I do test my
>blood sugar and while it's never really low or high, it seems to drop
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Thanks,
> dhess

Sorry, that's strong evidence that you are in our Club, the Club nobody
wants to join.

I have routinely tested folks' blood sugars at work as an unofficial
diabetes test. Nobody I have tested has broken 100. Normal folks
"reportedly" can get into the 100+ range but any kind of routine blood
sugar in the 160 range is evidence that you could be in the Standard Type 2
Diabetic Progression.

Folks handle Reactive Hypoglycemia by:

a. Eating several small meals instead of a few large daily meals.
b. Eating slowly-digesting carbohydrate (low Glycemic Index)
c. Rationing their carb.

Folks delay the Progression to full bore Type 2 Diabetes by:

a. Losing fat lb
b. Gaining muscle lb
c. Rationing daily carb intake
d. Eating slowly digesting carb
e. Exercising every day
f. Taking the anti-Insulin Resistance meds metformin and perhaps (Actos
or Avandia)
g. Probably by taking supplemental insulin shots even if they don't seem
to need them to control blood sugar.

None of that is any fun. However, speaking from experience,
fully-developed Diabetes is less fun.

Don't let diabetes sneak up on you. It can cause serious damage to your
arteries, kidneys, eyes and nerves without otherwise generating any
symptoms.

BTW: Type 2 diabetes tends to cause blood pressure increases and can send
your triglycerides through the roof. Membership in my Club means you find
yourself a good doc and make sure he pays attention to these areas.

You might want to swing by your local public library and check out any of
Dr. Richard Bernstein's Diabetes books. He has an aggressive and
progressive approach to the disease which seems to be in accord with the
most modern thinking on diabetes.

Regards
Old Al (Retired engineer, not a medical person)

Reply to this Message

dhess - 26 Jan 2004 15:03 GMT

Thanks for the help. My dad is type-2, but has it under cointrol and
feels great. I'll take your advie. Thanks again.
dhess

> Sorry, that's strong evidence that you are in our Club, the Club nobody
> wants to join.
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
> Regards
> Old Al (Retired engineer, not a medical person)

Reply to this Message