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jude099

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Blood Test Results And Other Things...
Posted: 01-08-07 18:58pm

Haven't been here in a while, I actually went to ny to try and get some second opinions on why my health is failing, or seems to me to be failing, and have some different symptoms that someone here might recognize, or have some insight into. I've been sticking to stan's diet for about a month and change, and have noticed a decrease in the episodes of racing heart, trembling, sweating, all this, after eating carbs/sugars. Also the severe headaches and derealization symptoms that plagued me for a long time have also subsided, thanks stan! But in their place, other, more troubling symptoms have arisen, and I don't know if maybe i'm on a j-curve of improvement (that i'll get worse before I get better), or if I did too much damage unknowingly with my carb-heavy diet. What's happening is:

labs-
serum glucose was barely high- 101
hemoglobin was barely high- 17.2
serum sodium was low end of normal
bp was 103/80
hemocrit was high normal

clinical-
sweet taste in mouth periodically (daily)
trembling
profound fatigue
prolonged capillary refill time (in hot shower, for example, when hands hang at sides, they turn bright red, and the veins in the palms are visible, in cold weather outside, they turn white and tingle)
prominent veins in arms, legs, neck
delayed bruising
constant thirst
weak and sore legs
constantly cold (body temp is 97.2)

body fluids are normal viscosity
doctors say i'm fine

i'm stumped. My diet seems right on, anyone have any ideas what's going on? The high hemoglobin and delayed capillary refill time have me worried the most, as they can be indicative of cardiovascular problems, although i've been worked over by a cardiologist who says i'm fine.

Thanks,
-greg
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Stan

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Posted: 01-08-07 19:09pm

I must say i've never heard of this. Are you eating my diet with high fat or high protein? You may need to cut back the fat, but still I can't see how that would cause anything. Can you handle cayenne pepper? If so, I suggest drinking some of that down or adding a good bit to meals. That should clear it up real quick. The fatigue is likely an adjustment phase, I wouldn't worry unless it's every day almost all day for like two weeks.
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jude099

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Posted: 01-09-07 13:12pm

Yeah, i'm thinking there's something underlying wrong with me that's causing the hypoglycemia, as some of this stuff just isn't explainable by that. It's actually very scary that i'm eating better and feeling worse, and having such alarming symptoms. I have heard that diabetes can affect hemoglobin levels, but I believe it affects glucose-binding sites on a percentage of total hemoglobin. Maybe i'm wrong.

I'm afraid this is going beyond just eating wrong, and I don't know what to do. Every doctor says i'm fine, and basically doesn't want to deal with me.
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Stan

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Posted: 01-09-07 17:06pm

How red and white are your hands getting? My veins are clearly visible and nothing is wrong, i'm wondering if you may be simply obsessing (a common symptom of hypoglycemia). Don't get me wrong, i'm not doubting you, I just know how crazy I can get over any ache and pain if my sugar is low enough. I thought I had stomach cancer for about a week once.
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Stan

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Posted: 01-13-07 12:00pm

You know what, I actually think this is a hypoglycemic symptom. It has something to do with a continual activation of the "flight or fight" response. Basically, all that's happening is that your body is reducing blood flow to the hands to keep it constant in other areas, this causes the vessel to get closer to the skin, and they change color. As far as I can read, it's nothing to worry about, but I discovered it was a symptom when I was going through a list of different things.
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HypoWayne

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Re: Blood Test Results And Other Things...
Posted: 01-20-07 15:46pm

jude099 wrote:
the high hemoglobin and delayed capillary refill time have me worried the most, as they can be indicative of cardiovascular problems,
thanks,
-greg


could you have raynaud's syndrome?
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Stan

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Posted: 01-20-07 16:22pm

Well, that's what it's called, but that's just essentially giving a name to a symptom.
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jude099

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Posted: 01-25-07 17:14pm

I just looked up raynaud's syndrome, and it seems to match exactly.

When all this health stuff started about 2 years ago, my thyroid was found to be a little underactive (slightly high tsh). I've had it tested thoughout, and it's been extremely erratic. High tsh, overactive, low tsh, and in the normal category. The doctors believe it's lab error, but that sounds ridiculous to me. Could an underactive thyroid contribute to hypoglycemic symptoms? ...And everything else?
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HypoWayne

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Posted: 01-29-07 00:56am

jude099 wrote:
i just looked up raynaud's syndrome, and it seems to match exactly.


When all this health stuff started about 2 years ago, my thyroid was found to be a little underactive (slightly high tsh). I've had it tested thoughout, and it's been extremely erratic. High tsh, overactive, low tsh, and in the normal category. The doctors believe it's lab error, but that sounds ridiculous to me. Could an underactive thyroid contribute to hypoglycemic symptoms? ...And everything else?



yes, thyroid problems can cause hypoglycemia-like symptoms. I cant tell you how accurate thyroid tests are, or how prone to errors they might be.


stan stepanic wrote:
well, that's what it's called (raynaud's), but that's just essentially giving a name to a symptom.


its a name that allows the person to educate themself on the topic. I have never heard of raynaud's being linked to hypoglycemia. If it has been, please share.
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Stan

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Posted: 01-29-07 10:22am

I explained it up there but i'll do it again. It happens in some cases because of the body constantly turning on the "flight or fight" action because of low sugar. In some people, this will cause the blood vessels in the hands to lose some blood flow as the body directs it to other areas due to constant stress from this reaction. Then, raynaud's kicks in.
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HypoWayne

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Posted: 02-01-07 16:45pm

stan stepanic wrote:
i explained it up there but i'll do it again. It happens in some cases because of the body constantly turning on the "flight or fight" action because of low sugar. In some people, this will cause the blood vessels in the hands to lose some blood flow as the body directs it to other areas due to constant stress from this reaction. Then, raynaud's kicks in.


i was asking to see some evidence (ie scientific or medical) that its true. It sounds like a fine idea, but where is the evidence? You are stating it as a fact "in some people, this will cause the blood vessels in the hands to lose some blood flow". Further up you said "you know what, I actually think this is a hypoglycemic symptom" which sounds a lot less certain. Then you followed with "i discovered it was a symptom when I was going through a list of different things". What list, where? I'm sorry for the skepticism (thats the way I am) , I just have never heard of raynaud's being a symptom of hypoglycemia. I'm willing to be educated if you can point me to the source.
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Stan

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Posted: 02-02-07 11:02am

I just saw it on some medical website which I can't find now. I didn't save it in my links because I simply looked at it briefly when I was searching for something about "blue hands." i'm not sure why you're focusing on those two sentences, they're entirely different. In one I explain the symptom, in the other I say I think it's a symptom. That's it. If I find it again i'll post it here but I have no reason to. Just look through "blue hands" and it should come up somewhere. Basically, I assume, like I said, due to a chronic flight or fight reaction in the body, which is one of the causes of raynaud's, some people could get it. That's all I have to say about it.
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jude099

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Posted: 02-02-07 14:45pm

Well, the hands are really just one small piece of the puzzle... But they're constantly visible, so they bother me more than some of the other issues. Keep in mind, my mother is hypoglycemic, my father is diabetic, and I grew up eating mostly carbs and sugar (i would eat sugar from the packets for coffee sometimes in restaurants while waiting for my food). Some kind of metabolic problem was virtually assured. I'm 6', 160-170 pounds, and I have fat and protein digestion issues because of a removed gall bladder. I'm also type a, and, no surprise, severely depressed.

So, I assume it's not just hypoglycemia that's causing my problems.

I did have a question, if anyone knows: no gallbladder=hard to process fats and proteins. I also take a bile-binding agent called questran, so I have constantly fatty stools. Could taking a lipase/protease enzyme help? Obviously it's a problem cause the diet I should be on is mostly fat and protein. Some sources say taking an ezyme suppliment helps, some say it does nothing, i'm curious.

Thanks.
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Stan

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Posted: 02-02-07 20:55pm

As far as I know, no supplements like that have any negative side effects unless you're allergic to what they're derived from, so it wouldn't hurt to try!
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