Does anyone have low sugar during a relapse?

[kate336]

My sugar drops to 60 often during a relapse. I get shaking so bad I can hardly get something in my mouth and feel just terrible until I get some sugar in me. I don't have diabetes, so I don't understand why this happens. Was thinking that is could be the ms.

[gomer]

I confess I am slightly confused by your post.....

-1- How do you KNOW you are not diabetic? Did a doctor test you?

-2- Usually non diabetics don't even know what a good or normal blood sugar range is, let alone have a glucometer. Unless a family member is diabetic. In that case remember diabetes runs in families!

Down to our question;
First 60 is too LOW! You bs should be between 70 and 100 most of the time, for a NON-DIABETIC!

If you are having an issue with reactive hypoglycemia, avoiding fast carbs & sugars should help. I also think you SHOULD bring this up with your family or primary doctor, might be a good idea to get tested for diabetes. It can sneak up on you and having MS means you are at extra risk for diabetes, hence a possable indirect connection to MS, but not directly caused by MS.

That is my opinion anyway.. Good luck & take care.

Doc Gomer Doctor of, Been There, Done That.

[Redwings]

Hi kate:
Your question brings up even more questions than answers.

If you aren't diabetic, why is your blood sugar being tested during relapses? Testing of blood glucose during MS relapses isn't standard procedure. Sometimes doctors will check blood glucose if a person is treated with high-dose steroids because steroids -- not MS itself -- can elevate blood sugar. So, again, if you aren't diabetic, why is you glucose being tested? How many relapses have you had and how many times has your glucose been measured? Is it always around 60 or has that happened only once or twice? Further, what other blood tests have you had to indicate that you're not diabetic?

In more than 17 years of high-dose steroid treatment for relapses of what has turned out to be NMO, sometimes as often as every three months, my blood glucose has never been tested during a relapse. Since it isn't standard procedure to test blood glucose during a relapse, especially in the absence of steroid treatment, you might not get many responses from people describing low glucose during relapses.

What happens to other people during relapses is lrrelevant to you. Most importantly, what has your doctor said about your low blood sugar during relapses?

[kate336]

reply to :low sugar during relaspe

I have been tested for diabetic and it was normal.
The reason I have a glucometer is because I have been on steroids and it made my sugar go up most of the time, so I had to get a glucometer to keep an eye on it.
Now, I am told that I can't be on steriods because it makes my sugar too high and my blood pressure too high.
So, now I am in a relaspe and my sugar has been dropping every day, usually mid afternoon. I know that I have to get some sugar in me quickly by the way I feel and when I feel that way I always check my sugar before I eat anything so I know that is what is going on. Sometimes I will be like this for 1 to two weeks at a time. And, then it stops...I try to stay away from sweet.
However, now that I received your responces I will let the doctor know that I am having this again. I did go to the doctor for it before and then it stopped.
Thanks for you replies....I just thought that maybe it could have something to do with ms.

[zoysia]

kate: i need to chime in here

because your sugars have been so high for so long, because of the steroids, your body is used to it being that high level and anything below that level will cause you to have a hypoglycemic reaction (shakes, sweats, light-headedness, dizzy, wanna fall down types of crap)

it'll take time for your body to readjust itself to being without all that "extra" "sugar" (from the meds) and until it does readjust, your pancreas is going to send out way more insulin than you need or could handle, and your liver won't send out the glucose needed to keep your sugars balanced.

it's scary beyond scary, but do keep track of what your glucometer says to show your doctor.

sadly, most of the doctors forget some of the interactions between treatments (drugs) and general well-being, or don't pay attention to the side effects and how those effect each of their patients DIFFERENTLY.

AND!!! keep some form of sugar with you at all times!!!!! I carry jelly beans. You are not diabetic, the tests proved that, but the steroids have "made" you into one. Discontinuing the meds will result in you getting back to normal.

Best of luck with this!

[kate336]

zoysia

Thanks for that thought....I bet you have something there.
I will give it some time and I will see if it gets better.
I will also mention it to my doctor when I see him.
I will also carry sweets with me incase it happens when I am not home.
I did have it happen in a grocery store once and I started eating stuff from the store and opened juice and started drinking it. Of couse, I did pay for it afterwards.

[zoysia]

kate! omg! LOL!

Grocery store, foods in basket, nowhere near the checkout and pigging-out! Been there, done that way too many times! LOL!

[kate336]

kate! omg! LOL!

Grocery store, foods in basket, nowhere near the checkout and pigging-out! Been there, done that way too many times! LOL!

Zoysia.....it is kind of funny when you think about it !!! LOL !!!!

[gailw]

I haven't been diagnosed with MS yet, in limbo land, but I have been having low blood sugar episodes for awhile. I keep glucagon tablets in my bag at all times because I never know when it's going to hit. Not that I think this helps at all, but at the back of my mind there is some connection, I just don't know what

Gail