Am I hypoglycemic or diabetic?

Question

I haven't been to a doctor yet, but am thinking I probably should soon. I've had some mild episodes lately where I feel literally a "drop" of energy, feel VERY uncomfortable (esp. driving!!), & usually if I haven't eaten enough (ie, 4+ hours), drank too much caffeine or alcohol, etc. I notice I feel better (obviously) if I cut out caffeine & alcohol, but still feel a low sometimes from lack of food, which I usually haven't a problem with before. But I also have bad eating habits, & really need to change this, such as eating big meals & not enough small ones, & the foods I eat (& don't eat enough of)... it looks I can't get away with this anymore. So my questions are can you be hypoglycemic without being a diabetic, or could I be diabetic? I know my grandma was diabetic, so there is some family history. I know the best answer is to see a doctor, but I'm curious as to what kind of doctor, what to tell them about symptoms I've been having, & what to expect. Thanks!

Also, I'm not overweight & well within my normal weight, & workout pretty regularly.

Answer 1

Before you become diabetic, you become hypoglycemic, although doctors are slow to recognize this.

Eat every two hours. Only a snack, not a full meal. Eat protein and fruits and vegetables. You should notice an improvement.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

There is a lot of false information above!

Clinical hypoglycemia - low blood sugar - is RARE. Lots of people say they are hypoglycemic but they have not actually been checked, and what they really mean is that they suffer symptoms when they haven't eaten for a while. That's not hypoglycemia! Hypoglycemia is a syndrome of MEASURED low blood sugar AND associated symptoms. True hypoglycemia needs to be investigated thoroughly because there can be treatable causes for this problem including the possibility of insulin secreting tumors!

Hypoglycemia is completely unrelated to diabetes except for the fact that diabetics who take too much insulin, or who take the right amount of insulin but the wrong amount of food, can become hypoglycemic. They can even go into "insulin shock" and die from this. Hypoglycemia is not a precursor to diabetes. Whoever said that, above, is very confused.

95% of diabetics are type 2 diabetics. Based on this statistic, my guess is that your grandmother was a type 2 diabetic. Type 2 diabetes is a disease of overweight people which increases in frequency with increasing weight and increasing age. It is not a disease of otherwise healthy young people. Type 1 diabetes is completely different. Type 1 diabetes DOES happen in young people. A grandmother with type 2 diabetes does not increase your risk of being a type 1 diabetic. These diseases are fundamentally different.

Please do not rush out and try to buy a glucometer. First of all, these medical devices are expensive and are available only with a doctor's script. Second of all, you don't have a diagnosis of diabetes, you haven't been told to take insulin, and you haven't been trained to use the device to determine an insulin dose. That advice, above, was stupid. Enough said.

You did get one piece of decent advice. Talk to a doctor. You are worried about your health, and you have specific questions. These concerns will be completely alleviated by explaining your concerns to a physician, undergoing a basic physical exam, and having routine lab draws performed. A family practitioner would be ideal. You don't need to see an endocrinologist. Every primary care doctor in the country manages diabetes. They all know what to look for and what to ask.

My guess, and I know I could be wrong, is that you are not hypoglycemic and you are not diabetic. My guess is that you may be mildly malnourished, mildly nervous, and are very sensitive to your bodies signals.

Answer 4

It is quite possible that you are, or maybe borderline. Shaking is not normal if you skip a breakfast. Make an appointment with the doctor, to check your fasting blood sugar. You could also go down to the local pharmacy, some of them can test you there, or at least I've seen signs posted for them. Normal range is between 70-120 broadly. If your blood sugar drops below normal you can have signs and it can be dangerous depending on how low it goes. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed as a child, but more commonly Type 2 diabetes can develop later in life especially when your body become resistant to the insulin that you normally produce. Changing your diet, and exercise can help control it if you are borderline, but if not you must be on medication and constantly monitor your levels. Bottom line, go get checked.

Answer 5

Hypoglycemia is often forerunner or even a symptom of type II diabetes. Diet can often help, such as frequent small meals with adequate protein and controlled carbs. Protein and carbs should each be about 30% of your diet (60% total) and some kind of snack should be included regularly. A good snack may include things such as cheese or peanut butter and crackers. Even if this is helpful, you should see your Dr. for a workup. If you have diabetes, you need to know and be treated or monitored regularly to prevent serious complications. Many people do not realize they are diabetic until the complications arise, and they are usually irreversible.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

i too have a family history of diabetes. I started about 24 years ago fainting and loss of energy and found out i was hypoglocemic. Now i found out that i am now diabetic. Many times hypogycemic goes before the diabetic stage. if you control your diet and exercise you may save the diabetic part. First go see a doctor tell him what you have said here. second keep some snack crackers in your pocket and maybe some hard candies. If you feel this way eat them at once. also drink a lot of water.

Answer 8

Hypoglycemia is the opposite of diabetes (AKA hyperglycemia). See this site for better diet. Then click on page on fasting to read what most people have that appears as hypoglycemia. Your question is like can someone have high blood pressure and low blood pressure. Type1 diabetes is totally different from type 2. As more people become obese, the same is happening with type 2.

http://phifoundation.org

Answer 9

You don't have to be a diabetic to experience hypoglycemia. Because your grandmother was diabetic, you have a family history and this increases your chances of developing diabetes later in life. And you are right -- you do in fact need to see a doctor about what you've experienced. Start with your primary health care provider and tell her/him exactly what you've said here. Everything. You may even be referred to an Endocrinologist for continued care.

Answer 10

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is considered a diabetic condition.Too much or too little sugar in the blood causes problems, and can lead to diabetic coma situations, and ultimately death.
You seem to be well aware of the relationship between food intake and blood sugar, so you know what to do.While you are waiting to see an endocronologist, I suggest that you make sure to have candy on hand so that you can raise your blood sugar quickly and avoid nasty episodes of feeling lousy and/or losing consciousness.
In terms of what to expect, I imagine that your endochronologist will refer you to a dietician to help you change your eating habits so that you avoid low blood sugars.
Good Luck!!