I got a few insightful questions from my readers which I am sharing here. My reply to them follows.
| K |
Is it possible to have hypoglycemia and suffer with seizures without diabetes?
My Blood sugar level after a seizure is high though quickly drops down (Shock?)
Can Hypoglycemia be a random problem caused by diet at the time and stress etc?
|
|
| |
braindiseases |
Dear K,
thank you for writing in. You ask a good question. There can be many causes of hypoglycemia, diabetes mellitus is one of the more common causes. In diabetes mellitus hypoglycemia commonly occurs in the setting of a missed meal (by that I mean, a diabetic patient takes his anti-diabetic medication/ insulin but forgets to take his meal). Another setting may be if one has what is called brittle diabetes. This is a condition in which the blood sugar varies quite a lot. Such patients need fine control of their blood sugar level to prevent episodes of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Seizures occur due to hypoglycemia per se (low blood sugar), not because of hypoglycemia due to diabetes. What I mean to say is that hypoglycemia due to any cause can cause a seizure provided the blood sugar falls below a critical level (usually less than 50 mg/dl).
Personal Regards,
Nitin Sethi, MD |
|
| |
S |
hi
im not here to ask a question sorry, just to ponder your mind a little,
ive had type 1 diabetes since the age of 4 (16 years) and i am now 20. when i was 7 i had my 1st seizure. time went on and since ive been 15 ive had around 20 + full on seizures ive had 2 in the street both ive recovered from, but the rest was in my sleep, with no warning atall. i go ridged and ALWAYS bite my tounge and injure myself, suck as banged my head off the cooker, the floor, raidiator etc. after this happens i get sugar rubbed in my gums by my family or friends till i come round, (no paramedic or hospital service involed) but the confusing thing was when i had them in the street and i came around WITHOUT sugar or anything. witch was also confusing for the hospital and my gp. witch also brings me to my next thing.
ive been to my local gp and also im back attending the hospital on a weekly basis.
as ive now been to see my gp today, and gave him details etc. of each seizure. hes now under the idea of sending me to a neurologist as he dosent beleive that my seizures are in anyway linked to my diabetes.
also ive just had my insulin changed from human mixtard 30 (twice daily) to lantus(morning) & novo rapid(breakfast, lunch, dinner).
what i was wondering was, what your thoughts would be on this ? |
|
| |
braindiseases |
Dear S,
thank you for writing in. This is what I feel. I think it shall be worth your time to see a neurologist and get a thorough evaluation for your seizure disorder. Some of your seizures likely can be accounted for by hypoglycemia (the ones in which you make a rapid recovery when sugar is rubbed onto your gums). It is also possible that you have underlying epilepsy/ seizure disorder. This may result in convulsions which are unrelated to hypoglycemic episodes. Also why should you be having hypoglycemia induced seizures if your diabetes is well controlled? As you can understand there are bits in your history which do not “gel”.
So I feel you need a good work-up. A neuroimaging study of the brain (ideally a MRI scan of the brain) and an electroencephalogram (EEG study) may be warranted. Your doctor may then decide to treat you with an anti-convulsant medication.
Personal Regards,
Nitin Sethi, MD |
|
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Braindisease's Weblog 
Have been Hypoglycemic all my life but always knew how to handle it. However, in this last 9 months my sugar has been dropping so low that I have had 2 seizures (one reported at 10 minutes) that have both resulted in trips to the E.R. and hospitalization, am often confused, loss of memory, feeling of light-headedness, etc. I have had 2 Nisson fundelplications (one was a repair)and don’t have a gallbladder anymore. I am nauseas, most often have diarrhea,periodic pain in upper abdomen, had one trip to E.R. via ambulance due to extreme gripping pain beginning at approx. stomach and around to my back. Great news; I have a strong heart. So it wasn’t that. My ears ring nonstop. My mouth has a constant…peeling?…I rub my tongue on the roof of my mouth because the feeling of stringy skin, though no one can see anything. I can’t judge if I feel full, because I never feel hungry yet I have not, as of yet, had a huge loss of weight. I found this insulin resistant diet and have started it and have lost 5 lbs. this week.
My question, I guess, are these s/s of pancreatic cancer? We have not yet gone into all the diagnostics but am waiting for the ins. to okay tests. Also. would the diet reverse damage if it is not found to be cancer?