Re: Low blood sugar to Angie

[Guest guest]

Angie,

I apologize, I did make the mistake of thinking that it was the nurse

that told you that, not the doctor on call. I read your message too

rapidly, and jumped to that conclusion. In regards to their thinking

that it's an insulinoma, other than a more expected blood sugar

reaction to decreasing insulin control due to progressional damage to

the pancreas, there are obviously more things going on that they know

about than I do. Apparently evidence of a tumor in your pancreas has

been seen in a CT-scan, or shown up on a CA-19-9 tumor marker, and I

just didn't remember your mentioning it earlier. It's good that your

PCP is doing these tests to determine what the status of your blood

glucose has been recently. And if he's the one who treats you for

your pain, instead of your GI, then my hat's off to him for taking on

the responsibility and for caring for you as he does. If he does all

this for you, what DOES your GI do?

Yes, I am a type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic, as a result of my

pancreas burning out two years ago. The beta cells were destroyed

when my pancreas burned out, resulting in brittle diabetes. The range

for a " normal " fasting blood glucose level is 70-110. Two hours after

eating, a person's blood glucose should return to 120 or below, in

order to be considered within " normal " or non-diabetic limits. It's

not accurate to test much sooner than 2 hours after eating, since the

BG levels are still fluctuating. A fasting BG range of as low as 50

or as high as 200 would be trouble.

I don't envy you having to do the GTT. I had to do one of those 26

years ago, and I spent so much time with my head over the toilet that

they had to send in assistants to get me out. It was an absolutely

horrible experience for me, and then the final results were

non-conclusive because I couldn't keep any of it down. Ghastly!!

Good luck with this, and please let us know of all the results as they

come in.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

Bluffton, SC

South Carolina State Rep.

South Eastern Regional Rep., PAI

http://www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

Note: All comments or advice are from personal experiences or opinion,

and should not be a substitute for consultation with a medical

professional.

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

What does a brittle diabetic mean. I have never heard that term until I

heard you mention it on here. And with you being diabetic you really need to

take

care of those footsies!

Thanks,

Angie

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

They did not see an insulinoma when they did my CT scan in Dec. They did see

a cyst and calcifications. My GI doc said it was not a " clear " cyst. Whatever

that means. He is so hard to talk to sometimes. I have not had any blood

tests to determine if there are any malignancies. My PCP is just guessing at

this

point. My PCP sent for the report from my GI doc.

When I got up this morning my glucose was good. It was 72. After I ate

breakfast at 8:00, my heart started beating fast and I felt funny. I knew it was

going high for some reason. I took it about 10:00 and it was 187. Then right

before lunch about 4 hours after breakfast. It was 63. I am having big

fluctuations. Is this normal? As they pancreas burns out does it dump insulin? I

just

don't get the big fluctuations in my glucose level. I am really confused! How

much below 120 should I be 2 hours after eating. In that normal range of

70-110?

Last night before I went to bed I started sweating and felt bad and I took

it and it was 56.

My GI doc doesn't do much! He gives me my pancreatic enzymes and my donnatal.

I called him about a pain management doc and he hasn't called me back. Will

the docs in ton recommend something? Do they give prescriptions for pain

meds when you go? Will they let my PCP know what to prescribe me?

Thanks!

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "

[Guest guest]

Angie wrote:

> They did not see an insulinoma when they did my CT scan in Dec. They

did see a cyst and calcifications. My GI doc said it was not a " clear "

cyst.<

Why have they suddenly decided that this " cyst " is an insulinoma,

instead of a pseudocyst, without doing more scans or bloodwork? This

is what I'm perplexed about. I wouuld think that more CT-scans or

specific bloodwork would have been needed in order to make this

determination. I'm surprised that they haven't wanted to do a

follow-up CT-scan to see what the cyst has done. Is this something

that's being planned to do at MUSC?

<this morning my glucose was good. It was 72. After I ate breakfast at

8:00, my heart started beating fast and I felt funny. (snip) I took it

about 10:00 and it was 187. Then right before lunch about 4 hours

after breakfast. It was 63. (snip) Last night before I went to bed I

started sweating and felt bad and I took it and it was 56.>

These are some highly irregular fluctations, your baseline level seems

to be running too low. 70 is the low level for " normal " blood

glucose, and you're running under that. That would be called

hypoglycemia, if it were a constant occurance. That 187 two hours

after breakfast is much too high, and then the rest of the time you're

running lower than normal.

<Will the docs in ton recommend something? Do they give

prescriptions for pain meds when you go? Will they let my PCP know

what to prescribe me?>

Angie, I've never been a patient at the Digestive Center at MUSC, so I

really can't answer those questions. Based on what I've heard other

people that HAVE gone to see them, they did recommend prescriptions,

and did give that information to the patient's primary doctors. I

don't know whether they'll recommend a PM doctor, though. You may

have to find one yourself, if your GI won't cooperate with this. I've

forgotten, where in SC are you? And when are you going to MUSC?

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina State Rep.

South Eastern Regional Rep.

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

They are just guessing at this pointabout the insulinoma. My doc just said

it was a possibility since my sugar level is so erratic. My doc is doing the

GTT in the morning and then I am not sure what other tests he will run or if he

will let MUSC run them. I go on March 30th to MUSC . My feeling is also

hypoglycemia. I am not sure though. My docs have me so confused at this point I

don't know which way is up! I live in Aiken SC. My GI doc is in Augusta GA. I

will know more tomorrow after the GTT.

Thanks!

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "