Nausa - disorientation

Hi! I usually post in the depression forum, but I am also a type 2, diagnosed about 8 years ago. I hope my question isnt repedative, but I need to know if what Im experiencing is common, or if I may have some other issue.

First of all, I am a terrible patient. I dont have medical insurance, and rely on county funded programs for medical help, where funds come and go, and currently are gone. I have 2 different meds but again, I am a bad patient and am not as consistent as I should be. My normal readings are probably high... 170 to 250, I know, I know.... When I am best behaved, the readings are normal, 120 to 150.

My question is, it seems that if I dont eat every 4  hours, and this includes the night, I become sick - feeling, above all else, disorientated. Also feeling dizzy, nervous, cranky, nausa.... but again the main symptom is disorientation, and an inability to make a proper judgement about what is happening.... I eventually realize that it is a low sugar thing and can correct it, but not until after I get these sick symptoms. I remember reading about these symptoms in my early education of diabetes, but these symptoms seem so extreme and exagerated. These things happen whether I am on track with my meds or not, doesnt seem to make a difference.

so thanks for any input and your support.... take care...

Scott

Hi Lanie.... I am not sure what my sugar reading are when this happens, I am truly disorientated, and do not think to check my sugar... I just think, "oh wow, whats wrong....???...Maybe I need to eat now" and do so, so when I check my sugar later, its elevated from eating. My meds are glipizide and glucaphage, old school stuff, its what the county provides.

I do know that when the tremors from low sugar starts, its in the 60 to 80 range. But that just feels different from the disorientation symptoms described, and I can usually catch a crash like that early. If I have taken my meds and have a sugar crash, its usually very bad, almost like the meds have caused the crash. I will eat but it can take an hour or more for me to recover. This is usually what makes me stop taking them, fear I guess. Then I start checking my sugar, and its way up there, so I go back on the meds. I cannot find a balance.

Best behaved for me means I have not eaten candy (or similar) or drank sugared drinks. I dont typically keep track or monitor carbs from bread, pasta etc. I know that if I am eating protein at least 4 times a day, not eating sugars from sweets and drinks, and taking meds properly, my readings are normal, 120 to 150. anything below 110 feels awful to me. But I know some people say 90 is normal to them, but that has never felt right to me. So maybe my normal is a little higher than what is typical.

My diet is inconsistent but on the healthy side (except of course for sugar slips - I try to maintain, but to be honest, I slip almost daily) I couldnt really list food and meals here, I rarely eat out. Meals usually consist of protein, a bread or similar, dairy, 2 or 3 servs of fruit/veg (not enough) daily. Nothing to far off the charts.

So, I dont know if I have provided enough info for you to help, I am curious if anyone out there has this disorientation symptom. Its a little disturbing to me. Feels like in the back of my head I know what to do, but cannot, cannot process the thought properly to take the appropiate action, whether that be to eat food or just protein, straight sugar, test my sugar, call for help, lay down, etc.

Maybe the symptom is not diabetic, maybe its neurological, psycological, a symptom of depression I know I have, hence a form of mental illness??? I dont know. I have this vertigo thing going on too. I am pretty sure that is not diabetic, feels like an inner ear issue.

So, thanks in advance for any help.....
Scott

Thanks Lanie... Okay, I'll be good. It has always been REALLY hard for me to eat properly. I do understand the severity of the disease, but life overwhelms me and it becomes a "thing" that I dont care for properly. I do know that the more I talk about it, seek advise and try to educate myself, the better off I am and the easier behaving becomes.... I used to go to a diabetic support group, that was helpful, this forum is helpful...

.... thanks for your advice and gently slapping me around, I appreciate the time and care you took to post... you make the world a better place...

more later... Scott

Scott,
If I may jump in here and give you a REAL scare... Anytime your blood glucose reading is over 150 more than two hours after a meal you are doing PERMANENT DAMAGE to your eyes, kidneys, heart, liver, feet, blood vessels and arteries. This is the real deal. It's lasting damage. If you read back in the posts you will find some written by a brave lady who goes by "wheelchair bound". She joined this forum after years of not following her program and just before they removed both of her legs above the knee.

You must get a grip on this disease before it finishes you off. Read back in the posts and learn from all of our mistakes. We will help you all we can, but you have to work hard every day to be "good". Not scolding here... just want you to understand how important this is.

TV Editor, our new moderator is a guy who has just figured out how to control his diabetes with his food plan and exercise. He's not on meds, yet, but I'm sure he can help and relate to you better than we gals can. Good luck with this and come back often.

(Thanks for the intro Jeannie :)

Hi Scott,

First off, stop eating the bread, dairy and candy!

That's about as slap-aroundy as I get so relax

It sounds to me that between your meds and sugar slips, your BG is on a BIG roller coaster.  This might explain the disorientation you feel when your BG is in the normal range -- the highs are too high and the lows are too low.  I know what you mean when you talk about the disorientation and vertigo.  I experience both of these occasionally and I suspect they are blood pressure related.  Best both of us check with a medical professional to be sure.

First, let's get you off the roller coaster

1)  Eat nothing white 'cept cauliflower & cottage cheese. (and eggs and some nuts ... we're gonna have to finalise this some day ;)  This is an easy way to remember what are carbs (bad) and what are not.  Bread, potatoes, cereals & pasta are the Bad Boys of the Carb Gang.

2)  No sugar ... not even brown sugar or pink candies. (You were thinking about the nothing white deal right?   Also, watch the fruit & corn and ... you have to read labels and books and forums to get a complete list.  Sugar-free sodas, juices and artificial sweeteners can be used to calm your sweet tooth. (we can worry about chemicals and additives later, once your health is more stable)

3)  Eat less of everything but more often.  Personally, I have to eat less in the morning and more towards the end of the day so I reduce the portion sizes of regular meals and snack in between.  Nuts, celery & cheese work for me.

Its really just a matter of changing your focus on what is important in life.  I think we've all, probably due to TV and other media, become obsessed with food.  I mean, if you were a car, would you watch The Gasoline Network all day?  Its just fuel.

If you do slip, exercise.  I've gotten to the point where when I know I've eaten too much or the wrong thing, I go for a walk -- even just to the end of the street & back.  It works.

Do as Lanie suggested and keep a log book of what you eat, meds & BG readings.  You don't have to do this forever -- just as long as it takes to get a handle on your personal condition.  Try it for a week.  You'll see results.

Chris