Just Diagnosed, Insulin Resistance!! now too.

sorry to hear this..blood sugar control issues seem to go with the territory.

what were the names of the tests you had?

i have self diagnosed reactive hypoglycemia.
doc just started me on victoza.
still on a loading dose...so no benefits yet, and the nausea is not so great.

wish i could tell you more...but yeah, another cross to bear.

I'm hoping if we get at the root cause, it will resolve downstream problems like this.

Great info, I often wonder what my levels are like. Ive been tested and they return normal but if I eat refined sugar of any sort I get very ill. Does that happen to you?

Hi aquariusgirl

i had hypoglycemia (self diagnosed and back up throu the blood test results i got from doctors, doctors had ignored my out of normal range blood sugar results!!! as they didnt realise it was important). The blood test "general chemistry" in the past had come back with my abnormal glucose results saying 2.4.. with another being at 2.6 (a normal result listed on that blood test is 3 to 6.9).

Those readings were coming back when i was quite ill (housebound at that time) and doctors told me all my tests were coming back normal, so i didnt know i had abnormal readings on my tests until years later when i started demanding copies of my test results). If my sugar level had been going much lower, I could of been going unconscious due to it!! (from the info i found online on various levels). Since i havent been housebound, my glucose results come back normal. (I wonder just how bad they were when i was completely bedbound?? and passing out).

I suggest to everyone.. insist that doctors give you copies of all your tests, dont take it for truth when they just tell you everything in is range. (my tests in the past which i was told was all normal when i was extremely ill.. also show my sodium as low, my chloride as high).

Insulin issues can cause hypoglycemia... as the insulin surge can over kick in and can drop the blood sugar sometimes quite dramatically. So low blood sugar is a sign of insulin issue and anyone who has this issue should insist their doctor gets them checked out for insulin issues.

The test for insulin.. is a fasting blood test (i had to fast for 12 hrs), then they take your blood, then give one glucose solution then take blood again at the 1 hr mark and the 2 hr mark. To see how both your glucose level and your insulin level reacts to this.

The test is called a glucose tollerance test (its far better to have the 2 hr test done as in some the insulin doesnt spike till this time so in shorter tests it can be more likely to be missed). Any good blood lab does this kind of testing. (thing is i found the blood nurses at lab knew nothing on insulin issues and insulin resistance, as they are more used to people having diabetes and hence the glucose being important rather then the insulin).

Insulin issues will cause ALL KINDS of symptoms.. so much so that some have called the issue Pandora's box http://www.agale.com.au/PANDORA.htm (lists things insulin resistance can cause).
http://www.agale.com.au/CFS.htm (examples of ones who had been diagnosed with CFS/ME who had insulin resistance).

"Similarly the stress of infection in glandular fever switches on increased IR and explains the tendency to chronic fatigue following glandular fever; it is as if the body forgets to switch off the increased IR as infection subsides http://www.agale.com.au/CFS.htm" that quote is from a specialist in this blogspot http://insulinresistance2009.blogspot.com/2009/10/insulin-resistance-2009.html

Rosalie;bt3102 said:

Great info, I often wonder what my levels are like. Ive been tested and they return normal but if I eat refined sugar of any sort I get very ill. Does that happen to you?

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In my own case i seem to be able to eat sugar okay but i may well change this thought once ive been on that low carb diet for a while if my symptoms improve which they may well do seeing i have this issue. I did avoid the cordial last night that i usually have just before bed, had water instead and have ended up waking up at more of a decent hr. (too early to say if its a coincidence or what).

I seem to have issues with complex carbs eg bread, cereal.. i dont know if its a gluten food intollerance or this insulin issue causing my issue there.

i have had a lot of issues with various food intollerances of all types but they havent been really bothering me that much lately as they'd improved, (other then i restrict breads and cereals some). Most with insulin issue do have food intollerence stuff going on and its common we may be avoiding eatting certain things.

You may like to look at http://www.agale.com.au/CFS.htm which gives a couple of examples of ones with CFS/ME who had insulin issue playing a big part in things. Im currently seeing the same specialist as them (and due to him, my insulin issue has FINALLY been picked up, i was stunned to see the blood test result esp since the same test recently done had come back in normal range.. this doctor thou due to my symptoms really thought i had this issue so got me to have test again).

This is certainly something which should be tested for in many of us as it could be really adding to our issues and putting us at high risk of other major things.

Do you have ANY thyroid problems in your family? Thyroid Disease is genetic, can skip a generation but if you do, you may want to see an endocrinologist RIGHT AWAY. Certain Types of Thyroid Diseases can cause Diabetes and when Insulin is used, the body will actually reject it due to the thyroid problem. Please keep us posted. Blessings.Julia

I know my thryroid test came back ok. Does anyone else have the problem of complete exhaustion after a meal, I can only eat small meals.

I have this along with PCOS which goes with syndrome X. It's a big deal but it won't kill you. You have to watch your diet which I feel that you do already with CFS.

Cloud
what did your doc suggest for yr insulin resistance?
my doc has me trying victoza.
disturbing that this symptom is not resolving after yr extensive anti-viral txt and other txts.
I would hope this downstream stuff wld resolve as we fix the root cause.

Would be interesting to get it re-done in a few week's time, Tania.

Last year, mine was very high too, but my Dr erred on the conservative side & had a test re-done a week later. It was much, much lower.

The ordinary fasting serum glucose test I had done 3 weeks ago shows (surprisingly) that I am only 6.00 (normal fasting serum glocose range is 4.00-6.00).

So from back in 2006 when the endocrinologist first classified me as pre-diabetic (my glucose levels at 1 hr & 2 hr were above the normal range - not nearly as high as yours, I might add) , I have finally got down to the normal range. With a family history of death (blind & bedridden), renal failure & death on my Father's side of the family & my Mother has a high fasting serum glucose level, it seems as though the threat of diabetes for me has been lifted for the time being.

Last test in Dec 2009 was 7.8 & then a week later 6.9. If it had been still at 7.8, it would have meant going back to the specialist.

I was classified as having syndrome X also.

My kidney tests also showed stage 2 kidney disease back in 2006.

During the thorough physical my neurosurgeon ordered the day before my back surgery in 2008, my kidney function was 100% normal.

So, Tania, while your tests are much higher than mine, I would suggest asking for another re-test in a couple of weeks time to make sure it really is that bad.

And if so, I urge you to tweak your diet (to cut the sugar load). In the meantime if you are going to eat something sweet, eat it in tiny quantities at the end of a meal (to spread the sugar load).

I'm also wondering if all the slow walking for hours has contributed to a reduced test result. 'Cause I've actually put on another couple of pounds since I've cut down my meals & done more walking.

Julia Rachel;bt3105 said:

Do you have ANY thyroid problems in your family? Thyroid Disease is genetic, can skip a generation but if you do, you may want to see an endocrinologist RIGHT AWAY. Certain Types of Thyroid Diseases can cause Diabetes and when Insulin is used, the body will actually reject it due to the thyroid problem. Please keep us posted. Blessings.Julia

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Yes there is thyriod problems in my family... 3 family members have hypothyriodism.

Specialists are putting down my insulin resistance thou down to having PCOS.. 90% who have this have insulin resistance or diabetes by the time they are 40 years old.

I do worry about my thyriod thou as i have so many different hormonal issues.. and currently seriously considering going to a GP who specialises in hormones etc. (im just soo busy trying to deal with everything right now that i dont want to involve yet another doctor right now till my appointments slow down a bit (im doing two per week).

Rosalie;bt3107 said:

I know my thryroid test came back ok. Does anyone else have the problem of complete exhaustion after a meal, I can only eat small meals.

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Rosalie.. try eatting some meals without carbs to see if same thing happens (no breads, cereal, sugars, fruits) .. also think about what drinks you are having with the meals.

The other thing which could be affecting you is a food intollerance of some kind. Those can be hard to work at at times. (or maybe you are so run down right now that the energy to digest food is taking a toll). I think most with CFS/ME do have food intollerance going on often too.

The Spitfire;bt3112 said:

I have this along with PCOS which goes with syndrome X. It's a big deal but it won't kill you. You have to watch your diet which I feel that you do already with CFS.

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I do watch my diet but I also dont.. Im a bit of an emotional eater who heads for comfort food, I get a lot of my enjoyment in life from food (being home alone nearly all the time). So these food changes arent being easy.

Doctors worry about me having all this too as I already have high heart disease risk.. all my family tends to get heart attacks or heart issues. So this all is another risk factor.

Victoria;bt3130 said:

Would be interesting to get it re-done in a few week's time, Tania.

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The specialist said one can have insulin resistance and it not show up on the tests... as tests dont always pick it up. So i dont think they will bother retesting seeing they know now ive got it.

With that test.. I actually had far less sugar then usually they give someone with the glucose during the test. My first insulin resistance test came out in normal ranges... but as they were sure i had this issue due to ive got PCOS.. specialist had me redo it but this time with me having what I'd have at home instead of the glucose they give for the test. (sometimes they get someone to go and eat breakfast and then come back and test again.. inside i just had two weak cordials)

So i had two very weak cordials.. and thou they contain far less carb then the glucose solution usually given for that test (the blood lab people were going.. how on earth is that going show you have an issue as it wont register it with that low amount!!) , my test came out that high. For me to get the same amount of carb/glucose in which usualy given in that test, I would of had to drink twice that amount of cordial.

So if i'd done that to make it equal to their solution.. my test result may of been DOUBLE the high result which came back. Both my specialists say its best to see exactly how ones body is reacting to whatever you are doing in your daily life.