Re: MARGO and BELLE Re: (Long)I am SO CONFUSED and FRUSTRATED Lab Results from IGTT are normal??? VERY long
From: Jennifer (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 9 May 2000 04:12:23 -0500 (CDT)
Hi ladies,
This is what I think of as the usual baloney that many doctors will tell
you.
I suggest that while you look for a *real* doctor, someone who will take
your very obvious symptoms into account and your PCOS, you treat
yourself like a hypoglycemic, using a low-carb diet, and trying the
chromium and maybe inositol.
Good luck. I hope you find better medical care soon.
Jennifer
At Mon, 8 May 2000, Margo wrote:
>
>Judy, I asked by brother in law who is diabetic what is considered low
>blood sugar for him. He said anything less than 70-75 is low blood
>sugar for him. When I told him I dropped down to 45, he said he would
>be "freaking out by that point" and eating everything with sugar in
>sight. Ok... then how is that "normal"?? I posted my question on the
>women's health forum and one doctor said I had "reactive hypoglycemia"
>which needs to be treated by low carb diet (gee something new
>huh?)another said that b/c my ratios (of insulin to glucose)
>were"normal", that I was "normal" and not insulin resistant. How can
>you get such a spike in blood sugar (188) which is beyond the range
>posted as "reference points" on the results I have and then have it
>plummet to 45 (which is below the reference points) and be "NORMAL"? How
>is that not insulin resistant? Isn't my body producing too much insulin
>which is why the low blood sugar happens in the first place? All that
>CANNOT BE NORMAL! Having daily hypoglycemia and not being able to lose
>weight CANNOT be normal!
>
>UGH! I should have gone to medical school! (ok sorry.. enough of my
>rantings). Judy I can totally relate with you and those awful
>hypoglycemia attacks. Hopefully Belle will be able to shed some light
>on this. I need some advice. I have no idea what to do now. How can I
>get help for this if no one will listen? How am I ever going to feel
>better at this rate?
>
>At Mon, 8 May 2000, Judy wrote:
>>
>>Margo:
>>I'm so sorry for your frustration, sweetie. I really empathize (as
>>you'll see below) so I've taken the liberty of asking Belle's input.
>>
>>BELLE:
>>I truly hope you don't think I'm rude for flagging you on this message:
>>You simply are such a voice of Wisdom (capital "W" there) that I'm
>>hoping you might have mercy and offer some insight.
>>
>>Margo has voiced something which has frustrated me as well, and which
>>I've had similar experiences with. Even when I've felt my worst, blood
>>tests have always come back marked "normal" and I've always wondered how
>>the heck it could be. (As I was a child I had terrible hypoglycemic
>>edisodes on a regular basis. My mother took me for a blood test and it
>>came back "normal: NOT hypoglycemic." (Could have fooled me: I spent
>>more time cold-sweating, shaking and lying down than any kid should.
>>Only when my mother basically *ignored* the "normal" diagnosis, took
>>charge, and treated me like a hypoglycemic did I improve. SHE taught
>>how to stabilize my blood sugar: The doctor dismissed us.) I wish I
>>could say that was an isolated incident, but as an adult--with blatant
>>PCOS symptoms-- my PCOS bloodwork comes back "normal." Just last month,
>>I had a standard blood test (not GTT, but one which nonetheless required
>>a 12 hour fast): I was feeling genuinely ill by the time of the blood
>>draw: shaky, weak, moody, foggy-brained and freezing. I was so "out of
>>fuel" that my nails were actually purple, and the nurse commented on how
>>"icy" I was. Crappy as I felt, I was excited: I thought, "This is
>>perfect! Now they'll finally see what I've been telling them about!!"
>>The blood work--everything from thyroid to glucose level-- came back in
>>"normal" range.
>>
>>Can you help us understand this?? I know there must be a logical reason,
>>but when the one feels this ill and sees a "normal" stamp, I'm sure you
>>can understand our incredulous reactions. I'm struggling to retain some
>>semblance of faith in this diagnostic tool...
>>
>>Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this, Belle! Please, I beg
>>you, educate me and Margo. :=)
>>
>>--
>>Judy
>>
>>At Mon, 8 May 2000, Margo wrote:
>>>
>>>I have no idea what all this means. I just got a copy of my IGTT
>>>(Insulin Glucose Tolerance Test) and was pronounced by the nurse to be
>>>"normal". The last hour of the test I felt like I was low blood
>>>sugaring so badly that it wouldn't even be funny. I got the sweats and
>>>the shakes then got dizzy, got the mental fuzzyness and word slurring
>>>and I was freezing cold. I looked so awful that the people at the lab
>>>stopped the test so I could eat my protein bar and not faint. So... how
>>>can the numbers be "normal" if I feel that crappy? Even the number range
>>>on the results sheet state 70-125, so how can 45 and 66 respectively be
>>>"normal" glucose levels? When my diabetic brother in law gets blood
>>>sugar that low he eats stuff that has sugar in it. So what do all these
>>>numbers mean?
>>>
>>>Here is what they are (if anyone could shed some light on this I'd
>>>greatly appreciate it)
>>>
>>>Fasting glucose = 89 (after which I was given sugar drink)
>>>1/2 hr glucose = 188
>>>1hr glucose = 136
>>>2hr glucose = 102
>>>3hr glucose = 45
>>>4 hr glucose = 66
>>>
>>>Fasting insulin = 13.7
>>>1/2 hr insulin = 105.6
>>>1 hr insulin = 103.1
>>>2 hr insulin = 75.3
>>>3 hr insulin = 18.5
>>>4 hr insulin = 8.6
>>>
>>>I have no idea what these numbers mean and if I am insulin resistant or
>>>whatever. I still don't feel right. What the heck is wrong with me????
>>>I am so frustrated I want to scream! Any help is appreciated
>>
![[ PCOS Discussion Forums ]](../../images/pcos_at_obgyn.gif)