Uncontrollable shaking, why?

[Dragon48]

So a few weeks a go at a camp I was shaking uncontrollably for about four days. When ever I'd eat a bunch of cookies or juice it would stop or calm down then start up again an hour later. What happened and why?

[caregiver222]

As the above posters have noted, the shaking is a hallmark of hypoglycemia, and the provisional diagnosis is "rule out hypoglycemia". As Allmymarbles suggested the shakes are a warning, and a big one. This is correct. There are several possible etiologies. Fasting blood sugar testing is one means of evaluation, however there is another test, known as an insulin challange, that involves an IV line. Both are equally good, but the later test does not tie up the office for several hours. In addition to the shaking there is a loss of situational awareness, making you a dangerous driver. This loss of mentation and judgement may not be noticeable. Purchase of a glucose meter would be in order, as well as an M.D. consult. The meters are often free with a rebate in the United States. The company makes money on the test strips.

[allmymarbles]

Sounds like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). It is the reverse of diabetes (hyperglycemia). Doctors unfortunately pay little attention to low blood sugar, their interest lying in diabetes. At least that is the problem I had. In the same manner they pay little attention to low blood pressure.

The shakes are a warning. Make an appointment with your doctor. He should send you for a fasting blood sugar test. It lasts several hours (I think five), and is definitive. I took such a test and when the results came back (clearly low sugar) my doctor congratulated me on not having diabetes. I changed doctors.

In the meantime keep some sweets or cookies with you at all times. Eat several small means a day instead of three big ones.

[evewisewoman]

Hello there,

I hope you've made an appointment to see your family doctor. If I didn't
know better, this sounds like symptoms caused by low blood sugar.
Shaking uncontrollably for about four days sounds concerning. I felt
shaky once and I think it was due to low blood sugar. Don't remember
if I ate something sweet like cookies or juice, but when I ate something
in my case that had protein or carbs in it, I felt better.  
I would have this checked out by your doctor. Good luck. Eve