Hypoglycemia symptoms but diagnosed with panic disorder!

[dsorvillo]

So this is going to be long, please forgive me! I just want to make sure I don't miss any details.

I'm a 31 yo female, I have a long history of anxiety and it was self managed.  I have always coped with it appropriately.  Unfortunately, my form of anxiety/phobia is fear of health problems.  My main issue being fear of hypoglycemia.

In short, I'm trying to get to the bottom of my symptoms, they are becoming debilitating and are effecting my daily life.  This all went from 0-60 within the past 2 weeks, as before then I was managing just fine.

Now onto the details.  I have no history of diabetes or pre-diabetes.  I'm a non smoker, non drinker, and I have a 2 year old son and am married.  I am on no medication. My blood work has all returned normal (thyroid, cbc, glucose, insulin, a1c).  

I have these episodes, which started back in 2012, but at that point were infrequent, where I suddenly get anxious, shaky, vision impaired, sometimes sweaty, heart racing, and feeling like I will pass out.  This also is coupled with shaky legs.  Each time this happens, by the time I see a medical professional, via an urgent care, or hospital or EMS, my sugars have been normal and the symptoms dissipate slowly.  

My most recent extreme episode of this was two Friday's ago.  I had eaten within the hour, and had no test strips (I had not had the urge to test in quite some time, so never reordered since I was never diagnosed) I was driving home from work when suddenly I felt sluggish and weird, and within minutes my heart started racing, then faster and faster and faster until I couldn't catch my breath.  Then I felt like my vision was blurry, and I was rushing to get to my house.  I was stuck in traffic so this made my "anxiety" about this all worse.  By the time I got to my house, barely, I pulled into the driveway and could barely make it out of my car into the house because I had become so shakey and jello-legged, I felt like I couldn't even walk.  I'd like to mention that I had had sugar in the car, in the form of starbursts, so I did eat a few in the car during this episode.

As soon as I got home I rushed and ate some chicken leftovers, thinking my blood sugar kept dropping but couldn't determine this because I had no strips.  I felt better within a minute.  

Since then, I have repeatedly had these episodes that occur at the same time of day, but now I have test strips again and my sugars are usually normal. (80's) but today I had my most recent episode and was at 78 during the beginning stages (heart racing, clammy hands and feeling sluggish).  I did not have any blood sugar spikes as my readings earlier today were in the mid 80s.

I was in the ER last week for a similar issue, but this time my sugar was 68, and I made my husband call 911 after I felt like I was about to faint.  I know I slightly panicked from seeing the low(er) number, but I'm wondering if I'm having hypoglycemia AND anxiety, and that is why I'm not being correctly diagnosed.  

I am beyond frustrated because my Dr. keeps telling me i'm fine, but I don't feel fine.  I'm constantly nauseated now, and usually wake up anxious and with a pounding heart (sugars normal then).  But I feel that I have something undiagnosed!

Please help! :(

[14gigi]

Research POTS...kinda sounds like that to me

[MHCommunityManager]

dsorvillo, we also have an anxiety community that is pretty active. perhaps some there have experienced what you have and can help.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Anxiety/show/71

Thanks for coming to MedHelp for advice, and please do stick around, share with others, and stay in touch.

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

Your reported blood sugars are all in the normal range.  Normal blood sugars are typically in the range of 70 - 90ish.  Consider that your meter has a small error margin, so 68 is also well within normal for a non-diabetic woman.

It does sound like a panic attack, and they can be very disturbing.

Anyway, to keep blood sugars stable you are recommended to eat a diet that is high in healthy naturally occurring fats, moderate amounts of protein, with plenty of vegetables and some fruits.  Sugar, and sweetened foods will actually place you at more risks of potential hypoglycemia.

In case you were 'low", it takes very little sugar to raise blood sugar to normal.  Your blood only has about 2 tsp of sugar in it for your entire body.   So a single piece of hard candy would be enough to bring you up from 68 - 80 or so.

Can you work with a psychologist to develop techniques to handle the anxiety / panic attacks?  It is likely that the more attacks you have the more you may fear having an attack and the more likely that you may have another attack (as you are already fearful / anxious).

From what you've said I can reassure you that your sugars are normal!

Wishing you health.