This weekend, I began noticing some dizziness and fatigue. The dizziness was infrequent, and was worst after using an elevator (specifically, going down). I also have been sleeping about 10-12 hours per day since the weekend, though not all at once. I've been taking naps, and I actually had trouble sleeping last night.
Yesterday, I began feeling nauseated while eating lunch (I didn't have breakfast because I usually sleep until noon on Mondays). It went away fairly quickly. This morning, after eating a light breakfast, I again felt nauseated. I was also completely worn out after getting seven hours of sleep (granted, not very good sleep). The nausea did not go away until I came back to my room and laid down for awhile.
My head, neck, and back hurt. I think this is just muscle tension, but it's also causing problems, and may be contributing to the sleeping issues.
I guess the worst part of this is that I'm exhausted and I can't fall asleep when I need to. Seems odd to have insomnia and oversleeping at the same time, but that seems to be my problem. I'm having trouble keeping up, so I'm getting stressed out and depressed.
A couple of notes: I have depression, and it's mostly under control. This has some of the same symptoms, but doesn't feel quite the same as a normal depressive episode. I also have migraines, though the headache isn't that bad, and migraines generally don't persist like this. I got several mosquito bites about two weeks ago. They're gone now, but I thought I'd mention it. I'm in Arizona, and we do have West Nile around here.
Right now, I'm thinking that I'm just stressed and possibly I ate something that's causing problems. I don't really have the time or energy to go to the doctor, nor am I particularly concerned that this is something horrible. However, I can't function very well like this, so if it might be something treatable (or at least usable as an excuse) I'd like to know so I can go get it checked out.
Thanks for your help!
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Hatrack Rule #104: If you think it is worth the time to ask the forum if you need to go to the doctor/dentist/mental health professional, put down the keyboard, forget about posting, and run--don't walk--run to said medical facility.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
Whenever someone tellls me they are dizzy, I tell them that I need then to describe to me exactly what they feel WITHOUT using the word dizzy or lightheaded.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
*hijack*
Theca, do you have any experience or particular knowledge about recurrent endometriosis after hysterectomy and oopherectomy?
I have heard of cases where people continued to have pain even after surgery, when disease was left behind (in other words, they removed the uterus and ovaries but left the endo lesions) but I've not seen any talk about someone who had symptom relief for years before pain came back.
I'm really suspicious that the pain I've been dealing with for several weeks now is endo related, it certainly seems like it used to, but then again I haven't felt it for years.
I would call my doctor who treated me for it but he moved, and I have no ob/gyn now. I guess I need to get one. *sigh*
Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :
Guess your not looking for Marylanders?
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
I don't feel like the world is spinning, exactly. It's the same sort of about-to-fall-down sensation, but without any visual symptoms. It gets worse when I move my head around. Maybe like the ground is moving up and down under me?
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
Yes, you can have disease recurrence after hysterectomy etc. I don't know all that much about it, though, I've never had any endometriosis myself nor do I treat it. I'd find somebody to see.
Shigosei, if you sit in a chair and look from side to side by turning your head, what do you feel/see? What if you look up and down?
What happens if you suddenly stand up? Stand for long periods of time? Close your eyes while standing up? Try to walk heel to toe like the drunk drivers test?
Posted by Miriya (Member # 7822) on :
Hey Belle,
I haven't had a hysterectomy (in fact I'm pregnant right now, which suppresses the endo quite nicely ) but when discussing treatment options with my ob/gyn he mentioned that could happen.
As he described it, when they do a hysterectomy they also remove any lesions (if they find them). If they only remove part of the lesions you may have pain relief temporarily but they can grow again and cause you problems later on. This is especially the case if you have either retained your ovaries or are taken HRT.
I would totally have it looked at. I hope it works out for you. Endometriosis sucks. Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Theca, it feels like my head is kind of heavy, and my eyes aren't quite tracking with the rest of my head. That's if I'm in a chair moving my head.
Standing up suddenly doesn't seem to be a problem. Neither does standing for long periods of time. Sitting for long periods of time gives me a headache, though. Heel-to-toe is no more difficult than normal.
I went to the doctor today. I don't have mono, and they'll tell me tomorrow or Friday whether something's wrong with my thyroid. I do apparently have a virus of some sort. They don't know what.
[ October 13, 2005, 01:32 AM: Message edited by: Shigosei ]
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Scary. I hope it gets better soon and they find out what's causing it.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Thanks, kq. I'm sure it will be fine...the doctor actually suggested that it might be depression. So if none of the tests show anything, I'll probably go see a psychiatrist or counselor.
Of course, that won't clear up my problem in time for tomorrow's midterm. I've been sleeping instead of studying, and I'm not ready. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Depression, huh? Dizziness in me usually has more to do with not eating or drinking properly than anything else, but an interesting theory.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
If it's depression, the dizziness would probably in fact be caused by not eating enough. Which is one of the possible problems caused by depression.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
So my thyroid is fine, but I have to go back tomorrow because my blood sugar was high and they want to test it again after I fast for a couple of hours. Bleh.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh, dear. *prays*
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Oh, another question...the doctor called me today to tell me to come in tomorrow at noon for the test. I'm reasonably certain she said to eat breakfast, and that I needed to fast for a few hours. However, I was under the impression that things like this required an overnight fast. And the doctor did have somewhat of a thick accent. Anyone know? I could skip breakfast to be safe, but I probably won't be feeling well if I'm out doing things before noon.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
The doctor called you herself? Odd. A "fasting blood sugar" requires a 12 hour fast. And why a blood test at noon? That doesn't make any sense. That's lunch hour for most offices. Why would they want a patient to deal with then. Most offices don't make you wait for lunch to do a fasting test. I just don't follow any of that so I can't really advise you.
I tell people to show up any time after the lab opens, whenever is convenient for them.
Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :
I've been battling a virus that has been going around down here in Tucson. Not so much dizziness like you describe but frequent bouts of nausea and constantly feeling tired and worn out but often not able to fall asleep.
Usually a fasting glucose is done as soon as possible in the morning so you don't have to be without food that much longer. Mine have always had to be overnight or at least 12 hours. Interesting.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
A glucose tolerance test, though, can take a while. First they measure your blood sugar with a fingerstick test, then give you a sugary drink. You just sit around for a while, reading the magazines, as they periodically recheck your blood sugar to see how quickly it rises, how much it rises, how long it takes for it to come back down again.
Bring a book, or some knitting, studying, something to keep yourself occupied.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Hopefully if you do that they'll give you the yummy carbonated kind I got to drink when I did it, not the icky stuff some places still apparently use.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
I actually can't stay long tomorrow. The doctor said it would only take a minute or two...actually, I'm a little confused why the test would be done now. I haven't been eating well while I've been sick. Seems like that might be contributing, though I think the fact that I'd had nothing but a bagel and cream cheese the day I had blood drawn would have caused low blood sugar rather than high...
So I guess I'll go, but I'm not sure what good this will do, particularly with the short fast. I'm torn between trying to eat a good, healthy breakfast so I feel okay, and doing an actual fast. I guess I'll just let the doctor know exactly what I'd eaten and when. She can figure out how that would skew the test.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I would skip the eating if I were you. If you were supposed to fast, you'll have to go back in after you've fasted the proper amount of time; they can't just "skew" the test.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
I'm not going to be able to function well without eating, unfortunately. If I don't get to eat, I'll probably have to sleep until noon. I really, really don't want to have to do that.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
It's really weird they didn't just tell you 12 hours. Then you could just go in at, say, 7:30 if that was at least 12 hours since you ate.
Is your blood sugar really so fragile you can't function if you miss one meal?
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
She told me "a few hours." *shrug* At least, that's what I heard her say on the phone. Like I said, I'm pretty sure she said to go ahead and have breakfast as well. The only reason I'm doubting this is that from what I know from other sources, this is not how a test is usually done.
*sigh* I just wanna find out what's wrong with my body so I can fix it. Or I want to know if it's just a virus that I have, so I can rest and wait for it to go away and leave me alone!
I could probably miss a meal, but breakfast is a bad one to miss since I'll have gone seventeen hours without food by noon. I delay lunch sometimes, but only if I'm just going to go sit in class. I was sort of hoping to go for a walk tomorrow morning, and hang out with my friends. And yeah, sometimes my body really is that finicky about getting regular meals. It's pretty annoying, actually.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Maybe you can compromise-- eat a late snack, like now, and see if that's good enough?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I like that plan.
*wanders off*
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
You could also pack a lunch for tomorrow and eat it wherever you end up after the blood test.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*munch* I had some grapefruit. And discovered that the pilot lights were out on my stove, and relit them.
Now I think I will watch Erin Brockovitch until I fall asleep.
Good luck, Shigosei! Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
I can't pack a lunch, but there are plenty of places to buy food on my way to where I'm going. I'll probably do that.
Ooh, grapefruit. I haven't had that in forever.
Thanks, kq and rivka. I'm sure everything will be fine.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
(I lied. I'm still here.)
I find if I buy fresh grapefruit, I don't eat it -- it's too much bother. So I buy it by the jar, and stock up when it goes on sale. Then I can grab a slice or two (or twelve ) whenever.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Okay, then. Go get some sleep now!
(Edit: not you, Rivka, you stay up as late as you want, you don't have medical procedures tomorrow.)
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
They're pricking my finger. That doesn't count. However, I am going to get in bed now, since my friends have invited me to go out for coffee with them tomorrow morning. I haven't seen one of my friends in forever, so I'm really looking forward to talking to her.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I should get some sleep. 'Night!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
You know fasting includes coffee, right?
Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
Fasting can mean different things, depends on why you have to fast. If it's for a blood test, it's not a problem to drink water, but if you're going under surgery they ask you not to drink or eat anything, because what they want to avoid is you throwing up with the breathing tube, I think.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
I always tell patients to have water, black coffee, diet coke, or unsweetened tea if they wish... if there are no calories it won't interfere with the testing. The only things that calories affect are glucose and triglycerides which in turn affects total cholesterol. That's it. OTOH I find that dehydration messes up a LOT of the tests.
Far as I know you usually fast overnight for glucose tolerance tests too, btw.
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
I'm not an MD but I've taken many a blood sugar test. My doctor only makes me fast 5 hours for a fasting blood sugar, but that may be because diabetics can get really sick from fasting long periods of time. I agree that drinking calorie-free liquids (preferably water) is a good idea during the fast.
If you had hardly eaten the day of the other blood sugar test, and you still had high sugar, this might be a bad sign. If you had just eaten about an hour or two before the test, though, it might not be important. Which is why, I'm sure, they want to take a fasting glucose.
The dizziness, fatigue, nausea, etc. may well be a virus, since everyone in the world seems to be having these symptoms lately. But they can certainly be symptoms of diabetes as well. Depression can be another symptom of diabetes since something like 1/3 of diabetics get depression. There's some physiological link between the two, I'm convinced.
Are you thirsty a lot and do you urinate frequently? Can you sleep a whole 8 hours at a time without getting up to urinate? If not that is probably the symptom of diabetes that is most easily recognized. Diabetics (uncontrolled) might drink 24 or 32 oz. of fluids with a meal, while those around them drink 12 oz.
Your blood sugar, if it's fragile, can be sent up by a cold or infection too. The cortisol level rises with any sort of stress or illness, and that can make blood sugar shoot up in the absense of any other factors.
Good luck! Tell us how it went.
[ October 14, 2005, 08:51 AM: Message edited by: Tatiana ]
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Tatiana, I did in fact have a bagel and cream cheese two or two and a half hours before the test. I think the doctor said something about my blood sugar being 140. Not sure what the units are. Anyhow, I was in fact extremely stressed as well as sick at the time, so if that can raise blood sugar, I'm not surprised mine was elevated. Hopefully this test clears everything up.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
The problem with coffee while fasting is the sugar and cream you put in it. 140 is rather high, if I understand correctly.
quote:Far as I know you usually fast overnight for glucose tolerance tests too, btw.
I had to do at least 8 hours, not the full 12, but yeah, that ended up being "stop eating around midnight for a test at 8."
Posted by Princess Leah (Member # 6026) on :
140 isn't that high. Especially if it was a pretty big bagel. A 4oz bagel with no insulin can get my bloodsugar up to about 400. (yep, I'm diabetic. Type 1)
As I understand, some "normies" can have bloodsugars around 200 when they're stressed and sick.
Oh, and Tatiana- Some more recent studies I read concluded that the link between depression and diabetes was simply because diabetics have a lot more to deal with. I sometimes think that there must be some other link, too, though.
And depression-like symptoms (eg. fatigue, disinterest) can also be the result of high blood sugar.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
According to those, less than 100 is normal (except on a two-hour glucose-tolerance test, where up to 140 is normal.)
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Normal! Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Yay!
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by Belle: *hijack*
Theca, do you have any experience or particular knowledge about recurrent endometriosis after hysterectomy and oopherectomy?
I have heard of cases where people continued to have pain even after surgery, when disease was left behind (in other words, they removed the uterus and ovaries but left the endo lesions) but I've not seen any talk about someone who had symptom relief for years before pain came back.
I'm really suspicious that the pain I've been dealing with for several weeks now is endo related, it certainly seems like it used to, but then again I haven't felt it for years.
I would call my doctor who treated me for it but he moved, and I have no ob/gyn now. I guess I need to get one. *sigh*
This happened to my partner. She had a laparoscopy at one point, and went into remission for several years. It came back, and after a year or so, she had a hysterectomy. They left her ovaries, but that's it. In the 3 years since then, she's had a couple of attacks. It's a puzzlement. She has some meds that she's supposed to take if it happens again. Thank God it hasn't yet.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
starLisa I think it's much more common for there to be recurrent endo when the ovaries remain.
So, she'll definitely need to keep the possibility that it may return in her mind.
I still don't know what's going on with me, so I guess I'll have to start searching around for another ob/gyn.
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Awesome, Shigosei! Yes, 140 sounds very good to me after eating, but then mine are often high so I wasn't sure if that would be considered high for a normal person or not. My target range is less than 155 maximum after eating, or less than 120 fasting. Minumum target range is 75, but I don't ever get near that.
Whenever I take the blood sugar of a non-diabetic person with my meter, though, they seem to have like a 105 or something amazingly good like that, even after eating. I never seem to get anything that low anymore. Even though my diabetes is in good control, I rarely see double digits.
But I'm so glad that wasn't it. Do you have unusual thirst or frequent urination? The reason I ask is that those symptoms showed up at least 10 years before my blood sugar was actually high. An incipient type II diabetic can compensate by producing more insulin for a long time. At one point I had two and a half times the normal insulin level. I was in my mid 30s before my blood sugar actually started going high, though I had symptoms of insulin resistance (craving carbs, ability to fast, thirst, skin type, etc.) all my life.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
People with type II diabetes can also have raised blood glucose levels after a fast.
This is known as "rebound hyperglycemia," or the "Somogyi effect." That link also explains the "dawn phenomenon" experienced by diabetics and non-diabetics alike.
Glad you are doing better, Shigosei. *smile
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Thanks, everyone, for wishing the best for me.
Tatiana, I don't know what excessive would be. I can tell you that I probably drink about two liters of water a day. More if I'm exercising, if it's hot, or if I'm eating a lot of something dry or spicy. I actually deliberately increased my water intake when I came to Arizona to go to school.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
I'm not quite sure how having frequent urination or thirst could correlate to insulin resistance. As far as I know, those correlate to high blood sugars but not high insulin levels. I've never had any of my insulin resistant patients complain of those problems. I'm also not sure what ak meant about skin type and insulin resistance/diabetes, so I'm interested in finding more about that.
[ October 16, 2005, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Theaca ]
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Theaca, maybe the reason I was thirsty so often before I ever showed high fasting blood sugars is that my sugar was going up at other times of day. I'm not positive exactly what was going on with that, actually, because I used to test on my mother's meter from time to time, since I kept having diabetes symptoms, and never caught it being high. I've always as long as I can remember gotten my glass refilled 2 or 3 times during a meal while those around me drink only one glassful. I usually sip (non-caloric) drinks all day long as well.
Even now that my diabetes is in control, I still drink 2-3 liters of fluid a day, (because I'm thirsty) which is more than I observe most people drinking. I also get up once or twice a night for bathroom breaks. My last HgA1c was 5.8, which of course is well in the normal range.
Skin type is a theory that's not scientifically tested as far as I know, but we noticed that lots of people in the diabetic hospital and diabetic clinics we've been in over the years have that pale translucent beautiful skin. We decided it was a symptom that shows up early in life.
Of course, symptoms that can give you hints about what to look for should definitely be confirmed by actual scientific tests, but those are my observations which I hope are helpful.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
I usually look for apple shaped bodies, excessive numbers of skin tags, high triglycerides, and irregular periods for insulin resistance. I'll start thinking about pale transulescent skins.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Skin tags? That's interesting. I've been assuming I got those from my mother, who has a family history of those -- but not of insulin resistance. My father, OTOH, has type II diabetes (and a history of same in the family) but no skin tags.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
We don't really know much about skin tags, really. This rather short wikipedia article pretty much sums up what I know about them.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Hmm. I didn't realize they were considered tumors, although I am all-too-familiar with where they tend to form. I am also familiar with the methods for removal. My mom gets some of hers removed every year or two; mine have yet to get the point of sufficient annoyance to do so.
I have never had an eye doctor who failed to comment on them. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
My mom gets those on her neck (and sometimes her back.) They always used to really gross me out.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
) but when discussing treatment options with my ob/gyn he mentioned that could happen. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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![[Razz]](tongue.gif)