Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Low insulin causing fainting



Recommended Posts

I had my sleeve April 4 in June I had an episode in a grocery story were I passed out. The episode happened twice in about a 45 min period. Went to the hospital all tests were normal. I chalked it up to waiting to long to eat but followed up with my primary care. She did a 3 hour glucose test and found within an hour my insulin level went from 10 at fasting to 211, for those not aware that's and unheard of level, which she has seen one other time and that was in someone who had also had Bariatric surgery but she was 2 years post op not 3 months. She put me on metformin hoping to regulate and I ate about every 3 hours. I thought it was takin care of until out of nowhere I had another episode a few weeks ago and have felt pretty poorly since. I can never catch a sugar drop at least not at levels I believe should make me pass out. I get a continuous glucose monitor this week to wear for a week and have an endocrinologist appt at the end of the month. I can't find much research on this issue but my doc did give me an article about it. Essentially your body thinks its starving so it over reacts to food it gets producing too much insulin dropping your blood sugar ( sort of reactive hypoglycemia but a more intense reaction). And can actually cause your pancreas to grow. I am so pumped about my weight loss ( 80 lbs in 5 months) but I did this to be healthier too and I have followed surgeons/ nuts instructions to a T and feel very discouraged by this development. Has any one else experienced this? Essentially it's nothing I am doing wrong it's just a negative reaction my body has decided to have following surgery. But again not much research out there so I thought maybe some of you may have insight.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry should say low blood sugar/ high insulin

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That doesn't sound like fun does it? I'm curious what people say because my husband and I are 4 weeks out and are dizzy every time we stand up, and at various other times, but I put that down to our very low calories. All my blood tests came back with normal levels but we didn't do a fasting glucose. Hmmm wondering if we should do that.

Does your doctor think this goes away with time as you can eat more?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll have to keep up on this plz let us know ur results. Over reaction of your pancreas to food? We're u a long time diabetic. Controlled or uncontrolled diabetic prior to surgery? I'll have to look this up interesting

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll have to keep up on this plz let us know ur results. Over reaction of your pancreas to food? We're u a long time diabetic. Controlled or uncontrolled diabetic prior to surgery? I'll have to look this up interesting

My family has a long history of diabetes but I had normal blood sugar/ insulin prior to surgery. This is out of left field really. I had a BMW of almost 50, high blood pressure, and morbidly obese which is why I did surgery. Due to family history diabetes was probably in the future but I'm only 26 so it wasn't there yet. I get usually 110+ g of Protein calories stay about 900 carbs were around 50-75 and was reduced to 30 or less for a couple weeks but I have been instructed to heighten those up again. Again model patient then this.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting. Can this clear up on its own? Please keep us posted and I hope you feel better soon and get some clear answers

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am a year and 5 months out and having the same issue. I had the test yesterday ... Well part of it. Had an episode during testing which took my sugar down to 43. I was told to eat a Protein snack two hrs after meals and before bed. Drink plenty also as being dehydrated can trigger it also.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That doesn't sound like fun does it? I'm curious what people say because my husband and I are 4 weeks out and are dizzy every time we stand up, and at various other times, but I put that down to our very low calories. All my blood tests came back with normal levels but we didn't do a fasting glucose. Hmmm wondering if we should do that.

Does your doctor think this goes away with time as you can eat more?

I saw my surgeon today for my first post-op visit, 18 days since surgery. He did caution me to be aware of orthostatic hypotension. If you stand up too quickly your blood pressure drops. Apparently we're more likely to develop this after WLS since we lose a lot of the fat padding around our organs.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I saw my surgeon today for my first post-op visit, 18 days since surgery. He did caution me to be aware of orthostatic hypotension. If you stand up too quickly your blood pressure drops. Apparently we're more likely to develop this after WLS since we lose a lot of the fat padding around our organs.

That's exactly what happens to me every time I stand up and sometimes when I get out of the car (only if I'm not driving). It's an awful feeling!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had heard of that when standing up suddenly after sitting particularly after long periods but the first time it happened to me I had been up walking for an hour and half (slowly it was a grocery store) and I feel crummy all day almost like its buildinf

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Onedayatatime365

      Looking to connect with others who are also on the journey of better health. Post-Op Gastric Sleeve (4/11/24).
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×