Do Type 2 adults feel lows?

[zell828]

My stepdaughter is type 1 and I know of the lows with that, but my question is my husband was dx type 2 in 08/07. He is on medication and doing well. It is more due to inheritance than weight or anything as my husband has never had a problem with weight.

My question is....this summer my husband does more than one job. Obviously that alone would tire a person out, but he has been doing this for 3 years. In the past he never had trouble. His second job is very strenuous exercise. This year he seems more tired and "zombie" like. I wondered if type 2's can go low like type 1's and if they should drink a juice or regular pop or have added carbs or something before excessive exercise? He has been really good since dx and stays away from all sugar drinks, candy, treats etc. I was wondering if it would be a good idea if he nonetheless would drink something before he went to the second job to give him the extra energy and boost?

Thanks.

[LantusFiend]

They can, and just like T1s sometimes have a problem that they feel low even though they're not medically low. My boss tells me a lot about her parents in law, who both have t2, and they feel low when they're low and also sometimes when they're not.
Most oral meds don't cause hypoglycemia by themselves, but can in comination with each other or in combination with insulin.

[buggle]

Has your husband been tested for T1 antibodies and C-peptide? With his body type, he could be a LADA or T1.5.

Here's a link that explains it.

http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_types/diabetes_type_15.php

[zell828]

Has your husband been tested for T1 antibodies and C-peptide? With his body type, he could be a LADA or T1.5.

Here's a link that explains it.

http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_types/diabetes_type_15.php

I don't think he has been tested. That article was interesting. Thank you. My husband was 200+ when first diagnosed and he had a MRI done and his pacreas was inflamed. He was put on medication and over the past 6 months has good A1Cs. He is on high blood pressure pills and cholesterol pills (even though he doesn't have high cholesterol). He does have a strong history of Type 2 in his family as his parents and 3 of his siblings are type 2. His daughter was just dx type 1 on 02/11/2008.

[LantusFiend]

Isn't an inflamed pancreas pancreatitis, not type 2?

[zell828]

They can, and just like T1s sometimes have a problem that they feel low even though they're not medically low. My boss tells me a lot about her parents in law, who both have t2, and they feel low when they're low and also sometimes when they're not.
Most oral meds don't cause hypoglycemia by themselves, but can in comination with each other or in combination with insulin.

Thanks. I suggested to him maybe he should start drinking something with sugar to boost himself before he does the strenuous exercise and see if he feels better. I didn't want to mess him up with his diabetes management though and be telling him something wrong :o but it just seems logical to me. I know type 1s wear off carbs (go low) when they are excercising so I just wondered if it was the same for type 2's.

[zell828]

Isn't an inflamed pancreas pancreatitis, not type 2?

It is common they said to have an inflamed/enlarged pancreas when first diagnosed as type 2. They must go hand in hand at times. I suppose because the pancreas is working harder since your BG is so high. I think it was just another clue to the type 2 when they saw his pancreas, along with his BG levels. Plus, my husband had gout several times in the past years on his hand which was a dead give away too.

[buggle]

How old is your husband? The trialnet study will test antibodies of all relatives of T1's who are less than 45 years old. We didn't test, because we are both over 45. We suspect that my MIL, who is in her 60's, might be a LADA. Our endo offered to test her for free, so we're just waiting to see if MIL will go in and check.

There are two adults at Brendan's school dx'd with T1 over the last year -- one a teacher's assistant in her 30's and one a parent in his mid-50's. The dad in his 50's was completely low on energy and feeling exhausted -- he is very active and skis and bikes. What you said about your hubby reminded of me of this guy. He feels like a different person since he's been dx'd and is on insulin. Like our kids, they start wasting muscle when they are low on insulin and they don't have enough energy. But it's a gradual onset, so they don't crash like the kids tend to at onset.

[zell828]

My husband is 45 years old. He normally doesn't have low energy, in fact he is one that can't sit still lol He has a high motabilism. But with him working 3 jobs this summer and doing strenuous exercise, it is wearing on him. That's why I thought he was maybe going lower when doing the physical exercise and the boost of sugar might help him beforehand.

[deafmack]

Yes, people with Type 2 can have low blood sugars especially with some of the medications they are on. It isn't suppose to happen with Metformin but it can on a rare occasion. Also any of the sulfronyeas like glipizide, glipuride are known for causing bad lows. Drugs such as Starlix and Prandin which are only taken when one eats can cause lows as well, especially if one takes them and does not eat. Another class of drugs called AGIs or Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors. The two drugs under this class are Precose and Glyset. They work by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates in the small intestine. They have side effects such as gas, bloating, cramping, and diarrhea. If you go low from them you can only treat that low with glucose tabs or glucose gel. No other form of sugar will work. I have known people with type 2 and on medications to actually pass out. I think it is a good idea to carry glucose tablets just in case. Your husband may not use them but it is better to have them on hand. Also he may want to have a small snack during his break times to keep his blood sugars up. Being active can certainly lower blood sugars even with Type 2.

[zell828]

Yes, people with Type 2 can have low blood sugars especially with some of the medications they are on. It isn't suppose to happen with Metformin but it can on a rare occasion. Also any of the sulfronyeas like glipizide, glipuride are known for causing bad lows. Drugs such as Starlix and Prandin which are only taken when one eats can cause lows as well, especially if one takes them and does not eat. Another class of drugs called AGIs or Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors. The two drugs under this class are Precose and Glyset. They work by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates in the small intestine. They have side effects such as gas, bloating, cramping, and diarrhea. If you go low from them you can only treat that low with glucose tabs or glucose gel. No other form of sugar will work. I have known people with type 2 and on medications to actually pass out. I think it is a good idea to carry glucose tablets just in case. Your husband may not use them but it is better to have them on hand. Also he may want to have a small snack during his break times to keep his blood sugars up. Being active can certainly lower blood sugars even with Type 2.

Thank you so much for the information - this is exactly what I was looking for! You explained it perfectly :) I will tell him to make sure to keep snacks on hand when he's more active. We do have glucose tabs with us all the time anyway due to our child having Type 1.

[deafmack]

Yes people with type 2 can go low and even pass out. Some medications like sulfronyeas such as gliburide, glipizide, or combinations of drugs can cause severe lows. Yes people with type 2 should keep things such as glucose tabs or juice, etc to treat lows with them at all times. Also another thing with type 2 is that they need to eat at regular intervals to keep from dropping and then having the liver dump glucose causing them to spike.

[bgallini]

Yes, they can go low. I met a woman in a 10K Walk training group who is T2. She had to bring snacks along when the walks go longer and she definitely got a little spacey on those longer walks. I'm not sure what, if any, meds she was on.