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Suggest Treatment For Fatigue, Heart Palpitations And Hot Flashes In An Elderly Person

Posted on Mon, 15 Feb 2016

Question: I have recently started monitoring my blood sugar as I have been having some unpleasant symptoms after I eat. Shakiness, fatigue, pounding fluttery heart, and sometimes I get really hot and start sweating like a hot flash. I am a 50 yr old female who developed several food allergies in the last several years. I try to stay away from my allergens and eat healthy. These symptoms happen no matter what I eat or how much. My fasting blood sugar stays around 70-80. My post meal sugar has never spiked more than 117 no matter what I eat or when I check my sugar. I just checked it and it was 84 and I ate a bowl of soup and a salad an hour ago. What could be keeping it so low and causing these symptoms?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
You might be having malabsoption syndrome.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
In my opinion you might be having malabsoption syndrome.
All these symptoms with low sugars are seen in malabsoption syndrome.
So please let me know
1. Do you have weight loss or not gaining weight?
2. Do you have alternate diarrhoea and constipation?
3. Have you ever undergone stool reports?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

My weight has pretty much stayed the same for about the last two years. But I'm doing less and less. Very lethargic and sleep a lot. I work third shift and stay exhausted all the time. I never know what my stool is gonna be. Its either very loose diarrhea or I'm constipated. Hardly ever anything in between. No i have never had any stool reports.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (54 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Are you having stressful life?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic. I can understand your concern.
By your history and description, possibility of either irritable bowel syndrome or malabsoption is more.
Not gaining weight, alternate diarrhoea and constipation etc are seen in both these conditions.
So please let me know
1. Are you having stressful life?
2. Since how long you are having these symptoms?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (2 hours later)

My life is very stressful. I take care of my aging father and my brother who has schizophrenia and I work. Family doesnt help out. I read about malabsorption syndrome and it makes sense. I am both lactose intolerant and allergic to wheat. Would IBS mess with my blood sugar? Symptoms have worsened in the past few weeks but have been around for months. I have occasionally eaten things I shouldnt out of convenience (wheat, etc) and i thought it was a mild allergic reaction but I stopped doing that and the symptoms continued. They have really started to worry me lately. I'm so exhausted I lay around all day and don't do hardly anything. When I do I have to force myself. I am also being treated for major depressive disorder and ptsd from an abusive relationship. (I am no longer in that relationship) I am on zoloft and trazodone .

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Do you take alcohol?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Your sugars are normal. Why you so much worry for your sugar levels.
IBS will not affect sugar levels.
And also tell me
1. Do you smoke?
2. Do you take alcohol?
3. Did you have any of these symptoms in childhood or in 20s or 30s?
4. What kind of abusive relationship you were having? Sorry for asking this personal question, but to reach the diagnosis, I need to know this.
Hope you will understand.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (5 hours later)

I do not drink alcohol at all. The wheat allergy and an allergy to white grape does mot allow me to drink. Yes I smoke. I'm concerned about sugar levels because I've looked at charts for normal ranges and mine never really goes up after i eat. Not sure I understand that. I was married to an alcoholic for 17 yrs who was verbally, emotionally, occasionally physically and sexually abusive. I read that protein malabsorption can cause problems with your hair. That has been an issue, dry, falling out, thinning hair. But Im also menopausal. What role could that play in this?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Have you ruled out thyroid diseases?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Yes, protein malabsoption can cause dry hair, thinned hair, hair fall etc.
Hair is protein structure. So protein malnutrition will definitely affect hair.
It affect overall well being also.
It also lower the immunity, so recurrent infection is also common.
It also affect growth and nutrition.
Please let me know
1. Have you ruled out thyroid diseases?
2. Are you obese?
3. Do you have abdominal pain?
All these can also cause similar symptoms.
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (4 hours later)

Thyroid diseases have not been ruled out. I weigh 230lbs and am 5 ft 5 in tall. No abdominal pain .

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are having morbid obesity.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Your BMI is more than 50. This suggest morbid obesity.
So possibility of thyroid diseases like hypothyroidism is more in your case.
Malabsoption is less likely with this BMI.
So please get done detailed thyroid function test.
Also get done lipid profile to know the cholesterol levels.
Please let me know
1. Is your depression under control with drugs?
2. Have you ever undergone lipid profile?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (4 hours later)

The depression meds are working well. However, my blood sugar was 60 when I woke up and hasnt been above 80 no matter what I've eaten. I've felt really bad all day. I just changed from celexa to zoloft about a week ago and am reading that zoloft can lower blood sugar. I have never had any problems at all with blood sugar. After further research, I think I need to talk with my psychiatrist about my medications. Changes in symptoms seem to coincide with changes in medications. I appreciate all your help and am setting up an appt with a local doc for a complete physical. Thanks!

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (7 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It was nice talking to you.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
Yes, you should definitely consult doctor and rule out general physical conditions.
It was nice talking to you.
It's always encouraging for doctors to hear positive feedback from patients.
Hope I have solved your query. Do let me know your progess.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar