[Greyson]

Hey everyone - I'm new to the forums. I have been an insulin dependent diabetic since age 19 - I'm now 28. Because I am dreadully afraid of the long term effects of high blood sugars I have always leaned toward taking too much insulin and going low rather than not taking enough insulin and going high when I'm not sure how much to take. As a result of this policy, I have had frequent and occasionally severe lows (not so bad that I have to go the hospital or anything, but I have gotten very confused and disoriented at times), but I've always had really good A1C results.

The problem is that within the last few years I've started having some sort of siezure/spasm type things on the left side of my body. A couple times a day my left hand will start to clench and jerk and the left side of my face and my mouth will twist up and I can't really talk. There are no mental symptoms - I'm totally concious the whole time. It lasts 5-20 seconds. I'm seeing a Neurologist and they have done MRI's and EEG's and all of that and they can't find anything wrong. It really seems to me to be tied to changes in my blood sugar. It especially happens when I have a low blood sugar and then I eat something and my blood sugar starts to come back up. My Endocrinoligist says that he has never heard anything like this and the Neurologist says that changes in my blood sugar shouldn't cause this problem, but I know it's related. Has anyone else had anything like this happen? Is it possible that I have damaged something in my brain with too many lows?

[michael]

Hey Grayson,
I have had something like that happen when my blood suger has gone really low. I can't hold a glass or food it sort of just jumps out of my hand.
But this has only happened when it was really low.
Almost to the point of blacking out. But as soon as my blood suger starts to come back I was fine.
It Has only happened 2 or 3 times in the past years.

Michael

Hi Grayson and Welcome
do these happen with normal blood sugars or low to high readings...I had seizures when my sugar would run low but now with the pump i am doing great. When the insulin peaks -i would drop to rock bottom and had uncontrolable spasms in my legs but I was passed out and hubby said it was scary to see. but you are awake so not sure --did you do a blood sugar or can you do one when it happens...would like to know if it is sugar related or caused from sugar highs or lows.
They are now finding out the relation of diabetes and the brain.
i wonder if it is neurological or the brain sending the nerves in your hands and face messages etc etc--

[Greyson]

Thanks for the posts, Michael and DreamArtist.

In response to your questions, I have the siezure/spasm things most often when my blood sugar is low and starts going up after I eat, but I also have them occasionally when there is nothing unusual going on with my blood sugar at all. I also have them alot in the middle of the night - they wake me up. I've checked my blood sugar at these times and gotten various readings. I have had twitching in my hands when I've gone very low, like Michael mentioned in his post, but these siezure/spasms happen sometimes when my blood sugar is normal or even higher than it should be. The siezure/spasms seem to happen less frequently when I keep my blood sugar within normal ranges and they seem to get worse when I get stressed out. It's not painful or anything, but it is very socially awkward because I have had to explain the whole thing to people several times because we'll be having a conversation and then all of the sudden I cannot speak and my face and hand are contorting. Very weird looking, I'm sure, but people seem to be very understanding.

Like I said, the Neurologist is puzzled - she wants to schedule me for a week long in-patient observation so she can videotape these things and keep me hooked up to an EEG and see what happens in my brain while it's happening. Anyway, based on the time that these things started happending and the fact that different things with my blood sugar trigger them, I really feel like it's tied to the diabetes somehow. Just wish I knew how.

i hope you find out what is causing them and I am sorry it is happening to you. maybe they can help with the EKG and i hope something can be done
good luck to you and let us know what you find out please.