Steve, I’m not trying to be cruel. But I envy your Bg’s.

>My problem?  Low blood pressure and pulse.  I wake up with a pulse rate of
>37 to 40 beats per minute, sit at my desk in the 40s, walk around in the 50s,
>exersize well within the aerobic limits for my age.  My blood pressure has
>ranged from 103/43 to 115/55.  Even after excersizing, I am lucky to
>reach 115/75. My biggest concern has been standing up quickly from a
>crouching or sitting position. I come very close to unconsciousness.

Low blood pressure is not related to diabetes, though I’m no doctor.
Low blood pressure helps maintain capillary structure and prevent breakage
that can affect people’s retina’s for diabetic and non-diabetic alike.
Personnel opinion, it seems to work.

My blood pressure is regularly 100-112/55-75 though I’ve had readings lower.
If you are exercising a great deal, salt is the greatest determinant of the
amount of water you retain and consequently determines your blood pressure.
Since you exercise a great deal you may need more salt in your diet ( please
only if your blood pressure is low). I have similar readings and I don’t
find it low. I am bothered when it gets down to 95/50 though. My favorite
cures are Clausen dill pickles and salt on a big salad with black calmata
olives.

If you are urinating frequenty as if you blood sugar is high, which it
certainly isn’t. There is some conditions related to Adrenal Insufficiency
where the Adrenal Gland stops producing eldosterone ( and your doctor says
this urination is related to the diabetes ). I know this problem.
Eldosterone is a steroid that controls the level of salt your body retains.
This controls the amount of water and hence your blood pressure.
Adrenal Glands ( you have two, one at the very top of each kidney )
produce 64 different steroids, though the major sub-categories are
cortisone, testosterone, and eldosterone.

While in the DCCT, there was an autonomic nervous system test where the
patient lay on a table for a couple of minutes concentrating on timed slow
breathing. A blood pressure was taken. Then the patient stood up and another
blood pressure was taken. Pre-Adrenal Insufficiency diagnosis, I was 97/52
while lying down, when I stood up Chris Cauthier-Kelley, our nurse, said
"David, I can’t get a blood pressure, don’t fall over. Lean against the table!
You’re too big." I was diagnosed later that day.

Adrenal Insufficiency is an extremely Rare condition. You probably don’t
have this problem.

Good Luck, speak to a good internist, and let me know.

It is possible that you have a form of neuropathy that affects the
autonomic system.  That controls such things that you described.  It would
indicate uncontrolled bGs for a long time before diagnosis, in my opinion
(not an md).  Now that you are controlling your bG, you might see an
improvement in these things.  Your endocrinologist can better tell whether
this is neuropathy and can give you help with it.  Please let us know
what you learn!

Lee Boylan

I’d say whoever scared the **** out of you did too good a job.

You’ve lost 65 lbs. in 6 months.  That is *awfully* fast.  Low blood
sugar, low blood pressure, and a slow pulse can be signs of inadequate
nutrition.  If you are not on medication, your sugars should be higher
than that.  And those symptoms put you at risk, not only of keeling over
from hypoglycemia, but of keeling over from cardiac arrest.

You probably are not eating eating enough now and have lost weight too
fast.  Eating more would help raise your blood sugars into the normal
range (80-130), but the heart and blood pressure problems may or may not
be related to the rapid weight loss.  And they are dangerous.  You should
get checked out ASAP by a cardiologist–you might need a pacemaker.  And
be sure that the cardiologist knows the details (including how quickly you
made changes) about your diet, exercise, and weight loss, as well as your
diabetes.  As far as the blood pressure goes, ask your doctor about eating
more salt.  That may raise your blood pressure as a temporary measure.

And cancel the trip.  It’s not worth coming home dead.  Also, forget the
workouts for now–see the cardiologist first.  Ask your doctor about
walking, but don’t do anything more strenuous until the cardiologist gives
you the okay.

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>Here’s my dilema:

>I was diagnosed as Type II at the end of December 1993.  After getting the ****
>scared out of me, I lost 65 pounds and have returned to a "fit and healthy"
>lifestyle.  I ride my mountain bike about 150 miles a week, work out at the gym,
>blah, blah, blah… I maintain "control" with diet and exersize.  I am 37 years old,
>5’8", 180 pounds, under 10 percent body fat (just measured), with bgs ranging
>from 67 to 115 mg/dl.

>My problem?  Low blood pressure and pulse.  I wake up with a pulse rate of 37 to
>40 beats per minute, sit at my desk in the 40s, walk around in the 50s, exersize well
>within the aerobic limits for my age.  My blood pressure (taken in both arms at rest)
>has ranged from 103/43 to 115/55.  Even after excersizing, I am lucky to reach 115/75.
>My biggest concern has been standing up quickly from a crouching or sitting position.
>I come very close to unconsciousness

WHOOPS, MAJOR SLIP OF THE KEYSTROKE!

I come very close to unconsciousness, vision turns black, dizzyness, etc.  I stopped
in to see my doctor to check up on this because I am heading out for an 800 mile
bike tour of Oregon this weekend.  She hit the roof!  She wants me to cancel
my ride, quit training so hard, and put weight back on!  She says I am letting my
bg get too low which is the reason for the low blood pressure and near black outs.
She is concerned that I’ll flop over somewhere out on the highway and get runover
or something equally unpleasant.

Before I run out and seek a second medical opinion (because finding a doctor that
understands diabetes, sports medicine, and cardiology is nearly impossible where
I live), has anyone:

1.)  had similar experiences,
2.)  does her advice sound reasonable (I’m not sure I bought it)
3.)  as a diabetic am I going to be limited on my physical activities?

Thanks in advance for any advice, suggestions, etc.

Steve
As always, my opinions are my own, and boy, do they get me in trouble!