July 25, 2019
Other
Question from Adelaide, South Australia:
I’m just wondering what would cause my daughter to faint. I checked her levels and she was at a perfectly normal range, but she is very pale and it’s been about two hours since she fainted. Her blood sugar is about the same as it was before, even after eating ice cream. I will check her frequently through the night, but it’s never happened before since she has had diabetes. Why might have this happened?
Answer:
The fainting could be from something other than hypoglycemia: adrenal insufficiency, thyroid problems, celiac disease (unrecognized), anxiety, alcohol, eating disorders. So, you need to talk to your medical team to get a thorough history and exam and some specific blood work such as morning cortisol levels.
The key is to find the cause and, then, not only better balanced treatment but also to take preventive steps. Be sure to get the other possibilities also checked out since they require some specific questions, tests and treatments/medication.
