January 22, 2003
Hypoglycemia
Question from Manchester, Tennessee, USA:
I am a 16 year old who was recently diagnosed with hypoglycemia, and I am not too sure about a few things:
I have the problem with passing out in the early morning and late at night. Is it okay that I pass out quite often?
They tell me that I am supposed to eat six times a day, is it normal for me not to want to?
Do you think that it is safe for a sixteen year old boy to drive with this problem?
Does it get better? Does it go away?
Answer:
These are all great questions but cannot be answered for you without a detailed history, physical exam and lab testing. However, please go back and ask them to your physician to be sure of your diagnosis. It is not normal to pass out so frequently, and one should not be driving at all if this is the case.
SB
[Editor’s comment: If you have not yet been seen by a specialist, either an endocrinologist (about blood sugar problems) or neurologist (about passing out), you and your parents should ask for a referral.
WWQ]
