Insulinoma is a pancreatic tumor that grows in insulin producing cells of your pancreas. As a consequence of its growth, this tumor causes a high amount of insulin to be secreted.
Insulin is a hormone that catalyzes the movement of glucose into the cells of your body. Thus, too much circulating insulin lowers your blood sugar level, causing hypoglycemia symptoms.
Insulinoma is a rare, usually slow growing, type of pancreatic tumor. In most cases, they are a singular, small, non-spreading and benign tumor. Seldom is one cancerous.
Because a high insulin level causes you to have a low blood sugar level, insulinoma pancreatic tumors cause stereotypical hypoglycemia symptoms, like:
- anxiety
- tremors
- sweating
- irritability
- faintness
- tiredness
- dizziness
- confusion
- headache
- weakness
- shakiness
- weight gain
- palpitations
- nervousness
- blurred vision
- profound hunger
- feeling lightheaded
These symptoms very often occur after you haven’t eaten for a while. That’s why many experience low blood sugar level affects in the morning after fasting all night.
Your insulinoma caused hypoglycemic symptoms may be mild. However, they can be severe, which leads to seizures, unconsciousness, coma, or even death.
Surgical removal is the primary treatment for insulinoma.
As an alternative treatment, you may be prescribed diazoxide. This drug helps by limiting insulin release to combat symptoms of low blood sugar levels. A diuretic may be given in concert to prevent edema.