So I had this weird patient...

[Doogs]

When blood sugar levels are low there is a potential for spontaneous glycogen release from the liver in diabetic patients. It's similar to what happens when glucagon IM is administered. Basically, what happens is that the patient is hypoglycemic and loses consciousness. Someone calls 911 and before the ambulance arrives, the liver releases the stored glycogen which converts to glucose. When the ambulance arrives the patient is alert and oriented, seems completely normal, and has a normal or near normal glucose reading. However, the glycogen is still a short tern solution and gets used up pretty quickly, so the patient bottoms out again.

 

I've simplified it tremendously here, but here are some links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2442155/

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/body/glycogen.html

Isn't what you're describing essentially the somogyi effect?

[Arctickat]

I think the pathophysiology varies slightly, but there are similarities.