Getting low blood sugar with moderate carb intake?

RobynLB83

I cut refined sugar from my diet about 2-3 weeks ago. My stomach can't tolerate most carbs, and refined sugar was probably making up 50% or more of my carb intake. The first week I felt like crap, so I've tried to up my carbs to at least 100. Now I'm getting bouts of low blood sugar type symptoms. (rapid onset of: dizziness, shaking hands, mental confusion, headache etc. that improves by eating some carbs).

So my question is, why am I getting worse low blood sugar (if that's what it is) even though I now have a moderate carb intake. Is it just the calorie reduction? 100-150 grams carbs and around 1800 calories seems like it should be totally fine. Should I go up even higher on the carbs? Low blood sugar can be super scary, and I haven't had this issue in years.

RobynLB83

Bump

mercurysfire

i have the same problem. it sucks. i space my meals and snacks throughout the day and try not to eat carbs by themselves. i'll eat a carb and a protein or a fat (like fruit and nuts or cheese, or lunchmeat) and try not to eat simple carbs other than fruit. because i just love fruit. but breads and pastas just wreak havoc on me. another thing (and this may not help you) is what time of day you eat things. if i eat carby stuff in the morning, my BS is shot all day no joke. i cannot get it levelled out.

eat something right before a workout and right after. it doesn't have to be big- the Fiber One 90 calorie brownies will usually get me all the way through with no problems. (They are probably mostly sawdust but they're not bad. )

once i figured out what was causing the crashes i was able to fix it, but it took a while and never really goes away completely. but get your bloodwork done every now and again just to make sure everything is working the way it should. as long as the blood is ok, it's usually just a question of timing and what you eat.

Delicate

You lowered your carbs to what isnt normal to you, you will experience 'carb flu' most people do.

Im set up for 70 carbs a day but rarely hit it.

I find grazing stops and ups and downs (mostly on veg/meat) of the sugar/carb rush. If i have fruit i balance it out with fat (yogurt)

Get your iron and protein levels checked too.

RobynLB83

Actually, I upped my carbs and the blood sugar issues are popping up right now, not when my carbs were super low.

RobynLB83

Could someone take a look at my food diary and see if there's something I don't see?

mercurysfire

i peeked at your diary. you need more complex carbs. bananas and rice (well over a decade and a half of crashing experience....) are some of the worst offenders as far as spikers. but if you eat some protein, fat and fiber it won't spike as much. when you spike, you're going to crash more than likely.

the simpler those carbs are, the easier you are going to burn throught them when you do anything active. then you've got a crash. carbs are ok. they aren't evil. it sounds like you have digestive issues so just avoid those carbs. it's going to take a little while since you had soooo much processed sugar in your diet. you have to adjust a little.

djshari

Are you a diabetic? Do you have a meter to test your blood sugar? Otherwise go to a doctor and have your blood tested not just for sugar but for all the other reasons you could be having these issues.

RobynLB83

i peeked at your diary. you need more complex carbs. bananas and rice (well over a decade and a half of crashing experience....) are some of the worst offenders as far as spikers. but if you eat some protein, fat and fiber it won't spike as much. when you spike, you're going to crash more than likely.

the simpler those carbs are, the easier you are going to burn throught them when you do anything active. then you've got a crash. carbs are ok. they aren't evil. it sounds like you have digestive issues so just avoid those carbs. it's going to take a little while since you had soooo much processed sugar in your diet. you have to adjust a little.

I can't eat most carbs. Rice and quinoa are the only grains I can tolerate, and I can't tolerate most fruits. I believe I have found all the carb sources I can tolerate: rice, quinoa, potatoes, tubers, some fruits, and refined sugar. Also, I always combine my carbs with fat and protein. If I switched from sugar to other simple carbs, so I don't see how simple carbs are the culprit.

Delicate

Actually, I upped my carbs and the blood sugar issues are popping up right now, not when my carbs were super low.

Apologise, I misread it as lowered your carbs to 100

Your breakfasts seem huge, could you not think about splitting it and having half 1-2 hours later? Even though you're hitting your goals that is alot of food for your body to sort out. Less ripe bananas (green) dont spike me, however ripe and over right do spike me cause the sugar is higher

RobynLB83

Actually, I upped my carbs and the blood sugar issues are popping up right now, not when my carbs were super low.

Apologise, I misread it as lowered your carbs to 100

Your breakfasts seem huge, could you not think about splitting it and having half 1-2 hours later? Even though you're hitting your goals that is alot of food for your body to sort out. Less ripe bananas (green) dont spike me, however ripe and over right do spike me cause the sugar is higher

I am hungry in the morning because I eat very small dinners so my dinners and breakfasts are reversed as my main meals (I go to the gym in the evening and box for 90 minutes, and it's right at dinner time). And the breakfasts that are showing as over 500 calories means that's how much I ate before lunch. I log them all under breakfast, but that's a breakfast and a morning snack.

RobynLB83

Thanks for trying to help guys. I'll bone up on the glycemic index.

nicoleashley_24

Thanks for trying to help guys. I'll bone up on the glycemic index.

I'm no expert but I've dealt with low blood sugar my entire life. Looking at your diary, the fruit stands out to me, since it's a bit higher on the glycemic index. I don't tolerate carbs well either but I find that eating lower glycemic foods throughout the day helps steady my blood sugar. I hate to push a diet book but I learned a lot about how to control my blood sugar after reading The South Beach Diet. Good luck!

yarwell

getting it measured at the pharmacy or doctor or buying a meter is the first step - many of the symptoms you describe could equally well be low blood pressure.

That can come from low carbing too - sodium depletion and loss of water. Taking extra salt can offset this, hence the use of bouillon / stock drinks suggested on the Atkins diet.

RobynLB83

getting it measured at the pharmacy or doctor or buying a meter is the first step - many of the symptoms you describe could equally well be low blood pressure.

That can come from low carbing too - sodium depletion and loss of water. Taking extra salt can offset this, hence the use of bouillon / stock drinks suggested on the Atkins diet.

I know I have low blood pressure. I get those black out dizzy spells when I stand up. Trying to get sodium from meat and add salt to my food. Ermehgerd-- sounds like I need lab work again. They never find anything. Maybe I can get a nutritionist referral.