Hypoglycemia help please

brianpperkins

If your logging of intake and exercise is correct, then the routine 1000 below goal days could be contributing to what you're feeling.

Beautiful_Warrior94

I haven't left the site. I have finals coming up and mostly studying giving me less time to respond to your replies. Sorry I wasn't ignore y'all or anything. And I haven't gone to the doctors. My family does have a history of diabetes but I never had blood work on if I have that or not. My boyfriend tells me I should get a test done to see. Not just a bone density test. But my grandma have me under their insurance. And I cannot pay off my own doctors visits just yet because I'm still in college with a part time job. And I had hip surgery so my grandma is still trying to pay off that.

amusedmonkey

Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »

I haven't left the site. I have finals coming up and mostly studying giving me less time to respond to your replies. Sorry I wasn't ignore y'all or anything. And I haven't gone to the doctors. My family does have a history of diabetes but I never had blood work on if I have that or not. My boyfriend tells me I should get a test done to see. Not just a bone density test. But my grandma have me under their insurance. And I cannot pay off my own doctors visits just yet because I'm still in college with a part time job. And I had hip surgery so my grandma is still trying to pay off that.

You could buy a portable glucose meter, or borrow one from your diabetic family member whenever you feel like you are hypoglycemic. You really can't self-diagnose with that because the symptoms are very nonspecific and could be anything from simply being stressed out to more serious issues. At least with a glucose meter you will be able to confirm or rule out hypoglycemia.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »

I haven't left the site. I have finals coming up and mostly studying giving me less time to respond to your replies. Sorry I wasn't ignore y'all or anything. And I haven't gone to the doctors. My family does have a history of diabetes but I never had blood work on if I have that or not. My boyfriend tells me I should get a test done to see. Not just a bone density test. But my grandma have me under their insurance. And I cannot pay off my own doctors visits just yet because I'm still in college with a part time job. And I had hip surgery so my grandma is still trying to pay off that.

You could buy a portable glucose meter, or borrow one from your diabetic family member whenever you feel like you are hypoglycemic. You really can't self-diagnose with that because the symptoms are very nonspecific and could be anything from simply being stressed out to more serious issues. At least with a glucose meter you will be able to confirm or rule out hypoglycemia.

+1

Home glucose testing is available OTC and there are some inexpensive options of generics from a few major retailers in the U.S.

dramaqueen45

My daughter has struggled with this. It was diagnosed by a doctor when she was vomiting from low blood sugar frequently in high school. He advised her to eat small meals to keep blood sugar steady and to try to eat higher fat because she would feel fuller longer (but to watch and not eat too much fat because you may end up gaining weight). He also said to avoid refined sugar - sodas, cakes, cookies, candy, etc. It is because the sugar will trigger insulin release and in hypoglycemics- they release too much insulin. This causes the blood sugar to dip and hence a blood sugar crash which makes you feel awful. So in a sense, hypoglycemics kind of have a more difficult time than insulin dependent diabetics because they can't just adjust their insulin that they take when they have a piece of cake for instance. They just have to avoid sugar, period. She also used to carry glucerna bars which are formulated to do a slow release of sugar to keep blood sugar levels steady and stable. It is a difficult condition to live with for sure. I believe that people who have this can develop diabetes because your pancreas will give out and just stop making the insulin. I also know that people with it also are more likely to have PCOS (which is true for her) - just again releasing too many hormones which causes cysts to develop and that also makes losing weight difficult.

Kullerva

Alassonde wrote: »

I am hypoglycemic (very mild), but I rarely have issues anymore. I used to eat a very high sugar diet (lots of oreos, candy and pop) and found that once I cut that out and started eating healthier food I rarely have issues anymore. I also went to a dietitian who gave me some really good guidelines about what types of foods to eat/avoid. I would recommend going to a doctor though in case there is something specific causing it.

Yes, this. I've had mild hypoglycemia for a long time. Eating less sugar definitely helps, as does eating more frequently. I have a snack (usually protein+fiber, with maybe some sugar) every 3-4 hours and prep breakfast the night before so that the first thing I do after I get up is eat. Now I only have problems when my friends lie to me about when we're eating out. This is what snacks are for. I recommend seeing a doctor, eating less sugar, eating more protein, and eating small snacks more frequently.

klove808

Nice thread. On a similar note. I've have issues with hyper-glycemia, which has taken me many years to find balance. Have to eat all the time and avoid sugar dense foods, to avoid very similar reactions. (Esp the vomiting and headaches if let go too off). Doing more exercise and reducing calories and all does pose for more challenge, due to changing routines.

Beautiful_Warrior94

I read to put protein with carbs. But fiber such as fruit has sugar...is fruit an okay source?

T1DCarnivoreRunner

Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »

I read to put protein with carbs. But fiber such as fruit has sugar...is fruit an okay source?

You really need to start testing and see a doctor.

Having said that, eating to prevent hypoglycemia probably won't hurt anything. Generally, people who are hypoglycemic over-produce insulin. To reduce this, you will want to prevent spikes in blood glucose (BG). Here are a few things to understand:

1. Net carbs (Net carbs = Total carbs - Fiber - 50% sugar alcohols) (Fiber doesn't affect BG, and sugar alcohols are only partially absorbed, so 50% is a typical estimate, though companies like Quest will advertise net carbs as though sugar alcohols do not get absorbed at all... and they are wrong): Net carbs will raise your BG quickly and sharply. Some carbs start to be absorbed before you even swallow (through capillaries close to the lining of your cheek). After swallowing, the carbs are typically converted to glucose starting in around 10 min. and this can last for 1-2 hours. This is what creates the spike that causes most hypoglycemics to over-produce insulin and end up with low BG (hypoglycemia) within 1-3 hours after eating.

I remember there was a study done out of Atlanta to compare insulin with type 1 diabetics who inject it with non- type 1 diabetics who make their own (I don't recall the details, but you should be able to find it pretty easily) where they fed both groups oatmeal (very high carb, which creates a fast spike in BG). If I remember correctly, the non-diabetic group had a BG spike to 180 mg/dl at 1 hour post-consumption. This is exactly the type of thing that would cause many hypoglycemics to over-produce insulin and be low in another hour.

2. Protein: Protein does not get converted to glucose immediately like carbs. Also unlike carbs, not all protein is converted to glucose. Proteins are broken down first into the individual amino acids, which are generally used to repair / build muscle... though they also can be converted to BG through gluconeogenesis if needed. A couple of the amino acids can't be converted to BG, so not all of your protein will become BG. The part that does will be slower to absorb and convert... it will likely take several hours to see any BG increase from protein and it won't be all at once like you see with carbs.

3. Fat: Fat converts even more slowly than protein and an even smaller amount - usually so little that it isn't even noticed by us diabetics who test our BG several times daily or use a sensor to get SG readings (from interstitial fluid) hundreds of times daily. So while you might see a tiny increase if you eliminate other variables and use high-grade equipment and monitoring practices 10-12 hours after eating fat, you probably won't even realize it in everyday situations.

If you combine carbs with protein or fat, they will absorb more slowly as you digest both substances and BG spikes will be less sharp. If you decrease net carb consumption, you will decrease BG spikes. Fiber doesn't affect BG and is not considered to be part of net carbs.

Many hypoglycemics eat low carb, and when they eat carbs, they pair it with fat and/or protein. If you are wrong about being hypoglycemic, this eating method will probably not hurt you (barring some other medical issue).

Finally, I'll repeat: Test your BG and see a dr. Do not diagnose yourself based on symptoms alone. It is easy to obtain the objective data to either confirm or reject your self-diagnosis.

EvgeniZyntx

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/reactive-hypoglycemia/faq-20057778

For the majority of people, reactive hypoglycemia usually doesn't require medical treatment. It may help to pay attention to the timing and composition of your meals:

Eat several small meals and snacks throughout the day, no more than three hours apart during the waking hours.
Eat a well-balanced diet, including lean and nonmeat sources of protein, and high-fiber foods, including whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
Avoid or limit sugary foods, especially on an empty stomach.
Be sure to eat food if you're consuming alcohol and avoid using sugary soft drinks as mixers.
For some, particularly those who have had intestinal surgery (gastric bypass or surgery for the management of ulcer disease) further evaluation by a doctor may be warranted, but dietary changes are still recommended.

It's also important to include physical activity in your daily routine.

And see a doctor, your school probably has a service.

Rudenurse88

This is ridiculous no offense... if your blood sugar is low this means you need simple csrbs. Keep peanut butter crackers drink juice or milk. Eat every 4 to five hours. If you feel your heart racing, light headed, shaky, go to the doctor. I'm a nurse. Eat protein with every meal.

Beautiful_Warrior94

Okay I will keep these tips in mind. I don't know about my school as I go to a community college. And umm how is all this ridiculous?

ragenhay1

Looking at your diary it looks to me like you are not eating nearly enough to fuel yourself! According to your diary you are burning most of not all of what you eat at the gym. This leaves nothing to fuel your day to day body functions needs. I'm not a nutritionist but from what I've learned in the list few months of my own weight loss this is likely the cause of your symptoms. Even if you are not feeling hungry you still need to fuel your basic energy needs. I'd suggest looking further into how many calories you need to fuel your basic needs plus all the exercise you do.

neohdiver

Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »

Okay I will keep these tips in mind. I don't know about my school as I go to a community college. And umm how is all this ridiculous?

I don't know that I would call it ridiculous, but modifying what you eat to treat a condition it is impossible to know you have if you have not tested is not the safest way to go about things.

Even if your community college doesn't have a health center, you can buy a glucose meter and lancing device and a few lances & test strips very cheaply. I bought one from here for $4.21 with free shipping. At least spend a tiny bit of money and confirm your suspicions.

JustSomeEm

OK, folks... a bit of clean-up has happened in this discussion. I'd like to remind you of the following community guidelines:


1. No Attacks or Insults and No Reciprocation

a) Do not attack, mock, or otherwise insult others. You can respectfully disagree with the message or topic, but you cannot attack the messenger. This includes attacks against the user’s spelling or command of written English, or belittling a user for posting a duplicate topic.
b) If you are attacked by another user, and you reciprocate, you will also be subject to the same consequences. Defending yourself or a friend is not an excuse! Do not take matters into your own hands – instead, use the Report Post link to report an attack and we will be happy to handle the situation for you.

2. No Hi-Jacking, Trolling, or Flame-baiting

Please stay on-topic in an existing thread, and post new threads in the appropriate forum. Taking a thread off-topic is considered hi-jacking. Please either contribute politely and constructively to a topic, or move on without posting. This includes posts that encourage the drama in a topic to escalate, or posts intended to incite an uproar from the community.

Also, please do not bring drama from one discussion into another.

Cheers,
Em

DYELB

loloololololololol

CharlieBeansmomTracey

I would definitely see a dr. you might want to slow down on some of the exercise too. (some of the burns are higher than what they should be too so dont think you are burning as much as you think but you seem to be overdoing it day in and day out). you eat a lot of carbs too(not that its a bad thing generally). I dont see much if any veggies,no meat(not sure you are a vegetarian,vegan,etc), I dont see much of a balanced diet either. too many carbs at once for some may cause you to have a sugar crash later on(I know if I eat to many at once a few hrs later I have the weakness,dizzy spells,etc).. if you have a family history of diabetes then get checked and try to eat a more balanced diet.I also eat every 3-4 hrs which helps a lot. . most of the advice people have given you is great advice.

Beautiful_Warrior94

Okay I will work a little better on that thank you.

Beautiful_Warrior94

My problem though. I love working out, I could go for hours and not be sick of it. It's like a drug to me.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

I get that you like it but too much is not good. you will overtrain and eventually get burned out on it or your body wont be able to keep up and it will end up being a lot of stress on your body as well. thats how injuries happen also.your body also needs time to rest to repair muscles.