Feeling you're going to pass out if you don't eat?

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  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    It's fine if I eat something with the tea really. I know I was anemic a year ago, might be that too. It really doesn't happen much at all, only if I have tea and haven't eaten something recently really... it's odd. I sure hope it's not anything else though, I can't imagine limiting carbs (I have reflux so too much fat is not good for me, so what could I eat LOL).
    My husband had terrible acid reflux he had to take medication for. We just assumed it was caused by fat and spicy food but it turns out it was the carbs -- particularly bread that was causing it. Feeling sick if I went more than a couple of hours without eating something was common for me as well. Eating low carb/high fat completely cleared up both of those conditions for both of us.

    It doesn't sound like the problems you're having are severe enough right now to make you want to cut back on your carbs but I honestly think what you're experiencing is caused by the quality of the carbs you're eating.

    Here's a link to a series of articles on normal blood sugar -- you might want to take a look at your lab results and see where you're at in the normal range. Best wishes.

    http://chriskresser.com/when-your-normal-blood-sugar-isnt-normal-part-1
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    I had that when i was pregnant (both times). If that's a possibility (even if you used protection - it doesn't always work), then do a pregnancy test.

    It's what typically happens with morning sickness, i.e. nausea that's relieved by eating, often accompanied by feeling dizzy and other symptoms of low blood sugar. It can happen any time of day and can strike quite suddenly, quite often with food cravings as well, but not always.
  • bentobee
    bentobee Posts: 321 Member
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    I absolutely feel like I am going to pass out if I try working out before I eat, and also if I don't eat enough before a hard/long workout.

    It starts with dizziness and lightheadedness usually. And it takes a long time for me to recover if I let that happen (like most of the day is shot).
  • lsegatti
    lsegatti Posts: 77 Member
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    Even though your blood work was fine that is still a blood sugar reaction. Consider breaking up your breakfast into smaller portions, eat early then save an apple or piece of cheese for a 10 Am snack etc. You would not get the reaction when you have tea with sugar because it stablized the blood sugar for you.
    I have had those reactions on and off for over thirty years but I do not worry about them because I eat small meals but often during the day. I do more protein, nuts etc that take longer to burn off than a quick fix of a candy or granola bar. I make sure to carry pretzels etc when I am traveling just in case.
    My blood sugar checks fine all that time but I now know my own body and how I react, so I pay attention and am prepared!
    Try out a few different things and see what works for you.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    You should see a doctor. How's your blood sugar?
    ^This

    ETA: a blood sugar test is different then your other blood tests, they will have you drink some yucky stuff then wait ...then test. With your symptoms most doctors would order the test.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Used to happen to me all the time. Interestingly, when I gave up a few things (like added sugar, HFCS, processed foods based around enriched bleached flours), and started eating better, it stopped for the most part.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
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    Happens to me almost everyday with my morning coffee. Not the passing out but the nausea, I am experiencing it right now as I type. I hate it.
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
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    Like some other posters said, most likely a form of hypoglycemia. My doctor flat TOLD me it would only show up on the blood tests if I tested WHILE I was in an episode. Usually what brings it on for me; major sugar binge followed by fasting followed by high temperatures or exertion (i.e. hot shower or trying to start a workout). I've just learned to not put myself in those situations. When I would have an episode in the past, I usually just self medicated with a glass of milk and was fine after a few minutes.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
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    I get that feeling when I drink black tea on an empty stomach too. So... I stopped doing that.
  • DSTMT
    DSTMT Posts: 417 Member
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    That used to happen to me all the time, I tend towards insulin resistance and mid-morning I would suddenly get hit with a huge wave of nausea that would only go away once I'd eaten something, whether I was actually hungry or not. For a long time it really screwed my weight up because I didn't know what else to do but eat when it happened. It got so bad for a while that I never felt normal hunger, (like stomach growling) it would just be one second I'm fine the next I was sure I was going to throw up if I didn't eat something.

    I stopped having cereal for breakfast and switched to oatmeal which was better, but it still happened once in a while, so I recently started eating eggs and cottage cheese for breakfast and cut WAY down on carbs and sugar in general and it seems to help a lot. I also find that it happens more if I overdo caffeine, so maybe that's why the tea seemed to set it off? Or was it green tea? When I first started drinking green tea it made me a bit queasy until I got used to it.
  • DSTMT
    DSTMT Posts: 417 Member
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    Also, rather than eating mints or drinking juice when it happens, you might be better off with protein, like a babybel or a scoop of cottage cheese or something that won't cause your blood sugar to re-spike and crash again shortly after, if it is in fact your blood sugar level that is the problem.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Caffeine initiates a release of glucose into your blood stream, causing a spike. Your body responds with insulin - sometimes too much (I know mine always does). This leads to a sudden drop in blood sugar leaving me dizzy, weak, shaky and irate. :ohwell:

    ETA: The hypoglycemic post - yeah. I suspect that I am. You may be too. My solution is to drink cream with my coffee.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    Does it happen to anyone else? Feeling a weird intense nausea like you're going to throw up or pass out if you're not eating something as soon as possible. It usually doesn't come with any other sign of hunger and is pretty sudden.

    It happens to me a lot after I drink tea (not as much if I add sugar or milk), and it just happened to me for no reason, considering it's 11.30am and I had already eaten 600 calories this morning (including a snack at 10am). So I had an early lunch and I'm fine now, but it's really weird. Any idea what could cause it? I've also drunk 1.5 liter of water this morning so it can't be that...

    No. I can go for 10 or 12 hours without eating. maybe you need to investigate the kinds of food you eat? They could be causing you to crash because of a high carb/sugar content? Add more lean protein, vegetables, fiber to your meals. Sorry I don't have much to offer. Hope you feel better. You could just be a bit under the weather.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    Caffeine initiates a release of glucose into your blood stream, causing a spike. Your body responds with insulin - sometimes too much (I know mine always does). This leads to a sudden drop in blood sugar leaving me dizzy, weak, shaky and irate. :ohwell:

    You may be right! I quit coffee 4 months ago and quit feeling that up and down thing with energy/mood/hunger.
  • jamk1446
    jamk1446 Posts: 5,577 Member
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    If it's just happening after tea, it could be the tannic acid in the tea. I have this problem with lots of tea or coffee on an empty stomach.

    Maybe switch to an herbal tea or only drink tea if you're eating as well.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Caffeine initiates a release of glucose into your blood stream, causing a spike. Your body responds with insulin - sometimes too much (I know mine always does). This leads to a sudden drop in blood sugar leaving me dizzy, weak, shaky and irate. :ohwell:

    You may be right! I quit coffee 4 months ago and quit feeling that up and down thing with energy/mood/hunger.

    FWIW:

    "Caffeine affects a person’s blood sugar levels indirectly, producing a small rise in blood sugar levels via its effect on insulin resistance. While this doesn’t make much of a difference in healthy individuals, people with type II diabetes or a history of hypoglycemia should closely monitor their intake of caffeine."

    http://www.3fatchicks.com/how-caffeine-affects-low-blood-sugar/
  • DSTMT
    DSTMT Posts: 417 Member
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    Caffeine initiates a release of glucose into your blood stream, causing a spike. Your body responds with insulin - sometimes too much (I know mine always does). This leads to a sudden drop in blood sugar leaving me dizzy, weak, shaky and irate. :ohwell:

    You may be right! I quit coffee 4 months ago and quit feeling that up and down thing with energy/mood/hunger.

    FWIW:

    "Caffeine affects a person’s blood sugar levels indirectly, producing a small rise in blood sugar levels via its effect on insulin resistance. While this doesn’t make much of a difference in healthy individuals, people with type II diabetes or a history of hypoglycemia should closely monitor their intake of caffeine."

    http://www.3fatchicks.com/how-caffeine-affects-low-blood-sugar/

    This is really interesting, I didn't know that caffeine had such a specific effect on blood sugar levels, but it totally makes sense. I think it's time for me to cut way back on my caffeine consumption for a while and see what happens!
  • Alexandriabiggy
    Alexandriabiggy Posts: 7
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    The same thing happens to me sometimes but I'll just get something to munch and I'll be fine. It is odd though
  • vampirequeen1959
    vampirequeen1959 Posts: 196 Member
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    I get that too. Like another poster it's been a lot better since I reduced my carbs and refined foods.
  • Beezneez2013
    Beezneez2013 Posts: 1
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    For a few days I wasn't taking in enough calories and was burning way too many. Calories I couldn't afford. I get hypoglycemic and nauseated. For the last 2 nights after drinking tea I was vomiting. I was only taking in 1200 cal. a day and just joined this site. My cal. intake is up to 1380 and I've felt fine since. Maybe you need to revise your diet a bit. You probably should go to the doctor and get your sugar levels checked. Good luck

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