Hypoglycemic/blood sugar issues

How did metformin help you with hypoglycemia? That seems counter-intuitive since metformin is intended to reduce insulin resistance.

Do you use a glucometer? If yes, at what level do you begin to experience symptoms?

As a type 1 diabetic, I've had trouble losing weight due to treating lows after exercise. I get it... you burn off a bunch of calories and then have to eat more back than what you burned in the first place. One day, I ate over 6,000 calories just to keep my blood sugar up and that was on a low activity day. My blood sugar was as low as 20 mg/dl during that time and only barely broke 100 once before crashing down yet again. I started to freak out because if I went to sleep, I would have to stop eating and would go low and die. So I stayed up eating cookies... after 2 boxes of cookies (1 of Oreos, another of Chips Ahoy), it rose high enough that I could confidently sleep without worrying about never waking. That was before I recognized that glucose tablets are a better option.

The lowest calorie and fastest working option to raise blood sugar is glucose tablets, so using these as a go to will help reduce calories from treating lows.

I was a diabetic type 2 until I lost my weight. My blood sugars are normal now. Eating for a diabetic and a hypoglycemic is very similar. I'm a little horrified at this thread as some of the information is misguided.

I don't think water will have any effect on your blood sugars.

I think your calorie goal is a little too aggressive if you are also trying to keep even blood sugars all day.

For those mid-afternoon surprises, always have a stash with you. I have a long list of "portable proteins" I keep on hand for emergencies. I pack them in snack size ziplocs so they are easy to pop in to the lunch bag and my purse. This includes various protein bars cut in half (half a bar is usually enough), edamame seed pods, 3 cm cubes of low-fat cheddar, nuts, snack size yogurts, and 1 tbsp hummus and crackers.

With every episode, brainstorm what might be wrong and try one idea to change it up. If it works, keep doing it. If it doesn't, try something else.

At dinner, maybe re-think your portion size, even cutting it in half.

1. Water does not affect blood sugars, but blood sugars can affect hydration (not your issue obviously, as this is a problem for those experiencing hyperglycemia, not hypoglycemia... except to the extent that hypoglycemia causes sweating).
2. @jgnatca I also am annoyed about some of the bad information here. Protein only partially converts to glucose, and does so over several hours. Your suggest for a protein snack is not helpful for treating an emergency low, but could help prevent hypoglycemia in the first place. If someone already has low blood sugar, protein could be dangerous (because it will slow down absorption of carbs eaten with it). Someone with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) should be eating fast acting carbohydrates aside from fiber or sugar alcohols. Dextrose is best (which is why they put this in glucose tablets).

Are you chronic hypo or reactive hypo? I.e. if all your episodes are after meals, you are probably reactive. If you are low at night or in the morning or regardless of eating, then chronic (or something like that). How you eat is different for each I think. Its worth knowing..

Some things I have learned:
1) Do NOT eat sugar for a hypo episode... It is not like diabetics who have to get a quick glucose bolus... You set yourself up for a hypo roller coaster like that - it will "fix" it temporarily by spiking blood sugar, but when it goes back down it now will fall farther and faster, making it worse. You are better off eating a normal snack of protein WITH simple carbs and wait it out. No candy, orange juice etc for fixes. An apple with PB is better...

2) Never eat carbs alone (advice that worked for me at least). Always pair carbs with protein or fat. Think crackers with cheese or peanut butter, oatmeal made with a protein shake instead of milk, apples with PB, etc.

3) The common advice is to eat smaller more frequent meals, and for most people that probably helps. If that doesnt seem to help you much, it is worth trying the opposite - fewer larger meals with no snacks or grazing. The thought is that when you start to eat, your body produces enough insulin for a *full* meal. If you eat half a "full" meal, there is now too much insulin and not enough food to counteract it, so your sugar drops not long after eating (usually reactice types). So if instead you actually eat a full meal, the amount of insulin releases is proportional to your intake and your sugar wont drop after. It may or may not be true for you, but something to try.

4) Check all your food and drinks for stevia. Stevia (Rebiana and a few other forms of names) is widely promoted to diabetics because it wont spike your blood sugar like regular sugar does and other sweeteners do. But in some people, it not only does not spike it, it actually LOWERS it. That is awesome if you are diabetic, TERRIBLE if you are hypoglycemic! I started drinking a big thing of tea every day made with stevia and for a month I was seeing stars every afternoon (as I was finishing it)... Took me awhile to get the connection. I have found that as long as I mix it with carbs, it is ok for me. By without any other carbs (i.e added to tea or coffee) and it tanked my blood sugar (like down to 40 several times!). I saw quest bars mentioned above - the "naturals" line is made with stevia... I dont believe I have had trouble with those because they have lots of fiber and protein and other carbs, but its worth watching just in case until you learn what your personal tolerance is.

Some things I also learned I never connected before - nighttime hypo espides can have symptoms such as excessive sweating (during day too especially of your face), nightmares, etc. Have a small protein/carb snack just before bed if you think this is happening to you.


Hope something here helps. Good luck.

dylangrrrrl wrote: »

Hi all,
Today I was right on track calorie wise, lots of small snacks the last of which was a chobani yogurt (high protein) at 3pm. At 5:30pm picking up my kids from school, I got another extreme case of shakiness/dizziness. If I listen to my body and eat say a cheesesteak for lunch it will hold me through but when I attempt to restrict calories, even carefully spacing meals/snacks I'm often left in a situation where I'm not safe to drive my kids. I've been told I am hypoglycemic but am not diabetic. Does anyone else experience these issues? I'm thinking load up on high protein snacks at 4pm and have a lighter dinner? This is difficult since I eat whatever dinner I'm making for my family. Does anyone have any recommendations for high protein/low calorie snacks? MFP has put me at 1340 daily goal.

Thanks for reading MFP friends and good luck with your journeys!

Who told you you're hypoglycemic but not diabetic?

You need to take this to your doctor, because you said you are not safe to drive when you have one of your dizzy/shaky spells.

OK, so why don't you get a glucometer and test it when you have these incidents?

dylangrrrrl wrote: »

midwesterner85: Thank you for your feedback! I will definitely get some glucose tablets to have on hand. I've never tried these. I definitely get that fast acting carbs are needed for an emergency low and more protein to prevent such lows from happening. Also I could definitely exercise more. Good luck on your journey and thank you for sharing your experience!

I would start with a gluco meter to test. If you are low, how low are you? Also, as another user pointed out, a fast rise with reactive hypoglycemia will likely cause another low. But seriously... get a glucometer and test. If you find you are not low, that is important. If you find you are barely low (60's), that is important too. 60's is not an emergency. I don't think you will ever go as low as someone like me who is on insulin, but I felt slightly low once after driving to a trailhead to hike, tested, and was 20 mg/dl. You are describing symptoms of an extreme low, and you really should be testing to see how low it is, or if that is really what it is at all.

My wife has hypoglycemia. Slower digesting carbs(whole grains) tend to help her. She also carries around glucose tablets and uses them when her blood sugar gets really low and she starts feeling funny.