Hypoglycemia help please
Beautiful_Warrior94
Posts: 197 Member
I'm not diabetic. However I seem to be experiencing hypoglycemia and I don't know how to treat it. Please help!:(
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You mean right now? Go eat something. Seems like a simple fix to me
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I don't know if I'm hypoglycemic, but I need to eat 5 small meals a day. If it go more than 3 or 4 hours without something, I get super shaky. So, I just space out my meals accordingly. Just make sure to keep a snack handy that has a bit of carbs. Greek yogurt (not the sugar free kind) is a great one, or fruit.0
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So try and do 6 small meals a day?RoseTheWarrior wrote: »I don't know if I'm hypoglycemic, but I need to eat 5 small meals a day. If it go more than 3 or 4 hours without something, I get super shaky. So, I just space out my meals accordingly. Just make sure to keep a snack handy that has a bit of carbs. Greek yogurt (not the sugar free kind) is a great one, or fruit.
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Just because you said you "seem" to be experiencing it: Have you checked your blood sugar when experiencing a hypoglycemic episode and contacted your doctor about your concerns?
I'm diabetic and often experience hypoglycemic episodes, though I think the treatment is the same: eat something. Most diabetics follow the "rule of 15" for treating low blood sugars: consume 15g of fast-acting carbs (jelly beans, glucose tablets, skittles, regular soda, juice) and wait 15 minutes. Consume an additional 15g of carbs every 15 minutes until BG levels reach above 70mg/dL, and then consume a 15-20g snack that contains complex carbs and fat/protein (apples and peanut butter, half a sandwich, cheese and crackers, etc.). The fast-acting carbs are meant to quickly bring up your blood sugar, while the snack prevents another hypoglycemia episode from occurring (it's a longer source of carbohydrates the body can use).0 -
Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »
So try and do 6 small meals a day?RoseTheWarrior wrote: »I don't know if I'm hypoglycemic, but I need to eat 5 small meals a day. If it go more than 3 or 4 hours without something, I get super shaky. So, I just space out my meals accordingly. Just make sure to keep a snack handy that has a bit of carbs. Greek yogurt (not the sugar free kind) is a great one, or fruit.
I'm fine with 5? I was trying to offer assistance to you. Guess not?0 -
RoseTheWarrior wrote: »Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »
So try and do 6 small meals a day?RoseTheWarrior wrote: »I don't know if I'm hypoglycemic, but I need to eat 5 small meals a day. If it go more than 3 or 4 hours without something, I get super shaky. So, I just space out my meals accordingly. Just make sure to keep a snack handy that has a bit of carbs. Greek yogurt (not the sugar free kind) is a great one, or fruit.
I'm fine with 5? I was trying to offer assistance to you. Guess not?
What's with the snappy attitude it's simply a question?
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For the short term fix, eat small meals and snacks spaced out about every 3 hours. Meanwhile, I'd make an appointment to see your primary care physician for further testing. Many factors can cause hypoglycemia, if that really is what you have. For example, are you taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (used to treat depression), for instance? That could be causing it. Or perhaps you have a family history of metabolic disorders? Prolonged alcohol use? What concerns me is that you are 21, seemingly healthy, and not overweight. Hypoglycemia can be a symptom of other diseases that can affect the pancreas, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, or other organs. I doubt the probability of something insidious, given your age and good health, but it's better to get things checked out, as this is an ongoing issue for you.0
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I have been hypoglycemic (no diabetes) since birth. Message me if you want to chat about it. Check out the hypoglycemia support foundation too.0
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Have you tried seeing a doctor? The solution is really as simply as eating, but you also want to look into it to treat the source not only the symptoms, or to know if a particular way of handling symptoms is better than another. You may have thyroid issues which sometimes lead to hypoglycemia and can be managed with the right medication, or you may have reactive hypoglycemia for example in which case switching to slow carbs would be ideal, you may not be eating enough or exercising too much in which case increasing your calories will solve that...etc.
Some other conditions can mimic hypoglycemia like low blood pressure, dehydration, too much coffee, certain diet pills and medications or anxiety, so if you have not confirmed it with a glucose meter, look into other things as well.0 -
Hypoglycemia is a condition that affects the production of all hormones and the treatment is not as simple as eating correctly. Every aspect of your life is a contributing factor, exercise, sleep, food and energy expenditure as well as emotional aspects of your life. True hypoglycemics have elevated levels of adrenaline, insulin, cortisol and all kinds of things that create imbalances. As someone with 28 years of experience as a severe hypoglycemic I wouldn't jump too quickly on such simple solutions. It's a complicated issue with many variables. Your best help is a hormone specialist and your intuition. Again the hypoglycemia support foundation is a great resource too.0
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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.0
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The only thing that helped my hypoglycemic episodes was not eating carbs on the advice of a doctor. Even now I eat high amounts of protein but have been able to relax a bit on the carbs as the issue has improved greatly since then. As was suggested above, a visit to the doctor might be the best advice.0
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Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »RoseTheWarrior wrote: »Thin_Beauty94 wrote: »
So try and do 6 small meals a day?RoseTheWarrior wrote: »I don't know if I'm hypoglycemic, but I need to eat 5 small meals a day. If it go more than 3 or 4 hours without something, I get super shaky. So, I just space out my meals accordingly. Just make sure to keep a snack handy that has a bit of carbs. Greek yogurt (not the sugar free kind) is a great one, or fruit.
I'm fine with 5? I was trying to offer assistance to you. Guess not?
What's with the snappy attitude it's simply a question?
That's a darn good question. What's the answer?0 -
Hypoglycemia is a condition that affects the production of all hormones and the treatment is not as simple as eating correctly. Every aspect of your life is a contributing factor, exercise, sleep, food and energy expenditure as well as emotional aspects of your life. True hypoglycemics have elevated levels of adrenaline, insulin, cortisol and all kinds of things that create imbalances. As someone with 28 years of experience as a severe hypoglycemic I wouldn't jump too quickly on such simple solutions. It's a complicated issue with many variables. Your best help is a hormone specialist and your intuition. Again the hypoglycemia support foundation is a great resource too.
Wouldn't adrenaline and cortisol be decreased? Cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis (which in excess would lead to hyperglycemia instead of hypoglycemia). Epinephrine also increases blood glucose, as its actions inhibit the release of insulin and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (the "fight or flight" response).
From what I remember from patho (I just had an exam for the class and am brain dead), hypoglycemia symptoms are from two separate "causes": Adrenaline being released (shakiness, irritability, increased heart rate, cold sweats. All of these typically seen during "milder" cases of hypoglycemia) and the brain not receiving enough glucose (confusion, dizziness, stupor, coma, seizures, death. These signs/symptoms are typically seen in very severe hypoglycemia).
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Hypoglycemia is a condition that affects the production of all hormones and the treatment is not as simple as eating correctly. Every aspect of your life is a contributing factor, exercise, sleep, food and energy expenditure as well as emotional aspects of your life. True hypoglycemics have elevated levels of adrenaline, insulin, cortisol and all kinds of things that create imbalances. As someone with 28 years of experience as a severe hypoglycemic I wouldn't jump too quickly on such simple solutions. It's a complicated issue with many variables. Your best help is a hormone specialist and your intuition. Again the hypoglycemia support foundation is a great resource too.
Wouldn't adrenaline and cortisol be decreased? Cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis (which in excess would lead to hyperglycemia instead of hypoglycemia). Epinephrine also increases blood glucose, as its actions inhibit the release of insulin and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (the "fight or flight" response).
From what I remember from patho (I just had an exam for the class and am brain dead), hypoglycemia symptoms are from two separate "causes": Adrenaline being released (shakiness, irritability, increased heart rate, cold sweats. All of these typically seen during "milder" cases of hypoglycemia) and the brain not receiving enough glucose (confusion, dizziness, stupor, coma, seizures, death. These signs/symptoms are typically seen in very severe hypoglycemia).
I have had this condition my whole life. It's a condition that rarely if ever makes any sense or follows rules. It's hard to properly diagnose and harder even to control. I have elevated adrenaline responses and problems regulating all my hormones because of their interaction with each other. Essentially once you step in to the world of hormone interactions, you realize it's an entire galaxy, nothing is as simple as it seems. My aunt is a md and studied hormones for years before realizing how complex it is. The real answer is that today's medicine has no answer for the true nature of hormones and their interactions. Each doctor has their own theory but it's complicated beyond current knowledge.0 -
Find out if you really have it or not.
Buy some Glucotabs at the pharmacist ASAP and carry them with you. If you feel an episode coming on, take a tab. Follow up with a protein snack of some kind.
Eat on a routine, at the same time of day, and no skipping. Include a little protein in every snack, every meal. The glucotab is for fast recovery, and the protein is for sustained energy with few peaks and valleys.
You can often get a cheap or free meter. Get one and start testing your blood first thing in the morning and two hours after a meal. Knowledge is power.
Here's my list of snacks:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jgnatca/view/mid-day-snacks-722504
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Hypoglycemia is a condition that affects the production of all hormones and the treatment is not as simple as eating correctly. Every aspect of your life is a contributing factor, exercise, sleep, food and energy expenditure as well as emotional aspects of your life. True hypoglycemics have elevated levels of adrenaline, insulin, cortisol and all kinds of things that create imbalances. As someone with 28 years of experience as a severe hypoglycemic I wouldn't jump too quickly on such simple solutions. It's a complicated issue with many variables. Your best help is a hormone specialist and your intuition. Again the hypoglycemia support foundation is a great resource too.
Good post. And I'll add: as OTHER hormones change, hypoglycemia changes. (menopause etc)
I find that for myself: keeping my blood sugars as even as I can always helped. But all bets were off when menopause hit.
Still, I focus on eating "slow" carbs, and reading my own body's response to certain foods and what not. I know when NOT to have caffeine, when NOT to have a carby meal etc.
But as you say, it's complex, and doesn't follow rules.0 -
I don't know if OP has left the site or what the story is, but I would like to see a response to the question about testing... are you testing your BG when you feel hypoglycemic? If yes, at what level are you experiencing symptoms?
Have you visited a dr.? If not, then you need to do that. I hope you are not self-diagnosing and asking the internet for treatment of something you have self-diagnosed. That could be a disaster no matter how you look at it.0 -
If your logging of intake and exercise is correct, then the routine 1000 below goal days could be contributing to what you're feeling.0
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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.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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. 0 -
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.0
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I read to put protein with carbs. But fiber such as fruit has sugar...is fruit an okay source?0
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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.0 -
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/reactive-hypoglycemia/faq-20057778For 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.0
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