Keto and Hypoglycemia?
Keto_Tangie
Posts: 6 Member
Hey everyone! I stumbled across this forum while looking for answers... happy to see a like-minded group here.
I am a newly diagnosed T2 diabetic, diet controlled and no meds. My doctor strongly advises Keto to manage my blood sugars and keep me off insulin. It's been going really well, except for my tendency towards hypo blood sugars (in the 50s and 60s), particularly overnight. I feel like I eat and eat and eat to keep my sugars up, and by "up" I mean I am lucky if I am in the 80s, usually in the 70s. I have had to add in small amounts of carbs just to give me a boost. But if I eat something too carby, sure enough my sugar shoots to the high 100s and 200s. Something about Keto and my body is leaving me prone to lows. (As an example, ate a meal of baked chicken wings in hot sauce... an hour later I was 68.)
Trying to be diligent and yes, getting some tests with my doc, as well as experimenting in the meantime. But would love to know if anyone else has dealt with this. It's very frustrating. Aside from my irritating blood sugars, I have actually been feeling great. For the fellow ladies out there, I am also breastfeeding and wonder if that plays into it.
Thanks!
I am a newly diagnosed T2 diabetic, diet controlled and no meds. My doctor strongly advises Keto to manage my blood sugars and keep me off insulin. It's been going really well, except for my tendency towards hypo blood sugars (in the 50s and 60s), particularly overnight. I feel like I eat and eat and eat to keep my sugars up, and by "up" I mean I am lucky if I am in the 80s, usually in the 70s. I have had to add in small amounts of carbs just to give me a boost. But if I eat something too carby, sure enough my sugar shoots to the high 100s and 200s. Something about Keto and my body is leaving me prone to lows. (As an example, ate a meal of baked chicken wings in hot sauce... an hour later I was 68.)
Trying to be diligent and yes, getting some tests with my doc, as well as experimenting in the meantime. But would love to know if anyone else has dealt with this. It's very frustrating. Aside from my irritating blood sugars, I have actually been feeling great. For the fellow ladies out there, I am also breastfeeding and wonder if that plays into it.
Thanks!
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Replies
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I'm not sure of what exactly is happening but one suggestion would be that High protein can cause an insulin response causing high/low blood sugars. Be wary of a meal consisting of a large amount of protein.2
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Also, a low blood sugar around 68 (3.8) is ok as long as you don't feel symptomatic. I occasionally have these lows and was worried too. Sometimes I feel them, sometimes I don't. As your body heals and the longer you are fat adapted the lower your blood sugar can go without causing a negative effect on your body.
Maybe increase healthy carbs with your meal and see how you react? Avocado, garlic, carrot, mushrooms etc.2 -
SouthGippyGirl wrote: »Also, a low blood sugar around 68 (3.8) is ok as long as you don't feel symptomatic. I occasionally have these lows and was worried too. Sometimes I feel them, sometimes I don't. As your body heals and the longer you are fat adapted the lower your blood sugar can go without causing a negative effect on your body.
Maybe increase healthy carbs with your meal and see how you react? Avocado, garlic, carrot, mushrooms etc.
I think being asymptomatic is the key factor. I'm pretty direct Phinney & Volek (Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living, Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance) encountering athletes in their research who regularly ran asymptomatic BGs in the 40s.
My take away was that if you're in ketosis, asymptomatic low BG, standing alone, is not a big deal.1 -
Thank you! The feedback helps. I am not always symptomatic, but once I slip into low 60s or high 50s I feel it for sure. I am experimenting with adding back small amounts of carbs (like the ones SouthGippyGirl suggested) to see if they sustain me longer. I suspect this is something that will just take time to adapt. Some days I eat as much as 3000 calories trying to keep my blood sugar above 70... it's getting a bit ridiculous!
I have felt so much better energy-wise and more mentally clear being low carb, and don't want to go back... Even losing extra weight. Hope my hypos behave so I can stay the course.
Thank you for your input!0 -
I wonder if it might not be a bad idea to seek out a genuine diabetes expert (if you can find one... ) and see if any blood tests come to mind.1
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Thank you! Just had a full abdominal u/s, a bunch of liver tests, gobs of blood work. It's all coming back normal, but I was referred to a liver specialist just to rule out any issues contributing to the hypos.
I have been finding lots of info regarding nursing babies with diabetes... I am 99.9% sure I may have found my answer but am going to follow through with doc as well.
I appreciate your input! For the time being, I have slightly upped my carbs (no longer true Keto, but still low carb and will hopefully remain in ketosis)... so far I haven't had any lows today and my sugars have been in a healthy range. Things have really improved on Keto and I would love to not abandon ship. Will keep playing with it and hopefully find a happy medium.
Thanks again!
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I wouldn't add back carbs. That just drives the underlying cause.
I'd treat only symptomatic lows or lows under 65 with pure glucose. Smarties are an ok choice too. I'd eat 1-2 smarties discs and test again in 15 minutes. Only eat what is required to bring glucose back from being symptomatic.
My T1D daughter is even able to treat some lows with carbs like nuts if it's not severe or dropping fast.2
