Anyone have Hypoglycemia?

ivyjbres
ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
So on Saturday, I had a problem with my blood sugar, it dropped hard and fast(the one day I eat right!) about 10 at night, at work. It was bad. When I was 16, I was informally diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Changed my diet, no problems since, at least until I had my son four years ago. Increasingly, I've had problems with my blood sugar. But Saturday got me thinking... I only every have problems with my blood sugar when it drops, never when it gets too high. And the one day when I eat well, I have a problem? So I googled both diabetes symptoms and hypoglycemia symptoms. And I have all of the symptoms of hypoglycemia except for the extremely rare seizures. The only symptom of diabetes I have is uncontrolled blood sugar. When I was 16, my preliminary diagnoses was based on glucose in my urine and an elevated fasting blood sugar level.

So now I'm wondering if I'm not diabetic at all, what if I'm hypoglycemic? Yes I know I should see my doctor, and I'm planning on it in a week or so, there's no way I'll have the time until after finals.

But if I am, how do I do that? If anyone has hypoglycemia, how do you loose weight, while still cramming down the sugar to keep yourself going?

Replies

  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    its not about cramming down sugar..its about eating complex carbs throughout the day. all sugar does is bring on hypoglycemia..and ANYONE can become hypoglycemic..most people probably have had a few bouts of it. many people who diet have this issue too..especially if they are low carbing it.

    the key to maintaining your sugar levels is complex healthy carbs...dont do a lot of heavy exercise on an empty stomach either..eat something an hour or so before hand. look up the glycemic index also for ideas on the foods you should eat that will maintain your levels throughout the day.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    It's about the carbs, not sugar. For hypoglycemics, you NEED to have a constant healthy carb intake in order to maintain a steady glucose level. The same goes for diabetics, but since they have the opposite problem, a hypoglycemic reaction is actually the worse outcome between the two since hypoglycemics are more prone to dizziness, losing consciousness and seizing. If ever you have a hypoglycemic episode, 1/2 a cup of milk or juice will bring your glucose levels up by about 30mg/dL pretty quickly, like within 5 - 10 minutes.

    I can't recommend exercising or doing anything that will lower blood glucose levels because of your possible condition. Speak with your doctor first before doing anything.
  • jellyfishjen
    jellyfishjen Posts: 1,787 Member
    I'm not a doctor. Was hypoglycemic (self diagnosed) then pre diabetic (doctor warning) then diabetic (doctor) Now due to weight loss, regular exercise, my diabeties is managed and I no longer need medication for it, but am still under the watchful eye of my doctor. However, I controlled or thought I did the hypoglycemic symptoms, with healthy living. Eating regular meals with a small snack between. Not to much fruit 1 to 2 pieces a day. I found I was always worst after to much refined sugars. So limit your lollies, cakes, softdrink, alcohol, and fruit juices. Eat plenty of vegies, and wholegrains and protein.
  • drasr
    drasr Posts: 181
    Seizure is NOT a rare complication of hypoglycemia. It is fairly common. If you have elevated blood sugar then you definitely have Diabetes. It is not a symptom. It is a documented evidence. Symptom would be need to get up in the night to use the rest room. If you are on drugs for diabetes, hypoglycemia is a very common complication if one is not taking it in the right dose or at the right time. Or the dose may have need to be adjusted. One more thing Hypoglycemia is NOT a disease. It is a symptom which may indicate the presence of other underlying disease but it rarely is a symptom in exclusivity. Diabetes is a disease.
  • Ravencjw
    Ravencjw Posts: 18
    Diabetics blood sugar can drop. It just depends on what you have eaten for the day. I don't feel bad when it gets high only when it gets low. I know when I exercise more my blood sugar gets lower..Please ask your doctor...Only they can tell you one way or the other...Cindy
  • atrayubrandy
    atrayubrandy Posts: 188 Member
    I'm hypoglycemic. Some days it gets really bad and other days it's completely manageable. The major difference I notice is on the days when I eat every 2-3 hours I feel great and have plenty of energy. I don't get dizzy or shaky. I don't have trouble articulating or feel horribly cranky. I actually try to avoid sugar. If I'm feeling dizzy or shaky I'll eat whatever is near me to help control it but for the most part I try to keep my meals heavy on vegetables and lean protein at every meal.
  • Noctuary
    Noctuary Posts: 255
    I am Diabetic Type 2. Now that I've been in the Diabetic 1800 calorie diet, I too get low blood sugars. You HAVE to eat throughout the day. I eat 3 meals a day and snack about every few hours. You have to pick the right complex carbs to get you through the day. I'd drop on over to http://www.dlife.com/ and read up in the Pre Diabetes room. They have a lot of useful information and helped me get through the maze of Diabetic eating.
  • drasr
    drasr Posts: 181
    Just curious. How do people know they have hypoglycemia?? Does anybody use the blood sugar monitor or is it just the symtopms??
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
    Just curious. How do people know they have hypoglycemia?? Does anybody use the blood sugar monitor or is it just the symtopms??

    Light headedness, you feel faint if you don't have something to eat after a few short hours, etc.

    They gave me the orange juice test in college that was absolutely horrible for me. Then they said, no you don't have it. Well, I'm NEVER taking that horrible thing again, and I've known I've had it for decades, I have the symptoms. I try to take care of myself the best I can. It's hard to lose weight when you're hypo though. But I'm doing it!
  • drasr
    drasr Posts: 181
    Symptoms alone can't confirm. Anyways what i was implying was to rely more on tests rather than symptoms. But if something works for you, its fine.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
    Symptoms alone can't confirm. Anyways what i was implying was to rely more on tests rather than symptoms. But if something works for you, its fine.

    Symptoms are the best indicator since the GTT doesn't always show it either. There are literally millions of people affected by hypoglycemia that do not do well on the GTT. Until they have a better test, it's all there is but it's really difficult to get the correct dx and many with hypoglycemia fail the GTT. I did, but I do have it.
    Glucose tolerance tests (GTT) for hypoglycemia (see Chapter 5) don't always show abnormally low levels of blood sugar.
    Hypoglycemia for Dummies
    By Cheryl Chow, James Chow, M.D.

    http://books.google.com/books?id=lbqkpk2CBVYC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=hypoglycemia+test+doesn't+always+show+symptoms&source=bl&ots=ptBl2C2nlm&sig=ffipMYVQyD6nS6bE11lJaxPtPNA&hl=en&ei=86-_TfbYCIP2tgPRy52UCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false
  • shadow3829
    shadow3829 Posts: 103 Member
    I found the best way to deal with it is to limit refined sugar and do 6-8 mini meals. I never eat 3 meals a day. I eat pretty much every 3 hours. Ex: 1/2 a sandwich & 1/2 an apple @ 11:00 then the other 1/2's at @ 2:00. It seems I am always eating, but can stay within my calorie goals.
  • blink14
    blink14 Posts: 57 Member
    My mom and grandfather are both hypoglycemic, and I am borderline. I have to eat usually every 2-3 hours, which is making it really difficult to diet!

    What've found is that for me, its worse during the day when I am at work, so I typically eat breakfast at work around 8:30, have a snack between 10 and 10:30, I go to lunch by 12:30, and then do another snack around 4 - sometimes I skip this, but I ALWAYS have a snack if I am going to the gym after work.
  • elaine8255
    elaine8255 Posts: 36 Member
    I'm hypoglycemic. Some days it gets really bad and other days it's completely manageable. The major difference I notice is on the days when I eat every 2-3 hours I feel great and have plenty of energy. I don't get dizzy or shaky. I don't have trouble articulating or feel horribly cranky. I actually try to avoid sugar. If I'm feeling dizzy or shaky I'll eat whatever is near me to help control it but for the most part I try to keep my meals heavy on vegetables and lean protein at every meal.

    I'm type 2 diabetic and i have been able to manage my hypo lows doing the same thing. I pay attention to the frequency that i eat (around every 3 hours), and what i'm eating (complex carbs). My goal is to maintain a steady blood sugar so that i can avoid hyperglycemia (highs) and hypoglycemia. Pre-workout, an apple is usually sufficient to keep my energy up and i have something small afterwards, depends on the time of day and when my next meal is.

    My suggestion is, pay attention and log when you feel these lows, and if the timing of your workout and/or meals had a direct impact.
  • laurasimmons
    laurasimmons Posts: 575 Member
    I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia when I was a teenager. What works for me is eating small frequent meals and eating good carbs not sugary snacks.
  • rachel0923
    rachel0923 Posts: 137 Member
    I am hypoglycemic, but have been able to control it through diet for years. I eat every 2-3 hours as others have mentioned and stick to primarily protein, healthy fats, and some complex carbs. Did your gestational diabetes test during pregnancy show any signs of low blood sugar? This is how we determined it, since my blood sugar levels indicated that I had been fasting during both pregnancies, despite having just eaten. The doctors actually had me re-do the test since I wasn't supposed to fast (and I hadn't). My PCP indicated that I had avoided most of the problematic symptoms by eating regularly and to keep it up.
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
    I am hypoglycemic, but have been able to control it through diet for years. I eat every 2-3 hours as others have mentioned and stick to primarily protein, healthy fats, and some complex carbs. Did your gestational diabetes test during pregnancy show any signs of low blood sugar? This is how we determined it, since my blood sugar levels indicated that I had been fasting during both pregnancies, despite having just eaten. The doctors actually had me re-do the test since I wasn't supposed to fast (and I hadn't). My PCP indicated that I had avoided most of the problematic symptoms by eating regularly and to keep it up.

    As far as I know, it didn't come back with any problems, but they did miss my having pre-eclampsia, so I can't really be confident in their abilities to interpret lab work.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
    I just wanted to chime in that my hypo is improving a bit...low cal snacks I do are Kosher Dill Pickles and Apples....but ymmv, some hypos can't do apples - too much sugar. The problem is that I have several dx's that interfere with each other. I have IBS, Hypoglycemia, and low energy. But I do the best I can. GL to everyone.
  • CarrieGelser
    CarrieGelser Posts: 3
    Just curious. How do people know they have hypoglycemia?? Does anybody use the blood sugar monitor or is it just the symtopms??

    I found out by going to the doctor. I told them all my symptoms and they ran a bunch of tests on me. When they tested my blood sugar it showed at the same level as a normal person who had been fasting for 24 hours. I had eaten a full lunch just 2 hours before they tested me. The doctor told me that the test showed that I was hypoglycemic.

    I haven't had anymore tests since that one and that was 6 years ago. They say you can grow out of it but mine has gotten a lot worse. I have to work hard to control it but eating healthy and working out has made things a lot easier for me. The most frustrating part is going to a doctor who doesn't believe in hypoglycemia. One doctor I went to tried to diagnose me with anxiety. Needless to say I never went to that doctor again.
  • numbersguy404
    numbersguy404 Posts: 9
    Blood sugar monitor for me. Pain in the butt but it's an amazing diagnostic tool. You really see the impact of your diet against your blood sugars (though it's worth noting stress, medication, and other factors can also cause blood sugar levels to change).
  • newmommynewfitme
    newmommynewfitme Posts: 89
    I have hypoglycemia , I was diagnosed in my teens and thought it was better but had several episodes then was diagnosed again during my pregnancy when my GTT came back in 40s and 50s both times. I have a glucose monitor as well to that my rheumatologist prescribed as prednisone can cause your sugar to rise , so during periods of time when my medication is increased they have me checking it but it's hard ever even in the normal zone let alone the high. I'm pretty bad with eating (skipping meals) at times and I'll get hit with symptoms to remind me that its time to eat .
  • RachelMc109
    RachelMc109 Posts: 1 Member
    I went to see my primary care physician about a month ago for feelings of depression, randomly crying at night, low sex drive, majorly hungry, hair falling out, and exhausted ALL THE TIME. I had suspected that I was having issues with my thyroid bc my mother and my sister both have thyroid disease. However after extensive lab work and a GTT my Dr. explained to me I was hypoglyemic. She also explained to me how my body reacts to carbs, and what I need to do to lose weight (also talked with her before lab work about how hard I have been trying to lose weight, with no results). I am still always hungry, and I have yet really found a good core group of foods to use throughout the day. I'm a therapist and I am always on the go, so everything must be convenient or it must be microwavable.

    I have yet found a good book that says "do this, this, and this, and eat this, this, and this" to lose weight and control symptoms. Does anyone have any good resources? I'm still trying to figure this out!
  • asmgrant
    asmgrant Posts: 27
    i was diagnosed 2 years ago, I've passed out more than one (unfortunately including an hour ago) I've found that it doesn't matter how many calories I eat as long as I eat at regular intervals. My blood sugar rarely reaches 80 settling around 60-70 most of the time.
  • ahinescapron
    ahinescapron Posts: 351 Member
    I have been diagnosed with hypoglycemia, but as long as I eat well and at regular intervals, I am totally fine. I don't go more that four hours without eating. I eat complex carbs with a bit of fat or protein (think apple and peanut butter). I never eat carbs by themselves, even the complex kind, simply because I have found that doesn't work for me.
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