Hypoglycemia

[BlackMagicRose]

I know I need to go to a doctor about this and I will, but I just really need some thoughts and advice.

Do any of you know anything about hypoglycemia.

Recently I have been showing symptoms of what I think is hypoglycemia. I am very irritable, dizzy (almost to the point of passing out) when I have not eaten for a long period of time, especially when I wake up in the morning. After I eat something sugary I feel a bit better. Sometimes I also get heart races and shakiness. Also, after walking up the stairs in my apartment lately, I feel like I have been running a marathom, especially if I have not eaten in a while.

Anyone else dealing with this? Any advice? If you have been diagnosed what do you need to do to regulate it?

[houseblend]

I have never been diagnosed, but I have had symptoms exactly like what you describe with the exception of the "feel like have been running a marathon." I bought a blood sugar monitor and checked during some of those times, and my blood sugar would be low. I made some fairly simple changes to my diet that have helped tremendously. I have almost completely eliminated potato chips from my diet (these were my big weakness!). Even now, when I do splurge on them, my symptoms start coming back a bit. I have also reduced high glycemic index foods from my diet. You can find a lot of glycemic indexes if you do a google search. One in particular is here: http://www.lowglycemicdiet.com/gifoodlist.html Doing these things have really helped and I rarely have these symptoms anymore.

Of course, it is definitely good to check with your doctor to be sure there is not a more serious underlying problem.

[BlackMagicRose]

Weird that you mention potato chips because everytime I eat them or potatoes I get really tired. Thankyou for the information. I will keep you updated once I go to my doctor.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I get hypoglycemic, but only incidentally since I have to have insulin injections for type I diabetes, but while you're waiting to see your doctor about it, there are some foods I'd suggest to make things easier for you. Apples have a low glycemic value so they're a good food to keep your blood sugar at a moderate level. Milk too. High fiber foods are great- they digest slowly so they keep your blood sugar steady. So if you're going to have bread or cereal, choose something with at least a few grams of fiber per serving. Fiber One and Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal are good. For bread, I like Oatnut.

Another thing you can do is make sure to have some protein with whatever you're eating. Like apple slices with peanut butter, or cottage cheese with fruit. My nutritionist suggested those little Breakstone cottage cheese packs, but I like to just mix my own- 1/2 cup or so of cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of pineapple. Yum!

One more little piece of advice- if you find you're getting shaky often, try to eat "preventatively." Eat something every two hours or so. When it's not time for a meal, have a snack of about 15 grams of carbohydrates. Kashi TLChewy granola bars are pretty good. A packet of low sugar oatmeal. The cottage cheese and fruit. Unsweetened or low sugar yogurt. A glass of milk. All are about 15 grams or so.

[Foley42]

I get hypoglycemia (haven't been diagnosed) if I don't eat every so often. I have to have a little snack every few hours.

The worst time was DH and I were walking around the mall and I said, "I think I need to stop and eat." We sat down to eat...my whole back was soaked, I was shaking, and hot. I even started to cry because I felt awful. It's a miserable feeling.

I know my body well enough now that I don't let myself get that bad anymore. Once and a while I'll slip and I'll get a little shaky.

When I work a 12 hour shift at the hospital here's my schedule.
5:45am: ceral or bagel
9 or 10am: snack, usually a breakfast bar
1 or 2pm: sandwich, yogurt
5pm: little snack

The morning snack is key for me! I can't wait from early morning (5:30) until lunch to eat. I know this about myself so I accommodate it into my life.

My advice is learn when you need to eat to prevent the symptoms. If you start to feel them coming on then eat ASAP, don't wait!

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I actually just had an episode last night, and it reminded me of a couple things- in general it's a good idea to avoid highly processed foods like white sandwich bread, pop tarts, pretzels, bagels, etc., because they'll raise your blood sugar quickly, but then are more likely to drop it quickly too.
However, if you feel yourself getting shaky, sweaty, dizzy, irritable, have a 1/2 cup of juice or sugary soda, or some of those same processed foods. Then in 15 minutes or so, assuming you're feeling better, have some complex carbohydrate and some protein, to keep your blood sugar from going back down too quickly.

[diam124]

I've had these episodes since I was a teenager. They can be pretty scary if I don't catch them in time and don't have immediate access to food or drinks. I can usually feel them coming on, but sometimes I'm too busy and ignore the feelings. I try to eat and/or drink something that has sugar in it ASAP (regular Coke, etc.) and then when I start to calm down I'll eat something more nutritious. Sometimes I'll feel like I'm on the verge of passing out.

I also seem to get this more when I have my period - I don't know if it's related to my actual cycle or if it's because I take pain medication regularly (Advil) for horrible cramps.

I snack pretty regularly during the day to keep it at bay. I don't eat breakfast at home, so when I get to work I immediately have a yogurt cup and then an hour or two later I have a Kashi granola bar. Then lunch and I'm usually ok until dinner, but sometimes I need another snack in there too.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I also seem to get this more when I have my period - I don't know if it's related to my actual cycle or if it's because I take pain medication regularly (Advil) for horrible cramps.
My sister and I were talking about this the other day (I know, not exactly the most scintillating conversation but right now, she's pregnant and I'm newly diabetic so we have tons of conversations about nutrition, hormones, etc. ;) ) and she googled the topic and found information about studies done relating women's blood glucose levels to their periods. I guess it can affect blood glucose both ways- making it higher for some women and lower for others. She said generally it'll make it higher two to three days before your period starts, but changes in estrogen levels can also then make it lower.

I've been keeping a food and insulin journal, and lucky me, from what I can see, I seem to be higher before and then swing back the other way for a day or two during.

You know, that might be helpful though... Keeping a food journal for a while to help figure out what helps, and what hurts?

[diam124]

That is interesting - glad to know it's real and I'm not imagining things. In fact this afternoon I had to eat lunch earlier than usual because I was starting to feel shaky (and I have my period now).

I've had my glucose level checked before because Type II diabetes runs in my family (both grandmothers, my mom, my uncle, etc., etc.) but everything always comes back normal. I've never done a fasting test though (just regular bloodwork).

I did the South Beach Diet a few years ago and I definitely felt better while doing it and cutting out all sugar, refined foods, etc. Unfortunately I'm just not good at maintaining it.

[fuzzy]

Yup, I get those episodes too.

I always eat every two hours. And I always carry life savers in my purse in the event that I can't eat and need a sugar boost. Having a mid-morning yogurt, for some reason, seems to help tremendously.