Hi, I have recently been diagnosed with RH. An absolute relief as I have spent most of my life on the rollercoaster ride of sugar highs and lows. I have always been very active and always relied on carbs for my fuel. Do you focus on slow release carbs as your fuel source? I have tried no or low carbs and had the worst hypos, double vision, confused, shaking etc, going home from work. So instead I'm experimenting with sweet potatoes, quinoa, freekah, wild rice etc and alongside this gradually reducing my addiction to sweets. I am buying a glucose monitor to fine tune as I go. But I have read posts on here about low, no carbs. Is this so, or do many of you focus on slow release carbs too? Ps last week I had a blissful day of 6 small meals with no rollercoaster. HEAVEN! I eat well - eggs, meat, cheese, pulses, slow release grains.
Hi
@SJP23 welcome to the forum.
Isn't it good to get a diagnosis?
What tests have you had?
Have you any other conditions?
Are you on meds?
I really can't answer your questions.
I can give you my experience and of others. But RH is such an individual condition, what works for me, might not work for you.
However, I have found, that even low GI or so called slow release healthy carbs, has an effect on my blood glucose levels. But that is me. You may be able to have some.
It is great you are getting a glucometer to test.
I used mine with a food diary to record as much information I could, which after a lot of experimentation, lead me to the conclusion, that the more I avoided as much as possible any carbs, my body was healthier.
And it stopped the hypos.
Also carbs were the trigger for the reaction.
The quick higher blood glucose spike, triggers the excess insulin, and if you have insulin resistance as well, the amount of insulin in your blood stream is not good at all, and the hypos are to be avoided by not eating them in the first place.
My food source is protein, some veg and good saturated fats.
I am in ketosis, and I do not need to carb up at all.
My energy levels are brilliant, I have to do a lot in a day and never get tired, I am nearly seventy, and other than what's below, my endocrine health is so much better than it was decades ago.
Exercise is important, and if interested in how some athletes don't carb up and use ketosis. Then do read up on it.
I also found out that eating six meals a day is not sustainable, too much hassle, food and if not careful a big crash will happen anyway if you get past 3-4 hours without food.
I use intermittent fasting, I only have food in a window from late afternoon to early evening. My last food is four hours before bed, so I know I'm not going hypo overnight.
The way to treat RH, is not to hypo and get healthy. The amount of time in continuous normal blood glucose levels (4-6mmols, UK measurements) is so beneficial. So no spikes, no trigger, no reaction, no hypos. That is the best treatment.
RH is rare, the amount of research is very poor, only by experimenting and seeing which foods spike you. And very few foods that are carbs, don't spike you. Will you get answers you're looking for.
I have lived with this condition for over ten years now. My specialist endocrinologist agreed with me.
I can live without carbs.
And if needs be, you might have to as well.
Keep asking, read our forum, educate yourself on the science behind it. It is food. It can be controlled, you don't have to suffer the hypoglycaemia. The doctors are quoting from the text books, they are wrong!