Newly diagnosed with Graves Disease and RH

Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello
I am brand new to this so please excuse any vagueness or misunderstanding. I am 43 and was diagnosed with Graves Disease and related Hyperthyroid 4 weeks ago by an Endo following strange Thyroid Function test results. Bad enough on its own but to make matters worse my GP asked me to undertake a OGTT after a 14 hour fast. Blood sugar dropped to 1.6 according to lab results within 2.5 hours of taking the glucose drink. I was home by then and started shaking badly but fortunately my husband had prepared an egg sandwich for me and within minutes the shaking stopped. Move on a few hours and my panicked GP rings to ask if I am OK and I told her about my episode. No other problems and blood back up to 6.1 after breakfast on the following day. She rang my Endo who has said it is RH and that I should follow a low GI diet which I have looked up but would welcome any further advice please. GP has given me some Glucogel to take in an emergency if hypo comes back but from what I am reading it would be better to eat protein (like the egg sandwich)? My husband works nights so I am very concerned that something may happen when I am on my own. So I guess my questions are: 1) is the RH likely to be temporary and as a result of hyperthyroid state? 2) What is the best thing to try to eat if I do have another attack to ensure a fast and safe recovery 3) What is the best diet/exercise plan to keep my blood sugar stable? Thanks so much in advance.
 
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Brunneria

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Hi and welcome!

All those diagnoses must be a terrible blow.

I am sorry, i can offer you no advice at all about Graves or the thyroid issues.
However, i am an old hand at RH.
We even have a forum section on it, if you want to have a rummage.

I agree with your husband about the protein being better than a glucose burst.
The aim with RH is to avoid the high blood glucose, because that is what triggers the insulin release which then causes the rapid blood glucose drop and the hypo.

So, eat slow release foods often enough that you don't trigger the high-low cycle by keeping your blood glucose steady and NOT high.
This means you can avoid the lows.
And if you do end up dropping too low then have a small amount of carbs (to bring you up a bit, quite quickly- something like one digestive, or half an apple, but stop there) and then follow it with a slow release meal, which will catch you if you start to drop again.

Hope that helps!

Personally, i have found that low GI foods are still WAY too high carb for me. Try it though. It may work for you. If it doesn't you can drop the carbs further.
 
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himtoo

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Hi @Andysgirl
am tagging @nosher8355 for his wise advice on RH

my own very limited experience is to avoid processed sugar like the plague -- the glucogel will do you no favours
protein is the way forward !!
 
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Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome!

All those diagnoses must be a terrible blow.

I am sorry, i can offer you no advice at all about Graves or the thyroid issues.
However, i am an old hand at RH.
We even have a forum section on it, if you want to have a rummage.

I agree with your husband about the protein being better than a glucose burst.
The aim with RH is to avoid the high blood glucose, because that is what triggers the insulin release which then causes the rapid blood glucose drop and the hypo.

So, eat slow release foods often enough that you don't trigger the high-low cycle by keeping your blood glucose steady and NOT high.
This means you can avoid the lows.
And if you do end up dropping too low then have a small amount of carbs (to bring you up a bit, quite quickly- something like one digestive, or half an apple, but stop there) and then follow it with a slow release meal, which will catch you if you start to drop again.

Hope that helps!

Personally, i have found that low GI foods are still WAY too high carb for me. Try it though. It may work for you. If it doesn't you can drop the carbs further.

Thank you so much for your prompt and really helpful reply. TBH I feel more overwhelmed by the RH rather than the Graves and Hyperthyroid right now as they are being brought under control with the medication and I feel loads better but no idea about the RH! Do you think I would be better to try a low carb diet instead of the low GI then? Sorry for all the questions and thank you for your help.
 
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Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @Andysgirl
am tagging @nosher8355 for his wise advice on RH

my own very limited experience is to avoid processed sugar like the plague -- the glucogel will do you no favours
protein is the way forward !!
Thank you so much for your help. At the moment I have cut out all processed sugars and that is why I thought the glucogel was a bit odd. What proteins can I keep handy incase? Thanks
 
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himtoo

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why can't everyone get on........
hi hun-- unfortunately i am not an expert in RH but from my limited viewpoint something along the lines of cheese , or eggs , or sliced meats would be useful -- bless you kiddo !!
all the best !!
hopefully nosher will be along soon -- he knows about all there is to know -- if it is possible to have a hero he is my RH hero !!
 
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Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
hi hun-- unfortunately i am not an expert in RH but from my limited viewpoint something along the lines of cheese , or eggs , or sliced meats would be useful -- bless you kiddo !!
all the best !!
hopefully nosher will be along soon -- he knows about all there is to know -- if it is possible to have a hero he is my RH hero !!
Thanks again, it is like learning a new language! I will get there though I am sure with all the help on here. The day I had my hypo I was fortunate that my hubby had just prepared me a cheese and egg sandwich which turned me round in less than a minute!
 
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Brunneria

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Yes, i would go low carb.
I (and @nosher8355 ) do very low carb, which is usually lower than 50 g carbs a day.

But i would imagine that, at this stage, you have enough on your plate without counting carbs too!

The easiest and quickest way to go low carb is to just cut out
Bread and wheat products
Rice and grains
Potato and starchy veg
Sweet fruit
Sugar, honey, syrups...

Fill up on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, tofu, above ground veg, small portions of berries, cream, butter, olive oil, nuts and seeds
(There are many, many other foods, but i would be here all night!)

For a really simple intro, try the www.dietdoctor.com website.
There are some books we can recommend if you prefer them.

Have a wander through the RH and Low Carb sections of the forum. They are a mine of useful info, advice and recipes. :)
 
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Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
Yes, i would go low carb.
I (and @nosher8355 ) do very low carb, which is usually lower than 50 g carbs a day.

But i would imagine that, at this stage, you have enough on your plate without counting carbs too!

The easiest and quickest way to go low carb is to just cut out
Bread and wheat products
Rice and grains
Potato and starchy veg
Sweet fruit
Sugar, honey, syrups...

Fill up on meat, fish, eggs, cheese, tofu, above ground veg, small portions of berries, cream, butter, olive oil, nuts and seeds
(There are many, many other foods, but i would be here all night!)

For a really simple intro, try the www.dietdoctor.com website.
There are some books we can recommend if you prefer them.

Have a wander through the RH and Low Carb sections of the forum. They are a mine of useful info, advice and recipes. :)
Thank you, I have been trying to cut out all of the above but need to be stricter with the bread I think.... I tried Rye bread but I am guessing that is a no no too. If you could recommend some good books that would be brilliant ... thanks again for taking the time out of your evening to help me.
 
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Gaz-M

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1,108
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baked beans
I had/have Graves and my thyroid was over-active, I was alot of weight around 2.5 stone but was put on Carbimazole tablets which I was on for 2.5 years but they were not doing what was needed.

In Spetember 2014 I had a radio-iodene tablet at the hospital which kills off part of the thyroid and makes you radio-active for a week/10 days, I'am now on thyroxine tablets for the rest of my life but weight has came back and have more energy, I see the Thyriod specialist on the 13th of this month and think the dose of tablets will be changed as I only saw him 2 weeks before Christmas.
 
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Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
I had/have Graves and my thyroid was over-active, I was alot of weight around 2.5 stone but was put on Carbimazole tablets which I was on for 2.5 years but they were not doing what was needed.

In Spetember 2014 I had a radio-iodene tablet at the hospital which kills off part of the thyroid and makes you radio-active for a week/10 days, I'am now on thyroxine tablets for the rest of my life but weight has came back and have more energy, I see the Thyriod specialist on the 13th of this month and think the dose of tablets will be changed as I only saw him 2 weeks before Christmas.
GD is a real pain and I am on Carbimazole too - 40mg a day for the last 4 weeks and back to see endo in another two and see where we go from there. This RH has knocked me for six though, I am scared to eat anything! I hope you get the results you need next time you see your endo - best of luck.
 
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Gaz-M

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I don't have any knowledge on RH but you will get the advice you need from here as there are many very helpful, knowledgable people on the forums, just follow what Brunneria has said for the time being and I'm sure someone will be along to advise you on the RH, I hope and wish you well with both conditions :)
 
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Kaz261

Well-Known Member
Messages
413
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Andysgirl and welcome.

I was diagnosed with RH in October, but thankfully found this forum. I don't have the knowledge or experience that Brun and Nosher have, but can say it's a fast learning curve. We're all different as Brun and Nosher taught me. You need to be prepared for lots of testing and sensible experimenting with food.

I tried the very low carb diet and it didn't work for me. I have reduced the amount of carbs I eat considerably, but still try to include a small amount with each meal. For example I sprinkle 20g of no added sugar muesli over my Greek yogurt and berries for breakfast, have a small amount of cous cous with a salad, one slice of low GI bread or toast with lunch, a small roast potato plus roast celeriac with meat and veg for dinner etc. I guess it depends how active you are and how your body responds to carbs.

I have found Bergen Soya and Linseed bread, Birds the Bakers GI multigrain loaf and Lidl high protein rolls to be ok. All seem to be fairly slow release and don't spike my bg too badly.

I too get anxious about being in the house by myself especially as I have two young children, so I understand how you feel. RH can be very unpredictable, scary and frustrating at times, but with the information on this forum and the advice from the guys you'll soon start to make sense of it.

Take care and don't worry about asking questions. We've all been there.....some of us, including me, still are!
 
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Brunneria

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Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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I'm guessing that with Graves you don't need to lose any weight.
Pls correct me if i am wrong?

You will find that most of the low carb books are aimed at weight loss, so may be of limited interest to you, although they all give basic low carb advice, and describe all the foods that are suitable, or not.

In order to not lose weight on low carb, the basic principle is to replace all the calories/energy that you used to eat as carbs, with either protein or fat.
So don't skimp on the butter, nuts, meat portions... Eat cheese as snacks, full fat, unsweetened yogurt, that kind of thing.

Have you reached the age when we all start obsessing about cholesterol? At this stage, I wouldn't get hung up on the fat-eating. Your short term blood glucose is more important at this stage. You can start thinking (and reading) about the saturated fat v cholesterol debate in a week or two, when you have started to feel better and feel you are getting control of your blood glucose. The good news is that fat is no longer The Enemy. :)

If you want a basic How To, try Trudi Deakins 'Eat Fat!' book.
Please don't be put off by the name. Lol

If you want to understand the science, try the Voleck and Phinney book mentioned in my signature.

The New Atkins book is excellent - except it aims at weight loss.
 

Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Andysgirl and welcome.

I was diagnosed with RH in October, but thankfully found this forum. I don't have the knowledge or experience that Brun and Nosher have, but can say it's a fast learning curve. We're all different as Brun and Nosher taught me. You need to be prepared for lots of testing and sensible experimenting with food.

I tried the very low carb diet and it didn't work for me. I have reduced the amount of carbs I eat considerably, but still try to include a small amount with each meal. For example I sprinkle 20g of no added sugar muesli over my Greek yogurt and berries for breakfast, have a small amount of cous cous with a salad, one slice of low GI bread or toast with lunch, a small roast potato plus roast celeriac with meat and veg for dinner etc. I guess it depends how active you are and how your body responds to carbs.

I have found Bergen Soya and Linseed bread, Birds the Bakers GI multigrain loaf and Lidl high protein rolls to be ok. All seem to be fairly slow release and don't spike my bg too badly.

I too get anxious about being in the house by myself especially as I have two young children, so I understand how you feel. RH can be very unpredictable, scary and frustrating at times, but with the information on this forum and the advice from the guys you'll soon start to make sense of it.

Take care and don't worry about asking questions. We've all been there.....some of us, including me, still are!
Thanks for your reply, I have a 9 year old boy too which adds to the overnight worry. I think I will buy a blood glucose monitor so I can make sure I am ok in the night!
 
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Brunneria

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Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Thanks for your reply, I have a 9 year old boy too which adds to the overnight worry. I think I will buy a blood glucose monitor so I can make sure I am ok in the night!

The meter that often gets recommended on the forum is the SD Codefree, available from Amazon, ebay and the manufacturer. The reason people recommend it is the price of test strips, so have a look around. Some of the meters are astronomically expensive for a pot of test strips. :)
 
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Andysgirl

Active Member
Messages
30
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm guessing that with Graves you don't need to lose any weight.
Pls correct me if i am wrong?

You will find that most of the low carb books are aimed at weight loss, so may be of limited interest to you, although they all give basic low carb advice, and describe all the foods that are suitable, or not.

In order to not lose weight on low carb, the basic principle is to replace all the calories/energy that you used to eat as carbs, with either protein or fat.
So don't skimp on the butter, nuts, meat portions... Eat cheese as snacks, full fat, unsweetened yogurt, that kind of thing.

Have you reached the age when we all start obsessing about cholesterol? At this stage, I wouldn't get hung up on the fat-eating. Your short term blood glucose is more important at this stage. You can start thinking (and reading) about the saturated fat v cholesterol debate in a week or two, when you have started to feel better and feel you are getting control of your blood glucose. The good news is that fat is no longer The Enemy. :)

If you want a basic How To, try Trudi Deakins 'Eat Fat!' book.
Please don't be put off by the name. Lol

If you want to understand the science, try the Voleck and Phinney book mentioned in my signature.

The New Atkins book is excellent - except it aims at weight loss.
Hi You are right, I definitely dont need to worry about weight at the moment as the Graves is busy burning everything off! I am also OK with my Cholesterol which was tested last week and found to be really good (prob due to the Graves too so it isnt all bad lol)! Now I know that I will be able to eat cheese and full fat things like butter that will really help keep me motivated. I did have a good stint on Ducan a few years ago and managed to get comfortable with it so I guess I just need to arm myself with a bit of knowledge ... thanks again.
 
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Lamont D

Oracle
Messages
15,796
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi, @Andysgirl.

Sorry I was not here to welcome you,
I need not add anything further than the above suggestions are fine..
With the extra medical problems, you will have to be careful how you approach this.
Being in control of your blood glucose levels is vital having RH.
Do have a read of our forum, as Brun says, the information is very good.

Welcome to our forum!
 
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