Blood sugar crashes.

[slipper]

Hi, I have been on a low carb diet for about a year now for my type 2. Lost a good amount of weight and now within a healthy range, and fasting BS always below 5.
Lately though I have been having sugar crashes , about 2 hours after meals, eg a salad etc followed by some chopped fruit, with readings as low as 2.8, definite hypo feelings too.

Tried increasing carbs to balance diet out a bit more, but the weight just piles on. I dont seem to be able to find a happy balance.

Any suggestions most welcome. DN said eat more carbs!

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi, I have been on a low carb diet for about a year now for my type 2. Lost a good amount of weight and now within a healthy range, and fasting BS always below 5.
Lately though I have been having sugar crashes , about 2 hours after meals, eg a salad etc followed by some chopped fruit, with readings as low as 2.8, definite hypo feelings too.

Tried increasing carbs to balance diet out a bit more, but the weight just piles on. I dont seem to be able to find a happy balance.

Any suggestions most welcome. DN said eat more carbs!

If you upped the carbs, did you reduce the calories, by reducing fat or protein?

 

[douglas99]

What meds are you on?

 

[slipper]

Thanks for replies.
I didn't reduce my fats as diet is pretty restricted anyway, about 1200 calories. (I cant exercise), so not a lot of room to change, but take your point.

If you upped the carbs, did you reduce the calories, by reducing fat or protein?

 

[slipper]

What meds are you on?

Not on any meds for diabetes as yet, wondered maybe if I need some to stabalise the peaks and troughs.

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks for replies.
I didn't reduce my fats as diet is pretty restricted anyway, about 1200 calories. (I cant exercise), so not a lot of room to change, but take your point.

I just asked from an energy in versus energy out perspective. If you had stabilised your weight, then deliberately eat more, it's likely weight gain will ensue. What was your last HbA1c?

Are the lows fairly random or are they always after a particular style of meal? In other words, if you wanted to, could you induce one of your hypos by choosing particular foods?

I run my sugars in a tight range and I have noticed if I have something that raises my blood quickly, it drops quickly too. Perhaps your system just isn't supporting it on the way down.

 

[slipper]

I just asked from an energy in versus energy out perspective. If you had stabilised your weight, then deliberately eat more, it's likely weight gain will ensue. What was your last HbA1c?

Are the lows fairly random or are they always after a particular style of meal? In other words, if you wanted to, could you induce one of your hypos by choosing particular foods?

I run my sugars in a tight range and I have noticed if I have something that raises my blood quickly, it drops quickly too. Perhaps your system just isn't supporting it on the way down.

The lows are pretty random, but as you if I deliberately have something that raise BS quickly, it will drop quickly too, problem being it carries on dropping to such low levels.
Last HbA1c was too low my DN said and this was reason for hypos.
I cant really predict a hypo though, irrespective of what meal I have, except if I have cheated for a few days with a couple of rich tea biscuits say, I can then say I will get hypos. But most times, no idea why.
Its the sudden drops that worry me.
Thanks for replies, do appreciate it.

 

[AndBreathe]

So, from what you have said, @slipper, it strikes me that what you need to do is flatten the spikes, which I think you are agreeing can lead to peaks and troughs?

So, what actual number was too low in your HbA1c? What was it this time and last time?

 

[AndBreathe]

And, at what number do you consider yourself to be having a hypo?

Sorry to ask another question.

 

[slipper]

So, from what you have said, @slipper, it strikes me that what you need to do is flatten the spikes, which I think you are agreeing can lead to peaks and troughs?

So, what actual number was too low in your HbA1c? What was it this time and last time?

Just checked, last year it was 5.5%, this June 3% or 39mmols, cant quite read the writing. I suspect the latter.

 

[slipper]

And, at what number do you consider yourself to be having a hypo?

Sorry to ask another question.

No need to be sorry, appreciate any help.
Under 3.5 but have got down to 3 before feeling the effect.

 

[AndBreathe]

The June one looks unlikely. I can't find a chart going as low as 3%. 39 is 5.7%. I wouldn't say your 5.5% or 5.7% would be too low. They're non-diabetic, but I doubt too low. The problem with relying too much on the A1c is that is that exactly as you are experiencing, it doesn't take into account, or highlight how that average is made up. It just declares the average.

Do you keep a food diary? If so, do you know when you last suffered a hypo, and can you go back and review what you had eaten, by reference to your diary? I would say you need to be meticulous in your recording. Record absolutely everything you eat and drink. I say that because some of the times I have felt most rough, I had drunk more coffee than usual, so I reckon the caffeine hadn't helped.

In your shoes, I would want to try flattening my curves.

Firstly, I would consider what I could do, with my diet, to smooth out the apparent peaks and troughs. So, that'll take you back to lots of testing, and I would be trying to eat regularly, again to try to prevent the big dips. I reckon, the tweaking might be taking carbs out (to moderate the graph), but ensure you take in enough calories. When did you finish losing weight?

 

[slipper]

Taking the carbs out triggered the problem I think in that it didn't take much to drop me into hypo mode. The DN said my HbA1c results indicated hypo probability.
Think your right though, I do need to flatten out the graph, maybe have a few carbs but not in any large amounts and mix with protein.
Thanks for your help, good to discuss it on here, lots to think about and test I think.
Dont get me started on the supply of test strips though..........