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Feeling hungry when bg is lower than 5.5

B

biren1973

Well-Known Member
Messages
119
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi

Not sure if it's only me, but I feel hungry when bg is lower than 5.5, and also feeling very hungry when it is below 5.

Is it normal? Or different bg level depending on individual situations?

Regards
 
I wonder which is the cause and which is the affect.
I am thinking of my own, pre-type 1 days. If I had not eaten for a while, I would have low BG. In other words, I had low BG because I had not eaten anything to push up my BG so the hunger was the cause of the low BG.
 
biren1973 said:
I feel hungry . . . . . Is it normal?
Click to expand...

One thing that is normal is mistaking hunger for thirst. Another thing that's normal is for people with diabetes to be thirsty.

The same part of your brain is responsible for interpreting hunger and thirst signals, which can result in mixed signals. Signs of hunger include feeling weak, irritable or moody or your stomach rumbling or feeling empty. True hunger comes on gradually, not suddenly.

By the time you feel thirsty, you may already be slightly dehydrated. Some symptoms you may experience include dry eyes, headache, sluggishness, nausea, dizziness, dry skin and constipation. Your urine may also be a dark yellow, and your mouth may feel dry.

Is it hunger or thirst? Something dieting organisations in the UK suggest is drinking water and see if this gets rid if the "hunger". You should try and drink and eat regularly anyway. Little and often was recommended, not so easy with food, although I nibble at nuts or small pieces of cheese if feeling peckish and knowing that I'm properly hydrated.
 
When I feel hungry, I have taken to checking my BG, and it is almost always low. Its a good hint it is time to eat. In fact it is comforting to know that there is a warning sign to look out for!
 
helensaramay said:
I wonder which is the cause and which is the affect.
I am thinking of my own, pre-type 1 days. If I had not eaten for a while, I would have low BG. In other words, I had low BG because I had not eaten anything to push up my BG so the hunger was the cause of the low BG.
Click to expand...

I also have the doubts, is it hunger or BG the cause?

Also what BG range make you hunger? Below 5? 4?
 
DavidGrahamJones said:
One thing that is normal is mistaking hunger for thirst. Another thing that's normal is for people with diabetes to be thirsty.

The same part of your brain is responsible for interpreting hunger and thirst signals, which can result in mixed signals. Signs of hunger include feeling weak, irritable or moody or your stomach rumbling or feeling empty. True hunger comes on gradually, not suddenly.

By the time you feel thirsty, you may already be slightly dehydrated. Some symptoms you may experience include dry eyes, headache, sluggishness, nausea, dizziness, dry skin and constipation. Your urine may also be a dark yellow, and your mouth may feel dry.

Is it hunger or thirst? Something dieting organisations in the UK suggest is drinking water and see if this gets rid if the "hunger". You should try and drink and eat regularly anyway. Little and often was recommended, not so easy with food, although I nibble at nuts or small pieces of cheese if feeling peckish and knowing that I'm properly hydrated.
Click to expand...

You have pointed out a very good question? Is it hunger or thirst? In my case it is hunger not thirst. But when I m hungry and I drink water, my hunger goes away for few minutes.
 
biren1973 said:
You have pointed out a very good question? Is it hunger or thirst? In my case it is hunger not thirst. But when I m hungry and I drink water, my hunger goes away for few minutes.
Click to expand...

When you are hungry are you approaching a normal meal time?
 
biren1973 said:
Hi

Not sure if it's only me, but I feel hungry when bg is lower than 5.5, and also feeling very hungry when it is below 5.

Is it normal? Or different bg level depending on individual situations?

Regards
Click to expand...


I dont exactly feel hungry, but feel the need to eat. That is actuaally the first sign for me that my levels are dropping and I will go hypo.

The other one is that I feel the need to test. That is different to having to test before meals etc.

This may be a hypo warning signal. Hold on to it. If you dont respond by eating do your levels lower further?
 
biren1973 said:
Hi

Not sure if it's only me, but I feel hungry when bg is lower than 5.5, and also feeling very hungry when it is below 5.

Is it normal? Or different bg level depending on individual situations?

Regards
Click to expand...

Hi . I'm a standard T 2 diabetic , I just did an OGTT test - ( where you drink 75g glucose and check what happens to you glucose levels .)

The OGTT cause a rapid increase in blood sugar and then a rapid reduction as insulin rises to offset it. I noticed that at the point my blood glucose levels crossed under about 5.5 I suddenly started to get hunger pangs. I have been following a low carb diet for months and have no hunger pangs at all so this felt really unusual to me now. Having crossed the threshold but not actually eaten the pangs have started to die down.

I think for me my system sends me signals to eat something, but if I don't respond it calms down again.

You may find that as your body gets used to running on lower blood sugar, this feeling starts to wear off. Good luck !
 
CherryAA said:
Hi . I'm a standard T 2 diabetic , I just did an OGTT test - ( where you drink 75g glucose and check what happens to you glucose levels .)

The OGTT cause a rapid increase in blood sugar and then a rapid reduction as insulin rises to offset it. I noticed that at the point my blood glucose levels crossed under about 5.5 I suddenly started to get hunger pangs. I have been following a low carb diet for months and have no hunger pangs at all so this felt really unusual to me now. Having crossed the threshold but not actually eaten the pangs have started to die down.

I think for me my system sends me signals to eat something, but if I don't respond it calms down again.

You may find that as your body gets used to running on lower blood sugar, this feeling starts to wear off. Good luck !
Click to expand...

I would also point out though that you should keep an eye on - you do not want it falling too low. having said that many non diabetics spend a lot of their day somewhere between 3.9 and 5.5 so there is no need to panic at these levels!
 
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