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Help keeping on track

SugarSpike

SugarSpike

Active Member
Messages
34
Location
Milton Keynes
Type of diabetes
Reactive hypoglycemia
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi all, thought I would introduce myself,I don't have diabetes however have suffered blood sugar lows since a child, never got any answers until recently when I was diagnosed with reactive hypoclycemia and pre diabetes

Was told to eat carbs with every meal, they had to make up about 30% of the meal.

Anyho lots of research etc and trying different things I started looking into paleo/low carb.

I feel a lot better and have far less hypos and best of all its seems to have cleared my skin, I suffered acne since I was about 12 and tried everything but it's seems sugar was the culprit all along.

I just need help to continue and do better as sometimes I think I just don't eat enough as if I haven't got anything low carb I won't eat at all and I'm so scared of breaking out

What makes it difficult for me is I have two children and I don't want to start messing with their diet so still have the usual stuff in the house, though I have made a few changes to their usual food.

A typical day for me is
Porridge with flaxseed and a few blueberries, the porridge is weighed to no more than 45g and I have it will almond milk.
I will have a cup of tea and full fat Greek yogurt for a snack at work then, now this is where I struggle I will usually have a sandwich, gluten free bread and make sure I have cheese or a meat as filling, if I'm doing well I might prepare some cauliflower and broccoli with tuna and cheese to reheat..that's about my ideas...not feeling salads at the moment.

Weekends I always have omelette bacon etc for lunch

Mid afternoon snack tends to be gf oatcakes with homous or yogurt again or a few scrambled eggs

Dinner tends to be meat and if I do pasta or rice I might substitute for cauliflower or just have less. Again potatoes and stuff I eat less

My main problem I think is I'm always so tired that i find it hard to prepare things in advance, but I know it's the food I'm eating making me tired its like a vicious circle.

Any ideas welcome, I also struggle financially aswell which makes it even more difficult
 
Hello sugar spike, welcome to the forum. It is a vicious circle you are right and it is a great feeling when you break it. You will find tons of help and information here. :)
 
Hi @SugarSpike

I don't know anything about RH, but member @Brunneria is a wise cookie and will hopefully drop in with advice.

Do you test your blood glucose before and after eating?
 
Hi and welcome to the forum:)

Hopefully @daisy will be along soon with her advice to new members on the forum.
 
Thanks for the welcome, I just can't believe I've suffered with these problems for years, no doctor could give me answers, only referred me on to an endocrinologist after my bs dropped to 2.1 one day.
And the advice they have given since has been wrong for me. I'm having to find everything out and do this on my own, but low carb seems to be what works for me and I can start getting on with my life...just need a little help :-)

I haven't tested my bs for a while but normally I feel hypo symptoms once I drop to about 4.5( which to gps is normal) and I rarely went above 6.5 after eating
 
I agree @Brunnaria is very knowlegeable on this topic. If you are also feeling tired you may be low on your fats. When we cut carbs and have out usual protein the rest of your nutrients have to come from fats ie butter and olive oil nuts.ect else we feel very tired
 
Hi, and welcome.

(and thanks for heads up, everyone who flagged me! :))

We're hoping to get a RH section of the forum in the near future, because believe me, you are NOT ALONE. We frequently get people arriving here with similar questions.

If you do a search for 'reactive hypoglycaemia' and 'RH' you will find several threads on the subject.

I totally agree that low carb is the way to go. We are all different, so the extent to which we need to reduce the carbs will be different for everyone. But if you have found a carb level that keeps your symptoms at bay, then keep doing what is working. Personally, I find I need a bit lower carb than primal, but I think it is a great way of eating.

There are a few different types of RH. Have they told you which one you have?
I never received a firm diagnosis, or diet advice, and gradually I slipped further into pre-diabetes, then finally type 2 diabetes. I have actually found having higher blood glucose levels to be much easier to cope with than the RH lows! But the answer has always been the same (for me) which is to keep the carbs low enough that I don't get carb cravings, beacuse carb cravings mean I eat carbs, swing high, the RH kicks in, and the blood glucose then drops like a stone, with accompanying emotional roller coaster, depression, physical misery and yet more carb cravings...

Sound familiar?

@nosher8355 has a different kind (more rare) version of RH than my common-or-garden variety, so hopefully he will be along. if you have been put on any medication, then he will be the best person to talk to about that.

And there is a fab section on the forum for low carbing - recipes, discussion, menus and general chunter - which you may find useful!

Do ask any questions you like.

Do you have a blood glucose meter? I think you might find it very useful to be able to map out when your bg levels rise and fall through the day, and the effects of the food that you are currently eating have on those blood glucose levels. I think nosher gets one on presecription, because of his medication, so you may too. If not, it is definitely worth buying one.

I'm really glad you found us. Believe me, this forum, and low carbing tailored to your particular body and situation, make a MASSIVE difference, so stick around, ask questions...

Have a look at these threads, and make yourself at home.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...-on-reactive-hypoglycaemia.65454/#post-648596
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/cause-for-concern-non-diabetic.65166/#post-644272
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...ance-little-advice-from-gp.63007/#post-620643
 
Hi sugarspike,
Everything@brunneria has typed is really sensible information if you have been diagnosed RH.
To add to the info. I low carb, I only get my carbs from veg and small pieces of fruit that don't spike me!
I have one piece of Burgen bread a day.
I keep control because I don't spike and I don't hypo by eating regularly throughout the day. Every two to three hours. My fasting before meals is between 4.2 & 4.6 and my two hour is never above 6.0
I don't do grains or hi GI veg!
I eat plenty of meat and salad, i discovered I like spinach!
Greek yoghurt full fat of course, berries, eggs, fry ups etc there are plenty of suggestions on the threads recommended. Have a look at oils as well. What you cook yourself, I find animal fats don't spike me where veg oils do
Your kids will probably help you if they knew what this condition does to you! I could sense the worry in your post.
I am fitter and healthier since I started low carb and you could be if you are diet only!
My meds help me!
By the way I have late Rh. Which means I flush insulin when I eat carbs and sugars.
Try and not eat processed food as hidden sugars are a pain.
Get a blood sugar meter off your doctor, if he doesn't supply then get one off your endocrinologist! You have been referred?
My specialist put me on this diet after recommending this site!
You will have to educate yourself on what is right for you and your condition. I am totally in control and if I can do it anyone can!
Ask questions, I will try and answer. Don't let this condition rule you and all the horrible symptoms, be in control and they will go. My energy levels have increased even though the amount I eat has reduced, I have lost a lot of weight since I started low carb!
Let us know how you are doing.
 
Thanks I will look through them links.

Yes I was referred finally and had a 72hr fast to rule out insulinoma and then a 5hr GTT, they only ever sent me for 2hr ones before.
I was diagnosed at age 31 after suffering this since I can remember, my mum used to always have food with us when we went out, unfortunately cos she didn't understand the condition she tended to feed me sugary stuff and making things worse

I think mine is idiopathic RH?
I can feel symptoms a few hrs after eating, but I have found they will start going back up by its self if left.
They said I was pre diabetic as during my gtt my bs was dropping and then it when up slightly before carrying on dropping.

I do have a glucose monitor that I got from my gp..when they were trying to figure this out but at that point still refused to refer me and of course my readings never went below 4, lowest it went was 4.1 so it was in the 4-7 normal range so wouldn't refer, ridiculous huh.
Anyway I just need to try and get some strips and will have to ask my go nicely for a script.

It was just luck I suppose that I saw a gp after my really low drop that seemed to consider other things other than diabetes and referred me to the endocrinologist

I would like to gear my kids more toward this diet as well as since all this happened I've learnt alot about hidden sugars and stuff and don't want them made ill by it all, like i say have made a few changes for them, eg will not buy them the commercial kids yogurts anymore, sooo much sugar they have full fat with real fruit.
But it is hard with them specially when all their friends have the rubbish stuff and people prob think I'm a weirdo for daring to not give them all the processed ****.

I know the key is preparation and I've already gained some ideas on this forum, I'm Having a lot of problems at home with a relationship breakdown so that's not helping but I am determined to not give up!
 
SugarSpike said:
Thanks I will look through them links.

Yes I was referred finally and had a 72hr fast to rule out insulinoma and then a 5hr GTT, they only ever sent me for 2hr ones before.
I was diagnosed at age 31 after suffering this since I can remember, my mum used to always have food with us when we went out, unfortunately cos she didn't understand the condition she tended to feed me sugary stuff and making things worse

I think mine is idiopathic RH?
I can feel symptoms a few hrs after eating, but I have found they will start going back up by its self if left.
They said I was pre diabetic as during my gtt my bs was dropping and then it when up slightly before carrying on dropping.

I do have a glucose monitor that I got from my gp..when they were trying to figure this out but at that point still refused to refer me and of course my readings never went below 4, lowest it went was 4.1 so it was in the 4-7 normal range so wouldn't refer, ridiculous huh.
Anyway I just need to try and get some strips and will have to ask my go nicely for a script.

It was just luck I suppose that I saw a gp after my really low drop that seemed to consider other things other than diabetes and referred me to the endocrinologist

I would like to gear my kids more toward this diet as well as since all this happened I've learnt alot about hidden sugars and stuff and don't want them made ill by it all, like i say have made a few changes for them, eg will not buy them the commercial kids yogurts anymore, sooo much sugar they have full fat with real fruit.
But it is hard with them specially when all their friends have the rubbish stuff and people prob think I'm a weirdo for daring to not give them all the processed ****.

I know the key is preparation and I've already gained some ideas on this forum, I'm Having a lot of problems at home with a relationship breakdown so that's not helping but I am determined to not give up![/QUOTE
I have very similar stories to yourself. Mine was a hypo in front of my GP!
I can understand all your feelings, there are so many symptoms especially anxiety and mood swings! Anger and forgetfulness etc. hopefully all behind me now! I was like a bear with a bad head some days. Use to shout at the tele in frustration. Do you get the blurred vision?
I have had the 72 hours test, mine was to confirm RH, had a few OGTTs I keep having hypos as I'm not use to the high spikes and my pancreas keeps flushing insulin! Have had others to rule out cancer and pancreatitis.
I really don't know how long I've had RH probably for about ten years or so as I was misdiagnosed T2, that's how I ended up on here with the great regulars passing on the advice and helping others, there are a few of us around.
I sometimes fast to get control if I feel slightly off. It's weird the way our fasting blood stabilises instead of dropping when we don't eat!
I've found that during a hypo if I have high carbs to gets me back up I start the yoyo effect. Which tends to make me worse. I pick at foods to get me back up slowly with a cuppa and that helps. And I control it, not the other way around.
I carry that advice around with me with my wristband. Upgrading at Christmas to a medical necklace! Have you explained your condition to your friends? Do you work? It's important that you don't get a glucagon injection if you fall ill!
Can't think now!
If you have questions ask away.
Don't let it get to you.
You'll get support on here and hopefully the RH part of the forum will be with us soon!
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