Possible Hypos?

[ME_Valentijn]

What other conditions could it be? It's not per se dizziness that's a symptom. More a sort of shaky, heart beat increase, butterfly in the stomach sort of thing. Hard to explain

Orthostatic hypotension triggered by digestion has already been suggested. It's not that uncommon. It would cause low blood pressure, increased heart rate, and possibly light-headedness, especially when standing. It might be helped by eating smaller meals and lying down afterward.

To be reactive hypolglycemia, you'd have to actually be hypoglycemic after normal meals. To be a false hypo, you'd probably have to be hyperglycemic for a while first.

But ... no one can diagnose you on the internet. You need to see a doctor to figure out what's going on.

 

[Bluetit1802]

What other conditions could it be? It's not per se dizziness that's a symptom. More a sort of shaky, heart beat increase, butterfly in the stomach sort of thing. Hard to explain

Does it happen after having drunk a coffee or tea?

 

[ghost_whistler]

Hi @ghost_whistler,

I note that in another thread you have said that you suffer from anxiety, which can be devastating and it can spill over into your physical health. This will make you worry about any perceived changes, however small, that you notice.
These are symptoms of anxiety, including diziness,

****Although symptoms are unpleasant they will not harm us.

Listed below are some of the more common symptoms.

• Unshakable feelings of dread, apprehension, and irrational fears
• Heart palpitations
• Difficulty breathing or Hyperventilating
• Dizziness and feeling faint
• Chest pains and other symptoms similar to those of a heart attack
• Inability to concentrate
• Insomnia
• Chills and perhaps hot flashes
• Dry mouth
• Sense of impending doom
• Stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea and other intestinal symptoms
• Clamminess
• Muscle tension, aches and pains
• Exhaustion
• Pins and needles
• Irritability
• Excessive sweating
• Dry mouth

http://www.nopanic.org.uk/anxiety-symptoms-explained/

I suggest you go and see your G.P. and take a list of any health symptoms that are worrying you so that he can rule out any physical cause.
Anxiety can be treated successfully and your G.P. can arrange for help.

Yes, it could be anxiety. Very possibly, but it's a nebulous disorder and so difficult to diagnose. I don't want that to be used as an excuse by a GP for not being able to diagnose anything else. I have spolken to them about my mental health, unfortunately the specialist doctor we had has now left, and where i live mental health support is notoriously lacking. Can it induce or mimic hunger though?

 

[ghost_whistler]

Does it happen after having drunk a coffee or tea?

I don't drink them. I've never liked coffee and tea, weirdly and perhaps pertinently, just makes me feel ill. I think it's the same symptoms. But I haven't drunk the stuff in years. Back then, i only drank it with friends at the time. later on the way home i'd get weird symptoms, like I was suddenlty massively hungry or thirsty (iirc). I just don't like them or drink them I'm afraid.

 

[azure]

What other conditions could it be? It's not per se dizziness that's a symptom. More a sort of shaky, heart beat increase, butterfly in the stomach sort of thing. Hard to explain

Something to do with your digestion? Autonomic nervous system?

Just suggestions from the top of my head. i would think there could be a number of possible causes.

 

[ghost_whistler]

Orthostatic hypotension triggered by digestion has already been suggested. It's not that uncommon. It would cause low blood pressure, increased heart rate, and possibly light-headedness, especially when standing. It might be helped by eating smaller meals and lying down afterward.

To be reactive hypolglycemia, you'd have to actually be hypoglycemic after normal meals. To be a false hypo, you'd probably have to be hyperglycemic for a while first.

But ... no one can diagnose you on the internet. You need to see a doctor to figure out what's going on.

Of course, and I'm not suggesting people do so. It's just nice to have somewhere to discuss this stuff. Getting to a doctor these days is hard enough. Not sure what i'd do if this site didn't exist!

 

[ghost_whistler]

Without analysing your whole food and diet and grams its impossible to say.

You need to make sure you have enough iron to stave off anaemia and low white cell levels..

Only you can work out your nutrition values... for me, I cannot take a multi vitamin as it would overdose me on certain vitamins..

I really think you need to look at your essential vitamin intake.. A-K and minerals such as iron and calcium.. as much as you may be under,, you may be over on others.

It only my opinion..

Sure, but as far as i can tell the diet seems ok. All that's really changed is eating no wheat, no choccy biscuits/sweets etc, and limiting certain fruits (apples in my case) and veg (carrots). I'm actually eating slightly more veg and get my fruit intake from avocado instead of an apple a day.

 

[Resurgam]

The media have played out a long campaign against low carb and poor Dr Atkins as well - 'the low carb diet' is now a blanket description for something which would probably not be recognised as the way of eating described and prescribed by Mr Banting in the 19th century and Dr Atkins 100 years later, and now all the information gathered by Dr Atkins during his lifetime is being lost to those with problems controlling carbohydrates and metabolic diseases.
What you describe can probably be put down to your eating 15 gm of carbs a day - it is a more unnerving version of what people report when doing Atkins by the book - I felt it for a day or so when I was eating 20 gm of carb a day - which I did for three days, lost half a stone and began to add more carbs - as I read in the book I have, 'New Diet Revolution' which is what I still follow. We all have to work out how to eat to best manage our own particular and peculiar metabolism and keep it in good order - but thousands of people have found that there is a level of carbs which gives them a good life and excellent blood glucose and all the other tests done at clinics and hospitals. It is not intended to be a stick to punish a naughty body for going wrong, but a way to have it live happily.

 

[ghost_whistler]

Agreed, but my goal is to achieve fat adaptation, rather than just simply a reduced carb intake. At least for now. I may change my mind once the weight starts to come off. Hopefully this process won't take much longer - assuming it works for everyone. There may be some who just aren't suited to it and can't do it.

I think my blood glucose meter, or the sticks i'm using, may have some issues. I took a reading just before sitting down to dinner and got 3.7 despite not feeling as i normally do at that level, I immediately retested and got 5.7. I retested again, just to see if it was a fluke and got 3. One final go and it was in the 4's. This can't be normal surely? Do people's glucose levels fluctuate that much? I can't be sure if it's the meter without using up the sticks.

 

[Radiat]

I had this same problem today

I'm trying to get fat adapted to and my blood sugars were 2.6.2.8,3.3,4 and back to 2.8 but I'm feeling normal

My ketones were up too and I don't know what to do about it

 

[Resurgam]

I've been eating low carb in the Atkins tradition for a very long time and don't bother too much about being in ketosis - it just happens when it happens - some part of each day. It doesn't really have any implications for glucose control, but the longer you are in ketosis each day the more weight tends to drop, I found. Pushing yourself into hypos with low carb doesn't always work - there is the 'fat fast' for people resistant to going into ketosis, because the glucose and the fat systems are separate biological processes. You are usually in one or the other, and change between them fairly seamlessly, but if you have a high resistance to weightloss then your metabolism struggles to stay burning glucose rather than go into ketosis.
Maybe look up Atkins fat fast - but be aware that Dr Atkins considered it dangerous and unnecessary for most people.

 

[ghost_whistler]

I'm trying to get fat adapted to and my blood sugars were 2.6.2.8,3.3,4 and back to 2.8 but I'm feeling normal

that's very low. are you sure you felt normal?

 

[ghost_whistler]

I th

I've been eating low carb in the Atkins tradition for a very long time and don't bother too much about being in ketosis - it just happens when it happens - some part of each day. It doesn't really have any implications for glucose control, but the longer you are in ketosis each day the more weight tends to drop, I found. Pushing yourself into hypos with low carb doesn't always work - there is the 'fat fast' for people resistant to going into ketosis, because the glucose and the fat systems are separate biological processes. You are usually in one or the other, and change between them fairly seamlessly, but if you have a high resistance to weightloss then your metabolism struggles to stay burning glucose rather than go into ketosis.
Maybe look up Atkins fat fast - but be aware that Dr Atkins considered it dangerous and unnecessary for most people.

I thought Ketosis 'replaced', so to speak, your glucose system, thus there are considerable implications. Isn't that why it's being recommended for hypoglycemics and diabetics? I mean whatever works for you of course .

I don't like the sound of fasting, full stop.

 

[Resurgam]

You are outside what I have read about or experienced - eating so low carb - I don't understand why you are still burning glucose and going hypo - unless you are trying to do low fat as well as low carb?

 

[ghost_whistler]

You are outside what I have read about or experienced - eating so low carb - I don't understand why you are still burning glucose and going hypo - unless you are trying to do low fat as well as low carb?

am I going hypo though, that's the question.

It is my understanding that until the body adapts to using ketone, it still uses glucose. I'm not entirelysure how the body changes. This is why I was initially confused about the process: if you are low on glucose but not fully fat adapted how do you survive?

I don't know if I'm using ketones yet

 

[azure]

No, you're not going hypo at those figures.

Ketosis isn't just an alternative fuel source that you can switch to. The science is more complicated, and, as with all diets, it doesn't suit some people.

Keto isn't "recommended for diabetics". In fact, a LCHF diet can cause a form of insulin resistance. Eat what suits you - not other people. You may find that upping the carbs slightly actually works better for you personally.

 

[ghost_whistler]

No, you're not going hypo at those figures.

Ketosis isn't just an alternative fuel source that you can switch to. The science is more complicated, and, as with all diets, it doesn't suit some people.

Keto isn't "recommended for diabetics". In fact, a LCHF diet can cause a form of insulin resistance. Eat what suits you - not other people. You may find that upping the carbs slightly actually works better for you personally.

I'm confused. What do you mean by saying it's not just an alternative fuel source?

Aren't a lot of people, even here, saying this diet helps diabetes?

This seems contradictory to one of the main reasons peopel advocate this way of eating.

 

[azure]

I'm confused. What do you mean by saying it's not just an alternative fuel source?

Aren't a lot of people, even here, saying this diet helps diabetes?

This seems contradictory to one of the main reasons peopel advocate this way of eating.

No, people are saying that controlling carbs can help. That doesn't necessarily mean keto. Low Carb can mean up to 130g carbs per day. Every person needs to find a level that suits them.

 

[ghost_whistler]

No, people are saying that controlling carbs can help. That doesn't necessarily mean keto. Low Carb can mean up to 130g carbs per day. Every person needs to find a level that suits them.

Which is fine, but i'm still keen to see if i can adapt to fat. This seems to be the ideal state for a lot of people. I certainly don't say that everyone should do it, if more/less carbs works for you then more power to you.

I probably should just leave the BS meter alone tbh. I've no idea if ketosis affects it, if you have ketones floating around in your body in some form.

 

[azure]

I would diaagree that it's "the ideal state". It's a back up system for the body.

You can choose to plan your diet as you wish : )

I agree that stepping away from the meter might be sensible, but I would also repeat my suggestion you see an understanding doctor for further input on the cause of your symptoms.