Reactive Hypoglycaemia

[Lamont D]

I feel like I am in a catch 22 situation. I have to eat some carbs to get my bs high enough to drive and then to swim but then I risk hypos like today. Its a bit scary because I can't always correct them and the bs just keeps going down. I have hypos at night which was shown by a continuous blood glucose monitor I had for a week but I try not to think about that too much!! I also have done the 72 hour fast which was not a great experience!
Any suggestions as to how I might be able to continue to swim and walk dog without the hypos would be great please

The problem you have at this moment is that you are still having too many carbs and your blood glucose levels are up and down. Because if you spike unless you eat again a couple of hours later, you will hypo!
Until you control the spike, then you won't hypo.

I did mean to mention that some RH ers suffer with fruit. But I can't eat a lot of fruit at one go, it all depends on what stimulates the trigger for your insulin response.

I suffer with dairy!
I can't eat any bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, grains, sugars etc. I actually live eating protein and salad veg and a lot of fish and eggs.

As I said there is an awful lot to grasp and get your head around.

 

[Lamont D]

Exercise,
I've separated this post as it is easier than cram in one post.

Exercise is really good for you and you do need to eat before and after just like everybody does but the difference is once you are in control, then eating a low carb meal is great.

Your body will not get the energy you need from food, but will get it from stored muscle fat and ketones.(I know more to read.)
When on a ketogenic diet that's what me and Brun are on your energy levels increase and symptoms go away gradually.

Running and strenuous exercise means more glucose from your liver hence small spikes, but the best form of exercise is gentle exercise such as dog walking and swimming. Walking actually lowers blood glucose levels a bit.

There is a lot of good information on the website about a lot of things, you need to decide how you want to get control. We can only suggest, there is a lot more to just having low carbs, you do need to research and find out for yourself.

It is a new world where our lifestyle is becoming popular and a better, healthier way of life.
This site would not exist, if the medical advice from the NHS worked!!

 

[arniemouse]

Exercise,
I've separated this post as it is easier than cram in one post.

Exercise is really good for you and you do need to eat before and after just like everybody does but the difference is once you are in control, then eating a low carb meal is great.

Your body will not get the energy you need from food, but will get it from stored muscle fat and ketones.(I know more to read.)
When on a ketogenic diet that's what me and Brun are on your energy levels increase and symptoms go away gradually.

Running and strenuous exercise means more glucose from your liver hence small spikes, but the best form of exercise is gentle exercise such as dog walking and swimming. Walking actually lowers blood glucose levels a bit.

There is a lot of good information on the website about a lot of things, you need to decide how you want to get control. We can only suggest, there is a lot more to just having low carbs, you do need to research and find out for yourself.

It is a new world where our lifestyle is becoming popular and a better, healthier way of life.
This site would not exist, if the medical advice from the NHS worked!!

Hi
Thanks again. Yes feel a bit overwhelmed with information at the moment will have to give all this a few days to think about but so glad I found you

 

[hozzy126]

Hi arniemouse
I cannot eat any fruit whatsoever.. Or fruit juice.. No sweets/chocolate etc. But I can eat a bit of bread/pasta/crisps as long as I don't have a lot.. I have always been tested for diabetes as my mum is a diabetic.. So it was only when I saw a new consultant RH was diagnosed just over a year ago., after living my life of 52 years of avoiding sugar as it has always made me ill sick/ hypos etc.. Missed so much school because of always being ill but they didn't know what was causing me to be ill. But because they said I had managed it well all my life, I was told to just live with and carry on what I had been doing.. Even though I do have hypos sometimes.. So I just avoid most foods apart from chicken, cheese,yogurts, advocados, spinach, small portions of pasta, eggs, chips occasionally, base musili, oat bran, some cereals, milk, ham, natural yoghurt, celery.,

 

[Lamont D]

Hi arniemouse
I cannot eat any fruit whatsoever.. Or fruit juice.. No sweets/chocolate etc. But I can eat a bit of bread/pasta/crisps as long as I don't have a lot.. I have always been tested for diabetes as my mum is a diabetic.. So it was only when I saw a new consultant RH was diagnosed just over a year ago., after living my life of 52 years of avoiding sugar as it has always made me ill sick/ hypos etc.. Missed so much school because of always being ill but they didn't know what was causing me to be ill. But because they said I had managed it well all my life, I was told to just live with and carry on what I had been doing.. Even though I do have hypos sometimes.. So I just avoid most foods apart from chicken, cheese,yogurts, advocados, spinach, small portions of pasta, eggs, chips occasionally, base musili, oat bran, some cereals, milk, ham, natural yoghurt, celery.,

Hi @hozzy126

Good to here from you again, how are you? hope you are doing well.

Have you been following our new sub forum?

A few more unique posters have joined us and its been wonderful to help them.

 

[arniemouse]

Hi arniemouse
I cannot eat any fruit whatsoever.. Or fruit juice.. No sweets/chocolate etc. But I can eat a bit of bread/pasta/crisps as long as I don't have a lot.. I have always been tested for diabetes as my mum is a diabetic.. So it was only when I saw a new consultant RH was diagnosed just over a year ago., after living my life of 52 years of avoiding sugar as it has always made me ill sick/ hypos etc.. Missed so much school because of always being ill but they didn't know what was causing me to be ill. But because they said I had managed it well all my life, I was told to just live with and carry on what I had been doing.. Even though I do have hypos sometimes.. So I just avoid most foods apart from chicken, cheese,yogurts, advocados, spinach, small portions of pasta, eggs, chips occasionally, base musili, oat bran, some cereals, milk, ham, natural yoghurt, celery.,

Hi Hozzy
Thanks for that I am hoping that I can do a bit of mix and matching with diet. Today's swim without problems - thank goodness. So tomorrow will start an experiment. Trying no carbs and then trying favourite ones and so forth and monitoring BS and try to get a picture of what carbs I can tolerate and what does the dirty on me. Then decide where to go with that. Will report back with my findings if thats ok with you all. This is such a treat to share experiences with people who know the issues.

 

[arniemouse]

Hi Hozzy
Thanks for that I am hoping that I can do a bit of mix and matching with diet. Today's swim without problems - thank goodness. So tomorrow will start an experiment. Trying no carbs and then trying favourite ones and so forth and monitoring BS and try to get a picture of what carbs I can tolerate and what does the dirty on me. Then decide where to go with that. Will report back with my findings if thats ok with you all. This is such a treat to share experiences with people who know the issues.

Hi
I emailed my consultant regarding recent hypo's and asked him what he thought about the very low carb diet as you are suggesting and that didn't go down very well. In fact was very against the idea said would't work in my case?? He wants me to push long acting carbs as much as poss in order to get BS above 8 before I exercise. Problem is I don't want it to be that high at all. I already have damage to the nerves in my hands and feet from the diabetes but can't take drugs to control high's because of the hypo's. Now what do I do??

 

[lindisfel]

Hi
I emailed my consultant regarding recent hypo's and asked him what he thought about the very low carb diet as you are suggesting and that didn't go down very well. In fact was very against the idea said would't work in my case?? He wants me to push long acting carbs as much as poss in order to get BS above 8 before I exercise. Problem is I don't want it to be that high at all. I already have damage to the nerves in my hands and feet from the diabetes but can't take drugs to control high's because of the hypo's. Now what do I do??

Hi arniemouse,
My hypos stopped immediately I went lchf.
It shouldn't harm you to give it try for a week and have a meter and some carbs ready if you hypo!
If I listenend to one oncologist 12 years I would be dead now. I found a better oncologist!!!
regards
Derek

 

[Lamont D]

Hi
I emailed my consultant regarding recent hypo's and asked him what he thought about the very low carb diet as you are suggesting and that didn't go down very well. In fact was very against the idea said would't work in my case?? He wants me to push long acting carbs as much as poss in order to get BS above 8 before I exercise. Problem is I don't want it to be that high at all. I already have damage to the nerves in my hands and feet from the diabetes but can't take drugs to control high's because of the hypo's. Now what do I do??

What I would do is do what he suggests and record everything that happens to your bloods.
Then do low carb for a couple of weeks and record that. Put down in your food diary everything, times,calories, carbs etc. How you feel, how you counter the feeling and the benefits of low carbing.
Your endocrinologist probably still believes that you have to have carbs, when you really don't!
I think I have already said he believes that some so called specialist endocrinologists haven't got the training in blood glucose disorders for example blood disorders and eating disorders.

If you show him what is exactly happening, then he will realise what is happening.

 

[arniemouse]

Hi
Thanks have been mulling this over since yesterday and as I am not seeing dietician for 3 weeks I am going to play around with it and see what happens. I don't want to annoy consultant too much as he has been so helpful and I can email him anytime. But I need to prove what works for me - who knows he may be right or you may be right but I need to know which.
Thanks for the help it is much appreciated. We are away next week so no swimming so a perfect time to fiddle!!

 

[Lamont D]

Hi
Thanks have been mulling this over since yesterday and as I am not seeing dietician for 3 weeks I am going to play around with it and see what happens. I don't want to annoy consultant too much as he has been so helpful and I can email him anytime. But I need to prove what works for me - who knows he may be right or you may be right but I need to know which.
Thanks for the help it is much appreciated. We are away next week so no swimming so a perfect time to fiddle!!

No problems, you do need to find out for yourself, and I do understand it.
But while you have been taking his advice, you still don't feel right.
I and a couple of others that have been doing the very low carb lifestyle feel much better.
It is difficult to go against your medical team and I really do understand that, these people are supposed to help you.
This website is overwhelmed with diabetics who are not getting the right advice about their eating habits, because they are told to refrain from having sugar but can have high GI carbs because your heath depends on it. Carbs are worse for diabetics and us more so.
I have had interesting conversations with my endocrinologist over diet and now he concedes that what I and others are doing is working. He even suggested going low carb when I first met him, I after getting knowledge from this website decided to go very low carb and not had a hypo in well over a year, (except for an OGTT).

Hope you enjoy your time away, and make sure you report back on your testing and experimenting.

 

[arniemouse]

Thanks but can I pick your collective brains as to what you have as snacks and the like? I am ok with meals they are not too hard but don't know what to try in between. Currently trying to get used to coffee made with soya milk!! Yummy!!

 

[Lamont D]

Snacks! Bloody hell!
I call them small meals!
Which is every meal I eat.
I have posted a few times what I eat in a typical day and I eat little and often (every three hours) small meals.
What I have to do and it might not apply to you, is once I start eating in the morning, I have to continuously eat every few hours.
But if I don't start eating in the morning, I don't have to eat.
My first long fasting test showed me why. Indeed I felt better after three days fasting, than I did when I started. Weird!

 

[hozzy126]

Arniemouse...I still have semi skimmed milk hate soya milk.. For snacks I have oat biscuits the savoury ones with a scraping of butter.. Celery sticks sometimes crisps, Doritos, baby bells I'm ok with all of these in moderation. It's all about trial and error.. I can't eat every two hours it's just too much for me so good luck.

 

[Lamont D]

Arniemouse...I still have semi skimmed milk hate soya milk.. For snacks I have oat biscuits the savoury ones with a scraping of butter.. Celery sticks sometimes crisps, Doritos, baby bells I'm ok with all of these in moderation. It's all about trial and error.. I can't eat every two hours it's just too much for me so good luck.

Just shows how unique we all are!
You ok @hozzy126?

 

[hozzy126]

Yes I'm good. Thanks.. Wish it would stop raining though. You?

 

[Lamont D]

I'm really good, and yes, bloody weather, as you know, I work outside, it's not fun is it?

Good control?

 

[arniemouse]

Hi
Well holiday didn't happen as we had a sick cat so postponed for 2 weeks. However decided to try ham omelette for breakfast on wednesday anyway and see what BS did with that. I was 4.2 fasting and managed a 4.3 about 2 hours later!! But cannot drive unless above 5 so that's a problem so ended up having to eat some carbs and then chocolate before I dared venture out and swim. Am going to try tomorrow morning again when no swim or driving to do.
But how do I get it to go up when I need to be somewhere like the dentist this morning?? I know that my adrenal failure complicates all this (like Addisons Disease) I do not produce cortisol and the tablets to replace it are not able to control the low BS that I get. So when it gets low it just keeps on going. Can go from 7.2 to 3.2 in 5 mins!!
So want to try the low carb idea but also do have to be able to get out of the house.
Frustrated from Hertfordshire!!

 

[Lamont D]

Dear frustrated from Herts!
How's your cat?
I don't know but why do you need to be over 5mmols to drive. Is that the legal limit?
My endocrinologist says you're not in hypo depending on who it is around 3.5 mmols.
4.2mmols is in normal range, so should really be ok!
I know that my endocrinologist asked if I drove, but I was in hypo hell then.

I don't drive btw! Thirty odd years building cars and never passed my test, cars don't interest me!

Back to the driving thing. I believe we should be a special case because if we have control, then it shouldn't be a problem. If you have to have carbs to up your blood glucose levels, that is a recipe for disaster, as doing that is going to make you hyper, then hypo. You know this!
Honestly, I don't think it is a good idea to have carbs to drive!
If you were intolerant to wheat, would you eat a sandwich so you can drive?

As for the adrenal problem, I don't know!
Maybe, if your meds do reduce your bloods, maybe you may have to up your carbs or eat more protein and full fat to balance it out.
I would talk with your specialist about all this.
But only you will get the balance right for you.. we can suggest things, but you know yourself what you like and what spikes you.
You will have to experiment with all this. It's a pain, but to feel as good as you can, only you can do this.

Keep posting and let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

Worried from Wirral.

 

[arniemouse]

Dear frustrated from Herts!
How's your cat?
I don't know but why do you need to be over 5mmols to drive. Is that the legal limit?
My endocrinologist says you're not in hypo depending on who it is around 3.5 mmols.
4.2mmols is in normal range, so should really be ok!
I know that my endocrinologist asked if I drove, but I was in hypo hell then.

I don't drive btw! Thirty odd years building cars and never passed my test, cars don't interest me!

Back to the driving thing. I believe we should be a special case because if we have control, then it shouldn't be a problem. If you have to have carbs to up your blood glucose levels, that is a recipe for disaster, as doing that is going to make you hyper, then hypo. You know this!
Honestly, I don't think it is a good idea to have carbs to drive!
If you were intolerant to wheat, would you eat a sandwich so you can drive?

As for the adrenal problem, I don't know!
Maybe, if your meds do reduce your bloods, maybe you may have to up your carbs or eat more protein and full fat to balance it out.
I would talk with your specialist about all this.
But only you will get the balance right for you.. we can suggest things, but you know yourself what you like and what spikes you.
You will have to experiment with all this. It's a pain, but to feel as good as you can, only you can do this.

Keep posting and let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

Worried from Wirral.

Dear Worried
Thanks so much for reply and support.
My driving is a problem as my consultant has set me a limit of 5 - you are right that the DVLA says 4. But as he has stated this in writing I have to comply or invalidate my insurance. I also have to stop every half hour and retest. DVLA says 2 hours. I also have hypo's requiring assistance so am borderline having to tell the DVLA. But as they happen with exercise mostly consultant says ok for now. I take no medication at all for diabetes because of the hypo's its too dangerous as at night I am frequently below 3. I also have very little warning that hypo's are coming so I find one second am ok but next struggling to talk, shaking arms and legs and brain gone to mush. The lifeguards at my local pool are great and rescue me.
Its a real bummer!! But will keep looking at this. There must be a balance in my carbs that will stop the extremes I get.
You are right this will have to be a personal journey - have been reading some other threads and its the same for everyone. Am amazed at the variety of things people can and can't eat!!
Thanks again
Determined from Herts x