Reactive Hypoglycaemia

[Lamont D]

One of my great inspirations for getting sorted and diagnosed was watching my kids and grandkids growing up watching me go through the torment of the condition. They knew it wasn't me, that was struggling with my anger and frustration. The constant irritation of fluctuating blood glucose levels, which makes sleep deprivation on top of everything else worse.
I'm so glad that I found my endocrinologist and this forum and the great advice found within these threads, and the really helpful experienced diabetics that helped get my head around what I was going through.
I am better, fitter, healthier, thanks to these people. Low carb works, never doubt yourself that you can't do it! If I can, anyone can.
Keep posting and get yourself better for your daughter.
I'm trying to help my daughter through hypothyroidism, very similar but different treatments.

 

[lcorroth]

Hi @Icorroth

Only a fasting test will discover wether you are REACTIVE Hypoglycaemic.
If you have read through the thread, you have many of the same symptoms as I did.
The only thing is I suggest you immediately eat a lot less carbs and sugars and reduce the carbs even more if you can.
You need to stabilise your blood glucose levels. When you do you will notice a lot of the systems lessen and many go completely.
It is the carbs doing it.
Look at the low carb forum.
I still have up to 8 small meals a day, all very low carb. There are many recipes on the low carb forum.
Stay away from processed foods, cook your own and eat more veg and protein. Especially leafy salad type veg.
If you feel the lows(hypos) don't do the high sugar drink way of relieving the low. Have a cuppa preferably without milk and sugar with one or two plain biscuits, then eat a low carb small meal, you will feel better.
If there is any more you need to know poo w ask and also read around the forum and my blog on my fight to get diagnosed.
You will need to see someone especially an endocrinologist, who knows about reactive Hypoglycaemia. As a few wouldn't know from tennis elbow.
Hope this helps.
Keep posting and let us know how you are doing.

Thanks. I will be setting an appointment with an endocrinologist on tomorrow. Hopefully I will finally get some answers to this hellish month long ordeal. My main issue has been weird aching eye headache and extreme sleepiness around 10am-2pm depending on what I ate. Then I feel much better from 6pm to bedtime. Its hard to enjoy the things I once loved. My family is fed up with my complaining because I have been back and forth to doctors with no answers. Visited a sleep dr, had my B12 levels and thyroid checked etc but everything was normal.

I really hope this is the answer.Today I am trying to limit my carbs. The problem is, where I live it is extremely hard to skip on carbs. I don't really know what I'm doing at this point but hopefully this makes a huge difference. For breakfast I had Total cereal with 1% fat milk and a bite or two of a strawberry. I'll have a couple almonds as a snack. I have no idea what I'll have for lunch and this bothers me. I don't want to under-eat but don't have much money for quality food. I am a 22 year old female, weigh 119 pounds, and I'm 5'3 (from the US so I don't know the standard measurement units elsewhere). I do not want to lose any more weight. If I do I'll be way too thin. I'm really scared this isn't what is wrong with me. If its not reactive hypoglycemia I'm back at square one. I've been stressing about the effect of this on college, my friends and family. I just want my life back the way it was a couple months ago.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi @lcorroth

Have a look at this thread. It is 100s pages of people posting and discussing their daily low carb menus. Hopefully it will give you some ideas.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-you-eaten-today.36803/page-380#post-824801

 

[Lamont D]

Hi @Icorroth.

I would have suggested the same thing as Brunneria.
Low carb can be cheap, depends on what your personal likes are.
You will have to ditch the carbs as much as possible as this is the cause of your troubles if you have blood glucose problems.
Glad you will see an endocrinologist.
The other thing is stress, I know it's really difficult but try and relax, you are probably feeling it in college.
Because stress does raise your blood glucose levels.
Get your friends, family and those around you to understand what you are going through, this will ease your mind and true friends will help you.
Get your friends and classmates to choose your food for you, make it interesting and use as a voyage of discovery and another lesson in lifestyle. The nutritional values are important to your health.
I have become an expert in what is working for me. I read and read and learnt all about how to live a healthy life and give me the confidence to control this condition.
Your anxiety and worry is part and parcel of the symptoms, you will feel anger, frustration and a lack in confidence, that's symptoms as well.
Keep on fighting, keep learning, keep posting.

 

[Balf2015]

Hi Emma and welcome im a newby as well. I'm getting also low blood pressure and low blood sugar. Do u get episodes of it or nearly constant like that?! I get episodes, I tryed different ways of eating but doesn't matter how I eat, when I get them episodes I'm constantly low ( under 4) . Have it for 2 1/2 years. Have u a appointment by a endocrinologist ?

Hello thanks for getting in touch Jey. Weirdly enough this last week my dizzy spells have completely stopped and life has returned to normal. I haven't changed anything except for eating a bit more and snacking regularly. It's really strange as it makes me now think I don't have the condition and it must have been a virus I got? Really unsure...do you have your symptoms constantly? I'm not sure if you get periods where it's bad and then you feel fine again. I'm relieved I don't feel dizzy ever time I eat and I still do my sport and feel ok. Very strange!

 

[Balf2015]

Re-post from thread:

For the last month I've been having weird symptoms. I've been extremely tired throughout the day especially after eating. I notice when I eat a meal high in carbs I'm even more exhausted. My eyes hurt and sometimes I get a headache that seems to center around my eyes or an eye socket. To make matters worse some nights I do not sleep well, this whole ordeal has given me horrible insomnia caused by sleep anxiety. I thought maybe I was not getting enough sleep but even with 7 or 8 hours nightly I was still exhausted after eating.

A couple weeks ago, shortly after awaking. I stood up and got extremely dizzy. I had to crouch down or I was sure I would faint. I was rushed to the ER because every time I stood for a while I'd feel faint again. I was kept at the hospital and was informed my blood sugar was low. I don't remember the exact reading but it was low enough for them to keep me. I was given juice. After drinking it my blood sugar was checked again and it had gone down once again. After a while I was given more juice, graham crackers and peanut butter. My blood sugar was checked again and it was normal. I stayed for a couple more hours and was given a full meal,I ate a little and again, my blood sugar was normal. The issue was I had not eaten since the day before, around 12:00pm. However,I had done that MANY times in the past and never felt faint.

I was told it was hypoglycemia and nothing major. My instructions were to eat every few hours. I was told to visit my family doctor to have my levels checked on to see if there was another cause to my hypoglycemic episode. I visited the doctor but since I was convinced the problem was lack of sleep,I was only given an anti-depressant for sedation at night and another anti-depressant to take in the morning my worsening depression over this whole ordeal. I did not mention my ER trip or anything about blood sugar. The problem remained and still remains, no matter how much sleep I get I am tired during the day after eating. Yesterday, I had a meal consisting of a bacon burger, a lot of fries and a huge cookie. Afterwards, I felt horrible, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. After doing my research I'm prepared to get another doctor's opinion and have my blood sugar constantly monitored if needed.

I looked up reactive hypoglycemia and it sounded exactly like my symptoms for the past month.
Horrible headaches centering around my eyes
Daytime fatigue
Brain fog/Confusion -this has lessened over time
Feeling better after eating but then horrible after a couple hours
Shaking hands
Dizziness- esp after a big meal
Heart palpitations- this happens randomly but noticed yesterday it was after my meal
Extreme anxiety for no reason
Light-headedness
Trouble sleeping
Craving sweets
No increased hunger, probably because I'm so stressed and don't take much enjoyment out of eating now since this all began. Plus my anti-depressant is known to decrease appetite


I have yet to change my diet, although I know that may help. However,I'm still unsure if this is a blood sugar issue or maybe chronic fatigue syndrome? Just very strange I had the hypoglycemia episode and that this always worsens after eating.

This sounds exactly what I had but I was stressed at work and constantly sat in front of a computer all day and think it was affecting me more than I realised. I would get symptoms as soon as I ate food - heart palpitations, shakiness, dizzy spells, extreme fatigue. It was scary and I got it every day.

This week I have had no symptoms of hypoglycaemia which makes me think I don't have the condition. Do you know if symptoms can come and go? I think it's definitely related to stress so try and relax as much as you can.. I have continued my sport and that seems to have helped alot

 

[lcorroth]

This sounds exactly what I had but I was stressed at work and constantly sat in front of a computer all day and think it was affecting me more than I realised. I would get symptoms as soon as I ate food - heart palpitations, shakiness, dizzy spells, extreme fatigue. It was scary and I got it every day.

This week I have had no symptoms of hypoglycaemia which makes me think I don't have the condition. Do you know if symptoms can come and go? I think it's definitely related to stress so try and relax as much as you can.. I have continued my sport and that seems to have helped alot

I do sit in front of the computer worrying. I haven't felt completely normal in over a month and its discouraging having doctor and doctor tell you nothing is wrong. I've got to stop but I hate the constant physical reminders that something is very wrong.

What made you start feeling better? I need all the help I can get. If it isn't hypoglycemia I'm thinking it must be chronic fatigue syndrome or adrenal fatigue.

 

[Lamont D]

I feel absolutely brilliant at the moment, I've been feeling good since I knew what was causing my symptoms. I had good days and bad days, stress and frustration made it worse.
I never knew what I had until I was told, but I knew something was wrong. I had periods, when I always said, I couldn't have a condition, because the docs kept saying everything was normal, my hba1c and my fasting bloods were normal.
The only way to ensure you haven't got a form of Hypoglycaemia is by tests. Usually OGTT or mixed meal and a 72 hour fasting test. My condition is found by a prolonged OGTT, usually 5-6 hours.
Don't be in denial that you think that the symptoms you have is just a little stress or fatigue.
Both are big symptoms of Hypoglycaemia. Don't dismiss your health. Just because a doctor doesn't know or recognise about Hypoglycaemia.

Get yourself checked by an endocrinologist, even if you suggest it. Your health matters.
It took me 15 years to get diagnosed. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Keep pushing, by your posts you know that you should get checked out. Even though it might not be Hypoglycaemia.

Best wishes, keep posting.

 

[Jey]

Hi yes i get episode of it. Sometimes it lasts only few days sometimes for weeks. Sometimes more extrem sometimes less! When I'm fine I think it's only in my head. But I know it isn't my head it's my body! Since it started I had Alopecia, dizziness, blurred vision, low blood pressure sometimes high,heart race, in hospital because low blood sugar, had in 1 year 3 times a swollen knee just from nothing, rash on my chest, Hernia at the moment I got a eczema on my hands don't know why. Befor that I was healthy and strong no weard things like that. Had fasting glucose tests 2, lots of blood tests, endocrinologist. But no help so far. I'm thankful for u's on the forum. To know I'm not a lone. Take care every one

 

[Balf2015]

I do sit in front of the computer worrying. I haven't felt completely normal in over a month and its discouraging having doctor and doctor tell you nothing is wrong. I've got to stop but I hate the constant physical reminders that something is very wrong.

What made you start feeling better? I need all the help I can get. If it isn't hypoglycemia I'm thinking it must be chronic fatigue syndrome or adrenal fatigue.

To be honest with you once I had some time off work away from my computer and was finally able to relax and sleep properly it did wonders for me. Sport has been really good at taking my mind off it. I've been eating a lot more regularly too and eating a substantial lunch with snacks in the afternoon.

I've also been taking magnesium pills as well which have been good. I used to have sweet potato and get dizzy immediately after, so I know make sure I don't eat too many carbs or sugar. If I don't think about getting dizzy or worrying about it it tends to go away, so I would try and relax and make sure you look after yourself. I'm sorry I can't be of more help and I really hope that you feel better soon

 

[Red64]

Hey,
I'm new to this forum so please forgive my ignorance. I do not have diabetes that I am aware of but numerous people in my family have Type 2 Diabetes. I have shaking spells which I believe to be a result of poor eating habits - not eating much at all or just insubstantial foods. I tested my blood sugar today during one of these spells and was shocked to see that my blood glucose was 1.2mmol/L. I can't find much info on hypoglycaemia except that it is below 4mmol/L and it's symptoms. Would love anyone to point me towards some articles/papers and would love to know whether blood sugar can get that low just from not eating right for a day?

Thanks in advance

 

[Lamont D]

Hi @Red64
Of course you can get low blood sugar from not eating right..
Diet is so important to those that have endocrine problems.
If you are having lows or hypos that low, you need to first see your GP, then depending on what your GP find, regulate your diet to your condition.
Meanwhile, eat little and often, low carb meals.
Reduce your carbs and sugars, eat protein and above ground veg.

For the science Google Wikipedia, for hypoglycaemia and it is quite good information.
The page on Reactive Hypoglycaemia is very good.

Keep posting, let us know how you get on. You really do need to see your GP.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi @Red64

I would say that 1.2mmol/l is too low, and you should definitely go see your doc.
But bear in mind that home blood testing meters are not totally accurate (plus or minus about 15% is considered acceptable by the manufacturers) and the lower and higher the readings, the greater the inaccuracy.

So your doc may need more evidence and send you for further tests.

How long after eating do you feel like this? And is it after particular meals or types of food? Or stress? Or exercise?

Welcome by the way!

 

[Lamont D]

I just thought I would post this for us RHers.

The way to feel better and live a better healthier life is to;

Reduce carbs,
Reduce plate size,
Reduce sugars,
Reduce starchy veg,
Reduce low fats,
Reduce your treats,
Reduce your fruits,
Reduce processed foods,
Reduce your milk, have cream instead.
Reduce your time between meals.

Increase your exercising,
Increase meals during the day,
Increase your full fats,
Increase your salad & above ground veg,
Increase homemade foods,
Increase water instead of other drinks.

If you would like to add more, do so.

Thanks!

Test often and eat often. Keep your blood glucose levels carefully monitored, don't spike, don't hypo.
Low carb and full fat!

 

[Lamont D]

I just thought I would update my status after my first thread and how I'm doing now that I've been diagnosed RH for just over a calendar year.

I am in ketosis. I eat very, very low carb. Keeping to it has been very easy. I am close to my target weight of 10 stone, not really! About 1 and a half stone to go!
This is going so well for me, that I can only smile when people push carbs at me.
I do eat up to 6 small meals a day. But mostly snack size meals. I eat a varied amount of different meats cooked different ways, I still eat soups, curry, and fruit.
I am totally re energised every morning. I am working very hard, and full time at the moment.
I do feel tired but it's a healthy tired. I am sleeping better, I believe the control I have is the reason behind it. In total control, I do not go above 6.5 ever, I don't dip below 4, because I eat regular enough. Only on my fasting day, do I not eat regularly. This gives me and my organs time to recuperate and I feel really better for it! I do not work on my fasting day, but I still do chores and shop.
The improvement in my health has impressed all my medical people, my family, friends and colleagues. They are seeing the real me! What my body should have always been like. I know it's only been a year, but my journey to get here has been a long hard battle. The outcome has been worth it!
Seeing my kids and grandkids, with the possibility to enjoy the prospect of living long enough (please!) to see my great grandkids. That is what is driving me on.
The harsh and really severe symptoms also persuade me not to go back to the bad old days.
My consultant, who is brilliant by the way, said I should try some more complex carbs, seeing that I have got myself in control. I refused him point blank. Why should I?
Why break something that is working brilliant?
I'm happy with my life at the moment, money worries have eased, the wife is a little better and the kids and grandkids are good!
Even my footie team seem to be turning the corner and there is a buzz back.

First finally, my meds do seem to be helping me, they are doing what they are supposed to.

Second finally, this forum especially the friends I have made, have helped me through this time. I'm thanking them all again!

Thanks!

 

[Jey]

Well done nosher8355

 

[Lamont D]

Well done nosher8355

Hi @Jey how's it going?
Give us an update on how you are coping.
Best wishes.

 

[MrBigglesworth]

Hi there,

Not sure if this is the correct place for me to be posting but I have been diagnosed with reactive hypoglycaemia which I believe is something only people with diabetes get normally. Thing is, apparently I don’t have diabetes, I’ve simply been told you have RH and the cause is unknown which is really frustrating. For a little more context here are the rest of my problems.

I have been diagnosed with:

· Reactive Hypoglycemia
o I believe this to be the root of my problems as it is food that triggers my symptoms. I suffer from practically all the symptoms of low blood sugar.
· Vitamin D Deficiency
o Was down to 12UI. I am taking 3000UI per day for a month to resolve this.
· Haemochromatosis
o My iron was 600 points higher than it should have been and took 9 months of venesections to bring back to normal levels. It is now under control.
· Gilberts Syndrome
o Not really a problem as far as I know.
· Irritable Bowel Syndrome
o I have a swollen abdomen which is uncomfortable but that’s the extent of it. I am also very tender under the right side of my rib cage.

It has taken 3 years to get this far and in the process my life has been reduced to more of an existence than anything else. The advice I have been given is to eat a low GI diet but this really brought on low blood sugar symptoms to the point I had to during something sugary to recover. In fact, I am starting to believe that I actually need to consume these kind of high sugar items just remain anywhere near normal.

As I mentioned I am tender in the pancreas area and given that I have blood sugar issues I am very suspicious that something is going on there. I am seeing a doctor who will hopefully look into that so fingers crossed, she will find a solution but who knows. Basically I’m really frustrated given that the treatment the NHS recommends seems to cause me more harm that good and wanted to hear some other opinion.

Thanks

 

[Lamont D]

Please read the RH thread, then I will help you through how to deal with this condition.
There is more to read and take in.
You have been advised wrongly on diet.
I eat very, vary low carb small meals throughout the day. I eat every 2-3 hours.
For example.
Breakfast,
Mid morning
Lunch
Mid afternoon
Tea
Supper
I have RH, I'm not diabetic.
@Brunneria is diabetic and has RH.

If you have been diagnosed RH, then you produce too much Insulin. That's what's (without the science) is making you ill.

 

[Brunneria]

Hi and welcome!

Yes, read the RH thread, which will give you masses of info.

The problem may be that when you switch to low GI, the carbs can still stay too high. A portion of brown or wild rice still has a heck of a lot of carbs in it. They reach the blood marginally slower than white rice, but they still get there.

I tried low GI and found it was a disaster!

Both nosher and I avoid carbs as much as possible. We are VERY low carb. No bread, rice, potato, pasta, or rice.

Experience has taught me that I do best on this kind of eating: http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
But of course, I alter it for personal taste, and it took a loooong time before I added in the amount of fat recommended on that website.

I think RH is a frightening thing. Especially before diagnosis, and for the weeks after that diagnosis it is pretty intimidating. Suddenly, all the foods you thought were heathy are making you feel absolutely terrible, and now someone is telling you to turn your eating habits upside down.

For you, the IBS is going to make that worse.
Ask anything you like.

I will also tag @Indy51 . She is a font of all knowledge about IBS, and can give you far better info than I can attempt.

Believe me, you've come to a good place. The community here is really supportive, and we will soon have you feeling less alone.