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Reactive Hypoglycaemia

Brunneria said:
Oooh, lots to respond to in your post above:

Quick and easy LC brekkies. :)
I can't be bothered to phaff at breakfast, unless it is weekends. So mine are Coffee with a good glug of cream every weekday morning (and I do mean a GOOD glug). Believe it or not, if you use a good portion of cream you will stay satisfied for hours.
Alternatively, buy some sliced ham and sliced cheese. Grab a couple of slices of each out of the fridge and wander through your morning eating them like a sandwich. Quick. Easy. satisfying. and no washing up!

The eating carbs every 2 hours thing is standard advice, but personally, I find all that does is keep me wobbling up and down on the edge of hypos all day.
Nosher eats about 7 times a day, but he avoids carbs. i think he has the occasional half apple and savoury biscuit, but the rest of the time is is low carb. Keeps him comfortably stable, but without the shakes.

Your dinner last night sounds a great start. My body wouldn't have liked even the small portion of egg noodles, but would have loved it if I had added fat (maybe cheese afterwards, or more oil on the veggies). The oil would have kept me from feeling hungry.

I tend to stick as low carb as I can. Getting there is a learning curve, and everybody's LC diet is different, because their body reacts to different foods in different ways (I am grain intolerant). But I am usually under 50g carbs a day, and often under 30g. The lower I go, the better I feel.

You mentioned cholesterol. I had a total cholesterol of 5.2 a couple of years ago. And then went very low carb, which means I eat a lot of cream, cheese, butter, coconut oil, and nuts. Last month, my cholesterol had risen to 5.4. But my healthy cholesterol is what had risen, while my 'bad' triglycerides had fallen. so my overall 'healthiness' had significantly improved.

There is also evidence that the older women get, the higher their cholesterol should be, and that it is actually protective as we age.

Have a read of this article by Zoe Harcombe.
http://www.zoeharcombe.com/the-knowledge/we-have-got-cholesterol-completely-wrong/
She is really on the ball about recent medical info, in a way that the cumbersome beaurocracy of the NHS simply cannot be. Doctors have to follow outdated Cholesterol guidelines, because that is a rule of their employment.
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50g of carbs sounds very low. I'll give your suggestions a try. I've just reached my post porridge low. Bs 4.9 and beginning to shake. Instead of my usual Apple and nuts I'm having 3 small multigrain crackers (to raise my bs a little) with cheese and a slice of turkey. Any good?

Not sure about cream in coffee. I've been drinking it black for years and it too keen on cream on anything but I will give it a try. Would you have that as well as cheese and meat?

I'm so scared of having a hypo that I tend to top up with small amounts of carbs in between meals. I realise this probably isn't the way forward, but I'm so frightened especially when im on my own with my two young kids.

Did you gradually reduce the carbs or go cold turkey so to speak?

Sorry there's so many questions, I'm just so confused right now
 
Linagirl said:
Thanks Nosher. Sorry to sound desperate I'm just feeling a little lost right now :( hopefully once I have the current lot of tears done I'll feel better and know where I am going on
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Brunneria said:
The weepiness and tiredness are all signs of carb withdrawal, but don't worry, it passes, and once it does, you really do start to feel better.

Drink plenty of water.
Make sure you add a little salt to your food (this helps with the water balance in your body)
Don't do too strenuous exercise
Make sure you eat plenty (important to eat lots of low carb foods so you feel satisfied and don't go hungry)
If you start to get that terrible carb craving gnawing feeling (not everyone does) that isn't quite hunger, but just makes you think about stuffing stodge and carbs, then eat something protein or fat. They both kill the cravings. The things I go for are 2 squares 70% choc, or a slice or two of cheese, or a coffee with cream. They seem to kill the cravings dead. Once I even had a cup of bovril with some cream in it. Worked like a charm!
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The weepies and desperation etc as well as the craving, feeling down, feeling sorry for yourself, your fighting the world and so on are part of the long, long list of symptoms that we treat by eating low carb.
Follow Bruns advice, she is not one to argue with!;)
 
@Kaz261
I had been low carbing for years before I went very LC plus extra fat. So it wasn't like cold turkey for me.

If the cream doesn't appeal, then don't do it. No point forcing something you won't enjoy.
And I agree that cream for breakfast is an acquired taste for most of us! lol.

Try the cheese and ham, if that does appeal. As for having it with crackers... I wouldn't. If you are going to try LC seriously, as a test, then cut the processed carbs, the starchy veg, the breads, rice, pasta, etc. completely.

But - and this is key - you must eat enough. So don't just eat one slice of cheese or ham. Eat several. make sure that the portions are big enough to give you fuel for the day, not just a flavour topping to your carb crackers. Protein and fat digest slowly, drip feeding your energy levels for hours. They don't dump energy quickly into the bloodstream like carbs do, so you will feel different, but they should (if you have eaten enough) last for much longer than your carb snacks.
 
Kaz261 said:
The prolonged GTT was carried done in hospital so bloods were sent straight to the lab for analysis before the next test was carried out. This is how I know I didn't drop below 2. I'm so nervous about Thurs. In the past 6 months I've gone from being well to having diabetes and now possible RH. I have two young children (6 & 2) which makes the whole thing more worrying. It's been such a shock as I have non of the usual risk factors for diabetes: never been over weight, no family history, always are a reasonably healthy diet (although not a saint!). I guess this doesn't make you immune eh! Thanks again for the advice, I'll let you know how it goes. I may have more questions then, hope you don't mind?
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The biggest relief for me after years of hypo hell was actually getting diagnosed as RH.
The relief was unbelievable!
After that the anger and frustration (symptoms!) returned because of the misdiagnosis and bad (really bad) dietary advice.
Then the determination to get myself well again and the long road to being healthy.
Once you know what foods are doing to you, it's just the realisation that you can control what you eat and how you feel.
Going to work soon and a hard days work, but I couldn't do that if I wasn't fit and healthy!
 
Kaz261 said:
50g of carbs sounds very low. I'll give your suggestions a try. I've just reached my post porridge low. Bs 4.9 and beginning to shake. Instead of my usual Apple and nuts I'm having 3 small multigrain crackers (to raise my bs a little) with cheese and a slice of turkey. Any good?

Not sure about cream in coffee. I've been drinking it black for years and it too keen on cream on anything but I will give it a try. Would you have that as well as cheese and meat?

I'm so scared of having a hypo that I tend to top up with small amounts of carbs in between meals. I realise this probably isn't the way forward, but I'm so frightened especially when im on my own with my two young kids.

Did you gradually reduce the carbs or go cold turkey so to speak?

Sorry there's so many questions, I'm just so confused right now
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At this moment in time you do need to reduce your carbs, slowly but surely.
I as Brun says, eat low carb 6, 7, or 8 times a day.
The odd small piece of fruit but mainly meat, salad, veg, some pulses, lots of eggs, full fat yoghurt which with a few berries is my breakfast. Homemade soups and curries.
I top up through the day.
Don't go near porridge, it is a real baddie, to me.
Carbs are evil, think that you are allergic to them. Your trigger to the bad symptoms is carbs and the resulting hypos are after reaction.
You need to think of you!
 
Kaz261 said:
Thanks, I'll give that a try. I've been reluctant to change breakfast for two reasons. Firstly I have two small children and don't have much time before the school run and secondly I walk to school and back, so am worried that I'll be low on energy.

I have to agree though, I do eat a lot of carbs. About 200g a day, but this is how the dietician told me to eat. When I started to have RH symptoms she said to eat every two hours but to include carbs. Since reading this thread I've wondered if starting the day with carbs is making matters worse. I often wake around 5.30am feeling sweaty and anxious this is why I have a flapjack! It also seems to ease the shakes when I get up at 7am.

Interestingly, we had a beef stir fry for dinner last night with lots of veg. I had only a very small portion of egg noodles with it. My level before was 6.1. One hour after 7.2 and two hours after 6.2. I felt hungry again after two hours but not shaky. May be the low carb diet can help. How many carbs do you have in a day? Is that all carbs or starchy carbs?

I also have to keep an eye on my cholesterol. It was 5.1 at the last check which had gone down from previous. It makes me a little wary about eating too many eggs and processed meat etc. Have you found this diet to increase yours at all?

Thanks for your advice is really is much appreciated x
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Before low carbing, my cholesterol was high, really high just like a lot of my vital signs, BP, liver function, fatty liver etc. I was in a bad way, in my hypo hell.
Since, every one of them including my cholesterol which went worse first, then dropped significantly back to normal levels.
It's the carbs, that make us RH ers ill!
I don't have time to carb or calorie count, I eat regularly just to top up, I can't eat big meals now (not like brun;):rolleyes:) I just munch away to meat, salad etc through the day.
It works. A small bowl of soup or a breast of chicken is sufficient to chug along!
Don't need carbs, so why eat them?
 
Here's the confusing bit! After my crackers, cheese and turkey I start to feel hungry and shaky again after an hour. My bs is only 5.6 so hardly moved at all from the 4.9 of an hour ago! It was a thick slice of turkey but probably only 20g or so of cheese. May be this wasn't enough to keep me going? I really do get fed of up of eating and not knowing what to eat next! Never thought I'd say it but eating has become a chore and not something I enjoy anymore! I have always loved my food!

I have found in the past that if I don't eat enough carbs I need to eat again even sooner than when I eat more. For instance, the only time I feel satisfied and fuller for more than 2 hours is after my dinner. I can eat pizza and salad (half a thin crust pizza but leave the crust). My level after 2 hours is usually 7 or below and I don't need to eat for 3 hours. Same if I have a roast dinner with roughly 120g of potato plus meat and veg. Doesn't make much sense to me, but I guess I need to try the low carb route to see how it works for me.

Sorry for rambling!
 
I find that a meal of just cheese and ham will last all morning.
but a meal of the same amount of cheese and ham, plus carbs, lasts a much shorter time.

I am speculating, but I think that by eating the carbs I trigger a different digestive process, which upsets the slow release of the fat and protein. This is why I suggest avoiding all carbs for a few days, to see if the same thing happens to you.

Unfortunately, my carb sensitivity is so great that any carbs is too much carb.
 
Brunneria said:
I find that a meal of just cheese and ham will last all morning.
but a meal of the same amount of cheese and ham, plus carbs, lasts a much shorter time.

I am speculating, but I think that by eating the carbs I trigger a different digestive process, which upsets the slow release of the fat and protein. This is why I suggest avoiding all carbs for a few days, to see if the same thing happens to you.

Unfortunately, my carb sensitivity is so great that any carbs is too much carb.
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I don't think I'm quite as sensitive to carbs as you, but I'm willing to give it a go for a few days to see. Anything to get out of the cycle of hell that I'm currently in! I'm just making a homemade roast red pepper soup for dinner tonight and might cook a chicken breast to eat with it and see how that goes (it hasn't got any fat in though). I have a recipe for omelette muffins so if I have time I could make a batch and eat a couple cold for brekkie. It's a complete change to what we've always been taught is "healthy" so it's going to take some getting used to!
 
Hi all,
Had some bloods today from last week.
HbA1c unchanged at 45. (perhaps area under graph the same when low carbing initially.)
GGT marginally down at 83, was over 140 last December. (looking forward to getting it below 70 when it will change from red to black on the GP's screen.
Weight dropping down to 91kg, height c.1.95
regards
Derek
 
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That all sounds good Derek! I had my blood results today hb1ac 45mmol and plasma fasting glucose 4.7mmol
 
nosher8355 said:
Before low carbing, my cholesterol was high, really high just like a lot of my vital signs, BP, liver function, fatty liver etc. I was in a bad way, in my hypo hell.
Since, every one of them including my cholesterol which went worse first, then dropped significantly back to normal levels.
It's the carbs, that make us RH ers ill!
I don't have time to carb or calorie count, I eat regularly just to top up, I can't eat big meals now (not like brun;):rolleyes:) I just munch away to meat, salad etc through the day.
It works. A small bowl of soup or a breast of chicken is sufficient to chug along!
Don't need carbs, so why eat them?
Click to expand...
Sounds like you're doing great. It's funny that your cholesterol had sorted itself out despite eating more fat. Makes you wonder if Doctors dish out statins unnecessarily? I've been told I've got a faint arcus around both my corneas which is usually caused by high cholesterol. However my consultant said at the level I'm at it wouldn't be the cause. I'm a bit young to have developed it too . Just something else to worry about I guess. I've reduced my carbs today and so far I haven't had a reading higher than 5.9. The lowest being 4.9 2 hours after my porridge breakfast. I have still been a bit shaky but I must have had a better day as I've done some housework!
 
Hi Kaz,
Have you tried those lidl high protein low carb rolls? I am a tall guy and they fill me for almost 5 hours from lunch time. Only 10grams of carb. in a full roll.
regards
Derek

Kaz261 said:
Here's the confusing bit! After my crackers, cheese and turkey I start to feel hungry and shaky again after an hour. My bs is only 5.6 so hardly moved at all from the 4.9 of an hour ago! It was a thick slice of turkey but probably only 20g or so of cheese. May be this wasn't enough to keep me going? I really do get fed of up of eating and not knowing what to eat next! Never thought I'd say it but eating has become a chore and not something I enjoy anymore! I have always loved my food!

I have found in the past that if I don't eat enough carbs I need to eat again even sooner than when I eat more. For instance, the only time I feel satisfied and fuller for more than 2 hours is after my dinner. I can eat pizza and salad (half a thin crust pizza but leave the crust). My level after 2 hours is usually 7 or below and I don't need to eat for 3 hours. Same if I have a roast dinner with roughly 120g of potato plus meat and veg. Doesn't make much sense to me, but I guess I need to try the low carb route to see how it works for me.

Sorry for rambling!
Click to expand...
 
lindisfel said:
Hi Kaz,
Have you tried those lidl high protein low carb rolls? I am a tall guy and they fill me for almost 5 hours from lunch time. Only 10grams of carb. in a full roll.
regards
Derek
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Hi Derek,
No I haven't tried them. I have heard about them but have never been able to find them in our local shop. Are they freshly baked or pre-packed? I may just be looking in the wrong place. I'll give them a try though thanks. I'm only a tiddler but I'm constantly munching lol! Would be lovely to eat something that actually keeps me full for more than a couple of hours. The constant nibbling drives me mad! Take care
 
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