Reactive Hypoglycaemia

[Lamont D]

My lowest ever was 2.7 and that was in hospital during my prolonged GTT. I had a 3.8 reading that night back at home but felt fine! Might have been a false reading on my meter. Mostly im never lower than 5. I have the ocassional high 4.

Do you have days where no matter what your BG seems to be doing you just feel tired, anxious and a bit shaky? I'm having one again today and I don't know why?

Food wise I've had Greek yogurt, nuts, 3 strawberries and a doz blueberries for breakfast and bacon, sausage, egg, mushrooms and tomatoes with a small slice of granary bread for brunch. I'm now topping up with a very small pear and more nuts, but don't feel at all right. We've brought the kids out for a walk in the sunshine and I'm sitting on a bench as i just haven't got the energy for it!

You are just starting your voyage of exploration and you need to take it slowly, you are beginning to get the hang of lowering your carbs, but I notice, that you are eating too much in total, you have probably eaten more in this morning than I have all day.
It is really hard and you may want to try little and often rather than three meals a day and eating nuts or something else in between.
There is a article I read, that fructose and lactose have a bad effect, only by experience will you find this out.
You may need to rethink your dietary advice.
We are all individuals and are different, Brun is totally different to me but between us we should be able to steer you through this.
Do lower your carbs, and stay away from starchy foods, they are worse than drinking pure glucose. White and brown and even wholemeal bread is really quickly digested by RH ers!

 

[Lamont D]

Thanks Nosher.
The support and advice you guys give is really going to get me through this and hopefully on to a healthier, more energised and fulfilling life!

Sorry for asking so many questions and airing my concerns, I'm not usually this high maintenance....honestly! As you all know, it's so difficult when you can't simply just talk to someone and get advice.
Sounds like you've had a great weekend
Thanks again

The only way you can get through this phase of getting control is by asking, experience and testing. You need the knowledge.
Even though me and Brun are entirely different, it was her experienced knowledge that helped me when I needed it, she is really something. I'm not allowed to give praise! (Dont say owt!)

 

[Lamont D]

I agree Brun in theory. The only confusing bit for me is that I've checked my BG half hourly after eating (up to 2 hours post meal) and on those ocassions it didn't rise above 7.2 (starting at 5.7) and at 2 hours was 5.8. I still started to shake and feel hungry after the two hours even though I clearly wasn't hypo level?

I don't hypo till after three hours!
You are feeling the drop from hyper to hypo in progressive quick drops.
Please remember, our quick spike, within an hour, sometimes quicker is really a big jump and the after effects of coming down from such a high is symptomatic of these fluctuations.

 

[Lamont D]

I think insulin levels and blood sugar levels are different. Only the hospital can see them. For instance I just had coffee and 1 toast and some peanuts, I know I'm in range but my insulin has just been released and is working and you get that feeling of spin and tiredness. Nosher calls it allergic to food.
When you hit over 10 you feel high and lower than 4 or 3 you'll notice the difference, you feel sick, light-headed, confused, cant focus on anything, shaky, its a horrible horrible feeling.

That is right!
It's the sudden high, then drop to low that is symptomatic.

It's the stormy sea of up and down and the feeling of sea sick, is the nearest thing I could give as an example.

 

[Lamont D]

@lindisfel Sometimes I peak at half hour sometimes 1 hour. My blood sugar shoots up straight away from 5 - 10 in 15 minutes. It usually stays high for another half hour to an hour then back to 4.6 then 5.5 then 4.5 etc every half hour. Sometimes at 3-4 hours im 4 or under at 6 hours im 3.6 but 6 hours is such a long time and test strips expensive so I can't test as often as id like.

That's me, to a tee!
Late Reactive Hypoglycaemia.

 

[Kaz261]

Eating too much?!! I think I'd be starving if I ate less! I have found that if I don't eat enough to feel satisfied, I'm hungry again in less than an hour regardless of what my BG is doing. I'll give it a try though.

I won't tell you about the ham, cheese and tomato roll up, Alpro plain yogurt and peanuts I had mid afternoon then!

The bread I've been having is from Birds the Bakers. I think it's called GI farmhouse loaf. It's really nice and doesn't seem to affect my bg as much as Bergen (which is also good). They also do small rolls which are handy to take out and about. Of course I won't be doing that from on!

The symptoms make sense, although I can feel the same even when my spike was only an increase of 1.5mmol/l, peaking at around 7. This I find confusing?

As an example, I tested every half hour after lunch early last week (homemade red pepper soup, granary bread 50g). My results were:
5.7 before eating
7.1 after half an hour
7.2 after 1 hour
6.7 after 1.5 hours
5.6 after 2 hours. Starting to feel shaky.

As you can see the spike wasn't high and neither was the drop. I've compared it with "normal" non diabetic bg trends on the Internet and mine In this instance look normal? Doesn't explain the shaking after 2 hours. I also hypo'd after 3 hours during the prolonged GTT, so why symptoms generally after 2 hours?

I think I am weird!

 

[Wendolph]

What happens at 3 or 4 hours? Its possible you're still dropping and your body's warning you. I know its a nasty feeling but it will let you know. If you hypo after 3 hours you have to keep up with the small constant eating.

 

[Kaz261]

Of course, the other question this now raises in my head is why did I have a "hypo" before dinner after eating/snacking on low carb stuff all afternoon?

Questions, questions!

Your thoughts are appreciated

 

[Kaz261]

What happens at 3 or 4 hours? Its possible you're still dropping and your body's warning you. I know its a nasty feeling but it will let you know. If you hypo after 3 hours you have to keep up with the small constant eating.

I've never got to 3 or 4 hours without eating again. As I tend to get symptoms around the 2 hour mark I generally eat every 2-2.5 hours. Perhaps I should ignore the symptoms as an experiment and see what happens. I need a day or two off testing as my fingers are getting sore and it's costing me a fortune in strips!

What seems to work best for you? Little and often like Nosher or three larger meals with snacks in between? Just curious as it appears we are all so different.

 

[Wendolph]

I've never got to 3 or 4 hours without eating again. As I tend to get symptoms around the 2 hour mark I generally eat every 2-2.5 hours. Perhaps I should ignore the symptoms as an experiment and see what happens. I need a day or two off testing as my fingers are getting sore and it's costing me a fortune in strips!

What seems to work best for you? Little and often like Nosher or three larger meals with snacks in between? Just curious as it appears we are all so different.

I don't eat large meals anymore just medium ones and lots of snacking.
I used to hypo alot at the beginning of the day after breakfast and evening of a day I'd just picked or had tea. Eating enough is important just different foods. Testing is the only way anx even then you won't understand fully. Sometimes I feel the symptoms like you and I'm 5.9 no reason for the symptoms. It makes you question yourself. I had a 5 hour gtt years ago and it was normal 6 hours would have told a different story. I'm waiting on my tests.
We're all very different, even though its the same condition.

 

[Lamont D]

Of course, the other question this now raises in my head is why did I have a "hypo" before dinner after eating/snacking on low carb stuff all afternoon?

Questions, questions!

Your thoughts are appreciated

I think your blood is still has too much Insulin in it and because of the carbs, you are just topping it off or filling back up.
Because you haven't had had a hypo you have felt it coming and you have read the signs and done something about it.
The slightest amount may fill you up again.

 

[lindisfel]

Hi guys,
When I take carbs I spike at +1hr after first bite and I can hypo +2hrs from first bite.
I must be fast digester.
Derek
PS I never had an hypo without being on my feet walking around.

 

[Lamont D]

I don't eat large meals anymore just medium ones and lots of snacking.
I used to hypo alot at the beginning of the day after breakfast and evening of a day I'd just picked or had tea. Eating enough is important just different foods. Testing is the only way anx even then you won't understand fully. Sometimes I feel the symptoms like you and I'm 5.9 no reason for the symptoms. It makes you question yourself. I had a 5 hour gtt years ago and it was normal 6 hours would have told a different story. I'm waiting on my tests.
We're all very different, even though its the same condition.

Yeah, agree!
Hypos may go on after more than the usual timing depending on how much Insulin and glucose, glucagon is in your blood. The excess won't happen until your glucose is used up. I think!
Of course eating more full fat will slow the process.
Just because you eat, doesn't necessarily mean you won't hypo later if you stop eating or not enough to slow digestion.

 

[Lamont D]

Hi guys,
When I take carbs I spike at +1hr after first bite and I can hypo +2hrs from first bite.
I must be fast digester.
Derek
PS I never had an hypo without being on my feet walking around.

I have!
Sitting watching footie, once, think my excitement triggered one!

That's a thought!

Stress as Brun will tell you, plays havoc with your blood glucose levels. As does colds, flu, and for the ladies, that time in every month!!

 

[lindisfel]

Hi Nosher,
It takes a lot of discipline to be a snacker in moderation. The nature of normal snackers is they eat too much.

I had to be brought to low carb kicking and screaming but I know now there is no alternative for me.

Fortunately I can go 5 hours without a meal if I can get through the two hour b.g. drop by low carbing.
Derek

I think your blood is still has too much Insulin in it and because of the carbs, you are just topping it off or filling back up.
Because you haven't had had a hypo you have felt it coming and you have read the signs and done something about it.
The slightest amount may fill you up again.

 

[Lamont D]

Hi Nosher,
It takes a lot of discipline to be snacker in moderation. The nature of normal snackers is they eat too much.
I had to be brought to low carb kicking and screaming but I know now there is no alternative for me.
Fortunately I can 5 hours without a meal if I can get through the two hour b.g. drop by low carving.
Derek

Have you thought about have a fasting day yet?
Just as a trial, to see what happens.
As you are aware, you wake up probably haven't ate for 8 or 9 hours.
Your body has provided you by not going into hypo overnight.
If you wake having a fasting blood level in the normal range, like me, I stay there!
You won't feel hungry and it does you good!

 

[Kaz261]

Morning all and thanks again for your replies yesterday. Lots to read and think about!

Once again I have woke feeling shaky. I've had full fat Greek yogurt, doz blueberries, 25g almonds and coffee with cream.

I'm still feeling trembly and in a minute I have to walk to school and back (nearly a mile). Not sure why I keep feeling like this but it is getting a bit beyond a joke!

 

[lindisfel]

Hi Kaz,
Just a guess, we are insulin addicts and you have gone cold turkey!
Hope you soon feel better, try eating some lidl alesto walnuts, it may help and won't spike you.
D.

Morning all and thanks again for your replies yesterday. Lots to read and think about!

Once again I have woke feeling shaky. I've had full fat Greek yogurt, doz blueberries, 25g almonds and coffee with cream.

I'm still feeling trembly and in a minute I have to walk to school and back (nearly a mile). Not sure why I keep feeling like this but it is getting a bit beyond a joke!

 

[Kaz261]

Hi Kaz,
Just a guess, we are insulin addicts and you have gone cold turkey!
Hope you soon feel better, try eating some lidl alesto walnuts, it may help and won't spike you.
D.

Not cold turkey as such as I did have one slice of bread and two small roast potatoes yesterday. I have reduced my intake from around 200g of carbs a day to less than 100. Should I be reducing it gradually do you think?

 

[Linagirl]

Thanks all I didn't eat them my son did but I was curious!