RH causes

[Sarabeth23]

Does anyone look further to what is causing their blood sugar to drop? Like adrenals, gut, deficiencies, hormones and more? Was just curious.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I believe it is high circulating insulin - too much of it, causing the crash after eating.

 

[Lamont D]

The reason for Hypoglycaemia is often too many to quote.
For reactive hypoglycaemia, it is the imbalance in hormones particularly insulin, though, the difference between gender is just as important. Hormonal imbalances may not be only insulin.
Usually, Late Reactive Hypoglycaemia is because of a weak initial insulin response, followed by an overshoot secondary response.
But I have seen many posts from hypoglycaemic people have diverse response to certain foods.
In my quest to understand the relationship between food and how the body reacts, the gut brain trigger or axis, is the signal for how the brain works on digestion.
The symptoms are the response to how these signals affect the brain, hormones that are required for the brain function, can and do give different symptoms, such as hunger, cravings, anxiety, dizziness, mood swings, forgetting and so on.

In the end, you have to find your own balance of protein, fats and carbs (usually very low, because of the insulin response)to prevent the overshoot of insulin.

It is a dietary condition, the reason why most doctors struggle is because they have not had the training in endocrine Hypoglycaemia. The misunderstanding of needing glucose for brain function, usually means that we need to eat carbs, we don't!
We need to eat food that is healthy for our bodies.
I have found that avoiding these foods that makes me ill and trigger symptoms, makes me healthy!

 

[Sarabeth23]

I know it's rare to find a cause. I was told RH is a symptom to another health issue. I want to say mines between hormone imbalance or unhealthy gut. I've heard of people finding their cause and healing it and had no RH problems anymore. Wishful thinking I guess.

 

[Lamont D]

I know it's rare to find a cause. I was told RH is a symptom to another health issue. I want to say mines between hormone imbalance or unhealthy gut. I've heard of people finding their cause and healing it and had no RH problems anymore. Wishful thinking I guess.

The condition used to be called idiopathic meaning, unknown! But that was because they couldn't understand why, but as more endocrinologists have found more patients, the understanding has grown. They are aware of how to diagnose by using tests to eliminate other conditions.
Mine I believe was the reverse. After discussing with my endocrinologist, he has no other explanation of why my pancreas behaves as it does, or how my intolerance can be explained.
I was diagnosed with Heliocobacter Pylori, over twelve years ago, due to having suspected stomach ulcers. I was given, the antibiotics to eliminate the bacterium.
It worked., I have not had any symptoms since, but the change in gut bacteria, my endocrinologist believes, changed my gut brain axis. Changed my glucose, glucagon, glycogen make up of my alpha and beta cells, which changed my initial insulin response. It became weak. The glucose spike, initiating a secondary insulin response (overshoot). The excess insulin produced, overwhelms the glucose, which makes me go hypo.
Because over time, the excess insulin, produces insulin resistance, that initiates higher blood glucose levels and all the horrible symptoms of fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Like a yo yo, up and down. This can and will make you ill, because you are unaware of what is happening, this progression can lead to the extremes of high glucose levels and very low hypos! A risk to health and of course worse!

I have complete control of the condition by avoiding certain foods that I am intolerant to. If that is in remission, then you can call it what you want, but I know if I don't consider the reactive part of this condition, I will start going hyper, then hypo.
I'm not taking that risk.
I had a few years of misdiagnosis and unaware of that period, which I call my hypo hell! I ain't gonna go back to that, no way!
I am really fit and healthy for someone of my age.
I want to stick around to see my great grandkids!

I believe that if you don't have that control or have the knowledge that makes you understand what is happening, then the condition could escalate into type two diabetes, and everything that follows. There is members who have type two and RH!
The RH doesn't go away.
According to what I have read, there is no cure.

Best wishes

 

[Suzy D]

Does anyone look further to what is causing their blood sugar to drop? Like adrenals, gut, deficiencies, hormones and more? Was just curious.

I have just had a diagnosis of reactive hypoglycaemia and would like to look into why it's happening. I asked my endocrinologist, and he said I could ask my GP for a morning cortisol test. If it's normal, then the adrenals can be ruled out. If not, when it warrants more blood tests for cortisol later in the day. But it can also be oestrogen related (I'm on HRT but that's still less oestrogen than pre menopause). My thinking is: if you feel this condition is completely new and baffling to you, then you have a better case for looking into why it's happening. In my case, I think I have had inklings of having had this for a long time, getting worse in waves rather than in a linear way. That makes me think there probably isn't anything other than diet I can do about it. Oh and the gut? I do think the gut biome must have something to do with it! I am about to see a functional medicine dietitian who specialises in reactive hypoglycaemia, recommended by my endocrinologist, and would be very surprised if she didn't have something to say about the gut, especially as I have IBS and can't do gluten or cow's milk, and I am sadly not very good at digesting beans and lentils either.. meaning I eat far too much meat and fish for my liking!

 

[Lamont D]

I have just had a diagnosis of reactive hypoglycaemia and would like to look into why it's happening. I asked my endocrinologist, and he said I could ask my GP for a morning cortisol test. If it's normal, then the adrenals can be ruled out. If not, when it warrants more blood tests for cortisol later in the day. But it can also be oestrogen related (I'm on HRT but that's still less oestrogen than pre menopause). My thinking is: if you feel this condition is completely new and baffling to you, then you have a better case for looking into why it's happening. In my case, I think I have had inklings of having had this for a long time, getting worse in waves rather than in a linear way. That makes me think there probably isn't anything other than diet I can do about it. Oh and the gut? I do think the gut biome must have something to do with it! I am about to see a functional medicine dietitian who specialises in reactive hypoglycaemia, recommended by my endocrinologist, and would be very surprised if she didn't have something to say about the gut, especially as I have IBS and can't do gluten or cow's milk, and I am sadly not very good at digesting beans and lentils either.. meaning I eat far too much meat and fish for my liking!

There is no definitive answer, really, but I do like the idea of the further tests for your hormonal imbalance, along with the first phase (insulin) hormonal response, which is, as is some in T2, the cause of high spikes after carbs, and why, no or little carbs, don't spike you.
The gut.
I do believe, tho not proven, that a bacterial infection in my gut biome, called helicobactor pylori, was the cause of my having RH. But who knows?
I have been told that if I hadn't got sorted, I would be diabetic.
That has always been a reason for my approach to what I eat.
I hope that the tests come through normal.

I don't know if you have read my approach to eating, how and when etc?
I have been of the opinion, since, that I feel better not eating.
I know it sounds a bit daft. But my endocrinologist insisted, I only eat when I wanted...
Breakfast, lunch, dinner etc are only labels, and I do feel it's not natural for us to not only eat too much, but too often as well. We do eat too much too often.
And I do agree with you about having it awhile, I found out about the bacteria in around 2006. I was diagnosed with RH in 2012, so it could be more than two decades ago, when the first symptoms started.
I know, through my experience that I don't need a lot of food. Only enough to keep my body as healthy as I can.
And, if you sum it up, with the restrictions on what we can have, it seems logical to me.

Best wishes.

 

[Melgar]

I have just had a diagnosis of reactive hypoglycaemia and would like to look into why it's happening. I asked my endocrinologist, and he said I could ask my GP for a morning cortisol test. If it's normal, then the adrenals can be ruled out. If not, when it warrants more blood tests for cortisol later in the day. But it can also be oestrogen related (I'm on HRT but that's still less oestrogen than pre menopause). My thinking is: if you feel this condition is completely new and baffling to you, then you have a better case for looking into why it's happening. In my case, I think I have had inklings of having had this for a long time, getting worse in waves rather than in a linear way. That makes me think there probably isn't anything other than diet I can do about it. Oh and the gut? I do think the gut biome must have something to do with it! I am about to see a functional medicine dietitian who specialises in reactive hypoglycaemia, recommended by my endocrinologist, and would be very surprised if she didn't have something to say about the gut, especially as I have IBS and can't do gluten or cow's milk, and I am sadly not very good at digesting beans and lentils either.. meaning I eat far too much meat and fish for my liking!

Have you been tested for Coeliac disease, given you cannot tolerate gluten, you are lactose intolerant and you suffer with IBS?
I have Coeliac with all those add on symptoms plus a few more. I think it’s worth checking out if you haven’t done so already.