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Symptoms due to going from high sugars to much lower sugars quickly

Laurieluv

Member
Messages
24
Location
United States
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello All!

I am recently diagnosed and still learning quite a bit. I was wondering if anyone had experienced symptoms when going from pretty high sugars to almost normal range sugars in a week. I feel like my body is going through the ringer at the moment.
 
You can get 'the wobblies' or false hypos, when your brain has a bit of a tantrum at being denied the lovely sugary bath it has become used to, but there is also 'carb flu' which feels worse. I think the former is more easily dealt with, a drink and a tiny amount of carb will usually reassure, but the 'flu' is more likely an imbalance of electrolytes, so such things as bone broth are advised - though I'd also try a multi vitamin and mineral for a few days.
 
It does also depend how high you have been and for how long. If any damage was done.

It can be tough for a few days, weeks, months or in same cases year or more while your body gets used to normal sugar levels and repairs damage.

Also, it depends if your sugars are low because you have changed your diet or because your now on meds, i had a rough few weeks but much of that was because my body was craving sugar and carbs that i had cut out.

In any case, its worth it - need to fight through it and get it in check for the long term - if you can expand a little bit on where you have been, what you are now and what you have changed it might help with advise as it could be many different factors
 
I went from 122 to 35 in 4 months. I was thrilled to bits, however, I learned that dropping that first can cause damage to the kidneys. I dodged a bullet but would recommend a slower drop
 
Hi,

Think of it like a steady "decompression" with the BGs. (Which could cause issue with the eyes doing a "short sharp shock?)

A bit like alcohol. The tolerance levels can build up? Going pretty much "cold turkey" can have it's symptoms & risks too.
 
When I went low carb it meant giving up bananas which means I reduced my Potassium Now coupled with the flushing out of Sodium, potassium etc with the excess fluid (carbs make the body retain water) this put me in danger of 'Keto Flu'.

Fortunately I was still getting plenty of magnesium, so I just bought some 'lo Salt' ,which is 2/3rds potassium Chloride and only 1/3rd Sodium Chloride, and started adding that quite liberally to my food.
 
Hi LaurieLuv, my BG plummeted rapidly too (within a week). I still have blurry vision problems and have gone from no glasses to distance and close up.
I am on a low carb diet. I had constipation for weeks and generally felt not good.
I am 4 weeks in and feeling good now at last. Good luck to you, I hope you are feeling better soon. X
 
I had all sorts of weird things as I went low carb, mostly only one at a time over a few weeks
Fluey feeling
Blurry eyes
Skin crawling
Skin drying
Headache
Migraine
Sweats
Dizzyness
Palpitations
But I would do it all again. I feel so much better now now my sugars are lower. Its worth it. Stick with it
 
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I had no real symptoms that I noticed at diagnosis. Dropped into the normal range rapidly with LCHF diet. Had blurry vision the first week or so, but that cleared up. About 6 weeks in, I started having trouble with my feet. They would get a burning type pain, especially after walking a lot. It's been well over a year now, and unfortunately that is still with me though it seems to be slowly improving. I have good days and bad, but more good days lately.

On the positive side, I had been on Prilosec for about a decade to control acid indigestion. Once I changed my diet, I was able to quit taking those pills. Rarely get indigestion since the diet change. Also lost 30 pounds.
 
I decided to go keto (up to 20g carbs a day) a couple of weeks ago. I had read about the keto flu and what changes my body would possibly go through, It definitely helps to listen to your body's response on lowering the blood sugars rapidly and knowing that you can do something to help with the jitters. I didn't have a bad case of the flu because I made sure I seasoned my food with plenty of sea salt and drank a cup of broth with my lunch. I don't know if it mattered but I drank plenty of water throughout the day too.
I have lots of energy and I am not grazing all day long anymore. Just seeing what a difference it makes to me personally, I don't want to go back to eating the way I used to.
 

Feeling any better?
 
Hi Caprock!

I am still having odd symptoms. I’m noticing I get the tingles after I eat. I have seen my Doctors and no one seems very concerned. It’s just a lot of change in such a small amount of time and I guess my body is still adjusting. Thanks for following up!
 


Thank you for your response! It’s all so new and kind of scary. So many different systems interact with one another so it’s hard to pinpoint the different symptoms. I have seen the Endocrine and my primary care doctor. I am seeing GI doctor on Monday to check on liver since CT showed fatty liver. I really want to grab the reigns regarding my health. I’ve been eating a low carb diet with lots of veggies and lean protein. Trying to get more of the healthy fats in there with olive oil, avocado, and nuts.
 


Yes, I have many similar symptoms. It’s all a bit scary. Glad your symptoms got sorted.
 


I’m sorry you’re still dealing with your feet. That is one of my biggest concerns now. I feel like a stranger in my own body. To be fair I have seen major improvements in my labs and my BP is back within normal range. I just want to feel like me again, only healthier. Lol
 
It will happen
The funny effects wear off pretty quickly, or they did for me. I kept telling myself it was just my body creaking back to working properly
 
I get blurry vision when I make quick changes in either direction with my blood glucose. It takes a few weeks to settle out and I need to use reading glasses for all close work while I'm waiting for it to resolve.
 
I was 6 times normal when diagnosed, still ag 3 times normal when I left the hospital.

the first time I got to normal range, I was sweating and pretty shaky. Got used to it quickly though. Doc was surprised when I showed up at one week in normal range for sugars that I could tolerate them.

Fist times I went low was the same. After I got into ketosis, I get no low symptoms at all even when very low, which I occasionally do at night. We don’t know why and without the continuous glucose monitor. I never would have known.

makes me wonder though in the years of high insulin before diagnosis I would occasionally wake up felling horrible and drenched in sweat. I recognize it now as the same as hypoglycemic.

Your reaction is very common, probably even have to say normal.
 
@rosemaree Thanks for your response! That is exactly what I am dealing with right now! I am feeling somewhat better, it has only been 4 weeks since diagnosis to today. My sugars were on average 298. I am now in the 90-140 range depending on fasting or post meal. I am having tingles and burning sensation, along with stomach cramps and some bloating. Occasional heart palpitations and sometimes feeling a bit fatigued. May I ask how long until you became more stable? I also had surgery on Monday to remove an ovarian cyst.

PS. I forgot to mention that my reading vision has also somewhat suffered but has started to improve a little.
 
I had all the symptoms mentioned apart from palpitations. I figured I would either pull through or go out trying; I now know the sugar was exiting, maybe dehydration, oxilate dumping and fat adapting.

I remember attempting a 5 mile intense walk, hitting a wall at around 3, then thinking if I don't slow down I might have something bad happen - quite scarey at the time. I was ravenous, so when I got home had a whole baked seabass; clearly I wasn't fully fat adapted and probably had alot of insulin resistance.

So glad I pushed though, no complications.
 
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