Hypoglycemia issues

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03-12-2023, 05:15 PM
muted reborn

Hypoglycemia issues

Ive probably suffered from low blood sugar on and off my whole life and just realized it, and it's been particularly bad the last few years. It explains why I've been mentally a bit foggy for years and most days I can't formulate sentences as quick as I used to. And it explains the bonking after/during skiing, the more frequent arrhythmic heart incidents recently (which my dad has had all his life too so i thought when it acted up it was 'normal' for me) and much more.

I had a standard blood test Wednesday, a day I didn't feel light headed or out of it. My glucose was 48 mg/dL and the doctor just left online notes as "Your low glucose may be from fasting" which is not true. So my gut says this is not a one time thing for me. With a little bit of online research I can clearly see what I need to start doing more and what i need to stop doing and I'd imagine I'll be in a better place soon. Maybe?

But online searching just comes up with endless click bait websites just listing cause/symptoms, anyone here have any personal ancedotes of dealing with Hypoglycemia and what to expect as I become hyperaware of what's coming in/out of my body and how I'm feeling every day?
03-12-2023, 10:38 PM
old goat

Quote:

Originally Posted by muted reborn

Ive probably suffered from low blood sugar on and off my whole life and just realized it, and it's been particularly bad the last few years. It explains why I've been mentally a bit foggy for years and most days I can't formulate sentences as quick as I used to. And it explains the bonking after/during skiing, the more frequent arrhythmic heart incidents recently (which my dad has had all his life too so i thought when it acted up it was 'normal' for me) and much more.

I had a standard blood test Wednesday, a day I didn't feel light headed or out of it. My glucose was 48 mg/dL and the doctor just left online notes as "Your low glucose may be from fasting" which is not true. So my gut says this is not a one time thing for me. With a little bit of online research I can clearly see what I need to start doing more and what i need to stop doing and I'd imagine I'll be in a better place soon. Maybe?

But online searching just comes up with endless click bait websites just listing cause/symptoms, anyone here have any personal ancedotes of dealing with Hypoglycemia and what to expect as I become hyperaware of what's coming in/out of my body and how I'm feeling every day?

Forget the personal anecdotes and TGR consultations. 48 is too low for a FBS. See an endocrinologist. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
03-13-2023, 04:12 PM
muted reborn

Will do, Doc. Thanks.
03-14-2023, 12:03 AM
old goat

You're welcome. And if the endocrinologist says 48 is fine and you have nothing to worry about, I don't want to hear about. (But I hope it's fine and you have nothing to worry about.)
03-14-2023, 05:46 AM
billyk

Get a test kit and strips from Walmart, and check yourself daily, or even multiple times per day for a day or two, to see how levels vary depending on what kind of crap you just ate. The Walmart kits are pretty cheap and decently accurate. May encourage changes to your eating habits.

Also, get an a1c test done. Its a more stable long term measure of you blood sugar levels that doesn’t vary as wildly.
03-14-2023, 07:33 PM
Dantheman

Dude, 48 is scary low. Any lower and coma and seizure is a real possibility. See an endocrinologist right away.
03-14-2023, 07:37 PM
mcski

Ya. Follow the OGs advice and get the to the Endo stat. In the meantime, pamper yourself w sugary treats
03-14-2023, 11:44 PM
old goat

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcski

Ya. Follow the OGs advice and get the to the Endo stat. In the meantime, pamper yourself w sugary treats

I should mention that one of the causes of hypgycemia is hypergycemia. Bood sugar gets too high, pancreas overreacts and squeezes out too much insulin which causes loow blood sugar. Muted's 48 was fasting so that kind f reactive hypoglycemia seems unlikely--it's usually seen after meals.

Muted--do you drink a lot of diet soda? There is a theory--cntroversial--that artificial sweeteners stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin with no substrate to work on. Again--that woudn't explain the low FBS.
03-15-2023, 04:26 AM
billyk

See a specialist, for sure. But my point is you can’t tell much from one data point taken once a year at an annual physical, even if you did properly fast. You need more data to see what’s going on.
03-15-2023, 09:57 AM
Dantheman

Definitely get some test strips and start building a dataset, but if this were me I'd want to spend a few weeks wearing a CGM.
03-15-2023, 10:28 AM
billyk

This book may help:
https://www.amazon.com/Low-Blood-Sug.../dp/0916503046
03-15-2023, 04:38 PM
old goat

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyk

This book may help:
https://www.amazon.com/Low-Blood-Sug.../dp/0916503046

You're telling him to read a book about PMS?
03-16-2023, 03:27 PM
billyk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dantheman

Definitely get some test strips and start building a dataset, but if this were me I'd want to spend a few weeks wearing a CGM.

Yeah, I forgot they have those now. Good call.
03-16-2023, 03:43 PM
billyk

Quote:

Originally Posted by old goat

You're telling him to read a book about PMS?

It’s mostly about hypoglycemia. Not sure about the connection to PMS. This is one of the books I read some years ago when I went through this issue. I was working long hours in a high pressure job, and eating crap out of vending machines at work, drinking sodas, and gained some weight. If I remember correctly, this book talked a lot about the importance of eating complex carbs rather than sweets, bread, pasta, etc. it has quite a few recipes for low glycemic meals.

There’s a few other books out there that explain the “hypoglycemic roller coaster” from a theoretical point of view, but don’t have all the recipes this one has.

There could also be some newer books I haven’t read. It’s been a few years since I lost all that weight and changed my eating habits (for the most part).
03-16-2023, 11:44 PM
old goat

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyk

It’s mostly about hypoglycemia. Not sure about the connection to PMS. This is one of the books I read some years ago when I went through this issue. I was working long hours in a high pressure job, and eating crap out of vending machines at work, drinking sodas, and gained some weight. If I remember correctly, this book talked a lot about the importance of eating complex carbs rather than sweets, bread, pasta, etc. it has quite a few recipes for low glycemic meals.

There’s a few other books out there that explain the “hypoglycemic roller coaster” from a theoretical point of view, but don’t have all the recipes this one has.

There could also be some newer books I haven’t read. It’s been a few years since I lost all that weight and changed my eating habits (for the most part).

Yeah, I got that the book was about hypoglycemia--the PMS connection just seemed odd. And complex carbs rather than simple is good advice. I might try it one day.