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Presurgery bowel prep and hypoglycemia... I need help!

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Posted 6/18/2009 7:32 AM (GMT 0)
I don't have diabetes but I am hypoglycemic. I can't do the clear liquid diets the day before procedures and surgeries. The first time I tried it, I think I had a seizure. My daughter said I was shaking and then wouldn't wake up for a while. The second time, the doc had me do clear liquids after 2:00 pm. I walked into the hospital for my surgery with all the symptoms of hypoglycemia and my blood sugar was 42. After a bowel resection, they had to change me from the usual 5% Dextrose to 10% after two days to keep my blood sugar normal.

I was able to use Nutra-prep for my next 6 procedures and surgeries. It's a box of low residue food you can safely eat before procedures. My problem is that they don't make it anymore and I need to have another abdominal surgery next month. The doc wants me to do a bowel prep the day before but I can't. He wanted to get me admitted the day before so I could be monitored and get an IV if necessary but my insurance company won't go for it. They only allow that (sometimes) if you are diabetic. I'm not diabetic.

Other than when I have to do a liquid diet, I don't have any problems. As long as I eat every few hours, keep away from junk food, and exercise, my blood sugar stays in the normal range, neither too high or too low.

Does anyone have any suggestions?
Posted 6/18/2009 8:13 AM (GMT 0)
Wow and I thought I had it tough as a type 1 and having to do bowel surgerys and the prep.
Can you give us a little more info.
What meds are you taking now?
Why is the resection needed?
Will the docs let you eat glucose tabs before surgery?
I can't tell you what to do but maybe I can come up with some questions to ask the docs about.
AL
Posted 6/18/2009 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
Dagger, you absolutely need to talk to your doctor about these concerns.  They must have had patients before with such health issues.  Before I had a routine colonoscopy, the instructions said that patients could drink a can of liquid nutrient - I think it was Glucerna but I'm not sure if that is the correct name.  In any case, it was a commercial brand you can buy in any supermarket.  Please call your doctor's office and discuss this with them.

Posted 6/18/2009 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the suggestions, here is a little more info:

This has been an ongoing problem. Before I discovered the Nutra-prep, I went to 3 GI's and all refused to do a colonoscopy if I wouldn't do their prep EXACTLY as they required. It took me a year to find a solution (Nutra-prep) and a GI that would go along with it. It turned out that I had a tumor in my intestine and the year long search for a doc let it grow large enough that I needed the resection instead of just having the tumor removed.

I now need surgery to repair an abdominal hernia and remove the endometriosis and adhesions that are threatening my bladder function and are causing me a lot of pain. Since they don't know if my colon is adhered to anything, they want me really empty. Plus, you should be empty whenever they go into your abdomen because if they accidentally nick anything, it could kill you.

Glucose tabs don't help me because I am sensitive to sugars and carbohydrates. I can't have jello, popsicles, gatorade, juice and any other sweet clear liquid. My blood sugar goes to normal levels then drops even lower a while after I have sugar or simple carbs alone. Chicken broth alone doesn't work for more than about 7 hours if I'm really lucky. I've tried the canned liquid stuff but they don't want you to take the high fiber or high protein ones. I've consulted with nutritionists, surgeons, and GI's in two states and haven't found an answer.

My surgeon, and the 6 others I've consulted, don't have a clue. Even after I tell them that sucking on hard candy and drinking juice all day doesn't work for me, they seem to think I'm making it up. The Nutra-prep food was the perfect solution and I found that on my own. We will come up with some compromise because I have to have the surgery. My surgeon is very concerned and has been asking his colleagues for help but everyone seems to think drinking sugary drinks all day should keep my blood sugar up rather than cause it to drop. I've tried drinking a little something every hour just to keep from crashing but I eventually have to sleep and then I crash. I'm just very frustrated right now.

I really appreciate any suggestions, this has been going on for twenty years. Doctors try to treat my hypoglycemia like they would a diabetic's but I don't think mine works that way. I know many people with hypoglycemia like mine eventually become diabetic so my PCP checks my A1C about once a year and regularly checks my blood sugar in the office. He doesn't make me take glucose torture tests anymore because they make me low and freak out in the lab.

Again, thanks for any advice.

Dagger
Posted 6/18/2009 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
I hope someone can jump in here with suggestions because this is over my head.  I'm sorry! It is true that many people who experience hypoglycemia when they're younger may become diabetics later in life, so this condition needs to be watched.  The pancreas misfires for some reason.  Good luck with this, Dagger.  And let us know if you find answers to this and how the procedure goes.

Posted 6/18/2009 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
I think I found NutraPrep online for you. Try this link:

NutraPrep

Hope this helps.
Posted 6/19/2009 2:34 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the link but the company was taken over by another company and they no longer produce the product. I've asked why they still advertise it and they claim they just haven't updated their website. It seems like they are a big company so you'd think they'd keep the website up to date.
Posted 6/21/2009 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
The only other thing I might suggest is to try juicing some veggies and fruits for nutrition during the bowel cleanse. The juice is very low residue... Wish I could do more.
Posted 6/22/2009 11:14 AM (GMT 0)

Dagger said...
I don't have diabetes but I am hypoglycemic. I can't do the clear liquid diets the day before procedures and surgeries. The first time I tried it, I think I had a seizure. My daughter said I was shaking and then wouldn't wake up for a while. The second time, the doc had me do clear liquids after 2:00 pm. I walked into the hospital for my surgery with all the symptoms of hypoglycemia and my blood sugar was 42. After a bowel resection, they had to change me from the usual 5% Dextrose to 10% after two days to keep my blood sugar normal.

I was able to use Nutra-prep for my next 6 procedures and surgeries. It's a box of low residue food you can safely eat before procedures. My problem is that they don't make it anymore and I need to have another abdominal surgery next month. The doc wants me to do a bowel prep the day before but I can't. He wanted to get me admitted the day before so I could be monitored and get an IV if necessary but my insurance company won't go for it. They only allow that (sometimes) if you are diabetic. I'm not diabetic.

Other than when I have to do a liquid diet, I don't have any problems. As long as I eat every few hours, keep away from junk food, and exercise, my blood sugar stays in the normal range, neither too high or too low.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

From HARA: You might want to get with your doctor and get a test for Diabetes. That way the insurance company won't get all pissy.

Posted 6/23/2009 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hara,
My doc checked my blood sugar just a few days ago in the office and it was normal. I had blood drawn for a pre-preop test and he was checking my A1C etc. but everything will probably remain normal. Thanks for the suggestion though.
Posted 6/23/2009 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
Well, that's good news about the lab tests.  Good luck with the procedure!

Posted 7/13/2009 5:37 AM (GMT 0)
Is this similar to your discontinued product?  I'm having trouble figuring out exactly what it was.  This stuff can be taken orally or go in an IV.

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod374079&CATid=100672&skuid=sku374080&V=G&ec=frgl_610813&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku374080

Posted 7/13/2009 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Dagger (and others),

This is my first time on the diabetes forum, I've been on the Lyme one only.

I seem to have what you have.  One doc called it pre-diabetes / syndrome x?  Pain when I don't eat? 

I don't have a direct answer to your question, I'm sorry.  But maybe you can put more pieces together from my story.

That doc wanted me on glucophage 1500mg.  I was falling asleep while driving though so I lowered it to 500mg.  Now I'm taking just supplements (glysen and protoglysen, Apex Energetics).  The doctor and his office never called me back.  I am still looking for an endo.

I think infection pushed me towards the place I'm at now (had what I THOUGHT were adrenal crises where I became suddenly dehydrated and unable to move), but now I'm thinking it might have been 'hyperglycemic hyperosmolar crises'.

Now I don't have the 'crises', but I have nighttime (brink of sleep) partch that keeps me awake.  I also cannot take anything anticholinergic, water sapping, etc.  Taking benedryl will likely make me end up in the hospital.  I'm taking medium chain triglycerides and other supplementation like crazy amounts of EPA/DHA in the nighttime helps.  Hey, I think that what would be interesting is for both of us to have our fatty acid and amino acid levels checked after a fast.  I know it is hard to do that but I have a hunch that we would have radical differences in levels from when our stomachs are empty and full.  Or early AM (after sleep) and mid-day.

I got deathly ill when I did a colonoscopy prep (the liquid drink).  I took the pills another time and had moderate issues (didn't need to go to the ER).

Those attacks I think aren't happening anymore (not that I've had another colonoscopy, but in general).

I do have an endoscopy scheduled for Thurs and I have to not eat for 6 hours, appt is at noon.  Stinks.  I too, feel pain when I don't eat every two hours.  I think it is because of this HHS syndrome-I lose fatty acids QUICKLY and have gut pain and feel just awful.  Rare to have it without having diabetes, from what I read.

Ok hope this helps.

 

Posted 7/14/2009 7:42 AM (GMT 0)
Lyonene - Nutra-prep is actually food. You get protein shakes, chicken soup, protein bars, applesauce and a snack. You have enough food to eat every few hours. It allows you to eat food instead of just drinking clear liquids.

Tallison - I don't get gut pain, my blood sugar actually drops to sometimes dangerously low levels.

My pre-op appointment is this week so I'll see if the surgeon's office came up with anything. Past experience with others is that they've done nothing and will be annoyed that I am such a problem.

I have a bet with my husband that they tell me to eat jello and popsicles every few hours. I really hope I lose the bet. Oh well.
Posted 7/24/2009 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
Dagger & tallison, I feel for you both! Dagger I am scared to have anything done because my majic # is every 2 hrs For the last 6wks. Some nights I can make it from 12pm-6am but I am mean & nasty! I had a spell when I was16 & then it went away till my mid 20's, I was never taught what to do, just told not to worry about it. I'm now 41 & for the past several yrs it has been living hell. I have not been able to work for 6wks & I am losing weight I look like I just got out of war camp. I do go back to endo in 3 wks, He said if I was no better he would put me on med to stable my sugar. The problem is I feel so bad I wonder if I have another 3wks in me!
Posted 7/25/2009 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
My surgery is coming up really soon and the only solutions offered by my surgeon is to cancel the surgery, drink something with sugar in it constantly until midnight, or pay around $900.00 out of pocket to go in the hospital the day before surgery. I knew this would happen. He's a great surgeon but, like everyone else, he can't help.

During my pre-op appointment, the nurse at the hospital told me to go to the emergency room if my sugar gets too low. She warned me that if I do that, there is a good chance they'll cancel the surgery.

This is NOT going to be fun. The prep scares me a lot more than the surgery.
Posted 7/25/2009 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
What time is the first surgery of the day and have you been given that slot?
Posted 7/26/2009 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
I always insist on the first slot. I had to wait an extra 3 weeks for this surgery so I could get in first. The surgery is at 7:30 and I have to be there at 5:30 am. The worst part is that I have to do 2 Fleet enemas at 3:00 am and I doubt I'll be going back to sleep.
Posted 12/6/2013 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Dagger,
I know your post is 5 years old but I have the same problem with my hypogylcemia and cannot prep for one. I am 62 years old and have never had one. The one time I tried prepping was 10 years ago and I woke up the morning of and passed out in the bathroom hitting my head on the tub. Did you ever find a solution?
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