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Anyone battle with low blood sugar?

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Posted 10/25/2007 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
I think I brought this up a few years ago. I can't remember, but I'm having a heck of a time keeping my blood sugar at a normal level.  I don't have true hypoglycemia, so I'm told.  I don't have diabetes either.  I'm just super sensitive to any fluctuations in my sugars....

 

So I'm at the point now where I'm eating protein and complex carbs every 2 hours.  It's insane and I'm getting fat.  It's controlling my life and I'm so sick of it. It's gotten really bad this last couple of weeks.  I eat protein with every meal and I'm still having these issues.  I saw a dietitian on Monday and she looked at my meal plan and said it all looked great.  Just try adding a couple more protein rich snacks into it.  I'm doing that and it's not working..... mad

 

Could this be a lupus thing?  I'm even on 10mg of prednisone which should be raising my blood sugar.  The funny thing is that I test my glucose with a glucose monitor when I'm feeling the symptoms, and the number is almost always at normal, or just barely below.  Nothing severely out of wack. 

 

It also makes me wonder if it's anxiety I'm feeling and not a low blood sugar problem.  Although, when I do eat the symptoms go away and I'm fine - but only for a while and then I'm back to square one again.

 

Any ideas? 

 

Thanks!

Ginny

Posted 10/25/2007 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
I have problems with this and have since I was a teen. Have you been tested for insulin resisitance? My problems stem from that, which it took an endocrinologist to figure it out.....it goes along with PCOS. My glucose results are usually normal too, but I defiinitely have dips that cause shaking, cold sweat, fainting feeling, etc.

For me, the key to keeping things in balance is breakfast....if I don't eat high protein for breakfast (cereal, breads, etc. are out) I'm battling my blood sugar all day. You might want to look into the Insulin Resistance Diet even if you don't check out for it. I stick pretty close to it and do really well.
Posted 10/26/2007 1:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jeannie,

 

Thank you for your message.  I don't think I've been checked for insulin resistance.  When I did a fasting test at my endo's office, I stayed there until I started getting the symptoms!  Took a few hours. Then they tested my glucose with a monitor and it was normal.  SO frustrating.  I had a hard day today, and I've been battling the "downs".  I'm allergic to eggs and dairy, so cheese is out.  Both high in protein.  So I do what I can in the mornings with beef sausages, whole grain cereals, toast, etc.  I usually have a monster sized lunch which helps me get through most of the afternoon.  I just hate how this controls my life.  I live from one meal to the next.  I did try the Glucerna granola bars, for diabetics.  They seem to work okay.

 

Oh man. Something just tweeked.  You mentioned that your insulin resistance goes along with your PCOS?  Well, I had an ultrasound done this past summer of my abdomen. They found small cysts on my ovaries.  The docs weren't concerned about them at all..... Hmmmmm.  I wonder.

 

In the meantime I'll check out the insulin resistant diet.  Thanks for telling me about it!

 

ginny

Posted 10/26/2007 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
MOst docs won't be concerned about the cysts unless you turn into a squeaky wheel. skull
I take Ho Shou Wu for pain and insulin. I bought a tincture bottle full and take two of dropperfuls a couple of times a day. :-)
Posted 10/28/2007 5:27 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Ginny,

I was just wondering how you are doing. I know you had problems with low blood sugar before. Did it go away for a while and then return? I wish I could help you out but I don't know much about it, other than what you are already doing. I hope you find some answers and I can understand your frustration. Hang in there and keep us updated.

Sandy

Posted 10/28/2007 6:26 AM (GMT 0)
Ginny--
You sound like me. I'm very sensitive to slight fluctuations in my sugar, I go low and high, and I'm most comfortable at right around 100. I have prediabetes (metabolic syndrome x or fatty liver disease) and that caused me to become very obese. You need to have your liver enzymes checked, and if they are elevated, they should give you an ultrasound of your liver to check for fat or other problems. Also, you need to have your blood insulin level tested, it is the only way to check for hyperinsulineamia (low blood sugar) and a glucose tolerance test to see how high you spike. High blood sugar can make you feel the same as low blood sugar and vice versa. It's not real clear. These tests are critical, espeically with your weight gain. They also need to test your TPOs (antithyroid antibodies) even if your thyroid level tests are normal to see if you have hashimotos. You can be "euthyroid", which mean s you have a normal thyroid level (TSH) and be very sick and have your body and thryroid get completely destroyed by hashimotos. Your endocrine system compensates and a good endocrinologist knows that the antibodies matter more than the TSH in this case. Your weight gain and abnormalties in blood sugar can come from your thyroid. It probably isn't related to your diet, just a change in your body that causes your liver to store fat rather than to burn it, called fatty liver and it is part of diabetes and metabolic disorder, it is all the same thing and it often occurs with hashimotos and othe endocrine disorders. If your weight is around your belly and more on the uppoer part of your body, then liver is a good guess. I would try to get some of these diagnostic tests done to find the cause of your weight gain before you get like me because even when they treat you it is so hard to get your liver to burn it. I take glucophage for my fatty liver NOT for my diabetes, but it gets the sugar out of my liver, lowers my superhigh insulin level and prevents swings either way in my sugar (low or high) and keeps it dead at 100. Take care and let us know what happens.
Posted 10/28/2007 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Marji,

 

Thank you for all that good information.  You gals are doing some great brainstorming!  I have had all of those tests run already, the endocrine ones.  My liver enzymes are all normal, thyroid normal, everything is normal.  It's sooooo frustrating. I am mildly overweight, about 15 lbs. But not bad at all.  My weight does lie in my mid section. I've been told that I'm just one of those people who are very sensitive to little fluctuations in sugar levels.  Well, if I'm THIS sensitive, then something is wrong because this isn't normal! LOL!  I had a better day yesterday and a good morning so far today.  I did drop my prednisone 1.5mg two days ago, and that's when I started noticing an improvement.  I went from 10mg down to 8.5mg.  We'll see how the next few days go on this new dose.  Pred can mimick a lot of our problems too.  What a gong show!

 

I'll keep your suggestions on the "front burner" Marji.  I know that I do need to lose a little weight, and it's all around my middle.  So that does need to be addressed for sure.  Thanks for the reminder about all that.

 

Blessings,

Ginny

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