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Feels like a hypoglycemic attack but no diabetes or low blood sugar.

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
Sorry if this has already been discussed elsewhere. I keep getting these episodes where I feel like all the energy has quickly run out of my legs and I need to sit down, like now, I feel really ill and my body craves something sugary, I'm usually okay if I sit down for an hour and eat something with sugar in.
Today I'd just made a small piece of steak with vegetables for my lunch, at the same time as it was ready I felt this come on, I finished my meal but didn't feel right so made some toast and marmalade and started to feel a little better.
I think someone has posted about this before, is it linked to metabolism? I have been pottering about all morning, nothing major of course but up and down. I have to take the dog to the vet with hubby so am still sitting - but very fed up - will I make it into the surgery? drat this illness. Grateful for any input.

Of course I know its probably because I'm de-conditioned :rolleyes:
 
Messages
36
Location
NY, USA
I'm not sure if this helps, but I have low blood sugar and it seems quite different than what you're explaining: I don't feel ill so much as extremely tired all of a sudden, I may sweat lightly, and it does not affect a specific area such as the legs- more so it feels like it's my head and brain that get tired. Eating white bread relieves all symptoms in minutes.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Sorry if this has already been discussed elsewhere. I keep getting these episodes where I feel like all the energy has quickly run out of my legs and I need to sit down, like now, I feel really ill and my body craves something sugary, I'm usually okay if I sit down for an hour and eat something with sugar in.
Today I'd just made a small piece of steak with vegetables for my lunch, at the same time as it was ready I felt this come on, I finished my meal but didn't feel right so made some toast and marmalade and started to feel a little better.
I think someone has posted about this before, is it linked to metabolism? I have been pottering about all morning, nothing major of course but up and down. I have to take the dog to the vet with hubby so am still sitting - but very fed up - will I make it into the surgery? drat this illness. Grateful for any input.

Of course I know its probably because I'm de-conditioned :rolleyes:

Also, when you say "no low blood sugar," how was it tested?

I always had normal, morning, fasting blood sugar (when they usually test it) but with a 3 hour glucose tolerance test, my blood sugar dropped to 40!

Sushi
 
Messages
15,786
My blood sugar is quite normal in labs, but got low if I went too long without eating. My fiance has diabetes so I was able to check it at home when it happened. In my case I just had to make sure to eat something when I got that starving feeling, even when I knew I shouldn't be hungry yet.

I seem to have had less trouble with that symptom since I started Strattera. I just do fine eating three meals per day now, even if I'm only eating carbs, etc, which used to be a big no-no.
 

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
Sushi I did take a sample a while ago when this happened and my sugar level was within normal range. probably worth doing it again though as things do change don't they?, my friend has diabetes so I will ask her if I can borrow her kit for a few days. Just weird really how it comes on so suddenly.
Haven't had a glucose tolerance test, I think that would be pushing it with the UK docs:(

collegeusername - yes yours does seem to be a totally low blood sugar thing, if it is relieved by white bread (converts to sugar quickly)I get more shaky than sweating:(

Valentijn - I don't bother with low carb/no carb I just eat what I want within the limitations of my gluten/casein/sugar free diet. I too don't do well without carbs. I ate really healthily yesterday - grilled meat and vegetables and salad. God knows what would happen if I ate junk food - I'd probably be dead:eek:
handy for you to have the kit on hand - jealous - just a help isn't it without wondering.....
 

xchocoholic

Senior Member
Messages
2,947
Location
Florida
Imho, if eating something sweet solves the problem, its a low blood glucose problem. I do the same thing. It really doesn't matter where you feel it. Sugar or oj followed by a bite of protein work best for me. Actually a bit of caffeine with the sugar, black coffee + sugar, helps more than just sugar but I avoid coffee because I get the shakes.

A GTT + insulin showed that my blood glucose gets slightly low by the end of the test but my insulin was way too high during the test. I was dx with hyperinsulinemia.

If laying down solved the problem, I'd say it was most likely from orthostatic intolerance. Since I have both hypoglycemia and OI, laying down after eating something sweet works for this most of the time.

tc ... x
 

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
Thanks x - yes coffee gives me the shakes as well, the oj sounds easier than toast etc. I never thought of that and its quicker. Its such a bind in addition to the general problems we have day to day with energy - or none as the case may be for me. Have to see a g/enterologist this week as well as a neurologist so I'll probably leave asking the doc to take it further for now. The tests you had sound like they were able to identify something which is all we want really, WTH is it? I sound like a hypochondriac don't I?

For those wondering the dog has wax in her ears not an infection and the vet charged me £20 for 5 minutes and a squirt of ear cleanser (the dog's ear that it)
 

SilverbladeTE

Senior Member
Messages
3,043
Location
Somewhere near Glasgow, Scotland
I know that when I take a lot of sugary stuff I feel worse, it's somewhat like low blood sugar but on testing, blood sugar is fine, I feel bit better when sticking to meat/fruit but alas that's not practical (money issues and simply nto well enough to cook meals part from on good days, and cannot stomach most vegetables)

very odd, could there be low blood sugar in the BRAIN, but not elsewhere? (brain has it's own insulin production by th e way though it's quite small)
or some peculiar reaction?

I cna only equate to the "trigger" time that caused my ME, I had low blood sugar for about 2 weeks, was ghaslty. thank God, so far *touch wood* I'm not diabetic.
no idea if caused by/related to directly, the poisonous damproofing and flu bug that hit me though I'd assume so. that whole time period is complete mush in my brain :/
 

xchocoholic

Senior Member
Messages
2,947
Location
Florida
Dr. Myhill says that most, or all ?, of her pwcs have chronic hypoglycemia.

I only need to sip about 4 oz of oj at a time to pick me up. If I'm physically active for more than 20 minutes, as in walking or doing a laundry marathon, I need to keep eating something sweet every 20 minutes to keep going. It's working .. kow ... It's keeping my head clear too.

I just started using sugar, peppermint candy canes, recently so I don't know how much it takes. I notice that I need to rest for a few minutes too if I'm feeling too weak.

The GTT + insulin was ordered by my integrative doctor. :) She has run all kinds of traditional tests that came back positive that my other GPs never ran. I have Hashimoto's too but my t3 and t4 are ok. Etc etc ...

Since I'm a disabled / barely there patient tho, I'm not sure if she suggested I follow through with an endocrinologist. All I know is that my body over produces insulin in reaction to sugar. I remember feeling horrible during the test and she told me when and why I felt so bad ... tc ... x
 

Sparrow

Senior Member
Messages
691
Location
Canada
I have low blood sugar issues too, despite testing within the normal range in most of my am fasting glucose tests. If I go too long without eating, I have all of the classic symptoms of hypoglycemia, confirmed by my doctor.

I wonder if this has to do with what the exercise physiologists have found in terms of our lowered anaerobic threshold and impaired aerobic metabolism. That would mean we'd be burning more carbs for fuel. Might need a more frequent supply than most people.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Sushi I did take a sample a while ago when this happened and my sugar level was within normal range. probably worth doing it again though as things do change don't they?, my friend has diabetes so I will ask her if I can borrow her kit for a few days. Just weird really how it comes on so suddenly.
Haven't had a glucose tolerance test, I think that would be pushing it with the UK docs:(

There is a fail-safe mechanism that kicks in to raise blood sugar if it goes too low (forget what it is!). So, by morning it has kicked in. The trick is to test just before it resets your blood sugar, so using a test kit every hour after eating could give you good information.

I seem to hit bottom about 4 hours after eating, so I try to eat more frequently. In the US you can get more or less free glucose test kits at pharmacies with enough supplies for about 10 tests. They make their money when you have to buy more test strips.

Sushi
 

Lynne B

Senior Member
Messages
126
Location
sydney, australia
Hi, Maryb, I think I always check out okay with glucose levels but as far as I'm concerned, if I'm having problems I'll act on them. I MUST eat by 8am, 12noon and about 6pm. If I know in advance that won't be possible I'll eat something earlier. Otherwise I'll get cold, my fingers will lose all their blood, I'll get the shakes or yawn continually and other unpleasant things. I always take with me water and food, even if it's just a sweet and I'll swallow both after a big effort like shopping or a seminar before I attempt to drive home. I might also drink some rice milk or eat a snack between meals if I feel the need. I think if we just act on what our bodies are telling us we're better off, no matter what tests show.

regards, Lynne
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
If I'm physically active for more than 20 minutes, as in walking or doing a laundry marathon, I need to keep eating something sweet every 20 minutes to keep going.
If I eat something with complex carbs and protein within 15 minutes of eating something sugary to bring my blood sugar back up, it will stay up without repeatedly eating sugar. Whole wheat bread and peanut butter, oatmeal cooked in milk, and cheese and wheat crackers are all things that I use.

Maybe if you ate something with sugar, complex carbs, and protein before you started you activity, your blood sugar would stay up. Toast, peanut butter, and honey and oatmeal with raisins (or any dried fruit) come to mind.

Your pancreas would probably be happier if you were not hitting it with sugar every 20 minutes.
 

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
Thanks for your replies guys, really appreciated, I do try to eat every 4 hrs- spot on Lynne - I just have gluten free toast at breakfast as its way too much effort to cook something when I get up, I then cook something for lunch and dinner with meat/ veg/ salad etc. I don't have sugar in my diet normally so therein lies the problem, I've never tried peanut butter but maybe should for the protein content? Raisins are a good idea as well thanks Little Bluestem.
I went on holiday recently and had egg whites, bacon, sausage etc for breakfast everyday, I went much longer without feeling the need to eat.
Anyone have a cheap/free morning chef??

Sushi - no freebies in the UK- stop telling us good things about the USA we'll all be packing up and coming - reckon they'd want a bunch of more ME'ers:)

Silverblade - 1lb minced beef cooked with onion should make 4 meals - 2 add jar curry sauce, 2 add can/packet of shopped tomatoes - put in freezer , just make rice and pasta or buy ready made when it too much effort.Works out at £1 a meal, I always buy curry sauce and tomatoes when on offer. But of course I can't eat curry now as it gives me the mother of a headache the next day so the rest of the family get to have it:( Sorry I know you weren't asking for advice on eating:D My family don't appreciate it either!!

x - I remember now what Dr Myhill said - she actually gave me a leaflet on it - maybe get those tests done some time in the future would be good to know, will chase you for the name of your integrative therapist.
 

xchocoholic

Senior Member
Messages
2,947
Location
Florida
If I eat something with complex carbs and protein within 15 minutes of eating something sugary to bring my blood sugar back up, it will stay up without repeatedly eating sugar. Whole wheat bread and peanut butter, oatmeal cooked in milk, and cheese and wheat crackers are all things that I use.

Maybe if you ate something with sugar, complex carbs, and protein before you started you activity, your blood sugar would stay up. Toast, peanut butter, and honey and oatmeal with raisins (or any dried fruit) come to mind.

Your pancreas would probably be happier if you were not hitting it with sugar every 20 minutes.

Thanks. I'll try eating the complex carbs after boosting my blood glucose to see
if it helps. I don't think it's going to tho. After becoming a celiac in 2005, I've needed
food / fuel at keast every 2 hours when resting to keep me going. I suspect food isn't being digested properly
anymore.

I only eat or drink something sweet every 20 minutes when I'm physically active like
walking the beach or whole foods or doing a laundry marathon or housework. I don't think my body
is converting stored nutients to glucose anymore. I forgot what that process is called.
I know my pancreas is hosed because I don't have enough elastace and I have hyperinsulinemia.

I got the idea after reading that diabetics should eat something sweet before exercising. Rats .. I forgot why
now. Lol ... Tc .. X
 
Messages
2,565
Location
US
I had a 24 hour fasting test, I don't have diabetes.

I get hypoglycemic symptoms frequently, unless I eat soon after I feel hunger starting. It's a pain because sometimes it's not convenient to eat. Most people can start to feel hunger and wait at least an hour before eating. My symptoms start hitting hard and fast. Most days I'm at home all day, so it's easier. I eat healthy most days.

A lot of people drink soda or juice through the day, so they are getting some dose all the time. I usually drink only water, so I'm not.

I think my biggest problem is the brain fog if I don't have enough carbs/sugar.

Sugar is where I falter the most. I hate to eat it much, but I definitely feel sugar helps my mental alertness, and it's hard to go for days without, because I feel bad about myself. I feel bad enough on the days when I have sugar, because I don't accomplish much. (But strangely I tried raw sugar, thinking it would be a little healthier than processed white sugar, and I seem to get bad symptoms from raw. I read that is the best way to test if you're allergic/sensitive to sugar, having it in raw form.)

Complex carbs don't help me much. I used to have some days with about 4 hours where I wasn't able to eat. I would be sure to eat two servings of oatmeal with sugar (not loaded down with sugar, but half what those sugary oatmeals are, which is still a lot) at the start of the 4 hours. I would feel full. I start feeling hungry by 2.5 hours, and start having symptoms soon after.
 
Messages
81
When I have a relapse (only once thus far, but it took me back to beginning in terms of severity even though I had a few years of stability before this), I cannot tolerate fasting well at all. It's a prominent symptom. I have to eat at regular set times. As I recover from the relapse and some of the symptoms diminish, I can tolerate fasting much better and this symptom generally resolves after a couple of months. However, even after recovering to reach stability, my ability to fast is not quite like it was before I was ill.
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
I went on holiday recently and had egg whites, bacon, sausage etc for breakfast everyday, I went much longer without feeling the need to eat.
Anyone have a cheap/free morning chef??
Your refrigerator. You can boil up a bunch of eggs some afternoon or evening. They will keep in the refrigerator for more than a week. Cooked bacon or sausage will keep a few days. If you can afford it, you could buy some of that pre-cooked bacon that you just microwave.
 

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
Thanks LittleBluestem it makes sense of course, but I have a histamine intolerance and have to make food as I need to eat it. Also don't do nitrates as a rule and have a problem getting nitrate free bacon sausages etc inthe UK. I have to order a load of stuff at a time which fills my freezer to overflowing leaving little room for day to day stuff, it gets a frown from hubby!!! I have an intolerance to eggs on testing but try to eat egg whites a couple of times a week regardless.
I feel bad most mornings and only come round to make a little toast after 1-1 1/2 hrs, usually feel like I have the worst hangover but haven't touched alcohol in 6 yrs:( Couldn't start cooking stuff but know its the only way to take protein in - have tried the parma ham cold (just cured in salt) but its so expensive, thats what I had mostly whilst on holiday. I have a casein/gluten/sugar/egg free diet - very limiting.
Soooo that leaves me where I am unfortunately.