Hypoglycemia Forum - a Hypoglycemic Attack With No Warning


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tinabeena

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a Hypoglycemic Attack With No Warning Posted: 04-24-06 13:08pm


I have hypoglycemia (not diabetes) and i've always been able to tell when it's coming on (except when I was first diagnosed after passing out and ending up in the er with a bs of 44) I saw a dietician and know how to eat and what to eat. I have celiac, so it makes it harder. Over the easter weekend, I was driving to the lake when it hit hard and fast! I nearly wrecked the car. I had no symptoms leading up to this. I wasn't dizzy, no sweating, no hunger... I was driving and all of a sudden the car felt like it was tipping sideways like a carnival ride. I jerked the car off of the road and slammed it into park before it was stopped. By the time I put it into park I was sweating, breathing heavy, and couldn't talk. I was out of my glucose tabs so my husband ran to the cooler to get me a lemonade and some watermelon. I couldn't even hold it. I was drooling and spilling it all down the front of me. I started to get angry and wanted to smack the can out of his hand (never had the anger before) because I felt so bad I didn't want him messing with me. I just wanted to be left alone. My head felt like it would explode and I couldn't hear. Well, I could hear, but it felt like I was inside a tin can and everything was muffled. My skin was cold and clammy when he touched me. It really scared my husband and kids. He got me to the passenger side and raced to a convenience store for some orange juice and candy. I was a mess, with food and sticky drinks all down the front of me, snot and drool down my face, puffy eyes, and my clothes were soaked. I had to go into the convenience store to go to the bathroom. (i wet my pants a little..This is new) the people were staring at me. I cried for half an hour because it scared me so bad and I was embarassed. Talk about losing all dignity! It's never come on that fast! If I had been alone in the car, I would have sat there and passed out. There wasn't even time for me to grab something out of my purse. This morning I awoke to another episode at 5am. These episodes are one week apart. I've never had it wake me up before. I've gotten up at my normal time feeling unusually drowsy and shaky, but not this. There I was laying on the kitchen floor (cold tiles feel good) slobbering down orange juice and making a mess. Now i'm really starting to get scared. I used to have about 10-15 minutes worth of warning symptoms, followed by about 15 minutes after sugar to feel better. It doesn't even matter when I eat anymore. Sometimes I can go for hours between meals with no problems,(which I hardly ever do) then there's times I can eat and have it an hour later. This only happens once or twice a month. I'm nervous to drive or go out into public for fear it will happen again. It's awful to think of the consequences, but it's equally awful to think of strangers seeing me like that. Has anyone else had this come on so fast? Is there anything I can do?

DianaJJ

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Sudden Attack Posted: 04-24-06 17:44pm


Hi, yes, i've certainly had a sudden attack. I was at the checkout line in a grocery store reading a magazine and suddenly I felt like I couldn't breathe, I was sweating, waves of dizziness, I just said to the checker i'll be back later and left immediately. I drove home (i don't know how) and ate some protein and I started feeling better in about 10-15 minutes. What did you eat earlier in the day? Was it high carb? You really need to limit carbs and especially sugar even when your having an attack to stop the rebounding effect. You need to get on a healthy hypoglycemic's diet to heal yourself and it may take a while for you to stop these attack even when you're eating correctly. Please let us know how your doing and if this helps. Dj

tinabeena

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Posted: 04-24-06 18:59pm


Thanks for replying! I'm not a big carber. I have celiac and that limits me. We hardly ever have rice, but when we do it's brown. When we do have pasta it's brown rice tinkyada. We mostly eat meat and veges and I always use tons of olive oil, extra virgin unrefined. We eats loads of eggs!! I only buy the organic free-range. We also add flax seed to smoothies and eat nuts (mostly almonds) and seeds. We hardly ever have fruit because we're not big fruit eaters. (unless it's in yogurt or a smoothy) watermelon is the only fruit we eat alone, and that's just on picnics or when we go to the lake. We drink mostly purified water or iced green tea. I use honey a little, but use stevia where I can. We have milk issues but don't seem to have a problem with yogurt. I had three eggs, scrambled with cubed ham, olive oil, and parsley. I also had a yogurt. That was two hours before the episode. I had a cup of coffee on the way. This is a normal breakfast for me and i've never had a problem before. My biggest vice is coffee. I use organic sugar that is just for my coffee and I know it's a big no-no, but i'm having a heck of a time getting off of it. I tried the stevia in the coffee, but yuck! I know for a fact that coffee wasn't an issue this morning at 5am whn I woke up dizzy and sweating. I had a great meal before I went to bed with plenty of protein and a protein snack before bedtime. I used to beable to control this, but now i'm scared.

DianaJJ

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Sudden Attack Posted: 04-24-06 20:08pm


Hi again, i know from experience sometimes you can do everything right and still have an attack. Many things effect your blood sugar levels (stress, emotions, exercise) and sometimes it's nothing you can pinpoint. It also may take days for the wrong food to effect your blood sugar. The caffeine in the coffee might have effected you days later. Your diet sounds very good but I would be careful of stevia, it's been proven to lower blood sugar and that's why it's so good for diabetics. Honey is very high on the glycemic table and so is watermelon (it's one of the highest fruits). Orange juice is full of (natural) sugar. Yogurt is good but make sure it's plain, unsweetened. I can't have any artificial sweetners and after a while you can taste the natural sweetness of the foods you eat. How long have you had hypoglycemia? How long have you been on a diet to control it? Have you seen any improvement? Dj

Stan

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Posted: 04-24-06 21:03pm


I can tell you that once you get your diet right you will slowly no longer have any symptoms. You need to get off of sugar immediately, it's making you sick and if you keep using it to "get better" you're going to get worse and worse and may end up somewhere you don't want to be. I say it all the time, but some hypoglycemics refuse to listen until they've been put into involuntary psychiatric care or are strapped down in an er. Get off the sugar immediately. The adjustment will hit you hard, but you need to do it, you need to adjust your diet before things get worse. Your body is starting to tell you that it is.

tinabeena

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Posted: 04-24-06 22:50pm


I've had the symptoms of hypo all of my life but was only diagnosed 10 years ago. I really haven't had that bad a time with it. I would start feeling shaky and I would eat and feel better. This only happened about three or four times a year and was no big deal. It wasn't scary in the least. It's just gotten worse and closer together in the past year. My other health problems have been escalating too, so I know it's all connected somehow. When I get sick, like the flu or even a simple cold, my blood pressure plummets to the 80/50 range and I get really bad abdominal, back, and leg pains accompanied with nausea and vomiting. My leg joints hurt so bad that I can't walk. They usually put me on a prednisone pack. The last time I got a sore throat and cough, my bp dropped to 79/59 and I was having trouble staying awake. My body temp fluctuates from 95.7 to 97.1. I also have psra (post-strep reactive arthritis) that flares whenever it gets a mind to. My aso titer stays high. I'm looking at all of the posts here to see where I can make changes and I sure appreciate all of the advice i've been given. I'm writing it all down!!!!

Stan

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Posted: 04-25-06 10:18am


Good, be careful you realize that when you change your diet your symptoms should get worse at first, please remember this. You need to get a hold on this, you've been doing the wrong thing for the past ten years or however long you've been using glucose tablets. If any doctor told you to do this they were totally an fool. You will find that your sugar is likely the culprit behind every ailment you have. If not, dealing with whatever is left will be much better. I had tons of problems and they're pretty much all gone now that my diet is proper.

Blueshekli

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Posted: 04-27-06 06:00am


I can tell you from personal experience that changing your diet can reverse hypoglycemia. This past winter I was eating whatever it took to prevent an attack - cookies, teaspoons of raw honey, you name it. My hypoglycemia also became much worse. I tried cutting the carbs, but felt that I couldn't do it because I had terrible symptoms immediately after a low carb meal. I guess I felt motivated because I learned that i've gained 20 lbs this winter by treating my symptoms the way I did. I found this forum and learned that i'm supposed to feel bad initially. I've only cut the carbs for less than a week and yesterday I felt pretty good! When I get hungry I feel weak and mildly depressed as opposed to insane. That's a major improvement! I encourage you to stop treating your symptoms with sugar. It will only make your problems worse in the future. Shelly

Stan

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Posted: 04-27-06 15:31pm


Great to hear you're doing better!

squashville USA

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Posted: 05-28-06 14:27pm


Im glad to read you are feeling better. Im new to the forum- in reading you post though I just thought i'd mention something- has your doctor ever tested your adrenal function? I just ask becuase your symptoms of leg pain, vomiting and blood pressure during sickness indicate that-i have had simlar symtoms with sickness moreso when I was younger..Your symptoms just reminded me usually when the adrenals are stressed- in people with addisons disease for example, they require more cortisone injections to make it through the sickness becuase of your body like that is going into shock with that disease. I know you aren't on cortisone normally but I am just wondering why it gets so severe for you despite a good diet. As the bp , leg cramps etc are all electrolyte related to potassium levels that adrenal issues go along with. I dont know much about celiacs though, I have to read more. I just have studied adrenal function moreso in time and I know they all go hand in hand with symptoms and stress on the body and hypog with that as well. Have you ever seen an endocronologist about it ? Despite a good hypo diet your cause may be more adrenal related. I have had this for the past 16 and I am still learning everyday more and more. I wish you wellness!

almomay

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Joined: 20 May 2006
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Diet Posted: 05-28-06 18:31pm


Hi all, i have read here that in the beginning when starting the hypoglycemia diet you will feel worse. What are the symptoms of this beginning phase of feeling worse? I ask because I have been on the strict hypoglycemia diet for 8 days. Right now I am not eating complex carbs at all. Before this diet, I have been for 1 year and 1 month off sugar and simple carbs. I was eating plenty of complex carbs. Now that i'm not eating any complex carbs, expecially today on my 8th day of strict diet, I feel deprived. I feel like tired of not having any complex carbs, I miss them. I don't dare try any complex carbs, because I know deep down that I am not feeling fully like myself. The blood sugar crash I had 2 1/2 weeks ago was pretty bad. I generally feel like i'm doing better, and more stable, but I feel I am still at a low blood sugar level. Can someone relate to this? Please advise. Mayra from nyc.

Stan

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Posted: 05-28-06 19:51pm


It's hard to say what "bad" symptoms you will experience. Generally, you either get new ones, the old ones are intensified, or you just feel like garbage. List your current diet so I can see it, I thought you did somewhere but I can't find it on the forum.

almomay

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almomay

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Hunger That Won't Go Away Posted: 05-28-06 21:06pm


Right now it's almost 10:00pm and I have this mild hunger that won't go away. About 30 minutes ago I had 2 t olive oil. I posted my journal above. At 10:00pm I had my bedtime snack. 2 oz tuna with olive oil, and 1 lettuce leaf. Should I ignore mild hungers? How can I prevent them? Thank you in advance, mayra from nyc.

squashville USA

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Posted: 05-29-06 05:40am


Hopefully you got off to bed well- you shouldn't ignore the pains necessarily, just understand that it takes the brain 15 mintues to get the message in your stomach you have eaten and 10 mintues for blood levels to be enrich with sugar as well enough to tell your tummy to calm down with asking for food. You will get used to it overtime and see a pattern form. When your body gets into a routine. Always remember with eating, at 6am, 10am, 12pm and 3pm your body releases cortisol, these are times it is imperative for you to have food in your belly. If not you will see symptoms and feel that hungry pain and for us-food after 9pm is cruical and bed before 11pm is necessary. Now, those times may be off an hour for some as well. Everyones body is different. (i need food every 3 hours and go 6am,9,11, 4pm and 9pm) make sure you are in bed to sleep before 11pm because after that time it will compromise your sugar balance because your body after 11pm dumps your stress hormones- if you miss this cycle your blood sugar will be thrown off and irritated the following day. Are you a calm person? If you eat a well balanced meal at 6pm for dinner, and then a snack by bedtime. You should be okay. Its more complex with your personlity your sugar response at that time- after a while you learn what activites to do and not to at certain times- like heavy mental stimulation before 11am will make your sugar need greater- after dinner, you should make it a rule no computer or mental activity as well. All of us with this are very analytical people- however its our best quality probably too- but our bodies in this state reach high basal cortisol levels- which call on insulin-thus low blood sugar results, shakiness, and mental yuck. Journal every single emotion- what you do- through out the day, its the key to unlocking your triggers and balancing eating. Having this is as complicated as a maze. However there is a balance for you out there as well. Just always remember as long as you give your body some energy, in the time in between just tell yourself this too shall pass. You must remain calm, after eating you should remain still for a while also, allow your body to absorb what it needs. Just don't do mental anything then. Remain quiet, no talking included. Hypoglycemics need to be aware of resting after eating to get maxiumum benefits. Some recommend even napping afterwards or just being calm for 10 mintues or longer after a snack or meal. If you don't mind me asking are you underweight, overweight etc? And are you taking birth control pills by any chance?

Stan

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Posted: 05-29-06 07:56am


Ahhh yes, the hunger symptom. I had this one about a month and a half ago, I think it lasted around three week maximum and slowly went away. It's very annoying. There is unfortunately nothing you can do when it happens. Try your best to ignore it, have a handful of nuts, like you did, if it gets a little too unbearable an do whatever you can to divert your attention. One day I had this so bad I was rolling on the ground crying, it was intense, and happened literally five to ten minutes after I ate a meal! I'm not sure why the body does this, but it does. Your diet looks okay aside from one thing, you don't appear to be eating small amounts of fruit throughout the day. First thing, though this may seem minor, whatever you do don't follow the hai's diet suggestion of eating fruit first when you get up, only eat it after you eat breakfast so if you are eating that strawberry first, stop doing that, eat it after you've had everything else. I suggest eating the avocado in the morning. I have a half with every breakfast because it's supposed to suppress insulin production while giving you a decent amount of sugar at the same time. You may want to try following my fruit eat rules in my diet to compliment the hai. I have a small amount of fruit with every meal before the final one, this seems to give people the best results. What they said there about eating before doing activity and going to bed before 11 is good advice, sounds like someone might be reading the maker's diet. These things do seem to help the situation, so if you can avoid it, try to avoid doing any mental activity for as long as possible up to when you go to work. If you don't have work, stretch it out until around 10am at the most. You can try qigong if you like, or some relaxing exercises, just take it easy if you have the luxury of doing so. Going to bed before 12am seems to work well for anyone. I've read that the reason has something to do with the body's natural cycles, and supposedly going to bed before 12, every hour you do is like four hours of sleep if you went to bed after 12. Try to seem if you can follow this routine and you may notice it helps.

Darkflare

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Neuroglycopenic Hypoglycimia??? Posted: 04-01-08 17:03pm


my wife i assume from what i know about Hypoglycemia has "Neuroglycopnic Hypoglycemia" and when has had it for a very long time and i was wondering what is the best thing for me to do in a situation where she has an attack for example should i do CPR or put her in the recovery position as i have no idea how to react in that situation please can someone help me out.

barrie sugar king

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sudden hypo Posted: 04-30-08 18:22pm


oh dear dear dear ive had exacly the same problems and symtomd as you people here.. its has happend to me on more than 2 occasions and even whilst driving... when i have my full hypo attack i dont feel right for a few weeks does this happen to you as well.. i am self diagnosing bye the way as i have a fobia of doctors and needles/ injections but can test my own glucose it has been as low as 4 but floats around 6.5... having these attack made me agraphobic for 3 years i didnt dare go out anywere but im geting better now... now the other problem is i have a massive sugar intake i seem to eat sugar loaded stuff so as you can se im in need of a bit of help my age is 49 and im 6ft round about 16 stone.. any help will be most welcome barrie

VictoriaGB

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Posted: 05-01-08 01:25am


Hi Barrie, 4 isn't low enough to be considered hypoglycemic. This is actually an ok blood sugar, especially before a meal. And 6.5 is a perfectly fine blood sugar reading. If you are getting severe attacks, please don't self diagnose, go and see a doctor. This may not be hypoglycemia, the same symptoms can be common to quite a few conditions - you need find the real cause. Cut out the sugar anyway, it's not good for you. Then go and see a doctor.

barrie sugar king

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Posted: 05-01-08 18:54pm


i should go to the doc`s really but my symtoms are a mirror image of all yours and ive seen it in people round me barrie