Information About Hypoglycemia Posted: 05-15-06 19:40pm
Hey everyone. Im new here and was
wondering if anyone could provide some
information about hypoglycemia, or more
specifically, if you could try to tell me
if I possibly have it.
Lately ive been gettin shaky and it
usually happens when im hungry. When I
first noticed 3 days ago, it was really
quite bad. I was sitting down feeling
fine but as I stood up I felt very weak
and shaky on the inside (if that makes
sence. I cant remember whether I was
actually hungry then or not though, I
think I was but im not certain. Since
then, ive only noticed the shaking when im
hungry, and hasnt been as severe as the
shakyness 3 days ago.
I also get bouts of being really hot and
sweaty, even when theres no heating on.
I even wake frequently with my pajamas
damp and covered in sweat in the morning
even though no heating has been on and I
actually sleep with a cool fan on all
night.
I always seem to feel hungry and have alot
of sugar cravings. (at one point last
year I actually used to have 6-7 sugars in
tea! [i know thats bad because as a
kid, I had 3 sugars and people always used
to gasp when I told them])
also, im very easily angered and
irritable. Sometimes i'll be perfectly
happy and someone will ask me to do
something and i'll snap and yell at them
for no reason, or just be really moody.
My mum put it down to teenage hormones (im
17 you see) but im starting to wonder if
it may be something more since im like
this all day every day (literally) and it
has no cycle to it (i looked for a pattern
thinking it may be something to do with my
menstrul cycle, but I dont think it is)
ive had heart palpitations on a couple of
occations (in fact I have heart
palpitations now. Ive just had
something to eat and drink [about 5 mins
ago, a fish pie and cola if it means
anything] since I was shaky and sweaty and
the those symptoms have gone, but now I
have heart palpitations.. This is
strange, I thought heart palpitations
happened before food due to low blood
sugars? Anyone know why I have these
now, after food?)
ive also been feeling motion sick and
dizzy on quite a constant basis as of
late.
I have anxiety
i seem to lack concentration too. For
example, if im reading a short sentence,
sometimes I have to read it about 5 or 6
times because I cant seem to concentrate
long enough to stay focused on what im
doing.
Ive been getting muscle twitches (feels
like a pulse going through my muscle) and
crawling sensations on my skin.
And I have terrible sleeping problems.
I wake up at least once every night
(sometimes I wake up as many as 4 or 5
times) and feel really thirsty, so I
always keep cola by my bed.
Also, I just read the topic "difficulty
taking a deep breath" and read how someone
couldnt take a deep, satisfying breath
even though they were breathing in as
deeply as they could. I get this also,
ever since I can remember
i also get headaches quite frequently (but
baring in mind, my mum is a heavy smoker
so that may be why)
thats about all the symptoms I can
remember. I dont get all of these
symptoms all the time. Its usually just
shaking and sweating that affects me most.
Also I should point out that these
symptoms (shaking/sweating) usually
subside/stop after I eat something.
Im not sure if all of the things I listed
above are linked with hypoglycemia, ive
only read these things from various
websites so im not sure if the information
I have is correct
either way, if anyone thinks they know
whats wrong with me ide greatly appreciate
any advice/information so that I could
then visit a doctor about it (i dont want
to go until I have more information
because ive read that it can be hard for
doctors to diagnose hypoglycemia, so I
want to go there prepared with
information)
thanx :)
(sorry its such a long read)
|
Stan
Moderator
Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 1636 Location: ,
Posted: 05-15-06 20:38pm
It's really not that hard to diagnose
hypoglycemia. If you think you have it,
and those symptoms all say you do, here's
what to do. Go to the doctor, explain to
them that you notice that upon eating
certain things you seem to get shaky and
then if you eat other things these sort of
symptoms go away but you're not sure why.
Don't mention hypoglycemia at all. If
your doctor then says they're going to
test you for it, do it, if not, find
another doctor. Only if the doctor you
are seeing is aware of what hypoglycemia
is should you continue seeing them. Do
not continue if they seem unaware of it.
That's the way to test them. If you
decide to do it, post on here and i'll
give you some tips on what to do on
testing day. It's likely you have it.
Just so you know though, this isn't
certain until you've been tested. All
those symptoms can be hypoglycemia, but
they can also be other diseases as well,
if not one or more different diseases
together at the same time. If it is
hypoglycemia, the test will show it and
going on a special diet will lessen and
eventually eliminate everything you're
experiencing.
|
Raye
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 13
Posted: 05-15-06 21:12pm
:) thank you. I do plan on going to the
doctors, but shes on holiday for two weeks
(and shes the only one I trust) so it'll
have to wait for a while.
You seem well educated on this so could I
ask you what causes it? Ive heard
everything from cancer to just eating to
much sugar so im no sure whats true and
whats not.
|
Stan
Moderator
Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 1636 Location: ,
Posted: 05-16-06 08:37am
There are different types of it. First
off, I forgot to mention something, there
is one other way to know if you have it,
if you go on a hypoglycemic diet and get
better, you have it. So you can save
yourself the testing and money by just
doing that. Seeing as you have two
weeks, it might be a good idea to try it
to see what happens. About the causes.
There are five types of hypoglycemia:
1. Functional: otherwise known as the
fasting type. With this type you're just
not eating enough food and your sugar is
thus too low. A number of bodybuilders
will get this because they don't eat
enough while trying to get lean. It's
easily treated because you can eat
anything. Friend of mine has this
type.
2. Biological: rarest type, basically
you're born with it, like someone born
with diabetes. In these cases it tends
to be very, very bad as far as symptoms
are concerned and can never be "cured,"
but the individual can pretty much eat
whatever they want. The pancreas just
shoots out too much insulin for some
reason.
3. Cancerous: equally as rare. All it
is is cancerous lesions forming on the
pancreas, which cause it to seep out
insulin. To treat it all you have to do
is get them removed. The only way you
know you really have this is if, when
going on the diet, your symptoms never get
better. Though people with this type can
eat anything, nothing seems to alleviate
the symptoms.
4. Reactive (learned type): I call this
"learned" type because the body basically
learns that you're eating too many refined
carbohydrates and white sugar in various
forms. Thus, it begins to assume you're
eating it with every meal and slowly the
process of excess insulin production
begins. It can take years to surface
into full blown panic attacks, depression,
pallor, nausea and a host of other
symptoms. Usually at first the
individual will experience sleepiness and
slight moodiness, but won't be alarmed by
it. Then, typically, one day they just
wake up and everything is suddenly crazy.
It appears frequently in those
individuals who have a family history of
blood sugar disorders, usually diabetes,
but you'll always find a few here and
there who remember relatives with
hypoglycemia. This type is nasty and can
only be treated through diet but after a
strict regimen for about a year or so the
individual can begins eating "bad" foods
again in moderation. Though the symptoms
for this type tend to be the worst and you
can't eat what you want at first, it's not
that bad over time. However,
unfortunately, it is the most common form
of hypoglycemia. It tends to always pop
up around the ages of 18-25, though
symptoms are present before almost all the
time, as though the body is signalling the
presence of the tendency to get worse.
5. Reactive (biological type): the worst
type of all and thankfully the rarest.
It's the same thing as number four, except
that the individual is born with a body
already sensitive to these things which
can only get better through a constant,
strict diet throughout their entire life.
Some are able to mix in a few "bad"
things if followed up with an evened out
meal, but most are unable. Symptoms of
this will appear at a very young age and
without proper treatment the individual
can be mistaken for hyperactive, autistic
and so forth. Very dangerous type.
|
Raye
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 13
Posted: 05-16-06 12:35pm
I think I may have number 4. As I kid I
used to eat way too much sugar (3 sugars
in tea (or 6 as I got older), eating
chocolate spread straight out the jar,
always spening my money on sweats and ice
cream) so it seems most logical of them
all. My mum used to tell me "you'll go
diabetic if you dont cut down on sweets
and junk", but did I listen? Well, do
kids ever listen?
I think my grandad had diabetes too so
blood sugar probs run in our family.
The hypoglycemic diet sounds like a good
idea, ide like to try it. Could you let
me know what foods I should and shouldnt
eat on the diet?
Thanx.
|
Stan
Moderator
Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 1636 Location: ,
Posted: 05-16-06 13:51pm
Look below for my diet in the forum.
You'll find everything you need to know
there. My diet is extreme, but it should
give you good guidelines to follow.
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Raye
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 13
Posted: 05-16-06 19:23pm
Ah, I shoulda looked first. Thanks for
the advice, youve been a great help :)
