Hypoglycemia Forum - Hello. This Is a Great Forum!

Hello. This is a great forum! I’ve been reading many of the posts over the past few days and have come to make a resolution to change my eating habits. Somehow it seems easier to go through with it if i’ve actually told someone else I would do it (i think it’s called guilt!) so here I am, telling everyone here. Wish me luck!

First some background: I followed the body for life plan for several months about three years ago (that was six small meals a day along with a workout plan) and it was the best i’ve felt in my adult life! It just seems harder now that I live and eat with someone else (my husband!) who does not have the same issues as me. At least he understands now – when we were first married I was always crying at the dinner table. He didn’t understand that when I said I needed to eat I meant “now”! He’s the type who can go all day without eating (although I try to tell him he shouldn’t!).

I self-diagnosed myself with hypoglycemia about a year and a half ago. Unlike some here, I have a very wonderful physician – she listened to my description of symptoms (insomnia, headaches, nightmares, shaking and lightheadedness if i’m even 15 minutes late for a meal, fatigue, nausea, etc) and what I did to make myself feel better (ate six small meals a day every two-three hours, each meal including meat and carbs). She confirmed my diagnoses without getting tested. For a while all was well but then I fell off the eating plan and started skipping breakfast (just having coffee at work), buying large subs with chips and pop for lunch and having to snack on chocolate bars or crackers before supper because supper wasn’t ready in time. I’ve also been drinking about two drinks a day (often on an empty stomach). I crave milk, potato chips, rice and pasta – generally not the chocolate or candy. I’ve recently broken down into uncontrollable tears at several restaurants when i’ve been brought something that wasn’t quite right. That is so embarrassing!

When I first looked at stan’s diet I laughed – your list of foods to avoid makes it sound like you really can’t eat anything! Even things that you include in your menu plan you also have on your avoid list – it’s very confusing. But then I found a post where you answered someone’s question “so, what can I eat?” I think you should post this first and then the list of things to avoid. It’s easier to shop with a list of what to get rather than a list of what not to get.

So, here’s my plan, such as it is:
1. Eat breakfast. One egg and berries, i’m thinking. Although I have a hard time with eggs – they generally make me feel nauseated after about one, so we’ll see. I will drink only small glasses of milk (no more pints).
2. No more coffee. I will drink water or decaffeinated tea.
3. I will take four small meals to work to eat every few hours: berries, vegetables/salad, nuts, small portions of meat.
4. I will not eat the rice/potatoes that my husband eats with supper, but rather cut my meat into two portions and have one with vegetables or salad and then the other a couple of hours later with fruit.
5. I will have maximum one drink per day (small glass of wine or beer). I know I should just quit altogether, but we make our own wine and really enjoy having it with dinner.
6. Absolutely no potato chips or other salty snacks (say I with a can of pringles on my desk).

So, what do you think? Any suggestions? My biggest problem is having the right food on hand when I need it – because when I crash it’s scary, especially if i’m working or driving.

Note: I drafted this a couple of days ago and have been successful so far in carrying out the above. I have had horrid headaches, which could be the coffee and am so tired (but that's nothing new). Having just read a post on different types of hypoglycemia, i'm not sure what kind I am. At least so far, as long as I eat something every few hours I feel better - I don't think it matters what. Although I do crave those potato chips!