Why Do Doctors Dismiss Reactive Hypoglycemia?
February 2, 2007 by admin
Filed under Diets and Dieting, Medicine, Treatment
Whenever I contemplate the nightmarish symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia, I’m simply amazed that most mainstream doctors just don’t believe that it’s a bona fide condition. But once you begin talking with low-blood sugar sufferers, you hear many sorry stories, which reveal the extent of their very real physical and emotional agonies.
When I interviewed experts about this for my book SUGAR SHOCK!, they offered several reasons as to why these “doctors of disbelief,” as I call them, are so reluctant (if not resistant) to identify hypoglycemia. Here are some of their thoughts…
1. “We haven’t been teaching our physicians properly,” explains renowned endocrinologist Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., author In med the “Schwarzbein Principle” books. In med school, she says, would-be physicians are trained to identify diseases with known causes. So that means they learn to diagnose hypoglycemia if it’s related to an underlying health problem such as liver or kidney failure or a tumor in the pancreas.
2. Hypoglycemia isn’t a disease per se, but rather it’s a condition that you need to manage by making lifestyle and diet changes (like kicking sugar; eating small, frequent, healthy meals; and exercising). This, in my opinion, is an important distinction — doctors need to tell their patients (as mine did with me) — that each of us needs to learn on our own that we have incredible Patient Power.
3. One expert was even more blunt in his assessment as to why doctors don’t diagnose reactive hypoglycemia. “If it’s not a disease entity for which they can write a prescription, then they don’t think it exists,” James Chow, M.D., coauthor of Hypoglycemia for Dummies, told me.
4. Look, you can get an awful lot of symptoms when you have hypoglycemia so it may be too challenging for some doctors to even identify the condition. (It’s not uncommon to find people who have 10, 20, or even 40 ailments. As I reveal in Chapter 1 of SUGAR SHOCK!, I had a whopping 44 strange maladies — ALL of which went away when I kicked sugar and refined carbs. By the way, the ONLY reason I now know I was suffering from all those symptoms is because I highlighted my ailments in hypoglycemia books in 1998 after my doctor diagnosed me.)
5. The fact remains: Your symptoms are so general, and often so vague that many doctors find it tough to point to any specific virus, ailment or anything concrete. (Furthermore, as I learned while working on my book SUGAR SHOCK!, a number of doctors simply dismiss your complaints as those of a hypochondriac! Sad, isn’t it?)
6. Hypoglycemia sufferers who go to a doctor for their seemingly unrelated health woes are really presenting a syndrome or a a collection of symptoms. And, as respected endocrinologist Dr.Schwarzbein told me, “Many things can trigger those symptoms — skipping meals, eating too much sugar, overexercising or becoming very, very stressed.”
To better understand how common hypoglycemia is — and how often it is misdiagnosed — I invite you to read an excerpt from my book SUGAR SHOCK! called “Hypoglycemia — A Hidden Hell.” (It’s from Chapter 13, “It Might Not Be `All In Your Head’: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know or Believe About Hypoglycemia.”)
At this point, I encourage you to look inwards and analyze how you feel:
* Are you bewildered and besieged by panic attacks, fluctuating mood swings, unpredictable outbursts, incapacitating blues, and sobbing spells? (If so, when do these occur? What have you eaten and when?)
* [For women only] Do you experience the most severe PMS — and do you find people often asking you, “Is it that time of month again?” even when it’s not. Or if you’re going through menopause, are the symptoms just way, way too intense?
* [For men only] Do you lose the urge to get intimate with your loved one, especially soon after having a bag of chips or a big bowl of ice cream, with a soda?
* Are you engaged in a seemingly endless battle of the bulge — but somehow always seem to make room for dessert foods or quickie carbs?
* Do you feel “addicted” to chocolate, pasta, or pies? Do you identify with people who just can’t go a day without cigarettes, booze or even drugs?
Share your stories. It may be that you’re one of millions in SUGAR SHOCK!
I’d love to hear your tales. Do you suspect that you have reactive hypoglycemia? Or maybe you have pre-diabetes?
Author, SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books)
I have reactive Hypoglycemia and early Type II Diabetes which is validated by a 5 hour OGTT. Doctors seem to have a problem relying on symptoms their patients tell them and even blood monitoring results collected by the patient. They base everything on fact, and the only facts they consider is what is done by a certified laboratory and/or hospital.
In the case of checking for only Type II Diabetes there are two tests, the FPG and 2 Hour OGTT. The two tests are different.
If your blood glucose level is abnormal (between 100-125 mg/dl) following the FPG, you have impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and 126 or higher you could have Type II Diabetes. If your blood glucose level is abnormal (140-199 mg/dl at the 2 hour mark) following the OGTT, you have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and if it is over 200 mg/dl you have Type II Diabetes.
The most costly test of the two is the 2 hour OGTT test done by a local laboratory, which involves drinking 75G of glucose syrup and the blood being drawn at the beginning and at the 2 hour mark.
Now here is the problem with people in the early stages of Type II Diabetes. The patient may also have reactive hypoglycemia where the glucose level significantly drops between the 2 and 4 hour mark to a severe state of Hypoglycemia, less then 70 mg/dl and much lower with severe symptoms unless they eat something immediately after the 2 hour test, which most people do. Therefore they are diagnosed as Pre-diabetic.
When someone has test results where they are in the 140-199 mg/dl at the 2 hour mark, indicating impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and then it drops below 70 mg/dl (FPG) at the 3-4 hour mark, this person has both Reactive Hypoglycemia and Type II Diabetes. Other words they clinically have early Type II Diabetes, that can be controlled by diet, but not cured, and will get worse in time.
Well what is the problem with the doctor diagnosing the patient with both Reactive Hypoglycemia and Type II Diabetes. Simply put, insurance companies and the all mighty dollar. The only test the Endocrinoligist will rely on fro Reactive Hypoglycemia is the five hour OGTT that must be done in a hospital because it could kill a patient if he really has this condition. It requires blood to be drawn every 1/2 hour for 5 hours while the patient is monitored for all signs by a nurse. The patient has to be completely still and at rest, like in a bed. A laboratory has to keep track of each sample by date and time etc… This is costly.
My guess is if you have it, you have it, and eventually you will have only Type II Diabetes to worry about. Why spend all that money. I am forcing my doctors to react to this. Because I have had this reactive Hypoglycemia hit me several times while driving and I drove 2-3 hours past my destination for work. This is dangerous folks.
Check this site out. The following is the test that needs to be done to check someone for Hypoglycemia. It gives typical test results for folks who have normal glucose, Pre-diabetes (mild), Hyperglycemia, Hypoglycemia, and combinations of Hypoglycemia and Diabetes.
Maybe this will add to why your doctor has a problem diagnosing people correctly. It may not be just the doctor’s fault. Patient, Doctor, Laboratory, insurance companies, and maybe the FDA and US Government and it is related to dollars.
If someone is diagnosed with diabetes most insurance companies and medicare under social security pay for diabetic supplies. If you are pre-diabetic, medicare does not pay for anything. The average lifespan of someone diagnosed with diabetes is about 10 years, the pre-diabetic is longer. The government does not want you to live that long because of social security.
http://hypoglykemie.nl/gtt.htm
Bill, I am desperate. I have been sick and disabled for years, but seemingly healthy according to doctors. Lately things have gotten worse. My new internist has finally diagnosed me with reactive hypoglycemia, off the top of his head, given my symptoms. Sugar causes overwelming fatigue, but when I don’t have sugar I feel the same way. I am exhausted, anxious, weak, confused, sometimes angry, I have hot flashes and cold sweats. My legs feel like they are going to give out on me. I crave sugar constantly. When I eat it I am relieved for a short time, and then plummet through the floor. I have taken prozac on and off for years for anxiety and my new internist tells me that it makes hypoglycemia worse, so I have been off of it for a week. He ordered a round of tests to see what is going on, but he only ordered a fasting glucose, not a test where I ingest sugar and get tested repeatedly. Where should I go to get a propper diagnosis? I am finally positive that I know what is wrong with me, but I don’t think this internist has the expertise to diagnose someone with such severe hypoglycemia.
John,
I feel for you and what you’re going through. It sounds to me that you’ve just worn out your body by ingesting so much sugar. By the way, I’ve been where you are so I well understand your dilemma — sugar causes horrific symptoms but so does not having it.
But what it comes down to is this: If you are hypoglycemic, you do need to get off sugar. FYI, I feel like a totally different person now that I don’t have it. (It’s been nearly 10 years that I broke that habit, and I feel so good much of time — something I never felt in my sugar-eating days.)
Also, I would ask my doctor for a 5- or 6-hour Glucose Tolerance Test, because that could give you a better indication if you have hypogoglycemia or not. By the way, I delve into this in more detail in my book SUGAR SHOCK!
Oh, if you’re reluctant to see your current doctor, try getting another. I list groups that can refer you to doctors on my website, http://www.SugarShock.com.
Also, I invite you to check out a great group, Hypoglycemia Support Foundation (www.hypoglycemia.org). The head of the group helped me kick sugar back in 1998. (Now I see my mission to help people break free of their habit, too.)
…Bear in mind that kicking sugar cold turkey means that you’ll problably go through a short time of withdrawal symptoms, but you’re just exacerbating your problems by continuing to ingest sugar.
All the best.
Connie
http://www.SugarShockBlog.com
http://www.SugarShock.com
I have recently been diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia after a glucose tolerance test. This was after 18 months of suffering the symtoms and being treated for anxiety attacks. Recently, I found recommendations for following a low carb diet and after eight days of doing so, the symtoms are abating. They are occuring less frequently and with less intensity. For these eight days, I have not had fruit or any food high in carbohydrates and plan to add fruit and other complex carbohydrates back after another week. What is your opinion of this approach? My blood sugar levels have remained between 82 and 98 for the entire 8 days. The doc recommended peanut butter and crackers as a between meals snack which made the symtoms worse!
All through highschool I struggled to wake in the morning, ate junkfood constantly, struggled to stay fit, suffered through migrains, “shakes”, heart palpitations, insomnia, mood swing, and a general feeling of “ickiness”. No doctor would ever pay attention to any of my symptoms or take me seriously. I finallys fainted one day and a blood sugar test was done to find it at 45. I still did not know what to do as no doctor explained to me what it was or how to deal with it. During college my migrains grew so bad I was contemplating suicide. It affected my school work and my social life. I finally found a book that described in detail how I should be eating. I went 100% cold turkey on the “diet” and within days my migrains, muscle aches, and dreaded tiredness was gone. I don’t know why the doctors wouldn’t listen to me. This has prevented me from going to the doctor for other things. My life has improved so much in the last 5 years. I’m glad I found the solution for me when I was still so young.
Patricia – February 4, 2008 – 4:40 p.m.
I was diagonosed with reactive hypoglycemia about six years ago. My doctor told me to simply eat crackers. An Endrocrinologist told me I didn’t have the condition, even though my glucose level dropped to 54 during a three hour glucose test. Then he thought I probably had Celiac disease. I was tested for it by both blood work and endocsopy and it was ruled out. I’ve seen two diaticians and have learned to contol the condition. However, over the years, I have experienced palpations, racing heart and a few
short bouts of antrial fibrilliation. This has happened when I forget to eat every two hours. Doctors have not been able to tell me why this happens and I don’t know if they even believe me. My cardiologist said it could be from the adrenaline rush from the onset of the low blood sugar. I wonder if you have heard of anyone else having these particular heart problems related to hypoglycemia. It is frustating.
I am currently pregnant. I have been having issues with fatigue, dizziness, irritability, roller coaster weight, heart palpitations, and many other symptoms for the past ten years (i’m 26), increasing in intensity the past four. I’d been to doctor after doctor who told me it was all in my head. After bugging my primary doctor enough, he sent me to an endocrinologist who did a glucose three hour test. This was 3 years ago. Because I am overweight he was sure I had insulin resistance. Well, my level at two hours dropped to 65 and I was diagnosed with mild hypoglycemia, but he didn’t tell me about diet or anything to control it. SO I forgot about it.
My symptoms have continued to worsen with them being at there peak during this pregnancy. Again, my doctor told me not to worry and everything registers normal (even though the fatigue is so bad, I can’t stand up for longer than a minute at a time).
Well, I recently had the 26 week glucose screen and my level was 143 so I was scheduled for the three hour glucose. The first blood draws were within normal range, but at the three hour interval, my level dropped to 42 and I almost passed out.
I researched my levels online and found this web-site. I feel certain that this is the right diagnosis. I am worried about the effects of hypoglycemia on the baby. My doctor isn’t very helpful and everything on the internet seems to be speaking to women with gestational diabetes or type 1. I feel as though I can’t get anyone to listen to me (I haven’t been able to for years). My question is where can I find information on managing hypoglycemia in pregnancy? Are there any extra precautions I will need to take?
The information on reactive hypoglycemia is most welcome. I have known since I was a child that I had “blood-sugar problems,” and some idea of low blood sugar because of a relative by adoption who was severely diabetic who recognized my symptoms as low blood sugar. However, one errs in assuming this is ONLY linked to eating sugar or refined “garbos”–as I call them. Nor is a glucose tolerance test of ANY value for many because many react EQUALLY to proteins or MORE to proteins and to eating, NOT fasting. I sailed through GT tests, but give me a large meal high in protein and test sugar levels with a meter and you will see a brief rise in sugars and then, over a 2 to 4 hour period, a dramatic drop in sugars with occasional sharp drops, especially associated with proteins like fish or pork. There is another reason to refuse a GT test that was raised a few years ago by, if memory serves, the American Diabetes Association. If a patient is borderline diabetic, this tests forgets the “do no harm” doctrine–so often forgotten by today’s medical doctors–and can actually push the patient over into Type 2 diabetes and all that for a test that is USELESS to diagnose protein-reactive hypoglycemia. Another argument is that if this is an illness that conventional medicine can’t treat anyway, follow the diet, seek alternative treatments (far more productive than Western medicine) and save the money and possible injury to your health! But also be warned that, if ignored and bad diet continued, a multitude of immune, fibromyalgia, digestive and other issues may arise.
Tested and resulted reactive hypoglycemia. Confused as to what my diet should consist of.
To Martha Chavez and “Tested and resulted reactive hypoglycemia,” first get away from believing REMOVAL of healthful foods is necessary. (Only to an extent.) There is way too much “if it offends thee, don’t eat it” in Western medicine rather than anyone asking, “Why does it offend thee?” and “How can we fix that?” While moderation is important, as long as it is what I call “food by God,” or unprocessed, without preservatives and refined sugar or too many refined carbohydrates, I eat anything to which I do not respond too negatively. (Pork, for example, from an animal that cannot perspire, is something I must eat with caution; I avoid oils like canola as pure poison and use only ORGANIC olive oil, and you must live by the mantra “No sugar, no coffee, no tea, no chocolate, no alcohol and no artificial sweeteners and no chemical additives.) Your best hope is research and self education, via the internet and books. You should be on amino acids to help you handle proteins, digestive enzymes to improve your digestion and because the same liver issues that cause your blood sugar restricts enzyme productions. (I use Transformation for its purity and high potency (and can get them for you wholesale, if needed), and they offer herbals wrapped in enzymes so that you can use them, since those with reactive hypoclycemia (in turn caused by leaky gut syndrome) do not take up nutrients well. (On that note, I’d Google leaky gut syndrome, as it will help you better understand the digestive/immune/liver(blood sugar)/hidden food allergy connection to your illness.) You should also be on homeopathics and supplements like Liver Rescue III for liver support and 5HTP and possibly SAM-E and DHEA and don’t let anyone try to convince you to do a major detox program unless they absolutely understand leaky gut syndrome, as you risk further damage to the lining of the small intestine or overwhelming an already overwhelmed liver. On a personal note, I have experienced HUGE improvement to near catastrophic health issues from a particular form of chiropractic, called correction or Straight chiropractic, because many health issues arise out of vertabral suppluxations along the spine that pinch off nerve impulses between the brain and the body, hence causing health problems. And conventional chiropractic does not adequately address these injuries. IF YOU ARE STRUCTURALLY OFF, YOU MAY NEVER REGAIN YOUR HEALTH! (My improvement for this has been so dramatic that my daughter, who graduates from college in December, is enrolling in Straight College of Chiropractic a year from now!) Beyond that, your blood sugar (read digestive) issues must be addressed via nutritional supplementation, treatment of leaky gut, enzyme therapy and avoidance of chemicals (including in water), antibiotics, caffeine, over-the-counter and prescription drugs to the greatest extent possible, although–despite what many alternative practitioners say–I absolutely must have a prescription antacid. Based on my own experience–echoed by others at this website–Western medicine offers you little or nothing beyond that–and your best hope is self-education and an unrelenting focus not on accepting your illness but on getting well, as this illness, if it is neglected, can pretty much destroy your life. But, you are not alone, and you have the hope that a whole new generation of PhD nutritionists are looking for and finding ways to help people like us. (Health Design’s, Liver Doctor.com and Dr. Locke’s Optimum Wellness Center’s websites are all good for leaky gut info.) Good luck!
My 8 year old daughter recently had an OGTT – The lab tested her FBG before drinking the glucose and then did not test her until the 2 hour mark.
Around the 45 minute mark continuing through the 1 hour mark she started feeling really lightheaded and dizzy, and overall icky. (This is when I feel she got really high) But they did not test.
Her OGTT came back at 70 – And to me that seemed too low, I felt that she had some sort of hypoglycemic reaction, what do you think?
The reason for the OGTT is that she is randomly having BG levels on accu-check aviva meter that read over 200 and is constantly in the mid to high 100’s after any meal or drink. Her A1c came back at 5.7 and the dr said it was high end of normal.
I would like your opinions on this situation –
Thanks,
Worried Mom
I started a new work out routing a month and a half ago and a couple of weeks ago started pushing myself harder, doing 2 toning/sculpting classes a week plus cardio a couple days on my own (before this I rarely worked out). A week and a half ago I started getting very spaced out after eating carbs or refined sugar and I’ve also had palpitations, sometimes more if I eat and lay down. I’ve gotten spacey randomly since I was a teenager but it didn’t come often and when it did I never knew why (it wasn’t consistant). I’ve always had terrible cramps during “that time” and I’ve had panic attacks and always joked about having ADD (although I was not diagnosed). My doctor said i have the Reactive Hypoglycemia but the symptoms say you get dizzy a couple hours after eating, while mine happen almost immediatlely so I was hoping for another opinion…
Here’s hoping you can help me. I became ill 2 years ago after hernia surgery that included debridement of my entire abdominal wall(hysterectomy/hip bone bone removal for transplant scar tissues). Finally, after many trips to the ER with pounding heart and low BP sweating shaking and at times not knowing my own name, I was sent to a doctor who ran a 2 hr GTT with insulin levels at all blood draws and proinsulin fasting. 12 hours of fasting produced levels were all within normal range (I think?) Glucose 97, proI 9.5, insulin15.6. Glucose stayed reasonable during the 2 hours -running 97, 139, 159, 107 -insulin levels hit 15.6,107.68,121.35, 73.92.
A1C was 5.2 normal? BP is running low, pulse high (my records here are pulse 226–BP 50/32)–Lipids very high. He calls it metabolic syn x on paperwork and talks of insulin resistance and warns of “going too low.”
My question is simple. Is this an insulinoma or just insulin resistance due to being fat (am not that fat!!! My waist is swollen to 36″–not great–but not 60″ either) which is what I’m being told. I’ve lost 26 lbs and am on a strict low carb diet and low dose metformin–but am still waking up at night sweating with awful shocky spells and disorientation, shaking, nausea–your list of 40 symptoms! I need SOME SLEEP AND NOT MORE BENZOS TO GET IT!
Duh, like I need a drug addiction too???
I’ve never had trouble sleeping EVER before this started–am NOT crazy–nor stressed–LOL except maybe a little ticked about being so sick for so long.
Help me Obi Wan, you’re my ONLY hope!!!
(And thanks in advance for answering this–if you do )
Still sick in the South,
Sandy Sims,Cape Coral, Fl
Hi there!
I have read a lot on this subject as I´m kind of diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia/hyperinsulinemia. I say “kind of” because my doctor hasn´t tested me properly, he just gave me this “opposite diabetes” diagnose as he called it, based on me telling him about my symptoms and that my bloodsugar was 2.8 after eating a chocolate 1.5 hrs before when I was in his office..
I´m borned with this condition, and my question about this diagnose is that I read everywhere on this subject that one will have cravings for sweets and that symptoms occure hours later after having rich carbo meals or sweets..
For me it has always been the opposite, I´ve had an aversion for sweets and candies since I was little, because it made me feel ill and sick, and if I eat a certain small amount of sugar, especially on empty stocmach, the symptoms are immediately, as fast as within 5-10 minutes I can faint because of the fast drop of bloodsugar level.
If I don´t faint, I can feel so sick that I´m vomiting, shaking, sweating and so on, and can last for up to an hour after intake of sugar.
This is why I haven´t pursued my diagnosis and gotten the full glucose tolerance test, because I´m too scared of the severe symptoms I get..
So, my question is, does anyone know if this really fits the reactive hypoglycemia diagnose, since I don´t have the craving for sweets and that my symptoms comes so fast?
I know that sugar and fast-carbos is causing my problem, and I´m totally fine now as long as I adjust my diet, but I´m not totally convinced that this really is the correct diagnose for my problem? Or is it maybe? Are there any other tests that could be done without having to drink the glucose solution??
Thanks for any input here!
Regards,
Norway
Norway:
Please read my comments earlier on this. Do not agree to the glucose-tolerance test, as it isl likely your root problem is PROTEIN-REACTIVE hypoglycemia and this test will do more harm than good. You are simply profoundly sensitive to sugars because your body is stressed. I, like you, avoided sugars as a child–the price was too high–yet my glucose tolerance tests came back in normal ranges. I’d suggest you get a blood-sugar testing meter, if you don’t already have one. Eat a big steak or a large meal and it may show some pretty serious drops in blood sugar and simply check and log a number of readings over a number of days for trends, but this may also be related to intestinal-permiability syndrome, and you may be walking around with a duodenal or other ulcer of whatever size, and all of that, I was told by one long-ago chiropractor who helped me, in turn linked to the hypoglycemia creating a profoundly acidic condition. In short, it is a largely unrecognized dog-chasing-his-tail situation, but one that does respond, at least for many, to diet and nutrition to support digestion (enzymes, probiotics) and blood sugar. (read my earlier posting)
Connie,
I’m wrtiting this from England. I asked my doctor if I could be tested for reactive hypoglycemia as I thought it might be related to my depression. He dismissed the possibility out of hand, and said if my blood sugar was too low I’d be ina coma.
Do you know of doctors in england who actually take this condition seriously? Would I have to go to a alternative nutritionist?
To Gaid, good luck. I went to see a nutritional therapist who was helpful (she has hypoglycemia too).
It’s nothing short of a scandal that this condition isn’t acknowledged.
I drank beer last night and feel wretched today. It doesn’t get to me much physically as I exercise a lot but mentally, I can’t think straight, feel angry and want to be left alone.
Thank goodness I found out I had hypoglycemia, but it can be horrible having this condition.
Nothing is working for me.
I have hypoglycemia diagnosed with a glucose tolerance test.
I have tried a Zone like diet with just low GI complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats in moderate proportions.
I tried a low fat diets with carbohydrates coming mostly from veggies and fats and proteins.
I tried a high fat low carb diet and then a high protein diet.
I tried to add fruits back into the diet.
I tried 30 grams of carb, 50 grams of carbs, 75 grams of carb, 100 grams of carbs, 150 grams of carbs.
I tried to use beans as my carbs but my blood sugar react extemely negatively to them.
Nothing is working, my blood sugar keeps swinging and I have like 15 hypo episodes a day with a practically invalidated crippled life. I have headache, spaciness, anxiety, crying spells, fatigue, sudden sweating and more daily and I can’t control it no matter what.
I am a 27 year old mother of one. I had a blood glucose test a 13 and was told by the doctor I was hypoglycemic, my mother paid no attention and it was forgotton about. Because I didnt know much about it a 13 I was shocked to recently discover some information about it and have most of the symptoms of moderate hypoglycemia. However my doctor thinks its all nonsense. I live in Whitianga, New Zealand and I am desperate to find a doctor that will take this condition seriously and re-evaluate me. I just dont know where to start and am sick of seeing doctors who think its all in my head. Can anyone help?
I have been dealing with reactive hypoglycemia for a couple of years without knowing what it was nor what I was doing wrong. I am extremely active and fit. (5′11″ 185 lbs, 47 year old male, ride a bicycle average of 100 miles a week) After nearly passing out in a store (I knew the feeling and knew it was bad but it progressed too rapidly to avert. A curtain seemed to come down over my eyes and I had my daughter lead me out to the car) I talked to my Dr. who suggested that it was hypoglycemia. I bought a blood glucose test machine “One Touch Ultra Smart” and began tracking my glucose. On an average day it ranges from a high of 120 to a low of 56. Extremes happen at seemingly random intervals, where I have two or three days in a row that my glucose ranges from 150 down to 42. I know that at 42 I am dangerously close to passing out. I
I hate the sweating, I hate the constant fog I’m in. I don’t know what to do. I have been modifying my diet and trying to stick to whole grains (which I read were okay) but to no avail. If anyone has any recommendations I’d appreciate them. I need carbs for my cycling. I need calories.
If I sound incoherent or goofy it’s probably because I’m writing this in the midst of some severe swings. (it has a severe effect on my typing. it’s like I become very uncoordinated and can no longer spell.)
THanks, JWR