Comments on: Why Do Doctors Dismiss Reactive Hypoglycemia?

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:35:35 +0000

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

By: Ceara

Ceara — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:34:50 +0000

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?

By: Danny

Danny — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:43:00 +0000

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.

By: Ed from UK

Ed from UK — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:43:11 +0000

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.

By: gaid

gaid — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:52:49 +0000

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?

By: K. Parker

K. Parker — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:30:31 +0000

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)

By: RM

RM — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:39:28 +0000

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

By: Sandy Sims

Sandy Sims — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:47:08 +0000

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

By: 24yr Female

24yr Female — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:40:13 +0000

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…

By: Worried Mom

Worried Mom — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:32:12 +0000

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