Feeling shakey

~*Shanah*~ · 07-09-2003, 02:10 AM

I've started getting those hypoglycemic episodes alot lately, I know it's because of the gluc, and I know I should eat small amounts throughout the day, but can someone give me some good ideas of what I should snack on?

TIA!

Juliekaboolie · 07-09-2003, 02:16 AM

Hi Shanah!! The very best foods to snack on would be higher protein foods and high fiber foods. Things such as string cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, salads (no starchy veggies like corn or potatos), berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), nuts (especially almonds and macadamias)... all of these are excellent foods to snack on and they will help keep your bloodsugar stable. If you are watching carbs and like bread, look for bread with a fiber content of about 3g of fiber/slice and spread 1-2 tblp of peanutbutter on (the no sugar kind like Laura Scudders). If you like milk, have a glass (preferrably low-fat). Just make sure you eat a little bit all day long to avoid those peaks and valleys in your bloodsugar. I hope this helps!

~*Shanah*~ · 07-09-2003, 02:20 AM

Thanks so much Julie for replying so fast!

Usually I take a glucose tablet if I'm not around anything at the time. I do like the peanut butter and bread. Thats seems to work.
Thanks again

christyz · 07-09-2003, 12:41 PM

Julie's right..protien foods are the only way to raise your blood sugar without taking in glucose which begins a rollercoaster of sugar response.

And it isn't the met that is causing your hypo episodes...it's lack of calories combined with your cells now using insulin your body produces better.

Hope it helps!

~*Shanah*~ · 07-09-2003, 02:45 PM

Thanks Christy!

xmelinda · 07-09-2003, 03:03 PM

Christy -- I'm curious about what you said above. I posted awhile ago about Gluc making me have bizarre extreme sleepiness and weakness, and couldn't figure out why because it's not supposed to lower blood sugar. You mention hypoglycemic episode from body suddenly NOT having a bunch of excess insulin. I have noticed that when I am diligent in my low-carbing, it sometimes makes me feel very sleepy and truck-run-over, like a lighter version of what the Gluc made me feel like, and I wondered about the similarity. Do you know anything more about that, about the body suddenly not having excess insulin, and what that might do? Does the body get used to having the insulin? Does it adjust?

Just curious if you know something about this -- it's one of those things where it rings a bell for me, but I can't put my finger on it.

Melinda

KYBluegrass · 07-09-2003, 04:07 PM

I have had these episodes from time to time, and the only thing I can link it to is when I go too low in the carbs department. One morning, I was in a rush, and I ate a low carb meal bar...(net impact carbs 3g). Usually, my meals are about 20 or so g of carbs. About 2 hours after eating this, I felt really light headed and kinda sweaty, like my blood sugar was too low. I ate some string cheese and a glass of milk, and I started to feel better. The met itself does not lower blood sugar levels...it does resensitize your cells to your own insulin, so that your insulin works more efficiently, therefore using less insulin. Sometimes, when you eat things with artificial sweetners, your body anticipates the rise in your sugar level, and you have an insulin response. This can happen especially if you have artificial sweetners with no other food. Your body gets fooled into thinking it will have to deal with the sugar, but there is none to deal with. When you eat carbs, it is a fast burning fuel, that is rapidly converted into glucose, causing the "sugar rush" or that burst of energy. Protein is also converted, but burns at a much slower rate, thus there is no spike in your insulin level. It does take time, but your body does adjust to the changes your insulin levels. The important thing is, that you keep your metabolism moving by eating regularly, and making sure you're taking in enough protein. The carb count, I think, is a very individual thing...some can go very low and feel fine. For me, my daily range seems to be between 70-90...that is where I feel my best. Hope this helps!

christyz · 07-09-2003, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Do you know anything more about that, about the body suddenly not having excess insulin, and what that might do? Does the body get used to having the insulin? Does it adjust?

Hi Melinda!
What happens is, when you are insulin resistant and not taking Met, your cells are not using insulin properly. The doors to the cells are only partway open and they don't get use the insulin your body produces properly to regulate your sugars. So when your body senses that your sugars are not as they should be, it cranks out even more insulin to try to lower those sugars.

But after you start taking Met, the drug opens those cell doors wider and you use the insulin your body produces more effectively. So as a result, your pancreas doesn't have to OVER produce insulin anymore to regulate your sugars. Your body, sensing when your sugars are under control doesn't have to crank out as much insulin.

Low blood sugar happens when your insulin is TOO HIGH, so when you are on Metformin and your pancreas is secreting LESS, your chances of hypoglycemia are actually LOWER. Some people that are on more than one diabetic drug can still have sugar problems and those who are not taking in enough calories to sustain this more effective body may have hypo episodes too. But it is their body working the way it is supposed to, not the Met that is causing this hypo. While drinking alcohol people may also have sugar problems as well, because the liver is processing the alcohol and can't process sugars until it's finished.

Let me know if this is clear, ok? Hope it helps!

xmelinda · 07-09-2003, 06:55 PM

It's clear, but it doesn't solve my mystery

I keep trying to find the loophole, the secret to why I reacted to Metformin by having what felt like extreme hypoglycemia. I know that when I low-carb strictly, it often makes me feel exhausted, sick, sometimes nauseated, sometimes very hungry all the time. Well, it's not even *that* strict, I try to follow the IR Diet. In the past, when I tried to do Atkins or Zone, it made me feel awful, and I think it was too low-carb for me.

I don't think it's because I don't get sufficient calories, because I seem to eat pretty much the same things I see other cysters online talking about eating.

When I was thinking about the body adjusting, I was thinking how when I low-carb, I often feel terrible, whereas most people here seem to say low-carbing makes them feel so much better, with more energy. I'm wondering of there's maybe a period where one would feel awful while the body gets used to circulating less insulin, and then after a while one starts to feel good. I've been low-carbing for several years, more or less, but whenever I get focused on not cheating at it, I feel crappy, and I go back to my ways of low-carbing *most* of the time. This definitely doesn't help my PCOS, I can tell from my symptoms. I just wish low-carbing made me feel terrific, so I'd be motivated to keep at it, without the occasional cheat.

Melinda

christyz · 07-09-2003, 07:55 PM

Quote:

I keep trying to find the loophole, the secret to why I reacted to Metformin by having what felt like extreme hypoglycemia.

Because for the first time, your body used insulin the way it was supposed to...it's as simple as that.

Quote:

I don't think it's because I don't get sufficient calories, because I seem to eat pretty much the same things I see other cysters online talking about eating.

What's normal for YOU may not be what is normal for other women, even others with PCOS. Some people require more frequent meals to keep their sugars up..some can go hours and feel fine. What's high calories for some ladies is low for others. It's a very individual thing, so you can't compare your metabolism and caloric intake to other people's to determine what's normal. It's a real trial and error thing.

You just need to eat smaller protein meals more often...many people require that to keep their sugars normal. My father in law is as fit as a fiddle but if he doesn't eat every 2 hours he gets hypoglycemia. You just need to understand that you're one of those kind of people.

Quote:

When I was thinking about the body adjusting, I was thinking how when I low-carb, I often feel terrible, whereas most people here seem to say low-carbing makes them feel so much better, with more energy.

It depends how low you're going. Women tend to feel horrid and I know i did when I dipped below 50 g of carb per day. We need carbs..they are the primary fuel for the body and our brains need the glucose. Low carbing *does* make you feel better if you find the grams of carb that you can maintain weight (or weight loss depending what your goals are) while keeping your sugars stable. It's a balnce we all have to find through trial and error.

Quote:

. I'm wondering of there's maybe a period where one would feel awful while the body gets used to circulating less insulin, and then after a while one starts to feel good

It is definetly possible to feel cruddy for the first bit on Met...your cells and pancreas don't get in sync instantly, and all kinds of hormones are regulating..not just insulin (testosterone, androgens etc). We under-estimate the value of hormones...and until they get all straightened out, it's completely possible to feel a little whacked out.