Waking Cold And Shaky

[ovalexpress]

I have been gluten free almost two months and have started waking up very cold and trembly/shaky. Could this be a detox type deal? I'm not dripping with sweat so I don't think it's night sweats. Anyone else experience anything similar? Thanks.

[Kiki]

Umm I did wanna say that I dont know if it is a syptom but I have met somebody who experiences the same thing. This person experiences it bad. She describes it as a cold sweat. So there are so many different effects this dieases plays on us I am finding. Your other symptoms very well could be.

[gabby]

Could be a blood sugar problem. Does the shakiness go away after you eat in the morning?

[ovalexpress]

After I take a nice hot shower I feel a lot better. I have felt kind of strange (things seem surreal) since going on the diet, so maybe I'm just trying to blame everything on celiac. I have no idea what my body is going to do from one day to the next. One day I'm full of energy and the next I'm so pooped all I want to do is sleep. I hope this doesn't go on forever.

[jenvan]

I also wondered about blood sugar...

Since you are having ups and down (which can just be a normal part of the process), maybe try keeping a journal to see if you can link an activity, food or product to your symptoms.

[ovalexpress]

I will try that. I have been overweight my whole life so it wouldn't surprise me to have blood sugar problems and type II diabetes does run in the family. Thanks for your input.

[jenvan]

I will try that. I have been overweight my whole life so it wouldn't surprise me to have blood sugar problems and type II diabetes does run in the family. Thanks for your input.

Oh, esp with family history and being overweight. Just go to your doc and they can do bloodwork to check. Let us know if you find something out...I'm curious. Good luck!

[Nancym]

I suggest that you don't eat any sweets or starches between dinner and bedtime and make sure you get a lot of protein with dinner. That might help with the blood sugar. Adopting a low glycemic diet might help you avoid getting diabetes.

[ovalexpress]

My husband is a type I juvenile diabetic, I'll use his test meter in the morning and see what I'm running and let you guys know. I should have thought of that anyway. I can be such a dough-head. Must be the gluten-induced fog.

I never thought it could be the "grazing" I end up doing in the evening. A cookie here, a cracker there. I LOVE sweets - gluten free sweets that is. LOL

[jenvan]

I can be such a dough-head.

Ha ha! Well, we all have our moments!

[covsooze]

ovalexpress - i get this too and hadn't yet figured out what the cause could be. I know I don't have diabetes but also know that blood sugar does tend to be an issue for me, so maybe that's it. I did also get it more when I was very new to the gluten-free diet (I say very new - I'm still new to it having been gluten-free for 4 months).

[trents]

ovalexpress - i get this too and hadn't yet figured out what the cause could be. I know I don't have diabetes but also know that blood sugar does tend to be an issue for me, so maybe that's it. I did also get it more when I was very new to the gluten-free diet (I say very new - I'm still new to it having been gluten-free for 4 months).

If you know that you are not diabetic, then what do you mean when you say that blood sugar does tend to be an issue for you? Are you hypoglycemic?

[covsooze]

I've not been diagnosed as hypoglycemic, but I do know that unless I eat very frequently, I get shakey, irritable, thirsty, weak etc I've had bloods done lots of times to check for everything (I guess we all have here) and one thing that is regularly checked is my blood sugar and it always seems to be fine.

[ovalexpress]

I checked my blood sugar this morning and it was 95.

[ravenwoodglass]

I checked my blood sugar this morning and it was 95.

Were you having the same symptoms this morning? You may want to check your level every morning for about a week or so. You also may want to ask the doctor to do a check of your thyroid levels if they haven't already.

[jenvan]

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I would test several more times also, and would probably make visit to the doc to get tested or discuss. The article above is interesting. I pasted a selection below... I know the test was with men only, but is still good food for thought. Since you are merely points away from being considered pre-diabetic and at risk I'd keep cking it out. Have you been feeling the same?

Men who had fasting blood glucose levels at the high end of normal -- between 95 to 99 mg/dl -- had about three times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as men with blood sugar levels under 81 mg/dl.

Men who had additional risk factors and high-normal blood glucose readings were even more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. For example, obese men with fasting glucose levels between 91 and 99 mg/dl had eight times the risk of developing the disease, compared to non-obese men with blood glucose readings less than 86 mg/dl, the study found.

[ovalexpress]

I wasn't real shaky when I tested, but felt "odd". I did have my thyroid checked a year ago and it was okay. I've had it checked off and on because of the fatigue, dry skin and being overweight. I have lost about 30 pounds over the last four years, so I'm not considered obese anymore, but I do eat a lot of sweets. I just crave sugar. It's awful - sometimes I will buy a can of frosting (gluten-free now) and eat it by the spoonful. I will keep testing myself over the next week and see what happens. Thank you everyone for your input and support. This is all pretty overwhelming for me right now.

[jenvan]

I wasn't real shaky when I tested, but felt "odd". I did have my thyroid checked a year ago and it was okay. I've had it checked off and on because of the fatigue, dry skin and being overweight. I have lost about 30 pounds over the last four years, so I'm not considered obese anymore, but I do eat a lot of sweets. I just crave sugar. It's awful - sometimes I will buy a can of frosting (gluten-free now) and eat it by the spoonful. I will keep testing myself over the next week and see what happens. Thank you everyone for your input and support. This is all pretty overwhelming for me right now.

Hang in there! Have you considered working with a doc or nutritionist? Continuing to eat large amounts of sugar can make it even more likely you will become diabetic. Sugar cravings are hard to resist--Before going gluten-free I would get them often. Now I don't so much. Is there a friend who could team up with you to improve your health or provide some accountability? I pasted some good info below on trying to prevent diabetes in at risk people. Basically, a healthy diet, losing weight and physical activity. Do you exercise or could you start walking a few times a week? You would be amazed what a simple brisk walk a few times a week can do. It can be an energy and mood booster, aside from the health benefits.

As far as sugar cravings, there are a few things you can do to try and help. Also--try and keep them out of the house if you can't eat one servings worth at a time....if you can just keep one sweet thing around, not several. Portions are hard for just about everyone. I have a food scale I use for cooking and sometime I will measure out a serving (look at ingredient label) to actually see how much it is. It's surprising! If you can discipline yourself, you could measure out separate servings, ie. 2 smallish cookies in a ziplock bag, and eat only what's measured out. Try to train yourself to eat more natural sweets (fruit or fruit sweetened snacks), cut down on caffeine (can increase sugar cravings), eat more fiber, sit down and eat your meals slowly, try brushing your teeth after meals (this works for some folks), trying taking a walk when the craving comes on, drink plenty of water, don't skip meals. I don't ever recommend artificial sweetners, but you may want to look into that. One that is touted as safe is stevia, from a plant...you can get it in powder or liquid form at most natural food type stores.

Keep us updated when you need encouragement or accountability! In those hard moments, remind yourself about the complications of diabetes and that you want to do all you can to keep yourself from getting it. Hope some of these tips help ya!

Research has demonstrated that people at risk for type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes by losing a little weight. The results of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that moderate diet changes and exercise can delay and prevent type 2 diabetes. Participants in this federally funded study of 3,234 people at high risk for diabetes experienced a 5- to 7-percent weight loss. That’s 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person.

Study participants were overweight and had higher than normal levels of blood glucose, a condition called pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance). Both pre-diabetes and obesity are strong risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Because of the high risk for diabetes among some minority groups, about half of the DPP participants were African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.

DPP participants also included others at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, such as women with a history of gestational diabetes and individuals aged 60 and older.

The DPP tested two approaches to preventing diabetes: a program of healthy eating and exercise (lifestyle change), and the diabetes drug metformin. People in the lifestyle change group exercised about 30 minutes a day 5 days a week, usually by walking, and lowered their intake of fat and calories. Those who took the diabetes drug metformin received information on exercise and diet. A third group only received information on exercise and diet.

The results showed that people in the lifestyle change group reduced their risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. Average weight loss in the first year of the study was 15 pounds. Lifestyle change was even more effective in those 60 and older. They reduced their risk by 71 percent. People receiving metformin reduced their risk by 31 percent.

What you eat has a big impact on your health. By making wise food choices, you can help control your body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Take a look at the serving sizes of the foods you eat. Reduce serving sizes of main courses (such as meat), desserts, and foods high in fat. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables.

Limit your fat intake to about 25 percent of your total calories. For example, if your food choices add up to about 2,000 calories a day, try to eat no more than 56 grams of fat. Your doctor or a dietitian can help you figure out how much fat to have. You can also check food labels for fat content.

Limit your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon of salt) each day.

Talk with your doctor about whether you may drink alcoholic beverages. If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, limit your intake to one drink (for women) or two drinks (for men) per day.

You may also wish to reduce the number of calories you have each day. People in the DPP lifestyle change group lowered their daily calorie total by an average of about 450 calories. Your doctor or dietitian can help you with a meal plan that emphasizes weight loss.

Keep a food and exercise log. Write down what you eat, how much you exercise—anything that helps keep you on track.

When you meet your goal, reward yourself with a nonfood item or activity, like watching a movie.