Too Many Carb's?

[chatycady]

I've been watching my diet very carefully, yesterday I was hungry and I ate carb's instead of protein and I've dived! My blood pressure dropped to 80/45 and I'm sleepy, exhausted, weak and dizzy. Is this celiac related? Am I unable to digest carbs right now because of celiac?

I am 100% positive I didn't not eat any gluten.

Does anyone know about this? Thanks.

[johnsoniu]

I've been watching my diet very carefully, yesterday I was hungry and I ate carb's instead of protein and I've dived! My blood pressure dropped to 80/45 and I'm sleepy, exhausted, weak and dizzy. Is this celiac related? Am I unable to digest carbs right now because of celiac?

I am 100% positive I didn't not eat any gluten.

Does anyone know about this? Thanks.

The kind of carbs you ingested could have some effect. Not all carbs are the same. Google "glycemic index" or "glycemic load" and read how a baked potato can be worse than a candy bar

[tarnalberry]

not necessarily related to celiac at all. it sounds like reactive hypoglycemia, particularly depending, as johnsoniu said, on the speed with which the carbs were assimilated. for those of us who are hypoglycemic (not in the diabetic sense, but in the reactive sense), lots of high glycemic index carbs just isn't an option - balance at each meal is vital.

[Abug]

I agree with tarnalberry. I have Chronic Hypoglycemia, so I need carbohydrates, but it is true they aren't all the same. Also, after I have taken complex sugars, I still have to have some less sugary foods to prevent the drop. Hey, at least it gives you more warning than simple sugars! Hmmm, maybe it isn't so obvious when you're not used to it. I've also happened that in extreme cases, people without hypoglycemia of this sort can experience a substantial drop in blood glucose due to large amounts of simple sugars (and maybe even complex sugars (carbs)), and that would be unrelated to celiac disease. If it happens really often, you either have too much sugar in your diet, or you might want to see your doctor for further tests. Speaking of sugar, I'm a little low right now, so I need to go have some supper. If I'm saying anything really bizarre, blame it on low blood glucose

[NoGluGirl]

I've been watching my diet very carefully, yesterday I was hungry and I ate carb's instead of protein and I've dived! My blood pressure dropped to 80/45 and I'm sleepy, exhausted, weak and dizzy. Is this celiac related? Am I unable to digest carbs right now because of celiac?

I am 100% positive I didn't not eat any gluten.

Does anyone know about this? Thanks.

Dear chatycady,

I have reactive hypoglycemia as well. Consuming only carbs and no protein is bad for blood sugar. I need a mix of carbs, fat, and protein in order to keep my blood sugar steady. Eating small frequent meals helps, too. The Zone is a smart diet for helping blood sugar and other problems. Basically, it has each meal have 30 percent fat, 30 percent protein, and 40 percent carbs. Blood pressure normally goes too high when there is an excessive amount of carbs ingested. Your BP was low. Mine gets that way sometimes. Excessive carbs raise your glucose levels temporarily, but then there is a sharp drop after a couple of hours. Eating a candy bar often left me shaky after a couple of hours, but it is a good quick fix when needed. When I am out, I carry a small bottle of pure maple syrup with me (it is about 2 inches or 3 inches tall) and you find them at the shops inside The Cracker Barrel. We get Uncle Luke's syrup from Sam's Club and I refill it. That way, if I need it fast and I am out, I can drink it. My father has hypoglycemia as well. So, he needs to be careful too.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[tarnalberry]

The Zone is a smart diet for helping blood sugar and other problems. Basically, it has each meal have 30 percent fat, 30 percent protein, and 40 percent carbs.

While I find it hard to maintain this that closely at all times, 30/30/40 really is a good stabalization point for me. Between 25/25/50 and 30/30/40, maintained, I can go normal (or even long) lengths of time between meals! No blood sugar craziness. Stray from that too much, and say hello to the inner jerk. I find that exercise (preferrably long-duration aerobic - hiking, kayaking - the sort of thing that you do for hours without getting out of breath, but still doing a lot of work) very helpful as well assuming I'm not eating badly.