Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Hypoglycemia


Sugar

Recommended Posts

Sugar Rookie

Hello. Does anyone know much about hypoglycemia being caused by gluten intolerance? I'm hypoglycemic, pretty badly. But it's reactive hypoglycemia. Any thoughts? What about other types of hypoglycemia? Thanks.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Joni63 Collaborator
Hello. Does anyone know much about hypoglycemia being caused by gluten intolerance? I'm hypoglycemic, pretty badly. But it's reactive hypoglycemia. Any thoughts? What about other types of hypoglycemia? Thanks.

Hi Sugar,

I had the same problem before going gluten free. I would eat and have to eat again within 2 hours. I always felt hungry and never felt satisfied except right after a meal. My blood sugar dropped to the point of blurred vision several times. I asked my Doctor and she said that it could be related to not absorbing the nutrients needed due to Celiac Disease. I'm not sure which has helped, but I switched entirely to decaffeinated coffee and started the gluten free diet at the same time. I have had regular coffee a few times and it definately does something to me. Right now I'm on my third day of totally eliminating caffeine. I have not had the low sugar problem happen since my diet changed in August. I also don't have that nagging constant hungry feeling any more.

Do you drink coffee? I know that is linked to hypoglycemia. But I also believe that Celiac can cause some issues with hypoglycemia due to malabsorption, at least for me it seemed to.

How long have you been gluten free?

Just a side note to this. I have been working on the hypoglycemia issues for a while. I used to drink about 6 to 8 cups of regular coffee with sugar a teaspoon of sugar each time. First I cut out the sugar in the coffee, then went to decaf, and today is actually my first day on only herbal tea. I'd say it's been a process that has gone on for about a year. I have not had any coffee for 3 days and am working on completely eliminating it. It's not easy, but I'm working on it.

Sugarmag Newbie

Well, I was definitely hypoglycemic before going gluten free. I have had episodes of blurred vision, and fallen down, and been almost unconscious. I would be fine as long as I ate something with some carbs, fat and protein every 4 hours or so.

After going gluten free, I was great for almost the first 6 months. No major dizzy spells or anything! Then somehow they started coming back, and with vengeance! Then I figured out I was allergic to soy, and that was a big factor. Now I can't have casein either. (both soy and casein cause intestinal problems and a severe rash for me) I seem to be better now that I've been casein free for 2 months now. BUT, I still have to eat something every 2-3 hours, no matter what. I'm not sure if mine will ever go away, but there's always wishful thinking! (My "normal" blood sugar after eating is about 60-65)

Sugar Rookie

Hey, thanks for your help, guys. I don't drink coffee and I never have, but I've only been gluten-free for about a month and a half. A few weeks ago I also stopped eating simple sugars almost completely, and that helped for a while, but now I'm falling and slurring my words and getting sick again after meals. I think it's because I get so hungry that I eat really fast and I get too many carbs, but I don't know. I do feel much better after going gluten-free though, and now my body's like a sugar detector, because if there's sugar in something, I definitely react.

Sugarmag Newbie
Hey, thanks for your help, guys. I don't drink coffee and I never have, but I've only been gluten-free for about a month and a half. A few weeks ago I also stopped eating simple sugars almost completely, and that helped for a while, but now I'm falling and slurring my words and getting sick again after meals. I think it's because I get so hungry that I eat really fast and I get too many carbs, but I don't know. I do feel much better after going gluten-free though, and now my body's like a sugar detector, because if there's sugar in something, I definitely react.

Cutting out the simple sugars is definitely good! I forgot to mention that, as well as cut out simple carbs too. I only eat complex carbs (like brown rice instead of white rice, yellow or blue corn chips instead of white corn, lots of quinoa, etc) and that has helped too! I think the body processes the simple sugars and carbs too fast, and then it spikes and drops the sugar too much. The only sugar I really have is natural, from fruit and stuff. I also try to only use agave nectar syrup or stevia instead of sugar or splenda stuff. Both agave and stevia do NOT affect your blood sugar, and have a 0 glycemic index.

Please be careful, it's not good to be slurring and falling!! (I've been there too, and it honestly scared the crap out of me!!!) I hope everything gets better for you soon!!

Sugar Rookie

Hey thanks, Sugarmag. You rock.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - cristiana replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over

    2. - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    3. - Wheatwacked replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      8

      Related issues

    4. - NanceK replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    5. - Wheatwacked replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,295
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    LaniH
    Newest Member
    LaniH
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Hi @Scatterbrain Thank you for your reply.   Some of these things could be weaknesses, also triggered by stress, which perhaps have come about as the result of long-term deficiencies which can take a long time to correct.   Some could be completely unrelated. If it is of help, I'll tell you some of the things that started in the first year or two, following my diagnosis - I pinned everything on coeliac disease, but it turns out I wasn't always right!  Dizziness, lightheaded - I was eventually diagnosed with cervical dizziness (worth googling, could be your issue too, also if you have neck pain?)  A few months after diagnosis I put my neck out slightly carrying my seven-year-old above my head, and never assigned any relevance to it as the pain at the time was severe but so short-lived that I'd forgotten the connection. Jaw pain - stress. Tinnitus - I think stress, but perhaps exacerbated by iron/vitamin deficiencies. Painful ribs and sacroiliac joints - no idea, bloating made the pain worse. It got really bad but then got better. Irregular heart rate - could be a coincidence but my sister (not a coeliac) and I both developed this temporarily after our second Astra Zeneca covid jabs.   Subsequent Pfizer jabs didn't affect us. Brain fog - a big thing for people with certain autoimmune issues but in my case I think possibly worse when my iron or B12 are low, but I have no proof of this. Insomnia - stress, menopause. So basically, it isn't always gluten.  It might be worth having your vitamins and mineral levels checked, and if you have deficiencies speak to your Dr about how better to address them?    
    • knitty kitty
      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy.  Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all.  There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes.  The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy like sulfites in a chain found in pharmaceuticals.  Doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition (nor chemistry in this case).  I studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I wanted to know what vitamins were doing inside the body.   Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Not feeling well after starting Benfotiamine is normal.  It's called the "thiamine paradox" and is equivalent to an engine backfiring if it's not been cranked up for a while.  Mine went away in about three days.  I took a B Complex, magnesium and added molybdenum for a few weeks. It's important to add a B Complex with all eight essential B vitamins. Supplementing just one B vitamin can cause lows in some of the others and result in feeling worse, too.  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption of all the B vitamins, not just thiamine.  You need all eight.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine interact with each of the other B vitamins in some way.  It's important to add a magnesium glycinate or chelate supplement as well.  Forms of Thiamine including Benfotiamine need magnesium to make those life sustaining enzymes.  (Don't use magnesium oxide.  It's not absorbed well.  It pulls water into the intestines and is used to relieve constipation.)   Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps the body utilize forms of Thiamine.   Molybdenum supplements are available over the counter.  It's not unusual to be low in molybdenum if low in thiamine.   I do hope you will add the necessary supplements and try Benfotiamine again. Science-y Explanation of Thiamine Paradox: https://hormonesmatter.com/paradoxical-reactions-with-ttfd-the-glutathione-connection/#google_vignette
    • Wheatwacked
      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped.  It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition.  Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here.  Malnutrition can cause SIBO, and SIBO can worsen malnutrition. Another possibility is side effects from any medication that are taking.  I was on Metformin 3 months before it turned me into a zombi.  I had crippling side effects from most of the BP meds tried on me, and Losartan has many of the side effects on me from my pre gluten free days. Because you have been gluten free, you can test and talk until you are blue in the face but all of your tests will be negative.  Without gluten, you will not create the antigen against gluten, no antigens to gluten, so no small intestine damage from the antigens.  You will need to do a gluten challange to test positive if you need an official diagnosis, and even then, no guaranty: 10 g of gluten per day for 6 weeks! Then a full panel of Celiac tests and biopsy. At a minimum consider vitamin D, Liquid Iodine (unless you have dermatitis herpetiformis and iodine exasperates the rash), and Liquid Geritol. Push for vitamin D testing and a consult with a nutritionist experienced with Celiack Disease.  Most blood tests don't indicate nutritional deficiencies.  Your thyroid tests can be perfect, yet not indicate iodine deficiency for example.  Thiamine   test fine, but not pick up on beriberi.  Vegans are often B12 deficient because meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy are the primary souces of B12. Here is what I take daily.  10,000 IU vitamin D3 750 mg g a b a [   ] 200 mg CoQ10 [   ] 100 mg DHEA [   ] 250 mg thiamine B1 [   ] 100 mg of B2 [   ] 500 mg B5 pantothenic acid [   ] 100 mg B6 [   ] 1000 micrograms B12 n [   ] 500 mg vitamin c [   ] 500 mg taurine [   ] 200 mg selenium   
    • NanceK
      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well.  I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given this info before taking more of it. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.