Blood Sugar Question

[Mac55]

For the past 3 or 4 weeks I've been having bad headaches, dizziness, brain fog. This is much worse than my usual issues with these symptoms. Anyway, I went to the dr and she ran a bunch of tests including a 3 hr glucose. I felt terrible after the 2 hr blood draw. I got an excruciating headache, felt faint and out of it, and was freezing. I heard back from my doctor the other day and she said everything came back normal except my blood sugar. Here's what she told me:

Fasting 90

1 Hour 90 (or so, she said it didn't change)

2 Hour 64

3 Hour 78

She didn't know what to make of my blood sugar not rising from the glucose. She said she it looked like I was hypoglycemic. She faxed my results to my Endocrinologist that I see for my Thyroid. I'm calling this AM to make an appt but I'm sure it won't be soon. I know my BG went even lower than 64 after 2 hours because I felt so-so when she drew the blood but soon after is when I really went downhill.

So, my question is does anyone know what this could mean, regarding no rise in blood sugar? I'm not sure exactly how to change my diet yet. I know to cut out the sugar but besides that there's so much info out there about about cutting this, adding more of that. I'm confused and don't know what to do. I have been eating every 2 1/2 hours which helps a lot and I've been eating more protein. I don't eat much processed food anyway.

I'm asking this here because it looks like there are others who deal with blood sugar issues here too and I'm not sure who else to ask. Also, do you think this could be a result of a change in diet? I'm thinking I've had this for a LONG time just not to this degree.

[missy'smom]

Very interesting, makes you wonder where that glucose went. I didn't check to see your gluten-free status-how long, what kind of DX but I wonder if you are having malabsorbtion problems. I wish I had some answers. Have you checked this site to see if you could find some answers?

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I know that those feelings that you described though. Not fun. I have had many of the same symptoms.

[Mac55]

Very interesting, makes you wonder where that glucose went. I didn't check to see your gluten-free status-how long, what kind of DX but I wonder if you are having malabsorbtion problems. I wish I had some answers. Have you checked this site to see if you could find some answers?

Open Original Shared Link

I know that those feelings that you described though. Not fun. I have had many of the same symptoms.

I know, that's what I was thinking (about the glucose)! I've been gluten-free for 4 months, diagnosed with Celiac in February. Interesting idea about the malabsorption problem. I hadn't really thought of it like that. I quickly looked at that site last night but I'll to look through it some more tonight. Thanks!

[Mari]

Your results are similar to a glucose tolerance I had done years ago. I worked in a medical lab at the time and the pattern was referred to as a dumping curve with no clear explanation. In older tests they would do fasting then sometimes a 15 min sample, a 1/2 hr sample then hourly for up to 5 hrs. Your result is an unusal pattern for a diabetic but common in people with symptoms of hypoglycemia - more or less what you described. I found ways to cope by always eating a high protein food with carbohydrates. Ice cream and peanuts was one of my favorites. I would always feel weak after pancakes and syrup even if I had eggs and sausages. I couldn't eat apples or apple juice by themselves - apples and cheese was better but no bread or crackers with the cheese. When I was about 50 I began doing natural healing programs - parasite herbs, kidney and liver cleanses, detoxification and liver support programs and the hypoglycemia-like symptoms ( and symptoms of my undiagnosed celiac disease) became less of a problem. I still have a low tolerance for carbs. One diet I have found helpful is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. The carbohydrates on their legal food list are more slowly broken down than other carbs - and any carbs when broken down are just sugar - so a person gets a slower release into the body.

[vbecton]

Hi Mac55. I experienced the same blood sugar (or as I like to call BS) problems for over 20 years before enough malabsorption kicked in that my doctors and I concluded Celiac. The pattern of your BS is reflective of Reactive Hypoglycemia. Your body over responds to glucose and sends out too much insulin. Then, once the insulin has done its' job, there is too much left over, so it sends your blood sugar spiraling. There is also an issue where your blood sugar drops too fast. This is part of Reactive Hypo, but most doctors wouldn't know enough to explain it. This might show up on glucose screenings as being in the normal range, but your BS is dropping at such a high speed that Hypo symptoms kick in. The only way to catch this is to test your blood sugar every few minutes during an episode.

I am now cured of my BS problems. I went on the Paleo diet. I eat a ridiculous amount of lean protein (150g/day), upped my fat considerably (I even drink olive oil sometimes), added tons of fruit and veggies, nuts and eggs. You said you eat little processed foods and that's good. Not sure what diet changes you could make, but consider even more protein and good oil fats. Before going Paleo, I was sooooo sensitive to anything containing sugar that I couldn't even eat fruit. Now, I can eat as much as I want with zero problems.

Hope you get some relief soon! Mine would dip below 55 several times during one day. It was like running a marathon...exhausting and sooooo frustrating. My endocronologist kept monitoring me because she was sure I'd eventually be diabetic (Hypo can lead to insulin resistance ) But, luckily we figured out the culprit before it got there. Is there any chance you could be getting cross-contaminated?

[Mac55]

Your results are similar to a glucose tolerance I had done years ago. I worked in a medical lab at the time and the pattern was referred to as a dumping curve with no clear explanation. In older tests they would do fasting then sometimes a 15 min sample, a 1/2 hr sample then hourly for up to 5 hrs. Your result is an unusal pattern for a diabetic but common in people with symptoms of hypoglycemia - more or less what you described. I found ways to cope by always eating a high protein food with carbohydrates. Ice cream and peanuts was one of my favorites. I would always feel weak after pancakes and syrup even if I had eggs and sausages. I couldn't eat apples or apple juice by themselves - apples and cheese was better but no bread or crackers with the cheese. When I was about 50 I began doing natural healing programs - parasite herbs, kidney and liver cleanses, detoxification and liver support programs and the hypoglycemia-like symptoms ( and symptoms of my undiagnosed celiac disease) became less of a problem. I still have a low tolerance for carbs. One diet I have found helpful is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. The carbohydrates on their legal food list are more slowly broken down than other carbs - and any carbs when broken down are just sugar - so a person gets a slower release into the body.

Thanks so much for your reply! That makes a lot of sense. I looked into the dumping syndrome and it's very possible. Thanks for the suggestions for specific foods to eat and with what others. That's exactly what I'm looking for. I tried eating some of those combos and I'm having much better results. Thanks so much for your help!!

[Mac55]

Hi Mac55. I experienced the same blood sugar (or as I like to call BS) problems for over 20 years before enough malabsorption kicked in that my doctors and I concluded Celiac. The pattern of your BS is reflective of Reactive Hypoglycemia. Your body over responds to glucose and sends out too much insulin. Then, once the insulin has done its' job, there is too much left over, so it sends your blood sugar spiraling. There is also an issue where your blood sugar drops too fast. This is part of Reactive Hypo, but most doctors wouldn't know enough to explain it. This might show up on glucose screenings as being in the normal range, but your BS is dropping at such a high speed that Hypo symptoms kick in. The only way to catch this is to test your blood sugar every few minutes during an episode.

I am now cured of my BS problems. I went on the Paleo diet. I eat a ridiculous amount of lean protein (150g/day), upped my fat considerably (I even drink olive oil sometimes), added tons of fruit and veggies, nuts and eggs. You said you eat little processed foods and that's good. Not sure what diet changes you could make, but consider even more protein and good oil fats. Before going Paleo, I was sooooo sensitive to anything containing sugar that I couldn't even eat fruit. Now, I can eat as much as I want with zero problems.

Hope you get some relief soon! Mine would dip below 55 several times during one day. It was like running a marathon...exhausting and sooooo frustrating. My endocronologist kept monitoring me because she was sure I'd eventually be diabetic (Hypo can lead to insulin resistance ) But, luckily we figured out the culprit before it got there. Is there any chance you could be getting cross-contaminated?

Thank you SOOO much for this info!! I looked up the Paleo diet after you posted about it. A lot of the things you're not supposed to eat are things I already knew I reacted to or suspected I did. It just made a lot of sense to try it. Today I really upped my protein and fat and I feel SO much better than I have the past few days. I actually started using the MyPlate food tracker on LiveStrong.com so I can see exactly how much I'm getting.

I'm not sure about the cross-contamination thing. I double check everything I eat, also vitamins, meds, lotions, etc. Maybe I'll go through everything again. We have a gluten-free kitchen but I do not have a gluten-free husband. He tries to be very good about washing his hands when he comes in and not kissing me until he's washed up. I always wonder whether I'm getting something from him, as I've caught him a couple of times not washing after eating, etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming him. He really tries and has never complained about the food changes around the house.

Do you think this could be a sign of CC? I felt awesome for a month after going gluten-free but then slowly started not feeling as great. Then this whole thing sidelined me over the past month. Still trying to figure it out and wonder whether to call the GI or wait til after my Endo appt.

[vbecton]

Gosh Mac55, I'm not sure about the CC. You guys seem to have such a good system. And kuddos to the hubby for being such a good sport. Mine is the same way. Sure makes going gluten-free easier when everyone at home is onboard!

My only guess would be you are still reacting to something. Maybe sugar in fruits? You could be fructose sensitive. Otherwise, check back with the doctor because low blood sugar is serious. Oh wait, what about your absorption? Are you absorbing nutrients well that you know of? That was the underlying condition to my hypo. I wasn't absorbing protein because of Celiac, therefore nothing was stabalizing my sugar/insulin. Hmmm, maybe?

If you have an Endo, I would consult with them. But, I'd also follow up with my GI. My GI was far more informative about my low blood sugar than my Endo because it was directly correlated to my Celiac. He was the one who explained how malabsorption in the intestines leads to mismanagement of all nutrients, etc...

Hope this helps and good luck!

[vbecton]

Thank you SOOO much for this info!! I looked up the Paleo diet after you posted about it. A lot of the things you're not supposed to eat are things I already knew I reacted to or suspected I did. It just made a lot of sense to try it. Today I really upped my protein and fat and I feel SO much better than I have the past few days. I actually started using the MyPlate food tracker on LiveStrong.com so I can see exactly how much I'm getting.

Oh and thanks for the MyPlate suggestion. I'm going to start tracking my intake!!