Question about low sugar.

Don't usually post on here but I have a serious question. My sugar has been going low the last 2 weeks right around 4 pm. I eat a snack and it still seems to stay for a few hours. The one day it went as low as 42 and boy did I feel really crappy!!!! I know I heard from someone about having problems with your pancreas after having the surgery. If anyone knows anything I would greatly appreciate any input. Not sure if it is something I am eating or not eating. Thanks in advance.

Tracey, serious questions should go to your doc and I think if you've had a 42 you need a blood panel done, that is low.    Having been diabetic I can only tell you what I've experienced but even so I need a little more info....were you Type 2 diabetic previous to surgery, when was surgery (if not recently is this something new happening?), when is your last meal of the night and what is it, does it contain any carbs?  Are you peri-menopausal and/or sure you are not pregnant?  The hormones from either tend to drop about that time of night.  If you do not have something carb past 8pm (milk or dannon yogurt) you will not be sustained through the night.  Many nights I'm up eating a DL&F at 4:30, but I'm starting the peri-menopause thing.  Usually my sugar is about 79, when I'm 60's I'm cross eyed and unsteady but a 42!  I'd be on the floor.   Check w/your Endo.

All my blood work so far has been good, have an appt. in 2 weeks. I wasn't diabetic prior to surgery and my surgery was Nov. 11 2008. My last meal of the night is usually a string cheese or a yougurt around 9 pm. Don't think I am menopausal, atlease my gyno never said anything about that, and my age is 38. I just hate that feeling, I can feel it coming, I start shaking and get all funny feeling. Then when I finally start feeling better I get really tired. Might call Dr. tomorrow and get some blood work done now. Thanks for your reply.

Tracey - what do you have for lunch on the days that it happens? Or your snack in the afternoon before it happens? I have something called reactive hypoglycemia. WHen I eat something high in carbs - happened the first time when eating 1/2 a bagel. What happens is your body turns the white carbs to sugar - this kicks the pancreas into gear producing insulin - it produces lots to bring the sugar level down - it "over reacts" and sends the blood sugar too low.

I also find that if I don't eat every 2 hours or so I get shaky too. I also have to eat something with carbs with every meal - fruit, veggies, a whole grain etc. I find that if it sneaks up on me then fruit juice is the quickest recovery method. OJ is my juice of choice - about 4 ounces is plenty.

I wasn't diabetic pre-op either but I was insulin resisitant with PCOS.

Hope that this helps! And I would put a call into your PCP or surgeon just to have them give you a blood work panel done and make sure that there isn't an underlying issue

Liz

Liz, yesterday when it happened I had tuna on wheat bread and some baby carrots. I'm thinking I need to wait till closer to that time for my snack. I ate my snack today at 3pm and have been ok so far. Maybe my timing is just off. It really freaks me out when it happens though. I didn call the Dr. today and am going to have some blood work done to see if it might be something else. Thanks for you help and advice, it is greatly appreciated.

Tracey

It actually DID happen to me today (first time in a while) I had some mac and cheese for lunch (not good I know) then I had my fage yogurt and peaches at 3 (when I normally have my afternoon snack - before I leave work at 4) well i was getting ready to leave work and I felt myself crashing fast and hard. Luckily I had a piece of banana bread in my car (Was dropping some off to my Dad) munched on that and felt better in about 20 minutes - but I was thinking about you when it happened.

Liz, that was a bad combo reaction, sorry it happened.   The mac and cheese is a long-burning carb, takes up to 2 hours for the beta wave to peak, the peaches a short carb, 15 to 30 mins., and that w/fage is alot of sugars, doesn't matter if they are natural or not, that only matters for WLS purposes.  They collided in there, spiked and you crashed, then you had to eat more carb to bring it up.  Watch your combos, they help build your tolerance for carbs.  You want those hormones low and steady for continued WL and optimal baby making. 

Thanks Jackie!! I think that it might actually be a "symptom" I'll let you know early next week... I will have to watch my combos though - yesterday was a horrible eating day.

Sincerely hope it's a "symptom", sweetie.   That occurred to me too.   Waiting to hear about your "project"; hope it happens real soon for you two.  Hugs, J.

thanks!