Hypoglycemic? I think so!
Hi All, this is the first post that I've made to this forum...I am diabetic, had RNY on March 23rd 2012- and at the time had erratic but mostly high blood sugars. At my highest weight, I was 285 (in 2006 when I was diagnosed with type 2), and pre-op, 270lbs...It is now just over 4 months and I am at least 81 or a bit more down and off all of my diabetes meds. I have lost 15 pounds in the last month alone and so here is the issue. I was being good and walking on my treadmill at home. About a month ago, I started to experience low blood sugars as I was reaching the 25 minute mark. I was able to bounce back from them fairly quickly by getting off the machine and getting something to eat. So then, I started to eat before I went on...just before. It still happened. Then I got some glucose tablets so that I could take them during the exercise if I felt my sugar dropping. That worked for a while too. Then, the last time that I tried to walk, I prepared myself, had the glucose tabs at the ready, and at around the 20 minute mark, started to sweat profusely and got dizzy. I got off the treadmill, took a tablet - checked my sugars 3.4. It took me 4 glucose tabs to get the sugars moving.
Has this happened to anyone else with RNY? Is it ever going to stop? Might it be that I'm just losing very quickly right now, and my metabolism is screwing up my blood sugars?
Just so you know, I am going to see my doctor on Thursday...but I just thought that I'd ask to see if any of my WLS brothers or sisters have had a similar experience and what did you do to control it?
Thanks everyone! And sorry for the exceptionally long post.
Amy
Has this happened to anyone else with RNY? Is it ever going to stop? Might it be that I'm just losing very quickly right now, and my metabolism is screwing up my blood sugars?
Just so you know, I am going to see my doctor on Thursday...but I just thought that I'd ask to see if any of my WLS brothers or sisters have had a similar experience and what did you do to control it?
Thanks everyone! And sorry for the exceptionally long post.
Amy
Congrats on your success to date and condolences on your hypoglycemia....how frustrating! You said that you are off all meds, correct? So, the hypoglycemia is not related to what you might still be using (and don't need....)
You are right to discuss this with your medical team. I have certainly seen posts on this and other diabetes forums about chronic hypoglycemia after RNY and other WLS. I don't know that a cause is known, but I am sure you can find some strategies to try, in addition to the ones you are already doing.
How many carbs are in your pre-exercise snack? Perhaps you need to amp that up a little and combine it with some protein to try and give you a more even rise and drop in your blood sugar. I am a Type 1.5, so an insulin user, and I know that I need to exercise within 2 hours after a meal, cut my insulin in half and check myself before, just after, and for several hours after exercise.
Another thought - and I can see where this would feel counter-productive, but maybe you need to split up your exercise into 15 minute chunks and spread them out? Again, I wouldn't really want to do this. But, if your problem is coming up around 30 minutes, perhaps you need to end before you hit that mark.
I'm betting the answer is in the food composition before the exercise...please check back and let us know what the doctor says? This is how we all learn....
Best of luck - and again, congrats on your amazing success!
You are right to discuss this with your medical team. I have certainly seen posts on this and other diabetes forums about chronic hypoglycemia after RNY and other WLS. I don't know that a cause is known, but I am sure you can find some strategies to try, in addition to the ones you are already doing.
How many carbs are in your pre-exercise snack? Perhaps you need to amp that up a little and combine it with some protein to try and give you a more even rise and drop in your blood sugar. I am a Type 1.5, so an insulin user, and I know that I need to exercise within 2 hours after a meal, cut my insulin in half and check myself before, just after, and for several hours after exercise.
Another thought - and I can see where this would feel counter-productive, but maybe you need to split up your exercise into 15 minute chunks and spread them out? Again, I wouldn't really want to do this. But, if your problem is coming up around 30 minutes, perhaps you need to end before you hit that mark.
I'm betting the answer is in the food composition before the exercise...please check back and let us know what the doctor says? This is how we all learn....
Best of luck - and again, congrats on your amazing success!
Excellent!! I've learned from those I know who have hypoglycemia, that eating protein and carbs together helps to stop that cycle of crashing, eating, crashing. As diabetics, we always know that carbs help us when we are in blood sugar trouble, but we forget that protein is very important as well.
I'm glad that you have been able to find something that works for you. As a Type 1.5 diabetic, part of my weight gain over the years was in struggling to exercise and keep my blood sugar in balance. I would get all ready to exercise, only to find out that my blood sugar wasn't high enough or that I had to eat to keep it out of danger. I never learned how to do that well in my 25 years as a diabetic, largely because I think there wasn't much emphasis put on skills to do that. I've gotten better and am committed to seeing it through, but there's nothing MORE frustrating than wanting to exercise, knowing you need to, and not being able to do it because of a blood sugar issue.
So, don't get too frustrated and keep working at it! It's working!
Terry
I'm glad that you have been able to find something that works for you. As a Type 1.5 diabetic, part of my weight gain over the years was in struggling to exercise and keep my blood sugar in balance. I would get all ready to exercise, only to find out that my blood sugar wasn't high enough or that I had to eat to keep it out of danger. I never learned how to do that well in my 25 years as a diabetic, largely because I think there wasn't much emphasis put on skills to do that. I've gotten better and am committed to seeing it through, but there's nothing MORE frustrating than wanting to exercise, knowing you need to, and not being able to do it because of a blood sugar issue.
So, don't get too frustrated and keep working at it! It's working!
Terry
You dealing with low blood sugar - hypoglycemia dn RH.
I had to stop streanoous extercise. I can do walking or yoga.
I do need to eat fat _+ proteins + complex carbs. Nuts - nut butters - are the best for me.
check
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/4555953/quotTheyquot-s aid-Id-gain-it-all-back-are-quottheyquot-right/
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/wls_grads/3453812/Reactive -Hypoglycemia-my-trial-error-research/
http://www.obesityhelp.com/search/action,search_oh/?q=RH&cx= 000946886326336472648%3Ae-vpeg4uyxw&cof=FORID%3A9
http://www.obesityhelp.com/search/action,search_oh/?q=Reacti ve+Hypoglycemia&cx=000946886326336472648%3Ae-vpeg4uyxw&cof=F ORID%3A9
and so on... typical post op - long term RNY.
I had to stop streanoous extercise. I can do walking or yoga.
I do need to eat fat _+ proteins + complex carbs. Nuts - nut butters - are the best for me.
check
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/4555953/quotTheyquot-s aid-Id-gain-it-all-back-are-quottheyquot-right/
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/wls_grads/3453812/Reactive -Hypoglycemia-my-trial-error-research/
http://www.obesityhelp.com/search/action,search_oh/?q=RH&cx= 000946886326336472648%3Ae-vpeg4uyxw&cof=FORID%3A9
http://www.obesityhelp.com/search/action,search_oh/?q=Reacti ve+Hypoglycemia&cx=000946886326336472648%3Ae-vpeg4uyxw&cof=F ORID%3A9
and so on... typical post op - long term RNY.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
i've been dealing with this issue for over 3 years and at the end of my rope. i have a naturalist doctor who has helped me the most. she put me in touch with an endo who was good and helped with a thyroid issue but now his office is closingdue to his poor health and i need to find another endo.
this is the first time that i've read information that has been helpful.
i've been working so hard to keep my LBS under controll sometimes it feels like the things that worked the day before no longer work today.
forget about decaf dunkin coffee which i loved but can not touch it sets me off and once that happens it makes the whole week nasty.
i've put on 30 pounds of the 150 that i've lost and i am feeling down about that but keep trying to keep my emotions good cause that doesn't help the LBS either.
its a every day battle between the weight and the LBS.
i thought when i had the wl surgery that i was goign to be good for the rest of my life. i was so very good with the weight everytrhing the doc said to do i did i could have been the poster child for the surgery things were good for 5 years then everyrhign went south 3 years ago and that stuggle has been daily.
i have to eat every 2 hours even if i'm not hungry if i wait or forget i get sick. cna't consitrate, feel sick to my stomach head aches anxiety! omg anxiety drives me nuts! sometimes i can feel the anxiety before anythign else and i rush to eat my snack.
peanut butter is my best friend. i eat that every single day.
i have peanut butter lara bars that i can carry in my bag but at 220 calories they are hard to eat and know that the calories are a downer. i'm in sales and on the road all day i need things that are right at hand. i carry a cooler with snacks. green seedless grapes apples cheese sticks chicken boiled eggs. calorie wise i'm at 1500 to 1800 a day. its very hard to lose weight hell its hard not to gain and i gain an ounce here an ounce there before you know it theres another pound in a week. doens't sound like much but let me tell you we all know that a pound a week adds up to a whole lot of weight gain over a year.
clothes are depressing. i use to be a size 28 got down to a size 6 held at a size 10 for 4 years now over the past 2 years i've gone from a 10 to a 12 then a 14 and now today i had to buy a size 16.
its very hard to be positive....
this is the first time that i've read information that has been helpful.
i've been working so hard to keep my LBS under controll sometimes it feels like the things that worked the day before no longer work today.
forget about decaf dunkin coffee which i loved but can not touch it sets me off and once that happens it makes the whole week nasty.
i've put on 30 pounds of the 150 that i've lost and i am feeling down about that but keep trying to keep my emotions good cause that doesn't help the LBS either.
its a every day battle between the weight and the LBS.
i thought when i had the wl surgery that i was goign to be good for the rest of my life. i was so very good with the weight everytrhing the doc said to do i did i could have been the poster child for the surgery things were good for 5 years then everyrhign went south 3 years ago and that stuggle has been daily.
i have to eat every 2 hours even if i'm not hungry if i wait or forget i get sick. cna't consitrate, feel sick to my stomach head aches anxiety! omg anxiety drives me nuts! sometimes i can feel the anxiety before anythign else and i rush to eat my snack.
peanut butter is my best friend. i eat that every single day.
i have peanut butter lara bars that i can carry in my bag but at 220 calories they are hard to eat and know that the calories are a downer. i'm in sales and on the road all day i need things that are right at hand. i carry a cooler with snacks. green seedless grapes apples cheese sticks chicken boiled eggs. calorie wise i'm at 1500 to 1800 a day. its very hard to lose weight hell its hard not to gain and i gain an ounce here an ounce there before you know it theres another pound in a week. doens't sound like much but let me tell you we all know that a pound a week adds up to a whole lot of weight gain over a year.
clothes are depressing. i use to be a size 28 got down to a size 6 held at a size 10 for 4 years now over the past 2 years i've gone from a 10 to a 12 then a 14 and now today i had to buy a size 16.
its very hard to be positive....
I am sorry for your troubles...and understand them. Have you thought about seeking some counselling or BT (behavioral therapy) for your anxiety? Medications? I would work on my head, not worry so much about my food at the moment. I think it may be your anxiety that is driving all of the other problems. It usually is.
Hope you feel better and take care of the root issues so that the other issues will take care of themselves.
Amy
Hope you feel better and take care of the root issues so that the other issues will take care of themselves.
Amy
i'm not sure what behavioral therapy would be for anxiety. but i'm willing to give anything a try. i'll be sure to talk to my doctor about it at my next visit.
the day i wrote the posting was a hard day when i had to buy size 16 clothing. having lost so much and to have gained enough back to make clothes sizes go up and up is so discouraging.
the odd thing is that when i think about how hard i've worked to get to were i am andnow seeing it go back to where i'd been. sometime syou wonder if it was all worth it. the surgery was a pip but i flew through that without any major difficulites. like i'd said i did everythiong the doc's said to do.
so now with the low blood sugar...
things have down a backwards flip.
i use to live for food years ago and found such enjoyment in all that i ate.
then food was not my focus in life. all of the other wondeful things for over 8 years food wasn't one of them.
now with the low blood sugar food is now my focus again!
that is just insane.
i have a little notebook that i carrry and write everything down that i ate the times that i ate them and how i felt to track the calories but also to see what mnight be triggering the issues.
it is a help.
my weight is holding again but i'mworkingon finding the right things that i can eat that won't mess up the blood sugar that keep me running on 100% and will help me to lose weight again. i will be very hap;py if i can lose 15 pounds. that keeps me at a normal weight for my height but not that crazy weight that the charts say i should be. thats way to low i don't look good and i don't feel good at the chart weight.
i'd be happy not at my lowest size wise but if i could drop 2 sizes that would get me to a 12 and thats fine with me.
today i am more positive. i'm looking forward to the week and what it will bring.
thank you foryour kind words.
the day i wrote the posting was a hard day when i had to buy size 16 clothing. having lost so much and to have gained enough back to make clothes sizes go up and up is so discouraging.
the odd thing is that when i think about how hard i've worked to get to were i am andnow seeing it go back to where i'd been. sometime syou wonder if it was all worth it. the surgery was a pip but i flew through that without any major difficulites. like i'd said i did everythiong the doc's said to do.
so now with the low blood sugar...
things have down a backwards flip.
i use to live for food years ago and found such enjoyment in all that i ate.
then food was not my focus in life. all of the other wondeful things for over 8 years food wasn't one of them.
now with the low blood sugar food is now my focus again!
that is just insane.
i have a little notebook that i carrry and write everything down that i ate the times that i ate them and how i felt to track the calories but also to see what mnight be triggering the issues.
it is a help.
my weight is holding again but i'mworkingon finding the right things that i can eat that won't mess up the blood sugar that keep me running on 100% and will help me to lose weight again. i will be very hap;py if i can lose 15 pounds. that keeps me at a normal weight for my height but not that crazy weight that the charts say i should be. thats way to low i don't look good and i don't feel good at the chart weight.
i'd be happy not at my lowest size wise but if i could drop 2 sizes that would get me to a 12 and thats fine with me.
today i am more positive. i'm looking forward to the week and what it will bring.
thank you foryour kind words.
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