Hypoglycemic while pregnant?

So I had a health screening test done today for hubby's insurance and they tested a few things like blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, and also glucose levels.   I had eaten a sweet n salty peanut granola bar and a few conversation hearts (vday candy) an hour before I had this test done and my glucose level was 71!!!  The nurse told me normal is around 90-100 and high is 120, so I was pretty  low.  

This all makes sense now though.   Since about 2 months along, I have been really tired and my energy levels haven't been the greatest.   And when I've eaten like waffles with sf syrup or something not high in protein for breakfast, I feel like crap an hour or two later and have to eat something like a granola bar or something with a lot of protein or sugar in it.   I am usually hungry a lot and have to eat every hour or two right now or I feel tired or a little dizzy.   I carry granola bars with me or some sort of snack because I have to eat so often.  But today, this all makes sense, I've been hypoglycemic (who knows if it's just sometimes or all the time!!)!!!

I just had an ob appt today too and they did a hemoglobin A1C test to see what my glucose levels have been, instead of doing the glucose tolerance test (the sugary drink).   I bet they will call me on friday with the results of YOU NEED TO EAT EVERY 2 hours girl!!  LOL   But I'm so glad that I did this today because a light went on that this is why I've been feeling this way!

Before I got pg and after surgery, I felt fine and didn't get like this.   My energy levels were great and I would usually eat every 3-4 hours and be fine.  Anyone else had hypoglycemia while pregnant?  Did it go away after you had the baby?   Why do you get this when pregnant, is it because I'm sharing my food and nutrients with the baby?  What snacks are good to eat when you have this?   Thanks in advance for any comments!!

It can exacerbate a condition that may continue post pregnancy.  It may get better, it may continue.  Hypoglycemia is very common post RNY.

Eat every 2-3 hours.  Focus more on protein and fat (believe it or not).  Carbs need to be complex.  No more waffles.

When you feel like you are low, don't give into the urge to eat something sweet.  Eat some peanut butter and crackers or some cheese and crackers.  Carry them with you wherever you go just in case.  Avoid juice -- it will only throw you into reactive hypoglycemic hell.  Trust me -- it's harder to get out of.

If you want a really, really, REALLY detailed explanation as to how reactive hypoglycemia is working (which is what is happening when you eat carbohydrates -- granola, waffles, etc), I will go into it in explicit detail.  Just let me know.

I am right there with you but it started happening to me about 18 months out of surgery. Pregnancy has just made it worse. I eat about every 1 1/2 - 2 hours to keep my blood sugar levels stable. A friend told me to balance my whole grain carbs and my protein, basically one for one and it has worked for me.

Hope you start feeling better!

Liz

Andrea, before I got pregnant, I had one episode of reactive hypoglycemia and I had no idea what was going on (this was post op).  I had eaten some Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal (7 gms of protein per packet) with about 2 tsp brown sugar sprinkled on top and 1/8 cup RAISINS (what was I thinking??!! lol) and about 2 hrs later, I felt like total crap (really nauseated, dizzy, etc).   I ate something like a fruit leather roll up and felt better within like 10 minutes.  I came on here and someone told me that I had just probably had reactive hypoglycemia to the meal I just ate that morning.   Since surgery, I have to limit my sugar to about 15 gms or I get diarrhea (my form of dumping).   After that episode, I didn't have diarrhea, so I know I wasn't dumping and it was the RH.

I now eat just the plain WC oatmeal with some splenda and am fine.  I didn't realize how much SUGAR is in those darn raisins (like 30 gms in 1/8 cup I think) and what was I thinking about putting the brown sugar on top too??!!!!   I think I had reactive hypoglycemia before I got pg once in a while when I ate no-no foods and post op, but not just regular hypoglycemia all the time.   I really hope this goes away after I have the baby.  

What kind of snacks are good for me right now that will help my blood sugar stay stable?  I was drinking Trop 50 lower sugar orange juice for a few months back when I was first pregnant, but then stopped because it has Stevia (artificial sweetner) and the American Pregnancy Association says that isn't known right now if it's safe during pregnancy to consume that.   I would only drink 8 oz at a time and would never have reactive hypoglycemia to that afterwards.   I loved that stuff and that I could have OJ again and it was only 10 gms of sugar per 8 oz glass.   I would only drink like one glass a day though, to try and limit the Stevia, but stopped after I read what the APA said about it during pregnancy.

Why does this happen to post op RNY'ers anyways, the hypoglycemia???  And why did I all of a sudden get it when I pregnant now, is it because I am sharing food/nutrients with my baby?  Thanks for your knowledge about this!

There's two forms of hypoglycemia -- reactive and regular.  Both can happen after RNY, and both can occur during pregnancy.

Regular hypoglycemia happens when the amount of sugar in the blood is used up and is not replenished from food.

See, we need a certain amount of sugar in our blood to keep our brains working, our heart beating, etc.  When we eat something, the pancreas will mete out a specific dose of insulin to convert that food into a storage form of energy, but will leave a bit behind in the blood for us to actually use.  In regular hypoglycemia, we simply run out of fuel in the blood, and the body doesn't retrieve some out of storage to create more.

In reactive hypoglycemics, the pancreas is overly happy in insulin production.  It sees carbohydrates and creates too much insulin, which eats up all the fuel in the blood, leaving none for the body to run on.  This leads to a crash.


Typically, in reactive hypoglycemics, you'll see a blood sugar spike when the carbohydrates are converted into blood sugars, then an immediate plummet when the pancreas releases it's insulin and all of the blood sugar is "eaten" up.  This plummet is typically when people feel the worst -- the cold sweats, nausea, etc.

Additionally, RNYers who have never had symptoms prior to surgery and who do not experience regular hypoglycemia get termed with reactive hypoglycemia as late-stage dumping.  I'm not exactly sure WHY cause I just see it as hypoglycemia -- I've been hypoglycemic since I was a very young child so I've learned to live with it, and it got much, much, MUCH worse after surgery -- regardless, they call it late-dumping for some RNYers.  I suppose it's because it is a reaction to carbohydrates.


To minimize it, you need to stick to complex carbs, fats, and protein -- in the reverse order to how I just typed them.  Yes, in this case, fat is happier than carbs.  You need to avoid sugars like the plague unless you are just reallyreallyreallyreallyreally weird, and then you'll figure it out.  But for the most part, 98% of hypoglycemics really need to avoid simple carbohydrates completely.  This means white bread, bagles, probably your oatmeal, etc.

Whole grains ONLY, if that.   Veggies are fine.  Fruits should be limited to low glycemic ones.

If you think you are crashing, then you need to eat a combo of a protein and carb.  Avoid juice, candy, etc as it will throw you into reactive hell.  Peanut butter and crackers, or cheese and crackers are ideal.

A blood sugar monitor would be ideal.  Get your OB to write a script and your insurance will likely pay for it.  That way you can tell what's happening.


I hope it goes away with birth, but the fact is that hypoglycemia is VERY common after RNY.  It may be just timing of the baby, or the exacerbation.  In any case, don't be surprised if it sticks around.

Let me know if you need any further help.  I've lived with it for awhile and kinda know what you're going through.

I have it as well. Mine really kicked in big time when I got pregnant with baby#2 and it hasnt went away.  I eat beef jerky, nuts, cheese, pb and things with protein seem to help keep the monster at bay. Inotice the more water I drink the less the symptoms are. I still test me sugars every now and then when I feel dizzy or sick and almost everytime I do my reading is between 50 and 70! I had to test 4 times a day for GD when I was pregnant with baby#2 and baby#3 because my OB wouldn't do the Gulcola drink on me. When I was pregnant I passed out at the Verizon store on the way to my OB appt. well, they checked my sugar and it ws 39! So...it can be very scary!

Good luck and best wishes!

Ash :)

I searched about hypoglycemia during pregnancy and this is what it says on why some pregnant women get it and it makes sense!  I would hope that the 2nd statement is true for me and it goes away after I have the baby!

The exact cause is unknown, but many doctors suspect it is caused by hormones blocking the normal action of insulin in the body.

 Unlike regular diabetes, the condition corrects itself after the baby is born.