Poll: for those with RHG and who get blood sugar dips

As I sit here scarfing a granola bar for dear life, I used to think there was no rhyme or reason to my infrequent blood sugar dips but I think I just thought of the common denominator.

They usually occur after a succession of days (three or four usually) when I've eaten more than a few servings of starchy carbse ach of those days.

So I don't get an immediate effect (which is why neither my PCP nor surgeon will deem it reactive hypoglycemia just yet...plus I've been flaky about getting a blood sugar monitor to substantiate my dips), but it seems to be cumulative.

Have you noticed any particular patterns related to your blood sugar dips?

Yes, mine is like yours. If I'm eating right, the incidences are almost nonexistant. If I've had several days of "bad" eating, I will have a lot more trouble with my blood sugar. But it usually only takes two days for mine to start acting up.

Yes.  It's competely and totally my fault and related to my diet.

I can go all day WITHOUT eating and have no issues, but have potato soup and a slice of sourdough bread for dinner and I wake up at 2 am shaky, pouring rivers of cold sweat, and disoriented.  Eat an apple and forget to eat dinner - get cold and clammy an hour later.

Really bad episodes like the ones in the middle of the night I need immediate resolution so I drink 4-6 ounces of milk, eat a slice of cheese and lick some peanut butter (or eat pb crackers).  For the milder episodes (where I am awake and can feel it coming on) I just eat something protein heavy.  I do carry pb crackers with me pretty much everywhere.

I've been eating fairly decent lately so I've not had an episode in quite some time.  But even when I knew it was my fault and could be prevented I still often chose the triggering foods and said "boy, I'm going to regret this tonight at 1am" and would go to bed with pb crackers at the bedside.  Not a smart thing to do, and I'm working on changing that behavior.  So far so good.

Mine is most likely to occur a couple hours after eating a lot of carbs without much protein - a big bowl of popcorn will do it.  I haven't noticed the sort of cumulative effect you're talking about but then I haven't looked for it, either.

I would say that, whether it technically meets the definition of RH or not, you know that eating starchy carbs for a few days makes you end up feeling lousy.  And I'm guessing you know the solution to that.

Yep. I wasn't looking for a way around it. Just had an aha moment on it. 

I haven't seen any real patterns other than like Kelly, if I eat something carb heavy with no proten, I'll be in trouble.  I woke up in the middle of the night about 2 weeks ago sweaty and shaking and had no idea how I'd gotten that way.  I got up desperately in search of food and ended up eating 2 poptarts and a handful of Hot Tamales.  Ugh.  I just knew I needed sugar and fast.  After I finished scarfing that down, I went right back to sleep and was fine in the AM (strange after the mid-night carb fest). 

Anyway, most days I keep it in check by getting plenty of protein.  I do have a blood glucose monitor but I'm scared to death to use it (something about inflicting pain on myself...can't do it).  I'll have to keep an eye out for a cumulative effect.  All I know is this blood sugar stuff scares the crap outta me, is very annoying, and some days really makes me regret this surgery. 

 The human body is really something. It's amazing to me how we instinctually know what to do when this happens.

You are right - it is very instinctual.  Especially once I start getting shaky, my mind is one-track.  The only thought it's capable of having is "Eat, eat, eat."  So weird.

Mine is almost non-existent as long as I eat 6-7 small meals each day.  If I wait too long between meals or if I eat something sugary, I will have issues.

I've not been diagnosed with RHG BUT I do get dips sometimes. I really haven't noticed any patterns of it happening except to prevent it. If I let it happen, I spend the entire day chasing it and no matter what I do, it never corrects until the next day.