Sugar Reaction/Hypoglycemia???

Had a really strange reaction the other day and wanted to ask the other longer term grads about it. I was at a conference with my principal.  Had my breakfast at home, stopped for coffee on the way, and avoided the "breakfast" there:  muffins, bagel, and the like.  Lunch was one of those boxed things:  turkey sandwich, oily pasta salad, cookie, fruit cup and A STARLIGHT MINT.  I tossed the pasta salad back in the box, fed the cookie to my principal, tossed the bread, and ate the fruit cup.  About two hours later, I was fiddling with the mint and ate it.  As we stood up to leave, I came as near to passing out as I ever have.  Sat down quickly and my principal, bless his heart he didn't know me pre-wls and thought I was dying on him, sat there with me about 10 minutes until the real dizziness passed.  He wanted to follow me home but I said I was fine (better but fine wasn't really it).  Came home and collapsed on the bed for 45 minutes.  Then I was fine. I think it was the damn mint!!!!  The only other time I have had such a reaction is when the doofus at Panera make me a full-sugar instead of a sugar free coffee drink. What's strange is I do not have any type of reaction with chocolate candy or a cookie.  Maybe it's the sugar mixed with other elements that slow down absorption with these items. What do you think?  

Yep!  I think you crashed!!  I cra**** seems most of us do after a while.  My crashing has no rhyme or reason so I gave that up!  Instead, I ALWAYS have peanut butter crackers on hand.  I always have a pack in my car, in my purse, etc.  This seems to be the BEST way for *ME* to come out of the crash.   Be safe!  You really shouldn't have driven home "in that condition!"   YIKES!!!  Try to have PB crackers on hand (some like fruit juice at 1/2 cup) or get something to eat that has a balance of protein, fat, and carbs!   I hope this helps!!!

Hi Karen, I will 8 years out in December and this happens to me also with no specific food or drink. You learn to live with it and I too keep the peanut butter crackers at hand. I can usually "feel" this coming at this point.

DONNA! You're a true trail-blazer at 8 years post!  Thanks so much for keeping on the boards and paving the way for us! 6 years post maintaining 3.5 years...

I'm thinking the fruit cup + the mint. Prolly only 1g in the mint, so more likley the fruit cup. Maybe fruit + bread?

Mst of us long term ppl keep peanut butter crackers handy. In car, near desk, in purse (in a hard shell glasses case) and eat 2-3 at the FIRST sign. Since this seems to come free with RNY, starts around 18 months out and is unpredictable.

I understand that when I was doing fudge (which was while I was outgrowing my entire wardrobe), I got away with it, but toward the end, I was totally careless about white carbs and having an episode daily. Once I went to almost straight protein foods (always do 180g in protein supps), I have not had one for awhile.

Carb shock from fruit cup - betcha.   What normally works for me is snacking on ziplock baggie of peanuts or trail mix w/ raisins (ALWAYs in my purse) OR , as others have suggested,  peanut butter crackers - a couple of them.  Sounds like a sugar low, for sure.  I've had to call my husband - while SITTING in the aisle of a store (Men's dept - like I was looking at underwear on BOTTOM shelf :)  - where I had crashed after eating chips & salsa  - a FEW  - with NO protein.   Actually - made it to aisle where protein bars were - took a box - opened it & ate one - felt better in a bit- paid for them & made it home. Now I'm ALWAYS prepared for it.   I can tell when I first begin a "burn" what signs to look for & to snack a bit to ward it off.  Now completely under control. Trial & error - but yes it's common - not healthy to get that low - keep working to see what your triggers are. Take care!

Karen, I was diagnosed as being hypoglycemic when I was ~a year post-op. My endocrinologist ordered a 7 hr glucose intollerence test to confirm it (I had also been diagnosed with a  hypothyroid when I was 3 months post-op). Through many trial & errors, mine is kept under control for the most part by carefully watching what I eat. Any potatoes, pastas, rice (white, brown, yellow, wheat...doesn't matter) all do it to me. I have had fruit ****tail do it to me one time so I avoid any canned fruit unless I know it is sugar-free (in other words, at home only). I'm ok with small amounts of bread or crackers usually. Recently, I have noticed that beans are starting to give me an issue. I do NOT carry PB crackers with me. Instead, I keep glyciene tablets with me at all times. When I start to feel the syptoms, I eat 2-3 of those. They do not cause me to dump, they have 0 fat & minimal calories (unlike PB crackers).  The best thing you can do is monitor very closely what makes your sugar drop. If you don't have a meter, ask your doctor to write a script for you for one. What my endo had told me is happening (for me anyway) is that at the first bite of a starch (it would for sugar too if I ate sugar), the brain signals the body to start making insulin since starches turn into sugar. So..my body does..and does so rapidly! However, since I'm post-op, I don't eat enough of the starches to accomidiate all the insulin the body made. The excess insulin causes my sugar to plummet. The lowest mine has been is 35. Scary! I would urge you to talk with your endocrinologist (if you have one) or dietician about this. Sherri

I agree that it was more likely the fruit cup than the mint. When I have hypoglycemic reactions it is usually 2-3 hours after eating something high in carbs. (sugar or flour). I don't get dizzy though I get super shaky from the inside and really sweaty. It is very uncomfortable. Good luck.