Low Blood Sugar

Molly, I just check mine when I don't feel 'right'...light-headed, shakes, hot flashes, sweats (dumping for me ALWAYS includes diarhea). With you using your DH's unused meter, be sure that the strips haven't expired because if they are, they can give some pretty screwy numbers. If they have, call your doc's office and explain what is going on, tell them the meter model and ask them to call you in a script for new strips. Sherri

Thank you, Sherri.  I'll double check those strips.  Why bother going to the trouble of poking and all that for a bad reading?!   Molly

Hey Gina, There have been quite a few that have posted in the past about this .. I too have it .. and was told it is reactive hypoglycemia .. I had RNY Sept of '03 and by Feb of '05 I had my first seizure (grand mal) and was told then it was reactive hypoglycemia .. since then I have had 5-6 more seizures and was tested again this past Nov and my blood sugar was down to 27 .. I had to see an endocronologist and was told to test myself right before I eat then two hours afterwards .. and then I had to see a dietician on what to eat and the amounts etc .. which I feel are way to much .. and is the opposite of what we as WLS patients have been told .. but I'm trying to abide .. but since my insurance will not cover my strips I was told to just check it when I feel it going low .. I can't tolerate alot of sugar but have been told I need more carbs .. which to me is confusing since it turns to sugar too .. oh well .. When I was tested in Nov I had to fast too .. and then when I went in they took blood then made me drink that glucose stuff and then every hour checked my blood for the next 4 hours .. it was after 2 hours that my blood sugars dropped to 27 .. take a book to read .. hope all goes well for ya and that they can tell ya what it is that is going with ya for sure .. take care, Rhonda

I've got that problem too. I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes just before my RNY, and now I've got reactive hypoglycemia. Honestly, I feel like I have more trouble keeping my blood sugar level since my weight loss than I did before - or maybe I'm just more conscious of it? What works best for me is to eat every couple of hours, not something with sugar, but high protein and fiber. I eat a lot of double-fiber wheat bread and peanut butter. I always eat right before I work out, and if I take a really long walk, I take something with me to eat on the way. Never crackers or sweets though, as much as I love them, they make it worse. When my sugar starts dropping, it drops pretty fast so I've got to be ready. I've always heard that 80 - 120 level is good, but anything lower than 80 is too low.

I'm about 2 1/2 years out and have hypoglycemia about 2-3 hours after eating too many carbs.  We need to remember that the tool is a tool for life, not 2 years of a honeymoon phase.  I went back to less carbs and eating every 3 hours or so.  Since I made the changes taking me back to "proper eating", my hypoglycemia has completely gone.  Good numbres ar 80 to 120 milligrams per deciliter.  I travel for my job up to 5 days a week and have had some very scary nights alone in a hotel room.  My suggestion is to go back to basics.  Take good care. Shauna