Today I Prevented Exhaustion After Exercise

[futurehope]

I'm always happy to discover new ways to help myself feel better. Today I succeeded at preventing my exhaustion, "I gotta crash now" feeling after I did my walk. I took a Balance protein bar with me and ate it during my first circuit around the mall where I walk.

I came home afterwards and felt fine. That was a first.

I wonder if just keeping my blood sugar up was the reason?

Any opinions?

[Broken_Shell]

Hi,

I have problems with hypoglycemia and maintaining my blood sugar during activity. Back a few years ago when I was still able to do light exercise, the only way I could do it was to eat a snack immediately beforehand. I would wait until my blood sugar was in a good range on my glucose meter before starting activity and also check my sugar again about halfway through my 10 to 15 minutes of gentle exercise (usually walking in a pool or outside on the sidewalk).

~ Broken_Shell

[firewatcher]

I tried eating and drinking immediately after my workouts, thinking it was a hypoglycemic reaction as well. It made no difference for me. I think mine might be a combo whammy of endocrine and mast cell something since my body temp drops so low afterwards and I stay red for hours. But hey, since nobody but me is looking anymore, I will probably never know.

[futurehope]

I tried eating and drinking immediately after my workouts, thinking it was a hypoglycemic reaction as well. It made no difference for me. I think mine might be a combo whammy of endocrine and mast cell something since my body temp drops so low afterwards and I stay red for hours. But hey, since nobody but me is looking anymore, I will probably never know.

FYI, the nugget I just learned about myself included the fact that, if I waited after the exercise and ate the protein bar then, it didn't work at all.

In other words, I have to PREVENT what is going to occur BEFORE it happens. I can safely say that in my case, it is the RAPID change in blood sugar that I'm reacting to, not necessarily the actual blood sugar reading. And if the rapid change has already occurred, I cannot stop my reaction by eating the Protein Bar.

I hope I'm onto something here. Prevention is the key. Once the "rapid change" has occurred, the eating may help the blood sugar, but I'm still fatigued and weak.

As a matter of fact, some articles I was reading yesterday were saying just what I am suspecting, which is, in some cases it isn't so much the blood sugar reading as the RAPID change of the reading.

If you are diabetic, ignore what I just said. You have different issues.

Firewatcher, it is pitiful that we have to figure ourselves out because doctors are not interested or do not know enough. I am in the same boat. If the usual testing is normal, end of discussion. I always seem to be in a position of putting the pieces together to figure it out. It's tiring to be focused on myself so much, but it is a necessity if I am to recover any semblance of normalcy. I suspect that you, too, will be able to figure out what is happening and how to prevent it. I realize how sad it is that we are pushed into self-diagnosis, but such is the current medical establishment.

[firewatcher]

I tried eating and drinking immediately after my workouts, thinking it was a hypoglycemic reaction as well. It made no difference for me. I think mine might be a combo whammy of endocrine and mast cell something since my body temp drops so low afterwards and I stay red for hours. But hey, since nobody but me is looking anymore, I will probably never know.

FYI, the nugget I just learned about myself included the fact that, if I waited after the exercise and ate the protein bar then, it didn't work at all.

In other words, I have to PREVENT what is going to occur BEFORE it happens. I can safely say that in my case, it is the RAPID change in blood sugar that I'm reacting to, not necessarily the actual blood sugar reading. And if the rapid change has already occurred, I cannot stop my reaction by eating the Protein Bar.

I hope I'm onto something here. Prevention is the key. Once the "rapid change" has occurred, the eating may help the blood sugar, but I'm still fatigued and weak.

As a matter of fact, some articles I was reading yesterday were saying just what I am suspecting, which is, in some cases it isn't so much the blood sugar reading as the RAPID change of the reading.

If you are diabetic, ignore what I just said. You have different issues.

Firewatcher, it is pitiful that we have to figure ourselves out because doctors are not interested or do not know enough. I am in the same boat. If the usual testing is normal, end of discussion. I always seem to be in a position of putting the pieces together to figure it out. It's tiring to be focused on myself so much, but it is a necessity if I am to recover any semblance of normalcy. I suspect that you, too, will be able to figure out what is happening and how to prevent it. I realize how sad it is that we are pushed into self-diagnosis, but such is the current medical establishment.

Sorry, tried that too. Eating before exertion is bad for me. Too many systems working at one time.

Yeah, I hate the whole self-diagnosis thing. The constant searching and correlating my labs and looking is just crazy. My PCP used to be really good about being my "curb" and telling me when my theories are too far-fetched. So far, most of mine have panned out, unfortunately. I am getting tired of looking. I know something else is going on, but since I don't have letters behind my name I don't hold much sway.

[Broken_Shell]

Hi futurehope,

I have the same situation. I have really rapid, sudden drops in blood sugar. My sugar can literally drop 40 points in under 10 minutes. I react more to these rapid changes than to the actual blood sugar values as well. If my blood sugar goes from 100 to 70 in 10 minutes, then I will be really symptomatic. However, if it goes from 80 to 70 over an hour, then I feel much better.

It sounds like you haven't gotten any good diagnosis or direction on this either. I have looked into and tried a lot of things. Let me know if you ever get a good answer or solution to the problem of rapid drops in blood sugar or inability to maintain a stable blood sugar with activity.

Thank you, Broken_Shell

[futurehope]

Hi futurehope,

I have the same situation. I have really rapid, sudden drops in blood sugar. My sugar can literally drop 40 points in under 10 minutes. I react more to these rapid changes than to the actual blood sugar values as well. If my blood sugar goes from 100 to 70 in 10 minutes, then I will be really symptomatic. However, if it goes from 80 to 70 over an hour, then I feel much better.

It sounds like you haven't gotten any good diagnosis or direction on this either. I have looked into and tried a lot of things. Let me know if you ever get a good answer or solution to the problem of rapid drops in blood sugar or inability to maintain a stable blood sugar with activity.

Thank you, Broken_Shell

I have no idea what's going on, but I was reading that a certain type of tumor on the pancreas, an insulinoma, secretes insulin and cause people to have blood sugar changes. I'm going to see my endo and HOPE that he listens and helps me determine why I'm always hungry and why exercise causes this issue in me.

[futurehope]

Firewatcher,

I hear you. It sure seems that your body is having some sort of mast cell reaction being as your getting red and cold after exercise, but really, I don't know. I wish I could give you some nuggets of info to help you on your search. Take care.

[mrsdavidson8605]

future hope,

have you had a 3 hour or longer Glucose Tolerance Test? That is the first step to see increases in insulin leves.. they're not so concerend with the glucose, although it is interesting to see that glucose levels will increase somewhat abnormally then crash if you have the over production of insulin. I am having the SAME problem. Wonder if anyone who knows how to do polls on here could start a poll about this??! VERY INTERESTING! We're not all the same but what if this is a major puzzle piece. Read my recent blogs. I'm going into the hospital this weekend to get a 72 hour test done to see if i do have the tumor on the pancreas. BUT I have had to fight for this test for 6 months. That's how long ago I found out I had the over production of insulin and I didn't fit the mold for someone who was at risk for type 2 diabetes, AND i keep losing weight. Talk to your endo and get a second opinion, if necessary... We have to find a cure!!!

[mrsdavidson8605]

firewatcher,

I know how you feel!! hang in there I've noticed that I will search and nothing will come of it and my doc will start getting annoyed, so I back off for a couple months then go back with something else. Keeps me sane and makes my doc think i'm sane too.. unfortunately i have to make him BELIEVE me...

[futurehope]

future hope,

have you had a 3 hour or longer Glucose Tolerance Test? That is the first step to see increases in insulin leves.. they're not so concerend with the glucose, although it is interesting to see that glucose levels will increase somewhat abnormally then crash if you have the over production of insulin. I am having the SAME problem. Wonder if anyone who knows how to do polls on here could start a poll about this??! VERY INTERESTING! We're not all the same but what if this is a major puzzle piece. Read my recent blogs. I'm going into the hospital this weekend to get a 72 hour test done to see if i do have the tumor on the pancreas. BUT I have had to fight for this test for 6 months. That's how long ago I found out I had the over production of insulin and I didn't fit the mold for someone who was at risk for type 2 diabetes, AND i keep losing weight. Talk to your endo and get a second opinion, if necessary... We have to find a cure!!!

Unfortunately, my endo only allowed me a 2 hr GTT, without catching how the insulin levels were changing. I had a peculiar "flat" curve. After 1 hr, glucose went up about 10 points, then after two hours, it went below what it had started at?!

All the while the range of my glucose was always the "normal" kind of fasting range.

What was very interesting to me, but not to anyone else, was at the 2 hour mark, I became noticeably sleepy and tired. The glucose reading was like 78, or something fine.

Doctor looks and says, goody, no diabetes....end of discussion.

I am seeing him again in 2 months and I WILL get answers. Please let me know how you make out, will you?

P.S. Do you have any other endocrine issues, like thyroid for instance? I have had thyroid cancer, and I do believe my endocrine system is below average in its functioning.

[mrsdavidson8605]

future hope,

have you had a 3 hour or longer Glucose Tolerance Test? That is the first step to see increases in insulin leves.. they're not so concerend with the glucose, although it is interesting to see that glucose levels will increase somewhat abnormally then crash if you have the over production of insulin. I am having the SAME problem. Wonder if anyone who knows how to do polls on here could start a poll about this??! VERY INTERESTING! We're not all the same but what if this is a major puzzle piece. Read my recent blogs. I'm going into the hospital this weekend to get a 72 hour test done to see if i do have the tumor on the pancreas. BUT I have had to fight for this test for 6 months. That's how long ago I found out I had the over production of insulin and I didn't fit the mold for someone who was at risk for type 2 diabetes, AND i keep losing weight. Talk to your endo and get a second opinion, if necessary... We have to find a cure!!!

Unfortunately, my endo only allowed me a 2 hr GTT, without catching how the insulin levels were changing. I had a peculiar "flat" curve. After 1 hr, glucose went up about 10 points, then after two hours, it went below what it had started at?!

All the while the range of my glucose was always the "normal" kind of fasting range.

What was very interesting to me, but not to anyone else, was at the 2 hour mark, I became noticeably sleepy and tired. The glucose reading was like 78, or something fine.

Doctor looks and says, goody, no diabetes....end of discussion.

I am seeing him again in 2 months and I WILL get answers. Please let me know how you make out, will you?

P.S. Do you have any other endocrine issues, like thyroid for instance? I have had thyroid cancer, and I do believe my endocrine system is below average in its functioning.

No I don't have any other endocrine issues. At one point they were testing me for cushings syndrome. Can't even remember why now (lol i've been through so much).. I would definately talk to the endo about the insulin thing. Strange that they didn't look at insulin during that test.