Low Blood Sugar

[leea190]

So, I've been taking my blood sugar before and after every meal for the last few days and each reading is below 60. I was diagnosed with Hypoglycemia when I was diagnosed with POTS but I got tons of info on how to stop a POTS episode but nothing about helping with my hypoglycemia and I never did a home reading till a few days ago only because I'm blacking out and shaking at work when I haven't had food for over 2hrs. I've noticed I'm even more tired than usual and even my POTS episodes are getting worse. I'm going to call my regular doctors tomorrow to see if I can get an appointment but I'm afraid to go there. The only doctor who believed me about my POTS left that practice a few months ago. I don't want to bother my cardiologist about this. During my last appointment we did talk about my growing tiredness and to talk to my regular doctors about it but when I did they told me it was depression. Don't get me wrong I was depressed around the time (had tons of job rejections after just graduating) but they didn't bother to test for anything else. I hope this appointment goes well. I can't stand sleeping for 14hrs at a time especially when I work full time and trying to establish a career

[sue1234]

Hi. I'm a pro at low blood sugar! The first things doctors are going to want to know is what is your blood sugar when you wake up fasting? If it is 60 or under, they may want to check into an insulinoma. If you drop throughout the day due to eating, they will just tell you it is reactive hypoglycemia. Good luck in your pursuit! I've had this for almost 20 years and it is a pain. I eat every two-waking hours, and eat almost no sugar, and lowish carb.

[lieze]

I have it too but the interesting thing for me is I get very symptomatic just from my sugar dropping.

Mine run a but on the higher side with my fasting being in the 80's 90's.

If I drop to 90 or below I get symptomatic I mean it feels horrible like my brain cells are just all dying or something overly dramatic like that.

It tqkes me a good 15-20 minutes just to come out of it and feel okay again.

I just eat all day long to avoid it.

Mine were dropping almost every hour on the hour.

I know this maybe difficult when you're working to be able to eat that often.

We were allowed no food in resident care areas.

I worked as a nurse in a nursing home.

I would get to work at 6:30 and not get to eat lunch until 12:00.

My schedule sucked and I did it for years not complaining because I was just glad to have a very good job.

We were allowed a break but it was just me and two nursing assitants on the unit.

They were very busy and I got left watching our fall risks.

I didn't feel safe leaving because of what might happen while I was gone.

Hardest for me was when food trays would come and I would smell the food or be sitting there feeding people.

I would actually get symptomatic then....and didn't realize at the time it was probably my blood sugar.

A couple times when I did feel bad I tried running and grabbing a snack out of the vending machine...it was too late and like I said my episodes last 15- 20 minutes anyway so I didn't really make the connection.

I think the fact that you realize what's going on will help you...not that it will be easy....good luck.

[Ashelton80]

I deal with this as well. No sugar, no grains (except i will have brown rice on occasion), only plain greek yogurt (high protein, no sugar) and low glycemic fruits such as berries. I won't touch a banana. Eating every 2-3 hours at first. This has pretty much dealt with the issue for me and once I got it under control (takes a couple of months) I feel a ton better and can go much longer periods of time now without experiencing the shakes, etc that come with low sugar. It is not easy, but once you get the hang of what you can eat (ie real food, no processed junk) it's totally worth it. Good luck!

[leea190]

Thanks everyone! The appointment went okay. I told them straight up I don't want to hear depression but sadly I had to explain what POTS was to this new doctor there But I'm going for some thyroid tests and another 5hr glucose test. I really hate those The stuff you have to drink the flat orange pop is gross. I barely kept it down last time but it has to be done and I have an appointment with an endocrinologist. So, we'll know in the next few weeks...hopefully

[vemee]

I was diagnosed as insulin resistant after years of reactive hypoglycemia where the blood sugar dropped way below 60. I was prescribed metformin and have not really had a problem with low or bouncing blood sugar since.