Jump to content

Shivering cold and sleepy after eating (My strangest symptom)


Recommended Posts

That seems to happen pretty randomly. And it has different degrees.

After I eat my body gets really cold even if it's in a summer's hot day. And I get so sleepy, if I don't lie down, my head keeps falling constantly.

It's not exactly like I'll faint, but I don't think it would be safe to walk around when I'm like this.

When it's less extreme I don't feel the cold, just the sleepiness.

 

I tried to mention this to Drs. but they pretty much ignore this symptom and try to go on about the others. It's so strange they just pretend they didn't hear.

I also not sure if my BP drops (it's normally already pretty low though) but it's not that feeling of sudden low bp with cold sweats and nausea. It's just like my body shuts down and has to go in rest mode.

 

Anyone know what's that, or what to do, or which Dr. to talk to? (gastroenterologists are not an option here. They have no clue)

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, DysautonmiaMatt said:

If this happens regularly maybe ask one of your docs to do a Holter monitor to see what your heart rate etc is doing. Measuring BP before and after eating might help too. I sometimes get sleepy after I eat my largest meal. I eat in my recliner so if I suddenly get sleepy I just take a nap then wash my dishes. Does not happen all the time. For me could be the rush of blood and resources to my stomach/gut to digest food. My heart rate typically goes up after eating dinner but tonight it did not. Only change was a tri-magnesium supplement I took before eating. 

What is a typical blood pressure reading for you? 

It's not just normal sleepiness, is more like, my body enters in some kind of "mode" that I can't function and if I lie down I might end up sleeping 2-3-4 hours depending on how hard it hits. And if I try to just sleep less and wake up, I might still be shivering cold and will have to go lie down again.

It's been a while since it last happened and then it happened just now after dinner, but it was mild. No cold and I just slept for 2 hours.

 

Idk about my BP because I'm just getting out of a crisis so my bp was all over the place and it was the first time I tracked. I was having like 185 when up, and then regular when lying down. Sometimes it spiked up after eating too.

I'll try to have a baseline.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi! I get sleepy/drowsy after meals too, but I usually feel overheated with it, not cold. Do you or could you try eating smaller meals more often throughout the day? That's usually what is recommended to help with symptoms after eating, so you may have already heard this one! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Oh my God! Yes! I have it too. Have you ever figured out what causes this? It’s seriously debilitating. My routine blood labs all come back normal and my blood glucose is usually around 110 when it happens, so it’s not hypoglycemia. Yet I barely stay awake after eating, sometimes I am forced to sleep for an hour, after which I am abruptly wide awake again. Sometimes I have to stand under a boiling hot shower for at least ten minutes before I finally start to feel like my bones aren’t made of ice. Please tell me you’ve learned more than I have! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Eport Welcome to the forum! What you describe sounds typical for autonomic dysfunction. Normally after a meal the parasympathetic NS kicks in ( rest-and-digest phase ) and most of the blood goes to the gut for digestion. That can result in sleepyness ( food coma ) and cold hands and feet. However, sometimes there is an almost competition-like overcompensation of the sympathetic NS, which is the Fight-and-Flight response. This can occur when the branches of the ANS are not in sync. 

I used to have similar problems as you describe after eating. I have been able to control them by avoiding large meals, carbs and sugar and replacing them with high-protein diet. I also eat six to seven times a day rather than three meals a day. This regime has worked very well for me. 

Here is an article describing the ANS:    https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23262-sympathetic-nervous-system-sns-fight-or-flight

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/30/2022 at 12:33 AM, Alexandre said:

It's not just normal sleepiness, is more like, my body enters in some kind of "mode" that I can't function and if I lie down I might end up sleeping 2-3-4 hours depending on how hard it hits. And if I try to just sleep less and wake up, I might still be shivering cold and will have to go lie down again.

It's been a while since it last happened and then it happened just now after dinner, but it was mild. No cold and I just slept for 2 hours.

 

Idk about my BP because I'm just getting out of a crisis so my bp was all over the place and it was the first time I tracked. I was having like 185 when up, and then regular when lying down. Sometimes it spiked up after eating too.

I'll try to have a baseline.

How are you doing now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...