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Hypoglycemia

palikona

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Does anyone here have hypoglycemia? I think I might suffer from it and am going to my doc to discuss but wondering if anyone here has the condition? How do you handle it?
 

Tom Co.

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I had it pretty bad when I was younger. I controlled it by eating more protein, especially eating protein in the a.m. I now very rarely have it.
 
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palikona

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I had it pretty bad when I was younger. I controlled it by eating more protein, especially eating protein in the a.m. I now very rarely have it.
What protein would you eat? Eggs? Canadian Bacon? Other?
 

Tom Co.

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@palikona I have tried a lot of things from leftover dinner to protein powder but now I usually start each morning with a soft boiled egg.
 
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palikona

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@palikona I have tried a lot of things from leftover dinner to protein powder but now I usually start each morning with a soft boiled egg.
I have protein powder every morning too, and usually a couple of egg whites. Hmm, maybe I need more?
 

Henry

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https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypoglycemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373685
--quote--

If you don't have diabetes

For recurring episodes of hypoglycemia, eating frequent small meals throughout the day is a stopgap measure to help prevent your blood sugar levels from getting too low. However, this approach isn't advised as a long-term strategy. Work with your doctor to identify and treat the cause of hypoglycemia.
--end quote--
 

tomahawkins

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About seven years ago I started having lots of what felt like low blood sugar events set off by moderate to even mild exercise. It turns out I was developing chronic migraines, often without headache, triggered by physical exertion and other factors. I'm now on Propranolol for management and am mostly functional. Thankfully skiing is one activity that doesn't often set them off.

Do you get headaches or aura with these events? If so, mention it to your doctor.
 
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palikona

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About seven years ago I started having lots of what felt like low blood sugar events set off by moderate to even mild exercise. It turns out I was developing chronic migraines, often without headache, triggered by physical exertion and other factors. I'm now on Propranolol for management and am mostly functional. Thankfully skiing is one activity that doesn't often set them off.

Do you get headaches or aura with these events? If so, mention it to your doctor.
Interesting. For a couple of years, I’ve been having headaches (no aura) after a day of skiing or hiking (sometimes that night, sometimes the day after). I got my heart checked out as well as a MRI and everything checked out ok.
My doc had me see a neurologist, who thinks I get mild migraines induced by longer bouts of exercise, and just put me on propranolol. I started with 20mg and am going to move up to 40 next week and see if that helps, before moving higher. What’s your dose, if you don’t mind my asking?
 

tomahawkins

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Interesting. For a couple of years, I’ve been having headaches (no aura) after a day of skiing or hiking (sometimes that night, sometimes the day after). I got my heart checked out as well as a MRI and everything checked out ok.
My doc had me see a neurologist, who thinks I get mild migraines induced by longer bouts of exercise, and just put me on propranolol. I started with 20mg and am going to move up to 40 next week and see if that helps, before moving higher. What’s your dose, if you don’t mind my asking?
60 mg of propranolol. I also was on 10 mg of nortriptyline, but that didn't seem to help much. I also use 50-100 mg of sumatriptan, but for me it's hard to know when to use it as I feel like crap most of the time. The propranolol doesn't completely take it away, but it certainly pushes the average lower. The biggest thing for me is getting good sleep consistently night after night. If I haven't slept well every night for the last 4 nights, chances are I'm not feeling well.
 

Pat AKA mustski

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Yup. I have hypoglycemia which is normally quite manageable. Stress (also excitement from good events) kick me in instantly. I find the best treatments are grapes and/or a protein bar. Both can easily be carried in a pocket. I say "and/or" because there have been times that I started with grapes but anxiety was too high and I had to add the protein bar. It's a ridiculously stupid condition!

ETA: I remember sitting in a meeting with my boss and looking him in the eye and saying, "nothing you are saying makes any sense. I need to go to the cafeteria and buy a protein bar. I'll be right back." Luckily, he was a good guy and had known me for years.
 
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palikona

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60 mg of propranolol. I also was on 10 mg of nortriptyline, but that didn't seem to help much. I also use 50-100 mg of sumatriptan, but for me it's hard to know when to use it as I feel like crap most of the time. The propranolol doesn't completely take it away, but it certainly pushes the average lower. The biggest thing for me is getting good sleep consistently night after night. If I haven't slept well every night for the last 4 nights, chances are I'm not feeling well.
Hey, if propranolol works to help reduce the number of migraine, great. Is sumatriptan your abortive med if it’s bad? How often can you take that?
 
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palikona

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Yup. I have hypoglycemia which is normally quite manageable. Stress (also excitement from good events) kick me in instantly. I find the best treatments are grapes and/or a protein bar. Both can easily be carried in a pocket. I say "and/or" because there have been times that I started with grapes but anxiety was too high and I had to add the protein bar. It's a ridiculously stupid condition!

ETA: I remember sitting in a meeting with my boss and looking him in the eye and saying, "nothing you are saying makes any sense. I need to go to the cafeteria and buy a protein bar. I'll be right back." Luckily, he was a good guy and had known me for years.
Interesting...I’ve noticed stress or excitement does the same to me. I’ve always thought it was pure anxiety but maybe it’s the hypo?
Are you on a low carb diet for the hypo?
 

Pat AKA mustski

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Interesting...I’ve noticed stress or excitement does the same to me. I’ve always thought it was pure anxiety but maybe it’s the hypo?
Are you on a low carb diet for the hypo?
Hypoglycemia is a low sugar problem so I try to balance my sugar throughout the day. I focus on healthy carbs like fruit and keep breads and starches to a minimum. I don’t count carbs though. High protein is also my friend.
 

cantunamunch

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Keep an eye out for when Supersapiens becomes available in the US. Tech comes to blood sugar management - and it is SO effective at managing blood sugars during exercise even for healthy athletes that it has already been banned for use in competition by the UCI. The pros are totally using it in training tho.


(yes, there's a stabby patch, but it's worth it for data).

And yes, you can already buy the sensor itself - the Supersapiens is an athlete-oriented software layer on top of the already-FDA-approved Abbott FreeStyle Libre:

 
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palikona

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So I’ve been talking my blood sugar level right when I wake up after not eating for about 11 hours. I’ve found it’s typically in the 101-104 range, even though I feel hypo coming on, if I were not to eat. If I look at charts online, I’m apparently borderline prediabetic with those fasting blood sugar numbers. Now I’m totally confused.
 

snwbrdr

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Does anyone here have hypoglycemia? I think I might suffer from it and am going to my doc to discuss but wondering if anyone here has the condition? How do you handle it?
I'm type 2... and sometimes go hypo (72mg/dL) or less... it's usually around lunch time during the working day... so some sugar to the rescue to stabilize myself and how I feel. No, a lot of times, I'm not hungry either when I go hypo
 

snwbrdr

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So I’ve been talking my blood sugar level right when I wake up after not eating for about 11 hours. I’ve found it’s typically in the 101-104 range, even though I feel hypo coming on, if I were not to eat. If I look at charts online, I’m apparently borderline prediabetic with those fasting blood sugar numbers. Now I’m totally confused.
Have to talked to your doctor or an endocrinologist?

Some diabetics, like me, have elevated blood sugars fasting from overnight sleep aka Somogyi effect
 

newboots

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Agreed, talk to your doctor and if you don't get good, helpful answers, see an endocrinologist. A lot of Americans are pre-diabetic and don't know it. <junk food>
 

newboots

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Hypoglycemia is a low sugar problem so I try to balance my sugar throughout the day. I focus on healthy carbs like fruit and keep breads and starches to a minimum. I don’t count carbs though. High protein is also my friend.

I worked outdoors this summer and whenever I started mispronouncing words I knew I was dehydrated (again). I also tripped over things when dehydrated. It was hard to drink enough; the sweat poured off of me despite constantly chugging water.
 

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