Diabetic Diet & Blood Gluecose

I have hypoglycemia……for life. Is there any way for me to get diabetes? If i can, then how? I just want to know so i can live a healthy life and shy away from bad areas that will cause me to get unhealthy.

i was hypoglycemic for years before i became diabetic. some people have even called it pre-diabetes. good diet and weight maintenence is key

I have had it for ten years but recently I have gone from 4 hours down to 2 and a half before I have to eat.
The doctor is not very helpful and I just wondered how my fellow hypoglycemics cope?
What I’d really find useful is a list of foods! I have discovered that museli works excellently as do cheeses, pasta and meat.
Any other ideas?

Well as I’m still in school (Going into 9th grade) I really base it around that. I eat breakfast, at lunch, and when i get home. As well as periodically afterward including dinner. I’ve been pretty lax about it now that it’s summer. (Not such a great idea as it turns out). Like you I’ve found that meats and cheeses work well. I also like to use nuts and seeds. (peanut butter and sunflower seeds anyway) They work pretty well. I’ve been diagnosed for a year and a half now and it’s been easy to work things around it. I’ve worked so I can recognize symptoms to know how low I am and to know when to eat.

Also, pickles are good for stabilizing blood sugar apparently =)

Just wondering if there are any foods that help sustain blood sugar levels better than others. I am hypoglycemic and I sometimes get tired of being extremely dependent on food. I would rather spend my time performing stunts like driving my car off of a cliff than snacking every hour just to keep my blood sugar up. Any recommendations would be welcome. Thanks all!

I also have hypoglycemia and having a healthy snack handy has become second nature to me. I really hate getting the shakes or feeling light-headed.

That said, I tend to have fewer symptoms. If I make sure in get a good portion of protein with meals. My Dad also had hypoglycemia and I learned from him the importance of a high protein breakfast. The term "stick to your ribs" was probably coined my some one with this condition.

My dad often had BEANS for breakfast when he was scheduled for a hard day’s work. He always carried a banana and couple of hard cooked EGGS in his lunch box.

I love pancakes but the syrup will make me comatose if I do not have a large glass of MILK, too.

As you have found out having a sweet drink or sugary snack will help for a the max of one hour and then you need food again.

Foods that digest slowly………stick to your ribs:
Eat whole grains instead of refined:
brown rice
whole wheat bread
corn bread
whole grain cereals

Protein rich foods that digest slowly:
nuts or peanuts
(Theses are my emergency cache of choice. It takes just a few to keep me going strong. They don’t require refrigeration. )

beans
meat/poultry/fish your favorite
eggs
cheese
yogurt
milk
cottage cheese

Keeping your blood sugar level will improve your mood.

The doctor prescribed me to start a medication with is 500 mg of Metformin, and she wants to work the dose up to 1500 mg a day. Has anyone been on this medicine for hypoglycemia? I am overweight, and she thinks it will make me lose weight. Has anyone lost weight from it when their insulin levels arent right?

metformin is an oral hyperglycemic agent which is used for type2 diabetes. it is said to be able to reduce weight in overweight patients. hyupoglycemia is a rare side effect. have some sweets or juice with u always in case of a hypoglycemic attack. during an attack, u will feel dizzy, nausea, hand trembling, palpitations etc.

When I’m playing volleyball, that’s when my blood sugar gets really low. What’s the fastest and quickest way to get it back up?

Carry glucose tablets with you. You can get them OTC at any pharmacy. They are used principally for diabetics when their sugar gets too low. They are very inexpensive. Or drink a coke, apple or orange juice, anything with high sugar content. If you choose a coke, make sure it is not a diet coke, as that will not help you. Good luck!

I have hypogylemic conditions, which are occasionally induced by sugar consumption. This is any and all sugar. My body basically hyper-reacts to sugar, and dumps insulin into my blood stream. What would be a reasonable diet, in order to avoid these symptoms? Thanks!

[edit] Treatment and prevention
Management of hypoglycemia involves immediately raising the blood sugar to normal, determining the cause, and taking measures to hopefully prevent future episodes.

[edit] Reversing acute hypoglycemia
The blood glucose can be raised to normal within minutes by taking (or receiving) 10-20 grams of carbohydrate. It can be taken as food or drink if the person is conscious and able to swallow. This amount of carbohydrate is contained in about 3-4 ounces (100-120 ml) of orange, apple, or grape juice although fruit juices contain a higher proportion of fructose which is more slowly metabolized than pure dextrose, alternatively, about 4-5 ounces (120-150 ml) of regular (non-diet) soda may also work, as will about one slice of bread, about 4 crackers, or about 1 serving of most starchy foods. Starch is quickly digested to glucose (unless the person is taking acarbose), but adding fat or protein retards digestion. Symptoms should begin to improve within 5 minutes, though full recovery may take 10-20 minutes. Overfeeding does not speed recovery and if the person has diabetes will simply produce hyperglycemia afterwards.

If a person is suffering such severe effects of hypoglycemia that they cannot (due to combativeness) or should not (due to seizures or unconsciousness) be given anything by mouth, medical personnel such as EMTs and Paramedics, or in-hospital personnel can establish an IV and give intravenous Dextrose, concentrations varying depending on age (Infants are given 2cc/kg Dextrose 10%, Children Dextrose 25%, and Adults Dextrose 50%). Care must be taken in giving these solutions because they can be very necrotic if the IV is infiltrated. If an IV cannot be established, the patient can be given 1 to 2 milligrams of Glucagon in an intramuscular injection. More treatment information can be found in the article diabetic hypoglycemia.

One situation where starch may be less effective than glucose or sucrose is when a person is taking acarbose. Since acarbose and other alpha-glucosidase inhibitors prevents starch and other sugars from being broken down into monosaccharides that can be absorbed by the body, patients taking these medications should consume monosaccharide-containing foods such as glucose tablets, honey, or juice to reverse hypoglycemia.

[edit] Prevention
The most effective means of preventing further episodes of hypoglycemia depends on the cause.

The risk of further episodes of diabetic hypoglycemia can often (but not always) be reduced by lowering the dose of insulin or other medications, or by more meticulous attention to blood sugar balance during unusual hours, higher levels of exercise, or alcohol intake.

Many of the inborn errors of metabolism require avoidance or shortening of fasting intervals, or extra carbohydrates. For the more severe disorders, such as type 1 glycogen storage disease, this may be supplied in the form of cornstarch every few hours or by continuous gastric infusion.

Several treatments are used for hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, depending on the exact form and severity. Some forms of congenital hyperinsulinism respond to diazoxide or octreotide. Surgical removal of the overactive part of the pancreas is curative with minimal risk when hyperinsulinism is focal or due to a benign insulin-producing tumor of the pancreas. When congenital hyperinsulinism is diffuse and refractory to medications, near-total pancreatectomy may be the treatment of last resort, but in this condition is less consistently effective and fraught with more complications.

Hypoglycemia due to hormone deficiencies such as hypopituitarism or adrenal insufficiency usually ceases when the appropriate hormone is replaced.

Hypoglycemia due to dumping syndrome and other post-surgical conditions is best dealt with by altering diet. Including fat and protein with carbohydrates may slow digestion and reduce early insulin secretion. Some forms of this respond to treatment with a glucosidase inhibitor, which slows starch digestion.

I just found out I had it and I’m trying to gather as much info as I can. I’m trying to make out a few weeks worth of diet plans, what can and can’t I eat?

I would suggest that you read the Atkins New Diet Revolution.

Hypo and Hyper glycemia are linked to insulin production. Many times hypoglycemia is misdiagnosed. If you are overweight and suffer hypoglycemia … it is unlikely that the diagnosis is correct. What you have is an overactive pancreas – producing insulin at an out of control rate … this is the beginnings of diabetes … yes, I know that diabetes is HYPER glycemia … but what happens is that after years of overproduction of insulin, your pancreas "burns out"

Read the book … it explains all of his trials and findings.

I am pretty certain I am hypoglycemic but would like to confirm and get tips on how to manage and also see if there is another medical issue that is causing my hypoglycemia. I read there is test to confirm hypoglycemia where you fast for 24 hours and they test your blood sugar levels and everything. Has anyone taken this test? Would an endocrinologist be the best doctor to go to?
I didn’t mean "do you endocrinologists" ..omit the you!

I’ve been diagnosed with hypoglycemia. An endocrinologist would probably be your best bet. I had general practitioners ignore my symptoms for years until I insisted on getting tested. What you need is a glucose tolerance test, preferably the 5 hour version. You fast for 12 hours, they take your blood sugar and then have you drink a super-concentrated sugar liquid. They test your blood sugar every hour for 5 hours to watch how your body metabolizes sugar. A general doctor can do the test but an endocrinologist would be the expert. My blood sugar completely crashed 3.5 hours in and I basically fainted. They offer a 3 hour GTT as well, but that would have missed my problem.

In the meantime, the best diet for hypoglycemics is very similar to the diabetic diet. Avoid refined sugar and eat 3-5 small meals a day with a good mix of high fiber and protein.

Good luck!

Are these a precurser to diabetes? What are the symptoms causes and effects? Are they preventable?

Hypo means too little, or low blood sugar and hyper means too much and yes, either one can be a sign or precursor to diabetes. You need to eat small meals often and stay away from sugary foods and too many carbs because they make your blood sugar fluctuate too much. Exercise also helps you to regulate your sugar levels. Invest in a monitor so that you can see the effects of what you eat and that will help you to control it. Control it now before you go into full blown diabetes.

I’ve had one doctor tell me that I’m hypoglycemic. Another doctor told me to be careful because my blood-sugar test came back in the pre-diabetic (type 2) range. Are these two really the same or are they two different conditions? I’m so confused! (

diabetes and hypoglycaemia are different conditions.

Diabetes: body does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not use the insulin effectively (insulin-resistance).

Hypoglycaemia: body either has too much insulin making blood sugar drop, or body uses the insulin too effectively

There is some theories around that people who get type II diabetes start off with the pancreas over-producing insulin. Either as a pancreas-fault or due to insulin resistance. The pancreas then may "burn-out" and can no longer produce enough insulin to deal with food correctly. …at which point you get sick enough to go to the doctor and get diagnosed with diabetes.

They have not yet proved this theory (as far as I know).

If your blood sugar was high (pre-diabetic range) for one doc, and low (hypoglycaemic) for another doc, then this suggests you are not processing sugar properly. You could be reactive hypoglycaemic. This means you have enough insulin, but you produce it at the wrong time (bit like a faulty thermostat on a heating system). Ask for a prolonged glucose tolerance test to get a better picture of how your body is reacting to sugar.