why do i feel so crummy?

[arlenecarol]

Hi again,

Okay, i've been good about this change of diet business...absolutely NO carbs for breakfast and 'healthy' meals for lunch and dinner, a protein 'snack' a couple of hours after dinner-before bed. morning b/s levels still are in the low 120s...but after lunch, i'm jumping to 150 or 180!!?? then it falls back to the 120s before dinner. so why do i feel like i'm dizzy, sick to my stomach, shaky and tired? these levels aren't even near hypo levels...could it be that i'm just NOT USED TO being so low? does my body require time to 'be normal'??

and when i'm having one of these episodes, what should i do? this morning, we went to the beach. i was swimming for more than an hour when i suddenly experienced this 'drop'... the Turks say 'your blood is falling'...non-technically, they connect this feeling to the blood doing something ... not far off, i'd say.

my daughter went and got a REAL glass of coke for me...i haven't had a sugary drink for more than 2.5 months now...boy, was it sweet...but in about 5 minutes, i felt better...but shortly there after, we went to have lunch, a bit earlier than planned. i felt much better after eating...now, almost 5 hours after lunch, i'm getting that 'sinking' feeling again...i don't think i can (should) wait 2 more hours for dinner....

i just tested my b/s and it's 127...

what do you think is going on? while on the beach with that first episode, i had a flash of the movie 'steel magnolias' and when julia roberts had her hypo in the hairdressers...i hadn't really thought much about it before, but is THAT what a hypo (at it's almost worst) is like??

on the way home, we stopped at the store and picked up a roll of lifesavers for me to carry around - just in case this happens again...

it's not a nice feeling, is it? how do i know when i'm in really big trouble? how much time do i have? i.e...how far can i push this feeling? how fast do i need to get something to get me back to normal?

questions, questions...guess you all have had these same questions too.

i'm going to have some juice now...i don't like this feeling at all!!! it stinks!

arlene

[duck]

You can get accustomed to being high so when you are "normal" you feel low. There are many examples of such phenomenon and the human body: Drug addicts in recovery and their "DT's", athletes who over-consume vitamins who suffer deficiency symptoms when they cut back to "normal", etc. Bear with it, you can do it and you'll be better for doing so!

[arlenecarol]

You can get accustomed to being high so when you are "normal" you feel low. There are many examples of such phenomenon and the human body: Drug addicts in recovery and their "DT's", athletes who over-consume vitamins who suffer deficiency symptoms when they cut back to "normal", etc. Bear with it, you can do it and you'll be better for doing so!


okay...of course i'm going to stick with it...but when do i know i'm 'in trouble'?

arlene

[duck]

okay...of course i'm going to stick with it...but when do i know i'm 'in trouble'?

arlene

You mean how can you tell if you really are low? It's tough, but you have to test and test to make sure you are really/really not low. I went through something similar earlier this year, and it is very disconcerting. Once when it was really bad I did kind what you did, I ate something I knew would bring me back up, but I took a bolus to cover it. Things are a little trickier when you are Type 2, but I wouldn't rule out eating something to make you feel better as long as you are strong enough to do what it takes to get back to normal (did that make any sense?).

[arlenecarol]

You mean how can you tell if you really are low? It's tough, but you have to test and test to make sure you are really/really not low. I went through something similar earlier this year, and it is very disconcerting. Once when it was really bad I did kind what you did, I ate something I knew would bring me back up, but I took a bolus to cover it. Things are a little trickier when you are Type 2, but I wouldn't rule out eating something to make you feel better as long as you are strong enough to do what it takes to get back to normal (did that make any sense?).


:hmmmm2: :confused: :dontknow:

hahaa....at this stage of the game, i guess i have to 'live it' before much will 'make sense' to me!! i also assume this is all going to take time. but i'm sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that even once i have this figured out, i'm gonna get a kick in the pants and have to re-learn everything i thought i knew!

and i'll bet most of you know this already...i'm still in the fog of 'newbieland'.

i'll learn...

arlene
thanks...

[GreenWing]

okay...of course i'm going to stick with it...but when do i know i'm 'in trouble'?

arlene

I've just recently discovered than when I go low, my eyes start to see everything a bit brighter or something...It's like everything is whiter looking...

[Cinnabon]

Duck always knows...(LOL)
He is right about your body being so used to sunning high that now that normal levels it wont feel as good, its like a withdrawal syndrome. Yes, It takes a while to get your body used to normal blood sugars. The extra activity, such as swimming, will cause your BS to drop fast. That reaction Julia Roberts had can happen just like that, but not to everyone. I am now regaining the feel of going low. I can be up & about and not feel a thing. Its the trial & error thats frustrating, yet successful There are really no shortcuts to this, except testing a lot. You will recognize them pretty quickly after that. :burnout:

[Linda57]

I always thought I was having those feelings when my BG was lower than I was used to. But recently I have begun to think that the feeling is really caused by the actuall drop itself, if I hang in there, it levels and I feel better.

Just my newest theory........... :smile:

Linda

[Peter Lee]

While I was in the period after diagnosis when my sugar levels were dropping, I found that I felt 'low' when a change actually took place - the level didn't matter, it was the change that caused the feeling. This went once I had become stable at 6 (108).

I wouldn't worry too much about having a hypo. It is not usual for a Type 2 to go hypo suddenly unless you are abusing your system like indulging in an alcohol binge. The risk is greater for someone taking Gliclazide but even then it doesn't happen as fast as it can for a Type 1.

If you are aware of how you are feeling, the first thing you will notice is that it is more difficult to think clearly, you get more focussed on the task in hand, light headed, weaker (if you are doing anything physical), uncommunicative (if you are with someone else), less tolerant and short tempered. Eventually you grind to a halt, but are still with it enough to know to test. Corrective action - eat something before you grind to a halt - fruit, anything 'healthy'. Better than nothing are the glucose tablets you suggest or even sweets (candy)/sugar.

What I have written above is what I experienced when it happened to me (I take Gliclazide amongst the other stuff). Everyone is different so if it happens to you it could work in a slightly different way.

Don't panic, you should have time to do something about it. :lollypop:

[arlenecarol]

okay...after yesterday's rotten feeling, i decided that having a zero carb breakfast wasn't a good idea... but i couldn't find anything that i wanted to eat today except left over spaghetti...i know, i'm crazy...but it's the only thing i wanted...so i ate about a cup full and topped it off with a cupful of carrot, red cabbage and sweet red pepper salad left over from last night...
it was yummy.

my fasting b/s was 118...an hour after eating it had jumped to 182!! then i had my 'big meal of the day' - lunch...a well-balanced proportion of protein, carb and veggies and tested at +2.5 and my level was 116.

it probably won't jump high again today. after looking at the past week or so, it seems i have one jump after a meal and then the rest of the day looks really good.

i have a feeling that eventually, that one spike might level off too...

and your words about the changing level causing the lousy feeling is really something to focus on for me...and i'll try it again tomorrow when we go back to the beach earlier in the morning this time...but AFTER a breakfast that includes SOME carbs...let's see if it changes anything..

overall, my blood sugar levels are dramatically DOWN from May of this year, which was actually prior to official diagnosis...i never would have guessed that i could get this far ahead this fast..

you all share this small 'victory' with me..and i thank each and every one of you.

arlene
:five:

[Middle Aged Man]

When I went to my diabetes class, I was surprised that the dietician advocated a diet that, in my opinion, had a lot of carbs in it. In fact, I often have trouble eating the number of carbs allowed . . . it's a higher number than what I was consuming.

However, I have since learned that not eating puts my liver into overdrive generating sugar Further, if I am under stress (not eating those little snacks typically results from work obligations), the release will be greater.

I also feel tired and low when at normal levels, although i haven't noticed the vision difference mentioned . . . I'll have to watch for that. I'm trying to get used to them.

Someone here also recommended eating something high in protein at bedtime or overnight, and I started experimenting with Slim Jims (a beef stick) as a night time snack. I was waking up with fasting readings around 180. Now they are around 140-145. Not perfect, but much better.

So, what I'm learning (and it appears that you are trying to learn the same) is that I need carbs to prevent my liver from dumping more sugar than I should have. Those snacks are important to keep the liver in check. I can do better in my glucose readings from eating something rather than skipping, as my liver will make things worse if left to its own devices.

My guess is that you're facing the same issues, and I hope my thoughts above help . . . or spark someone else on here to tell us where we're both going wrong!

[arlenecarol]

i think what i'm seeing is that i actually do better with carbs than without..
and if someone will definitely confirm what i saw here earlier, that fasting B/S levels of 120 or under with a spike to 180 1-2 hours after a meal are within 'normal' ...then i'd say i've learned some really great lessons this week.

tomorrow is another trip to the beach. this time i'll have carbs with breakfast, though i won't overdo them..and i'll have something with me just incase i get that 'sinking feeling'...

i felt exceedingly better today but then again, i wasn't in the water... but i'm still researching what's good for me.

it's kind of an interesting illness...where else could we get to really be part of the process. at least we don't need 24/7 doctor care (dare i say 'yet'??)

again, you all are great. thank you very much.

arlene

[lambchop]

When I went to the Diabetes seminar they told us to eat something every 2 hours that we can have - instead of eating 3 big meals a day - they said to eat 6 small ones.

Our body needs some carbs - but if you have a healthy snack in between it will keep the energy level up.

[Peter Lee]

When I went to the Diabetes seminar they told us to eat something every 2 hours that we can have - instead of eating 3 big meals a day - they said to eat 6 small ones.

Our body needs some carbs - but if you have a healthy snack in between it will keep the energy level up.
Yes, I got this as well 'a little and often'.

Some days this is what I do, and it works. Other days I prefer three more substantial meals. I think it depends what I'm doing. Certainly if I'm doing physical work, then I need a reasonably substantial breakfast followed by smaller meals every two hours. If I don't do that then I tend towards feeling hypo i.e. less than 4 mmole/l (72mg/dl)

[Mark C]

FEED ME, Seymour!! FEEEEDD MEEEEeeeeeeee!

When I first started insulin, and even now, hunger is not a reliable indication for me. My body cries out for food by insisting it's starving. When I am hungry, I go test. THAT is the only reliable check to see if I am low. Hunger pains at 10pm?? Need to test and probably I am low.

[arlenecarol]

FEED ME, Seymour!! FEEEEDD MEEEEeeeeeeee!

When I first started insulin, and even now, hunger is not a reliable indication for me. My body cries out for food by insisting it's starving. When I am hungry, I go test. THAT is the only reliable check to see if I am low. Hunger pains at 10pm?? Need to test and probably I am low.


Ok...but more often than not, i don't get hungry...which is really strange...
today for example...i could have skipped the noon meal and not missed it..

but i do think that eating small meals every 2-4 hours is the right way to go. i don't like this 'eating by the clock' thing...and fortunately, i work from home, so i'm not punching a time clock.

arlene

[jeraa2t]

I went to Dr. Bernsteins book last 2 months, still feel lousy like the initial post but numbers are a bit better. Wife going to class and they are pushing carbs even before dinner.. no thanks...
I get headache went my number change rapidly, so thats the incentive not to
over do it.
JR

[arlenecarol]

i've been doing the 'little and often' routine and so far so good...

i still question this 3 meals a day routine. it's not really natural.

i'll keep checking and hope i'm on to something that works...at least
for me!

good luck,
arlene