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Hypoglycemic



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Everyone I know who was diabetic has gotten better since their bariatric surgery. Most are completely off their meds. What about hypoglycemia? I am hypoglycemic and am just wondering how I will do on the liquid diets. Whenever I have an attack and my sugar drops, I either have to take a glucos tab or eat a piece of bread. I need to know what to do when I'm only on liquids. Anyone else have this problem?

I've tried to start a new thread before and wasn't successful. Hope this goes through.

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Hi. I also had the same questions. My dietician assures me I shouldn't have a problem. Folks here said the same thing when I asked them. And, because I obsess, I've started testing by having a Protein drink in lieu of a meal every now and then. So far so good. Of course, this isn't the same as having liquids for days on end. But, I haven't felt faint at all. I've been drinking Isopure drinks from GNC, which, I have to admit, take some getting used to, but which have lots of Protein per bottle... Anyway, you might want to check in with your doctor and team and see what they have to say about it.

Good Luck!

Coco

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Something else to bear in mind is that a dextrose or glucose tablet can be chewed up very small and swallowed. chewable vitamins are going to be on your menu too and they are of a similar consistancy.

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You can always carry some liquid glucose tubes. Easy to ingest, easier to get down the chewing the daylights out of the glucose tablets. You can always do the Protein drinks(protein helps keep your blood glucose levels up and from bottoming out like you can with just raw glucose) that have a higher sugar content in them that will also help keep your blood glucose levels up. It is much easier to test more frequently then normal or if you dont have a meter then to just keep the glucose tubes with you at all times and sip on something protein with sugar in it all the time. juice is a good way to bring it up as well. Hope this is of some help.

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I have the same problem, and the same concern. Like you I was re-assured that if I drink the protienI'll be okay. If I don't eat something every 3 hours, I run into the problems we have all felt.

I also wonder if my body will freak out at the sudden loss of food volumne.

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Thank you. The liquid glucose is a great idea, I've never had it, but I'll check with my pharmacist. I was wondering if the high Protein Drinks would make a difference or not. Hopefully it will be OK, because there isn't anything that is going to keep me from getting this done. 3 weeks from today and counting!:clap2:

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High Protein drinks are definitely a plus when it comes to substaining a better blood glucose level. Protein takes longer to break down in the body so it is released at a slower pace then certain carbs and sugars. Glad I can help. Usually you can get the liquid glucose in a set of three tubes. They are recappable which is a plus so you don't waste what you don't use.

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What is the difference between hypo and hyper glycemic and diabetes?

I should probably just search the net... ?

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3 weeks, awesome!!

I'm borderline hypoglycemic (i.e. I never bothered to get diagnosed)... and I use the Isopure Zero Carb RTD Protein drinks extensively (about $3 per bottle, but 40g Protein, ZERO carbs & 160 calories). They rock... 20 oz, I can sip on them for an hour or more. (I read about someone taking shot glasses of them every hour, hehe, too much work for me. :))

The main thing for me was to be sure I was drinking something every couple of hours, because just after surgery I didn't really feel like it. (You know how that goes....)

Paula -- hypo = too little, hyper = too much.

Hyperglycemia = high blood suger (not sure how this differs from diabetes, or even if it differs), hypoglycemia = low blood sugar.

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Hey fellow hypos, ever pass out (or almost) in public before?

And don't you hate the cold sweats?

When I have an "episode" it wipes me out for the entire day. It take me 24 hours to recover from it. Havng hypoglycemai has made me afraid not to have sugar or food around just in case. I keep candies in my coat pockets.

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ok - so I have a question for all you hypo's (thats sounds funny)

Ive noticed that this strange thing happens to me when I eat only protien for Breakfast (like a meat patty, egg, etc. - when NO sugar/carb's are involved).

About 30 minutes after I eat, I start sweating, get all shakey, my energy level drops dramatically(like from a 10 to a 0 in seconds) Im so weak I can barely make it to a chair. Only way to get going is to get sugar into my system.

But whats odd is that I always drink 3-4 cups of coffee for Breakfast with lots of cream and turbinado sugar.

With that much sugar in my coffee, I cant imagine my blood sugar dropping just a couple of hours later... ???

My mom is a diabetic (I know, I know - it runs in the fly) and yesterday I had this "episode". Mike happened to be home and quickly ran to mom's to get her monitor. I TRIED to not consume anything until he got back, but ended up having some Cookies.

Approx. 10 min's later is when I checked my b/s level - and it was 83.

Im not calling the pcp for this (at least not right now)... cause I KNOW I can control it with diet (which has been HORRIBLE lately).

I just wanna know what the heck it is.

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I have been diagnosed hypoglycemia and have had fainting spells before and I was soooo suprised how well I did the week prior to surgery with the diet the doctor put me on. It was 2 Protein shakes per day, two yogarts, Clear liquids, 2 cups milk, suger free Jello etc. Everything had to be sugerfree so I used Atkins shakes.< /p>

I was amazed at how well I did and didn't feel bad at all - didn't need any glucose tables.

Then the week after surgery he switched me to Boost High Protein and I was starving all the time and having lots of "weak" spells. I know the suger makes hypoglycemia actually worse but those two weeks actually proved it to me.

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Ya know, I often have a similar feeling... but for me it's after I let myself go too long between food. When I eat after that, I crash... and almost always require a short nap to recover.

I'm not the most experienced hypo, though, lol, by any means. Hopefully the others will have some advice!

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I am also hypo and I haven't had a problem at all since banding, EXCEPT when I had an issue a couple of weeks ago with my band being too tight. I couldn't keep anything down, so I was constantly lightheaded, passed out twice. Once I had a small unfill, presto, no more problems. So the Protein definitely helps.

leenerbups - I have actually passed out at work - how embarresing is that! They called an ambulance and made me go to the hospital - no fun at all.

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Paula, the coffee is the culprit. coffee will spike your insulin and then crash you down 1-2 hours after you drink it. If you have sugar in it or flavored Creamers it will be even worse.

I get the same thing with it.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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