reactive hypoglycemia (reoccurring low blood sugar)
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Starting in December I have been battling fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. A few bouts of hypoglycemia and now I have a glucose meter for the first time in my life. I am not going to lie to you o
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I just had to grin when I read "large salad". That used to be at least four cups. Now that I am 15 months post-sleeve, a large salad is 3/4 cup!
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Thank you!!!! All things "I know", but glad to see I'm not the only one with this issue!
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Here is an web site on bariatrics and reactive hypoglycemia (reoccurring low blood sugar)
http://pamtremble.blogspot.com/2010/10/reactive-hypoglycemia-after-bariatric.html.
Since I have lost the majority of my weight. My blood sugars have been hitting mind numbing lows in the 50's. I found some resources that have information on diet to manage blood sugar levels.
Examples of meals and snacks that work well for stabilizing blood sugar include:
Keeping a food and lifestyle diary may help you determine which foods and other factors lead up to a blood sugar crash.
First and foremost, you want to follow a diet designed to regulate your blood sugar level. This generally includes eating small, frequent meals spaced evenly throughout the day, such as every 2-3 hours. Meals should consist of moderate portions of high-fiber whole grains (such as 100% whole grain cereal or bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, sweet potato), some lean protein (such as turkey, ham, fish, egg, beans, lowfat yogurt or cheese), and healthy fat (such as nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocado).
Sugars, especially in the form of beverages (juice, soda, etc.) and sweets (candy, jelly, table sugar, syrup, honey, cookies, cakes), should be avoided as much as possible, as they stimulate the pancreas the most because the sugar rushes into your bloodstream rapidly. Starchy carbohydrates digest down into sugar as well, so it is important to eat these in moderate amounts
Starchy carbohydrates digest down into sugar as well, so it is important to eat these in moderate amounts (such as 1/2-1 cup), and choose whole grains over refined flours. White pasta, rices, breads, and cereals are more or less guaranteed to make you feel lousy after eating them as they are digested quickly and raise insulin levels. Fruits also need to be consumed in small amounts, as they contain the natural sugar, fructose, and are best consumed with a source of protein, such as cottage cheese or nuts. Even though fruits are an excellent source of fiber, the sugar content is enough to cause your pancreas to over-react if eaten on an empty stomach. The goal is essentially to not eat carbohydrate foods without including a source of protein or fat at the same time. Proteins and fat help stabilize blood sugars by making the carbohydrate digest more slowly, as proteins and fats take longer to digest and do not convert into significant amounts of sugar.
Strenuous exercise burns sugar out of your muscles and bloodstream quickly, so you may be more prone to low blood sugar during extended periods of activity as well. Eating a snack contain a small amount of carbohydrate and protein (such as yogurt or trail mix) within 1 hour of strenuous activity may be enough to keep you going strong.
Developing a habit of eating small, frequent meals and taking healthy foods with you for work, school, and when on-the-go, is your best weapon against suffering the symptoms of low blood sugar. If you find incorporating the above suggestions is still not improving your symptoms, you may need to sit down with a dietitian to develop a personalized meal plan to meet your schedule, food preferences, and overall lifestyle needs. Contact your dietician for more information. There is no point in living day-in and day-out with symptoms of hypoglycemia when there is a common sense way to tackle the issue and regain your quality of life!