I have a question about blood sugar. I'm not diabetic but have been called 'hypoglycemic' by my doc. (yes I've been recently tested for diabetes) If I don't eat every 3-4 hours my blood sugar 'drops' and I get sweaty, shaky and irritable. Then the headache sets in...ouch. Needless to say I eat often! So, I am wanting to do the band but what I'm reading is you only eat 3 small meals a day with no snacks etc. Has anyone dealt with this? I really want to lose this 100 lbs and get my life back, but I'm afraid of having those 'attacks' because I've come close to passing out and it scared the crap out of my kiddos. Anybody got some insight?

:help:

HA! I love your ID.

If you have 100lbs to lose, is it a safe bet that you are eating loads and loads of carbs? Let me guess, you feel crappy, shaky, sweating, horrible, you eat a candy bar and feel better. Am I right?

I think you should get some pointers from your doctor. Perhaps when you feel like your blood sugar is dropping, sip on some apple juice. But, I think you should discuss with your doctor. I am sure he has dealt with this before with others in the past. Good luck.

I think you should get some pointers from your doctor. Perhaps when you feel like your blood sugar is dropping, sip on some apple juice. But, I think you should discuss with your doctor. I am sure he has dealt with this before with others in the past. Good luck.

That might not be a great idea. Thing is, apple juice is all sugar. The sugar will bring her blood sugar up but that will also make her pancreas kick out more insulin and her blood sugar will go lower than it did to begin with. So a rebound effect.

The key for hypoglycemics is Protein. Protein will bring blood sugar up a bit but not enough to kick out insulin. It's the doses of insulin her body is giving her that causes hypoglycemia.

When protein isn't available then propel Water. Just a pinch of sugar but not enough for blood sugar spikes. Protein is much better.

I am a type 2 diabetic, and until I was banded I was taking a drug called metformin.

Once I started the 2 week pre op Optifast Diet, the doc told me to discontinue meds. I was on three shakes per day. I was checking my blood regularly and my numbers were always excellent.

The only way to tell whether your blood sugar is low, versus, really really wanting to eat something, is to test your blood. Get a glucometer and use it regularly as recommended by your health care professional.

Diabetes is a serious illness, do not take it lightly, and do NOT take advice from anyone other than a member of a health care team that has your complete medical profile and has seen your numbers (sugar and others)

THe lapband is ideal for diabetes, I have only lost 25 pounds so far, and I am already off my meds!!

You are gonna do great !!

Her doc has already told her she is not diabetic, she's hypoglycemic.

I too started out being hypoglycemic which is exact opposite as diabetis. I have turn to be diabetic. I know this has happened with the more weight i have gained. Anyway when i was hypoglycemic i was told to do the same as diabetics. No sugars, limited starches, ect. That way you keep your blood sugar levels as level as possible. It is the ups and downs that really hurt your body. So if you do not eat sugar to begin with your body should not overwork and drop your sugar down so low. Anyway, with this i think it would depend on the way you eat, not how many times you eat and chances are, you may not have the symptoms you have as you start to lose weight. I know those terrible sweaty episodes all too well. Good luck if you decide to band.

I too started out being hypoglycemic which is exact opposite as diabetis. I have turn to be diabetic. I know this has happened with the more weight i have gained. Anyway when i was hypoglycemic i was told to do the same as diabetics. No sugars, limited starches, ect. That way you keep your blood sugar levels as level as possible. It is the ups and downs that really hurt your body. So if you do not eat sugar to begin with your body should not overwork and drop your sugar down so low. Anyway, with this i think it would depend on the way you eat, not how many times you eat and chances are, you may not have the symptoms you have as you start to lose weight. I know those terrible sweaty episodes all too well. Good luck if you decide to band.

Very true. Excellent post.

I am a type 1 diabetic on the insulin pump. When I have lows (under 70) I drink a small glass of juice or use the glucose tablets. Usually one of those tablets raises my blood sugar by 5 - 10.

I use to pig out with Cookies or donuts when my blood sugar went low. Can't do that anymore...get's stuck!

I was diagnosed Type II last year; while having all my preadmission testing, etc. In hindsight, I must have been diabetic for YEARS; all the tell tale signs were there. Immediately after surgery (two weeks or so) my pill dosage was cut in 1/2. Doc wanted me off totally, but I was not comfortable with that. I'm still on meds, but I also watch my sugars and test all the time to see what food affect me drastically, and how. I am very, very level right now. Right now. But it has been a learning experience. I know now that before bed, I need to have a 'snack' with about 15 grams of carbs, to hold me in the over night, so I don't crash my levels into the 40's and 50's. I usually try a pudding 'snak pack' style. Easy to get down, and not that 'big' before bed. Three meals a day is a 'rule'; by no means is that rule meant to override any medical attention your body/blood sugar may need. You WILL be able to have your Snacks. You can even take glucose tabs, or gel if you're more comfortable with that. You will be eating alot less immediately, so it will be important to get in your Protein shakes/sugar source. I've had the 'shakes and sweats' in the middle of the night (wakes me up) as well as at work when I 'forget to eat'.

I have so much to say on the subject. I have educated myself well, and continue to do so - each and every single day!. Education is a must. Jack is a HUGE source of information (as is this entire board). I'd be more than happy to share my personal experiences. I'm no doctor; but I have learned my body quite well in the last year. I had to, for the sake of my band, for the sake of my health. I would suggest to anyone to do the same. Listen to your body, know your 'triggers'. Its so, so, so important! :whoo:

naw, I learned my lesson on the candy bar thing years ago. When low carb became all the rage I cut out alot of carbs and was amazed at how much better I felt! If I don't eat though I still get the shakes.. I do small servings of protein like a cheese stick or a hard boiled egg to keep my self stable.

I was just concerned because I've read that you shouldn't eat cheese etc with the band.

Hey there Jack, I just wanted to say that I've read alot of your post and you really seem like you have alot of wisdom to impart and was wondering if you could give me like your top 10 successful tips to help me in this journey... I'll be banded in Jan. 08 due to Insurance requiring 6 month waiting period. I would appreciate any help you could give this newbie. Have a joyous day. KKG

A diabetic has trouble with energy production, which is often manifested by a constellation of symptoms....as clearly identified by the above posts.

"Simplistic Lecture on food groups for the diabetic"

While not 'exactly' true, these is the model that I've developed that helps understand the complex dilemma we face:

1) Foods can be grouped into 3 types: Fast, Medium, and Slow burning fuels.

2) A diabetic does not utilize the rapid fuels well...simple sugars...much is dumped in the urine, while abnormal demands on pancreatic insulin secretion stresses that organ. Brain function is best between 80-140....too much=confusion, crankiness, irritability...too little=lethargy, confusion, shakes, sweating.

3) Diabetics do not digest Protein well. High sugar diet produces higher pH stomach acid decreasing protein digestion. Excellent slow burning fuel is shuffled thru stomach into lower digestive tract without proper initiation of Kreb's cycle digestion, which remains incomplete in small intestine.

This also produces a fermentation of Proteins in the colon which results in excess gas, constipation and generally poor progression of the bolus

through the digestive tract, in itself producing a variety of symptoms.

4) Body demands for energy are extracted primarily from Middle burning complex carbohydrates...but the processed floured products are usually rich in sugars of various types...complicating the body response to blood-sugar needs.

5) Again, simplistically put, the triad of liver storage of glycogen-otherwise

known as fat, is converted by pancreas-insulin and adrenal gland factors.

Blood sugar goes down, pancreas stimulates adrenals which trip liver release of glycogen, which raises circulating blood sugar. Everything we eat turns to sugar, even that steak....but slowly over many steps. Unless we dump pure crank-monosaccharide sucrose in our veins....

When our sugar level increases too rapidly, there is an emergency signal for high insulin output. When our sugar level decreases too rapidly, there is an emergency signal to adrenals and liver. Sugar spikes of crazed intake of sugars-especially such as the high fructose death bombs of soda pop---is a physiological crime...

Hypoglycemia moderated by high density sugars treats only the symptom but increases the severity of the real cause...which often is protein poor diet....

Think of adding kerosine to a little fire going out....it takes so little to be TOO much....producing a BIGGER problem...our system 'superhetrodynes'....too high too fast produces too low too fast over years which generates eventual adrenal/pancreas exhaustion...all with an increasing bag full of symptoms....those old cheese burgers now engirdle our waists and our heart...arteries and kidneys and retinas begin to show the effects of various sludges of inadequate digestive processes...arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, a jillion others....here, have a Ding Dong and a Coke....

Complex carbs in the form of raw vegetables are a slower burning fuel than flour products laced with sugars. Far better nutritionally.

So Diabetics are usually starving, yes. No sugar energy. No protein energy. No fat-digestion energy....and fats have FOUR TIMES the energy potential per unit volume that other foods do...no wonder they are HIGH CALORIE...but we have to BURN THEM or they convert to yellow and white fat girding our loins... Inadequate flour-carb energy. No WONDER we eat all day long.

It DOES take a lot of study and observation and discipline to care for a metabolic imbalance, which is reinforced by constant advertising, fast food junkoramas, and the complexities of emotional responses via 'comfort eating'....

Does this help anyone????