So I've had these "episodes" of all of a sudden feeling really ill. Read all my symptoms and I have the symptoms of being hypoglycemic. I read it can happen more commonly in bariatric surgery patients . Has anyone else developed this?!

I have it. It happens to some (certainly not all, but some...) RNY patients once they're a year or two out. I don't really feel sick though - I was feeling dizzy sometimes about an hour or two after eating (usually something sugary). I limit my sugar and eat something every 3-4 hours now - seems to have solved the problem.

9 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

I have it. It happens to some (certainly not all, but some...) RNY patients once they're a year or two out. I don't really feel sick though - I was feeling dizzy sometimes about an hour or two after eating (usually something sugary). I limit my sugar and eat something every 3-4 hours now - seems to have solved the problem.

I had surgery 11/15/19, and I don't drink anything or eat anything with sugar. That I'm aware of anyways. I'm not a sweets person. But I've had 3 episodes in the last few weeks. Not sure what's causing it. And I read that you need to go to the Dr when you're having an episode/symptoms otherwise it's hard for them to diagnose it. But it hits me randomly and it hits me pretty hard to where I had I'm out for the count the rest of the day with feeling sick and dizzy ? it's a horrible feeling ? . Glad I'm not alone. Thank you for commenting

I get the dizzy thing sometimes but not the sick thing.

1 hour ago, GradyCat said:

I get the dizzy thing sometimes but not the sick thing.

It's awful! I'll be fine, and then all of a sudden I'll start feeling "off" and it'll hit me to where ill feel like I'm sick with the flu.. the dizziness/head spin feeling, feeling tired and really nauseous and sometimes vomiting. It's awful

23 minutes ago, Rolltide87 said:

It's awful! I'll be fine, and then all of a sudden I'll start feeling "off" and it'll hit me to where ill feel like I'm sick with the flu.. the dizziness/head spin feeling, feeling tired and really nauseous and sometimes vomiting. It's awful

I've checked a few sites, and vomiting/nausea isn't listed for reactive hypoglycemia. It's more dizziness, weakness, palpitations... You should probably get that checked out regardless. I'm not sure what's going on - but even if they end up suspecting hypoglycemia after all, it'll still be a good idea to get it checked out.

edited to add that I did just see a reference to nausea as a symptom, but that's to the hypoglycemia that diabetic patients sometimes get. Reactive hypoglycemia (RH), that some RNY patients get after the first year or two post-surgery (and it's usually NOT related to diabetes), sounds like it's a little different. Are you diabetic? I think you should probably contact your PCP so they can do a workup. Something isn't right.

Plus the RH that RNY patients get is a reaction to sugar. It's sometimes called "late dumping", although it's actually reactive hypoglycemia rather than true dumping. But you said you don't eat sugar. That's why I'm thinking there's something else going on here...

Edited February 7, 20206 yr by catwoman7

One thing if it is dumping you can get it from other carbs not just sweets.

If you have a glucometer or know somebody who does try testing your blood sugar while you're having 1 of your episodes.

11 hours ago, DB in AZ said:

If you have a glucometer or know somebody who does try testing your blood sugar while you're having 1 of your episodes.

Unfortunately, I don't have one or know anyone who does :/. But was told that I need to see the Dr when I'm having the symptoms because otherwise it's harder to test for and harder to figure out how to treat it . But every time I have an episode it hits me really hard and I'm out for the count for at least a day or 2. It's kinda scary considering I've been fortunate enough in life not to have anything serious with health other than my weight. So I really know nothing about this or the severity of it. Thank you for commenting and I'll probably need to look into maybe getting that to test myself during an episode.

7 hours ago, Rolltide87 said:

Unfortunately, I don't have one or know anyone who does :/. But was told that I need to see the Dr when I'm having the symptoms because otherwise it's harder to test for and harder to figure out how to treat it . But every time I have an episode it hits me really hard and I'm out for the count for at least a day or 2. It's kinda scary considering I've been fortunate enough in life not to have anything serious with health other than my weight. So I really know nothing about this or the severity of it. Thank you for commenting and I'll probably need to look into maybe getting that to test myself during an episode.

yes - they can't tell unless you're actively having an "episode", because if it's hypoglycemia, your glucose level will likely be normal when they test it if you're not in the middle of one of those spells. I had a complete workup after I'd experienced it a few times (they tested for *everything* - inner ear problems, blood pressure problems, blood sugar problems, UTI, etc...) and all the tests came back normal. It was after I noticed that I had one about an hour or two after eating a piece of cake at a retirement party that it occurred to me that it was probably glucose-related, given the timing. I ran it by my PCP who agreed that it was likely that was what was going on.

going on for days, though, is unusual. Often eating something will stop it (depending on what you eat). I was told to eat something every 3-4 hours (either a protein or a carb+protein) to keep the episodes from occurring. It's worked since I've only had one once or twice since then. There may be something else going on with you - I'd for sure see a doctor about it.

10 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

yes - they can't tell unless you're actively having an "episode", because if it's hypoglycemia, your glucose level will likely be normal when they test it if you're not in the middle of one of those spells. I had a complete workup after I'd experienced it a few times (they tested for *everything* - inner ear problems, blood pressure problems, blood sugar problems, UTI, etc...) and all the tests came back normal. It was after I noticed that I had one about an hour or two after eating a piece of cake at a retirement party that it occurred to me that it was probably glucose-related, given the timing. I ran it by my PCP who agreed that it was likely that was what was going on.

going on for days, though, is unusual. Often eating something will stop it (depending on what you eat). I was told to eat something every 3-4 hours (either a Protein or a carb+protein) to keep the episodes from occurring. It's worked since I've only had one once or twice since then. There may be something else going on with you - I'd for sure see a doctor about it.

I'm definitely going to see my PCP about it. Hoping something will be figured out. It does happen hours after eating but it'll hit me hard and quick to the point I get really dizzy and nauseated and sometimes actually sick. My gpa developed type 2 diabetes a few years ago. Which I don't think is hereditary but still a scary thought . But this is all new and just started maybe a week or 2 ago and it's happened 3 times since it started.

On 2/7/2020 at 10:10 AM, catwoman7 said:

I have it. It happens to some (certainly not all, but some...) RNY patients once they're a year or two out. I don't really feel sick though - I was feeling dizzy sometimes about an hour or two after eating (usually something sugary). I limit my sugar and eat something every 3-4 hours now - seems to have solved the problem.

Hey! How were you tested for this and does this result in diabetes?

3 hours ago, Kikikiki said:

Hey! How were you tested for this and does this result in diabetes?

had a complete work up by my PCP. Plus she looked back at my records to see if I seemed to have low glucose levels on my labs in the past - and I did. No, it doesn't result in diabetes - or at least not to my knowledge. They just tell you to eat something every 3-4 hours and if you have a carb, to pair it with a protein. And also to limit your sugar intake.

9 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

had a complete work up by my PCP. Plus she looked back at my records to see if I seemed to have low glucose levels on my labs in the past - and I did. No, it doesn't result in diabetes - or at least not to my knowledge. They just tell you to eat something every 3-4 hours and if you have a carb, to pair it with a Protein. And also to limit your sugar intake.

Ahh ok so you didn’t have to do the oral glucose test where you drink that sweet syrup type liquid?

26 minutes ago, Kikikiki said:

Ahh ok so you didn’t have to do the oral glucose test where you drink that sweet Syrup type liquid?

no - I think they just looked at the level in my blood

On 2/6/2020 at 12:53 PM, Rolltide87 said:

So I've had these "episodes" of all of a sudden feeling really ill. Read all my symptoms and I have the symptoms of being hypoglycemic. I read it can happen more commonly in bariatric surgery patients . Has anyone else developed this?!

If its happening after eating it could be the reactive hypoglycemia, one lady who had it was put on a zero carb diet and that helped her. I recommend getting a referral to an endocrinologist from you primary doctor. Let them run the labs they are specialized in it and will know better than anyone here. ?