I'm not diabetic, but have chronic low blood sugar. I was wondering if it was yet listed as being a diabetic condition. I noticed that just in the past few years they were actually acknowledging it as a condition all it's own.

No, diabetes is high blood sugar.

Started Atkins on 9/20/03
235-->185; 150 goal

Hypoglycemia - a steep rise, then fall to below normal, is now acknowledged as a step down the road to diabetes.

I don't know of many cases of "chronic" low blood sugar. What does your doctor say?

Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160+)
Maintaining nicely (110 +/-)

~~Redhead until further notice! ~~

Ditto what Maggie says.

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar and all it's accompanying side effects) is an early *warning signal* that you could be becoming diabetic.
Basically, it's your body's inability to regulate it's blood glucose levels and it needs to be monitored closely. This happened to my aunt and it sent her to the emergency room several times before they figured out what was going on.

By *chronic* low blood sugar, do you mean that you are having a lot of hypoglycemic *attacks* (shaking, dizzyness, loss of consciousness) or what? How often are you monitoring your blood sugar?
The best thing you could do is to eat smaller, more frequent meals (like every 2 hours during the day), and eat a balanced snack (protein/fat/carbs) right before bed.
Have you found a good endocrinologist yet?
I highly recommend seeing one for the necessary bloodwork.
HTH,

Summer


www.herstorygirl.com

She says it hypoglycemia. The thing was a lab run glucose tolerance test showed up just fine, yet I was having the symptoms still of hypoglycmeia. My son's visiting C.H.I.P nurse gave me a glucomitor to monitor my blood sugar levels with. During a full weeks time I was lucky to have it rise to 139 after eating. Normally, I'd wake and it would be in the 60's range. If I stay low carb it's around 79 IF I eat before I go to bed. Normally it bounces around, usually low. As for now, it's under control.

My son's C.H.I.P nurse said it was possible I had gestational diabetes because they couldn't get my son's bloodsugar up when he was born. They had to give him an I.V. just to bring it up. She said that was a sign of gestational diabetes, but their readings said I was just fine when they checked me during my pregnancy. Go figure.

What is an endocrinologist? As for seeing one, I have no medical insurance so that's out of the question. Due to my son's condition I cannot work as no one will watch him for me to work. They just can't handle his outbursts. PLUS, if I work, he looses his SSI. He gets medicaid at least. We get social security from where his father passed on so I make too much to get medicaid myself, but yet barely enough to pay bills. The system sucks, like a hoover.


As for symptoms, boy did I have them...<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>hunger
<LI>sweating
<LI>vision distorted-felt like I was looking from the inside out of a goldfish bowl
<LI>lightheadedness[/list]

I've not passed out YET. And I've been having the symptoms since 1987. I've also learned to tell that "blood sugar dropped" feeling.

[This message was edited by LisaC on 02-23-04 at 07:25 PM.]

I had bad hypoglycemia when I was a kid. I' had gestational diabetes with 3 babies and I'm now type 1 diabetic. Chronic hypoglycemia could be a warning sign that your pancreas isn't working right for sure. Go to your doctor and in the meantime eat some cheese and an apple in between meals.Don't eat high carb high sugar foods ( like sugary ceraels etc..) that will cause your blood sugar to fall rapidly.

bella thanks. Already one step ahead of you. On Atkins Low Carb diet. Thanks to him that's taken care of those ups and downs plus some other medical conditions I was having to deal with. My doctor already knows about the hypoglycemia.

The sharp rise and then the a steep drop is what my 5-hr glucose tolerence testing showed. Doc put me on 45 mg Actos which has helped, but I am at a loss to "watch your carbs". He says I am one step away from diatetes. All my reading says I need a low-glycemic diet, but I am still at a loss. I cannot eat grapefruit or eggs. Grapefruit interferes with my meds. Eggs tend to make me sick. What started all this is when I had a serious blackout. I am on anti-seizure meds, also. Sugar Busters says no white rice. Love the white rice but it sure makes me very sleepy. Read the labels, there is sugar everywhere and it really wreaks havoc with me. Someone please help!!

Carlee, you need to do some research. Read books about low carb eating and then pick a plan, and follow the program. I was in the same boat as you were 6 years ago. I quickly normalized my blood sugar and have had normal A1c's ever since, with no medication.

Remember that if you start a low carb diet that you'll need to work closely with your dr, because your need for medication will usually be reduced or eliminated and you need to calibrate dosages to your new reduced requirements.

__________________

I have hypoglycemia, and I cannot eat sweets, because invaribly, my sugar drops really low, and I find it difficult to get it back up. I also started using 'chronium gtf... and that has helped tremendously.

__________________
In the cookies of life, we are the chocolate chips.

My Sister has black outs and her sugar get low, as the other day was 30 and she started to shake. She had a sizzure once here lately, and had to go to the Hospital. She is driving a car and I don't think she should, afraid she will have a wreck. What do you think?

I too have the low blood sugar, in the morning it ranges any where from 64 to 84, how low does it go before you don't wake up. I also have Celica, which does not allow me to have anything with Gluten. I am trying to follow a Low Carb diet, I take no Meds for Diabetics. Does anyone have suggestions.
Dee

Shirle, I would say your sister needs to have an honest talk with a medical professional. I would assume there are ways to control her symptoms. Until she gets those symptoms under control; I, too, would be concerned about driving and other activities requiring vigilence and judgement.

Dee, those are important questions; indeed, they are too important to go by a layperson's opinion. I think you need to consult a doctor about your question related to hypoglycemia.

Earlier in this forum, Maggie posted a review of Atkins Diabetes Revolution, a book that explains some of the factors and conditions that relate to diabetes, insulin, and blood glucose control. That book may be helpful for general knowledge.

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.