Reactive Hypoglycemia, please help !

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• posted by HypoGal
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 05:56

  

  Hello everyone

  I am having a lot of problems with the BSD and I think it is because I have Reactive Hypoglycaemia. I started the BSD about 3 weeks ago, and it has been a huge struggle. I lost 3 kg but have since put back 1 kg, mainly because trying to stick to 800 low carb creates a huge array of symptoms for me. For example: dizziness, inability to concentrate, headaches, and feelings of absolute starvation, to name just a few. The worse times for me are the times when insulin is typically low in our bodies, which is about 2am in the morning, 3pm in the afternoon and 8pm at night. I assume this is due to the gradual build-up of insulin resistance in my body.

  I do not have diabetes. My fasting blood sugar tests are ok. Last test was 5.1, but 2 hours after having a sugary drink it dropped to 4.1. I scored high on the Metabolic Syndrome and Addicted to Carbs quizzes. And over the past 7 years, I have put on 20 kgs, and my waistline has blown out to (shock, horror!!) 36 inches.

  The BSD works for awhile for me. But the more weight I lose, the stronger the symptoms. Sometimes I feel like my body is going to blow up – from the inside out. There is an incredible rushing feeling inside, my ears start ringing intensely and my blood pressure goes sky high. The only thing that satisfies my ferocious appetite is a high carb meal, but of course, that doesn’t last very long.

  I am normally a very positive, proactive person, but this health issue is really getting me down.

  Please, please help. Is this the right diet for me?

• posted by Bissell
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 06:58

  

  Hi hypo gal. I too have reactive hypoglycaemia, so went on this plan to see if I could stabilise my blood sugars and avoid plummeting down, which gave me the symptoms of dizziness, confusion ( I got lost outside my own house once!) brain fog, sticky eyes etc etc. And I have found it nothing short of miraculous really. My BMi has gone from 30 to 25, I’ve lost 2 stone and I feel better than I have done for a long time. My IBS has gone too.
  If I had a sugary drink, my BM would drop too low too, after a couple of hours. I have stabilised my BS by not having any sugar/rice/bread/pasta etc, sticking to 800cals and eating 3 times a day only. My guess is that if I don’t raise my BS, I wont over produce insulin and therefore my BS won’t go down too far. I’ve been monitoring my levels and they stay around 4.5 to 5.7. Before they have dropped to 2.8.
  Reading this back it sounds rather boastful! I don’t mean that I’ve cracked everything, not by any means. I still panic if I gain 1lb, now that I am maintaining on 5:2, but overall it has been hugely beneficial. I think the key for me has been total avoidance of sugars and carbs, apart from veggies, of course. So maybe stick with it? And don’t beat yourself up about it if it turns out not to be for you.

  Good luck!

• posted by HypoGal
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 07:24

  

  Oh, Bissell, this is wonderful news !! No, no, not boastful at all. Its what I have been waiting to hear. I just needed to know that it was possible. And you have given me hope, and that’s why I posted here.

  Thank you, thank you.

  Yes, I will stick to it. Any tips on what to eat during the day, and how long before I should start to see some improvement.’

  Like, I said, all I need to know is that it is possible.

• posted by Bissell
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 07:40

  

  Glad to help! I followed the book to the letter for the first 2 weeks, just because I didn’t have to think for myself! But thereafter I’ve just counted calories and carbs and adapted my normal sort of food. Yesterday, for example, was a ‘normal’ day, ie just a low carb, but not calorie counted one. I had two boiled eggs for breakfast, some cooked chicken from the supermarket, with some bagged salad, cucumber, toms etc and olive oil and balsamic, and for dinner I made a Sri Lankan pork curry with coconut milk and had with Sri Lankan cabbage and a dollop of yog. It was delicious, although I say it myself! But I immediately portioned it out and stuck extras in the freezer, because I know what I am like!
  Today will be an 800 cal one. The plan is yog and cucumber and mint for breakfast, chicken lettuce wraps from the book for lunch and some kind of fish and veggies for tea. And a warm iinner glow from sticking to the plan!
  Keep at it, I’m sure it will work for you too! Keep me posted.

• posted by Bissell
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 07:44

  

  Oh and I began to feel better after about 5 days. Keep your fluids up too, as I found my blood pressure had dropped a bit, which can make you feel dizzy. And I’ve upped my salt intake, which works for me, although not a good idea if you have high BP. My BP was around 100/60 when I went for a check up recently, which is quite low.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 07:45

  

  Also, any tips on how to get through those really bad hours when symptoms are severe?

  I am on no medications, and want to heal this naturally. I used to be an avid TM meditator, for over 20 years, but for the last 5 or 6 years I just cant get deep enough, so unfortunately have given it up, other than the occasional feeble attempt.

  A couple of things that seem to help me, although it is still a drop in the ocean, are: a cup of White Tea (I guess its the natural theanine) and/or a glass of celery juice with a little apple to help sweeten it. Apparently, celery juice is a wonderful muscle relaxant and lowers blood pressure.

  Anything else that I can try for those horrible, horrible hours when the body is trying desperately to raise insulin levels?

  I used to have low BP as well, but in the past 5 or 6 years, it has gone sky high. Last reading 162/77. Pulse was ok – 79.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 08:07

  

  Thank you so much Bissell for the food tips as well. I have been going for three weeks now on the BSD, but I have not gone 5 whole days straight without any carbs. So, maybe that’s the key.

  I will definitely try what you suggested. And thank you, thank you once again. You don’t know how much this means to me.

  x

• posted by Bissell
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 08:57

  

  As I say, I’m happy to help. Now that I know what works for me I’m able to put it into practice. So far anyway! Even if I’m tempted, I just have to remember how rubbish I feel when my BS dips too low and I can resist. I’m sure the odd temptation will come along, but I don’t want to lose this improved feeling.
  As to what to do until that low BS feeling subsides, here is what I understand happens with reactive hypoglycaemia. If I eat high carbs, my BS goes up like everyone else’s. But I either over produce insulin or am extra sensitive to it (so the opposite to a diabetic) and my BS dips too low. And then I get the symptoms. Palpitations, confusion etc etc, you know the score! There is no medication that would help, the body will gradually raise the BS by itself in about 45 mins, but in the meantime you feel rubbish. So my options were to eat something very sweet, lie down and wait for it to pass. But then, of course, my BS went up, then dipped again too low. So a vicious circle. So my thinking is, if it doesn’t go up, it can’t crash down. So I would definitely avoid the carbs as much as possible and see how it goes.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 8 Jul 2016 at 10:17

  

  Yes, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain everything to me.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 15 Jul 2016 at 01:57

  

  Nearly a week and lost another kilo (3 kilos since I started, which is nearly 7lbs) and 1.5 inches from my waist, but side effects are still really bad. This morning woke up with both arms and both legs feeling numb with pins and needles, from the elbows and knees down respectively. Its still there, hours later.

  Very dizzy with lots of shooting pains (neuralgia??), especially at night. Don’t know what’s going on with my body? It seems that it is directly related to weight loss. That is, days when I lose weight I feel worse.

  Maybe my insulin resistance is very advanced and taking longer to adjust?? If I just look at a carb (starchy or sweet carbs – vegetables are OK), I put on weight. Total carb intolerance.

  I will keep going but may have to increase the amount of food (protein and fat) I am eating?? I am drinking a lot – 2 to 3 litres a day.

  Yesterday, I went for a long walk and felt good until about 3pm. But now the numbness in my feet and arms is very disconcerting. Also the ringing in my ears is nearly deafening.

• posted by Mrs Honey
  on 20 Jul 2017 at 06:45

  

  I don’t know if you’re still on here HypoGal, but I’m suffering these symptoms and am interested to know how you progressed? I’m at the point of giving up because the pins and needles/numbness symptoms are so disconcerting.

• posted by Riboflavin
  on 20 Jun 2018 at 10:32

  

  Soo relieved to see others who have experienced these hypoglycaemic episodes and symptoms! I never realised they were a ‘thing’ and have been accused of being obsessed or a hypochondriac in the past!! I’ve had these since I was teenager, may be even before then. I recognise all the symptoms described here. I used to carry food with me all the time in case an episode occurred.

  For the past few years, I’ve been stretching time between meals ( DR Mercola fasting) which has worked well for me with only occasional milder episodes. I started the LBS diet 3 weeks ago. One of the goals I had was that it would erradicate my lows but I’m not sure now that this is actually and medically realistic so any guidance appreciated here. All was going well until after a strenuous exercise class when I had one of the worst episodes yet! God knows why as I’ve done strenuous fitness all my life and in the last 5 years, HIIT!! Felt gutted after the class, tried to remain calm, breathe until I could reach a food source – walnuts, almonds, hazlenuts are my go -to foods in this case. Doesnt help being menopausal with hot flushes and I’ve got hypothyroidism too.

  Didnt realise lows could happen in your sleep which also explains sheets soaked in sweat & feeling rubbish, irritable at times for no reason whatsoever. I am worried the 800 cals is too low for me but I’ll keep going and modify things so there’s room for a sensible soya yogurt snack in the afternoon, especially on strenuous work out days to keep things on an even keel. Love to hear any top tips, advice etc etc on best ways to manage this.

• posted by StressedOut
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 01:08

  

  I have the very same symptoms and these are the things that I found out. First of all, I could never work out why I came down with insulin problems. For many years (a decade or two) I gave up sugar and kept to a very good diet, but then all of a sudden I started having these problems. However, later I was able to trace it all back to a period of my life when I suffered a lot of stress – very intensive for almost a year. And I found out that excessive cortisol (from stress) causes insulin problems and weight gain. This is just one article I quickly found to explain it:
  https://idmprogram.com/closer-look-cortisol-hormonal-obesity-xxxx/

  When I start to lose weight now, my body goes through all those symptoms that HypoGal explained above. Its almost unbearable. Yes, Riboflavin, I too thought the 800 calories may be too low for people like us with reactive hypoglycaemia/insulin resistance, because the body seems to go crazy and panics, and then the adrenalines and cortisol kicks in, and this appears to cause all the symptoms. I eventually increased that to 1,000 to 1,200/day and was able to stick with it for a month and lost 4 kilos (about 9 or 10 lbs), but it was tough going. Really tough.

  However, now I am focusing on reducing the cortisol in my body. Eliminating as much stress as possible from my life, and replacing it with rest, music, mild exercise (walking) – and body mindfulness meditation.**

  Riboflavin, a couple of other things came to mind when I was reading your post. Have you tried Progesterone Cream? This can be very calming, promotes relaxation and helps balance other hormones.
  Also, there are certain times of the day when our insulin levels are at their lowest: around 3.00am, 3.00pm and in the evenings starting around 7 to 8pm. This is usually the time when our brains signal to our bodies that there is not enough insulin coming to the brain and can set off all the symptoms. I am finding that its best not to exercise, or even watch action or stressful things on TV at that time. But to just rest and meditate and listen to relaxation music. Also, I find that eating cheese (small amounts) is comforting to the body, often relieves the stress, and is a ‘good’ substitute for the sugar/carbs that the body usually craves around that time. I try and avoid large meals when insulin levels are naturally low. The body just can’t seem to handle it. I guess it just doesn’t have enough insulin to digest the food and then starts to panic again. Remember its your body (the brain sending signals) that is panicking, not you. So stay calm and try to be detached from it as much as possible. I find that helps.

  ** A good resource I have found for mindfulness meditation are some old podcasts found on iTunes called ‘ZenCast’. I think they also have a website. The ones to download are Zencasts 147 through to 152, which covers 6 weeks of the Mindfulness Meditation Course by Gil Fronsdal.

  I hope this helps ! And would also like to have more discussion from others about this as well.

  Best regards to all 🙂

• posted by StressedOut
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 01:38

  

  With regard to cheese, I recall reading an article once that said recent research studies found that people who ate cheese tended not to get diabetes. Not that I am advocating eating a lot of it, but small amounts when necessary – without carbs (crackers, bread, etc) – I have found to be helpful at stressful times of the day when insulin is very low. I think its the Casein in cheese, which is a slow-release protein, that is helpful.

  Unfortunately, there are some people who are allergic to casein. Hopefully you are not one of them.

• posted by Californiagirl
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 03:00

  

  Hi Stressed out, Mrs Honey and Riboflavin. I have some suggestions from my own experience in the past two years following BSD (five months to get to goal and two years maintenance on July 1) — maybe it can help you — I struggled with awful low blood sugar and symptoms — weird lip numbness, creepy cold sensations, hands tingling, dizziness, complete exhaustion — sometimes quite terrifying so I know also the adrenaline response to it all.
  The number one solution to my issues was to keep your carb intake both very very low AND only eat complex vegetable carbs when you do eat carbs. Absolutely NO flour, breads, sugars, fruit juices, no grains, no oatmeal, no crackers, no fruit except in tiny quantities, no potatoes.
  Once I got to a very low carb intake (and that is 20-30 grams per day of vegetables and nuts and seeds and a small amount of whole milk yogurt) my symptoms cleared up.
  And, I can even fast for 24 hours now, with NO low blood sugar episodes.
  I had only one creepy low blood sugar event in the last two years, when I ate a butterscotch pudding cup at a wedding. Disaster. But it reminded me that I have to be careful.

• posted by StressedOut
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 03:56

  

  Yes! I totally agree with you CaliforniaGirl.

  I forgot to mention that I also changed over to the Paleo diet. I used to think that going Paleo was all about ‘meat, meat and more meat’. But I found its not. Its about getting rid of all the grains and sugars in our diet and you end up with a very balanced diet like what you suggested. The science behind Paleo is that our stomachs cannot digest grains and over time causes more and more inflammation, which then leads to all sorts of diseases such as diabetes, heart problems, cancers, etc.

  Changing over to Paleo has helped both my husband, who doesn’t have diabetes but needed to lose a lot of weight, and myself. Its all still new (-ish) for me but I can see the gradual progress of my health returning in many other ways.

  I still have to work on these stress problems to lose all the weight I put on in the past 10 years. I can lose a bit, but I have stopped the rapid weight gain that was previously happening to me.

• posted by Bissell
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 09:31

  

  Hi all. Just popped by to reiterate what CaliforniaGirl said. I’ve been at target weight for a couple of years now and find I just follow the low carb thing without even thinking really. And my hypoglycaemia is a thing of the past, which is great. BUT! If I do eat carbs, other than veg, a bit of porridge or lentils/pulses, it is immediately backly with knobs on! I ate some roasties and a pudding on Mothers Day, for example, and felt wobbly, dizzy and sleepy for the rest of the day. It’s just not worth it for me. I look at cakes in a shop window and they make me feel dizzy, so that’s good! Good luck to you all. For me, it’s keep the carbs right down and then the BS can’t rise and therefore can’t crash either. Not for everyone, obviously, but works for me!
  Oh, and for anyone that remembers me, I’m still very loved up and just moved in with my lovely fella! That takes my mind off food, for sure!

• posted by Californiagirl
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 14:25

  

  Of course I remember you Bissell! It is so good to see your name and hear that you are also long-time maintaining on BSD. It’s wonderful that you’ve moved in with your fella — please keep us posted more often!

• posted by Californiagirl
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 14:30

  

  Hi Stressed Out! Are you following the BSD diet? I could not tell from your post — do you have Michael Mosely’s book, the Blood Sugar Diet? I’m sorry you are struggling with stress — it is so hard on our physical selves. Have you tried the BSD recommendations for mindfulness?

• posted by StressedOut
  on 21 Jun 2018 at 23:05

  

  Yes. I first saw it on an episode of “Trust Me I’m a Doctor” where they found that rapid weight loss can ‘cure’ Diabetes Type II, so I then hunted around and found the book and tried the diet. That was about a year ago. My first attempt at the 800 cals/day was harrowing. So, then I increased it to around 1000 to 1200/day, as described above. This was the only time in the past few years that I have been able to lose weight, but even after a month the intensive symptoms never went away. It kind of puts you off more attempts. So, I have been doing all the other things since then and basically ‘content’ with no weight gain – at this stage. I want to try again, which is what brought me to this forum.

  I have a question for you and Bissell: How long after being on the BSD did your hyperglycaemic episodes go away? And were you on 800cals/day?

  PS: I don’t have diabetes. My blood sugar ranges from very low to normal.

• posted by StressedOut
  on 22 Jun 2018 at 00:24

  

  Also, to CGirl and Bissell, can you tell me how your Reactive Hypoglycaemia started? Was it gradual, did you have it all your life, or can you trace it back to a particular episode in your life?

  Apologies for all these questions, just very interested in other people’s experiences and if there’s some common threads. There doesn’t seem to be enough research on this area of blood sugar problems, and a lot of local GPs just don’t know much about it, or in some cases even ignore it.

• posted by Californiagirl
  on 22 Jun 2018 at 02:20

  

  Hi Stressed out — don’t worry about questions, it’s what we all do here! My hypos started in my adult years although now that I think about it, probably I was suffering since I was younger but just didn’t connect the dots. It got worse and worse through my forties — I’m thinking it was because I was developing higher background insulin levels and still eating too much sugary food.
  I used to get them BEFORE exercise, and they would actually improve after twenty minutes of exercise — seems odd but I think the exercise mobilized fat and glycogen so that was why.
  I do not have diabetes but at 60 years old I was steadily gaining and NOTHING was helping no matter how hard I tried. As a sporty type, I had relied my whole life on exercise to control my weight but it wasn’t really working anymore.
  It took about two weeks into very low carb dieting (20-30 grams carbohydrate/day) to stop them from occurring — and as I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve only had two in two years now — both traceable specifically to a high sugar food eaten on a mostly empty stomach.
  I stayed very low carb for about four months, then started to work out how many carbs I could eat without gaining or triggering more low blood sugar. My “sweet spot” is around 35-45 carbs per day which sounds low but honestly I’m just so automatic about my food choices now I don’t even think about it.
  My body is obviously very happy on protein and fat and I’m just trusting how I feel (wonderful).
  I really recommend that you get a copy of Gary Taubes book “Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It” — it became my most important companion book to the BSD — it has the best description of how insulin and blood sugar relate and why we even get low blood sugar (your insulin is acting as a hyper-active sheriff and it’s got all your blood sugar locked in the fat-cell-jail).
  Also I like Dr. Bikman’s podcasts (utube) — his area of research and expertise is insulin.
  Hope some of this is helpful!

• posted by StressedOut
  on 22 Jun 2018 at 02:41

  

  Oh, thank you! Its really comforting to hear your story. One doesn’t feel so alone, and that there’s a way out. And thank you so very much for the recommendations I will definitely follow them through.

  Once again – thanks!

• posted by Bissell
  on 22 Jun 2018 at 07:02

  

  Morning Stressedout, likewise, happy to help if I can.

  I first noticed my reactive hypoglycaemia when I was about 40, I guess. I worked around it by eating spoonfuls of golden syrup and lying down for 20 minutes, not exactly ideal! My diagnosis was finally confirmed by a glucose tolerance test at my local hospital, where they give you 50g glucose after fasting and then test BS every thirty minutes. My BS rose as expected and then crashed to 2.6, where ‘4 is the floor’ , or so I was taught as a nurse. Anyway, I continued to manage it badly, not really thinking it through, until I tried the BSD. To answer your question, yes, I stuck to 800cals per day. I kept my carbs below 50 and made sure I drank loads of water and kept my salt levels up. I feel the salt thing helped with my BP, which went quite low to start with. And I stopped getting hypos more or less straight away. Maybe I was just lucky.

  Nowadays I just avoid any obvious carbs and I’m really well. Weight is stable, BP is fine. I haven’t taken my BS for ages, but it was always 5-6. Last lot of routine bloods about 6 months ago all were fine too.

  So best of luck with everything, I hope it goes well.

  I hope this helps.

• posted by Californiagirl
  on 22 Jun 2018 at 15:02

  

  That is really interesting Bissell — and goodness, spoonfuls of golden syrup — that is too funny from our new BSD perspective.
  I forgot to mention what you did mention, I did the 800 calories per day too but I was notoriously bad at it so probably came in most days around 950. It still worked perfectly especially when I learned how to add in 18-24 hour fasting, which took me a bit of practice!
  I really believe it is the low carb part that helped with the weight loss and the on going weight management — I do not actually count calories anymore.
  Keep us posted on your outcomes StressedOut!

• posted by StressedOut
  on 22 Jun 2018 at 21:57

  

  Yes, I will!! And thanks to both of you. This has been very enlightening. 🙂

• posted by KathyR63
  on 17 Jun 2021 at 10:43

  

  I am so glad I found this thread. I am on day 11 of the fast 800 and I previously believed I would never lose weight because of low blood sugar. I have been feeling like Bradley Cooper – in Limitless not in A Star is Born and was not having any issues with cravings. But today has been deadly. I knew things were right when I went off the deep end at a student at school. 🙁 I had to apologise for my over the top reaction to a minor faux pas). By the time I got home this afternoon I was feeling pretty awful, dizzy, weak, foggy etc – the same old feelings. Reading through this thread has given me the resolve to have a nibble of cheese and press on. I too feel like I never want to go back to sugar, alcohol and refined carbs.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 17 Jun 2021 at 12:35

  

  Hi KathyR63 and welcome to the site. This thread is nearly 3 years out of date but just shows how helpful this site can be. When I first started this diet I was worried about low blood sugar as a diabetic but it can affect people who have the reactive lows. This is simply that you need to increase your blood glucose. But in the old days I would have something quick and sweet but now know that will only give a short term lift which will inevitably be followed by a fast drop.

  Join in on the weekly thread called One Week at a Time – this week is 15th June. There is a great mix of people, different problems and different experiences. Good luck.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 17 Jun 2021 at 23:15

  

  I just got a email notification that this thread is still active so I thought I should put a post script on here:

  Since writing the above I found out the source of my problem. I have salicylate sensitivity and after addressing this – my hypoglycemia has disappeared. Apparently the two are related.

  All of my symptoms described above were those that are also commonly experienced by people who are allergic to salicylates.

  I didnt have to do anything else. I didnt have to worry about the BSD. I just had to go on a low salicylate diet. If I accidently consume some salicylates, then all the trembling and shaking starts again.

  So my advice to others is to try and find out the true source of your problem. I ended up going to an allergy unit in a large hospital and they were wonderful.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 18 Jun 2021 at 02:50

  

  I also want to add, that although I believe that the BSD is fantastic for the right people, it was not for me at the time, as you can see from my earlier posts. I could have done myself some harm.

  While I was addressing the salicylate problem, I still had to manage the blood sugar crashes and this is what I was told do – and worked perfectly for me.
  1. Never slip meals. Eat when your body is hungry. Fasting was definitely not for me.
  2. Never eat fat and sugar/high carbs together in the same meal. Fat’s good but dont combine it with high carbs/sugar.
  3. When my blood sugar crashed, to eat one small apple.
  4. Do not eat too much protein in one meal. This is really bad for blood sugar crashes.
  5. Have light meals, don’t eat too much in one sitting.
  6. Dont try to force your body to what its incapable of doing, such as losing weight, when its going through a lot of trauma.
  7. Meditation, relaxation, Epsom salt baths, Zen body mindfulness, and beautiful music helped with managing my overworked adrenals.

  Other than that, I just followed the recommended diet for sal sensitivity, which contains carbs and sugars, and I was able to lose weight easily and effectively after it was all managed. I dont eat a lot of sugar anyway. Everything in small does, and aim for a healthy balance diet.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 18 Jun 2021 at 14:26

  

  Hi Hypnogirl, been a long time. Wonder if reinstating old posts can bring others back in like Californina Girl….

  You are perfectly right about being careful and sorting out any medical conditions but that is difficult if you dont know you have them. This is why we dont give medical advice, we are not doctors. Also it is important to flag up if you have any medical conditions as any diet advice might have to be adusted or changed. For example, people who get the shakes and are just hungry can work through it, pass the time doing something to not think about it etc. People with problems with hypoglycemia need to actually eat something and this site can help people know what to eat without sabotaging their diet. I was looking back on my notes on this diet written 5 years ago and it reminded my that DrM recommends doing some meditation, eating mindfully and including some light weights exercises to maintain muscle.

  Glad you are sorted out and doing well. Nice to get an update.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 19 Jun 2021 at 00:16

  

  That’s the problem, and you just said it: “people who get the shakes and are just hungry can work through it, pass the time doing something to not think about it etc.” That’s the advice you get here, and it can be dangerous especially coming from laymen.

  The advice I gave above was from medical professionals that helped me through my ordeal, and btw were shocked at the ‘advice’ that I was getting from this forum. Even looking back on what I originally wrote here – I am horrified that I put my poor body through that trauma. Fortunately, in the end, I found I much more stable and effective way to fix it.

  The other problem back then was that I didn’t know what other medical conditions I had at the time. And from what I have read about others with reactive hypoglycemia is that all the recommendations for the BSD for diabetes sufferers should not be given to those people. (I was hypoglycemic with no diabetes.)

  I understand that you are defending your forum and I respect that, but I also want to give others here, who have a similar problem to what I had, an alternative viewpoint, if the BSD is not helping them.

  One thing I found out, is that reactive hypoglycemia (with no diabetes) is often a symptom – not a cause – of something else. And my message to them is that they should investigate all the underlying causes first – before just ‘putting up with the shakes”.

  I am sorry that I am coming across a bit too assertively, but if you had been through what I have, then you might possibly have a different attitude too.

  Please, please, please do not tell reactive hypoglycemic patients, just to put up with the shakes. There’s a lot more recent research coming out about this condition, and they should investigate this with medically trained professionals who are more up to date with the new data.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 19 Jun 2021 at 00:42

  

  Please refer to my post of 15 July 2016 – that’s when I should have stopped with the BSD. It should not be recommended to people who are suffering so badly as I was.

  Fortunately, I eventually found the underlying cause (for me, it was severe allergy reactions to salicylates) and was able to fix that, and all my other problems eventually disappeared.

• posted by HopefulinOz
  on 19 Jun 2021 at 04:49

  

  Hi Hypogal.

  I am sorry to hear that you have been through such an ordeal. I have read back through the posts from the past, and would just like to point out that nobody here ever suggests they are medical experts or claims to give medical advice. When it comes to diagnoses such as diabetes and reactive hypoglycemia, I would imagine that people would always have their own medical specialists who are assisting them with the latest research regarding best practice. Reading through the posts, it seems to me that people such as Bisell and Californiagirl always made it very clear that these were simply the things that worked for them.

  I can understand that it must be upsetting to have tried a number of things to find out that they did not work for your body, and possibly even made it worse. And it is good for us to remember that everybody is different in what they need. However, please remember that you posted a question asking for advice on a forum that you knew contains members who a) are not medical experts and b) are people whose experience is with the Blood Sugar Diet and other Michael Mosley books, and his science is for people with diabetes and obesity and not reactice hypoglycemia. Skipping meals is often promoted in Michael Mosley’s book. Again though, his work is not aimed at your medical condition.

  I agree with you that it is medical experts that you need to seek to gain medical advice, not a forum on the internet. I recommend not posting medical questions on the forum if you are seeking medical advice.
  I wish you the best with your recovery.

• posted by sunshine-girl
  on 19 Jun 2021 at 13:41

  

  Hypnogal, I cant see any actual advice given to you to work through your shakiness etc. I must say there was a time when one or two people on the site were giving advice. I remember one such item when someone was doing cycling and felt really ill and someone did say, work your way through it and your body will start using fat instead of glucose. My ‘advice’ would always be if you feel ill, shaky, sick, etc etc then eat something and I could have added ‘and sod the diet’. At that time I intervened and had quite a ding dong with the person concerned almost causing me to leave this site. However, I was worried that if I wasnt around this would go unchecked and it was me that alerted the admin team to this. From my comments to admin they produced the warning at the top of all new posts.

  We have not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you are have any health related symptoms or concerns, you should contact your doctor who will be able to give you advice specific to your situation.

  I had hoped they were watching and reading posts and would jump in but that is not the case so this is the best we can expect. Dr Mosley is not on the staff. However, you seem to have a condition that is quite rare and no-one could have suspected it and it even took your own medical people some time to come to a diagnosis. It is hardly the fault of a dieting site about a diet you have chosen to follow if you ask questions and get general answers. Sorry if you were someone around at the time of the misinformation brigade. I hope you are getting the treatment you need and can move on from this unfortunate episode.

• posted by HypoGal
  on 21 Jun 2021 at 01:01

  

  My condition is not rare, Sunshine Girl, it is now estimated that 1 in 5 of the world’s population have food sensitives.
  I am a university lecturer and I believe that in order to help uncover the truth we have to lay all the facts on the table.

  This is more about my story and why I came back to help others who may be in a similar situation to me.

  Like I said, 1 in 5 people have difficulties with food chemicals, such as salicylates, oxalates and amines. Sometimes all three. These are not allergens (like peanuts or whatever) and not to be confused with food allergies. Unfortunately, this type of problem often lies undiagnosed by the average GP or even hospital doctors. You have to go to specialists in this area to find help.

  This is how it was explained to me: when the immune system sees food chemicals as a threat, inflammation and mucus is built up around cells, and block the normal flow of important bodily functions, which then cause the symptoms. Dizziness, shaking, trembling, headaches are also part of this scenario. Trying to force your body to do things such as lose weight or go on restricted calorie diets, is not only contradictory to what is needed but can cause more, and sometimes serious, problems.

  Recently there was new data that this condition is now recognized to be associated with blood sugar problems. That was a huge ‘ah-ha’ moment for me. Honestly, I had forgotten all about this forum and what I had gone through before until I received the email notification, but I thought it was possibly very fortuitous in some indirect way, and that I should speak about it. (Possibly not a very popular place to do it, as I have found out. lol. But one where there may be some others who may need this knowledge.)

  I’ll turn off my notifications now. No need to reply to me.

• posted by MerryMelba
  on 24 Jun 2021 at 07:52

  

  Reported

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