Hypoglycemia

Question: Hypoglycemia-If you have or someone you know-How to keep a normal blood sugar during the day and night? My 22 year old daughter was just diagnosed with hypoglycemia.Was rushed to hospital and blood sugar was 1.4-Any tips on how you personally kept your sugar at normal level.Please no smart ass answers cause this is my daughters life at stake.Got doctor advice but need to hear from someone who goes thru this daily.Thanx. I thank all that respond with intelligent advice-Thank You-God Bless You And Yours

Answer: I deal with diabetics all day long at my job so I know it's a scary thing especially if it's a new thing. Get an accucheck machine and take the blood sugar before each meal and at bedtime. This will give you a sort of base line blood sugar to go on. I cannot stress the importance of diet. Low carb diets work well and you can always find examples of these online. Make sure there are snacks available to her in between meals and before bed. Good luck

Question: If you have hypoglycemia can it cause you to have major anxiety problems ? I think I may have hypoglycemia and I find in the morning I could throw up after eating breakfast. But I know I have to eat it or I will be really hungry later. I can sleep through alarms easily, and become tired and light headed easily. I can get dizzy easily. I crave sugar like in juices and drink juice alot. I am constantly hungry and I also crave things like carbs whether is bread or crackers etc. I also cannot keep my hands still. It shakes, and the shaking varies from a little to almost uncontrollable. I also find if I am about to do something that creates pressure like and exam or a presentation I shake uncontrollably. As well every once and a while I want to say something but I pronounce or say the word wrong. Could this be hypoglycemia? Could it cause uncontrollable trembling and shakiness went it comes to the pressure situations? I mean I have done lots of exams before but it always occurs.

Answer: My daughter has hypoglycemia as well.. I also suffer from this. Here is the scoop on hypoglycemia. It is caused by a less-than-normal am't of glucose in the blood because the pancreas is secreting to much insulin. or by dietary deficiency. The condition may result in weakness, headache, hunger, visual disturbances, anxiety, personality changes and if untreated,, delirium, coma and death. The treatment is the administration of glucose in orange juice by mouth if the person is conscious or in an IV glucose solution if the person in unconscious. There are meds that treat this condition and you should see your MD as soon as possible. you don't want to let this get out of hand. I am the same way about eating in the morning, it makes me sick, but you're right, you do get hungry. I too have problems pronouncing words, and shake, I am not as bad as you are. but please get it checked out

Question: ways to prevent hypoglycemia in chihuahua puppies? I'll be getting a chihuahua puppy soon and I've heard a lot about hypoglycemia in the breed. Does feeding it a quality dog food every few hours (or free-feeding) generally prevent this or would I really have to give him a little something with sugar in it a few times a day? Also, how about during bedtime? how many hours can the breed comfortably go without food during the night?

Answer: the reason y certain small breeds get hypoglycemia is due to stress caused from change of environment, over-activity, diahrrae, vomiting, dehydration, not eating the puppy food. before you get your puppy you should go to your local pet store and get what is called Nutra-Cal. its a paste supplement. if your puppy is not eating you should mix this in its food. or if it is eating you can put some on ur finger & the pup will lick it off. just for a couple of or a week or so, just let ur puppy become familar with its new surroundings. don't over play with it, or give it too many treats. just stick with the puppy food @ first and if after a few days all is going well, start introducing some treats, no rawhide tho, as ur little one can choke (it has happened to my chi & he had to b rushed to the vet, very scarey). as for the food you should wet it with warm water, let it sit for a minute so it gets soft, drain it from the water, mix it nutra-cal & feed. if ur puppy happens to get diahrae you can cook up some plain chicken & rice & feed that to ur pup. the chicken for flavor & the rice for binding the pups stool. with the chis being so small they cant hold their pee & poop very long. during the day u should take the puppy out every hour or so, after a nap, eating, & play time. if u crate the pup shouldnt b in there no more than 2 hours or so. u dont want to give it a bladder infection. and u should take the pup outside @ least once in the middle of the nite, especially if its whining. as for food, if you want to leave food out 24hrs that fine, just understand that dog will have to go potty more often. i dont recommend giving honey or syrup as this can cause exfixiation (suffoicating). rubbing it on the gums would b fine as long as its a small amount. just make sure the pup is eating normally. if it wont take the puppy food, cook chicken & feed it that.

Question: With minor hyperinsulinism and related hypoglycemia, how long does the onset of type 2 diebetes normally occur? I have very minor hyperinsulinism, with resulting hypoglycemia. I am living an Atkins diet, with occasional use of alcohol, and just a few cups of coffee per day. How long until I hit the point of type 2 diabetes. This is a very important question, because with my career, diabetes would basically end it. Thanks!

Answer: Only your doctor can tell you that, based on an educated guess from your labwork. Each person if different, depending on how their body is handling the problem. Some do not develop the diabetes for years or even decades, but there are people who develop diabetes in a matter of months.

Question: What are some practical ways to avoid severe conditions of Hypoglycemia? My g-friend suffers severe conditions of hypoglycemia such as becoming incoherent and lethargic. What should I do when this occurs and what are things she can do to prevent these symptons before they occur.

Answer: The blood glucose level may fall too low or too fast. Some people then experience the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Some snack and meal suggestions that meet the goal of including a complex carbohydrate, a protein source and fat include: sandwich yogurt and fruit cottage cheese and crackers turkey, cheese slices and veggies on a salad salad with beans added peanut butter and crackers low fat cheese and crackers bean soup and crackers low fat cheese on bake potato bagel and lowfat cream cheese Eat at least three regularly spaced meals 3 to 5 hours apart) daily. Include snacks if needed. Eat at the same time each day. Avoid skipping meals. This can be accomplished without weight gain by staying at a healthy caloric intake (distribute total calories throughout the day). Avoid sugar and foods and beverages containing sugar, especially on an empty stomach. An occasional sweet food consumed in a small amount with a meal may be tolerated. Include at each meal or snack: Complex carbohydrate: fruit,vegetable,starch or grain product. Protein source: lowfat meat, lowfat dairy product, legume, peanut butter. Fat source: oil, margarine,lowfat mayonnaise (fats may be hidden in carbohydrate and protein). Use these fats sparingly. Distribute meals and snack calories as evenly as possible throughout the day. Limit alcohol. Drink alcohol only with food and only with health care providers approval. Avoid caffeine (in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate) Eat 1 to 3 hours before exercise. Extra calories may be needed before exercise to compensate for calories burned.

Question: How much does the average hypoglycemia test cost in the US? I feel I may have hypoglycemia and have no health insurance. I almost fainted this morning due to low blood sugar. I ate chocolate and had a coke then was fine. This has happened before and I am tired of it, as it isn't safe.

Answer: well,probably the glucose tolerance which lasts for 3-5 hours..after drinking some glucola,blood is drawn every hour to see if sugar goes up or down.....this would costs $ 50-75 in most labs...good luck....

Question: Why is it recommended that people prone to hypoglycemia avoid Valerian Root? While doing research on Valerian Root I've found that most sites recommend against its use if you're prone to hypoglycemia... but I can't find any explanation as to why. Valerian Root is supposed to act as a mild sedative for sleep aid and I'd like to try it, but I am prone to hypoglycemia. Anybody have more information?

Answer: Heya Timo - had to hit the herb monographs to double-check this one. I have never heard of links between hypoglycemia and valerian. I re-read the pharmacology and did a quick literature search... As far as I can see, valerian has no impact on glucose levels. I can't find any evidence that there's need for caution in people prone to hypoglycemia.

Question: What are the odds that my hypoglycemia progresses to diabetes? I discovered about 5 years ago that I've been hypo all my life. Almost everyone in my family have symptoms of hypoglycemia. At the last hour of my Glucose Tolerance test my blood sugar dropped to 31. It started out at 90. I though I was dying. I've followed the endocrinologist advice ever since (no meds, diet only). Now I have very few episodes - none in the past 2 years. I'm still worried that diabetes is lurking and no matter what I do it will happen. Anyone had the same situation?

Answer: I am right there with you, i discovered mine about 16 years ago when at work my sugar dropped down to 16. i now watch what i eat, i don't eat heaps of sugar and when i feel a like my sugar is going down i eat protein.. protein is the key to keeping the sugar up, my Dr told me it will most likely turn into hyperglycemia when i get older.

Question: What are the damaging effects of hypoglycemia? Is there any permanent damage? If you have hypoglycemia does that mean you have diabetes?

Answer: The damaging effects of hypoglycaemia=too low blood sugar depend on how low. If very, very low, it can kill you, if very low and you go unconscious, it can cause permanent brain damage, if only a little low, you just feel tired, exhausted and don't suffer permanent damage.Brain needs sugar always, so that is why hypoglycaemia affects brain most.Other organs can get along with other substrates for metabolism. Diabetes (type 1) is a disease of deficiency of insulin which is needed for sugar to go from blood to cells.So, if the sugar just goes around and not into cells where it is needed, it piles up and we end up with high blood sugar while cells starve and eventually we die if we are not getting insulin. Diabetics are prone also to hypoglycaemia, if they get too much insulin and too little food. If there is nothing basicly wrong in the insulin secretion and control, hypoglycaemia usually never goes so low that it causes permanent damage. The really serious hypoglycaemias are ususally in diabetics or overdose of insulin in some other condition or insulin producing tumor. In summary:serious hypoglycaemia is very serious but usually only in diabetics. for the rest of us sugar goes only a little low at times -and that is a different story. balanced sugars wishes mary a

Question: Is Hypoglycemia and Bad Acne connected? how do i control those raging hormones? I've had really bad acne for almost ten years now. i've also been suffering from hypoglycemia for alittle while. I think I have some sort of chemical imbalance, or hormonal imbalance.

Answer: I have never had an acne problem, I of course went through my teenage years where I would break out in high school. I'm now 21 and only get a few spots here and there. I also have hypoglycemia (very sever hypoglycemia) for the past 8 months. My skin has not suffered any from my blood sugar. Its about the only thing that hasn't been affected. Unless you count being too confused and exhausted to wash my face before I pass out at 8 pm after work lol. Hypoglycemia doesn't have anything to do with the hormones that cause pimples as far as I know. I've done research and talked to my doc. alot. but then everyone's body is different. I would just think that they are unrelated based on the different things that cause the two conditons.

Question: hypoglycemia? I am getting a baby chihuahua, right now shes very small and i heard that she is at risk for hypoglycemia. is there anything i can do to prevent that or treat it? im worried she will get it on the flight to me and i wont be there to help her. please help.

Answer: You can buy a high-calorie food supplement from a vet's office or most pet food stores. It would be a good idea to keep it on hand. To prevent it, feed her high-quality dog food, and give her smaller meals 3-4 times a day rather than 1-2 big meals, even when she grows up.

Question: Can hypoglycemia be treated in babies and how long does it usually take if it does? Can hypoglycemia be treated in babies and if it does how long does it take? My baby weighed 8 lbs when he was born and has been in the hospital for 11 days now. Can it be treated? Am I over reacting, I cry alot and just want him to come home already?

Answer: Calm down. My brother and I were both born with hypoglycemia; both of us are in our 20's and reasonably healthy :) He's un-naturally tall, but that's another story :p Of all the things for them to catch in that newborn screening, this is by far one of the better problems to have - it's easily managed. The great news is that they caught it in the hospital! :) My mom fought for 2 days to get them to test us. We have never needed meds, it's managed totally through diet. Both of us have always needed frequent small meals. Neither of us can have a lot of sugar (like soda), and we both have to watch eating too many carbs. Sugar and carbs won't like, kill us, we just crash after about an hour. Veggies and fruit and lean protien are the best things to eat. I have learned to feel when my sugar is low and eat. In elementary school, I fainted a few times til I got the hang of it. Once I did, I was totally fine; the nurse kept yougert and fruit for me in case I needed to eat. It's not, like some horrific condition. None of the kids ever knew. Talk to your doctor. I'm sure they have some good feeding tips and ways to treat it. My mom, brother and I have this for life, but some types of hypoglycemia are transient, meaning they are fixed and don't come back. Before you take your son home, make them talk to you and explain everything and tell you what you need to do in his case. I'm sure he's gonna be fine. The other poster is right, MAKE them tell you what kind of hypoglycemia it is. Like is is related to diabetes, just a thing that happend cuz he was born (my cousins had low sugar after taking 3 days to be born...), or is it a freak genetic thing like mine.... (missing some enzyme...). Oh, and btw, Congrats!!! :) :) :)

Question: What snacks can i eat with severe hypoglycemia? I was just diagnosed with severe hypoglycemia and put on a strict diet. The paperwork is a little unclear. What snacks can I eat between meals or on the road? I am use to a heavy sugar diet.

Answer: I'm going to second guitargirl252. You really should consult your doctor or see a nutritionist. They'll be able to tell you what's best for YOUR body. Otherwise, good rule-of-thumbs for hypoglycemics are (1) read labels. Sugar is in just about everything we eat. Even the store-bought peanut butter has sugar in it. High fructose corn syrup, Fructose, and cane sugar all count as processed sugars that could spike your blood sugar. (2) Good snacks include nuts or trail mix (Be careful! A lot of dried fruits have added sugar), soups (chicken/meat with veggies), raw veggies, cottage cheese (lots of protein and calcium), or PB and celery/apples/carrots. (3) Avoid caffeine, sodas (diet or regular - they block nutrient absorbtion), margarine (real butter is preferable), fake foods, artificial additives, chocolate, deep fried foods, and sodium preservatives. Wow! That sounds like a lot, now that I read it back @.@ Sorry if it's an overload, but I hope this helps. Still, talk to your Doc about your concerns. S/he can help you the best.

Question: How to lose weight when you have reactive hypoglycemia? In June of this year I was diagnosed as having reactive hypoglycemia which is borderline diabetic. I need to know how I can lose weight because I am at my heaviest weight. I have been taking walks daily for 30 minutes for the pass few years. I have stopped taking walks as often since my younger brother passed in May of this.

Answer: Hey! Good for you for taking charge of your health and exercising. Firstly, any exercise is good, but there's a lot of data to show that moderate to intense exercise for a minimum of 60 minutes a week (150-180 is ideal) is tremendously beneficial, and in particular, that interval training (alternating between [low and medium], [low and high], or [medium and high] intensity exercise is the best for both fitness and weight loss. This might mean alternating calesthenics with marching on the spot, or alternating walking and jogging (jogging and running), or walking up and down stairs. You should discuss a fitness plan with your doctor, to make sure it's OK. Also, there is a recent study that shows portion control with the help of dining plates marked with suggested portions are very effective in aiding weight loss in diabetics.

Question: How does alcohol react with someone with hyperinsulinism related hypoglycemia? I don't have diabetes. I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia related to hyperinsulinism, which may be related to insulin resistance. I was just wondering what effect alcohol would have on this condition. I was wondering if occasional consumption of alcohol is acceptable, or if all alcohol should be avoided. Thanks.

Answer: Keep a very close eye on your sugar when drinking. Of course, an occasional drink is acceptable, but alcohol will lower your blood sugar. The starch in some alcohol will increase the sugar, but for a very short time. The metabolism of the alcohol portion of the drink will then lead to a decrease in your blood glucose. Be sure to check it often when drinking, and to keep a real glucose source (something w/o alcohol in it) with you when you go out. Talk with your endocrinologist for more details. Best of luck.

Question: What do you do about night time non-diabetic hypoglycemia? I have heard that non-diabetic hypoglycemia can be a problem at night while I am sleeping. What can I do to prevent this from happening?

Answer: Treating hypoglycemia is pretty much the same as treating type two diabetes. In other words, eat lots of healthy, natural foods with plenty of fiber and get plenty of daily exercise. The more refined foods you avoid, the better your chances of avoiding hypoglycemia (and diabetes, for that matter). Give your body the nourishment it needs, and it will serve you well for many, many years.