Re: Hypoglycemia (with whining attached)

[Guest guest]

> I will just start off with: I am scared.

>

Barb, of *course* you should see an endocrinologist. ASAP. Take them

all your BG records as well as food records. Find out what school of

diabetes treatment they subscribe to (low carb, low fat, exchange,

glycemic index, carb counting, etc.). I will not be surprised if you

learn that your diabetes didn't " disappear " and that this is related.

I'm sure that with some good medical guidance and your trademark

gusto, you can figure this out and you *will* be able to work it into

the life you want!!! We're all behind you.

***

> I have spent the last hour reading every post in the archives on

hypoglycemia and, while some of the issues fit, many don't, so I am

still pretty much at a loss of where to go for help. Perhaps sharing

some of the things that are going on... and what I have tried...

might help someone see a piece of the puzzle I just don't see. My

surgeon, her nursing team (most of whom are long-term posties)

including the nutritionist, my PCP, and my midwife friends are all

(what it seems to me) clueless. So, I turn to the REAL experts...

you all here.

>

> I had Type II diabetes badly pre-op. It disappeared with the

surgery (17 months ago today), but I stayed on the Glucophage for

another 6 months because of the insulin resistance issues. All co-

morbs gone within a few months (most the day of surgery) and I began

a very active lifestyle almost immediately... something I had never

had before. I lost 180 pounds in my first 12 months... have dropped

another 10 in the last 5 months (see .sig file for details). As you

can see by the information below, I have also dropped an incredible

amount of fat... from 75% to 25%. I was gymming it, walking like

crazy, biking... and then, began working (couldn't work because of my

fat) towards my midwifery license (taking that exam in early

March)... going to dozens of births, working on-call, working

prenatal clinics, working in the office... travelling back and forth

to El Paso to work in a birth center there (also regular 12 hour days

plus waking up and assisting at births).

>

> And now, I am getting sicker and sicker... and more and more

frightened. (I can feel the tears right *there*.)

>

> About 8 weeks ago, perhaps a tad longer than that, I started having

hypoglycemia stuff happening. My BGs were going down into the 40s

and sometimes as low as the mid-30s. I have been so sick that I have

not been able to figure out how to take my BG with the glucometer I

have used thousands of times in every manner of stressful situation

(on newborn babies who were sick). At a birth once, I began shaking

so badly, I had to go sit in the bathroom and chew on candy to get my

BGs up enough to finish the job (I was charting, nothing terribly

crucial, thank GOD!).

>

> I CANNOT BE A MIDWIFE WITH THIS ISSUE GOING ON! I cannot be

responsible for two other people's lives while my own health is so

sucky. I cannot/should not drive in the middle of the night, at 90

mph, when I could have my BGs crash right before I do.

>

> There is NO warning of when it is going to happen. It is *not*

dependent on what I eat or when I eat; I have tried every variation

on a theme. I am a CAREGIVER, for crying out loud... I counsel women

on how not to have hypoglycemia! I have stopped riding my bike (the

first [bG] crash occurred on my bike), stopped walking alone, stopped

gymming it (yet, my muscle mass remains at 25% even after not doing

formal exercise for over 3 months). Gads, now that I think about it,

I was having BG crashing in the gym way back at about 7 months post-

op! I just remembered that! The consensus was I needed to eat

more. That is pretty much what everyone has said... eat more often

(the proverbial " small meals " crap) and focus on protein, limiting

carbs. Well, damn it, I DO THAT and I still get sick.

>

> I have eaten ALL protein, 75% protein, 50% protein... really eat

simple carbs incredibly rarely (high glycemic index carbs is a more

accurate description)... was " using " almond M&Ms to avoid crashing

right before a birth, plus hard candies (I do not dump from sugar,

but do some from butter and cream), but, on the advice of others,

stopped that and began eating almonds, peanuts, and dried fruit on

the way to a birth; they have protein and glucose, but also fill me

up WAY faster than M&Ms and last longer in the pouch/intestines. I

quit all candy. (Was only using candy as a medication for the BGs in

the first place... good excuse, eh?)

>

> Today, for example, I ate a LOT... way more than I feel comfortable

eating... cheese with turkey ham and crackers (I can eat two slices

of each with about 3 crackers total), some strawberries, an Ensure at

breakfast (before my 1 hour drive to work), an Ensure before my

afternoon of clients (this on the recommendation of my surgeon and

others)... and then, within 2 hours, my BGs were 50! I was nearly

fainting, sweaty as a 400 pound marathon man, and so sleepy, I

thought I was going to die. There was no way for me to see clients

this afternoon, so, after eating more cheese, meat, and a cracker, I

came home, where I ate more before finally feeling somewhat human

again.

>

> I have done protein drinks (Isopure, Proteinex, and others) and

they are so disgusting the thought of them in my mouth makes me gag

[and I drank the clear Isopure for 8 months as my *only* source of

protein])... the Ensure isn't much better, that's for sure, but at

least it goes down.

>

> My labs are pretty normal, but my last glucose, not even fasting,

was 80.

>

> I am going, one more time, to my PCP next Friday (the 13th) and

asking to see an endocrinologist. Do you all think this is

warranted? Is there any test s/he can do to determine if this is

hypoglycemia and not some other organic wasting disease? I am so

scared that I will be asked to leave the midwifery practice I so want

to be a part of because of my health issues. It is damned (and that

is NOT the word I wanted to use, either) ironic that I couldn't

practice midwifery because I was fat and now I am not utilizing my

potential because I am not fat (enough?).

>

> So, my question is, do you all see anything I don't? I mean, I

read what I ate today and it isn't the happiest of what a postie

would be eating, but I swear!! I have eaten from 70-120 grams of

protein daily (varying to test the results), eaten from none to 25%

carbs with my protein, and tried everything inbetween... I am

compliant to a fault (ask those in my support group!).

>

> I *so* want to exercise again... want to have the mental stability

to focus on the exam I need to take in March... want to be able to do

everything my body physically allows me to now... and yet, instead of

great globs of fat, I am tied down by a glucometer and constant

eating. How can I ever even think of going on the &

Trail or running the Disney Marathon if I can't even go through a

normal day without crashing?

>

> And, another question: Is smashing fatigue a part of this? I

sleep 4 hours, am up for 3, sleep another couple... and then am

awake... until I, all-of-a-sudden, NEED to sleep. Why can't I sleep

7-8 hours in a row? It isn't waking to pee... it is waking so that

my body says GET UP NOW (sometimes it is screaming to be fed, but not

always).

>

> I am feeling like such a lost soul... after helping so many people

through their first year... speaking about WLS with my surgeon,

knowing SO much about my own health and the health of others... I am

lost. And, as I have mentioned a hundred times already... scared.

>

> Thanks for listening.

>

> Barbara Herrera

> San Diego, CA - 41 years old

> Open RNY April 5, 2001

> Dr. Ellner, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, CA

> 04/05/01: 344# / BMI: 63/ Body Fat%: 75%

> 04/05/02: 172# / BMI: 31.6/ Body Fat%: 28%

> 07/27/02: 160#/ BMI: 29.3/ Body Fat%: 25%

>

> Transformation Pics Here:

> http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?

p=999&gid=1006909&uid=631889&members=1

[Guest guest]

Hi Barb..

your pictures look great...what a wonderful transformation! I have to hand

it to you, I for one KNOW how hard the job of midwifery is. I used to do

photography for couples having their babies, and I had to stop as I couldn't

hack the hours! Very rewarding work though, and I can see why you want to do

it.

Okay, I'm sure you have already heard this a zillion times by now! DITCH the

Ensure!! Just reading about it sends me into a hypoglycemic attack! My

daughter is severely hypoglycemic, and what I'm going to suggest to you, she

is now doing, and I am doing, and we have it under control now. Get yourself

some good Problend 55, or Proscore 100....I know, I know...you hate it right?

Forget it...it's your medicine. The Problend you can shake up in 4 oz of

water and pop it down the hatch. Do this every 2 hours! Set the clock if

you have to, but do it. Try it for several days and see if it doesn't help

stabilize your sugars. It sure has mine, and my daughter's who has never

been able to level hers out for years. She hasn't even had WLS...but is

doing this. But don't forget...every two hours. At least during your waking

hours. If you wake up in the night...do another one. Just space them 2

hours apart. Eat nuts, and protein..that's fine...but do the shakes...and

ditch the Ensure. Please...that is hypoglycemia looking for a place to

happen in a can! Hope this gives you an idea!

Regards~

Jacque

> I will just start off with: I am scared.

>

> I have spent the last hour reading every post in the archives on

> hypoglycemia and, while some of the issues fit, many don't, so I am still

> pretty much at a loss of where to go for help. Perhaps sharing some of the

> things that are going on... and what I have tried... might help someone see

> a piece of the puzzle I just don't see. My surgeon, her nursing team (most

> of whom are long-term posties) including the nutritionist, my PCP, and my

> midwife friends are all (what it seems to me) clueless. So, I turn to the

> REAL experts... you all here.

>

> I had Type II diabetes badly pre-op. It disappeared with the surgery (17

> months ago today), but I stayed on the Glucophage for another 6 months

> because of the insulin resistance issues. All co-morbs gone within a few

> months (most the day of surgery) and I began a very active lifestyle almost

> immediately... something I had never had before. I lost 180 pounds in my

> first 12 months... have dropped another 10 in the last 5 months (see .sig

> file for details). As you can see by the information below, I have also

> dropped an incredible amount of fat... from 75% to 25%. I was gymming it,

> walking like crazy, biking... and then, began working (couldn't work

> because of my fat) towards my midwifery license (taking that exam in early

> March)... going to dozens of births, working on-call, working prenatal

> clinics, working in the office... travelling back and forth to El Paso to

> work in a birth center there (also regular 12 hour days plus waking up and

> assisting at births).

>

> And now, I am getting sicker and sicker... and more and more frightened.

> (I can feel the tears right *there*.)

>

> About 8 weeks ago, perhaps a tad longer than that, I started having

> hypoglycemia stuff happening. My BGs were going down into the 40s and

> sometimes as low as the mid-30s. I have been so sick that I have not been

> able to figure out how to take my BG with the glucometer I have used

> thousands of times in every manner of stressful situation (on newborn

> babies who were sick). At a birth once, I began shaking so badly, I had to

> go sit in the bathroom and chew on candy to get my BGs up enough to finish

> the job (I was charting, nothing terribly crucial, thank GOD!).

>

> I CANNOT BE A MIDWIFE WITH THIS ISSUE GOING ON! I cannot be responsible

> for two other people's lives while my own health is so sucky. I

> cannot/should not drive in the middle of the night, at 90 mph, when I could

> have my BGs crash right before I do.

>

> There is NO warning of when it is going to happen. It is *not* dependent

> on what I eat or when I eat; I have tried every variation on a theme. I am

> a CAREGIVER, for crying out loud... I counsel women on how not to have

> hypoglycemia! I have stopped riding my bike (the first [bG] crash occurred

> on my bike), stopped walking alone, stopped gymming it (yet, my muscle mass

> remains at 25% even after not doing formal exercise for over 3 months).

> Gads, now that I think about it, I was having BG crashing in the gym way

> back at about 7 months post-op! I just remembered that! The consensus was

> I needed to eat more. That is pretty much what everyone has said... eat

> more often (the proverbial " small meals " crap) and focus on protein,

> limiting carbs. Well, damn it, I DO THAT and I still get sick.

>

> I have eaten ALL protein, 75% protein, 50% protein... really eat simple

> carbs incredibly rarely (high glycemic index carbs is a more accurate

> description)... was " using " almond M&Ms to avoid crashing right before a

> birth, plus hard candies (I do not dump from sugar, but do some from butter

> and cream), but, on the advice of others, stopped that and began eating

> almonds, peanuts, and dried fruit on the way to a birth; they have protein

> and glucose, but also fill me up WAY faster than M&Ms and last longer in

> the pouch/intestines. I quit all candy. (Was only using candy as a

> medication for the BGs in the first place... good excuse, eh?)

>

> Today, for example, I ate a LOT... way more than I feel comfortable

> eating... cheese with turkey ham and crackers (I can eat two slices of each

> with about 3 crackers total), some strawberries, an Ensure at breakfast

> (before my 1 hour drive to work), an Ensure before my afternoon of clients

> (this on the recommendation of my surgeon and others)... and then, within 2

> hours, my BGs were 50! I was nearly fainting, sweaty as a 400 pound

> marathon man, and so sleepy, I thought I was going to die. There was no

> way for me to see clients this afternoon, so, after eating more cheese,

> meat, and a cracker, I came home, where I ate more before finally feeling

> somewhat human again.

>

> I have done protein drinks (Isopure, Proteinex, and others) and they are so

> disgusting the thought of them in my mouth makes me gag [and I drank the

> clear Isopure for 8 months as my *only* source of protein])... the Ensure

> isn't much better, that's for sure, but at least it goes down.

>

> My labs are pretty normal, but my last glucose, not even fasting, was 80.

>

> I am going, one more time, to my PCP next Friday (the 13th) and asking to

> see an endocrinologist. Do you all think this is warranted? Is there any

> test s/he can do to determine if this is hypoglycemia and not some other

> organic wasting disease? I am so scared that I will be asked to leave the

> midwifery practice I so want to be a part of because of my health issues.

> It is damned (and that is NOT the word I wanted to use, either) ironic that

> I couldn't practice midwifery because I was fat and now I am not utilizing

> my potential because I am not fat (enough?).

>

> So, my question is, do you all see anything I don't? I mean, I read what I

> ate today and it isn't the happiest of what a postie would be eating, but I

> swear!! I have eaten from 70-120 grams of protein daily (varying to test

> the results), eaten from none to 25% carbs with my protein, and tried

> everything inbetween... I am compliant to a fault (ask those in my support

> group!).

>

> I *so* want to exercise again... want to have the mental stability to focus

> on the exam I need to take in March... want to be able to do everything my

> body physically allows me to now... and yet, instead of great globs of fat,

> I am tied down by a glucometer and constant eating. How can I ever even

> think of going on the & Trail or running the Disney Marathon if

> I can't even go through a normal day without crashing?

>

> And, another question: Is smashing fatigue a part of this? I sleep 4

> hours, am up for 3, sleep another couple... and then am awake... until I,

> all-of-a-sudden, NEED to sleep. Why can't I sleep 7-8 hours in a row? It

> isn't waking to pee... it is waking so that my body says GET UP NOW

> (sometimes it is screaming to be fed, but not always).

>

> I am feeling like such a lost soul... after helping so many people through

> their first year... speaking about WLS with my surgeon, knowing SO much

> about my own health and the health of others... I am lost. And, as I have

> mentioned a hundred times already... scared.

>

> Thanks for listening.

>

> Barbara Herrera

> San Diego, CA - 41 years old

> Open RNY April 5, 2001

> Dr. Ellner, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, CA

> 04/05/01: 344# / BMI: 63/ Body Fat%: 75%

> 04/05/02: 172# / BMI: 31.6/ Body Fat%: 28%

>