hypogycemic and ICN

[coleman999]

anyone that is strugging with Hypoglycemia please give me some tips

[ICNDonna]

I have to make sure to get enough protein to help keep my blood sugar on an even keel.

Donna

[Nikkel]

I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia about a year ago and just got diagnosed with IC about two weeks ago. For me and the hypoglycemia, it's all about diet. One of the biggest things that can help is switching from refined grains (white flour products) to whole grains. Eating things like white bread or white rice are nearly the same to your body as eating pure sugar because your body can absorb and digest them so fast, it causes a dramatic and sudden rise in your blood sugar, which is them followed by a sudden drop, and usually is when symptoms appear. For me, it's the shaking, feeling pukey, vision slows a bit, have trouble thinking and forming words. Anyway, so you want to eat foods that your body takes a long time to digest, so that your blood sugar stays more steady instead of having high peaks and low dips. Anything with a lot of fiber is good, protein is good, and whole grains in particular are a lot easier on the blood sugar than refinded flour products. So, just switching from white to whole wheat bread, white rice to brown rice, or regular pasta to whole grain pasta can be a big help. (Tip: when you are looking for whole grains, check the ingredient list on the package "whole wheat" or "whole grain" should be one of the first two ingredients, and if it's not, then the majority of the product is made with refined flour - that word "whole" is very important.)

Another big thing that has helped me is to note how long you can go without eating before having an episode. For me, I start showing symptoms of low blood sugar with the shakes and such about 2 1/2 hours after eating. So, what I do now is eat a little bit every 2 hours. Doesn't take much, just a handful of almonds or a piece of fruit and some cottage cheese or something. This keeps the blood sugar steady between meals and prevents the symptoms from ever coming on. If you have had a fasting blood glucose test, you should be able to tell by the results of that what your "time frame" is. I could see on the lab papers exactly when my blood sugar dropped in between hours 2-3. If you have not had a fasting blood glucose test, you can have one done, which will basically just confirm the hypoglycemia and let you know exactly how low you drop. (Forgive me if I am telling you info you already know.) You fast 12 hours before the test, and then you go in and they draw your blood to see where your blood sugar is at. Then you drink a glucose liquid and they draw your blood every hour for the next five hours to see how high the blood sugar gets after the drink, and how low it drops over the next few hours. You can't eat at all during this, so as you can imagine, by the end, you will be feeling your symptoms. I was shaking like crazy by the end of mine, but it did at least confirm the hypoglycemia and give me an idea of how long I have before I need to eat something.

Basically, you want to follow a similar diet to what a diabetic would. Just try to eat things that will hold that blood sugar steady instead of making it jump up suddenly or fall suddenly. Of course, if you start having symptoms however, you need to get sugar in you right away, and in that case, you want to find the most sugar possible (like drinking a Coke or eating candy). But, in general, to avoid those episodes, you want to avoid sugars and try to keep it all steady.

[coleman999]

Yes I have done the test and I was shaking at the end of the test too. I noticed that I have to eat at night too. I wake up and eat a peanut butter cracker or a sandwitch. I guss the reason I am asking about the low blood suger and ICN is because the thing I use to take to keep my sugar levels good are on the food list of the no no list. I used peanuts, orange juice, peanut butter crackers. I am was told I had ICN on September 14, 2007 when I had the outpatient procedure done. I am trying to deal with the low blood sugar which was confirmed this year too. I am just stress about ICN because I really do not know how I feel when I am eating the wrong food. I do not know if its a urgent to go do the bathroom or the uti. I am just really confused about this whole condition and trying to get all the help I can get. Oh I forgot I am anemic too. I took vit C with my iron until I read it could cause problems with ICN

[Nikkel]

I hear ya! I am going through the same thing trying to re-evaluate what foods I can and can't eat (plus I'm vegetarian, so that really adds to it)! I used to eat a banana when I would first get up, but I guess the potassium is really bad for the IC, and I used to eat an apple as my
"between" lunch and dinner snack, which I guess is also bad for IC. For now, I am slowly changing over and looking for alternatives to balance both the hypo and IC, and until I have it all figured out with what foods do and don't bother me, I am relying on Prelief tablets. I take 2 before eating a potentially irritating food.

I didn't realize peanut butter was bad for IC. I have still been using that as one of my staples for the hypoglycemia. A few others foods I have been relying on recently for snacks are cottage cheese, almonds, whole grain pretzels, corn nuts, whole grain bagels or bagel chips, and protein bars.

Has your doctor recommended a certain treatment for your IC or given you any guidance on how to deal with having all three (hypo, ic, and anemia)?

[coleman999]

Well he told me to look at the food list and start not eating the foods on the list. He did say this will be hard at first because I really do not know what is causing the bladder problem. I guess I am going to get me a journal and write down everything I eat like if I was at Weight Watchers. I am going to rate how I feel each day and each meal. I am ready to feel better from all my conditions. I had the Cystoscopy done and it I really do not feel like I have to go to the bathroom so much. I am going to take one day at a time and try not to be depressed. I want to get better with both IC and low blood sugar.

[sunshine_77us]

I just found out on the 19th that I have sugar. I started taking Metformin time released once a day. My body is adjusting to it but I'm still having a few side effects but hoping after this week I'll do better. My doctor says I'm producing TOO much insulin. My problem is that I don't know what I'm supposed to eat and how. Any help?

[Nikkel]

Metformin is a drug usually used in diabetic patients, so I'm surprised your doctor would give it to you for hypoglycemia. Either way though, the diet for diabetics and hypoglycemics is similar. You want to eat often to keep the blood sugar levels steady, and try to avoid sugars. Try to get a lot of protein and whole grains. Those will keep your blood sugar levels steady. When you eat sugar, it causes your body to release even more insulin, and your blood sugar goes haywire, but proteins and whole grains break down slowly, causing a much more gentle rise and fall in blood sugar.

[Nikkel]

Sorry, I think I misunderstood your post....I just now saw the title was "diabetic". I mistunderstood and thought you were saying you were hypoglycemic! One thing to note about diabetics though, is that if you overdose on insulin or something, it can actually send you into a hypoglycemic state, so unfortunately you have to watch for both too high and too low of blood sugar.

[ICNDonna]

Pam, I'm also a newly diagnosed diabetic and I'm in diabetes education classes right now. I've had one private session and one class with a Clinical Nurse Specialist and today I will have the first of my classes with a Dietitian. I'm hoping that at the end of this, I will have a better idea of just how to deal with my new diagnosis. I used to be hypoglycemic and I'm finding it is'nt really a lot different.

Donna

[BBB]

There is a certain type of Hypoglycemic that goes with ICN. I have this problem too! Look on the internet and there is some information. The information I have is hard copy so maybe this weekend I will type it out and send it to you.

I would love to help but I am swamped at work! Let me know if you can't find it searching on the interent.

[sunshine_77us]

Thanks for your replies. The only thing my doctor told me was to stay away from everything white. bread, potatoes and white rice, pastas. So I appreciate any feedback you can give me. Donna, you will probably learn quite a bit and I would appreciate anything you can help me with.

[sunshine_77us]

Donna, How was the visit with the dietician?