Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

[maxwellv8670]

I just started the Atkins diet yesterday. Tonight I felt really shaky and just not right. I am not a diabetic but my husband is so I took his meter and checked my blood sugar. It is at 77 and this is after I have ate. Mine never dips this low so I don't know what is going on. Is there anything that I can eat to raise the blood sugar without blowing my induction phase?

[2big4mysize]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

did you eat your vegies? if you have any left have some of them with a fat and a protein. your body should be making glucose from your proteins and the hydrocarbon backbone of your fats

[PolarBearKing]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

Blood Glucose readings should be between 80-120. Most home glucmeters are considered "accurate" if they are within 10 mcg's, so I wouldn't sweat 77. Yes it's a tad low, but nothing to stress out about.

More than likely you're feeling the effects of your body adopting to this WOE (way of eating). It's also called the Atkins' flu. It'll pass in a couple of days. Have you read the book?

Eat your veggies and drink lots of water.

[maxwellv8670]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

• Thanks I have some celery, cucumbers and I have some baby carrots but I know the carrots are out. I wonder if I had some celery with some peanut butter. I still feel terrible. I may just have to break down and drink a little sugar. I have a 4 pack of dan active yogurt drink that contains 14 grams or so of sugar. I was just trying not to do it. Thank you so much for your response. Think I am going to go check it first.

[maxwellv8670]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

Blood Glucose readings should be between 80-120. Most home glucmeters are considered "accurate" if they are within 10 mcg's, so I wouldn't sweat 77. Yes it's a tad low, but nothing to stress out about.

More than likely you're feeling the effects of your body adopting to this WOE (way of eating). It's also called the Atkins' flu. It'll pass in a couple of days. Have you read the book?

Eat your veggies and drink lots of water.

Thank you for your response as well. Mine never goes low like this. I just had sense enough to check it. I am thinking since it was 77 after I ate that it had to be lower than that before I ate. Kinda shook me up because I am not used to that. But I am a sugar holic without a doubt so going from 100's grams of sugar a day to nothing I am sure my body is in shock. No I don't have the book just trying to learn off the internet.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

no peanutbutter have some clery with cream cheese and some protein or have some of your 4 ounces of cheese if you have any left for the day.

induction flu will feel like a blood sugar drop as you use up your glycogen reserves and begin to switch to being a primary fats to fuel person.

[maxwellv8670]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

Great. I do have some cream cheese. Think I will give that a whirl and see if that helps.

[PolarBearKing]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

Try and relax.

This is totally normal. You do not need to take a packet of sugar, eat yogurt or even have peanut butter (not legal on Induction).

Your body is going into ketosis. I've done induction a couple of times (LONG STORY) and this is part of your body's reaction to the change in your diet. Lay down, watch T.V or read the other threads here. This is nothing new.

Good luck!

[2big4mysize]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

you are not going to get instant results but your ketones should go up after the cream cheese and they willprovide fule for your body.

then as polarbear sasy relax.

[maxwellv8670]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

Thank you for all your support. This is terrible. I did the Atkins diet 6 years ago and never had this sort of reaction to it. But like I said I am so totally used to the sugar part of my diet. I just rechecked it before eating anything and it has went up to 85. I don't feel as bad as I did but I don't feel the greatest right now. I hope this feeling goes away soon. Thanks once again and I am signing out for the night!

[PolarBearKing]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

So how are you doing this evening?

[hopejoy]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

It's not considered 'low' until it's below 60.
liz

[maxwellv8670]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

So how are you doing this evening?

Sorry I was unable to get back with you. Our computer crashed on us and we had to take it in to someone and get it worked on. Thank God we got that fixed.

I have done fine since then. I have kept a close eye on my BS and it hasn't dipped that low since that day. So maybe my body is doing what it suppose to do. I know that 77 isn't that low. I suspect it did dip in the 60's because I didn't take it before I ate. I only got that reading after I ate. My readings since then have ranged from 89 to 109 which is where I should be. So very happy.

I did however break off the diet by drinking a Capri Sun that had 16 grams of sugar. I am very disappointed in myself for doing that. I have however given the rest of those away to a friend. So hopefully I won't do that again. So I have re-started my induction phase and that is where I stand.

Thanks once again for all the help I have received. It really is appreciated.

[Elizellen]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

Good for you for giving the rest of those sugar drinks away

There is no need to restart counting your 14 days, so if yesterday was day 3 then tomorrow will be day 5 of your 14 day induction.

It might be that your 14-day losses will not exactly reflect your metabolic resistance to weightloss according to the charts in DANDR but what is done is done and cannot be undone.

You will just have to assume that without the slip your losses might have been more and take that into account.

[PolarBearKing]

Re: Help! I'm Having A Blood Sugar Drop

I too am glad you got rid of the drinks.

Now give that blood glucose monitor back to your husband. Your body is working fine. You're not a diabetic and the only reason a diabetics blood sugar drops too low is because they have too much insulin in their body for what ever reason. Your body will compensate and will work appropriately.

Remember that Dr Atkins diet is good for diabetics because it helps regulate blood sugar and decreases the bodies need for insulin where the diabetic isn't producing enough to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range. If a diabetics blood sugar is too HIGH (hyperglycemia) their bodies go into Ketoacidosis (not to be confused with ketosis - totally different) and they also get into problems when they take too much of their diabetic meds and/or do not eat enough, causing low blood sugar which can lead to diabetic coma (hypoglycemia). Both are not good, but you shouldn't worry about it (for yourself) since you do not have diabetes.

Speaking of which, has your husband spoken to his doctor about getting on Atkins? It may be benificial for him to do so. It certainly would help you if both of you are on the plan. Just a thought.

Best of luck to both of you.