hypoglycemia

[Eleonore]

this is one of the last post:

"Lets see now...Atkins safe....mmm.....daughter with hypoglycemia did it, by the books, passed out and was in really bad shape, doctor(s) expectionally unimpressed, took a real tongue lashing from them about how unsafe it is."

Both my brother and I have hypoglycemia so Im a bit worried.
Does this really can happen or is it another case where ppl dont follow the program as they should and them complain??

thanks.

Ele

[pearson]

Re: hypoglycemia

I'm shocked at that statement because the Atkins diet has dramatically changed the lives for the better of so many people that have hypoglycemia including myself.

[matawguro]

Re: hypoglycemia

Reactive hypoglycemic here.

Personally, the Atkins WoE stopped the symptoms dead in it's tracks. However, from my personal experience, there are certain things that will make it recur to a certain degree.

1. Avoid caffeine. While most people on Atkins can have caffeine post-induction, caffeine should be avoided by reactive hypoglycemics as it boosts insulin production which causes blood glucose to drop.

2. Avoid / limit use of artificial sweeteners in packet or powdered form. These forms of artificial sweeteners use bulking agents which are basically sugars. Combined with caffeine above, and the results could be devastating.

3. Watch your protein intake. Excess protein gets turned into sugar which can cause an insulin spike when combined with an intake of caffeine.

Again, the above is from personal experience as a reactive hypoglycemic. If you're a fasting hypoglycemic, you'll have to take small frequent meals to keep your blood sugar stable. Never go for more than 5 hours without a meal.

[suzycheezcake]

Re: hypoglycemia

waaaaay back in the '60s my mom was diagnosed with hypoglycemia.
NOBODY knew what that was all about including a great deal of the medical professionals she had to deal with. her doctor 'prescribed' a terrific book for her that is probably out of print. it was called sugar blues . it was like a precourser to everything dr. atkins was all about -- SUGAR IS BAD.
don't concern yourself with buying special lo-carb products. all you need is good wholesome food.
there are doctors out there that know lo-carb eating is good. find one!
ro

[FrankDavis]

Re: hypoglycemia

matawguro,

I am reactive hypo like you, but I can not give up on coffee. Are you certain I must? How long after I give up caffeine do you think my symtoms will go away?
Frank

[UrbanShaman]

Re: hypoglycemia

Greetings. I'm fasting hypo and hypoglycemia is manageable and indeed, much improved by following Atkins. For me, I had to learn to space out my veggies and intake more cheese, but this is my third week and I'm noticing a lot less of the low sugar slumps and a great deal more energy. Refined are as dangerous for us hypos as diabetics and giving them up is all to the good.

I will agree that reactive or fasting, you need to give up caffiene and sweeteners. Our poor bodies just can't tell the difference most of the time and will go to war on us if we aren't careful. I've sampled stevia rather infrequently and it didn't seem to bother me, but I haven't used it for an extended period of time or in larger amounts.

Hypoglycemia is infinitely manageable. If your sugars dip in Induction, eat cheese as it has some natural sugars in it. If that doesn't work, just move on to OWL to add a bit more carbs into your diet. You will be amazed at the difference! Good luck.

[spazzyhilo]

Re: hypoglycemia

matawguro,

I am reactive hypo like you, but I can not give up on coffee. Are you certain I must? How long after I give up caffeine do you think my symtoms will go away?
Frank

If you absolutely must have coffee switch to decaf and limit limit limit.

I'm also hypo and one of the things I've notcied the most about atkins is that I dont get dizzy anymore and I dont have to worry about blacking out. This is the best WOE to balance your blood sugar and keep it in check.

When I do want something sweet I will make a mock danish and splenda works just fine for me. No more than 3 sweeteners per day though which is more than enough IMO

[matawguro]

Re: hypoglycemia

I am reactive hypo like you, but I can not give up on coffee. Are you certain I must?

Coffee, no. Caffeine, yes. Then again, I assume you're like my dad who doesn't consider decaf as coffee.

If you grind your own coffee, I suggest doing a decaf/regular blend then increase the amount of decaf over time.

On my end, I've found that the ammount of caffeine in a can of diet Coke taken with a low-carb meal doesn't trigger any symptoms, though it may stall my weight loss. Any more than a single can will make me slightly light-headed. Your mileage may vary, but I still advise avoiding caffeine entirely.

How long after I give up caffeine do you think my symtoms will go away?

Immediately if you're sticking to low-carb.