Reactive Hypoglycemia

[catecholamine]

Yeah, I know. I was stupid. Normally, I read labels carefully. I was just craving some tomato soup to melt my Colby cheese in. You'd think at 4 years I'd have this down. Sometimes I really piss myself off.

Who would have thought though? Flour in tomato soup? They sneak flour into everything these days. I imagine it's really difficult doing gluten free sometimes.
I seem to not have any problems with gluten. Or lactose. I feel like I dodged the bullet on that one. I've not found anything that upset my insides besides the hypoglycemia bit. I went to my PCP about it, he was like "I don't know what to tell you besides ask your surgeon"...ok...well....that appointment is on the 18th, which is close enough. Mashed potatoes is on the phase 2 of my surgeon's eating plan, but I think I'm gonna pass on em.

 

[Sheanie]

Yeah, I don't eat mashed potatoes. It was on my surgeon's food plan as well, but I knew better. You'd be surprised at the otherwise intelligent people who are unaware that potatoes are a carb.

 

[catecholamine]

Yeah, I don't eat mashed potatoes. It was on my surgeon's food plan as well, but I knew better. You'd be surprised at the otherwise intelligent people who are unaware that potatoes are a carb.

Lol, I certainly know they are a carb. The weird thing, is carbs don't seem to do much to me now. No gas, no bloating, nothing. I did not expect this. It makes it harder to avoid them when there are no consequences. But something about those mashed potatoes made my blood sugar plummet, or at least I assume that's what happened. I had the symptoms, at least. Today, I stopped by walmart and picked up a tube of glucose chewable tablets to have on hand just in case of emergency. It was only $1, so if it never gets used, I didn't lose much. My mother has type 1 diabetes, so I know carbs and blood sugar and so on.
I guess it's hard for me to understand how people lack knowledge of what a carbohydrate is and the kind of foods that have them in saturated amounts. Sweets, anything with white flour, rice, grains, starchy veggies, many leguemes, etc. Of course, there's simple and then there's complex, and what they do to blood sugar, especially in diabetics, can depend on the type, etc, but that's not something everyone has to know. It just amazes me that people can lack basic nutritional knowledge like this.

 

[Sheanie]

No, no, NO NO NO. Don't use glucose tablets! Jesus, Mary & Joseph. That's SUGAR. You need to keep protein snacks with you ALL THE TIME. I keep beef jerky, packets of peanut butter, nuts, seeds, etc. in my purse all the time. NOT GLUCOSE TABLETS.

Yes, I am yelling. You are in the blessed "honeymoon" weight loss phase, Leaha. Use it wisely. Small, tiny, frequent bites of PROTEIN. Keep a Ziploc baggie of beef jerky instead of glucose tablets. Please do this right. Just when I think you're pulling your head out of your ass, you go and post something totally out there. Don't do stupid stuff.

 

[catecholamine]

No, no, NO NO NO. Don't use glucose tablets! Jesus, Mary & Joseph. That's SUGAR. You need to keep protein snacks with you ALL THE TIME. I keep beef jerky, packets of peanut butter, nuts, seeds, etc. in my purse all the time. NOT GLUCOSE TABLETS.

Yes, I am yelling. You are in the blessed "honeymoon" weight loss phase, Leaha. Use it wisely. Small, tiny, frequent bites of PROTEIN. Keep a Ziploc baggie of beef jerky instead of glucose tablets. Please do this right. Just when I think you're pulling your head out of your ass, you go and post something totally out there. Don't do stupid stuff.

No, no, I mean for REACTIVE hypoglycemia. Like, I eat something and it drops. The problem is, I'm still full so I can't stuff down anymore food! I need something small, carb-packed.

The thing is, my stomach isn't sending signals quite right. I have two modes: STARVING or full to bursting. I can't feel anything in between. I can't gauge how much I should eat to leave room in case sugar drops and I need to get peanut butter or something. I don't know how big my stupid sleeve is because he just took out 50% of my stomach - okay, so I don't know how many oz that is, so measuring food wouldn't help me much there either. And I still feel STARVING till I'm ready to puke....even then sometimes, I feel so stuffed but my stomach at the same time feels empty and twisting like I haven't eaten all day. Makes no damn sense.

 

[Sheanie]

You have not been formally diagnosed with Reactive Hypoglycemia. That is not what you have, Leaha. You're eating carby stuff, then saying that carbs don't "bother" you. Well, then, why are you needing something for sugar reactions if the carbs aren't bothering you? Think.

You do NOT need something "small, carb-packed".

I'm done.

 

[catecholamine]

You have not been formally diagnosed with Reactive Hypoglycemia. That is not what you have, Leaha. You're eating carby stuff, then saying that carbs don't "bother" you. Well, then, why are you needing something for sugar reactions if the carbs aren't bothering you? Think.

You do NOT need something "small, carb-packed".

I'm done.

I'm really not trying to make you angry.
Some carbs don't seem to bother me at all, but that time I ate mashed potatoes, I started getting weak, confused, shaking, and very sleepy about 45 mins later. I don't know what else it could have been. I've had a sugar drop when I was a kid, and this is what it felt like. I will see my surgeon on the 18th and see what he says. My PCP said it sounds like reactive hypoglycemia but he didn't know what to tell me to do (he said normally he'd say eat something carby to bring it up but I can't eat anymore when I'm full) and I should go to my surgeon. So dx is pending. I will be trying to avoid carbs. I will try to avoid anything that triggers this. But if it does happen, I need something to bring my sugar up in case I can't stuff down peanut butter or something.

 

[DianaCox]

WHY in the name of all that is hole-ly are you eating CARBS now? I guess you had the DS so you could prove you could fuck up even the BEST bariatric surgery in the world? Shame on you. SHAME! You were given a gift, a gift many people can't access, and you're shitting on it, and all the people who have tried to help you.

"If you can't be a good example, at least serve as a dire warning."

 

[brooklyngirl]

Devil's advocated here- I've seen lots of people mention eating tiny amounts of mashed potatoes or cream of wheat during the "full liquids" phase. I didn't understand why those were considered a liquid, but they were on the stupid list. I had each once or twice with protein powder mixed in and watered down, and maybe 2 tbs at most was all I could get in so the carb count was quite low.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm going to share my experience. even before surgery I noticed if I had certain things for breakfast I felt bad. briefly, but bad and then a headache. those things I now know are things that make your blood sugar shoot up and then, of course, it tanks. never have gotten a "sugar high" that people speak of, only a low.

so a few times right after surgery I had a reaction like you describe. I called it dumping although I'm told we can't dump...

what I saw it as: I choose a bad food and then I FELT bad - really bad - and then it passed. once I was at work and I lay down on the floor and just felt really bad. and then it passed.

and I said, damn, I should NOT be eating a cookie (it was peanut butter). I don't think I have reactive anything or the feeling bad thing would have lasted a longer.

bottom line is people were not designed to eat stuff that digests so quickly. it's normal to feel bad after eating mashed potatoes on an empty stomach.

so there's my opinion and it's worth exactly what you paid for it! :036:

 

[catecholamine]

WHY in the name of all that is hole-ly are you eating CARBS now? I guess you had the DS so you could prove you could fuck up even the BEST bariatric surgery in the world? Shame on you. SHAME! You were given a gift, a gift many people can't access, and you're shitting on it, and all the people who have tried to help you.

"If you can't be a good example, at least serve as a dire warning."

Mashed potatoes are on my surgeon's list of acceptable foods...
Otherwise, I'm eating like I should. I'm avoiding sweets like the plague. I've been out with friends at restaurants and gotten nothing, not a single fry or piece of bread. Yesterday, a friend and I went to sonic for drinks during happy hour. What did I get? Unsweet Iced Tea with sugar-free blackberry syrup. I really am trying.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Mashed potatoes are on my surgeon's list of acceptable foods...
Otherwise, I'm eating like I should. I'm avoiding sweets like the plague. I've been out with friends at restaurants and gotten nothing, not a single fry or piece of bread. Yesterday, a friend and I went to sonic for drinks during happy hour. What did I get? Unsweet Iced Tea with sugar-free blackberry syrup. I really am trying.

How are you doing mentally? It's a good sign you are going out and about with friends. Are you still seeing a therapist? I struggle mentally too at times so I'm not coming from a place of judgement, I'm just hoping you are settling into your new life with a bit more ease now.

 

[catecholamine]

How are you doing mentally? It's a good sign you are going out and about with friends. Are you still seeing a therapist? I struggle mentally too at times so I'm not coming from a place of judgement, I'm just hoping you are settling into your new life with a bit more ease now.

I'm not currently seeing a therapist, though I guess I should get back to seeing one. I do have a mental health case manager who checks in on me every week, though, so that's something, I guess. I'm doing okay. Still feeling a bit off-kilter with my meds. I'm really restless and bored all the time, that's why I go out with friends so much....because I'm bored to hell and back. Yesterday, I was so bored, a friend and I literally just walked around walmart and a store called Essex...not really buying anything, just walking around... lol. There is nothing to do in my town that doesn't cost lots of money. I used to go out to eat with friends more, but now I can't really eat much and I feel weird just sitting there not eating. Still getting used to my new tummy, too.
I'll be alright...hopefully. I'm hoping the med situation will stabilize.
Thanks for your concern. I appreciate it. I'm just having a tough time with family at the moment, I have 2 parents with lots of issues. My dad has recently got really bad into drugs again. He wanted to come visit tomorrow. I had to lay down the law and say no drugs in my apartment, no coming to my apartment high or messed up....and I have to keep my wallet on me at all times. I'm just so sad that it's come to this....again... sigh, yeah, guess I should call and schedule an appointment with my therapist, lol.

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

I'm not currently seeing a therapist, though I guess I should get back to seeing one. I do have a mental health case manager who checks in on me every week, though, so that's something, I guess. I'm doing okay. Still feeling a bit off-kilter with my meds. I'm really restless and bored all the time, that's why I go out with friends so much....because I'm bored to hell and back. Yesterday, I was so bored, a friend and I literally just walked around walmart and a store called Essex...not really buying anything, just walking around... lol. There is nothing to do in my town that doesn't cost lots of money. I used to go out to eat with friends more, but now I can't really eat much and I feel weird just sitting there not eating. Still getting used to my new tummy, too.
I'll be alright...hopefully. I'm hoping the med situation will stabilize.
Thanks for your concern. I appreciate it. I'm just having a tough time with family at the moment, I have 2 parents with lots of issues. My dad has recently got really bad into drugs again. He wanted to come visit tomorrow. I had to lay down the law and say no drugs in my apartment, no coming to my apartment high or messed up....and I have to keep my wallet on me at all times. I'm just so sad that it's come to this....again... sigh, yeah, guess I should call and schedule an appointment with my therapist, lol.

Therapy is an excellent idea, especially if your family is a hot mess! Those who are supposed to be your support system seem to be feeding the chaos. I know all about having to sleep with your money and keys, I've got some dodgy family as well. Hurray for the Atlantic ocean lol.

Do you have hobbies of any sort? I used to make collages of magazine clippings...it was fun and used the time. I also have loads of scrapbooking stuff that I have yet to use lol. Find something that helps you spend time, not money, and helps you mentally. Have you ever considered journaling or starting an anonymous blog? It could help with things you aren't ready to tell your therapist.

Glad you are doing better.

 

[catecholamine]

Therapy is an excellent idea, especially if your family is a hot mess! Those who are supposed to be your support system seem to be feeding the chaos. I know all about having to sleep with your money and keys, I've got some dodgy family as well. Hurray for the Atlantic ocean lol.

Do you have hobbies of any sort? I used to make collages of magazine clippings...it was fun and used the time. I also have loads of scrapbooking stuff that I have yet to use lol. Find something that helps you spend time, not money, and helps you mentally. Have you ever considered journaling or starting an anonymous blog? It could help with things you aren't ready to tell your therapist.

Glad you are doing better.

Ew...journaling. I'm too lazy, for starters, but also...I never have anything to say. I'm not very aware of my feelings, and a lot of times, I either feel nothing or they're so muddled that I can't tell what they are. I never have anything I talk about with therapists...I mean, they ask questions, and I answer in a sentence or two and that's it. I had a pretty crappy childhood but I don't really feel much about it anymore. I'm just like, whatever. I never think about it. It just makes me sad that I can't depend on either of my parents for anything, they both have let me down so much. My brother called me, almost in tears, because my dad called asking him to send him money, obviously for drugs, but lying about it. My brother is just as upset over the fact that both our parents are...well...bad parents. He's closer to his wife's parents than his own. It's just sad. I don't have much support, so I just kind of exist on my own. No use complaining about it, though, because it doesn't help. Life happens. Sometimes it's crappy. I just hope that one day, things will get better. That's all I can do.