How long does it take you to get your blood sugar back in control

ennay · 02-18-2009, 08:32 PM

I had a doctors appt this morning that I expected to last until about 10:30 - snack time, so I packed a snack to eat on the drive home and left it in the car to keep cool. Well the doc delivered a baby this morning and so I was sitting in the office for a loooooooong time and it was 12:00 when I was out. Ate my snack and drove home, had to make a stop for a prescription.

By the time I got home it was after 1:30, I usually eat lunch between 11:30 and 12:00. Ate lunch. Ate my afternoon snack that I would normally eat around 2 at about 2:30 because I was shaky. Ate my optional late afternoon snack that I normally eat around 4 a bit early.

Have a killer headache. Just pushing my morning snack back to lunchtime and lunchtime back to snack time, despite the fact that I have now eaten as much or MORE than I eat in a normal day, I am headachy and shaky. Fudge. I feel like the only cure would be some good fatty carby stuff. On days like this it feels like no amount of food will catch me up to the damage done by missing a meal.

rockinrobin · 02-19-2009, 07:08 AM

I know just what you're describing. I've experienced it. And it's none to pleasant.

It could take me anywhere from 12 - 36 hours to "get back to myself". Which is why I always do my best to avoid situations like that - although clearly we always can't do so. For the life of me, I don't understand how (or why) people go without eating breakfast.

And though is seems it's carbs that we're craving, proteins would most likely be the better choice.

I hope all went well at the doc and that you are fully "recovered" at this point.

Mel · 02-19-2009, 07:28 AM

It usually takes me a full day also. I ALWAYS carry a protein bar in my purse for emergencies. I know they are not the optimum food, but aside from feeling horrible and getting off track, I also get downright nasty and cranky if I don't eat. I figure I'm being nice to every one else as well as myself by eating.

I have to have fasting blood tests next week and I'm dreading not eating breakfast!

Mel

MindiV · 02-19-2009, 08:21 AM

I've been diagnosed as being hypoglycemic since losing weight, and my doctor said the majority of people who are hypoglycemic WILL at some point become diabetic.

Wonderful. I LOST weight to avoid the pitfalls of my family tree. Now they're happening sooner. This wasn't a problem for me at 220+...but it IS at 140. I avoid too much sugar, focus on more protein, etc. The other day I had a piece of apple pie after lunch and....no. I was sick and dizzy for the next several hours. Not again for me...

Ilene · 02-19-2009, 09:03 AM

ennay -- been there, done that too.... when my blood sugar goes down too low it often triggers a binge

, it takes a lot of clean food an at least a full day.... fasting for blood work throws me right off the the edge food wise , I'm surprised I don't get bad readings....

rockinrobin · 02-19-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MindiV

I've been diagnosed as being hypoglycemic since losing weight, and my doctor said the majority of people who are hypoglycemic WILL at some point become diabetic.

Wonderful. I LOST weight to avoid the pitfalls of my family tree. Now they're happening sooner. This wasn't a problem for me at 220+...but it IS at 140. I avoid too much sugar, focus on more protein, etc. The other day I had a piece of apple pie after lunch and....no. I was sick and dizzy for the next several hours. Not again for me...

I was diagnosed as being hypoglycemic as well. Which is why sugar has such an awful affect on me. I've never heard that people who are hypoglycemic will definitely become diabetic. My sugar levels have always been waaaaay low.

JayEll · 02-19-2009, 04:53 PM

It is not written in stone that people who are hypoglycemic become diabetic, especially if they change their lifestyle. Don't let your doctor's pronouncement scare you.

ennay, yeah, it takes awhile to even out. Next time if the doc is running late, go to the desk and tell the assistant that you are going to your car for a minute and will be right back. Then go and eat your snack.

If I'd been in your position, I would have had to reschedule the appointment. I have other things to do than sit in a doc's office while starving.

I always carry something small--especially to the gym lately--like a couple of the mini-boxes of raisins or something like that. I agree about the backup protein bars as well.

Hope you feel normal again soon!

Jay

ennay · 02-19-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockinrobin

And though is seems it's carbs that we're craving, proteins would most likely be the better choice.

I was going with that theory and was really good and continued eating my protein....but I wasnt catching up. I wonder if a slice of pizza would have just taken care of it sooner. Who knows.

I should know better. I go to that doc because she is the best, but she often runs late (babies) and also I had some complications and my "checkup" ended up being almost an hour WITH the doctor. (poor people waiting after me eh?)

Kery · 02-20-2009, 03:57 AM

I must be the alien here; that kind of things used to happen to me when I was still at my highest weight, but now I don't have those 'side-effects' anymore, or then very seldom (now, the growling stomach and everyone staring at me... hum). I don't know what the exact cause is. But I sure hope for you it's nothing wrong regarding your health. I guess we all react pretty differently?

Mudpie · 02-20-2009, 05:59 AM

When I was in my early 20's my doctor told me that, since both my parents developed adult onset diabetes, I would eventually get it too. Nothing to do with the fact that they were both about 100 lbs. + overweight, drank sweet liquers with their weekend breakfasts, pigged out on fried foods and cream sauces etc. Neither one of them did any exercise either.

That was some 30 years ago and I'm still waiting for the diabetes.

I got the hypoglycemia/diabetes diagnosis 10 years ago from another doctor. Still waiting for the diabetes.

Doctors can be wrong. They're human, just like the rest of us, and they make mistakes. I'm assuming that I'm not going to get any kind of diabetes as long as I continue with healthy eating and maintain a reasonable body weight. I think the fact that I've been exercising on a daily basis for all of my adult life has made a hgue difference too.

My blood sugar takes a full day to return to normal. I too crave carbs to correct it but, if I eat them, it usually triggers a sugar/carb binge. Then it takes that much longer to correct. I usually have a caffeine crash late in the day and crave carbs then. I eat some protein, lie down for 30 minutes, and it passes.

Does anyone else feel almost "hungover" when they eat too much sugar?

Dagmar

rockinrobin · 02-20-2009, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Does anyone else feel almost "hungover" when they eat too much sugar?

Yes. Though not ALL the time. A couple of months back a few of our friends and DH and I went to a diner one Saturday night kinda late. And I wanted pancakes for some stupid reason. So I ordered them. Banana pancakes, I believe it was. SOOOO sweet. I had about 1 1/2 of them (thank G-d my stomach has shrunk so, my savior) I lliterally stayed in bed that Sunday til about 3:00 in the afternoom. First time I needed ibuprofen in years. And though I made my way out of the bed by 3:00, I was be no means feeling 100% til sometime the next day.

Sugar is evil. Evil. Evil. EVIL. To me at least. Hmmmm, but oddly enough, that doesn't stop me from indulging from time to time.

JayEll · 02-20-2009, 07:07 AM

If I eat too much carbohydrate late at night I wake up with a headache. It's much like a hangover, yes.

Jay

kittycat40 · 02-20-2009, 08:43 AM

I get that over-carbed hangover the next am too.

azmom · 02-20-2009, 09:04 AM

Sugar hangovers are horrible! Not to mention the overwhelming amount of puffiness I hold on to as well!!

Well, that's the price you pay when you eat clean 95% of the time.

When you don't, the body sure lets you know it did not like what you just gave it!!

Kery · 02-20-2009, 09:31 AM

Yep, it happens sometimes. It looks like it's indeed the price to pay for eating clean most of the time? Because I don't remember this happening when I was still eating crap all week long.

But, hey, it's a small price to pay. And it gives me another good reason to pass on certain foods.