reactive hypoglycemia

So I havent posted in awhile. Once I got back to work I have been super busy. I sure have missed you all..but now I need some advice. A couple of weeks ago I tried a little bit of Chinese food for the first time since my surgery. I didn't eat that much and I started to feel sleepy. I ended up going to sleep on the couch for an hour. About 2 hours after that I started to feel sick. I ended up vomiting a little and going to the bathroom. Then I started to sweat profusely and I turned gray and got super weak. I could barely lift my arm and couldnt even walk at all. My girlfriend's mom gave me a glucometer and when I took my blood sugar it was 34. By a miracle we had some OJ in the house and I had to drink 2 glasses to get it back up to 84. That was pretty scary let me tell you. Well I blamed it on the Chinese food and decided I was never eating it again ( I felt guilty eating it anyways). So I researched on the net and found that some RNY patients get reactive hypoglycemia. I told my PCP and he said that if my sugar was that low I would have passed out. Well I just about did! Anyways he said if it happened again to let him know. well it has happened 2 more times. The last time I was about 1.5 hrs from home and was driving with my daughter. This time it hit me instantly. I had to go to McDonald (eww) to get an OJ. So now I am scared. Does anyone have this hypoglycemia and what do you do for it.

I do.  Mine didn't start until about 18 months out. 

I have to eat 6-7 times a day, only leaving about 2-3 hours max between meals.  Protein first, then veggies and complex carbs.  Your symptoms sound more like dumping (likely from the carbs and hidden sugar in Chinese food) and a carb coma.  Blood sugar will generally plummet after a dumping episode.

You have to figure out what is triggering the symptoms.  If you are eating carbs and it is happening about 30 mins after, you may need to greatly limit them for a while.  As time goes on, many people get less sensitive to some foods...but some never do.  It really is a guessing game of trial and error.  While you are having these issues you should probably carry glucose tablets and a meter to test your sugar.

There isn't a whole lot that can be done other than finding your triggers and controlling with food choices and frequency of meals.  I do not have any issues now that I eat like I do.

Kim

Dang! I didnt even think it was dumping. I was so proud to not have dumped after almost 5 months out...lol Well I did NOT like it! And I am all set to never have it happen again! I had read up on the carb coma theory as well and I had to pu**** from my mind because I was getting terrified to put anything that had a carb in my mouth, even if it had protein in it. I think I am going to limit the carbs even more and see what happens. And no Chinese food ever again...
I just reread your comment again to make sure it sinks in and I have another question. How did you know it was the reactive hypoglycemia and not dumping? I cant believe that I didnt know it couldve been dumping. I thought dumping happened immediately. That episode for me happened over the course of about 3-4 hours which was weird. The other times it happened from out of nowhere. I was fine one minute and the next I was shaking like a leaf..

The RH symptoms are generally from an "empty" stomach and don't involve the racing heart and feeling hot...with RH it is more lightheaded, dizzy, seeing stars and feeling faint...and of course the shakes...that is the first sign for me....my hands will be shaky.

With dumping, and I've only had very mild dumping...I get hot, and my heart races and I "hit a wall" and have to sleep it off for a bit.  Dumping can happen for me within 15 mins to a few hours after I've eaten...it is rare but it has never been consistent in the timing, and never by the same foods.  I can eat a ton of Oreos (no, I don't do it often!) and be fine, then if I eat just two one day, they might get me.

In almost 3 years since surgery I've only had 4 or 5 mild dumping episodes...and it really caught me by surprise....the most recent was at a Christmas party in December....I had 3 bites of dessert and it got me.....really fun at a party when all you want to do is go take a nap!

Your issues could be RH...the only way to know is to track your blood sugar levels in relation to your eating patterns....mine is easily controlled with diet and timing of eating.

can i ask what you are eating throughout the day?

i have it but not to that extent. mine has gotten that low (34) and usually if i drink something or eat something it gets better after about 15 min to a half hour. i will get very sweaty and jittery. mine usually occurs when i eat things that are high in sugar or fat. and usually if i eat them more than once. so the first time i might be fine but second not so fine. you are still very early out so that is why your symptoms might be so extreme.

As I was reading your post it really sounded like you dumped from the chinese food. I have not dumped from it but have sworn it off completely unless its home made. Keep track of your other episodes and see if there is a pattern. Also a glucometer and decreased carbs. Good luck. karen

FYI, your PCP was incorrect.  I have seen people with sugars as low as 20 still awake and talking.  Now granted they weren't making any sense, sweating like a pig and couldn't get up...but they were not passed out either.

Audrey

I didnt believe him either. IDK why he wouldnt just prescribe me the meter. If it wasnt for the fact that I knew I didnt feel good and I took care of it as soon as I realized it I'd think I was going nuts...this happened to me once pre-op and I recognized it right away...anyways I thank all of you for your comments...Im guessing it was a bad case of dumping (my 1st ever :-(  ) and I dont ever want it again..now my perfect record of no dumpin is tarnished...lol...

Maybe the first episode with Chinese food was dumping and the second episode was RH?  The first one took awhile and the second one was quick? 

Yes the first one spanned 3-4 hours. The second came on in literally 7-10 minutes from when i got shaky and I had eaten a few hours ( very littel carbs) earlier with no symptoms until right then..weird huh? I just know both were scary. I should never had eaten the Chinese...I didnt eat that much ( a couple bites) but I guess it was just enough. Lesson One- never eat Chinese food...lol Lesson Two- keep Trop 50 in the house at ALL times