REACTIVE HYPOGLYCEMIA!!

Mar 10, 2014

After experiencing something randomly over the last 4 or 5 years I FINALLY figured out what the heck it's called: Reactive Hypoglycemia. It's been so random that I never associated it with anything. Symptoms were always the same: shakiness, heart racing, sweating profusely, but it wasn't due to not eating, so I wasn't sure if it was my blood sugar. A few months back I got a blood test kit so that if this ever happened again I'd see if it was actually my blood sugar. I measured my blood sugar at 110 when I was having no symptoms. Last night these symptoms happened at home so after eventually finding the kit and testing myself, my blood sugar was 60! WOW. So I immediately ate a few things and within minutes the symptoms went away. Hunting around the internet I finally saw something that associates the low blood sugar to gastric bypass patients and it's called reactive hypoglycemia.

"Reactive hypoglycemia is common after gastric bypass surgery because of the lack of a pylorus. Following gastric bypass, food passes through the pouch via the stoma. In many cases, this can occur relatively rapidly, leading to quick absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine. Under normal circumstances, the pylorus gradually introduces food into the small intestine. Following gastric bypass, the mechanism for moderation is removed, and food is “dumped” into the small intestine. This is the same mechanism behind dumping syndrome."

So basically when I eat nothing but junk (last night being Chinese noodles and a couple junk snacks) the body reacts. It takes hours but when it happens it happens VERY FAST and there's not much you can do but ride it out. Very scary but thankfully I know what it is now and I know how to avoid it: eat what I'm supposed to eat. I know that's a big DUH but you get lax and forget. This is my body's not so gentle reminder that I can't eat like I used to once upon a time. I kinda like it. :)

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