Does anyone know anything about reactive hypoglycemia

[chocolate]

Hi - just wondered if anyone knows much about this.

I posted recently about gestational diabetes but couldnt quite relate to most people who had it as I seem to struggle with low sugar as opposed to high. I havent had a gtt done this time, as I was borderline in my pregnancy with DS - I have PCOS and apparantley the insulin resistance that comes with this is linked to reactive hypoglycemia.


Ive researched it and I think 6 small meals are best, but am not sure if limiting carbs is the way forward, or just eating complex carbs when I do have them. And there isnt much info. about all this and pregnancy and the effect on the baby etc.

 

[Tanikit]

I have type 1 diabetes so do not full understand gestational diabetes with reactive hypoglycaemia, but I have spoken to one lady who had it and she was advised to eat low GI foods and also a lot of small meals. However when your sugars are low you stillk need to treat them - generally with a high GI food (juice usually) and then follow that up immediately with a low GI food to prevent another low later.

I do not think you should limit carbs - rather just eat complex carbohydrates (and be careful of those too as brown rice is a complex carbohydrate but is actually higher GI than a lot of other things) Go and look on a site that lists foods that have a low glycaemic index - this is what you should eat most of the time.

Hypoglycaemia in general does not affect babies (I have had severely low sugars with my first child and she is fine - and I mean I passed out a few times from it) I have scanned this one having been picked up by paramedics with no registerable sugar level it was so low and baby was kicking and happy - the only study I could fine said that some children has some problems with short term memory - my DD plays those card memory games and has never had a problem (she is better at it than me)

From 36 weeks your sugras may drop even further as baby gets ready to arrive so keep an eye on it. Good luck with your pregnancy - you are nearly at the end now!

 

[chocolate]

I have type 1 diabetes so do not full understand gestational diabetes with reactive hypoglycaemia, but I have spoken to one lady who had it and she was advised to eat low GI foods and also a lot of small meals. However when your sugars are low you stillk need to treat them - generally with a high GI food (juice usually) and then follow that up immediately with a low GI food to prevent another low later.

I do not think you should limit carbs - rather just eat complex carbohydrates (and be careful of those too as brown rice is a complex carbohydrate but is actually higher GI than a lot of other things) Go and look on a site that lists foods that have a low glycaemic index - this is what you should eat most of the time.

Hypoglycaemia in general does not affect babies (I have had severely low sugars with my first child and she is fine - and I mean I passed out a few times from it) I have scanned this one having been picked up by paramedics with no registerable sugar level it was so low and baby was kicking and happy - the only study I could fine said that some children has some problems with short term memory - my DD plays those card memory games and has never had a problem (she is better at it than me)

From 36 weeks your sugras may drop even further as baby gets ready to arrive so keep an eye on it. Good luck with your pregnancy - you are nearly at the end now!

Thanks for your reply - at the moment Im experimenting with which foods make me feel fuzzy headed, its a real hard one to pinpoint especially when research says it happens a few hours after eating. Saying that my levels seem ok, mainly high 4's but I still get that fuzzy headed'ness but they also say you can experience that etc. even if your levels look ok which is a bit tricky.
My lowest was 2.3 which made me think the gestational diabetes had kicked in, and that was after having a couple of slices of cold pizza and 2 cookies.

I suppose it is a warning of what is to come in a few years if I dont watch my diet.
Am aiming for low gi and have been having wholegrain bread etc. but need toe experiment to see what works.

Its funny because my memory isnt great either and that could be linked.

Yes not long to go, and its only just kicked in so that isnt too bad I suppose

 

[Tanikit]

They say in pregnancy that you react more quickly to lows than normal which may explain why you feel fuzzy in the 4s - unfortunately that doesn't work for me and I only feel low at 2.6 or lower (my lowest measurable was 1.2 this pregnancy)

If cold pizza and cookies made you low then you definitely need to stay away from high GI foods as both of those are high GI - I think your body over produces insulin when you eat a high GI food. Maybe to sort out the fuzziness you could try a medium GI food, but rather just eat low GI foods more often.

 

[chocolate]

Ive dug out my low gi books from when I was altering my diet, I have got lazy since then!
I have read a comment from someone saying with gestational diabetes you should not follow a diabetic diet - i.e avoid the diabetic chocolate etc. or anything that has sugar really but I just got a load of muller light yogurt - will see what that does. The fuzzy headed'ness comes and goes and could also be linked to my eye sight in later pregnancy I suppose!

There are so many things to worry about in pregnancy, will be glad when lo is here but I know I will then worry about him with other things lol.
If I can do this low gi then it will set the boys up for a better eating lifestyle as they will be more at risk from diabetes or insulin resistance too.

Thanks for the info. glad to know of someone who has actually heard of it before

 

[BabySeal]

PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTIEN...lol did I say protein? I have reactive hypoglycmia... dont know yet if these issues will change in regarding the pregnancy but I have had it for a few years.

I was basically told to avoid simple carbs. Protein lasts longer and doesnt cause as harsh of blood sugar spikes that plummet down. Eat little and often. I always keep almonds with me and munch on a few of those.