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[Dorothy]

If I go for more than about 4 hours without eating (less if I am being very energetic) I get really white-faced, light-headed and shaky.  I used to stuff on biscuits or chocolate when this happened, but since peri, I find if I do that, once I'm over the shakes I go straight into feeling sick/racing heart from the sugar overload.

So can someone recommend the best food to bring me back to normal (or what I call normal  ) as quickly as possible?  I do try to avoid it happening, but sometimes it's unavoidable - e.g. tonight I was planning to be home in time to eat, but had to give a lift last minute to a friend who was stuck, got lost on the way back from her house and by the time I got in I was already feeling terrible.

[dazned]

Slow release food stuff,bananas,porridge,flapjacks,nuts,handful granola, things like that. Apparently we should all try to eat little and often to avoid blood sugar levels dropping. 

[Dorothy]

Thanks, that is really helpful.  Think I will have to try carrying a flapjack or some nuts in my handbag for the future - feeling like death warmed up now 

[Taz2]

Have you had this checked out Dorothy? Maybe a fasting blood test to see how your insulin levels are? My mum developed type 2 diabetes in her fifties and her symptoms were similar to yours. We got used to having to stop when we were out so that she could eat an emergency bar of something or other. This was around three years before discovering she was Type 2.

Taz x 

[coldethyl]

Was just going to say the same thing, Taz. I was picked up as type 2 two years ago when I started with all the peri symptoms. There's something called reactive hypoglycaemia where you get these wild swings of blood sugars ( I think it's often a precursor to full blown diabetes ) when you eat carbs.
I'd ask for an HbA1c to be run - they use that now rather than fasting blood glucose - to determine whether you fall in diabetic or prediabetic range. It shows the levels you've been running at for last three months and gives a better indication of how your body has been handling carbohydrates.
I'd avoid even slow release foods- bananas are a huge no no for diabetics as they are basically sugar in a skin- we tend to think of sugar as being the white stuff in a bowl but all carb foods such as rice, pasta and spuds break down into sugar in our bodies and have same effect if we are diabetic. If you feel like you are about to keel over then I think you need to know why before deciding what to eat. If it's just a case of occasional low blood sugar then something like a peanut or pumpkin nine bar would be good, but if it's actually a symptom of something else then you need to correct that.

[Taz2]

Some good points there coldethyl - thank you!

Taz x

[CLKD]

I was border-line diabetic for several years but pin ****, urine tests etc. never showed much.

NAPS suggest eating every 3 hours, 24/7, 52/12.  That's in the night too.

Dextrose tablets are helpful too, when my blood sugar was low they would fizz in my mouth  .  I also carry packets of dried fruits and nuts with me, energy bars, banasa etc..  For years I carried my own food because HIS family would tell us the mid-day meal would be at 12.30 but rarely started cooking until 1.00p.m.+!  …… so I got so that I ate earlier than they did, also as I was on medication for IBS which had to be swallowed within an hour before each meal 

Making sure that you have a slice of toast or something before bed can help too.

Get checked out first?  I think that Lloyds Chemist do pin **** tests?

[Ju Ju]

I was told I had insulin resistance. I would get the shakes mid morning despite having porridge at breakfast time. I was told to start the day with an egg on toast, which really worked for me and DH followed suit as he found it stopped the energy slump. I had to lose weight despite not being obviously overweight, but there was little difference between my waist and my slim hip measurements. I was told to keep to 3 to 4 meals a day and avoid snacking. Avoid refined foods as much as possible and of course cut down on sugar. Sugar is in many foods including fruit, so only eat 2 pieces a day with meals only. Only eat new potatoes and so on. Basically, avoid high GI foods.

This morning I didn't have an egg for breakfast for the 2nd day in a row and I had the shakes mid morning. Back to an eggy brekky tomorrow whether I like it or not. I do take emergency food when I'm out and about. As well as the shakes I find I can get very irritable, even angry.

Watch out for a hungry, angry post menopausal woman in search of food! ‼️

[coldethyl]

I don't eat rice, pasta , fruit ( the odd half apple maybe once in a blue moon) , might have 4 home made oven chips occasionally and only eat a tiny slice of spelt bread with my breakfast. I drink Lactofree or soy milk as they are lower carbs. I test my blood sugars regularly with home glucose monitor. I had a lot of weight to lose pre diagnosis and have lost over 5 st - need to shift bit more but finding it harder since peri took off- feeling anxious doesn't help blood sugar levels so I'm sure that's why a lot of us peri women have such fluctuations.

[Dorothy]

Yes, I've had it checked out - had this all my life though it's been worse since peri - had blood tests several times, always come up clear.  Last one was 6 months ago.  I do have a low-sugar diet, especially since peri started - I'm ok if I eat little and often & mostly manage to control it.  I'll just have to get into the habit of carrying some nibbles for emergencies.  Was on the go non stop from 7 to 5 today which probably didn't help!

[Hurdity]

Hi there

Just to say I get this too and have done all my life from time to time and I have posted elsewhere about it on occasion. I am not diabetic but I get the reactive hypoglycaemia - and these are unmistakeable hypoglycaemic symptoms of visible shakes, and pouring with sweat and an absolute craving/desperation for sugar as well as extreme irritation. If it happens I have to sit down and can't do anything until it's past but fortunately happens rarely now - but goes from hunger to the shakes very quickly whereas normally one should be able to tolerate hunger for some considerable time! I've been to the doc a couple of times over the past 15 years about it and last time was given a blood sugar monitor but my levels were never that low ie dangerous - eg 4.4 even when I had the shakes.

As has already been said eating anything with sugar in it too regularly is the worst thing you can do for this condition - but in an emergency of course something sweet will set you back to normal quickly.

I totally agree with the others who have said completely cut down or cut out any form of sugar except for a small amount of fruit ( oh and maybe the odd glass of wine  ), and also carbs too. Like coldethyl I have almost cut out the spare carbs ie bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, muesli - to once a day. This will also help you to lose weight as others have found. Increase the amount of low fat protein you eat instead of carbs and sugar.

This regime is also helpful for peri-menopause when hormones levels fluctuate so much as there is some relation between oestrogen/progesterone and blood sugar metabolism. From what I recall, progesterone raises blood sugar levels (I think) - this would stand to reason as it is the hormone of pregnancy so extra nutrients needed for growing foetus. Someone please correct me if I've got this the wrong way round! Something about the fluctuations causes a temporary disruption/reversal each month which is why during peri it can get worse - that's when it first started getting worse with me.

Remember re your food intake: Breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dine like a pauper! Most of us do it the wrong way round so no wonder we feel odd!

Hurdity x

[Dorothy]

That's really interesting, Hurdity, thank you.  I've always noticed mine is linked to my hormonal cycle (most likely to happen in the day before or first day of my period) but of course since peri everything is all over the place!

I took some nuts with me today & got stuck in a traffic jam so I was very glad I had them with me!

[Sarai]

I've been what I call a low blood sugar out son all my life. I have to say it's calmed down of late finally.
If after you get checked for diabetes you are not, I would say prevention is better than cure.
I found nuts, seeds and a few raisins are the answer.
I carry a small bag of nuts and raisins in my bag, and if I can't eat at the correct time in nibble on them. Often before I need them, knowing when I am bound to go low.
I have glucose pills for dire emergencies but I find the nuts work well