Hypoglycaemia or just anxiety?

[anxious_thoughts]

Hello everyone,

It has been about a month since I've been suffering with hypoglycaemia anxiety. I really can't tell if it's just all in my head or actually something that's happening. :(

It seems to be most prominent as soon as I get up. I have to eat something quickly because if I don't I get very anxious, feel woozy/dizzy, and just feel like I'm about to pass out. However, as soon as I eat something the feeling is gone in seconds.

I don't start feeling 100% better until after I eat a decent sized lunch. I'm so worried :( I hate the feeling. I can't really function well until after lunch so it worries me :(

[Nicholebear]

Used to have that same problem. You probably aren't getting enough protein in your diet. Try eating more eggs or meat and see if that helps.

[mindful anxiety]

Hey Jenn!

You can go to Walmart or your local drug store and get a glucose meter for less than $25. Check your sugar as soon as you wake up,and 1 hour after breakfast. This will give you peace of mind fast and cheap. Hopefully all is good.

You can read the excerpt below for specifics about blood sugar readings.





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What is a Normal Blood Sugar?
Normal blood sugars after a high carbohydrate breakfast eaten at 7:30 AM. The blue line is the average for the group. The brown lines show the range within which most readings fell (2 standard deviations). Bottom lines show Insulin and C-peptide levels at the same time.
Click HERE if you don't see the graph.
Graph is a screen shot from Dr. Christiansen's presentation cited below.
The term "blood sugar" refers to the concentration of glucose, a simple, sugar, that is found in a set volume of blood. In the U.S. it is measured in milligrams per deciliter, abbreviated as mg/dl. In most of the rest of the world it is measured in millimoles per liter, abbreviated as mmol/L.

The concentration of glucose in our blood changes continually throughout the day. It can even vary significantly from minute to minute. When you eat, it can rise dramatically. When you exercise it will often drop.

The blood sugar measures that doctors are most interested in are fasting glucose, post-meal glucose, which is sometimes tested with an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, and the A1c.

Normal Fasting Blood Sugar

Fasting blood sugar is usually measured first thing in the morning before you have eaten any food. A truly normal fasting blood sugar (which is also the blood sugar a normal person will see if they have not eaten for a few hours) is:

Between 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/L) and 92 mg/dl (5.0 mmol/L) .

This is the finding of a considerable body of research. People whose blood sugar tests at this level do not develop diabetes over the next decade or longer. Those with supposedly normal blood sugars above 92 mg/dl often do. Nevertheless, most doctors consider any fasting blood sugar below 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L) as completely normal
Post-Meal Blood Sugar (Postprandial)

Independent of what they eat, the blood sugar of a truly normal person is:

Under 120 mg/dl (6.6 mmol/L) one or two hours after a meal.

Most normal people are under 100 mg/dl (5.5 mmol/L) two hours after eating.
This is demonstrated by the graph at the top of this page, which shows the blood sugars measured during a study where normal people had their blood sugar sampled every few minutes after eating a high carbohydrate meal.

What is an Abnormally Low Blood Sugar?

Blood sugars under 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/L) are considered to be hypoglycemic and should be avoided.
If you are not on insulin or a drug that causes your pancreas to secrete insulin, a blood sugar 5 to 10 mg/dl slightly below this range, while it might be uncomfortable, is not dangerous unless there is evidence that it is continuing to drop. This is because home blood sugar meters often read lower than lab values, so a reading in that very slightly lower range might actually be normal.

However, if you are using insulin or a drug that causes your body to secrete insulin (described HERE you must err on the side of caution and keep your blood sugar well over 70 mg/dl (3.9 mmol/L).

This is because home meters may also read higher than your actual blood sugar so your 70 mg/dl reading may actually be 62 mg/dl. Even more importantly, the insulin or oral drug that has lowered your blood sugar to this level may still be working to lower your blood sugar even more. So if you don't treat a reading near 70 mg/dl, it may go on to drop to a dangerously low level.

The dangerous levels of low blood sugar--the hypos that may require a visit to the ER--are those around 40 mg/dl (2.2 mmol/L) and lower. At those levels unconsciousness and brain damage can occur.

[indigogardens]

I would just go to your doctor and request a glucose test for testing blood sugar. I had a similar thing going on where i thought i was having reactive hyperglycemia, where it seemed like 3 hours after i ate a very rich and carby meal i would get real shakey and dizzy, with heart racing thinking it had something to do with my blood sugar, after a month i was having other health anxiety issues going on and my mind kind of forgot about the blood sugar thing and it has gradually faded now. I wouldn't put anything past the mind. If your focusing on it, your body will create the scenerio! I also agree with getting a glucose meter, they are easy to obtain from walgreens or any drugstore and it will put your mind at ease... try to focus and obsess about something else that is not health related.. Of course it's easier said than done.. i know!