Whoa ... my blood sugar is now way too low!!

[Big_Al]

Since the first of the year or so, I noticed some mornings my hands would shake and/or my vision would be a little blurry but I just wrote that off as age And since things would clear up later in the morning at the latest, I didn't really get too worried about it. I would also get bad hot flashes at night and thought maybe I caught my wife's menopause

But recently on those mornings where that would happen, my eye sight would be blurry and I would be very lightheaded and have trouble thinking clearly. Well that had me schedule a visit to my doctor because I had visions of something seriously wrong.

Long story short, my blood sugar was way too low in the mornings ... often in the 50 - 70 mg range. And during the day, it was always in the barely acceptable range. [My doctor had me start using one of the blood sugar testing things where you lance a drop of blood and test it with a strip to track my blood sugar for a few weeks]

Even though my doctor reduced my blood sugar medicine during my weight loss, evidently it wasn't enough. My doctor was being real conservative to slowly reduce the medication level.

So just a heads up to those of you that have lost a lot of weight and you are on some form of blood sugar medicine. You body may be healing itself faster than your doctor is factoring in for medicine dosage.

[clackley]

That is fantastic Al and a great reminder that those that are beginning a low carb woe and are already on meds, need to work in conjunction with your p.c.p. closely.

Al, did you doc have you taking meds for blood glucose and not monitoring your b.g.s??

[muncheechee]

So are you off the meds now? Doesn't sound like you need medication to help with blood sugars any longer

I was surprised how fast my blood sugar went from being really high to staying in normal ranges. It really doesn't take long for most people but it is important to keep a close eye on it. What really has surprised me is the reduction in my blood pressure and the need to cut back on my meds - the last couple years my bp has been difficult to control, especially during pregnancy and the months that followed. Now I have hope that I'll be able to discontinue all meds some day

[Big_Al]

Well ... my doc is so conservative in this regard so she still has me on meds but at a new reduced amount with another check up in July.

Till this event, I had not been monitoring my blood sugar as I was never diabetic just headed that way if I didn't get my weight under control. My thinking is that I'll probably be off this metformin stuff then. It will be so cool to be off all medications now that I have lost weight.

[CarolynF]

That is wonderful, Al....Steve Cooksey on Facebook is Type I and has no meds at all thanks to his diet and exercise plan..It is amazing how eating right can change your life.

Hurrah for you..

[Mobear]

Congratulations Big Al

[cfine]

That is wonderful news!!

[leeloo]

This is great news! Too bad you had to find out in a kind of scary way .

[DiamondDeb]

Originally Posted by Big_Al

Well ... my doc is so conservative in this regard so she still has me on meds but at a new reduced amount with another check up in July.

Till this event, I had not been monitoring my blood sugar as I was never diabetic just headed that way if I didn't get my weight under control. My thinking is that I'll probably be off this metformin stuff then. It will be so cool to be off all medications now that I have lost weight.

Scary to have that happen but what a great cause! Can't wait to celebrate when you are off all the meds for good!

[ravenrose]

great advice Al! Metformin is normally not a problem, but everything else can really get you in trouble if you don't watch it carefully.

doctors are used to people who make a halfhearted, lame attempt to cut carbs, not used to people who acutally do it right! they may not really believe you are eating that few carbs, thinking you are counting wrong and fooling yourself, since many people do that.

you need to keep speaking out if your blood sugars are too low everyone!

[Big_Al]

Originally Posted by ravenrose

great advice Al! Metformin is normally not a problem, but everything else can really get you in trouble if you don't watch it carefully.

doctors are used to people who make a halfhearted, lame attempt to cut carbs, not used to people who acutally do it right! they may not really believe you are eating that few carbs, thinking you are counting wrong and fooling yourself, since many people do that.

you need to keep speaking out if your blood sugars are too low everyone!

Ravenrose,

That is the key message I am hoping to convey to folks. I will be honest in saying most doctors don't believe/accept a low carb lifestyle (such as mine), so you may run into issues that can have severe issues.

I now feel great again!!!!!!

I have reduce my dam*** metformin medicine and can now easily do pushups a day again like I used to and can do tons of projects around the house. But more importantly I can think clearly!! I was so fuzzy headed when my sugar was low that is was not what I wanted as my life standard.

Now I am doing tons of honey-do lists around the house, doing 30 min+ on the treadmill AND 100 pushups per day now like I used to. And this is eating eating eggs fried in bacon fat with sausage for breakfast, wings and low carb beer for lunch and then steak with blue cheese and asparagus for dinner with red wine. Yeah ... sure ... I'm dieting!!!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Big_Al

Now I am doing tons of honey-do lists around the house, doing 30 min+ on the treadmill AND 100 pushups per day now like I used to. And this is eating eating eggs fried in bacon fat with sausage for breakfast, wings and low carb beer for lunch and then steak with blue cheese and asparagus for dinner with red wine. Yeah ... sure ... I'm dieting!!!

Impressive! I'll bet that your family is pretty happy not only that you are feeling well again, but also that you are putting that energy to use on honey-do lists around the house!