Yet another blood sugar/adrenaline question

#1

I did a search for this and read some similar questions but not sure I understand the answers so bear with me: I’ve always been an (un-diagnosed) reactive hypoglycemic and have found that eating low-carb definitely helps with that. I actually haven’t felt many symptoms of it at all in the 5 weeks I’ve been doing keto.

This morning I had a BPC for breakfast (which I’ve been doing for 5 weeks) and right before lunch I got the classic symptoms of one of my “sugar episodes”. I’ve never been able to figure out if they are from a BG spike or a crash because my blood readings always read normal. But I know the feeling well and it was there (and still is).

Can’t figure out why this happened and would love to know so I can prevent it in the future. The only difference I can think of is that last night i had a bunch of keto fudge… very sweet (actually TOO sweet). Could having too much “sweet stuff” (even though it was keto-friendly) the night before cause a BG peak or crash 12 hours later? In a nutshell I’m wondering if artificial sweetener can do that AND if it makes sense that it happened half a day later.

Any thoughts, please?
Sue

(sue) #2

hi Sue! my name is Sue too :slight_smile:

i think your guess is probably right. perhaps the fudge you ate had a sweetener that didn’t raise your blood glucose, but did create an insulin response? and maybe that insulin response resulted in a lower than normal blood sugar 12 hours later.

also if you haven’t eaten ketogenically for very long maybe your body is still figuring things out?

(sue) #3

Also which part of your question is about the adrenaline?

#4

Thanks, Sue (great name, by the way, there aren’t that many of us around anymore!)

I made the fudge and I did put in much too much Swerve. So I guess something sweet, even if it’s not sugar, can cause issues?

It’s the 12-hour delay that confuses me, but I thought I read somewhere (ages ago) that our bodies produce the amount of insulin that was required during our previous meal. I guess that would make sense if that’s true.

Thanks for replying.
Sue

#5

Oh, sorry, perhaps I should change the title. My blood sugar episodes always feel like a jolt of something (adrenaline? insulin?) I get a dizzy wave, then I have a panic attack, then I need to rush to the bathroom urgently, and then I am wiped out for hours.

Sue

(sue) #6

interesting! that sounds pretty severe. i think you’ll have to just learn (takes time) and observe how your body feels and when symptoms like this crop up in reaction to certain foods, activities, quality of sleep, stress levels, etc.

this most recent episode you measured your BG and it was normal during the actual event?

#7

I would think that the fudge attempted to alter your reality, 12 hours later is possible depending on the contents of the gut and the absorption of the fudge ingredients.

I can’t use artificial anything, no chemicals for me.

(Consensus is Politics) #8

Sue, Sue,

In concern to insulin having a delayed reaction. I don’t think it can. I seem to remember reading somewhere that insulin has a fairly short half-life of about three minutes. If that’s so, it couldn’t possibly effect you 12 hours later. That being said, I suppose the food itself might be able to do that. I’ll try to explain how i think it could happen.

First, know I’m a bit of a science geek. More so with electronics, technology, aeronautics. Not so much biology. But I don’t mind digging into it and learning something new.

So, as a technology troubleshooter, I look at it simplistically. Is it possible that the food didn’t get to where it should have been fast enough? Getting there a lot later than normal. By experience I know things can slow this process down dramatically. I have eaten something that didn’t agree with me, only to have it haunt me for several hours past when I thought it should have passed. I’ve even gotten sick and spit up food that I know I hadn’t eaten that day. Thinking, wow, this stomach bug has stopped my digestion. So I would assume if that can happen, that’s its at least possible for the opposite to happen as well.

[EDIT: Oh, and by the way, it could be something completely unrelated to when or what you ate? Maybe a blood pressure issue? Sensitivity to certain florescent lights? I had a friend who couldnt enter the Credit Union because the lights used in there would cause her to pass out. Her blood pressure would bottom out seconds after walking in]

(Consensus is Politics) #9

@Keigan

:face_with_raised_eyebrow: what are you saying was in her brownies, er… fudge?

I must admit, I didn’t consider that.

#10

Her original post mentioned artificial sweeteners, which I view as rat-poison chemicals. So who knows how fast they are processed in her gut??

#11

Yes, first thing I did when I got home for lunch was to check my blood and BG was 87.

Hasn’t happened since… maybe some day when I don’t have to be anywhere the next day I’ll have some more fudge at night and see if it happens again the next day.
Sue

#12

Thanks for the geeky, yet easy to understand answer. :wink:

I don’t know about insulin, adrenaline, timing, etc. but I still vividly recall a few years ago when I drank a large sugary, slushy (probably only the third one I’ve had in my life) and the next day while shopping I almost fainted and then had the shakes… had to get out of there fast. Couldn’t figure out what that was all about but then I remembered the huge amount of sugar the night before.

Dunno, but I think I’m better off staying away from sweets in any form. Of course, I’m human, though, there will be times I indulge and will apparently have to pay the price.
Sue

(Mel Soule) #13

Any meds you take regularly in the morning?

#14

Yes, but nothing that’s changed… been taking the same stuff for years.

(Consensus is Politics) #15

[elsewhere around here mentioned some of my super powers]
I left a few out. Explaining things to people. That’s another of them. Although it comes with caveats. Like it’s a directed power. For instance, explaining to my brother what defragging his hard drive does, will not be explained the same as to my mother.

(Edith) #16

Maybe your having a delayed reaction to an ingredient in the food, i.e. chocolate, dairy, or nuts.
I would imagine some food allergies might not start having an effect until they reach the small intestine.

Edith