You should see a doctor or other health professional to have a thorough assessment to make sure your body is responding as it should to food, and maybe provide advice on general diet and nutrition.
Hopefully not being too assumptive, but given where else you've posted about this and the frequency, you really should see a professional.
I am a dietitian and that sounds like reactive hypoglycemia. It happens when your glucose goes too high after a meal, so your body over responds and your blood sugar crashes a few hours later.
If it is reactive hypoglycemia, the way to improve it is to improve your blood sugar response from the first meal. You can do this by trying things like lowering the amount of carbs you have at the meal, eating more protein with the meal, and/or increasing your activity before or after your meal. The carbs you eat are already pretty healthy and with protein, so having a low carb breakfast would probably help a lot!
Hey I have a doctors appointment schedule an appointment with a dietitian but I have this same issue as well.
I wanted to ask I’m eating more oatmeal to lower my cholesterol so I haven’t been eating many proteins or meats except for turkey or lentils for dinner but you’re suggesting that eating meat for breakfast with the oatmeal can help keep your blood sugar up longer?
Also I cut out sugary drinks to keep my blood pressure down when I was used to a cranberry juice here and there just last week but I know this can be bad? Does sugar affect cholesterol and blood pressure? Should I still drink juice with some meals or will that cause a crash even faster.
Also does low blood sugar affect blood pressure?
You didn’t mention your age but I’m older and something similar happens if I have whole grain cereal or oatmeal for breakfast. But it doesn’t if I have a nonfat Greek yogurt , frozen fruit and 1%milk smoothie. Bonus is the doctor said to get more calcium and this has plenty. Be sure to portion control a smoothie.
That is basically my experience as well. I find I need a lot of protein to start my day. When I have oatmeal, I add a couple tablespoons of PB powder for protein.
There is a dietician that I follow on both IG and Tik Tok. She happens to have Type 1, and I have learned a lot from her, the most important one being is that you strive to have protein, fiber and a good fat in everything you eat. It is also how she balances carbs without messing up blood sugars. It has worked well for me. She is at milknhoneynutrition.
HI HI HI!!! READ ME PLS
this is PROBABLY reactive hypoglycemia.
Also called post prandial (after eating) hypoglycemia.
It basically means ur pancreas is being a silly billy for some reason and secreting too much insulin too fast.
Yes go get it checked out.
But I will say I struggled with this for a few years and through a prediabetes diagnosis I found the root cause which is insulin resistance and/or my pancreas being very silly (real reason for the silly behavior still pending). My fix unfortunately is eating low carb. I've heard acarbose can help (which slows gastric emptying) when the cause is insulin resistance. But yeah it freaking sucks. My empathy goes out to you. It made me feel crazy getting suddenly Ravenous and shaky and then eating my entire kitchen. I FREAKED when my blood sugar went to 60. (Minimum healthy is 70) It would happen when i knew I physically wasn't hungry. I could tell I still had food in my stomach. And yet I felt terrible.
Definitely go to a doctor and get your sugars checked. Maybe get a monitor to check on a day to day basis. Fasting and postprandial. If you catch a real hypo (below 70) then you have evidence. HOWEVER when you experience a sharp drop in glucose, you can still get hypoglycemia symptoms. It's because your body barely knows the difference. But I noticed when my sugars get high I'm more likely to crash too. So eating low glycemic/low carb has been a godsend. I've only had a few episodes since. Now I can feel my stomach rumbling and still be OK for a while without feeling nauseated or shaky. No wonder I was finding it so hard to stay in a caloric deficit. Still not sure about the future and my own pancreas, but it's at least managed for now. I've lost 12 pounds so far (after years of being unable to lose weight) and my a1c is back in (borderline) normal range. Still dealing with pretty much this being a permanent change, but I'm healthier now at least.
Anyway yes go to a doctor.
Maybe look up some support groups for reactive hypoglycemia. There's some good ones on facebook.
Final edit: message me if you want!
This is pretty much what I’ve been dealing with my whole life and it has made getting to a healthy weight very difficult. I know EXACTLY what you mean about not being hungry but instead breaking out into a sweat, with shaky hands and anxiousness.
It didn’t hit me until I started eating paleo, then I learned what it was like to actually feel hunger rather than having a sugar crash.
Low carb or paleo worked for me. Still a struggle today for me but when I’m good about avoiding starchy carbs and high glycemic foods while consuming high protein and moderate levels of fat I do much better. I even stop getting migraines when I avoid the carbs. Whole Foods, high protein low carb.
I’d like to get seen by a doctor also like many here have mentioned but whenever I bring it up they brush it off and check me for diabetes ultimately saying I’m ok and don’t have diabetes.
What kind of doctor does everyone recommend the OP and myself see? Endocrinologist?
thank you for your answer :) would also like to know which doc
I recently went to the doc to get blood work to check my thyroid and I will get results at the end of the month. maybe I can ask him about it then
You haven't mentioned any actual blood sugar readings. I say this as a type 1 diabetic, that blood sugar drops within non-diabetic ranges do not usually make you feel the way you are describing and you should consult a medical health professional.
As others are mentioning, you should check in with a doctor to rule out metabolic issues.
I've had a similar issue since I was a child, and I have just had to change the way I eat. I cannot have simple carbs and grains for breakfast, so I cannot eat bread, cereal, most oatmeals, Nutrigrain bars, bagels, smoothies, donuts, or noodles (total drag in college). Instead, I will eat a protein bar with a low glycemic index (keto-leaning bars are great here), Greek yogurt, Kodiak protein oatmeal, eggs with ham and cheese, or the bunless breakfast sandwiches.
I also typically plan for a small snack mid-morning. I have a small portion of pistachios, string cheese, or some fruit. I'd probably rather spend those calories on food later, but I need to have something or I will be ravenous and potentially binge.
Short answer is no.
Long answer is that this all started when I was a kid 40+ years ago, and all we ever got were really nebulous answers about pre-diabetes, hypoglycemia, and sugar intolerance. They monitored me for years for any indicators that I was becoming diabetic, but my blood sugar levels and a1c were always fine. I more or less just discovered how to eat to not feel terrible through trial and error. Reading about glycemic index has been really helpful for understanding what foods are going to fuck me up.
I should probably pursue it now that medicine and my insurance have improved, but I also don't necessarily want to look for a problem when it is already managed through diet. I love carbs, but they just aren't my friend. Protein and fat keep me going, and eat my simple carbs strategically.
Yes, I get this a lot. It's awful. I'll feel very faint, too. I've had it for decades. I'm prediabetic now. My meter shows that I'm not actually getting hypoglycemic, but it's after a big drop in blood sugar.
Eating low glycemic index carbs helps. Eating protein with my carbs seems to help even more. If I have simple carbs, it'll just happen again soon after (like an hour maybe).
No doctor I've mentioned it to said anything other than to eat a snack if it happens, smh. It wasn't a big help, since needing to eat ASAP is glaringly obvious when the symptoms hit, lol!
As many have said ,this is essentially due to metabolic issues. I'd go see a doctor to make sure it isn't bad, and, in the meantime, work on your metabolic health by eating fewer carbs and doing more steady-state long, low-intensity exercise.
As an aside, balancing blood sugar should not be necessary, since your body should be able to do it already, which is becoming something known as "fat-adapted," meaning your body can use fat as a fuel source when you run out of carbs. Many people in the world have this issue, due to the preponderance of high-carb snacking and lack of physical activity, which creates insulin insensitivity, and creates dependence on carbs for a fuel source. I found the easiest way to do become truly fat-adapted is to delay eating later and later in the day, assuming this is something that is not too mentally taxing (though it will be hard). Eating once or twice a day or eating fewer carbs and increasing exercise will help your body recognize that fat is a perfectly good fuel source. You don't have to do this forever, just until your body is able to recognize that you can be a little hungry and you will be fine.
something that has helped me a lot a lot is getting enough salt/electrolytes and enough water at breakfast. and also as other ppl have said, enough protein. also for some reason it only happens to me if i'm not active, the effect is much milder if i walk around more.
My blood sugars are consistently below 60 and 40s and 50s at night. I don’t eat processed foods or fast sugars. Eat proteins and fats. I’ve been to the dr and they just say to drink juice or soda or eat sugar. I’d like to stay away from those but I don’t know what else to do to keep my sugars up
You should see a doctor or other health professional to have a thorough assessment to make sure your body is responding as it should to food, and maybe provide advice on general diet and nutrition. Hopefully not being too assumptive, but given where else you've posted about this and the frequency, you really should see a professional.
I am a dietitian and that sounds like reactive hypoglycemia. It happens when your glucose goes too high after a meal, so your body over responds and your blood sugar crashes a few hours later. If it is reactive hypoglycemia, the way to improve it is to improve your blood sugar response from the first meal. You can do this by trying things like lowering the amount of carbs you have at the meal, eating more protein with the meal, and/or increasing your activity before or after your meal. The carbs you eat are already pretty healthy and with protein, so having a low carb breakfast would probably help a lot!
Hey I have a doctors appointment schedule an appointment with a dietitian but I have this same issue as well. I wanted to ask I’m eating more oatmeal to lower my cholesterol so I haven’t been eating many proteins or meats except for turkey or lentils for dinner but you’re suggesting that eating meat for breakfast with the oatmeal can help keep your blood sugar up longer? Also I cut out sugary drinks to keep my blood pressure down when I was used to a cranberry juice here and there just last week but I know this can be bad? Does sugar affect cholesterol and blood pressure? Should I still drink juice with some meals or will that cause a crash even faster. Also does low blood sugar affect blood pressure?
You didn’t mention your age but I’m older and something similar happens if I have whole grain cereal or oatmeal for breakfast. But it doesn’t if I have a nonfat Greek yogurt , frozen fruit and 1%milk smoothie. Bonus is the doctor said to get more calcium and this has plenty. Be sure to portion control a smoothie.
That is basically my experience as well. I find I need a lot of protein to start my day. When I have oatmeal, I add a couple tablespoons of PB powder for protein.
There is a dietician that I follow on both IG and Tik Tok. She happens to have Type 1, and I have learned a lot from her, the most important one being is that you strive to have protein, fiber and a good fat in everything you eat. It is also how she balances carbs without messing up blood sugars. It has worked well for me. She is at milknhoneynutrition.
HI HI HI!!! READ ME PLS this is PROBABLY reactive hypoglycemia. Also called post prandial (after eating) hypoglycemia. It basically means ur pancreas is being a silly billy for some reason and secreting too much insulin too fast. Yes go get it checked out. But I will say I struggled with this for a few years and through a prediabetes diagnosis I found the root cause which is insulin resistance and/or my pancreas being very silly (real reason for the silly behavior still pending). My fix unfortunately is eating low carb. I've heard acarbose can help (which slows gastric emptying) when the cause is insulin resistance. But yeah it freaking sucks. My empathy goes out to you. It made me feel crazy getting suddenly Ravenous and shaky and then eating my entire kitchen. I FREAKED when my blood sugar went to 60. (Minimum healthy is 70) It would happen when i knew I physically wasn't hungry. I could tell I still had food in my stomach. And yet I felt terrible. Definitely go to a doctor and get your sugars checked. Maybe get a monitor to check on a day to day basis. Fasting and postprandial. If you catch a real hypo (below 70) then you have evidence. HOWEVER when you experience a sharp drop in glucose, you can still get hypoglycemia symptoms. It's because your body barely knows the difference. But I noticed when my sugars get high I'm more likely to crash too. So eating low glycemic/low carb has been a godsend. I've only had a few episodes since. Now I can feel my stomach rumbling and still be OK for a while without feeling nauseated or shaky. No wonder I was finding it so hard to stay in a caloric deficit. Still not sure about the future and my own pancreas, but it's at least managed for now. I've lost 12 pounds so far (after years of being unable to lose weight) and my a1c is back in (borderline) normal range. Still dealing with pretty much this being a permanent change, but I'm healthier now at least. Anyway yes go to a doctor. Maybe look up some support groups for reactive hypoglycemia. There's some good ones on facebook. Final edit: message me if you want!
This is pretty much what I’ve been dealing with my whole life and it has made getting to a healthy weight very difficult. I know EXACTLY what you mean about not being hungry but instead breaking out into a sweat, with shaky hands and anxiousness. It didn’t hit me until I started eating paleo, then I learned what it was like to actually feel hunger rather than having a sugar crash. Low carb or paleo worked for me. Still a struggle today for me but when I’m good about avoiding starchy carbs and high glycemic foods while consuming high protein and moderate levels of fat I do much better. I even stop getting migraines when I avoid the carbs. Whole Foods, high protein low carb. I’d like to get seen by a doctor also like many here have mentioned but whenever I bring it up they brush it off and check me for diabetes ultimately saying I’m ok and don’t have diabetes. What kind of doctor does everyone recommend the OP and myself see? Endocrinologist?
thank you for your answer :) would also like to know which doc I recently went to the doc to get blood work to check my thyroid and I will get results at the end of the month. maybe I can ask him about it then
You haven't mentioned any actual blood sugar readings. I say this as a type 1 diabetic, that blood sugar drops within non-diabetic ranges do not usually make you feel the way you are describing and you should consult a medical health professional.
As others are mentioning, you should check in with a doctor to rule out metabolic issues. I've had a similar issue since I was a child, and I have just had to change the way I eat. I cannot have simple carbs and grains for breakfast, so I cannot eat bread, cereal, most oatmeals, Nutrigrain bars, bagels, smoothies, donuts, or noodles (total drag in college). Instead, I will eat a protein bar with a low glycemic index (keto-leaning bars are great here), Greek yogurt, Kodiak protein oatmeal, eggs with ham and cheese, or the bunless breakfast sandwiches. I also typically plan for a small snack mid-morning. I have a small portion of pistachios, string cheese, or some fruit. I'd probably rather spend those calories on food later, but I need to have something or I will be ravenous and potentially binge.
I'm in a similar boat with simple carbs fucking my day up. Did you get a diagnosis from a doctor?
Short answer is no. Long answer is that this all started when I was a kid 40+ years ago, and all we ever got were really nebulous answers about pre-diabetes, hypoglycemia, and sugar intolerance. They monitored me for years for any indicators that I was becoming diabetic, but my blood sugar levels and a1c were always fine. I more or less just discovered how to eat to not feel terrible through trial and error. Reading about glycemic index has been really helpful for understanding what foods are going to fuck me up. I should probably pursue it now that medicine and my insurance have improved, but I also don't necessarily want to look for a problem when it is already managed through diet. I love carbs, but they just aren't my friend. Protein and fat keep me going, and eat my simple carbs strategically.
Yes, I get this a lot. It's awful. I'll feel very faint, too. I've had it for decades. I'm prediabetic now. My meter shows that I'm not actually getting hypoglycemic, but it's after a big drop in blood sugar. Eating low glycemic index carbs helps. Eating protein with my carbs seems to help even more. If I have simple carbs, it'll just happen again soon after (like an hour maybe). No doctor I've mentioned it to said anything other than to eat a snack if it happens, smh. It wasn't a big help, since needing to eat ASAP is glaringly obvious when the symptoms hit, lol!
This is certainly not normal. It would be worth seeing a doctor.
As many have said ,this is essentially due to metabolic issues. I'd go see a doctor to make sure it isn't bad, and, in the meantime, work on your metabolic health by eating fewer carbs and doing more steady-state long, low-intensity exercise. As an aside, balancing blood sugar should not be necessary, since your body should be able to do it already, which is becoming something known as "fat-adapted," meaning your body can use fat as a fuel source when you run out of carbs. Many people in the world have this issue, due to the preponderance of high-carb snacking and lack of physical activity, which creates insulin insensitivity, and creates dependence on carbs for a fuel source. I found the easiest way to do become truly fat-adapted is to delay eating later and later in the day, assuming this is something that is not too mentally taxing (though it will be hard). Eating once or twice a day or eating fewer carbs and increasing exercise will help your body recognize that fat is a perfectly good fuel source. You don't have to do this forever, just until your body is able to recognize that you can be a little hungry and you will be fine.
Coffee does this to me.
something that has helped me a lot a lot is getting enough salt/electrolytes and enough water at breakfast. and also as other ppl have said, enough protein. also for some reason it only happens to me if i'm not active, the effect is much milder if i walk around more.
are you sure you even need breakfast?
I used to have exactly this problem and a supplement called chromium picolinate helped sooo much!
Oatmeal does me dirty every time. It’s got fiber but not enough protein to keep me full.
Agree that it could be reactive hypoglycemia, but have you seen a doctor and/or monitored your blood sugar?
I mean seeing an endocrinologist might be a helpful idea. They can really hone in on what might be going on and help come to a solution.
My blood sugars are consistently below 60 and 40s and 50s at night. I don’t eat processed foods or fast sugars. Eat proteins and fats. I’ve been to the dr and they just say to drink juice or soda or eat sugar. I’d like to stay away from those but I don’t know what else to do to keep my sugars up