really bad night

Last night as I was preparing for bed I was not feeling quit right. Checked my blood sugar it was 96 so I drank a 1/2 glass juice. I really thought I was over tired. I got into bed and was watching tv with my husband when all of a sudden I thought I was going to pass out. I was very shakie and knew this happens with low blood sugar, I really did not think it was low but I was very close to passing out so we checked my blood sugar....36. I ate a good dinner I had 2 cups of chili with a serving of crackers and a serving of shredded cheese. So I am not sure why it got that low. I know I gave myself the right amount of insulin. My husband made me toast with peanut butter and while I was waiting for that he got me another glass of juice. So I had the glass of juice ,a peanut butter toast and a serving of milk. Checked it 30 mins later because I was still feeling like I was going to pass out and I was even more shakie. It was 33...thought WTF why is it still dropping. So my husband fixed me 2 servings of ceral 2 serving milk. Boy this was really crashing my eating for the day.Waited 30 mins more but still it was only 46. And I even had regualr sugar on my cereal. So he fixed me another bowl of cereal. By the time I finished this I was so full and prayed to God this would work because I was very full. But I could not keep myself awake. When my blood sugar gets low I get very very tired and sleepy. So my husband told me go to sleep and he would periodically check on my blood sugar levels. Hour later he checked and it was 75 so it did start to go back up. Upon waking this morning I am very neusious, upset stomache bloaty and gassy. I was dreading checking my blood sugar I ate over 1400 calories just in that time frame. I sure am not planning on weighing  myself today because I know I will be very unhappy. I just need to brush myself off and get back on schdule again. BTW my blood sugar was only 147. I was thinking it would be very high. I just hope this hasn't ruined all the work I have done :(

I think you have to brush off the calories.  It is not the end of the world.  it was a life saving measure. There are times when one should NOT diet or restrict calories.  This situation is a perfect example.

Actually your situation sounds very scary and I would see the doc right away. Also see a nutritionist to help you plan a diet that will be more supportive of your situation in the future. 

Have you determined what caused the crash?  Can you avoid that same scenario in the future?

This has only ever happened one other time. It has been a couple of years since it had happened before but it was exactly the same way, took alot of eating to get the blood sugar up. I did note it and will let the doctor know. Yes I see a nutritionist and I follow as close as I can, I do not have a lot of money to spend so basically what we have at home I eat. I just make sure I have at least 4 carbs at meal. This is something related to my pancreas I am thinking. Its like it had a big blast of insulin hitting my body at once. I will talk to the doctor about it, sure hope it does not happen to often. It has been about 7 years since the last time it did so maybe it will not happen again for along time.

It sounds like you really need to follow a strict diet to keep your blood sugars level ... I'd suggest cutting out all sugar, all cereals (except maybe oatmeal), all breads, all pastas, all anything that will spike your blood sugars causing a crash later. Your dinner didn't sound too bad, but what had you eaten earlier in the day? Maybe that lead to a cascading effect that your dinner just couldn't stabalize.

I do not use any sugars and I have to eat carbs or I will always bottom out.

I had bran flakes and 3/4 cup milk ( breakfast)

apple  (snack)

turkey sandwich with lettuce ( lunch)

apple juice

carrots

2 serving chili with a serving crackers and a serving shred cheese (dinner)

had 1245 calories total and I do this everyday. Some days I take in 1500 and some days I take in 1800. I shift my calories but I always make sure I have the carbs that I am suppose to have with the amount insulin I use.

I used to get crazy bad sugar crashes.. I feel I should post because it was when I had too many apples. I'd eat them like MAD. I cut it down to one a day and I seem to be doing MUCH MUCH better. Try replacing it with yogurt? I have! :)

Original Post by tessjoly:

I do not use any sugars and I have to eat carbs or I will always bottom out.

I had bran flakes and 3/4 cup milk ( breakfast)

apple  (snack)

turkey sandwich with lettuce ( lunch)

apple juice

carrots

2 serving chili with a serving crackers and a serving shred cheese (dinner)

 

had 1245 calories total and I do this everyday. Some days I take in 1500 and some days I take in 1800. I shift my calories but I always make sure I have the carbs that I am suppose to have with the amount insulin I use.

I'm not suggesting not eating carbs, I'm suggesting not eating the carbs that have a fast insulin response such as breads, pastas, rice and cereals. Try switching your cereal to oatmeal. Also skip the bread, it really is hard on blood sugars. Apples, apple juice, and carrots are all high in sugar. I'd for sure skip the apple juice, that's the worst. Try having a berry smoothie instead of an apple for a snack (berries, yogurt, cottage cheese, sweetner). Try eating squash, sweet potato and other such starchy veggies for your carbs instead of the bread/pasta, etc.

Also, 1245 calories is not enough for someone your size. Aim for 1600 - 1800 at least.

I wouldn't be able to lose weight on 1800 calories. My eat meter says 1520 my burn meter says 2245 so in order to lose 1.5-2 pounds a week I need to eat 1245 calories. I have been doing this since may 2nd and I have lost 14 pounds. The thing is my blood sugar is not going high its dropping low but only this one time did it drop so low that took alot of food to get it back up again. So what your saying is that the carbs I am eating may cause my levels to drop like that? I like squash and sweet potatoes so that won't be a problem. Although I still have to drink apple juice and eat apples as I have IBS and thats one of the things my doctor tells me is a must with IBS. But thanks for this info,I will try switching some things see if this helps.

Yes, the eating breads and the apples and apple juice have a similar effect as eating a chocolate bar (only not quite as severe). It causes a spike higher and then a sugar crash. I also have IBS and I rarely eat apples or apple juice - I've never heard of that being a treatment (but I'm not a doctor) ... I'd look closely at cutting them out though, having an IBS bout is a lot less dangerous than a crash in blood sugars.

I still think you need to eat more calories - you don't have to lose 1.5 - 2 lbs a week - especially if you are having issues like this. You can always add in a walk to the day or something like that to get a little boost if you want to lose faster. Having 1000 calorie deficit/day might have contributed to your crash last night - you're body was obviously screaming for food. You may also want to try eating some protien at every meal/snack ... protien has a stabilizing effect on blood sugars so if you have to have that apple, have a half cup of cottage cheese with it or something like that. Also, if you have to have the apple juice, have it with dinner when you are eating the most protien.

tess- sounds to me like the carbs your taking in are "empty" or "refined" and are actually really bad for diabetics.  they cause a sugar rush followed by a crash because your body metabolizes them so quickly, then  you're left with all this extra insulin and-->hypoglycemia.

WHOLE GRAINS for you my dear! 9 grain bread with that turkey sandwich, and I agree with other posters. Fruit is probably NOT the best thing for a diabetic (unless your in a crash). You want foods that keep you STABLE. try adding in yogurts, almonds, oatmeal, spinach, yams, and whole wheat pastas