Scary moment week 3 post op

[thicknsweet]

I am eating 600-800 calories a day as directed by my NUT, but I am also exercising my butt off. Literally. I'm losing 1-2 lbs a day. Today, it was extremely hot with 80% humidity predicted, so I decided to get my run in early. I could tell out the gate that I was more sluggish than usual. I barely slept last night due to too much iced tea before bed and started my morning off with a half cup of cherries at 5 a.m. and a 16 oz iced americano (espresso) with a scoop of protein powder and skim milk at 7:30 a.m.

It wasn't enough! I made it about a mile and a half, but when I crested a hill, I started feeling dizzy. Thank the goddess I had my cell phone on me. I plopped down in a neighbor's yard in the shade and called my husband to tell him what was going on. I still had about half a mile to go and I figured that If I just rested up and walked slowly home, I would be ok. After 5 minutes, I got up and resumed. I couldn't get more than 100 feet before the dizziness kicked in again. I could tell I was close to passing out.

It hit me: This is low blood sugar and dehydration. I spied a neighbor cleaning his car in the driveway and approached him, asking for a glass of juice because I felt like I was going to pass out due to low blood sugar. He hurried in and brought me a 12 oz cup of grape juice and gave me a lift the rest of the way home.

Once home, I got in a cool bath to cool down, finished the juice, managed to get most of hard boiled egg down and just waited. I didn't trust myself to sleep (afraid I wouldn't wake up), called my husband again and went out to watch tv til I felt a bit better. About 30 minutes went by and I felt like I needed more sugar. I ate 2 organic strawberries and that's when I started to feel better. 5 minutes late, I ate a salted cherry tomato because I thought maybe I had lost too much salt in the heat. Finally, I felt like my old self by the time my hubby got home.

So scary! I never had low blood sugar issues before, but you really have to watch the heat, the hydration and the level of exercise when you're burning more than you take in. Hypoglycemia is the precursor to diabetes, I know. But I'm hoping this is an isolated even! Either way, I'm done exercising in the heat! I've got plenty of crossfit routines that I can do right here in the comfort of my air conditioned home! And I will be sure to have plenty of food in my belly!

[bangieb]

Oh wow...just reading this was scary....Please take it easy with the hot humid weather. Get your protein and water in!

[stacydev]

That's some scary shit! Glad you are feeling better.

[JennK]

Wow, what a wake up call. Sorry that happened, but lesson learned and shared!! I am glad you felt better. seems like you did all the right things to recover.

[mrtumnus]

Girl, stop scaring us!!! Glad u are better

[Muted_Tummy]

good grief woman!!

Thank goodness you already had knowledge of what to do and recognized the sugar drop.

[WANAGL]

Good call on your part!

I had to be hospitalized AGAIN (after my 2 month stay), 3 days after I got home for those issues. I was already in an incredibly weakened state. I cried when I was told I had to be readmitted. It's a good thing I was...I was hours away from lights out AGAIN!

Bottom line:
We have been through MAJOR SURGERY! Still fragile, still healing. I want to do the right things AND live to talk about it.

[Shirl]

You probably know this, but if you are going to be exerting yourself with exercises you will need complex carbs to give endurance. Protein is needed to repair and build muscles. Check with your physician and dietician to help you come up with a meal plan that can sustain you so you avoid sugar spikes.

Good luck.

[Donna Rudewick]

That was a scary episode!! Being diabetic I know what that feels like. It would be a good idea to get some glucose tablets to keep on you in case it happens again. You handled it very well and should be proud of yourself. I know diabetics who freak out and grab candy when that happens then they spike again and get wiped out. Kudos to you.

[Ms.Ln]

Well, let me start with glad you are doing well!! Awesome job being so tuned into what was going on with you. Thanks for the heads up. Take care of yourself Lady!

[densol]

Oh no how scary ! Glad you knew what to do and looked after yourself. Ive just come back from Florida and had to keep reminding myself to drink lots in the heat

[Dianne Sierra]

That is scary..
But a huge reminder that we need to watch and learn..
We have gone through a huge change of lifestyle and needs for our bodies have drastically changed.
Before surgery, i was diabetic and had to really watch my sugars, now I am not diabetic, and need to watch that my sugar doesn't get to low.
So glad i had this surgery, would do it again in a heartbeat..

[SomeGuyJeff]

i checked my sugar many times daily for the past 6 years... well the last year it has dropped dramatically... but i would suggest the following.

get a glucose meter. they are cheap and you can get the test strips cheap from somewhere like walmart (maybe $20 or less for the whole kit). i would carry it with me and test when i feel poor - just to confirm it. ive had a number of times i have been low, but like others suggested, you dont want to spike - feel like crap and then be fighting to get everything normalized again. i hated the pills as they tasted like those smarties candies to me - and i hated that - but it beat the heck out of struggling to find something to eat and get everything back up. but i mention the test strips because there were times i felt all shakey and low - and tested, but was actually high (like 250+). for me the feelings were very close with the main differentiation being my speech. high - i still talked normal - low i would talk with a slight slur to the voice. you have to find how your body reacts.

[SomeGuyJeff]

That is scary..
But a huge reminder that we need to watch and learn..
We have gone through a huge change of lifestyle and needs for our bodies have drastically changed.
Before surgery, i was diabetic and had to really watch my sugars, now I am not diabetic, and need to watch that my sugar doesn't get to low.
So glad i had this surgery, would do it again in a heartbeat..

like you - i have a 'normal' a1c - but i think genetics may take over eventually.. just the new lifestyle will help drastically with the keeping diabetes away