to have no sympathy for people who suffer from low sugar

[roisin]

OK, here's the scenario. Perfectly medically fit and healthy person claims they are trying to lose weight, but every 2 hours or so they 'have to eat' something high-sugar because otherwise their 'blood sugar levels drop' and they feel unwell.

Now in my rudimentary understanding of the biology of weight loss your blood sugar levels have to drop, as that is precisely the point at which your body realises it needs to start converting body fat to sugar to supply energy; so that is exactly the point where you will start losing weight. And if you eat at that point then you won't lose weight.

Clearly I don't suffer from low blood sugar levels. As I generally have 3 meals a day, and rarely snack at all inbetween those meals.

So AIBU? Is this something 'real' that I should have some real sympathy for?

It certainly exists as a condition.

I am one of the lucky ones who can either eat all day, or eat nothing at all. It makes no difference to me whatsoever. But I've known literally hundreds of people who need to eat every couple of hours or so.

DH is Type2 diabetic, DSD2 is Type1 diabetic. I would say that people who are borderline Type2 don't need to graze every two hours. They just need to take their Metformin (or similar). Type 1 diabetics seem to need to graze regularly.

Non-diabetics with the condition certainly need to eat to assuage their symptoms. They get wobbly, narky, sweaty, and in worst case scenarios, can faint.

So, OP, YABU, but your heart's in the right place for asking.

llareggub - that is what the people known to the OP are doing. And probably pretty much what I did in pregnancy. Well I was not quite that bad, but I'm not sure I got a proper handle on it with it only happening for a few months.

I'm hypoglycaemic. I just need a small snack every couple opf hours, not your sympathy, thanks.

No need to get cross about it, LAG. The OP was looking for answers.

Any one with blood sugar problems shouldn't be looking at diet as a primary route out of their troubles in any event. So this is not a bash at 'overeaters'. I eat like a pig, but I don't drive and I walk everywhere. And I mean that ... I honestly eat like a pig (by modern day standards), but I don't eat chocolate or sweets.

I think the problem has been heightened by modern lifestyles. Blood sugar problems have always existed since time immemorial. But before the wide consumerism of cars, people walked everywhere and did, by my guess, at least 70% more physical exercise than people do now.

60% of Type 2 diabetics, were they to shed two stone, would not be diabetic any more.
And whilst there is no direct correlation between HG and DB, if most of us were to get out more, like kids do, and run around in the open air and eat less sugar, the problem could be mitigated.

It's no surprise that HG and Type 2 diabetes is uncommon in developing countries.

? this is not about diabetes desiderata. And most of the posters on this thread who have said they have low blood sugar have also said they don't have a weight problem...

the op was asking if the condition really existed or was just an excuse for overeating. The non-overeating sufferers responded appropriately.

I tend not to speculate on the existences of diseases about which I know absolutely nothing.

Des are you getting hyper and hypo glycaemia confused?

No, to both of you. I'm not getting the conditions confused. My dh's family has a huge history of both.

Actually, the OP was asking if she was being unreasonable......

anyhoo.......all I can go by is my DH, who has always (until the last 6 years), been incredibly fit, active, strong and lean (as is the nature of manual labour type work). He has always suffered hypoglycemia.

I agree that activity levels and BMI/weight can influence the condition, but arent the root of the problem.

As for it not existing in developing countries: surely this is connected with the fact that life expectancy in such countries is barely over 40, and mostly under 50 years of age, and Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults over 40?

But there tends to be a link with a low-lying energy problem.

I agree that most HG's I've known have been slim. Not all, but most. But that said, they're not very physical. There is obviously a genetic link between HG and low energy levels ... but which came first. The chicken or the egg?

Do HG's have little energy because they have HG, or do they have HG because they have little energy?

Ewww, it's a minefield. But in answer (again) to the OP, it certainly exists.

So in summary roisin (who I suspect has left us all) YA indeed BU.

Good night all.

I'm not sure, VV. I see your point (like people didn't die of cancer a hundred years ago because there were fifty other things they could have died of before), but I'd have to do a bit of research before I fully agreed with you.

I do believe that modern, sedentary lifestyles have helped to increase the risks of blood sugar levels and related illnesses.

.. and congratulations on your wedding, me old mucker

I heard it went off a treat

i get dizzy, nauseous, weak, and sometimes feel as though i will diepass out when i get low on blood sugar. sometimes this is after 2 hours, more often after more... happens much less as i get older as i have much better eating habits and am more aware of the correct, slow energy release, diet to help myself. how much sleep/stress i have been experiencing recently has a bearing.

used to scare the shit out of me when i would suddenly disappear down a black hole - had about 30 seconds to try to communicate to someone that i needed help before i was unable to see/speak/stand. felt like a right freak.always carried glucose tablets.

had to pull over the other day and scoff some skanky leftover sweets in the car as it was about lunchtime and i hadnt eaten sufficiently for my energy output that morning and was suddenly overcome by hot flush, cold sweats, shaking, interrupted vision etc.

mostly, in company, i find this sort of thing hugely embarrasing at the time and gloss over it/try to pretend its not as bad as it feels, and im a pretty good actress so me alking about low blood sugar may well come over as over dramatic bullshit.

God, no, BBG

Not dramatic bullshit at all. It exists, whatever it is.

One question for you. Does it (to your knowledge) run in the family?

sort of, i think. was my mum who taught me that it was low blood sugar, or taught me the basics of how it works after the doc told me it was, as a teen. i had been having panic attacks leading from these sugar dips as i thought i was dying and would hyperventilate, which only made it worse.

so i think it happens to her, but i know she can be bad at eating and often 'forget' or 'not get round to' eating one or several meals ina row. i can be the same... but try not to now i know the likely result .

That's interesting.

There's a 50/50 risk that my ds will have some blood sugar related illness, rising from HG to full-blown Type-1 diabetes.

Fwiw, I think he's inherited my genes on that score, (so unlikely) but I watch his eating habits all the same.

Any how, the bed is calling, so good night and God bless to you all!

Well, not quite desiderata. People have been suffering (and dying) from cancer for thousands of years, its only within the last hundred years that more research has been carried out, and diagnosis techniques prior to death (and post-mortem!) have been established.

YABU.

I have always been prone to hypoglycaemia unless I eat every 3 hours. I am skinny and have always been (size 4)..except now that I'm pregnant (even then, I'm wearing normal size 8s at 26 weeks). My mother has the same poblem. I avoid refined carbs, fruit juices and the like,but have an emergency peanut M&M stash.

Yes, modulating diet is key, but so is frequent eating.

Message withdrawn

in fairness to OP
she was questioning the high sugar aspect of the snack not being conducive to weight loss.

which as we with hypog know... is dangerous

Wow, some people have taken the OP way too personally. Some great over reactions along the way IMO.
Roisin was asking the question to learn. I think we have all been educated along the way, but if someone is claiming to be trying to lose weight and then snacking on high sugar foods every two hours wouldn't you be a bit . I totally agree with the snacking/grazing for those who are affected but on suitable foods not Mars Bars.

Agree vanillapumpkin re the over-reactions.

really?

Am I being unreasonable to have no sympathy for dyslexics given that I can read perfectly well and have never experienced the symptoms of dyslexia? Surely that means it doesn't exist.

Am I being unreasonable to think that ME doesn't exist given that I don't feel like that?

Am I being unreasonable to have no sympathy for people who have IBS because I never suffer from this kind of pain myself?

I did take the OP personally(ish), yes, I admit. I don't understand in what spirit she was raising the issue? What - that fat, greedy bloaters use hypoglycaemia as an excuse to eat Mars bars every 2 hours? I personally don't know anyone like that, but ok, fair enough, perhaps the OP does. However, many people genuinely do have 'low blood sugar', and if I don't eat regularly I feel extremely weak, lose concentration and get ill. And quite aside from those with Type 2 or hypoglycaemia, there is increasing evidence to suggest that eating little and often (a nutritious snack every 2-3 hours, rather than 3 heavy meals a day) is the healthier way to fuel your body (and regulate your blood sugar, which in turn means your moods and energey levels).

Des - I don't dispute the fact that Type 2 is largely brought on by diet (although genes play a significant role, too...hypoglycaemia is slightly different, but anyway...) and can be controlled and sometimes eradicated by a good diet. i suyppose I wasn't as angry as my post sounded, just slightly exasperated at the lazy judgements people often make.

Have we all got it then? After all those thoughts and opinions, sorry I am posting this now, as unlike the rest of you, I done the right thing after posting my thread, and went to bed. Another vital part of eating healthy. Get plenty of rest! If your like me a mum of five with m.s, you need lots of sleep as well as a good healthy diet. I think the gist of what we are trying to say is; eat well little and often, carry emergency supplies, eg bannans, oat biscuits etc plenty of water and plenty of sleep!