Symptoms of low blood sugar or blood pressure?
 

I get this every so often. The popping was probable from our equal librium(sp) being off balance. I always thought it was Low Iron that did it to me. Maybe it was the carbs? I am not sure

Hi

could you have had a reaction to something at lunch?

When I eat lo-carb wraps and the like, I am fine until I try to eat or drink something else, then I get a wicked upset tummy and headache sometimes--even the shakes.

M

I too have had at least 4 episodes of low blood sugar reactions. Mine however have the following symptoms: shakiness (hands and body), heart pounding, inability to concentrate, nausea, dizziness. If you had low blood sugar prior to LC'ing it may be a good indicator that you waited too long to eat. As far as the blood pressure, from what I've been told is that when you hear a pop in one of your ears, (kinda sounds like only one ear is working) it's because your blood pressure has gone up. Since my reactions, I've had to be cautious in the amount of time that passes between meals. However, isn't this way of eating supposed to stabilize blood sugar level? And what's the correlation to possible diabetes? Wish I could answer more of your questions, but I'm confused about all of this too. When I went to the doctor a few months back he took a blood test (non fasting) around 4:00pm....I had eaten lunch at 12:00 and my results from the test stated that my glucose level was at 70. So, I'm also baffeled by all this.

I have had low blood sugar all of my life and your symptoms did sound just like a hypoclycemic episode . What happens is, from the fast point your sugar level is very low,then you loaded up with excess sugars and something sent your sugar above your normal level. It can be quite scary. the first episode I ever had I actually passed out. You really should see a doctor.My doctor is the one who recommended the Atkins diet to me 10 years ago. Did you get cold sweats this can also be a symptom? well good luck . I'm hoping the best for you.

i have had vertigo in the past, and the symptoms you desrcibed is what i experienced. i can't even stand with out getting dizzy, and i have to stay in bed all day, and not move. it goes away after about 8 hrs or so. i would make an appt with your doctor to have it ckecked out.

Hey Freckles,
You're probably right about the blood sugar, but I had just read about this in my local paper a couple of weeks ago and thought it was interesting. Who knows?

Alli

'Exploding Head Syndrome' Harmless
Alarming symptoms baffle doctors


Imagine drifting off to sleep only to be roused into a sudden panic by a cataclysmic noise erupting inside your head.
The condition is known as "exploding head syndrome," and people who have been affected by it describe the sound as a violent explosion or an enormous roar "so loud it could kill me." Dr. Joel Saper described the unusual condition last year in a column in the Detroit Free Press.

Don't expect your personal physician to have heard about this phenomenon. It was only reported for the first time by a British physician in 1988. Since then, only a handful of papers have appeared in the medical literature, most of them small collections of case reports.

There's some evidence, however, that exploding head syndrome is far more common than the scanty printed reports suggest. For example, after his column appeared, Dr. Saper reports that he received "numerous letters from readers who have experienced one or more of these episodes and who have been living in fear." A follow-up report shares some of the personal comments from those with the condition.

The medical evidence to date suggests that exploding head syndrome occurs most often when falling asleep. Flashes of light or difficulty breathing often accompany attacks, which occur sporadically and at any age. Stress may contribute to the episodes, which usually disappear without any treatment.

Although alarming, the explosions don't appear to be symptoms of a stroke or other life-threatening conditions. Electroencephalographic recordings of actual attacks show unusual activity in some sufferers but not in others. However, the brain recordings show that attacks are not a form of epileptic seizure.

Sounds like low blood sugar to me too. Some low carbers get really bad reactions to a sudden introduction to refined carbs like flour or sugar. Takes awhile for the old insulin factory to remember what to do.

I've never had the problem with ear popping, but I have had many many low blod sugar reactions since starting Atkins (May 2003). Mine usually manifest themselves by a feeling of shakiness, lightheadeness, a feeling that I can only describe as if ants were crawling over my body (itchiness?), and, when it gets really low sweating so bad my body is covered in persperation. I have been having this problem worse now that I am re-inducting (trying to lose 10 more pounds to go below goal. I have found nothing works except eating carbs. I've tried eating protein but it doesn't help. Oh, well. just trying to get through. If you come up with something that works for you, please let me know.

It kind of sounds like I would go through with low blood sugar.

First I would feel a little light headed. My speech would be slurred and I would sound liek I have been drinking. I would also become a little confused. Then I would get very nausiated, to the point of trying to throw up. Laying down helped, but of course I needed food. The problem was I didn't have the energy or state of being to get up and get food :)

I've learned that making sure I eat really helps. Also if I watch my carbs much mroe carefully it helps. I've found I just can't have refined sugar, no matter what plan I'm on.

Rozie. You might try eating 6 small meals in the day instead of 3 large ones. don't let long go without having some kind of food in your tummy. Also make sure you are getting enough calories. It could occasionaly be a case of ketosis is supressing your appatite, but your body is demanding more. Have some healthy carbs like veggies and some protien to see if that helps. Also make sure to never have carbs alone without fat and fiber to slow the absorbtion and insulin reaction.

Medical training kicking in here. did you say blood thinners. Did you just start them or have you had you INR checked lately. Not trying to be alarmist but they train docs to think about the worst possibilities first.

Sounds like low blood sugar. I usually notice numbness around the mouth, shakiness,dizzyness, aggitation, crabbyness, then slurred speech b4 hitting the floor.
I carry glucose in my purse because even without skipping a meal it can still happen.

That's really the exact opposite of what you should be doing. This could be exacerbating your problems with low blood sugar. Taking sugar when you have a low blood sugar episode will just cause your blood sugar to raise and then crash again. It is akin to eating a Snicker bar. And doing this over and over will contribute to low blood sugar problems and your body's natural insulin control wearing out which is what leads to diabetes. I would recommend you do some research about low blood sugar and how it works (this is of course assuming that you haven't already). A good source of information is a book called The Low Blood Sugar Handbook by Edward and Patricial Krimmel. I don't recommend the diet he has in the book...it did not help my lbs symptoms at all. But there's lots of good info in there about how low blood sugar works in your body and how to keep it from happening. As I said before, pre-Atkins when I suffered the symptoms daily I could eat a piece or two of cheese and that would take care of the symptoms. But different things have worked for different people. You could try nuts or something else that has a very small amount of carbs and some protein.

I am a diabetic and have been told by many doctors that you should eat every 3 hours...thats about 5 or 6 meals a day. This should help level out the sugars a bit. And it is a good idea to carry glucose. As much as it is sugar and such, its far better to have it and not need it then to not have it and end up in a coma! Even before going on Atikins I would suffer LBS if i skipped one meal. Its not good to let your body get that way. Kills brain cells. If you like me, you need all the brain cells you can get! LOL

This is true....but if there are other ways to control it why use it since it exacerbates the problem? It is probable that your use of glucose when you were lbs helped LEAD to you being diabetic now because each time you took it you were causing your body's insulin system to overwork itself. Sugar is not the answer to low blood sugar...it's the cause.

Freckles, I am a diabetic. After 2 glucose tabs I have a protein/carb combo. The glucose is necessary for a very quick boost before I pass out cold. I also wear a braclet identifying me as diabetic. I generally eat 3 meals and snacks.
2 glucose tabs or not very many carb (8) but are very fast acting. It does not quickly raise my sugar a bit but thats the point because a diabetic extreem low blood sugar crash will render me unconsious. If it's not raised a coma can result. Once I am coherent it is followed by the protein/low glycemic carb combo. Which helps level things out. It is really important for me to have protein with carbs.
Low/moderate carb has greatly helped keep a rein on diabetes. My dr and dietician fully recommend low carb.
I dont use them on a regular basis. But it is better to be safe.
I think the issues may be different for a diabetic.
My diabetes is in fairly good control but these episodes do happen occasionally.
One thing for me is strenous exercise without extra carbs.
I will check into that book thanks.

Oh! By your first post saying you thought it was lbs then describing your symptoms I thought you were saying you had lbs, since you didn't mention diabetes. I don't have diabetes and have not researched it enough to know how to handle low blood sugar as a diabetic.

hhhmmm...this whole conversation is making me really think that I should NOT have done what I did yesterday. Did you have low blood sugar symptoms before being diagnosed with diabetes too?

Freckels, I edited my post so take a peek.
I didn't have low bloodsugar issues that I knew of long before I found I was diabetic.
One day I felt really wierd(like I'd imagine someone on drugs would feel). I had my kids and my nephews. I passed out and the kids called for help. Thats when I got diagnosed. I'd noticed I was urinating excessively but didn't connect it. Talk about DUH.............. I have a type 1 father and a type 2 mother. DUH!!!!!!!!!
If my last post sounded in the least bit mean it sure isn't meant to be.

Freckles, no need to apologize!

Hey! I have the shock-like episodes in my head too! (Not the same thing as the exploding-head-before-falling-asleep thing, I've had that and its a whole different phenomenon) I've had it in the past when dieting, and darned if it isn't here again! I hate it! I find that it is related my eye movements in conjuction to body movement. If I move about with my eyes closed, I don't get the 'shocks'!

It's a shame if I have to eat some carbs to get rid of this. I'm to the point that my hunger and cravings are really under control. Even the half of a bun on my Burger King Whopper was enough to start some too-early hunger pangs the other day.

Could taking any of the amino acids exacerbate this problem? I am taking Lysine, Glutamine & Taurine, although not in as high doses as some have recommended.

Freckles, I believe your problem was hypoglycemia. You ate lunch at 1:00 and dinner at 7:30, way too long to go without food. I've had it my whole life, and have had many such experiences. When I had the glucose tolerance test, my sugar dropped into the 40's, I noted the time, it was 11:30 a.m. That's when the nausea kicked in, severe, it wouldn't stop. At that same time, my glucose numbers began to rise. I read about this later: what happens is that when your sugar gets extremely low, it's time for your body to send an alarm and your adrenaline comes in (the fight or flight hormone). At that point, your glucose rises because of the adrenaline. But the explanation that I read was that when the adrenaline comes in, that's when the nausea starts. It held true in my case. You went too far into the danger zone and your body had to provide a hormone quick. I've also had vertigo when my glucose gets too low. You should eat every 3 hours (also a good way to lose weight "the three hour diet"), either some nuts or cheese, or V8 juice. Orange juice sends the sugar up too quickly. You should drink the orange juice if you're in trouble and your sugar has dropped significantly, because that will bring it up quickly, but then you should have protein at the same time to keep the blood sugar fairly stable. And be sure to have a protein snack before going to bed. It's a long time til morning. Good luck!

If I were you I'd have it checked out.

I have both hypoglycemia AND low blood pressure...I strongly encourage you to go to your doctor. hugs

To clarify..I am NOT a doctor nor do I play one on TV :)

Um, this is another one of those resurrected posts from 2 years ago. :) I hope she got it straightened out.

I'm actually experiencing it right now! It's not as bad as it was about 5 days ago...but I am about to go to work and am not looking to standing all day.

I tried to eat but just wasn't feeling it :(

What can you do for a quick boost of energy? Or to even stabalize the levels?