Okay, first of all, my mom is an overweight Type II diabetic. But for most of her life she was a poorly controlled hypo with an unbreakable sugar/carb addiction. She is still poorly controlled and about to have to go on another med. My grandfather (her father) is a severe hypo and has never become diabetic. He lost weight and became highly restrictive of sugar and is now 73 and in good health.

I have Mitral Valve Prolapse with Dysautonomia, which basically means my autonomic nervous system is slightly out of whack. It can be slow in response or slow to put the breaks on the response. This causes a host of annoying symptoms, allergies, heart palpitations/panic attacks, bowel symptoms, night blindness/light sensitivity, blood pressure regulation/fainting, most come and go and are more annoying than anything.

No symptom has been more consistant, however, than blood sugar problems. Many docs see my blood sugar as secondary to this, but it seems like I have some serious heredity going on too. I usually don't eat much sugar and eat alot of protien, so I rarely have problems. I have learned what I can eat when and be okay. I do eat alot of carbs, mainly pasta, potatoes, bread, and soda (I have all but eliminated the soda!!! Will completely soon.) I am currently PG with my second and scared to death of the GD GTT.

However, during any fasting glucose screenings, I have a weird pancreatic reaction where my blood sugar spikes for the first hour, then proceeds to bottom out. So when PG with with my first, I failed my 1 hr. with a 187 and had to take the 3 hr. fasting GTT. The results of my 3 hr. were 177 in the first hour, 86 by the second hour, and 54 by the 3rd hour, so who knows what it was by the time I got home. I was moderately sick and faint after the 1 hour, but after the 3 hour.....

I WAS SICK AS A DOG. I was nearly convulsing in the car on the way home and I couldn't even stand when we got home. DH had to carry me into the house where I layed for hours, unable to see straight, slurring speech, half-concious, and shaking uncontrollably while DH fed me peanut butter from a spoon and I drank OJ. By that evening, I was feeling better, but ravenous. DH took me out for a steak and I felt much better. LOL.

But I have a phobia now. I can barely think about it without getting all shaky and wanting to throw up, and I just know my blood sugar will do the same thing on the 1 hr. this time, and I'll have to take the 3 hour. But how in the heck am I supposed to drink that stuff and keep it down? And then take care of my son? And it can't be wonderful for the baby! I'm just so nervous about this. I already warned DH he may have to take that day off. Does anyone know how I can keep from getting so ill after the test?

Also, I have always been at the low end of my ideal body weight until my last pregnancy. Now I'm still in a normal BMI range, but 18 lbs heavier than I'd like to be (not counting this pregnancy.) What is a good diet to go on after this baby is born to get me back down to my ideal 130? Taking into consideration my blood sugar?

Kellie, It does not suprise me that the doctors are treating your blood sugar as a secondary problem - this is common with reactive hypoglycemia. Many doctors simply do not understand this condition or proper ways of addressing it. Medical doctors are usually more familiar with diabetic hypoglycemia (induced by oral meds and insulin) and the methods for controlling that are quite different that for reactive hypoG. Actually it would not surprise me if many of your nerve symptoms subsided once you truly gain control of the hypoG.

Because you are pregnant I hesitate to tell you do anything too drastic ubntil after you give birth. Can I ask why they are giving you another GTT? Did they not get valid data from the last one? Did you discuss with your doctor the at-home reaction that occurred hours after the test? I would not normally recommend this, but if they are determined to give you another GTT be prepared to address the symptoms. Bring with you a container of OJ and some protein and have it immediately when you leave the lab. Then, for the remainder of the day eat a combination of low GI carbs and protein EVERY 2 hours.

My suggestions for actually addressing the hypoG permanently are much different. I am opposed to treating episodes with glucose tablets and OJ - these are strategies that help diabetic hypoG episodes. But they do not work well for reactive HypoG and often worsen the problem.

Before I go too much further, I am going to suggest that you read the following threads:
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=184411
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=181999&page=1&pp=5
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=178277&page=1&pp=5

There is a lot of great information in these that may answer many of your questions. After you read, come back and share your thoughts. I am happy to help you with this, but I also recommend that you condsider working with a local nutritional counselor or dietitian that has experience with reactive hypoG.

Welcome to the boards and let me know if you have any questions!

Hi and thanks for your reply. To answer your question, I have to have another GTT because of screening for Gestational Diabetes developing during pregnancy. The way they usually do this is to give you a one hour quick preliminary screen, and if your blood sugar is under 140, you're normal and don't have to do anything else. If it is over 140, they send you to a 3 hr. fasting GTT to see a more indepth reaction.

As I've stated before, the problem is, I will fail the one hour because my blood sugar spikes before it bottoms out, just like it did last time I had to have the GTT due to pregnancy, and the time before that I had the GTT do diagnose my hypoclycemia! I never got that sick after that one, because I was able to eat enough protien early enough after the drink to keep from bottoming out too badly.

My fasting blood sugar is not too bad. I think right around 85 or so usually. I believe that's the normal range. But 1 hour after the sugar drink it spikes to around 175-185 every time. Then it will drop so quickly in the 2nd and 3rd hour, as you see from my previous post.

I too have often wondered how much of my nerve problems was sugar related. My grandfather used to turn into a monster during severe crashes. Either drunk acting, hateful, and scary, or panicky and paranoid. He hasn't had near the problems since he's been under control.