Do you ever feel like you understand yourself better than anyone else, and when something is wrong you know it even if doctors tell you everything is fine? Well about a week ago in a doctors appointment that my husband accompanied me to, he asked the doctor about my number one issue (Ok well this point can probably be debated). You see I get internally shaky, light headed, exhausted, irritable (so my husband says ;-) ), rapid heart beat, become uncoordinated, even come close or actually passing out. I've had my blood sugar tested, even tested it during a "crash" it always came back normal. The few doctors I did see about it made me feel crazy, almost like I was making it up, because there was no sign of low blood sugar, or others would say I was borderline diabetic (whatever that meant).
So for the past 10 or so years I have just dealt with the crazy swings of physical symptoms all the while feeling helpless and somewhat crazy. I had all but stopped asking doctors or telling them my symptoms and pretended everything was fine. But it wasn't fine and my poor husband can attest to that. So I was quite embarrassed and panic stricken when my husband brought it up the doctor. All I could think is here we go again, another doctor who is going to look at me like I am making this up. But I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for what happened next. The nurse in the room happens to be a close friend of ours and she is the first person to ever utter the words "hypoglycemia".
While for her it was just another day at work, for me it was a gateway to freedom. At the time she said it, it wasn't like the heavens opened up and light shone down in a moment of clarity or anything quite so dramatic. In all honesty I had very little clue as to what it even meant, and was quite skeptical it was really the answer to my problems. But after a short stroll on Pinterest (my husband on google) I quickly found a kinship with almost all the symptoms that were listed, and the more I have researched the more I realize that everything matched up (well maybe not the irritability part, I never get moody...lol). In a few short minutes she managed to do what no doctor had been able to do before, and that was give me hope. And when I say it was a gateway to freedom I am not exaggerating in the least.
I can't begin to explain how horrific a feeling it is to know that something is wrong but everyone telling you there isn't, or misdiagnosing it and giving you no way to change it. I was told when I get shaky to eat a candy bar, but for me that never helped it would only send me on an up and down rollercoaster of feeling like my body was spiraling out of control to the point that I would be nearing unconsciousness. How do you explain that your hands aren't shaking but everything internally is shaking, or you feel like your body is shutting down, you have this internal fear knowing something is drastically wrong but nobody can do anything about it. Yes you think you sound like a raving lunatic...so keep it on the DL.
Over this past week I have learned of more symptoms that make so much sense and explains a lot. And those symptoms are further proof that I need to take steps now to try and correct it because as of the last month my symptoms are showing in greater severity and more frequent. This also make sense because we are under a lot more stress at the moment, and stress affects it negatively. I don't have all he answers and honestly am still learning. Even now trying to learn all of this and make sense of it, my brain feels cloudy like I am struggling to connect the dots, which has been happing more often lately (Insert blonde joke here). I have been having difficulties sleeping, when I do sleep I am usually in the company of some pretty terrible nightmares, my highs and lows are worse, I do become increasingly uncoordinated thought out the day (Not that I'm particularly grace on any given good day, but I think people are starting to question my sobriety and I don't really drink...I don't think.....LOL), my vision tends to come and go at times, I am exhausted, I get confused easily, I am nauseous and my heart races.
 |
| The struggle is real! |
I have recently learned that hypoglycemia is basically a carbohydrate intolerance (How can my body reject what I love most...so rude). And there is actually a diet plan that can help get your body back to a more normal level, however it means about two months of no carbs or sugars (WHAT!!??!! Oh cruel cruel world!!! hehe) . While this thought is depressing on some level, I sit here writing this after a healthy protein breakfast and still feel the beginnings of a crash coming on. If you have never experienced it I am sure the severity of it is different for each person, but for me it is horrible! Feeling out of control and not knowing when you will even out again is terrifying and the yo-yo feeling takes a huge toll on my body. Like I said the stress makes it worse, so thinking about the strict diet plan doesn't seem so bad, if I can ward off these symptoms. If I change my mindset of food being fuel other than some sort of decadence than I think I will make it through. (ok but seriously no sugar...but my sweet tooth!...oh the humanity)
 |
| Sadly sooo much truth. You feel your sugar drop and you try eating anything to get back on track and make it stop! |
So starting February 1st I will be going on a very strict diet with no carbs and no sugars. I do not have it all ironed out yet (Of course I'm not dragging my feet! I totally look forward to saying good bye to carbs and sugars....said NO ONE EVER), but that's what I will be working on this next week. After two months I will be able to slowly add back in carbs and sugars and basically proceed with trial and error to see exactly what "cheats" I can have. But honestly all I want to do is eat whatever I want for a week before I start, but instead I'll take this time to slowly say good bye to my old friend caffeinated coffee, bye to sweet treats, and mourn the vibrant world of decedent flavors that I have so enjoyed (Que overly dramatic music here). But the health benefits will pay off and who knows maybe lose even more weight in the process (Provided the crashes stop I will stop consuming extra calories). I have no doubts its going to be difficult and I'll want to give up. But my amazing and healthy husband has agreed to go at this with me in support. He doesn't have to because his body process' his carbs properly, but he is going to try and do this with me so I'm not alone.
 |
| This is a pancreas all you gutter minded people! Lol |
Sorry its not all that entertaining, but its the latest. I will try and share what information I come up with as far as my diet goes when I figure it out. And I apologize in advance if you have or do in the near future hear the word "Hypoglycemic" or read it from me more times than you care to. Its just nice to put a face to the name so to speak, and finally be getting some answers.
No comments:
Post a Comment