Hypoglycemia

[jessicav]

So today I started my third day on the Autoimmune Protocol (autoimmune thyroid disease-hyper).  So no nuts, seeds, eggs...but I am eating sweet potatoes. 

This morning I awoke to sweats and shakiness.  It was similar to when I have had low blood sugar (which started happening recently when I became medicated again for my graves disease).  I have two babies and a four year old, so being super agitated and feeling that awful is not conducive to a good morning taking care of my kids by myself.

So, I got right into the kitchen and ate a banana while I threw a chicken burger and veggies (kale & butternut squash) into a pan.  I also ate a date and had a swig of coconut milk while I waited.  Within 15 minutes, the shakes stopped.  Within one hour, after eating everything I felt 100% better but I would really like to avoid this in the future.  Any suggestions?  I am not happy with myself for eating two servings of fruit before I even ate my breakfast but I wasn't sure what else to do (I had a baby on the hip and another one bugging me for her breakfast). 

Is it  normal to feel this way when you start avoiding sugar and I am overreacting?  If so, I need to figure out a way to get through this without giving up and eating oatmeal.  I am trying not to overthink this.

Any help would be appreciated.

[amberino21]

Is it possible that you haven't been eating enough on previous days? Are you eating good meals, following the template with plenty of protein, fats and including starchy vegies in your meals?

Are you BFing any of your babies? If so, you need to be eating more than the suggested three meals - 4-5 proper template meals would probably be a good idea. You need the extra nutrition in these circumstances

[Guest Andria]

Maybe post a sample of your meals for a day or two

[Tom Denham]

The symptoms you describe sound like something that develops across a day or two of not eating enough protein, fat, and veggies. My guess is that you need to eat more in general. (But it would be helpful to see what you are actually eating).

[jessicav]

Thanks for the replys. Yes, I am currently breastfeeding two eight month olds. So I don't get nearly enough sleep (someday someday). And I have been getting about a can of coconut milk a day.

I have never eaten so much protein in my life!! So here are my last two days:

1)

homemade rump roast (palm sized) on a bowl of slaw (kohlrabi, carrot, cabbage, apple, fennel, acv, evoo)

Coffe with coconut milk

Banana, date, beef jerky, carrot sticks (I was feeling shaky and went right for fruit)

Big green salad

Roasted sweet potato

Little bit of coconut milk

Homemade kombucha

Rump roast (palm sized)

Roasted veggies

A little cup of coconut milk

Day 2)

Date with coconut, chicken burger cooked in olive oil, roasted veggies (sweet potato, beets, turnips, rutebega, onion, fennel)

Banana

Coffee with coconut milk

Big bowl of greens, tuna salad ("ranch" coconut cream, dill, evoo, acv, salt, garlic) I used a whole can!, leftover roasted veggies

Whole30 compliant beef jerky (awesome gourmetgrassfed brand), 1/4 of my daughters apple, carrot sticks

Corned beef (homemade no super), sauerkraut, cup of spinach, half c kimchi

Late night homemade beef bone broth.

[amberino21]

You mentioned eating mini meals in the other thread you posted in - I'd be eating at least 4-5 proper sized meals if you're trying to feed two bubs as well as support your own needs.

make sure every meal fits the template - don't miss out one of the three elements!

[jessicav]

I will adjust and check back in after a few days.

[melcrawf]

Hi, Jessica!

I am following your posts with interest because I too have Graves (moderately controlled with methimazole) and reactive hypoglycemia (since I was 10). I have come to believe that the two are linked, and when my Graves is flaring, my hypoglycemia is much worse (makes sense, hyperthyroid jacks up your metabolism, thus, you burn through your food energy faster). During and for the 18 months after my pregnancy, by the way, my Graves was RAGING. Now, I am not breastfeeding two kiddos (go Mom!) so my experience will be different than yours for now, but what I can tell you (I'm on Day 29) was the best thing I noticed about the Whole 30 is that my blood sugar/hunger evened out QUICKLY, maybe by the 5th day? Before Whole 30, I always experienced the frequent-meals-but-still-get-the-shakes/hangry fluctuations, and although I always tried to eat a higher protein diet with many mini meals (higher protein has helped to some degree with the hypoglycemia), I was also eating a good bit of grain, processed carbs, and SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR. Definitely get up to two palms of protein if you can, and add in another meal. Your Graves may also be speeding up your metabolism, and that with the b.f. means your calorie needs are much higher than the average person.

 

If there's any way you can stock up on foods that are a good mix of protein and fat that you can grab quickly, that will be a much better bet than eating the fruit. I recently made some paleo meatloaf muffins that can be microwaved in 30-45 seconds (and they freeze nicely); those are a good grab it when you are hypoglycemic and have no time!  Here's a link: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/62028051471/quick-easy-paleo-comfort-foods-the-recipe-for-meat Not sure if there are AIP forbidden ingredients in there, but you could tinker. You could also grab cooked chicken, or any meat, really, plus a fast fat (coconut butter, which I don't love, but sometimes it's food as medicine??)

 

I know you are obviously busy (!!) but would love to keep in touch and compare notes and see how things are going. If I can be of any help, please let me know!

[jessicav]

Hi Melcrawf.  Thanks so much for posting!  This morning has been a world different from yesterday.  I followed amberino21's advice and ate 5 meals all following the template.  I woke up this morning with a headache but nothing like yesterday.  I was starting to get sick feeling as it took me awhile to get to my meal (babies and dogs) but I ignored some morning duties to eat and was better within 10 minutes.  I didn't eat the greens on my plate...but I had other veggies so I was still following the template.  I am developing some quick meals that I throw in a pan and heat up while I take out the dogs.  I don't have a microwave but I think that I can heat everything fairly quickly and get to eating. Haha...it's so weird to HAVE to eat all the time. 

 

Initially yesterday when amberino21 gave me advice, my reaction was, "Can i eat more fruit?" But afterwards I deleted it because I realize that I hadn't even tried her advice before asking about fruit.  I didn't eat any more fruit yesterday and was completely fine.  I did have half a banana with my breakfast this morning.  As I am sure that I will always get 1-2 fruits in everyday.  My family always ate a lot of fresh fruit and I don't want to remove it completely but I will certainly stick within the limits.

 

It does seem like I am eating ALL the time.  It does take me longer than most people to eat some of the meals (prob 3 out of 5) because I am being constantly intertupted to do other things.  One meal took me an hour to eat but I figured it was better to eat it slowly when I could then just shove it into my mouth.  I do sit down and eat all at once whenever I can.  I had a huge burst of energy yesterday afternoon (like I drank a quadruple espresso or something) and luckily my mom was over for a visit, so I got to clean all the floors with a baby on my back!  It was great and I am sure that if I feel energized daily that I will stick with this plan.

 

So as for my Graves.  After my first daughter, it took a long time to be diagnosed with it.  I had to see 3 different endocronologists and in the meantime, it got so bad that I ended up in the ER because my heartbeat was like a rabbits...which became my normal for months here and there.  I also had a lot of other nagative stuff going on as a result.  But I changed my diet, took out all wheat and took my methimazole.  I got my levels checked monthly and I actually went into remission 8 months after starting meds.  My doctor was suprised and it was awesome.  I had been waiting for 2 years to get it resolved so that I could even think about more kids.  Then about 5 months ago (3 months after the twins) it came back with a bang.  I ended up in the ER again and had to take atenelol again and methimazole.  Sadly, I moved and had to find another endo which I don't like as much...but since I've been here before I feel more confident in working with the Dr.  She wants me to have it removed.  I don't want my thyroid removed if I can help it.  That just creates a whole other problem and daily meds.  I was able to get off the meds before and I believe that I can do it again.  I have been able to stop taking my atenelol and my heart is fine but many other symptoms remain.  My joints ache and my hair, oh my hair.  I am so worried that will be bald soon if I don't do something about this.  So, I am trying this AIP and it isn't that bad so far.  I do miss munching on nuts as I had replaced other snacks with nuts about two years ago but otherwise, I am okay.  I also need to do this because my hormones are so messed up from my thyroid and probably sugar too that my periods are like a week long depression.  I just don't want to live like this if I don't have to.  My kids deserve better and so do I.

 

Well, back to the babies as someone is done watching me type on this thing and wants picked up.  Again, thanks so much for following and I would love to keep in touch as I really do need support and find it so comforting to have others that know how i feel.  Graves disease is a such a rollercoaster ride and that hypogrlycemic thing is awful!  It mimics thyroid problems but it is fixed with sugar...unlike thyroid which is only fixed with meds.  That part is really new (5 months) and I'm sick of it.

 

Thanks again.

[jessicav]

Well this morning was back to being horrible with me getting ut of bed at 6am sweating, shaking, and with a racing heart beat. It must be because one of my little ones is sick and was on me ALL NIGHT. I might have gotten 45 minutes of sleep in a row but that was it. I didn't

Have any premade meat yet because I was going to the farmers market today and was going to work on that when I got back

So coconut cream and sweet potatoes...didn't help after 15 minutes so I ate a banana and dates. Better in 10 minutes but exhausted. A hour later, i ate a meal with protein and coconut water (no added sugar) because my electrolytes were low (i know because i started to get crab hands, your hands cramp up with thumbs into palms...which I was told by my neurologist employer was a simple electrolyte imbalance). After eating the meat and laying on the couch for 30 minutes covered in babies grabbing my face, I feel better. Off to the market to buy some meat.

I'm going to work on this some more and be sure to have pre-made meat/precooked meat patties in the fridge. And so my journey goes....I ate all my fruit at one time but at least I didn't eat oatmeal or yogurt. Welcome to day 5.

[connie_m]

Premade food is a lifesaver for me, and I'm not NEARLY as busy as you!   Hang in there!

[jessicav]

I haven't felt any of those same symptoms since the morning of Day 5.  I have been eating all my meals and keeping pre-made food in the fridge.  I also have a stash of grassfed whole30 compliant beef jerky that is awesome in a pinch.

[Minoka]

Hello! I have Grave's, too.  I am on MMI/methimazole and really, really want to go into remission and get off the meds. Initially I lost a bunch of weight b/c of the Graves, but then started gaining at a quick clip.  I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid/Graves after I gained 20lbs, presumably b/c my RT3 was quite high as well.  While the MMI helps with the symptoms (heart palpitations/shaking/anxiety attacks, etc), I can't stop gaining weight. I am already gluten, dairy, soy, and iodine free.  I thought I would try the Whole 30 to see if it would help. I am on day 7 of the Whole 30.  I am wondering if anyone with Graves has had success getting off of MMI by doing the Whole 30 and changing to a paleo lifestyle.  Thanks