Hypoglycemia

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Anyone know the current dietary recommendations for reactive hypoglycemia? My mom's friend was just diagnosed and they didn't do ANY teaching with her. I was taught they need a diabetic diet, to keep those sugars stable, but I ran a google search and got all kinds of conflicting info. This woman thinks she needs to just cram in all the sweets she can get, and I know that is wrong but can anyone tell me what they should have taught her at the office?

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NON-DIABETIC HYPOGLYCEMIA

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? Non-diabetic hypoglycemia (hi-po-gli-c-mee-uh) is when the sugar (glucose) in your blood drops too low. This means there is not enough sugar in your blood to give your muscles and brain cells the energy needed to work. It can also be called fasting or reactive hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia can be treated before it gets worse even though you may not be able to prevent it.

Causes: Following are possible causes of hypoglycemia.

  • Drinking alcohol.
  • Exercising too hard.
  • Medicines.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Skipping meals, not eating regularly, or not finishing meals or snacks.

Signs and Symptoms: You may have one or more of the following symptoms of hypoglycemia.

  • Blurred vision.
  • Clumsiness.
  • Confusion.
  • Convulsion (seizure) if blood sugar is very low.
  • Dizziness or light-headedness.
  • Drowsy.
  • Fainting.
  • Fast or pounding heartbeat.
  • Headache.
  • Hunger.
  • Irritability.
  • Nausea (upset stomach).
  • Nervousness.
  • Numbness or tingling in mouth and lips.
  • Pale and clammy skin.
  • Pass out (if blood sugar is very low).
  • Shakiness.
  • Sweatiness.
  • Tiredness.
  • Weakness.

Will I always know when I am hypoglycemic? Some people do not know that their blood sugar is low. If you cannot tell that you are having a hypoglycemia reaction you may want to do the following.

  • Tell your caregiver that you are having hypoglycemia reactions and do not have symptoms.
  • Snack more often.
  • Tell your friends, family members, and people you work with that you have hypoglycemia reactions. Tell them what they should do for you if you are not able to tell them during a reaction.

How do I prevent hypoglycemia? The best way to prevent a hypoglycemia reaction is to control your blood sugar. Learn the symptoms of hypoglycemia and treat the low blood sugar right away. Following are ways to control your blood sugar.

  • Always carry hard candy or sugar to eat if your blood sugar gets too low.
  • Eat more if you are exercising more than usual.
  • Learn what causes hypoglycemia.
  • Teach a family member or friend how to give you sugar. This may be helpful if you are having a hypoglycemia reaction and cannot give yourself sugar.
  • To keep from getting low blood sugar, eat 6 or 7 small meals a day at regular times. Eat snacks between meals, like eggs, chicken, nuts, cheese, or skim milk. Do not smoke, drink alcohol or coffee, or skip meals. Do not eat foods with a lot of sugar in them, like candy bars unless you are having a hypoglycemic reaction.

Care: It is important to know what to do before you have a hypoglycemia reaction. Always carry at least 1 kind of sugar with you. Low blood sugar is usually easy to treat. During a hypoglycemia reaction, quickly eat or drink something with sugar in it. Five or 6 pieces of hard candy, 1/2 cup (4 ounces) orange juice, or 3 glucose tablets are good ways to get sugar into your body.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

Hi there,

Here's some info from our hospital teachings.

Lisa Perry

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