Sugar

[Swimsyroke]

As sugar has always been a problem for me with migraines and afib, I decided to cut down drastically a couple of weeks ago particularly my habit of tucking into chocolate while watching TV in the evening.

I read somewhere that it is better if you can avoid sugar in the mornings.

However I notice now that I feel weak- kneed and a bit shaky in the mornings though generally feeling better in the afternoons.

i wondered if the cutting down has made me rather hypoglycaemic.

My mother was a diabetic and although I have never been diagnosed with diabetes I think she probably passed on a sugar allergy to me.

I'm struggling to express myself here as I don't understand why if you give up sugar you then need to take it to stop a hypo attack. It seems like a chicken and egg situation.

Would appreciate anyone's thoughts, experiences on this question.

[Cavalierrubie]

I can’t really give you any definite answers and hope someone comes on here with more help, but it does sound like you are experiencing sugar withdrawal. Sugar is addictive. The weak legs etc. are symptomatic with a drop in blood sugar level. I am not diabetic, but l have had the same symptoms especially in the morning and after eating something have felt much better. I think when your body adapts to not eating sugar this will go. It shouldn’t take long to do that. Hope so. If not l would suggest getting advice from your GP or a dietitian, and get blood pressure checked. Well done for cutting down and hope it works out and you feel all the better for it.

[Swimsyroke in reply to Cavalierrubie]

Thanks for your very helpful and positive comments Cavalierrubie. Will await other posts.

[Bagrat]

I sometimes feel a wack of high sugar food does not suit me ( I do know it's a "bad" thing!!) and may bring on short episode of tachycardia a few hours later. On Friday, I missed breakfast then at lunchtime had large slice of victoria sponge while out for coffee. When I got home at 4.30pm had the wobbly legs I associate with needing snack. Had couple of plain crackers. Assume barmy diet caused blood sugar drop which may have jittered heart as than had short episode of fast heartrate. Even 5 or so minutes leaves me like a limp rag the next day!!

What I'm saying is yes I think sugary food can trigger things.

[Vonnegut in reply to Bagrat]

I’ve always thought coffee was a no no as well as sugar! Fortunately, I had stopped drinking normal tea and coffee well before my diagnosis with paroxysmal AF and have never liked very sweet things! I just enjoy the two squares of very dark chocolate a day as suggested by Dr Michael Mosely!

[CDreamer]

When you suddenly stop or drastically limit sugar intake some people can get withdrawal symptoms. Have some low sugar, healthy snacks handy for veggie croutons for instance and be proactive and take before you feel shaky? Avocados I find are helpful.

[Jalia]

Similar has happened to me. I'm not diabetic or even pre diabetic nor hypertensive. I'm interested in replies to your post!

[Sixtyslidogirl]

from what I understand it’s eating the easily absorbed carbs: white bread, pasta potatoes as well as cake that ( if you don’t handle sugar that well, like me) can a spike your blood sugar and subsequently causes the dip or hypo. We should all be avoiding spikes and dips by eating food that doesn’t cause spikes, more complex carbs like whole grains, wide range of veg etc. If you aren’t sure what causes spikes for you, you can buy a continuous glucose monitor that you stick on your arm for a fortnight and is paired with an app. I used one of these as part of Zoe nutrition plan and it was quite revealing.

[Ascb in reply to Sixtyslidogirl]

Hi, sorry to go slightly off topic (although it is kind of sugar related as I know I get withdrawal when I stop eating it)I am interested in the Zoe programme, but do you have to pay for a glucose monitor as well as the actual programme and the blood test? Does it work? It is very expensive but I'd still be interested.

[Sixtyslidogirl in reply to Ascb]

The monitor is included in admittedly expensive price but the monitor on its own is about £50. You can two for £100 on Amazon.

Abbott Freestyle Libre 2 Sensor Pack of 2 for diabetes monitoring CGM for UK, white amzn.eu/d/9i4kuXW

[Swimsyroke in reply to Sixtyslidogirl]

Thankyou for your informative reply Sixty. I do have lots of allergies unfortunately and am not good with wholemeal. What then are ideal foods to have for breakfast. I have been having fruits from my garden i.e.blackcurrant redcurrant apple with greek yoghourt, cornflakes which are pretty low in sugar, nuts and seeds, all of which I thought should be good but I still get the wobbly leg syndrome.

[Lyndylan in reply to Swimsyroke]

Cornflakes don’t have added sugar but they do not contain much fibre, so may be absorbed too quickly leading to a sugar spike. I would suggest whole oats/porridge with the fruit, yoghurt. and nuts - that will keep your blood sugar much steadier for longer. Also it’s better to have some fat- so get the full fat Greek yoghurt and ensure it has no added sugar.

[Swimsyroke in reply to Lyndylan]

Okay. Thanks Lyndylan

[Sixtyslidogirl in reply to Swimsyroke]

Agree about full fat yoghurt, overnight Oatbran is good. A good dose of nut butter will also stop the spike. The Glucose Goddess is a good book to get to grips with all this.

[secondtry]

Best way is to slowly wean yourself over say a year. Moderation is boring but seems to work.

[betsea]

Sounds like many you are pre-diabetic

[Contra21 in reply to betsea]

What makes you say this? I'm always dizzy in the mornings and was told it was anxiety low iron but after my gallbladder operation last week my glucose was elevated. I'm terrified don't know anything aboit it

[WildIris]

I gave up sugar and went vegan the day I found out my kidneys were in trouble about 3 years ago. It was hard for about 5 days, then the craving started to peter out. I do get dizzy and weak sometimes, usually before breakfast, but I think that has more to do with my heart. It does sound like you get low blood sugar. An apple or a handful of nuts? Are you drinking enough water?

[Swimsyroke in reply to WildIris]

Was interested to read that you think the dizzy and weak spells are to do with your heart. What brings you to that conclusion. I haven't had my heart checked out for several years and am now in permanent afib. I have always drunk plenty of water but I seem to be one of those people who needs to drink a lot of water. When you say you found out your kidneys were in trouble what were the indications. I don't think bisopropol and edoxaban are helping my kidneys as passing water is much slower now.

[WildIris]

The lab indication was high creatine/low GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rage). Kidney disease is usually symptomless until the late stages, and I feel fine now. Some notice white foam, not simple bubbles, in their urine, which indicates they're leaking protein. The only thing you can do is slow the progress of the disease by avoiding things that harm the kidneys, like animal protein, tylenol, and certain other drugs, and eat lots of fruits and veggies and stay hydrated. I don't think bisopropol and endoxaban are harmful, metoprolol and losartan and apixaban, which I was prescribed, are not. I can't guess why passing water is slower for you, but its not a common sign or kidney disease. Anyway, that's why the vegan diet. And I was heavy, high blood pressure, a-fib, many health reasons to change my diet and lose weight. What I meant by heart was: I take heart meds in the morning before breakfast, I'm a little anemic from lupus, bp is low in the morning, once in a blue moon I have afib in the morning, all these factors can make me light-headed to the point of passing out before breakfast.

[Swimsyroke in reply to WildIris]

Wow! That's a lot to take in and thanks for your useful input. You have obviously taken great efforts to improve your conditions and I wish you well.