Anxiety Support

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My Blood Sugar keeps getting low...I'm really scared.

I don't want to bore you guys by typing too much so I'll try to make this short. For the past 3 months (on and off) I've been doing intermittent fasting (instead of eating when I wake up, I'll wait till 11am, and I always stop eating after 6pm) which is more or less skipping breakfast, and still being in a caloric deficit (eating less than what I need, in an attempt to lose weight.)

I've also been working out and drinking around a gallon and a half of water each day. But it all started about 2-3 weeks ago...I started feeling out of touch with reality...and confused almost. I mean I can remember everything, there are no memory issues. I recognize everybody and everything, but I was feeling very out of it, and getting sleepy at times where I know I shouldn't be sleepy (like during work or afternoon.)

I got my blood sugar checked, and it was 94, which the nurse said was low. This was 4 days ago. Over the weekend I had some sugar, and on Monday morning, she said it was 136 which is healthy...now today (tuesday afternoon) she says it's back to 99. They're scheduling me an appointment to see the doctor next week, but it's odd to me because I have to wait 7 days to see the doctor, and it only took 2 days for it to go back to 99...what if it drops even lower by then? I'm scared.

I'm not in the real world at the moment, I'm at Job Corps, so I'm not allowed to leave campus, and I don't have money to order more sweets from pizza hut. I'm very afraid something bad is going to happen. What do I do? Why does my blood sugar keep dropping? My friend says since I've been skipping breakfast for about 2 and a half months, it'll probably be about 2 months before my blood sugar stabilizes again...what do you guys think?

19 Replies

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Hi TNTOwl! Go Job Corps!

Normal FASTED blood glucose level could be as low as 70. Does the nurse know you are following intermittent fasting protocols? Did you test while fasting?

Don't panic just yet!

Were you feeling out of it and sleepy after eating? If so, that happened to me during the adjustment period. You may have been experiencing symptoms of the keto flu.

Make sure you let the nurse and doctors know that you are fasting.

View the link to see targeted blood sugar levels when fasting and after eating for normal people.

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

@Delta1: Hello! Thank you so much for commenting! Your post made me feel really happy. ^_^. Yes, the nurse knows that I have been fasting, but she told me to make sure I eat breakfast, and she believes that this is what's causing the feeling. She says healthy blood sugar for my age is 135-150. Diabetes runs in my family, so I was afraid that it might be that...but when I called my aunt about it (who is a diabetic,) she said the same thing that you did.

"Those numbers aren't low baby. They maybe slightly low for your age and your activity level, but those numbers are not low. My blood sugar has been between 60-70 plenty of times before. It may be more of the fact that your fasting and not eating has been taking a toll on you, or the fact that you've been getting such a low amount of calories over a 2-3 month period is just finally getting to you. If you didn't get the symptoms overnight, you're not going to get rid of them overnight. Just relax, and make sure you keep eating like you're supposed to, they probably don't feed you enough at job corps anyway."

So I'm not sure what's going on. It could be anxiety, but I honestly feel like it could be my diet too, but I'm just not sure. And it worries me.

I think you are doing fine. People who follow the keto diet protocols also practice intermittent fasting. I fast 20 hours a day and I have a 4 hour eating window with low carbs/sugar and healthy fats. Eating breakfast isn't necessary. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Well what if you aren't' hungry? Do you force yourself to eat. I don't. If fasting isn't right for you, that's fine too.

I think you are doing just fine. Don't stress out!

There are a lot of good YouTube videos concerning intermittent fasting. Check out Dr. Fung and Dr. Berg when you get a chance.

Don't stress yourself out because of this. I'm glad you decided to ask this community.

I look forward to hearing from you soon! ((BIG HUGS))

I'm going to share my fasted blood glucose reading with you soon. I don't check it every day because I don't want to buy strips all the time.

I’m not understanding those readings ? If I was to check mine in the morning it’s usually around 5.2 before I eat and after I eat it’s around 7.8 .

Are readings different in different countries ? I’m in Australia

Readings might be different, but I think you are looking at the ketone readings.

Jodz, I did a quick Google search and it appears that readings are different in Australia.

Hi Jodz, yeah we have different reading method here in Oz. Your's sound pretty darn good !

94, is not low. My blood sugar has gone into the 20’s because I am diabetic and I was asleep when this happened. I take medicine. If my blood sugar gets near seventy, I can feel the difference in my body, but each person is different. Google information on the average blood sugar level. However, there are times I do not eat that my energy levels plummet. You should eat a piece of fruit, or drink some fruit juice in the morning.

Unless you suffer with hyperglycemia, your blood sugar level is ok, your doctor will know, but as far as I know from experience 94 is good.

@Needhelp123: Thank you! I'm not sure what it is. My aunt is also a diabetic, and she says her blood sugar has been between 60-70 plenty of times before, and that 94-99 is not bad as well. But I can't imagine why else I'd be feeling like this.

If it helps at all, some extra information is that I haven't been eating like this at all before. At my old job corps center, you were allowed to eat as much as you want, I was also a firefighter for my old center which gave me money to buy extra snacks and stuff like I wanted, but over here it's quite different. I'm not a firefighter for this center, I don't know anyone here, and I've just started this intermittent fasting thing. I do not have snacks here to eat like I want, and this is the first time I've ever tracked my calories, and I have only been getting between 1200-1800 consistently (usually 1700-1800.)

I have been extremely stressed out with college, being away from my girlfriend, and honestly feeling lonely. I am a hypochondriac as well, so it could be those things + some anxiety. But I'm just tired of feeling like this.

I would say you should stop the fasting for awhile to let your body get back to normal. Whenever I fast I get all off balance. If you are doing strenuous work and not eating enough calories, it would cause a depressed type feeling. There have been times that I felt somewhat depressed but after I sat down and had a meal, I felt better. You should probably not do anything to give your body a reason to feel off balance. If you need to fast, I would do it once a month and for the breakfast meal only. I did that, just one meal, but I did it for almost 40 days, and my system was thrown off course. I hope you make friends where you are, loneliness is horrible. I have a friend that spends a lot of time with me and it makes the world of difference. God’s blessings.

Those blood sugar reading sound good to me. Fasting, in the US, normal range is 70-100. Good random glucose is less than 160. I’m confused why the nurse would say that was low.

Mine has been 40 before. My husband has had a reading of over 300 before!! His sugar is what scares me.

@Glendajean: I'm sorry to hear that. My dorm staff is a diabetic, and she says her blood sugar has been 300 before as well. That's insane...

I know. It scares me when it gets so high. He gets really sleepy. When it’s low he gets really grouchy. Mine probably makes me grouchy too after I haven’t eaten for awhile.

If you are not feeling 100%, you should eat a bit more. You will still lose weight. As to the water, I am not a doctor, but I think one and a half gallons of water is too much. You should ask the nurse or doctor about this.

I think your water intake is way too high. Too much water can cause electrolyte imbalance. It can lower down your sodium to a dangerous level which could cause physical and mental complications such as disorientation and confusion as you described. Too much water can also flush out minerals and other metals that are important for your body. I would recommend that you cut down on your water intake.

When it comes to your blood sugar it is in the normal range and not too low as the nurse suggested.

Good luck.

Sylpink Thank you so much for your response! I apologize for getting to it late, but this will really help me in the long run as well. ^^