Re: OT: I have a question about blood sugar.

Unfortunately he saw nothing coming; just got a bit more tired than usual. He never tested more than every two or three months even when he had to be on Prandin. Now that the diabetes is gone, he rarely tests.

You've given me so much information I'm going to come back to it and digest it properly. Thanks.

Su wrote:
Phyllis, does your husband get any "warning" that his blood sugar level is dropping, or does he go from feeling normal to a complete crash in a matter of seconds? I'm asking because when my glucose level was a little hairy years ago, I could always feel things coming on (shakes, lightheadness, etc). As soon as that happened, I dropped into the closest thing I could find (I didn't care *whose* lap it was <g>)

A couple of things I want to add ... see if you qualify for diabetic supplies at little to no cost -
https://secure.ndpharmacy.com/diabeticsupplies.aspx?kw=glucose&se=overture&sc=ppc&engine=overture!1290&keyword=glucose
This is really important right now. I don't mean to sound like an alarmist, but I would strongly recommend taking his blood sugar level before and after all meals, at least for a while. There may actually be some foods that he has a hypersensitivity to, but you won't know this unless you can make comparisons to food intake vs blood sugar level.

Here's a section on hypoglycemia with foods that are allowed and those you should avoid:
http://www.imbris.net/~bblinzler/hypoglycemia.html
Another diet area:
http://www.gicare.com/pated/edtot19.htm
Here's a link for a renal-diabetic diet:
http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/reviews/renal-diabetic-diet.html

Here's something on Decreased Adrenal Function & Hypoglycemia: (would this fit your husband)
http://www.compassionateacupuncture.com/decreased_adrenal_function.htm#Herbs%20to%20Avoid%20in%20Persons%20with%20Adrenal%20Fatigue
There's a section on useful foods (i.e. carob normalizes hypoglycemia) as well as useful supplements and herbs (as always, keep within your budget). The only item I think is a little iffy is "chromium." A lot of places recommend it and it's a big item in the weight-lifting world, but I've read other articles that say it's not beneficial. So, check with your personal physicians on this one.

What I didn't think of before ... One thing that will jump start the drop in blood sugar very quickly and should not hurt his renal condition is 1 tbsp of natural honey (open mouth and down the hatch). <60 cal, 0 protein, 17.0 g carbs, 0 g fat, 0 mg chol, 0 mg sodium, 0 g fat). I would give this *only* at the start of the symptoms and no other time (i.e. in a cup a tea). Check his blood sugar level in about 30 minutes (some sources say 15 minutes). It it's higher than the minimum level of 70, then he's okay. If not, give him another tbsp of honey and check the level again in 15-30 minutes. But, he's still going to need protein or his sugar is going to drop again faster than an elevator with the cables cut. Give him some ham, turkey, cheese, milk, unsalted crackers, or whole grain cereal. Whatever you think will be best in terms of his allotment for the day.

You might also speak with your health care provider about the administration of glucagon injections (could you give the injections?) It's the fastest way to get glucose into his system, and I'm sure that Medicare would cover things.

Like I said before ... and it's really *very important* ... the best way to regulate his blood sugar level is giving him 5-6 small meals a day. If you can't do that, then 3 regular meals and snacks in between. He has to eat no more than every 3 hours. What about protein bars? Here's a link where you can make your own (includes nutritional information):
http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/healthyrecipes/ht/proteinbar.htm

And make sure that he has both conditions on the medical alert (I presume he wears one).



"Phyllis Nilsson" <phyllisnilsson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:pM2dne1KAZ3MgYHZRVn-jg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks Su. The blood bank gives orange juice (which is too high in potassium), but he is allowed apple juice. By the time he takes his meals and medicine, he's already reached the maximum fluid intake, but, if this doesn't improve by this afternoon, the limits will have to be raised a bit. The protein powder would stil push the protein limit for the day, but that limit may have to go by the wayside too temporarily.

I appreciate the sites you've given. If I can just get him to feeling less tired and weak we might be able to ward off another fall to the floor. The last time it led to a broken and split left femur and a year I wouldn't want to repeat in this lifetime. Thanks so much for the information.




Su wrote:

From what I can tell about renal problems, protein intake has to be
restricted. OTOH, protein stabilizes your blood sugar. So, how do we get the square peg in the round hole?



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