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Why am I having this problem with the carbs? Michelle Robson personally sent me.

By December 19, 2009 - 8:22am
 
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I spoke to Michelle Robson personally and she sent me here:

I wonder why I was able to eat foods that had carbs for years and in the last 6 years I am not able to eat carbs without having total hypoglycemic reactions. This has become such a bother for me. I have gone to 5 endocrinologist and they say they have no idea what the problem is since my blood work reads normal. This is a reactive hypoglycemia I have after eating the carbs. I am fine with veggies and berries that barely have carbs or cheeses and eggs which also have tiny amounts. But if I dare eat popcorn, of whole grain bread or Irish oats cereal or low glycemic carbs or any other carbs I get a bad reaction. Of course I could just avoid these foods but I want to get to the bottom of this problem. My thyroid blood work and celiac disease are normal. What could be causing this problem? Is there a way to fix it so I can tolerate carbs? Please help. Thank you.

I do not have any other medical conditions.
I get hunger irritable, shakiness, nervousness, dizziness light-headedness, sleepiness, confusion, difficulty speaking, anxiety and weakness.
This happens like clockwork about an hour and a half every time after I eat carbs that provide a spike in blood sugar.
I have eaten the carbs with and without out foods such as proteins, fats and balanced them and then did not balance them. I have tried all food combinations with the carbs and always get the same reaction and symptoms that I listed above from the carbs.
The carbs that bother me are from sugar, refined starches, potatoes, corn, bananas, mangos and the like. Very low sugar and low carb foods like berries, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and similar foods, do not trigger a reaction since they do not bother my blood sugar. Something like brown rice would set me off into bad symptoms since the carb load is high enough to trigger an insulin spike in me. I do not have diabetes and my resting blood sugar reading is around 72. Please let me know if I need to provide any other information. :)

Add a Comment5 Comments

Hi Samantha,

I am sorry that you have been so frustrated and unable to eat so many things. I would like to start by advising you to see a qualified Naturopathic Physician in your area, www.naturopathic.org is a good place to find one. I think it is important to be evaluated in person and it seems as if you have had quite a bit of lab work done and this also need to be fully evaluated.

All of the foods that you listed being sensitive to have a high glycemic load, which means that they are broken down into glucose or sugar very quickly. This in turn spikes your insulin levels in an attempt to deal with the sudden influx of glucose. Insulin is responsible for helping glucose get out of the blood and into the cells where it can be used for energy. Those high insulin levels remove the glucose quickly from your blood and thus you can experience a hypoglycemic crash. It is very hard on your body to eat high glycemic foods and over time this can contribute to insulin resistance, which can further contribute to the development of type II diabetes.

Here is a website that has some good information on the glycemic index and glycemic load of common foods.

http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

It seems clear that you are having some problem with your blood sugar, and your symptoms sound like you are having a hypoglycemic reaction. You said earlier that your fasting blood sugar was 72, which is low normal in terms of an average.

There is a test called an oral glucose tolerance test, which looks at how your body responds to glucose or sugar. It looks at your fasting glucose and insulin levels and then at those same markers over 4 hours after you eat a load of glucose. It is the best way to determine whether you are having an appropriate response to the sugar you are eating. I think it is a good idea for you to do this if you have not already had this test.

I also think it is worthwhile checking your adrenal glands, which produce cortisol. Cortisol and glucose levels are intricately connected and can impact one another when there is an imbalance. It sounds like the foods you are eating are in some way becoming a stress on your system and this can sometimes be reflected in your adrenal function.

Another thing to consider is a that you are having a food sensitivity reaction to sugar. Sugar is one of the more common foods that people are sensitive to. Food allergy testing can be confusing, but a good naturopathic doctor should be able to guide you through this as a possibility.

It sounds like you have a good sense of what is happening in your body, but are really searching for the cause of the problem, which is not always as clear as we would like it to be. Naturopathic medicine is interested in finding immediate solutions to symptoms so that you can feel better. It is also interested in finding long term answers that can help you attain balance in your body.

Keep us posted on your journey and take care.

January 15, 2010 - 4:46pm

Thank you for the hope. Please get back to me as soon as you find out.

December 23, 2009 - 9:25am

When I told Michelle that I feel I need to give up becuase nobody I have seen in the medical world has helped, she insisted that I could turn to her site to be heard finally. Please see if any of your resources can get some answers.

Thank you so much.

December 19, 2009 - 8:39am

Yes , I was tested for diabtetes and came back normal. I did go to a dietician, nutritionist and allergist and nobody has any answers for me.

Michelle Robson is my last hope!!!!

December 19, 2009 - 8:36am
(reply to richmanlopez)

Hello richmanlopez,
I just read your post as I was searching for answers myself. Like you I also suffer from a lot of the same symptoms that you do and have been for many years. I don't know if this will help but maybe we can bounce ideas off each other. I have Candida and have had it for years, I am also in adrenal fatigue so when I read what the physician said to you I couldn't help but reply. I haven't found any answers to totally heal myself as of yet, but still determined and frustrated. Please check into the Candida thing and read all that you can and also the adrenal fatigue, I believe you will see puzzle peices fitting together as I did and do, (just haven't completed the puzzle as of yet. I went on a raw foods diet for one month and I could go on about all this, but it is lengthy. It did help some of my problems. Please seek naturopathic physicians for the adrenal fatigue and Candida if that is in fact what you have. You will get better result from that type of doctor (they take it seriously, as opposed to western medicine. If you would like to talk further I would love to know what you have found out thus far. Gool Luck, ssbblka

June 26, 2010 - 10:39am
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