Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Shelster on July 17, 2020, 04:13:03 PM
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Hi ladies. I’m new here and looking for other people’s experiences with blood sugar and HRT.
I’m 45 and have been really struggling with symptoms of low blood sugar for the past two years (not diagnosed, was dismissed by my GP as anxiety, I just know it goes away when I eat!). I’m waiting for the Mirena coil to be fitted before I can start my oestrogen prescription but I’m wondering if any of you on here with similar symptoms felt an improvement when they started HRT. I know there are a few of you on here looking at previous posts! Thanks so much.
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My blood sugar would drop 10-14 days prior to a period. The National Association for Pre-menstrual Syndrome advised that I eat every 3 hours, 24/7. Even in the night. So when I put the puppy out to pee at 3.00 a.m. there was a biscuit for me as I got into bed: it wasn't long B4 she realised ........... ;D
Slow release foods are important: porridge :sick02: ;D , bananas, dried fruits and nuts as snacks. I have stopped shop bought cakes etc. recently to stop that awful bloating I was getting.
Do you cook? DH batch cooks for the freezer so that we don't grab rubbish when hungry ;-).
Hormone Replacement Therapy does what is suggests. Nothing to do with diet.
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Thank you. Yes, I do this already (other than the 24/7 thing!!). That might take some work! x
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24/7, 7/52 ........... etc.. It took me a while. But after a few false starts when I felt quite ill, I got into the habit of eating B4 my body got hungry ;-)
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Personally I think it does help x
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It saved my Life at the time. I would stop eating due to nausea when in fact my body required little and often. As a side effect, I found several small bananas each day cured my restless legs syndrome.
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Hi Shelster
:welcomemm:
The most important way to stabilise blood sugar as CLKD says is to eat slow release foods. Maybe run us through your typical day and what you eat? Many women seem to find problems with blood sugar regulation on becoming peri-menopausal. I certainly did and still do have problems and I take HRT (have done for 13 years). You do not need to eat through the night. Blood sugar is highest in the early hours, but maybe eat something light before you go to bed. I often have a small bowl of natural yogurt last thing as I get very hungry late eve and first thing in the morning for some reason!
Cut out added sugar as much as you can as well as refined carbs white flour pastries bread etc and go for whole grains alternatives but also cut down on the amount of carbs you eat (if you eat a lot of these) and replace with low fat protein which fills you up for longer. Also cut down on juice and sugary drinks if you eat lots of these, for example too.
HRT hasn't made a difference in that sense to me although I think the hormonal fluctuations make blood sugar fluctuations more noticeable in some women.
I presume you have had blood sugar tests as well to see what is actually hapening? If you're like me then it's called non-diabetic hypoglycaemia or reactive hypoglycaemia and doesn't need to be diagnosed by a doc except in the first instance to rule out diabetes. To al intents and purposes the symptoms are excatly like proper hypo ie intesne hunger, sweating and trembling, weakness so you have to eat glucose/sugar quickly to feel OK again which takes a few minutes. This is not good in the long term (eating sugar) so that's why you need to later your diet, how much and what you eat and recognise the signs. I have a pretty big breakfast as my weak point is mornings and if I do an exercise class ( not done since lockdown!) without a big breakfast it will happen while I'm in the class!
Hurdity x
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Thanks Perinowpost, it’s good to know it’s helping you!
Hurdity, I do avoid processed sugars and never have fizzy drinks. I’ve tried low carb and it makes me worse. I really hit a low point when the doctor put me on antidepressants. This was when it really started for me. Now I’m off them but it hasn’t improved. This is what I ate yesterday to give you an idea:
8am porridge with a small amount or raw honey and almond butter
10am four oatcakes with almond butter
12pm bean salad, tuna, avocado
2pm an apple with cottage cheese and a few nuts
4pm a banana
5:30pm brown rice, green veg, tofu
7pm strawberries
8:30pm small bowl of porridge as at breakfast
I eat when I feel the my blood sugar start to drop which seems to be every couple of hours. I’m putting loads of weight on despite always having been a steady 10 stone in the past!
Thanks so much for your tips/ support!
Doc checked thyroid and blood sugar and both in the normal range
Iron levels on the low side so I’ve started supplementing.
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Also worth saying I’m veggie and can’t bear the idea of starting to eat meat again!
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Looking at your menu, which look pretty health, I would say it's a little low on protein. I know this can be a problem if you are a vegetarian but maybe try making your porridge with milk and adding whole Greek yoghurt into the mix.
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Hello Shelster and welcome to the forum.
You say you have not been formally diagnosed so is it worth investing in a monitoring device used by Type 2 diabetics? That way you would be certain that blood sugar control is your problem and be able to track your levels accurately. Sorry if for some reason this is a silly idea lol.
To increase your protein intake perhaps you could add vegetarian protein powder to your porridge or yoghurts or perhaps start making smoothies with added protein powder?
I am no expert but I agree with Shadyglade that your diet looks very healthy to me. Infact it's pretty similar to mine and I eat whole foods , plant based. I do however include complex carbohydrates at every meal including my salads. Having said that I often feel a bit sweaty and anxious etc but without the intense hunger. I am not on HRT and I assume that my wobbles are hormonal and meno related.
Wishing you well and take care.
K.
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Thanks Shadyglade and Kathleen!
Yes, I have some protein powder at the back of the cupboard. I’ll get it out!
I don’t think it’s a silly idea about investing in a blood glucose monitor. I’ve thought about it before but didn’t know if I was going overboard! I’ll have a look now xx
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Just a thought but have you had your B12 levels checked.
Non meat eaters often need to suppliment and you could be confusing symptoms with low blood sugar.
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Ooo, thanks Shadyglade, no I haven’t. I’ll look into it x
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4 me a sudden drop in blood sugar causes me to feel very sick, my thighs followed by calves go weak and I feel light headed. Because my body is hungry. DO NOT WAIT until your body gives those symptoms, eating every 3 hours, 24/7 is what NAPS recommended. Because when 1 stands up to go to the bathroom in the early hours the body uses up energy ....... so a biscuit by the bed is important in the initial 6 months of getting into the habit of eating regularly.
Listen to your body. A friend was veggie from age 21 until her mid-60s when suddenly she craved meat. She thought that she was going mad but we shared a steak - she began eating a small amount meat every month and within 3 months felt better. We are after all meat eaters and sometimes the body requires that type of protein.
Fish? Eggs? Oily fish once a week ..........
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Hello again ladies.
I also agree with Shadyglade about B12. As I don't eat any animal products I take a supplement but if your vegetarian diet includes dairy as well as fish your levels may be okay, can't hurt to have them checked out though.
Take care.
K.
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If you find that occasional meat helps how you feel, then listen to your body? After all, nothing has to be forever. Meat in the UK is produced ethically so going to a family butcher with traceability is important for me. I don't quite want to know the name of the beast but it's useful to learn that it has been raised locally.
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Thanks Perinowpost, it’s good to know it’s helping you!
Hurdity, I do avoid processed sugars and never have fizzy drinks. I’ve tried low carb and it makes me worse. I really hit a low point when the doctor put me on antidepressants. This was when it really started for me. Now I’m off them but it hasn’t improved. This is what I ate yesterday to give you an idea:
8am porridge with a small amount or raw honey and almond butter
10am four oatcakes with almond butter
12pm bean salad, tuna, avocado
2pm an apple with cottage cheese and a few nuts
4pm a banana
5:30pm brown rice, green veg, tofu
7pm strawberries
8:30pm small bowl of porridge as at breakfast
I eat when I feel the my blood sugar start to drop which seems to be every couple of hours. I’m putting loads of weight on despite always having been a steady 10 stone in the past!
Thanks so much for your tips/ support!
Doc checked thyroid and blood sugar and both in the normal range
Iron levels on the low side so I’ve started supplementing.
Hi Shelster
Your diet does look really healthy but I agree with the others that your carbs maybe too high and you need more protein. No need to go low carb as such but just replace some of the carbs with protein. Not sure about powder? I would prefer to eat real foods that fill you up. Unless you are doing intense weight training you shouldn't need protein powders.
Breakfast - I have fruit first eg grapefruit or an orange. Followed by either muesli or porridge with banana or other fruit (rasps, strawbs or bluebs) and sometimes crushed sunflower seeds etc. No added sugar. Then I have a boiled egg ( no toast). If I'm having lots of exercise I sometimes have a handful of nuts and raisins and a piece of fruit late morning. You need to eat enough in quantity so you don't get hungry so quickly so maybe your portion sizes are too small. Always fill up with extra fruit ( even though it contains sugar) - eg apples pears oranges etc or natural yogurt. You can get high protein low fat ones like Skyr which is brilliant! I probably wouldn't eat the porridge in the eve unless you're really active and replace that with something like fruit and Skyr or similar, or cott cheese or something?
Are you very active so that you are needing larger quantities of food?
Personally if you are eating healthy szied portions, and are only moderately active, and still getting low blood sugar symptoms I would press for a more detailed metabolic investigation. When your blood sugar levels wree msesured, was it a fasting morning test or the HBa1c test which measure blood sugar over 3 months? I think neither of these tests would necessarily pick up excessive fluctuations? I'm really no expert but I would yes invest in a BS monitor and measure fasting BS, before meals, 2 hrs after meals and when you get the shaky feelings etc . When I measured mine it is usually just over 4 which is not in the diabetic hypo range but still with the same symptoms. Mind you as it doesn't occur all the time I haven't pursued any further investigation but just manage it with diet but I'm also putting on weight, but thyroid is normal....
I don't have a solution except for diet but just thought I'd share my experience of what sounds like similar phenomenon.
Hurdity x
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Thanks Hurdity, that’s so helpful. And the other ladies too, thanks for your replies. x