I wasn't dreamin it...

So I've been feeling funky for some time. Especially funky lately, but to some degree, for as far back as I can remember. But it got so extreme recently that I finally decided to get a doctor to confirm what I've suspected for the last 9 months. I had a blood test or two, and... I was right... I have hypoglycemia. Reactive hypoglycemia to be precise. This means that when I have something sugary, my bod overcompensates for it, and produces so much insulin that it eats up all the sugar in my body and I am in starvation mode (hence my difficulty losing weight even while doing intense half-marathon training.) Also, if this progresses much more, my system can get so out of whack that it errs in the opposite direction and I become diabetic. Fun.

It's kind of a crazy thing. When I first found out that I might have this issue (about a month or two before Regin was born), I was filled with huge relief. Suddenly there was a physiological explanation (other than "chemical imbalance") for many of my problems (including anxiety and depression). Lately, that relief has shifted to feelings of anger, frustration, and sadness. I've been mourning the life I could have had without all the struggles that this illness may have given me. Actually virtually every issue I have, could be explained by hypoglycemia. I do remember my mom asking a doctor about some of my mysterious ailments when I was young, such as feeling "faint" all the time. Her concerns were dismissed (I just love doctors!) But I can't help but wish that she had pressed a little more, gotten a second opinion, or perhaps put two and two together that my faint feelings often were resolved by having a small glass of apple juice. Helllooooo? Ahhhh hind sight. As it was, I learned to distrust my instincts and float somewhere between a hypochondriac and dismissing any symptom I ever have. I wasn't really feeling dizzy or faint or tired, I was just lazy and depressed. I wasn't nauseated, apparently I was hungry.

Now, I'm doing my best to look forward. This is fairly good news. I mean, I don't know if I will ever be able to eat pancakes, french toast, or crepes again (I am willing to try Stevia, but I refuse to use any of those nasty artificial sweeteners), but, if I manage my diet better, I may feel the best I've felt since who knows when!

FYI, I've been researching this online, and apparently hypoglycemia is much more common than people know. And it is usually the precursor to diabetes, so if you think you might have it, you should start to learn to manage it too. I've put a list of some possibly related symptoms below (the ones I've experienced are bolded).

fatigue
insomnia
mental confusion
nervousness
mood swings
faintness
headaches
depression
phobias
heart palpitations
a craving for sweets
cold hands and feet
forgetfulness
dizziness
blurred vision
inner trembling
outbursts of temper
sudden hunger
allergies
crying spells
bad dreams
stomach cramps
brown spots or bronzing of the skin
trouble making decisions
irritability
lack of energy
difficulty concentrating
sleepy during the day (and after meals)
extreme hunger
sweating
anxiety
nausea
restless leg


I've come across other related symptoms and issues, such as chronic pain and fybromyaligia, the latter is yet another thing that may or may not be present in my family. And some people are linking Alzheimer's with hypoglycemia/diabetes too, which also has presented itself in our family.