Low blood sugar or reaction to 'caffeine'?!


Question: Low blood sugar or reaction to 'caffeine'?
For a while I had considered myself Hypoglycemic or when I do not eat enough, by blood sugar drops and I would get very irritable, unable to think clearly, I feel as if everything is moving fast and I cannot keep up, and my hands shake. At times I feel as if I might pass out. Usually when I eat, the problem goes away. With this information I self diagnosed as 'hypoglycemic' and just tried to make sure I eat.

However, in looking closer at my situation, I have had a few episodes that do not quite fit with the above scenario.
1. I do not have an 'episode' every time I do not eat. I've gone almost 24 eating maybe 200 calories and was only hungry.
2. The last several times I have had an episode it was after drinking coffee or a stimulant. I would eat breakfast and drink a coffee and a few hours later I get anxious, start to shake and get very irritable.
3. The last 2 were the most intense. I was driving home from a road trip. It was about 15 hours since my last real meal, however I had been snacking during that time. I had a Starbucks energy drink to keep me awake as I drove at night. Toward the morning, I started getting very irritable, and I started shaking. When we did stop to eat, I could not stop shaking/bouncing my leg, and I started rubbing my legs with my hands. After I ate, my body calmed down.
4. The last episode was even stranger. I had just eaten lunch and I took a 5 hour energy to keep me awake during a long afternoon meeting. Within 30 minutes of taking it, my hand started to shake. It was as if there were too much energy in my body and I was going to explode if I did not do something to get it out. I could shake my hand or bounce my leg, but I could not sit still, and I could barely concentrate. I ate some crackers that I had near-by but they did not help. This lasted almost 4 hours until we went to eat. I did not eat much, but my body did calm down. Also, I have taken 5 hour energy before and never had a reaction like this. It usually keeps me awake with making me 'hyper', like regular energy drinks. Even with regular energy drinks I generally do not have this type of reaction.

I do not know what is causing these episodes. The symptoms do not seem to match hypoglycemia, but maybe thy are just a different type. Looking for thoughts, similar experiences, or suggestions.

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Yours might be a caffeine allergy, but keep in mind, too, that if you're consuming a lot of sugar in the coffee, that could be causing your blood sugar to crash later.



My mother has been diabetic for many of years and as i grew up watching her have her episodes i've always noticed different things like:

Even if she ate she could still have an episode, she would either shake uncontrollably or lay completely still, she was always fidgity, cold to the touch but sweaty, confused.

Everybody has different effects when they're diabetic but i would go see a doctor asap and get some tests done.




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