seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) (12/20/85)
In article <2124@aecom.UUCP> werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) writes: >> Craig, I'm surprised that you don't know the difference between a test >> for diabetes and a test for hypoglycemia. (hint: there is more than >> one form of hypoglycemia, the test for diabetes only catches one) >> >> Snoopy > > Obviously a test for blood sugar levels would pick up high (diabetes) >and low levels (hypoglycemia). Since you are right that I don't know of any >hypoglycemia that is NOT reflected in low blood sugar levels, you'll have >to enlighten me and the net (or get a mailpath that works). In order for >Fredericks to be right, it would have to be ~1000X more common that the >detectable type. I didn't say that hypoglycemia wasn't related to low blood sugar, I said that the test for diabetics only catches one type of hypoglycemia. The test for diabetics consists of taking a single sample of blood, a "fasting" sample. You can't have eaten anything for 'n' hours previously. If the fasting blood sugar is too high, you have diabetics, (hyperglycemia) if it is too low, you have hypoglycemia. There is another disorder that is also called hypoglycemia. Another name is "reactive" hypoglycemia. This type is much more common. The fasting blood sugar is normal, therefore a diabetics test doesn't catch it. You have to take the Glucose tolorance test (GTT). Procedure for GTT: fast overnight as for the diabetics test. Draw a fasting blood sugar. Drink a bottle of glop containing a measured amount of glucose. Take blood samples every so often and plot out the results. In a normal individual, the blood sugar raises somewhat, then dips down a little and finally levels out. In a diabetic, the blood sugar starts out high, goes way up, and slowly comes down. In a reactive hypoglucemic, the blood sugar starts out normal, then shoots way up, then comes crashing down, and several hours later finally levels out. When the blood sugar is high, you have a lot of energy and feel great, when it is dropping, you feel tired, have headaches, and are very iritible(sp?). A good good test should have samples at least every half hour, every 15 minutes would be better, and should last for six hours, not just three. The morons who did my test refused to do it properly, so the numbers didn't show a problem, but the symtoms were definitely there. (Imagine the nerve of a mere patient thinking that they might possibly know something!) There are a number of books on the subject, which explain all this much better than I have, and give real numbers for the blood sugar levels, and describe variations. (I only described one) According to the books, it's not just the absolute level of blood sugar, but how fast it's dropping that counts. It could be above the fasting level, but be dropping quickly and you would feel rotten. And it could be a little low, but fairly steady, and you could feel ok. The treatment is to avoid refined sugars, and any food that dump a lot of sugar into the blood quickly. Eat food that provides a slow, constant supply. Vitamin and mineral suppliments may help, especially since it is often caused by eating large quantities of refined sugar that "wear out" the pancreas. Refined sugar can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, since it no longer contains what it needs to be metabolized. (Natural sugar does) Recomended reading: "Dr. Atkin's Super Energy Diet", "Dr. Atkin's Nutrition Revolution" by Dr. Atkins [who else? :-) ] "Hypoglycemia, the Disease your Doctor won't treat", by <somebody> (Saunders I think) and Ross. [Ross is a MD, Saunders has hypoglycemia] These can be found in paperback in bookstores and nutrition stores. Yes I know the titles don't sound very highbrow, read them anyway! If I remember right, there are plenty of references for those out there that want them. As far as the mailpath, sorry, but "they" changed the mail software on the "tektronix" machine, resulting in massive problems. (e.g. mail going to the wrong people, tektronix and ihnp4 not talking to each other, fun stuff!) Snoopy tektronix!tekecs!doghouse.TEK!snoopy tektronix may or may not be currently speaking with: allegra, decvax, ihnp4, sequent, ucbvax, uw-beaver, ...
csg@pyramid.UUCP (Carl S. Gutekunst) (12/21/85)
I hate to snipe at a fellow netter, but Snoopy@tekecs's comments on "reactive" hypoglycemia included some common misinformation. >The treatment is to avoid refined sugars, and any food that dump >a lot of sugar into the blood quickly. Eat food that provides a >slow, constant supply. Close, but a bit off the mark. The treatment is to moderate your intake of all food, focussing on an even intake of all carbohydrates. Frequent snacking is recommended, and three balanced meals per day is a must. Sugars are a specific concern since the American diet tends to include them to extremes, and they are so often hidden in unexpected places (like processed foods). >Vitamin and mineral suppliments may help, >especially since it [hypoglycemia] is often caused by eating large quantities >of refined sugar that "wear out" the pancreas. This is utterly and totally false. All forms of hypoglycemia are genetic. Diet may aggravate it, but it doesn't cause it. "Wearing out" the pancreas makes no sense, since in hypoglycemia the pancrease produces *too much* insulin. > Refined sugar >can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, since it no longer >contains what it needs to be metabolized. (Natural sugar does) Oh gawd, I hate to start this one again, but here goes.... This is classic pulp health/diet bilge. Sugar is sugar, be it from factories, oranges, or honey bees. A 12oz glass of freshly squeezed orange juice contains 3 tablespoons of sugar, exactly the same as a 12oz bottle of Coca-Cola. A true hypoglycemic with be aggravated equally by either. Of course the orange juice is more nutritional, but metabolization of sugar has nothing to do with it. Hope this doesn't come across as a flame; I appreciated Snoopy's posting since it *is* extremely difficult to find medicos who understand hypoglycemia. -- Carl S. Gutekunst {allegra,cmcl2,decwrl,hplabs,topaz,ut-sally}!pyramid!csg Pyramid Technology Corp, Mountain View, CA +1 415 965 7200 Look, Ma, no graphics!