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Jenny	Sep-05-01, 03:50 PM (CMT)
"Hypoglycemia & headaches"
Someone mentioned on one of the postings of having hypoglycemia. I was diagnosed as "borderline" but never given any meds. I always had that "I'm starving, feed me NOW!" syndrome, and then I'd start feeling like I had the flu and get a migraine if I didn't eat immediately. I happened across an article about kelp being helpful in the treatment because you get more iodine to your thyroid. I started taking one kelp a day. Within a month or so I happened to look at the clock while I was working and it was 2pm. I hadn't gotten hungry at lunch time, I hadn't gotten achey or a migraine. I'm still taking the kelp and it's completely taken care of all signs of hypoglycemia. And best of all, it's not a drug and there are no side effects!
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RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B , Sep-05-01, (1) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, leebones, Sep-05-01, (2) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-06-01, (3) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-06-01, (4) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-06-01, (5) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, mo_marie, Sep-06-01, (6) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-06-01, (7) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B , Sep-06-01, (8) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, alison, Sep-07-01, (9) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B, Sep-07-01, (10) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-07-01, (11) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B , Sep-07-01, (12) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-08-01, (13) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B , Sep-08-01, (14) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-09-01, (15) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B , Sep-10-01, (16) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-10-01, (17) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-10-01, (18) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, alison, Sep-10-01, (19) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B , Sep-10-01, (20) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Steve B , Sep-10-01, (21) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-11-01, (22) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-12-01, (23) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-12-01, (24) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, 30yrsofheadache, Sep-15-01, (30) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-13-01, (25) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, alison, Sep-13-01, (26) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, charmed quark, Sep-13-01, (27) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, alison, Sep-13-01, (28) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, charmed quark, Sep-13-01, (29) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, NikaB, Sep-15-01, (31) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-15-01, (32) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-16-01, (33) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Jenny, Sep-16-01, (34) RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches, Sunshine, Sep-17-01, (35)

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Steve B	Sep-05-01, 08:02 PM (CMT)
1. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
Jenny- Sounds interesting! I have been posting on the subject of hypoglycemia for a while now. 'Been on the diet for almost 2 years and migraine free for last 15 months. But I never heard of eating kelp. Do you eat the whole plant? Just kidding... how many tabs, how large and what kind? Did you ever make a connection between your migs and the hypo? How long have you been doing this? How long have you gone without a migraine? How often did you have migs? How long? Many years? Ooops! Sorry- getting carried away! I'm really interested as I have read that table salt in one or two gram doses stabilize blood sugar levels. Iodine in table salt may be the critical element and not the salt itself, if what you are experiencing is a valid treatment. Please post again with as much detail as you dare or write me privately. There has been some activity on this board regarding thyroid and migraine so others beside myself might be interested in reading too. Looking forward to your post! steve
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leebones	Sep-05-01, 10:11 PM (CMT)
2. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
Wow, just kelp. That sounds great. I too would like to know dosage ect. that would be great for my entire family. 3 of the 4 of us get terrible shakes when we dont eat reg. That sound very easy. wendy
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Sunshine	Sep-06-01, 12:24 PM (CMT)
3. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
Kelp is the number one supplement to take (by herbalogist) for thyroid conditions. I have heard this for years, also think about LBS and thyroid, they go hand in hand. You guys are making way to much sense to me. I do know that you can take to much Kelp, if you try it, make sure you follow what the bottle says. I'll go home and see what mine says and post it tomorrow. I think I'lll start taking it again too. Thanks, Sunshine.
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Sunshine	Sep-06-01, 12:24 PM (CMT)
4. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
Kelp is the number one supplement to take (by herbalogist) for thyroid conditions. I have heard this for years, also think about LBS and thyroid, they go hand in hand. You guys are making way to much sense to me. I do know that you can take to much Kelp, if you try it, make sure you follow what the bottle says. I'll go home and see what mine says and post it tomorrow. I think I'lll start taking it again too. Thanks, Sunshine.
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	Jenny	Sep-06-01, 01:27 PM (CMT)
	5. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Hi guys, I take one kelp a day. The brand is Nature's Way and I usually get it at GNC. Most health food or vitamin stores carry that brand. I stick to that particular one because if you pick up a couple of brands and compare the amount of iodine there's a HUGE difference between one brand and another. Nature's Way has the most that I've found...300mcg each of iron and iodine and 30mg of sodium. In this case taking more is not necessarily better, because you can get iodine poisoning if you take too much. I've taken one a day for 3 or 4 years now. It took a month or so before I noticed any difference. I just added it to my other vitamins and hormones that I take daily and really didn't think about it. Now I won't skip a day! It's been a tremendous help. I used to get migraines if I got hungry and wasn't able to eat immediately, as in within minutes of the hunger pangs. I no longer have the shakes, the hunger headaches, feeling like I'm getting the flu. It's really almost too simple to believe, but trust me on this. I've told several people about it and I know of 3 others that it's helped just as much. I still get migraines, but now they are strictly heat and weather related triggers. Biofeedback stopped the tension migraines completely. So I'm slowly hacking away at all the triggers. I'm convinced that if WE don't find the cure, the doctors give up on us way too soon. Not to mention that most of them have no knowledge whatsoever of herbs, minerals, and vitamin supplementation. I've told drs. about the kelp treatment and I always get a reaction like "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Not verbal, but you can see they're thinking if they can't write it on a prescription pad, it must not be valid. Hope this helps everyone.
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	mo_marie	Sep-06-01, 06:08 PM (CMT)
	6. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Thanks for your post,Jenny! It sounds like you've been working at conquering the migra-monster for awhile...glad you have found something useful to cut them down. This sounds really interesting...I'm going to do some research...take care,June
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Sunshine	Sep-06-01, 08:52 PM (CMT)
7. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
Mine is Natures Way also. I am going to try it again for awhile, sounds like at least a month and see how I feel. Thanks for the advice. Sunshine.
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	Steve B	Sep-06-01, 09:01 PM (CMT)
	8. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	I'm going to try it too, starting tomorrow. I have a really good and immediate feed back system so I'll probably be able to write back with some kind of effectiveness report within a week or so. Here's hoping! Steve
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	alison	Sep-07-01, 10:11 AM (CMT)
	9. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	thanks for all that information, i'm going to go and get some assuming i can get it in my local health food shop(in the uk)i've been trying to find the book steve mentioned on hyoglycemia but i couldn't get hold of it.it will be interesting to see what steve's feedback is as it seems he is the hypoglycemia expert(and i can't even spell it right!) i'm very scared of the kind of diet i know it would recommend though as sometimes the only thing to get me through the day is to eat lots of chocolate and sweet things that are bad for me!!
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	Steve B	Sep-07-01, 12:38 PM (CMT)
	10. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Alison- If you can't find the book at the on-line stores like Amazon.com or your local book store, I'll be happy to get a copy for you and mail it to you. Or you can go directly to the author- he's right there in the UK. (Bournemouth County) His E-mail is MLB@martin-budd.com web site is www.martin-budd.com Jenny- I got the Kelp tabs today. 250 micro-grams iodine per tab. Most I could find. Thanks for the tip steve
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	Jenny	Sep-07-01, 07:20 PM (CMT)
	11. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Steve, The 250mcg shouldn't be that different. We're talking micrograms, afterall. In this case, I don't think it would hurt to take two at a time and get 500mcg. Remember, I was borderline hypoglycemic, so if you've got the full diagnosis, you might need the extra iodine. I think the cautions are for people who would pop 10 at a time. Good luck! I hope it's as dramatic a change for you as it was for me.
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	Steve B	Sep-07-01, 07:58 PM (CMT)
	12. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Thanks- I'll take two. They're small! BTW: I meant to ask you about your diagnosis of "borderline hypoglycemia" and if you don't mind sharing some of that with the group. I wondered how that was made. From what you've written I'd say you are a full blown reactive hypoglycemic to a degree that is at least as bad or even worse than mine. Your description of sudden food cravings followed immediately by migraine is exactly what i went through for 25 years. Neither doctor I saw for this problem made the diagnosis in me. I did that myself using a glucometer. Did your doctor give you any dietary advice to control the symptoms? Did you measure and track your blood sugar? What all did you do to limit the LBS episodes? And are you sucessfully avoiding migs now. Just curious... and wishing you a pain free day! Steve
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	Jenny	Sep-08-01, 11:55 AM (CMT)
	13. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Oh, Steve, I had to laugh when you asked about the doctors and what kinds of tests they did. Most of my experience with doctors is that they mumble around to themselves and I catch bits and pieces of heart-stopping and alarming bits of their conversations with themselves. I.e. one doctor decided during a routine exam that I was anemic. I stated that my iron level had always been low. He then launched into medical-speak about anemia, drawing blood, and needing a bone marrow transplant!!!! #*$&*! In the end, I am just one of those people who are normally on the low iron end of "average." Anyway, I digress. I was seeing a sinus specialist (and the hair-raising yet humorous story behind that is waaay too long to tell), but she asked me at one point if I ever got hungry. Well, duh. I gave her the type of look that question deserves and said, "Uhhh, yeah!" She said, "No, I mean REALLY hungry, as in you have to eat right then or you get mean." I told her yes, and that I'd get headaches, feel like I was getting the flu, shakey, but if I ate something, even as little as a cracker, I'd be okay until I got food. She then mumbled that I sounded like I was borderline hypoglycemic, then never mentioned it again. Having, at this point, been on dozens of meds trying to solve the problem I was in there for (turned out to be referred pain in my shoulders causing severe earaches, and cured by acupuncture), I wasn't interested at all in trying more meds for anything borderline. But I kept it in the back of my mind, and when I was researching herbs and supplements and came across the thing on kelp, I tried it. I could tell when I was suffering LBS without any tests. Even now, if I get busy or we're on vacation and I don't eat regularly, I can feel the drop. I've really learned over the years to listen to my body and trust my instincts when it comes to trying meds. I've discovered that I respond better to alternative and Eastern medicine rather than conventional Western medicine. Alternative and Eastern medicine treats the entire body AND the problem, where Western medicine treats the symptoms more than the problem. Acupuncture, chiropractics (orthogonal/Atlas technique), and herbs and vitamins have given me more help than any other treatment. I'm focusing on those aspects now with the migraines. I'm getting acupuncture and taking supplements. And <crossing my fingers here> there have been 3 storm systems roll through here in the last 4 days, and I've had 4 pain-free days. When I woke up this morning to the roll of thunder I almost cried when I realized that my head was absolutely clear! This was after my 7th acupuncture treatment on Tues. It was one of the most unpleasant treatments yet (yes, acupuncture hurts if they do it right)but I think he must have done something right. Sorry for going off on that tangent. I hope I answered all the hypoglycemia questions. As for the hypo-related headaches...I haven't had one since that month that I realized the kelp was working...so that's got to be about 3 or 4 years.
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	Steve B	Sep-08-01, 10:36 PM (CMT)
	14. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Jenny- I really would like to know more about your headaches, if you don't mind sharing more info. I have had the same experiences with the docs as you- maybe even worse. Twice in the first ten years of suffering migraines I asked docs to test me for hypoglycemia, specifically asking for a 6 hour glucose tolerance test. Both times when I showed up at the appointment for the test I was given a simple fasting test and pronounced fit. More recently I saw a neurologist and brought mith me a log of blood sugar levels and migraines over a two week period. The doc did not even bother to look at the log, saying that there was no connection between the LBS and migs. He gave me some samples of migrainol and dismissed me. You know quacks-I know quacks! We all know quacks!! And they dare to put a phd after their name! (Pile it Higher and Deeper) You seem to differentiate between LBS triggered headaches and those caused by other triggers. How do you make this differenciation? The reason I ask is that (for me) I found that eliminating the underlying trigger (LBS) also eliminated (what I call) the top level triggers. In other words when the LBS trigger is "pulled" because of not eating right, something like loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, cold air on my neck, dehydration, exercise, fatigue or sleeplessness would trigger onset of the migraine. Before I knew of the association between hypoglycemia and migraines, I just figered that these "known triggers" were some of MY triggers and I just had to avoid them. But they weren't always triggers! Once I learned of the LBS link, it became clear what was happening. To get the migraine I had to have a combination of an underlying trigger (LBS) and a top level trigger being active at the same time to trigger a mig. Anything less and I would only get a TN (trigeminal neuralgia) headache that could be successfully treated with vanquish or excedrine. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Do you still have the migraines following a LBS event but with a top level trigger going too? You mention weather being a big factor to your headache occurances. Maybe your LBS trigger is still "pulled" but not as bad as it used to be. Have you kept a record of your blood sugar levels? Still curious Steve
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	Jenny	Sep-09-01, 01:34 AM (CMT)
	15. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	>You seem to differentiate between LBS triggered headaches and those caused by other triggers. How do you make this differenciation? > >Does any of this sound familiar to you? Do you still have the migraines following a LBS event but with a top level trigger going too? Have you kept a record of your blood sugar levels?> Steve, I never associated the LBS triggered headaches with any others. The only association of triggers that I ever noticed were tension headaches along with just about any trigger you can mention. Smells, lights, LBS, hormones, even bending over the wrong way or eating one bite too much. Then I went through the biofeedback training and so significantly lowered my tension level that I no longer have tension migraines. (I was also diagnosed with vascular migraines.) Since then, the other triggers have stopped causing migraines, except for weather changes and heat. These make sense with the vascular diagnosis. I've never checked my blood sugar levels, mostly because I don't have the symptoms of LBS that I had before. If I get hungry, I don't have that FEED ME NOW feeling, but if I do put off eating for too long, I'll feel the little reminder in my head, so I stop everything then and eat. It's not a headache so much as a threatening little tap on the shoulder. After I started on the kelp and saw such a difference, THAT was when I slowly started to realize that the only times I had headaches then was when I stayed in the heat too long (the time that I could stay out got shorter and shorter) or if the weather changed. I haven't really noticed any association with top level triggers corresponding with the heat/weather headaches. For instance, two weekends ago I was feeling fine, the sun was shining, and suddenly I felt this pressure starting to build in my head, as if someone were pumping air into my brain and the pressure had nowhere to go. Within five or ten minutes, I was miserable. I happened to turn the weather channel on, and they were just showing the radar and talking about how storms were all around us. We had sunshine but we also had storms in a 360 radius just about 10 miles from us. That explained it all. There were no other triggers involved that I can identify. Have you gone through biofeedback training? No one could have convinced me before I went that I was THAT tense or would notice such a huge difference. I did some really intensive practice in between the training sessions, and after I completed the training, actually long before I completed it, I had lowered my tension level to such a degree that when something started to make me tense up, I immediately recognized it (meaning I felt it) and I would go into my relaxation mode. Once you lower the tension level, you're able to notice the rising tension so much more quickly. The problem most people have with biofeedback not working is that they don't practice it enough to get to the point where it helps. The therapist explained to me that we are constantly barraged with the "fight or flight" syndrome. Not all that many years ago, we didn't have to call on that primative urge very often, but in today's world we use it dozens of times a day, from swerving to miss the person talking on the cell phone and trying to plow right into us, to doing what it takes just to keep our jobs. Our tension level doesn't have time to settle back to normal before we send it flying up there again, and before we know it, our "normal" is hovering at the dangerous level and it takes very little then to send us into a tension headache. My tension headaches always turned into vascular ones. So, yes, much of your experiences sound familiar, but I don't think I have any other triggers working with the heat and weather, or if I do it's just coincidence. One other thing, and I'm almost afraid to post it for fear of jinxing myself, but I've been having acupuncture treatments for the problem. I hadn't seen much improvement and was about ready to give up, but I went to my 7th appt. on Tues. I told the acupuncturist that I'd had a bad week and I didn't think he'd hit on the problem yet. He worked on me for 2 hours, and believe me, it wasn't a pleasant two hours. But since Tues. we've had 3 days of storms roll through here, and I've been headache free, totally, through all those storms. I woke up this morning to the sound of rain battering the roof and thunder rumbling, and I almost cried because I wasn't in the excrutiating pain I normally feel when I wake up to those sounds. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and pretty much in a constant state of prayer that this is working. Only time and more storms will tell, though. I will definitely keep you posted on that. I hope I answered what you wanted to know. If not, keep asking. I'd do whatever it took to help someone else get rid of these monsters. Best of luck!
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	Steve B	Sep-10-01, 10:35 AM (CMT)
	16. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Jenny- Yes I have used the bio-feedback method for a number of years. I called it self hypnosis (sp) and used it to offset effects of too little sleep and too much stress. At the time I was convinced that these two factors were largely responsible for my headaches. Quitting the stressful job helped immensely to reduce the level of chronic pain in my back and frequency of headaches. This enabled me to believe I was correct in my self-diagnosis of stress and fatigue induced migraines. But stress (fight or flight) like your example of the cell phone distracted driver, does funny things to your body- not the least of which is to pump a bunch of adreneline into your blood stream. And as you well know, this effects blood sugar levels in a very adverse way for the hypoglycemic individule. I don't get the "feed me NOW" food cravings you describe anymore either. In fact most of the time my cravings were not so much to satisfy a hunger pang in my stomach as to eliminate head pain or dull wittedness and the threat of an impending migraine attack. But I still get LBS events. Just not as often and not as deep. I have not had a case of the "shakes"(no, not chocolate - but I sure do miss Dairy Queen texas size shakes, even at 1400 cals. ) since giving up coffee. Coffee has about the same effect on blood sugar as adreneline. I would like to know if you might be willing to do a little work, an "experiment" of sorts to document your current blood sugar levels and try some dietary controls to see if you can eliminate all your headaches. Would you would be willing to buy a glucometer and get a good base line record of BS levels and then go full-on the hypoglycemic diet and keep a diary of progress? I think this would be some very useful information to the group here as well as the medical community at large should they ever decide to recognise the hypoglycemia and migraine relationship. I have rid myself of all migraines and most all head pain, including the "heat" migraines you mention, as well as the chronic back pain too. I think - no I'm SURE that you can realize the same benefits too with just a little more work. Would this be worth the effort to you? I'd be willing to help out all I can and I think that your success would become everybodys success. It worked for me and if it works for you too, this adds credibility to the theory of LBS induced migraines and my personal theory of top level triggers being active only when underlying triggers are also active. What do you think about all this? Here's hopeing! steve
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	Jenny	Sep-10-01, 11:27 AM (CMT)
	17. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Steve, Of course, I'll try anything to get rid of all my headaches! I will admit that staying on a strict diet isn't something I'll swear that I can do, because I'm just not good at that. I'm underweight as it is, so whenever anyone tries to alter my eating habits, it's a real challenge. Getting rid of all the migraine triggers in the food wasn't a problem, since I wasn't crazy about most of those things anyway. Can you send me all the info on how to do this? The diet, how often to test to blood sugar level, etc.? You can email it to me at JenLykins@aol.com unless you want to post it here. I'll be leaving town in the morning because of a death in my husband's family and won't be back until Sat. If I have room for my laptop I'll take it, but I'm not sure if I'll have room. I'll be checking my email tonight before I go to bed. BTW, this is day 6 of no headaches. The bad weather has moved out and we've got a wonderful, cool day here. I do feel the tiniest bit of pressure because of the cold front, but NOTHING like I'd been feeling. Anyway let me know all the details on how to go about this test and I'll give it my best shot. I'll even be honest if there's something on the diet I can't give up. (Like bread. PLEASE don't ask me to give up bread!) And since I had to change my nuerodoc appt. to next Mon. instead of this Thurs. maybe I'll have something for him to think about with this theory of yours. The one thing I've found with doctors is they LOVE having new and unusual things to write papers on, especially a new concept that they can take credit for. Down with pain!!!
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	Sunshine	Sep-10-01, 12:37 PM (CMT)
	18. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	LAST EDITED ON Sep-10-01 AT 12:40 PM (CMT) Steve and Jenny please keep posting here. I've been following your conversation so closely. I'm going to go buy one of those duhickys too. Wether it ever gets rid of the migraines or not I would love to eat something and not fall asleep 30 minutes later. Its really become a critical issue with me. Oh by the way, I have been on the Kelp for 4 days now, probably to soon for me, but what about you Steve or Jenny? Notice anything yet. Sunshine.
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	alison	Sep-10-01, 12:43 PM (CMT)
	19. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	steve, thanks for the info on the book, i am going to see if my local bookshop can order it for me, i just couldn't deal with organising that last week. do you feel it is really worth getting a blood sugar monitor? i wonder if i can buy one in a phamacy over here? as you've been talking about the blood sugar thing on this site i have trying to be more aware of it. i sometimes think that once i have that feeling it is then too late to rectify it. i had it today after exercising, i ate a banana straight away but then couldn't really eat enough to feel right once i got home and now, 7 hours later my head is bad. jenny, i hope you feel the acupuncture is still helping you. i have tried it a lot and although it hasn't made a huge difference it has helped sometimes and i love going, i find it really relaxing once the needles are in! one acupuncturist i had told me whilst the needles were in to envisage the heat leaving my head and travelling down my body and out of my feet- don't know if this will help at all.
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	Steve B	Sep-10-01, 01:17 PM (CMT)
	20. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Good news! You don't have to give up bread (completely). What you will have to give up is the "bad" bread and go with the "good" bread. Whole wheat or whole grain is OK in moderation. Your craving for bread is probably an indication of some fluctuation in glucose levels still going on and *IF* you are indeed a reactive hypoglycemic like me, this craving will pass with better glucose control. In other words, less bread will satisfy you more, and help to get rid of the headaches. BTW: what bread(s) and in what quantities are you eating now? As for the diet- this is something you'll have to fine tune for yourself in order to get the best results. The basic idea is to eat only healthy foods, in small servings and eat often, usually every 2-3 hours. You might want to consult with a physician or dietition if your worried about weight issues but from what I know, weight is mostly a calories-in vs calories-out equation. You can tune the diet to provide the calories that give you the weight you want. Since all the food is healthy, you won't feel deprived of any foods or minerals, etc. Avoid all sugars, highly refined grains and certain fruits (like bananas) and all processed fruit juices. Stay away from juiced carrots too.(I know Pete will object) As for measuring your glucose levels, buy a glucometer at any pharmacy and get at least 50 test strips. Learn to use the meter by testing a few times. You might want to test as below before you actually start the diet for comparison. Also test if you think you are having a LBS episode and also at the start of any head pain. Keep records! Then to start your program, here's what I did: Start by taking a test upon rising in the morning. Then again 15 minutes after STARTING to eat b-fast.(Don't wait too long) Then again at 30 minutes and again at 1 hour. These are the most critical times for a reactive hypolycemic as the issue is too much insulin too soon after eating, particularly in the morning. You can test at 1 hour intervals all afternoon and if you want more detail around big meals you can test as you do at b-fast. Snack at two hour intervals of fresh fruit, cheese, animal protein (like a boiled egg), yogurt, etc. (I'll give you a list). For lunch, I eat a 1/2 sandwich made of whole heat bread, mayo and sliced deli meat. A few chips made from corn- not wheat flour- and a small fresh fruit. ONLY water to drink cold or room temp. This works quit well but you'll get the idea and create lunches of your own. Two hours later I eat the other half of the sandwich and some fruit and water. Continue snacking until dinner. Then eat any animal protein you want and eat only brown rice or Kashi, yams or sweet potatoes, corn, but no white potatoes or white rice for starch. Eat all the veges and salad you want. Sorry- no dessert! Snack every two hours until you go to sleep. As you can see, it's not a restrictive diet at all. You'll probably lose some weight at first and then gain a little back as you adjust the calories. I weigh every morning upon rise and adjust calories and exercise accordingly. I am excited that you are willing to do this and share your experience with others. I only wish someone had taken me through the steps early on so that I would have had better records. Trying to figure out what your body is telling you while in a "LBS dull" condition is somewhat challanging and I didn't think to keep detailed records, although I do have some. Try to enlist the help of your doctor if you think he might be interested in tracking your progress. It can only help, particularly if you are successful. HE'll take the credit and that's OK but make sure he'll share the NOBEL prize money with you! (YEA SURE!!) Thanks again for willing to be a guinea pig with this. Maybe we should start a dieters club within this board. What so you think? Steve
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	Steve B	Sep-10-01, 01:28 PM (CMT)
	21. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Sunshine- I've been taking the Kelp tabs for about 7 days now. Hard to tell how much they help but I did have much less reaction to a small dietary excursion the other day. Actually a very large dietry excursion. A big long island tea before dinner out, potato with all the trimmings and ice cream and cake. I hit ALL the known triggers! Went to bed at 10 pm but did not get to sleep until 5 am as blood sugar was going "goofy" the whole time. Not a single problem the next day or today. No head pain at all. Was it the Kelp or have I healed enough that I can't trigger a migraine at all? Blood sugar is still an issue for me but I don't seem to pay as high a price anymore for my dietary "sins". I plan to continue to Kelp tabs. No reason not to! Steve
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	Sunshine	Sep-11-01, 06:39 AM (CMT)
	22. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	thanks for sharing Steve, the only difference I have noticed in the 5 days now I have been taking it is, I am waking up earlier in the morning. I normally get up at 4:30 am, and that was usually dragging myself up at 4:45 or be late to work. I have woke up and actually felt 'perky' the last 2 mornings at 4:00. I still have a headache though, not bad, but its there. I followed the diet to a T the last 2 days. But I haven't got the blood test unit yet. By the end of the day, I'm ready for bed at 8:30 and I sleep like a log, as my husband says, lol. I'll keep posting. I don't seem to eat as often as you guys do, but I do think so far it is ok for me. The only problem I have is late afternoon, my arms get very shaky as I want dinner at 3:30 and my family isn't even home yet, so we eat around 5. I know what your going to say, eat some protein when I get home, and I have and it helps, but not perfectly all the time. Thats why the kelp thing has interested me. I truly believe I'm eating enough calories, just don't know how to adjust it. I normally eat 2 eggs at work early in the morning, then chicken and a salad for lunch. Then dinner is lots of summer veggies and I have been faithful in adding more protein (last month or so). The bread thing doesn't seem to work for me. I really think I have a problem with bread and milk, they don't sit well on my stomach, maybe some enzyme thing or something. Well we'll see how this helps. I have been on thyroid tablets for almost 30 years, since a teenager and have had borderline diagnosis of hypoglycemia about 10 years ago. My checkup this summer says, you are in the peak of health, but I'm tired, I think too tired for me. I just thought, another herb for hypoglycemia that worked for me was Licorice Root. Again it is Natures Way. Now that this post is so long, I'll finish telling my story, I started getting migraines when I suffered a head injury. So to say I have a defective gene or had them all my life, I haven't. But I totally agree with you, somehow all these health issue seem to be related. I'm to the point after many trials with preventative drugs and their untolerable side effects, there's got to be another way. So we'll see what happens..and thank you again for all the time you have spent in sharing your experiences. Sunshine.
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	Jenny	Sep-12-01, 06:50 AM (CMT)
	23. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	I'm out of town for a funeral, so I'll make a quick post and post more later... I didn't notice any difference with the kelp until I'd taken it for a month, but then again,I just started taking it and didn't "look" for any type of reaction. I only noticed the huge difference after being glued to my desk for hours and noticing that I was hours past my usual "FEED ME" mode. Quite possibly the results came much quicker and I just hadn't noticed. More later. I've got a funeral to go to. Let's all say an extra prayer for the country. Jenny
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	Jenny	Sep-12-01, 04:08 PM (CMT)
	24. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Steve, I'm back. Would you mind either posting here or emailing me separately the diet, or at least the absolute no-nos. Dessert isn't a problem giving up, and I eat wheat bread or healthier. Sometimes I eat lots of bread, other days not so much. Anyway, I'm not at all familiar with the hypoglycemia diet. And so far, ladies and gentleman, I'm still painfree since my last acupuncture treatment 8 days ago!!!! I've been obnoxiously perky! Of course, the next storm front will tell the tale. I have another appt. for needling this Tues. Will keep ya'll posted. Jenny
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	30yrsofheadache	Sep-15-01, 04:39 AM (CMT)
	30. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Sunshine, I have very similar symptoms to yours. I recently found out I have Celiac disease. This is a problem with your body not tolerating gluten in most grains. It is also very common to be lactose intolerant with this disease. You might want to ask your Dr. about testing you. Cindy
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Sunshine	Sep-13-01, 06:27 AM (CMT)
25. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
Jenny, Isn't Steve B. a pilot? Not that I think something has happened directly to him, but maybe he is very busy right now with other things. I hope everything is ok. Its been a very draining couple of days and looks like no end in sight for now. If you read this Steve, I am praying all is well in your life, at least as best as it can be....... We will wait to hear from you. Sunshine.
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	alison	Sep-13-01, 07:11 AM (CMT)
	26. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	my thoughts are with you all in the US at the moment, i hope nobody on this site is directly affected. i bought some kelp today-there was icelandic and sea kelp- i bought the sea kelp. it has 68mg calcium and 245ug of iodine. that is a funny u with a tail on it, do you think it is the same as mcg? on the bottle it says take 2 a day and it says it has 400mg sea kelp. does anyone know how this relates to yours, should i take 2 and do you think it matter that mine hasn't got iron or sodium in it? i didn't know bananas were bad, i thought they'd be a good thing to take as they are starchy. what other fruits are forbidden steve? my prayers for you all alison
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	charmed quark	Sep-13-01, 07:23 AM (CMT)
	27. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	The funny U with a tail is a Greek "mu". It is the normal symbol for "micro". So it does mean microgram. -Pete
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	alison	Sep-13-01, 07:36 AM (CMT)
	28. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	thanks pete- i presume i'm really dumb not knowing that- oh well!!
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	charmed quark	Sep-13-01, 08:47 AM (CMT)
	29. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	>thanks pete- i presume i'm really >dumb not knowing that- oh >well!! Don't feel dumb - I get confused when I see mcg. I'm never sure if that really means microgram.
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	NikaB	Sep-15-01, 06:34 AM (CMT)
	31. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Hi, Steve, I was trying to buy some kelp after reading all the interesting entries on these site, but the shop assistant at the Helath Food store here in England (where they had kelp available) told me that I should not try to take kelp until I have a proper thyroid function tests done as it can be quite dangerous. Until the test is done one never knows if one is suffering from underactive or overactive thyroid condition and each requires completely different treatments and therefore taking kelp without such tests is definitely not advisable. This made me quite concerned... Any commments? NikaB
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	Jenny	Sep-15-01, 07:31 PM (CMT)
	32. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Sunshine, I'm not sure if Steve's a pilot or not. I don't remember him mentioning it, but I've only been on this page for a little over a week. My husband's a pilot, so maybe that's where the pilot came in. If Steve IS a pilot, let's just pray he wasn't one of the crew members on those 4 planes. The whole thing is just too horrific to even consider for the tens of thousands of people affected personally by those beasts. NikaB, I think the lady selling the kelp was being a bit over-cautious. I'd never had any tests on my thyroid until long after I'd started the kelp, and even the doctor who mentioned that I was borderline hypoglycemic didn't recommend a test. (She also didn't recommend treatment. The kelp was a lucky find for me.) You CAN get iodine poisoning if you take too much, but 300mcg (which is what I take) of iodine isn't going to hurt you. Also, telling the difference between hypothyroidism and hyPERthyroidism is easy because the symptoms are so totally different. And you can have hypoglycemia without having either of the other thyroid conditions. Do a search for both of those conditions, as well as hypoglycemia and it'll give you more info than you wanted to know. I either go to ask.com or google.com. The fact that a supplement doesn't have iron or the other things mine have (for whoever asked) doesn't matter. The main treatment that helped with the hypoglycemia was getting the iodine, since I was obviously difficient in that. Let's hope we hear from Steve soon. Jenny
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	Sunshine	Sep-16-01, 04:33 PM (CMT)
	33. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Thanks Jenny, I do remember him commenting on alitude issues when I asked him about weather migraines. But he has never said if he was a pilot for what airlines or military or just recreational. In my review of the crew and people lost on the planes I haven't seen a name Steve B. anywhere, but I'm still concerned in that he hasn't been on lately. He was here everyday. I hope and pray everything is ok with him. But in regards to taking the kelp, I have felt much better since I started. It hasn't changed my migraines that Ihave noticed, but I do notice a difference in how I feel through out the day. My arms don't shake like they use to and I don't have the FEED ME urges I was having. Maybe I can do a little more exercising now. I get my thyroid checked in 6 months so it will be interesting to see if anything is noted in my blood work. Lets keep each other posted. I'm going to keep on the diet for now. Thanks for all your posts it has been very helpful. Sunshine.
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	Jenny	Sep-16-01, 06:24 PM (CMT)
	34. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Sunshine, It's GREAT that you've noticed a difference so quickly. I wasn't looking for anything, so I might have seen the improvement earlier if I had. I use very little salt simply because I have an ultra-sensitive sense of taste, and I can't eat seafood, so I was probably extremely difficient in iodine. You might be able to look at your diet and see the same thing. BTW, if you don't have headaches triggered by the hypoglycemia or thyroid problem, then I doubt the kelp will help, but it's obviously helping you in other ways. Does anyone know if Steve lived in NY or DC?
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	Sunshine	Sep-17-01, 07:51 AM (CMT)
	35. "RE: Hypoglycemia & headaches"
	Thanks Jenny, I agree, maybe it won't eliminate the migraines, but it is defitely helping other ways. I will stick with it. You know its been sitting in my cupboard for 2 years and I'm thankful you posted about it and got me thinking again. It's nice to feel good about something. I don't know where Steve lived as he didn't tell anything about his personal life. I'm wondering though, because he was on here everyday and now nothing. Maybe he is one of the pilots that got stuck somewhere and he doesn't have his computer, who knows. I do pray he is ok. Maybe all this is a coincidence, I hope. Sunshine.
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