Hi folks - I'm looking for some input on nighttime lows. I (f/35) got a diabetes diagnosis about 6 months ago based on an a1c of 7.2. My a1c had been prediabetic at first test about 2 years ago, and dropping most refined sugar pretty much brought it down (my 7.2 was after a stressful time and cross country move). Currently, I'm well controlled with a low-carb diet and light exercise. Learning about balancing carbs/fats/proteins when I first knew blood sugar was an issue had the fantastic side effect of almost curing my migraines, which had been an issue my whole adult life. I still get mild ones once a month or so (some seem hormonal some not) but they aren't as bad as they used to be. Everyone I talked to said reactive hypoglycemia was the probable cause of the migraines.
I got a freestyle libre about 2 weeks ago to help guide some diet changes, since I'm a data geek and thought it would be helpful. It's been truly fascinating. I'd seen a couple of short lows at night that corresponded with waking up anxious, but they were short dips. Saturday I spent the afternoon on a friend's roof doing some repairs and got a little dehydrated and didn't eat much during the day. Went home and had a big but reasonable meal and drank lots of water. I had a headache when I went to bed and knew a migraine was coming on. When I woke up I felt like crap - headache, muscle aches, nausea. Checked the libre, and I had 3 pretty long lows under 70 (see pic). Sunday night I had a low that lasted almost 2 hours ( I had had a big spike during the day due to poor food choices). Same crappy feeling that lasted most of the day today. This is something that happened to me regularly pre-diagnosis, since I was a teenager, but not frequently since making diet changes.
I guess my question is - would reactive hypoglycemia describe 3 long lows in the night? I thought it would be more of a single spike then crash. What effect does dehydration have on low blood sugars? I sort of expected highs due to dehydration - but I don't actually know if that was the real trigger.
Any tips on preventing this phenomenon?
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you! I'm really trying to get this controlled early and learn what the heck my body is doing and what triggers things.
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