Blacking Out?

[JessLess 1,163]

So I was sleeved nine months ago and have not had any complications or issues. I blacked out 3x last night trying to get from the bathroom back to my bedroom around 2 am. This happened once before around 6 am. Think it's low blood sugar? I don't have any other symptoms of dumping syndrome.

Last night I had 4 oz. salmon and 1/4 cup of grilled zucchini for dinner around 6 pm., then a skinny cow ice cream bar at 9 pm. Hopefully, this will not happen again, but my husband has a glucose meter, and if it does, he's going to measure my blood sugar when it happens.

Mr. Google didn't have much to say. Has anyone else experienced this with the sleeve?

I will call my surgeon, promise.

[catwoman7 11,212]

I haven't blacked out, but I used to get dizzy spells occasionally. This started happening when I was about two years out. I had a complete work-up, but they couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. Then the next time I had one, I noticed it was about an hour or two after I ate some cake at a retirement party. I was kind of wondering if my blood sugar had crashed. I asked my PCP about it the next time I saw her, and she said that was definitely a possibility, and it could be that during the work-up my glucose measured normal, so they didn't suspect that.

She said she could arrange for me to have a glucose meter to be absolutely sure that that was what was triggering it, OR I could just eat something every 3-4 hours - either a Protein or, if a carb, then paired with protein (e.g., apple slices with peanut butter). She said that's what she would recommend ANYWAY if it was definitely a glucose issue. So I've been doing that, and haven't had a problem since..

if this doesn't resolve it, see your doctor. A black out could be caused by several different things, so they'll want to do a work-up. Or better yet, see your doctor NOW since it could be something else...

Edited July 22, 2019 by catwoman7

[FluffyChix 17,415]

Dang girl!! ((hugs)) And saying prayers!

It sounds like 1 of 2 things:

Orthostatic hypotension (low bp) and dehydration can make this worse.

OR

Reactive hypoglycemia (but usually when I'm low enough to black out, I'm in a hot sweat, burning up inside, trembling uncontrollably, shaking hands, and needing to pee like a racehorse and very very confused, like I almost can't form a coherent sentence to let Mr. F. know I need help.)

Do you have a bp cuff along with your finger stick? It's easy to tell OH because your bp will change very dramatically from one taken when laying flat and then quickly sitting up and taking it. It's a big sudden change in your numbers, it will drop lower with sitting than when laying flat.

And RH is very easy to spot. Basically if you are less than 60, you need something to eat. If you are less than 40, you need to act very quickly with fruit juice or glucose tablets and take your bg every 15 minutes until you see it start to move up. Then 30 minutes to an hour later follow it with Protein (I use nut butter I keep in single servings by the bed and a 6oz can of OJ by the bed -- also have glucose tablets and my bg monitor).

Hope that helps! And you need to call your PCP and get seen!!! ((hugs))

[MIZ60 1,291]

By blacking out do you mean you lost consciousness and woke up on the floor? Maybe there is too much carb in the skinny cow ice cream bar and causes hypoglycemia? Was this the first time you had eaten one? I take supplements at night that bother my pouch if I do not eat something so I eat 1/2 of a Quest bar which is very low carb and pretty tasty. I have tried some of the HaloTop ice cream which is pretty good but not something I need to keep around here.

[JessLess 1,163]

@FluffyChix, I don't have a cuff. Thanks for those suggestions. Very helpful.

@MIZ60, yes, I lost consciousness 3x and woke up on the floor. I eat Skinny Cow ice cream pretty often but I won't be doing it for a while! I do have Quest bars... I think you are on the right track. If I have a snack later in the evening, it should be Protein, not sugar.

[FluffyChix 17,415]

I had an RH episode trying Halo late at night. I do fine with a half serving, but not a full one. Just FYI. Sure sounds like it could be the RH.

[RickM 1,747]

While RH is classically a bypass thing, owing to rapid stomach emptying from the lack of pyloric valve, it is not unknown with the sleeve, too, as rapid emptying can happen due to the reduced stomach size and with slider foods (such as ice cream) that don't trigger the valve to close, particularly if they are eaten by themselves and not with something else more dense. If I need something overnight, I usually have a piece of cheese or a Protein Bar to satisfy things.

Having a glucose meter handy is nice, as you can test things next time you have one of those bars - check your BS after maybe a half hour, hour and two hours to see how your body reacts to it. That will tell you for sure whether that is the problem.

Orthostatic hypotension is also possible, though I would expect that you would have seen evidence of it (light headedness when standing from a bed or chair) before this, as it will start to happen when we start losing weight rapidly and the cardio system is trying to adjust

[GradyCat 3,695]

I get occasional orthostatic hypotension (low bp) when standing up from a seated position, but I don't pass out, but I get lightheaded and see stars and have to grab onto something for a few seconds until I get stable.

[Frustr8 7,886]

Like the Old Song went
Slow Down, you move too fast
Got to make the Morning Last.
So skip down the cobblestones and feel rightously GROOVY, my friend!😛

[Bastian 458]

Get your butt to the Dr ASAP even with postural hypotension you shouldn't be blacking out completely and to be honest with the thousands of diabetic patients I have looked after I have never known this to happen, if they pass out then they stay passed out due to low blood sugars.

Are you getting enough Fluid in?

[Bastian 458]

OH MY LORD, see i was looking for something else, saw this, didn't check the date sorry guys lol

[JessLess 1,163]

I'm fine now; it hasn't happened again. But I appreciate the concern.

[Bastian 458]

haha sorry I'm such an airhead sometimes! Glad it wasn't ongoing tho