Post-meal fatigue

[allgimpedup84]

Yo Dr. Steve,

First of all, thank you for your entertaining and informative shows. You seem down to earth and genuinely concerned with everyone's issues, which is pretty incredible considering the amount of inquiries you get. Anyway, on to my issue. Almost every day, after I eat lunch, I get really tired. Doesn't matter if I have a big lunch or small lunch, I feel drained by 1 pm. It's like a funk I can't get out of. Any ideas?

[Dr Steve]

Yo Dr. Steve,

First of all, thank you for your entertaining and informative shows. You seem down to earth and genuinely concerned with everyone's issues, which is pretty incredible considering the amount of inquiries you get. Anyway, on to my issue. Almost every day, after I eat lunch, I get really tired. Doesn't matter if I have a big lunch or small lunch, I feel drained by 1 pm. It's like a funk I can't get out of. Any ideas?

It's really hard to tell without doing some tests, but I could float a couple of theories. (By the way, thanks for the kind words! Doing this is a lot of fun for me, and I learn a thing or two in the process.)

When you eat, two things happen: 1) your insulin level shoots up, in response to the sugars in the meal you just ate (starches are broken up into sugars, too, so potatoes and bread affect you just like eating cake). Your blood sugar then begins to drop and sometimes it overshoots, causing low blood sugar and severe fatigue. This "overshoot" situation can be a pre-diabetic thing, so it's good to get it checked out. The way I would do it is to do a little blood work (this thing called a c-reactive peptide which is elevated in people who have chronically elevated insulin levels is one thing I'd check) and then I'd probably order a glucose tolerance test.

The Glucose tolerance test can be used to diagnose diabetes, but also low blood sugars, (also called hypoglycemia). Basically you drink a sugary drink, then they check your blood sugars at predetermined intervals. If your sugar goes UP and stays up, it's diagnostic for diabetes. if it goes up then drops out the bottom, it's suggestive of high insulin levels/hypoglycemia.

Because the body eventually tires of the low blood sugars and turns down its own sensitivity to insulin signals, people with this condition are at higher risk for developing diabetes. A "low glycemic index" diet helps to smooth out the insulin levels and stop the symptoms (and decreases the risk of diabetes as well). I would ask your family health care provider if any of this applies to you.


The other thing that happens when we eat is this: when the stomach is full of tasty food, blood is diverted from everywhere else to the stomach and intestines to allow the gastrointestinal tract to digest all the goodness in the most efficient way possible. During that transition, it's felt that some people are sensitive to it and experience fatigue.

hope this helps!


your pal,



steve



FUN MEDICAL VOCABULARY LESSON:
after meal = post prandial
therefore, I would call this post prandial fatigue if I was writing it in my chart in my office. That's how we can make everything sound all fancy.

low blood sugar= HYPO (meaning low, or below) GLYCEMIA (blood sugar)
any time you see the suffix "EMIA", it has something to do with blood
e.g., An-EMIA (low red blood cells), LeukEMIA (cancer of the white blood cells)

[ChimneyFish]

I've been having problems with getting very light headed after melas. Sometimes to the point of starting to get "tunnel-vision".

I've also had some problems with getting my blood pressure to a normal place(was very high/put me on a second medication/it was dropping really low/now I take a half of the second med and it's somewhat stable.), and my doctor said what's happening is because of the blood going to my stomach like you said.

I'm pretty sure I have Diabetes(it runs in my family and I spent years abusing alcohol and opiates), but unfortunately, I don't have health insurance. I just got accepted for medicaid, but they heven't sent me a card yet.

[Dr Steve]

I've been having problems with getting very light headed after melas. Sometimes to the point of starting to get "tunnel-vision".

I've also had some problems with getting my blood pressure to a normal place(was very high/put me on a second medication/it was dropping really low/now I take a half of the second med and it's somewhat stable.), and my doctor said what's happening is because of the blood going to my stomach like you said.

I'm pretty sure I have Diabetes(it runs in my family and I spent years abusing alcohol and opiates), but unfortunately, I don't have health insurance. I just got accepted for medicaid, but they heven't sent me a card yet.


Chimney: the minute you get your card, make an appointment with your doctor. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel when you get your sugars and blood pressure under control. At least you'll know if you have diabetes...a quick blood test will tell the tale for the most part.

Good luck!


your friend,


steve

PS: Congrats on kicking the alcohol and opiates!

[ChimneyFish]

Chimney: the minute you get your card, make an appointment with your doctor. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel when you get your sugars and blood pressure under control. At least you'll know if you have diabetes...a quick blood test will tell the tale for the most part.

Good luck!


your friend,


steve

PS: Congrats on kicking the alcohol and opiates!

Well, my blood pressure is under control.(Just took it, it was 119 over 72)
My doctor is a really amazing guy.
He's been seeing me since I stopped seeing a pediatrician, and he's been my mother & fathers doctor since I can remember.
He saw my family through my heroin addiction.
He saw my family through my mother's cancer and was even at her funeral.
He's been seeing me without insurance, most times for free, for quite awhile now.
He said his office is moving towards not accepting Medicaid, but that we would "work something out".
I have a great deal of respect for the man, and really don't want to be forced to switch doctors.(if only in the knowledge that, as an addict, I could never "put one over on him" as he's fully aware of my condition)


As for the drugs, it been about ten years since I've done any opiates, but I still drink on occasion.

And I will be getting a Diabetes test as soon as I get my card.(going on one month now since I recieved the notice, and still no card)

Thanks for everything, Dr. Steve.

[Dr Steve]

Well, my blood pressure is under control.(Just took it, it was 119 over 72)
My doctor is a really amazing guy.
He's been seeing me since I stopped seeing a pediatrician, and he's been my mother & fathers doctor since I can remember.
He saw my family through my heroin addiction.
He saw my family through my mother's cancer and was even at her funeral.
He's been seeing me without insurance, most times for free, for quite awhile now.
He said his office is moving towards not accepting Medicaid, but that we would "work something out".
I have a great deal of respect for the man, and really don't want to be forced to switch doctors.(if only in the knowledge that, as an addict, I could never "put one over on him" as he's fully aware of my condition)


As for the drugs, it been about ten years since I've done any opiates, but I still drink on occasion.

And I will be getting a Diabetes test as soon as I get my card.(going on one month now since I recieved the notice, and still no card)

Thanks for everything, Dr. Steve.

Cool, I am really glad to hear you have such a good relationship with your doctor. That's the kind of thing I like to hear!

Write anytime and continued good health.


your friend,


steve