Ritalin and blood sugar levels | ADHD Information
:O i have hypoglycemia as well, but i'm not on any medication for a.d.d. hmm
The body produces ketones when stored fat is being burned for fuel. The best way to reach this state is through a low-carb diet, which evens your blood sugar, not raises it.... at least, that's what I've read.Feeling hungry and breaking out in sweats could be a symptom of either low or high blood sugar.
You should talk to your doctor. Any medication that wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels should probably be discontinued. You don't want to risk permanent damage, or result in getting diabetes or something. Perhaps you could try Strattera, or another non-stimulant med?
Yes, even coffee can make hypoglycemia worse. I would think monitoring blood sugar would be the first step.Hypo glycemiacs I thought should be eating all the time to keep correct sugar levels. I am wondering if anyone has had experience (more specifically, adults) with ritalin affecting their blood sugar levels? I've been hypoglycemic most of my life, however while I oroginally thought my sugar levels became low while on ritalin, in retrospect, the symptoms pointed to high sugar levels. I don't own a glucose testing device, as my hypoglycemia has always been pretty much in check with a good diet. I'd begun taking ritalin again (at age 38) about three months ago, and after about a month, began feeling hungry nearly all the time, would break out into sudden sweats and I had a friend tell me at one point that I smelled of alcohol. I don't drink, ever, and I believe the smell was the release of ketones as a result of too high blood sugar levels. I stopped the ritalin about three weeks ago and no longer have the symptoms but now i'm also having the usual difficulty concentrating. Has anyone had any experience with ritalin either raising or lowering their blood sugar levels? If so, were you able to find a solution for the situation?I'm hypoglycemic and on ritalin. No problems yet as long as I eat well which is usual. Buffalo...I don't know if you're a woman or not. If you are, a thought occurred to me when you mentioned the sweats. I was 37 when I began menopause. Just another thing to possibly get checked when seeing doctor. And if you are a man, well...never mind.
[QUOTE=bcgirl1978]The body produces ketones when stored fat is being burned for fuel. The best way to reach this state is through a low-carb diet, which evens your blood sugar, not raises it.... at least, that's what I've read.
Feeling hungry and breaking out in sweats could be a symptom of either low or high blood sugar.
You should talk to your doctor. Any medication that wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels should probably be discontinued. You don't want to risk permanent damage, or result in getting diabetes or something. Perhaps you could try Strattera, or another non-stimulant med?
[/QUOTE]
I agree, that is probably the course i'll have to take. Unfortunate, because ritalin has been effective for me for some time. I have been, for awhile now, on a low to medium carbohydrate diet, because of my blood sugar instability. My best guess about the ritalin is that because it is a stimulant, it causes release of adrenelane and over time, this would tax the endocrine system, including the pancreas. At a certain point, the overworked pancreas would be less capable of producing enough insulin to compensate for higher levels of sugar in the bloodstream. This is similar to the effect of caffeine. When I stopped the ritalin, the symptoms also stopped. I do eat a lot on a regular basis, as I work out 5-6 days a week, but the sudden sweats combined with a sudden hunger were out of the ordinary. A friend told me her brother also had the same problem and has since changed medications.
I get those sweats. Oddly enough my legs sweat. Dizzy, weak. I had to once pull over and let sopmeone else drive. The whole key for me is just eating regularly and if I feel symptoms, PEANUT BUTTER.Peanut butter is the food of the gods.
Breaking out in sweats, dizzyness,feeling hungry, mind altering,the alcohol breathe thing ALL SIGNS OF LOW BLOOD SUGAR. If this is occuring you need to notify the doctor and always carry with you hard candies, juice,there are also tablets you can buy that disolve in the mouth, or regular sugar drinks. Those are things that work quickily in the blood.
I am a diabetic, insulin dependent why I know that is signs of low. High sugars make me lethargic, very thirsty, sometimes hungry, lack of energy tired.