Need advice about hypoglycaemia dip after swimming

[Deli]

I have embarked on a distance swimming programme to increase fitness. I have been swimming five days
a week, once in the morning (one hour, about 2000
m) and once in the early evening ( one hour, about 2000 m) each of the five days. In my third week
of this, I found myself to be slightly dizzy and shaky after coming back from the pool. I am
fairly sure it's hypoglycaemia (sp?) from reading this newsgroup and web pages. I am going to
consult my physician shortly.

What can I do in my diet to mitigate the problem. Should I eat a bagel immediately after a swim,
before the swim, is there other things I can do in my diet or some magic fix ? I have found this to
be very disconcerting and need advice!

deli

 

[Martin W. Smith]

Deli wrote:
>
> I have embarked on a distance swimming programme to increase fitness. I have been swimming five
> days a week, once in the morning (one hour, about 2000
> m) and once in the early evening ( one hour, about 2000 m) each of the five days. In my third week
> of this, I found myself to be slightly dizzy and shaky after coming back from the pool. I am
> fairly sure it's hypoglycaemia (sp?) from reading this newsgroup and web pages. I am going to
> consult my physician shortly.
>
> What can I do in my diet to mitigate the problem. Should I eat a bagel immediately after a swim,
> before the swim, is there other things I can do in my diet or some magic fix ? I have found this
> to be very disconcerting and need advice!

I think a banana right after swimming would work, but if you are subject to wild fluctuations in
blood sugar, then try a hard boiled egg right after swimming. A bagel right after swimming might
work just as well. Also make sure you drink plenty of water during the day.

martin

--
Martin Smith email: [email protected] Vollsveien 9 tel. : +47 6783 1188
P.O. Box 482 mob. : +47 932 48 303 1327 Lysaker, Norway

 

[T.W.]

... hypoglycemia is not likely, since your liver should have enough glycogen to get you through your
workouts. A simple way to determine your blood glucose level would be to do a finger-stick test when
you're having symptoms. You probably have a friend with diabetes, or know somebody who does. They
will have a glucose monitor.

If your glucose is actually low - and it's not a result of medication (insulin, diabetes pills, etc)
- then your doctor might want to investigate. There are several rare, but well-known, causes.

"Deli" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I have embarked on a distance swimming programme to increase fitness. I
have
> been swimming five days a week, once in the morning (one hour, about 2000
> m) and once in the early evening ( one hour, about 2000 m) each of the
five
> days. In my third week of this, I found myself to be slightly dizzy and shaky after coming back
> from the pool. I am fairly sure it's hypoglycaemia (sp?) from reading this newsgroup and web
> pages. I am going to consult my physician shortly.
>
> What can I do in my diet to mitigate the problem. Should I eat a bagel immediately after a swim,
> before the swim, is there other things I can do
in
> my diet or some magic fix ? I have found this to be very disconcerting and need advice!
>
> deli

 

[T.W.]

If you have a friend with diabetes, it would be simple to check your glucose when you're having
symptoms. If the glucose level is indeed low - which would be unusual, since your liver stores
plenty of glycogen - I'm sure your physician will look into several rare, but well known,
possibilities. The dizziness could be a result of blood being shunted to your muscles (normal
post-exertion) and your skin (normal when you're hot) thus dropping your brain-flow a bit. Lie down
and it should go away. The shakiness, a manifestation of "adrenaline" release, could be due to many
things (as you've heard, hypoglycemia is one of them).

"Deli" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I have embarked on a distance swimming programme to increase fitness. I
have
> been swimming five days a week, once in the morning (one hour, about 2000
> m) and once in the early evening ( one hour, about 2000 m) each of the
five
> days. In my third week of this, I found myself to be slightly dizzy and shaky after coming back
> from the pool. I am fairly sure it's hypoglycaemia (sp?) from reading this newsgroup and web
> pages. I am going to consult my physician shortly.
>
> What can I do in my diet to mitigate the problem. Should I eat a bagel immediately after a swim,
> before the swim, is there other things I can do
in
> my diet or some magic fix ? I have found this to be very disconcerting and need advice!
>
> deli