June 8, 2001
Family Planning
Question from Huntington, New York, USA:
I am 24 years old and currently 27 weeks pregnant. I gained 70 pounds during my last pregnancy and have already gained 30 pounds with this one. I think the doctor may have missed something last time. I crave sugar. I get irritable, tired, have headaches, have trouble concentrating, get shaky, and feel weak when I don’t eat. Eating sugar makes me feel better, and I have gotten so accustomed to this that I didn’t realize that it wasn’t normal. I just had my glucose done, but have not received the results yet.
My mother has hypoglycemia, and on my father’s side there is hypoglycemia and diabetes. Is hypoglycemia hereditary? Does this sound fishy to you? My obstetrician didn’t seem too concerned, and she sent me to a dietitian. Do you think I should get a second opinion?
Answer:
True hypoglycemia is not very common. Even when you are hungry and shaky (assuming that you are not taking insulin), your blood sugar is probably near normal. Your glucose test should let you know if you have diabetes or not. I would recommend that you stop eating pure sugar. Instead, when you are hungry and between meals eat a piece of fruit or some crackers. Before you seek out a second opinion, talk with your doctor about the glucose test results.
OWJ
