Shakiness upon waking from nap

I am 13 weeks 2 days. The first two months of pregnancy was rough, heavy nausea, one er visit for dehydration. Zofran starting working around 3 mos mark, so very good. However, I can NOT eat MEAT. So I supplement with one protein shake a day, lots of sunflower seeded, avocadoed green leafy salads, luna bars, beans, cheese, etc. I'm a 50 60 eater and I could be eating more but I still get nauseated, some good days, some bad.

Lately, within the last two weeks, upon waking from afternoon naps (with 3 year old LOVE iT!) my hands and it feels like my whole body is trembling. I feel weak and light headed, and thirsty when I get up I get so so dizzy. This may be nothing more than exhaustion just settling in OR a lack or Protein (or adjustment of vegetable proteins) or and I'm hoping not the early sign of gestational diabetes.

No one in immediate family has it but i have an Aunt whom is insulin dependant and a grandmother who went blind from it and died. My husbands theory is that I'm sleeping too long and should be snacking more. Not getting enough food.

I've tried to sleep more but it seems like I can't get into a deep sleep in afternoons anymore, BIG BUmmer. Just curious if this has affected any of you. Maybe Hyperglycimia? sp?

Oh they didn't do glycemic test, or gestational testing because I couldnt keep fluid down, I'll have to try again in a week or two.

Thank you I appreciate it.

Someday soon I'll figure out signature box!!!

 

It sounds like you sre having a sugar crash while you are sleeping. You need more protein to keep your blood sugar up. I am hypoglycemic and I drink a protein shake every night before bed. It has 24g of protein and I add milk to it (non-fat) and the shake is about 40g of protein. I do not wake up shakey or starving. During the day before naps, I eat either a PB&J sandwhich or a tuna fish sandwhich with a peice of fruit and string cheese or yogurt. Increase your protein and water in-take and you'll feel better.

Good luck...you will figure it out,
Jenn

 

Those symptoms sound like hypoglycemia to me too. I can always tell if my blood sugar drops too low during sleep: I start dreaming about candy and pastries. :lol: It happened with pregnancy #1 (I was diagnosed with GD at 8 weeks and managed it with diet and exercise for 33 weeks, and the low-carb diet they had me on frequently caused my BG to drop too low). Now, with pregnancy #2, I haven't been diagnosed with it yet, but I do still occasionally dream about sweets, and when I wake from those dreams I'm reliably shaky and nauseated. You could check your DH's advice by experimenting by having a few crackers upon awakening and seeing if you feel better. And I agree that eating protein (and fat, IME) at every meal/snack helps moderate your glucose uptake, so spikes and crashes are less likely.

 

I've had that with all of my pregnancies except this one. Go figure? But after I woke up I'd always have to have some juice or food. Usually something sweet. Anyway I never had GD. Just something that happened at naptime. Ocassionally in the morning.

 

QUOTE(Cheesecake @ Feb 28 2009, 07:59 PM) [snapback]1209550[/snapback]
I've had that with all of my pregnancies except this one. Go figure? But after I woke up I'd always have to have some juice or food. Usually something sweet. Anyway I never had GD. Just something that happened at naptime. Ocassionally in the morning.

Thank you so much for your Comment, I've been dreaming about Cheesecake!!!!! I think juice would be much better than something really sugary. I am also glad to hear your never had GD. Thank you thank you thank you!

 

QUOTE(ovatar @ Feb 28 2009, 06:22 PM) [snapback]1209467[/snapback]
Those symptoms sound like hypoglycemia to me too. I can always tell if my blood sugar drops too low during sleep: I start dreaming about candy and pastries. :lol: It happened with pregnancy #1 (I was diagnosed with GD at 8 weeks and managed it with diet and exercise for 33 weeks, and the low-carb diet they had me on frequently caused my BG to drop too low). Now, with pregnancy #2, I haven't been diagnosed with it yet, but I do still occasionally dream about sweets, and when I wake from those dreams I'm reliably shaky and nauseated. You could check your DH's advice by experimenting by having a few crackers upon awakening and seeing if you feel better. And I agree that eating protein (and fat, IME) at every meal/snack helps moderate your glucose uptake, so spikes and crashes are less likely.


Thank you so much for your comment! I've gotten some really good suport through this website. Just to know someone else knows what Im talking about makes me feel so much better!!!!

I am really apprehensive about GD, it scares me and probably because I don't know much about it. I've always dreaded hearing that i might have it, with/without pregnancy because of the damage its done to my family.

And is there such a thing as a low carb diet for a Vegetarian??? BEcause I was so sick with morning sickness I was told to eat lots of carbs but I may be over doing it, what do you think? Did you do protein shakes? Do you think more than one might be more appropriate?

 

QUOTE(Jenn Bland @ Feb 28 2009, 01:55 AM) [snapback]1208963[/snapback]
It sounds like you sre having a sugar crash while you are sleeping. You need more protein to keep your blood sugar up. I am hypoglycemic and I drink a protein shake every night before bed. It has 24g of protein and I add milk to it (non-fat) and the shake is about 40g of protein. I do not wake up shakey or starving. During the day before naps, I eat either a PB&J sandwhich or a tuna fish sandwhich with a peice of fruit and string cheese or yogurt. Increase your protein and water in-take and you'll feel better.

Good luck...you will figure it out,
Jenn




Thank you so much for your reply. This is exactly what I needed to see and hear.

Would you suggest Two Protein shakes a day since I haven't eaten meat this entire pregnancy???? I am 3 1/2 mos and have gained 5lbs maybe. But I am showing, very obviously. I think I just don't know how to eat without meat and the only way I know how to get protein is the shake, so two a day among other fruits, veggies sounds good to me!?! I do have 1st dr appt one week from today and I can talk to him too.
Again, thank you!!!

 

I would go for two shakes a day. Protein is extremely important to your babies and with two you need even more. Try the second one right before your nap and see if that helps. Definitely bring this up to your doctor and hopefully you can get the test done now too.

I am hypoglycemic (not pregnancy related, just in general) and that definitely sounds like a sugar crash (usually after a spike). If you don't do the shake then try cheese and crackers or something else filling with protein right before.

I know you didn't ask about this, but one of the biggest things for me is how to work in the sweets. I know you are pregnant and can eat anything you want and you can but avoid tons of sugar by itself. If you want a brownie or ice cream have it right after a meal rather than as a snack alone. Or at least have the sweets with your shake or a glass of milk. No book tells you that, but it's always worked well for me.

Also, though I'm hypoglycemic normally, I had no pregnancy issues ( i was terrified of GD as well).

 

QUOTE(elara @ Mar 3 2009, 12:44 PM) [snapback]1212659[/snapback]
I know you didn't ask about this, but one of the biggest things for me is how to work in the sweets. I know you are pregnant and can eat anything you want and you can but avoid tons of sugar by itself. If you want a brownie or ice cream have it right after a meal rather than as a snack alone. Or at least have the sweets with your shake or a glass of milk. No book tells you that, but it's always worked well for me.


Exactly!! Sugar in general is not that great when you are having blood sugar issues, but sometimes you just gotta have it. Just do your best to avoid white flours and sugar products (esp processed ones) in general, consider sweets a "treat," and watch your timing like elara suggested. Beware of the sugar content of the Boost-type drinks. LOTS of sugar in one drink, so you need to consider that in your daily intake. Google "glycemic index" and you'll find some good charts of the sugar content of many foods. You want foods that have a LOW glycemic index. Some sneaky foods are potatoes white rice among others. Opt for TRUE whole grain carbs and you'll get the maximum dietary benefit from your food. The trouble w/ eating primarily carbs (i.e. vegetarian) is that your body (and your babies) are burning thru it quicker than you can shovel it in...that's why you're waking up hungry.

A fabulous vegetarian source of protein is nuts. High calorie, high protein, and filling. Almonds (no, NOT the sugar-covered ones ) are reported to have as much protein ounce for ounce as red meat, PLUS they are digestive aids! They can help with the dreaded heartburn, too (how cool is that?), so I eat LOTS of them every day.

One more thing...once you start to get shaky and lightheaded, you've let the furnace run too low and it'll be harder to get back even and feel "normal." The trick is to eat before you get hungry (grazing) in order to keep your blood sugar as level as possible.

Eve

 

In addition to the previous recommendations on a shake before the nap, I read that having icecream can sometimes help. It said dairy takes longer to breakdown so maybe that would help you in this case.