Help Difficulty fasting 8 hours for SN due to low blood sugar

[ShatteredSerenity]

I've been preparing for SN the last few days, so I've been trying to fast 8 hours. The problem is that when I reach 5-6 hours my blood sugar is getting too low to proceed. At that point I'm experiencing dizziness, difficulty concentrating, shakiness, and anxiety. If I was able to CTB at home I could probably power through it, but I need to go to a hotel and I'm not feeling like I could safely drive there, check in, go to my room, prepare the SN, and drink it.

I was hoping my body would adjust to the fasting after a few days, but so far that isn't happening. The problem is likely that I'm taking lithium, which is known to cause hypoglycemia. I used to skip meals without much difficulty, so I was surprised to feel this bad. Now the question is what can I do about it?

One option is to reduce the fasting time from 8 hours to 5 hours. From what I've read that's a reasonable amount of time to empty the stomach.

Another option is to take SN in the morning instead of evening. I usually eat dinner around 6 pm, and I can easily make it to 10 am or even noon without eating. The problem is that I don't really want to sleep in the hotel, and I'm afraid room service will come in at like 11 am which is too close for comfort to the time I'd CTB. Even if I put up the "do not disturb" sign, room service still might knock on the door and try to come in. I have a nicer hotel in another city that will honor my request for no room service, so I would have to go there instead if I decide to do it in the morning.

Another option might be to eat a small snack or drink something like soda with a lot of calories to get my blood sugar back up.

Any thoughts on which approach is best?

 

[Alitaaqua6781]

Trying to adapt to fasting will make it worse if you get it a lot.
I have the same issue and if I use SN I am not going to fast that long because I get very sick and dizzy and I also get awful nausea and will puke up any pills I take. I planned to just have soup or something easy to digest in the stomach and only fast for say 3 hours before hand. Only other thing you could try is glucose tablets for the low blood sugar episodes. I usually carry some in my purse.

I'd go with the second one and I'd also go speak to the hotel service and say you are working late and do not want to be disturbed as your working remotely nights.

 

[ShatteredSerenity]

Trying to adapt to fasting will make it worse if you get it a lot.
I have the same issue and if I use SN I am not going to fast that long because I get very sick and dizzy and I also get awful nausea and will puke up any pills I take. I planned to just have soup or something easy to digest in the stomach and only fast for say 3 hours before hand. Only other thing you could try is glucose tablets for the low blood sugar episodes. I usually carry some in my purse.

I'd go with the second one and I'd also go speak to the hotel service and say you are working late and do not want to be disturbed as your working remotely nights.

Thanks for the info! I'm glad I'm not the only one, because I was honestly feeling bad about myself for not being "tough enough" to fast 8 hours. It's particularly embarrassing when I see people fasting 12 and 24 hours. Oh well, there will be plenty of time for fasting after I CTB.

 

[rozeske]

I personally feel like 12 and 24 hr fasting is a bit of a stretch and unnecessary, although if you do and overnight fast it will be 12 hrs or more but atleast you won't feel too hungry or be in discomfort or pain which is what I plan to do.
This is what is stated on Stan's guide and reasonably makes sense.
"Some people have medical conditions that mean fasting has a negative effect on them. Sources say that 8 hours is needed. I would suggest individuals know their own metabolism better than a book. If you know that your stomach feels empty after 4 hours, then I suggest you have a 4 hour fast. Try to avoid eating anything large and heavy. Avoid drinking anything two hours prior to drinking the SN. If you need to, then just plain water".

 

[Alitaaqua6781]

Thanks for the info! I'm glad I'm not the only one, because I was honestly feeling bad about myself for not being "tough enough" to fast 8 hours. It's particularly embarrassing when I see people fasting 12 and 24 hours. Oh well, there will be plenty of time for fasting after I CTB.

Some people are just prone to low blood sugar it's not about who's tougher. As the poster below replied to people are going overboard with this fasting stuff. The PPH even says just have some tea and toast before hand. Glucose tablets will sort out the worst of the blood sugar and having somethign light earlier should make it very manageable. Don't feel bad for something you have no cause to fell bad about.

 

[ShatteredSerenity]

Some people are just prone to low blood sugar it's not about who's tougher. As the poster below replied to people are going overboard with this fasting stuff. The PPH even says just have some tea and toast before hand. Glucose tablets will sort out the worst of the blood sugar and having somethign light earlier should make it very manageable. Don't feel bad for something you have no cause to fell bad about.

Ok I took some glucose tablets today and I've made it to 7 hours of fasting with mild hypoglycemia symptoms, that's a big improvement. I'm sure I've already fasted enough because the PPH copy I have just says "some degree of fasting is advised", or "several hours".

Now that I've got fasting under control, I'm getting close to the final stages of CTB which means renting a hotel room and actually doing it. The unexpected discomfort of fasting has made me rethink whether I want to get ahold of benzos to make it more comfortable. It would take me some time and effort to get some, but having to calm me, or maybe eve knock me out would be nice.

 

[TheHolySword]

I don't know if this is a possibility for you moneywise, but you could book multiple days for the hotel. Drive there without having to worry about not eating that day and then prep your method for the following day since you'll have plenty of time at the hotel.

 

[iamnotalive]

Ok I took some glucose tablets today and I've made it to 7 hours of fasting with mild hypoglycemia symptoms, that's a big improvement. I'm sure I've already fasted enough because the PPH copy I have just says "some degree of fasting is advised", or "several hours".

Now that I've got fasting under control, I'm getting close to the final stages of CTB which means renting a hotel room and actually doing it. The unexpected discomfort of fasting has made me rethink whether I want to get ahold of benzos to make it more comfortable. It would take me some time and effort to get some, but having to calm me, or maybe eve knock me out would be nice.

Please don't

 

[Waiting for death]

You can also die even with your stomach full of food. I'm telling this by my own experience !!!

 

[zardofan]

@ShatteredSerenity I was just trying to find your exit bag thread to thank you for your conversion table. I just ordered the same regulator. If you are willing, could you share what caused you to switch from that method to sn? (I just switched from sn to N2.) Feel free to pm if you'd rather. Thank you and I wish you smooth, peaceful sailing no matter what.

Part of the n2 appeal to me is not needing to worry about fasting and puking! It's so sad that we have to scramble around with all this, trying to get materials by lying/faking/deceit/illegal methods. I wish I could just talk about this choice without getting committed.

 

[ShatteredSerenity]

@ShatteredSerenity I was just trying to find your exit bag thread to thank you for your conversion table. I just ordered the same regulator. If you are willing, could you share what caused you to switch from that method to sn? (I just switched from sn to N2.) Feel free to pm if you'd rather. Thank you and I wish you smooth, peaceful sailing no matter what.

Part of the n2 appeal to me is not needing to worry about fasting and puking! It's so sad that we have to scramble around with all this, trying to get materials by lying/faking/deceit/illegal methods. I wish I could just talk about this choice without getting committed.

I switched to SN because I left half of my N2 setup at a hotel when I decided to abort CTB in December. I couldn't get my head into redoing the work I put into N2, so it was easier to just order SN from DMC. It's also easier to do SN in a hotel since there's not much to transport. The N2 setup was getting pretty complicated to set up a tank, a chair, strap everything down, and make sure there was no leaks. I'm very depressed so that's a lot of work for me, and I was afraid I'd make a mistake.

If I could do it at home I would be more likely to stick with N2, as it's quicker and more painless. SN is more unpleasant, but it's just like being sick so I'm familiar with it and the procedure is very straight forward. Sadly there is no perfect method other than something like N.

 

[Fritz]

I've been preparing for SN the last few days, so I've been trying to fast 8 hours. The problem is that when I reach 5-6 hours my blood sugar is getting too low to proceed. At that point I'm experiencing dizziness, difficulty concentrating, shakiness, and anxiety. If I was able to CTB at home I could probably power through it, but I need to go to a hotel and I'm not feeling like I could safely drive there, check in, go to my room, prepare the SN, and drink it.

I was hoping my body would adjust to the fasting after a few days, but so far that isn't happening. The problem is likely that I'm taking lithium, which is known to cause hypoglycemia. I used to skip meals without much difficulty, so I was surprised to feel this bad. Now the question is what can I do about it?

One option is to reduce the fasting time from 8 hours to 5 hours. From what I've read that's a reasonable amount of time to empty the stomach.

Another option is to take SN in the morning instead of evening. I usually eat dinner around 6 pm, and I can easily make it to 10 am or even noon without eating. The problem is that I don't really want to sleep in the hotel, and I'm afraid room service will come in at like 11 am which is too close for comfort to the time I'd CTB. Even if I put up the "do not disturb" sign, room service still might knock on the door and try to come in. I have a nicer hotel in another city that will honor my request for no room service, so I would have to go there instead if I decide to do it in the morning.

Another option might be to eat a small snack or drink something like soda with a lot of calories to get my blood sugar back up.

Any thoughts on which approach is best?

Many of the decent hotel chains are trending away from daily room service in order to save money. You could rent a room for two nights, hang out the Do Not Disturb sign, throw the deadbolt and you should be good to go for all day if needed. If you eat dinner the night before at 6 pm, then sleep in until 10am, you would have fasted for16 hours. Should be enough . If you are going to CTB, it shouldn't matter that you paid for the second night, yet won't need it.

Regarding fasting in general , you have to build up to it over time. I can fast for 5 days, but it took a couple years to work up to it.

 

[martinso67]

I've been preparing for SN the last few days, so I've been trying to fast 8 hours. The problem is that when I reach 5-6 hours my blood sugar is getting too low to proceed. At that point I'm experiencing dizziness, difficulty concentrating, shakiness, and anxiety. If I was able to CTB at home I could probably power through it, but I need to go to a hotel and I'm not feeling like I could safely drive there, check in, go to my room, prepare the SN, and drink it.

I was hoping my body would adjust to the fasting after a few days, but so far that isn't happening. The problem is likely that I'm taking lithium, which is known to cause hypoglycemia. I used to skip meals without much difficulty, so I was surprised to feel this bad. Now the question is what can I do about it?

One option is to reduce the fasting time from 8 hours to 5 hours. From what I've read that's a reasonable amount of time to empty the stomach.

Another option is to take SN in the morning instead of evening. I usually eat dinner around 6 pm, and I can easily make it to 10 am or even noon without eating. The problem is that I don't really want to sleep in the hotel, and I'm afraid room service will come in at like 11 am which is too close for comfort to the time I'd CTB. Even if I put up the "do not disturb" sign, room service still might knock on the door and try to come in. I have a nicer hotel in another city that will honor my request for no room service, so I would have to go there instead if I decide to do it in the morning.

Another option might be to eat a small snack or drink something like soda with a lot of calories to get my blood sugar back up.

Any thoughts on which approach is best?

Gastric emptying and processing of food in stomach takes about 2-4 hours if you take food that consists of simple carbohydrates instead of protein and fat. Like jam with two white bread. Avoid especially food with fat.

Back to my analysis of my failed attempt:
I did spend a night in my rented (appartment like) hotel to then do SN a night after before midday at 11am.

BUT the problem that caused me to stop further execution of SN protocol was:
The bed was not comfortable for me and not used to the different sleeping environment. So that resulted in a lack of sleep of about 3-4 hours of sleep. I cannot function with that and being dehydrated.
i need to spend the night at home, but do it there in the before midday. So I tried diphenhydramine yesterday at home before sleeping. I slept much longer nearly 9 hours. I am not sure if this would work when I take it at the rented place to avoid lack of sleep.
Also I am thinking of a more remote place like a camping vehicle in nature near a small village. At the rented place, i felt people could hear me when I am in the dying process. Also i need a taxi to get there, can't use public transport easily or go part of the way back home by feet.
I will rent the remote camping place for 3 nights. It is a tiny camping house trailer, there are also in there sanitary equipments (sink, shower). It looks comfortable.
New Solution 1:
- required stuff to take with!!! pack a backbag with: 1x measuring cup (smaller one) , 2x borosilikat glas cups, 1x spoon digital measuring device, 1x accurate kitchen scale (0.1g difference measurement), 2x 0.75 Liter bottle, the colorful spoons chain (with different measurement sizes).
-Process: Sleep at home and when I wake up prepare myself. No food, but I can drink water.
When I am ready to go out. Take 1x 500mg paracetamol rectally (why? It will take about 3 hours to be effective). Call the taxi.

Driveing to the CTB place would take 15-20 minutes. There at the destination: Small sip of water before starting water fast. Make myself comfortable in the CTB place. Use a spray that will avoid dry mouth because of lack of mouth saliva (artificial mouth saliva improvement spray)
After 1 hour take anti emetic (3x 10mg domperidone. Get the SN out of bag and set up all utensils that I need for SN mixing.
Then after 30 minutes take 1x 8mg Ondansetron.
After 15 minutes: Apply again "artificial mouth saliva improvement spray"
After 20 minutes:
Open up SN bottle with scissor. Prepare 2x cups of SN. Put empty cup on kitchen scale and calculate tara (to detract own cup weights). Put 50-70ml water (measured by spoon weight measuring device) in 1 prepared cup. Use other cup for measurements on kitchen scale and add 25g in it. Put now the measured 25g SN in to the other cup that has water.
Stir it till the salt is solved.
Repeat that for the second cup. Use measuring cup to measure water.
2x SN cups now ready: Rinse mouth with chlorhexidine mouth wash for 30 secones. THEN Apply throat numb spray easyangin (has Lidocaine and Chlorhexidine). Spray only max. 2 times in mouth.
Smell on lavender aroma.
NOW!! SN TIME. Drink first SN cup fully and with one sip.
Suck on that ricola ginger orange candy for about 1-2 minutes. Sit straight comfortably on chair.
WHEN vomitted: Take second SN cup!!!!!
Close eyes and smell on lavender aroma.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

You can also die even with your stomach full of food. I'm telling this by my own experience !!!

And, yet, you're still here to write your comment ...........