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Abstract
Reactive hypoglycemia is a physiological condition steeped in controversy. While a debate regarding its nature, prevalence, and significance has raged on in the literature, no systematic attempt has been made to explore hypoglycemia from the perspective of those who have been diagnosed with the condition and who cope with it on a daily basis. The present study is an investigation into the first-hand accounts of 10 people diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia. Interviews with these individuals were tape recorded, transcribed, and analysed using the grounded theory method in order to construct a grounded representation of their experiences. This qualitative approach to inquiry provided a much more comprehensive picture of the psychological impact of hypoglycemia than existing literature has afforded until now. Participants' experiences are described with reference to four stages that were distinguished: the recognition, discovery, management, and resolution phases. Three higher order categories representing major themes that emerged are also defined: The "Experiential impact of symptoms" highlights the kinds of cognitive and emotional reactions that symptoms precipitated due to their inherent nonspecific and ambiguous nature, especially within the context of prolonged uncertainty regarding their origin because of initial misdiagnoses and dismissals by medical professionals. The "Pursuit of health" underscores the active role that participants played in seeking out an accurate explanation and solution to their problems. "Hypoglycemia as an explanatory schema" portrays the ways in which participants were able to use hypoglycemia to make sense of their symptoms and to guide behaviour aimed at controlling them. The core category representing the theme that unified all of these concepts was deemed "Validation of Subjective Experience," reflecting both the sense of validation that the diagnosis afforded participants and the active process of validation, self-assessment, and evaluation in which participants continually engaged as they attempted to make sense of their symptoms and experiences. Telephone interviews conducted with an additional sample of 61 individuals living with hypoglycemia reflected similar themes. The results are discussed with reference to literature pertaining to hypoglycemia and to other chronic conditions of a similar nature, and recommendations for further research and treatment based on the findings are made.
