Question about Rodney mckay

[pavaneofstars]

McKay has stated more than once that he's hypoglycemic. I would assume he's telling the truth, as I don't think the word would be a part of his lexicon unless he actually had it. Medicine doesn't interest him; ergo I find it unlikely that he'd be especially familiar with many medical-related terms unless it was actually significant to him.

Part of it could easily be psychological as well. Stressful periods can make pre-existing sugar cravings that much worse.

Syera well said and Dirrti-Nirrti's post (interesting insight, thanks for sharing that ) sheds some light on why McKay is the way he is.

[watcher652]

While McKay definitely seems to be a self-obsessed egomaniac, I haven't seen him ever exhibit hypochondria. It seems to me like his complaints are real, but blown totally out of proportion. The only thing I haven't seen him blow up is his low blood sugar attacks. If you've ever suffered from hypoglycemia you'd know what I mean.

McKay has actually mentioned something about hypochondria. In the episode "Instinct"

Spoiler:

McKAY: Never could get into biology. It's just too much information about the human body. One time I took it as an undergrad, I diagnosed myself with half a dozen separate medical conditions before I had to drop the class.

BECKETT: Really?

McKAY: Yeah. Believe it or not, back then, I was a bit of a hypochondriac.

In "The Intruder", McKay mentions

Spoiler:

his fair skin as he and Sheppard get closer to the sun chasing after the virus controlled F-302.

In "Runner" we see that he's

Spoiler:

hyperaware of his lifetime radiation exposure, has concocted his own SPF100 sunscreen and is the only one who insists on wearing a very hot radiation suit.

And let's not forget about his claustrophobia.

I personally believe in his citrus and bee allergies. In "Underground", McKay specifically wonders if there is citrus in the food. Ford told him to just eat it, but if you watch in the subsequent scenes, McKay never actually eats anything, although you do see him drinking. In fact, later on you see a scene where he doesn't have a plate in front of him while everyone else still has food on their plates. Maybe he inhaled his food, but I think he just wasn't going to eat it so they took it away or were going to bring him something else. Okay, maybe that's giving the show too much credit, but it does work out to fit McKay's medical conditions.

In the episodes where the team is on an alien planet, McKay always sniffs his drink first before drinking. Now, that bit of business may be to show he's just a fussy eater, but I like to think that they are trying for some consistancy in his behavior and McKay is checking for citrus.

In "The Lost Boys", McKay didn't check his food but that's because

Spoiler:

he knew Ford and didn't think Ford would feed him citrus. But Ford did feed him something else, which made McKay so angry he called Ford a punk.

In "The Defiant One", McKay looked geniunely afraid of the glowy bug. I don't think he would risk looking foolish being afraid of such a small thing if he really didn't have some kind of allergy, as opposed to just not wanting the pain of being stung.

[Expedition Atlantis]

Grab yer hardhats, because I'm going to go into a mini-rant about bloodsugar.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EAT 'SUGAR' TO KEEP YOUR BLOODSUGAR UP. THIS IS NONSENSE FROM THE DARK AGES. (Metaphorically.)

Rodney McKay is hypoglycemic, which means that his pancreas release too much insulin in response to an intake of carbohydrates.

When a hypoglycemic eats something with enough high-glycemic carbohydrates (sugars and starches), their body releases way more insulin than is necessary. This results in crashing blood sugar. When the bloodsugar crashes, the victim experiences the following:

-Irritability.
-Overall shakiness.
-Weakness.
-Extreme hunger.
-A craving for sugar.

What we've been led to believe over the years is that a bloodsugar crash should be immediately 'remedied' with something high in carbohydrates. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH, because the cycle simply starts all over again. Also, the extra sugars end up stored as fat, leading to obesity.

Given enough time, hypoglycemia can and usually does turn to diabetes. (Note: Obesity is not a causing factor in diabetes; it's the other way around.)

The best way to actually control one's bloodsugar is to go low-carbohydrate. If the body isn't flooded with carbohydrates, it never releases the mass amounts of insulin, and hence, the bloodsugar never crashes. You literally win by denying the battle. In this way I've controlled my own hypoglycemia since October of 2003.

Sadly, many doctors are still in the proverbial dark ages when it comes to low bloodsugar, still clinging to beliefs and misobservations that are tantamount to drilling holes in the head to release the demons.

Okay, the rant is over. Back to our regular programming...

i agree. he probably has diabetes. he doesnt have to have insulin so he propbably has it somewhat controled

[Syera]

McKay has hypoglycemia, which is the opposite of diabetes. Hypoglycemia can and usually does flip around to type 2 diabetes after so much abuse to the pancreas, however.

As for McKay's 'hypochondria,' it's actually quite common for medical students to start exhibiting assorted symptoms. Nothing unusual there. Also note that he said 'back then.'

I also tend to smell whatever I'm eating a lot. I'm not really a fussy eater, though... with the exception of eggs. I CANNOT stand them. Boiled ones especially - the scent alone disgusts me. I think it has more to do with the fact that I'm just inclined to use my nose moreso than most.

[watcher652]

I also tend to smell whatever I'm eating a lot.

Yes, but you're living Real Life. What we're seeing is a TV production that is taking a few seconds to show McKay's behavior. No one else is shown doing those things. So I think the show is trying to make a point. Whether it's that McKay is a picky eater, concerned about potential citrus, has a sensitive nose, or just exhibiting scientific curiousity is the question.

I like to think it's because he's checking for citrus and that's the image the show is trying to reinforce in our minds. The show has McKay liking MREs, hospital food and PowerBars, so I don't think they're going for the picky eater. McKay feels safe with those foods because he knows what's in them.

[LORD MONK]

I am going to go with what TPTB says he is and I am sticking to it because they are TPTB.

[Chelle DB]

It seems to me that McKay is a self-important douchebag with a high metabolism.

LOL! Very good! I like that one!! I think he's a hypochondriac!!! But I still love him anyway!!!

[Syera]

Yes, but you're living Real Life. What we're seeing is a TV production that is taking a few seconds to show McKay's behavior. No one else is shown doing those things. So I think the show is trying to make a point. Whether it's that McKay is a picky eater, concerned about potential citrus, has a sensitive nose, or just exhibiting scientific curiousity is the question.

I like to think it's because he's checking for citrus and that's the image the show is trying to reinforce in our minds. The show has McKay liking MREs, hospital food and PowerBars, so I don't think they're going for the picky eater. McKay feels safe with those foods because he knows what's in them.

I'm just tryin' to dig into the potential psychology behind it is all. Myself, I do it because there's so much information you can get from scent. Some people consider me weird because I'm so scent-oriented; I consider it using an ability that human society has tragically deemphasized.

I think it'd be interesting to know how much of it is something that TPTB came up with (I don't think subtlity is their specialty), something that Hewlett decided should be a part of the character, and something that's simply a Hewlettism.