Completely Confused and Fed Up!

[SJC]

I feel like I am going round in circles and I don't expect anyone to have the answers, but I have got to share.
Food is fast becoming a swear word for me. Fancy getting told you are prediabetic just when you are really poorly, terribly nauseous every day, and your appetite isn't very good anyway.

Don't forget I am new to all this and have only known about the prediabetes for a few weeks. I feel like I have gone round in circles with the diets mentioned on the forum. I looked up and read up on LCHF, GI, GL. I thought I had gleamed a lot from reading many posts about the foods that seem to raise BG and those that seem fairly safe for most. The first thing I have learned that was valuable, is that no two people seem to be the same and therefore it's all trial and error. I accept this. I test, I learn.

My acid reflux and IBS was already playing up when I got the BG test results. Now I am finding that a lot of foods ( more than usual), are actually making these conditions worse....and the nausea sometimes too. I ate full fat yoghurt a couple of times and it just made me feel sick if I am honest. I had butter on my Burgen...it made me feel sick too and felt very heavy in my stomach for hours. Had to abandon this high fat thing. My two highest BG post eating readings have been with a Turkey dinner with veg ( no potato) and berries with full fat yoghurt. Even an Atkins bar was less.

Leaves me with low carbing, for someone who is being weighed weekly because they are losing so much weight ( started pre test results). Doc concerned about me losing weight, family concerned. I bought a low carb cookbook to give me some enthusiasm and I just got Patrick Holfords The Low GL Diet cookbook....BUT I AM NOT TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!! The first page I open randomly in Holford's book said apple cinnamon porridge for breakfast....porridge? Rice, pasta, albeit brown, but it's all there; all the things I have been led to believe are unlikely to do me any good. Confused isn't the word!

I hold my hands up. Apart from not eating any white starchy carbs, I don't have a clue what to do next. Due to speak to dietician soon but not holding my breath for anything useful to come out of it.

 

[lunarlinda]

Poor you, I know how you feel, but the LCHF diet on here is only One way of controlling BS levels, and as you don't have weight to loose, but are trying not to loose any more, I don't think this plan will help you. You have other medical issues that you do need to concentrate on, not your BS levels at the moment.

I know how difficult it is when you don't feel like eating, so if I were you, I'd eat what I fancied to eat, and you know won't upset your body, and you know what will, so keep away from those foods. I'm a believer in my body telling me what it wants to receive, even if that is a "bad" food, I don't care anymore, I'm convinced the 101 diets I've tried unsuccessfully all these years have "caused" my digestive system to stop working efficiently.

Go back to basics, before the word Diet came into out lives. Good Luck xx

 

[SJC]

Poor you, I know how you feel, but the LCHF diet on here is only One way of controlling BS levels, and as you don't have weight to loose, but are trying not to loose any more, I don't think this plan will help you. You have other medical issues that you do need to concentrate on, not your BS levels at the moment.

I know how difficult it is when you don't feel like eating, so if I were you, I'd eat what I fancied to eat, and you know won't upset your body, and you know what will, so keep away from those foods. I'm a believer in my body telling me what it wants to receive, even if that is a "bad" food, I don't care anymore, I'm convinced the 101 diets I've tried unsuccessfully all these years have "caused" my digestive system to stop working efficiently.

Go back to basics, before the word Diet came into out lives. Good Luck xx

Thanks Linda. That sounds extremely tempting. Getting very near to saying....whatever!!! xx

 

[Pollylocks]

..SJC, I don't think you can deal with which foods you need to eat for the acid reflux, which foods are best for the IBS and then foods to keep your blood sugar stable on top of this all at the same time.. you're not superwoman!

...You're already aware that some fats aren't helping you, and I'm sure you'll gradually learn what helps and what doesn't but it will probably take a while.....go to your dietician with an open mind, they could be excellent...

...I agree with Lunarlinda, nobody's hungry when they're not well, so why not for the moment just stick to foods that you already know won't upset you and that you feel you are able to eat, and hopefully you'll get some good professional advice..

 

[Totto]

Those who have been eating low fat for some time can find they get a bit nauseous when they start to eat more fat. If this is the case, up your fat intake in steps.

You could also get your pancreatic enzymes checked. Lack of them can cause indigestion when eating fat.

 

[Indy51]

I've had all sorts of digestive issues for years (including gallstones) and I find betaine HCL and pancreatic/digestive enzymes very helpful. I've also been seeing a naturopath who has been adjusting various supplements and dietary factors with me over several months. Diabetes isn't the only problem you can get from pancreatic insufficiency, unfortunately.

 

[SJC]

..SJC, I don't think you can deal with which foods you need to eat for the acid reflux, which foods are best for the IBS and then foods to keep your blood sugar stable on top of this all at the same time.. you're not superwoman!

...You're already aware that some fats aren't helping you, and I'm sure you'll gradually learn what helps and what doesn't but it will probably take a while.....go to your dietician with an open mind, they could be excellent...

...I agree with Lunarlinda, nobody's hungry when they're not well, so why not for the moment just stick to foods that you already know won't upset you and that you feel you are able to eat, and hopefully you'll get some good professional advice..

Thanks Pollylocks

 

[SJC]

Those who have been eating low fat for some time can find they get a bit nauseous when they start to eat more fat. If this is the case, up your fat intake in steps.

You could also get your pancreatic enzymes checked. Lack of them can cause indigestion when eating fat.

Thanks. Will mention to doc but I have had so many tests done recently. I was already nauseous for weeks before I started to eat the high fat. Very sensitive digestive system right now.

 

[SJC]

I've had all sorts of digestive issues for years (including gallstones) and I find betaine HCL and pancreatic/digestive enzymes very helpful. I've also been seeing a naturopath who has been adjusting various supplements and dietary factors with me over several months. Diabetes isn't the only problem you can get from pancreatic insufficiency, unfortunately.

I did actually mention my pancreas and enzymes to my doc two weels ago. He completely ruled that out. Don't know if it's based on test results.

 

[jack412]

If you are losing weight without trying and you have high blood glucose readings, you may be heading for T1.
What are your BG readings, you may ned to ring your nurse to make sure you haven't got ketones

 

[SJC]

If you are losing weight without trying and you have high blood glucose readings, you may be heading for T1.
What are your BG readings, you may ned to ring your nurse to make sure you haven't got ketones

Thanks.I had been a bit depressed for a while, then I got ill with nausea, joint/muscle pains, headaches, utter fatigue. I have had these spells before. They thinking it might be M.E

 

[Indy51]

I have to admit, I'm getting a bit lost between the various threads about the extent of your various conditions/diagnoses.

Reflux can be caused by a number of things - in my case it was hiatal hernia, SIBO and wheat intolerance. Have you been tested for hiatal hernia or had any kind of endoscope to check out your stomach and small intestine? It can, ironically, also be caused by LOW stomach acid. That's why I use betaine HCL/pepsin supplementation and also drink apple cider vinegar before my meals to aid with digestion.

SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) can also be a major factor in IBS. IBS can also be caused by a number of things but more and more research is pointing to FODMAPS. (The big players for me were wheat, legumes/pulses and artificial sweeteners - but I also seem to have problems with some low FODMAP foods that are in the nightshade family like capsicum). Not all the foods mentioned will necessarily cause problems, so a food diary and cycling eliminations may be necessary. Or even simpler, go to a very plain, plain diet of just well cooked meat/fish and non-FODMAP vegetables/fruit for at least a month, then start adding foods back one by one at 3 day intervals. I know this can be pretty scary if you are afraid of losing more weight and/or suffering with nausea. Here's a link to information about FODMAPS:
http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/low-high.html

For me a combination of two courses of antibiotics (for another condition) and going on a grain free diet fixed about 80% of my digestive issues - one big plus was most of the reflux disappeared and I was able to stop taking Nexium which I'd been taking for years. I had another setback caused by metformin giving me gastritis, but since stopping metformin and working with the naturopath, my digestion is getting better and better. It's not 100%, but still like night and day compared to what it used to be like.

I can still get issues with reflux if I eat too much. Also bending over and/or trying to lay flat while I have a full stomach. Sleeping with a foam wedge to elevate the head and sleeping on your left side can also help.

Personally I've given up thinking conventional medicine will ever sort out my digestive issues because their answer to everything is to put people on PPI drugs. The progress with the naturopath has been slow but steady over several months, but I'm happy to persist because I'm feeling the improvements. Unfortunately there's no easy fix.

Getting good BG control was a walk in the park compared to the digestion side of things, I'm sorry to say.

 

[SJC]

I have to admit, I'm getting a bit lost between the various threads about the extent of your various conditions/diagnoses.

Reflux can be caused by a number of things - in my case it was hiatal hernia, SIBO and wheat intolerance. Have you been tested for hiatal hernia or had any kind of endoscope to check out your stomach and small intestine? It can, ironically, also be caused by LOW stomach acid. That's why I use betaine HCL/pepsin supplementation and also drink apple cider vinegar before my meals to aid with digestion.



SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) can also be a major factor in IBS. IBS can also be caused by a number of things but more and more research is pointing to FODMAPS. (The big players for me were wheat, legumes/pulses and artificial sweeteners - but I also seem to have problems with some low FODMAP foods that are in the nightshade family like capsicum). Not all the foods mentioned will necessarily cause problems, so a food diary and cycling eliminations may be necessary. Or even simpler, go to a very plain, plain diet of just well cooked meat/fish and non-FODMAP vegetables/fruit for at least a month, then start adding foods back one by one at 3 day intervals. I know this can be pretty scary if you are afraid of losing more weight and/or suffering with nausea. Here's a link to information about FODMAPS:
http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/low-high.html

For me a combination of two courses of antibiotics (for another condition) and going on a grain free diet fixed about 80% of my digestive issues - one big plus was most of the reflux disappeared and I was able to stop taking Nexium which I'd been taking for years. I had another setback caused by metformin giving me gastritis, but since stopping metformin and working with the naturopath, my digestion is getting better and better. It's not 100%, but still like night and day compared to what it used to be like.

I can still get issues with reflux if I eat too much. Also bending over and/or trying to lay flat while I have a full stomach. Sleeping with a foam wedge to elevate the head and sleeping on your left side can also help.

Personally I've given up thinking conventional medicine will ever sort out my digestive issues because their answer to everything is to put people on PPI drugs. The progress with the naturopath has been slow but steady over several months, but I'm happy to persist because I'm feeling the improvements. Unfortunately there's no easy fix.

Getting good BG control was a walk in the park compared to the digestion side of things, I'm sorry to say.

Thanks for your reply.
I have had acid reflux and hiatus hernia for about six or seven years. I don't take PPIs all the time, only when I get a flare up. Most of the time I can eat almost anything without effect. Currys don't bother me for instance. My IBS seemed to have calmed down a lot until just recently. Tried apple cider vinegar and it didn't make any difference.