cutting back bolus as reducing carbs

[Mep]

I've about had it with the weight gain from the baclofen changes. Again after I was taken off baclofen in January for a procedure and put back on it I'm suddenly gaining more weight. So I've decided I'm going to have to cut my daily carb intake further. I can't eat a lot of the foods people on the LCHF can eat. So what I'm doing is eating fish, egg. or chicken as my protein and I'm eating soft salad vegetables (it's hot here). But what makes this hard is I just got told last week I have to stop eating vegetables altogether because the problem is they give me GI spasms every time I eat them. ugh. But I have to weigh up eat more carbs and get even fatter or put up with more pain and move the weight off. I tell you this is **** frustrating. Also not only that I've been misjudging my insulin dose a couple of times and I'm having a hypo an hour after eating. So I'm slowly decreasing again. I think my problem is when I make salad I'm not getting the estimate of carbs right as depends how of of whatever I put in it. But I've restricted myself to eat soft spinach leaves, red capsicum sliced fine, grape tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado. So I'm having that with some protein... it may be boring but so far I've noticed my weight has started to go in the other direction just by doing this. But as I said pain level is worse. But I can't imagine life without vegetables as I've always loved them. I've never been a big meat eater. I don't eat red meat often these days because of the pain it gives me too. Well I've got my fingers crossed and praying I can put up with this and get this weight off and my overall insulin dosage reduced.

 

[Brunneria]

Hard decisions, and a miserable way of being, Mep. You have my sympathy!

Does it help if the veg are pureed?

And do you think it could be the timing of the insulin, rather than the dose size? Since your digestion may be slower than you expect? I am sure an insulin user could give personal experiences of this. I know @azure times her insulin differently depending on meal content.

 

[Mep]

Hard decisions, and a miserable way of being, Mep. You have my sympathy!

Does it help if the veg are pureed?

And do you think it could be the timing of the insulin, rather than the dose size? Since your digestion may be slower than you expect? I am sure an insulin user could give personal experiences of this. I know @azure times her insulin differently depending on meal content.

yeh could be that... although I think I more than likely gave myself too high a dose for what I was eating. Also I keep forgetting vegetable carbs don't seem to work well for my diabetes. Argghh. I've hypo'd a lot before on them... then other times I can hyper on exact same thing. I guess it could be my digestion too as my GI tract doesn't move too well at all. Maybe the vegetables move differently through it compared to the grain carbs. My gastroenterologist wants me to replace vegetables with that drink called benefiber... he reckons soluble fiber is better for the GI tract when it's easily upset. Personally I'd like a new GI tract. lol. I'm sick of trying to figure everything out and I don't seem to win either way. But as I said in my original post... I'm not prepared to get fatter. I'm not sure why my body reacts this way to baclofen every time there is a change to it... it is like it sets of a gain weight trigger in me. Also my theory is if I can get the weight off it may help my pain long term. I'm pretty sure extra weight is not helping. I'm the biggest I've ever been and feeling it too.

 

[azure]

Hi @Mep That all sounds horrible for,you. I'm a great fan of veg too so not being able to,eat it without pain must be depressing.

Have you tried blander veg like cauliflower and carrots puréed?

I don't count the carbs in veg or salad unless I'm having no carbs with it eg fish plus green veg, etc. I suggest you try getting some 'safe' meals by eating the same thing two or three days in a row and trying to perfect your bolus dose and timing. It's boring but it removes stress and variability. I also recommend a half unit pen so you can adjust your dose more finely.

If you have any irregularity in your gut, that could affect the transit of foods and make your BS unpredictable. I suggest trying to get the right bolus dose first, then look at the bolus timing after you've got that roughly ok.

I'd also add that if veg is causing you pain, then the stress of that might be affecting your BS too.

 

[Mep]

Hi @Mep That all sounds horrible for,you. I'm a great fan of veg too so not being able to,eat it without pain must be depressing.

Have you tried blander veg like cauliflower and carrots puréed?

I don't count the carbs in veg or salad unless I'm having no carbs with it eg fish plus green veg, etc. I suggest you try getting some 'safe' meals by eating the same thing two or three days in a row and trying to perfect your bolus dose and timing. It's boring but it removes stress and variability. I also recommend a half unit pen so you can adjust your dose more finely.

If you have any irregularity in your gut, that could affect the transit of foods and make your BS unpredictable. I suggest trying to get the right bolus dose first, then look at the bolus timing after you've got that roughly ok.

I'd also add that if veg is causing you pain, then the stress of that might be affecting your BS too.

Thank you that's very helpful tips to look at.

Well as I mentioned earlier about vegetables carbs being unpredictable... I tested 1.5 hours after eating virtually the exactly same food and quantity as last night (although I had egg last night instead of salmon tonight). So last night at 1.5 hour mark I was 4.3. Tonight I was 11.0. At the 2 hour mark tonight I was 7.1 so I dropped almost 4 mmols in half an hour. But then tonight I had a much higher reading than last night at the 1.5 hour mark. You could be right about the stress raising my BGLs too as the pain is worse tonight. ugh. Fun & games. Also not sure about whether or not I have a UTI as it's hard for me to tell but my bladder symptoms have ramped up a bit. So I will see how I am tomorrow as I may need to go and get a urinalysis done. If I have a UTI that will explain the high sugar maybe too. But more than likely with me it is just a flare of my condition going on and the pain is just affecting my BGLs. I'll keep at it. Thanks again Azure

 

[Kristin251]

Mep, sorry to hear what you're going through. My stomach is awful too. I adore veggies but can only eat small amounts at a time and have to watch through the day as they also have a cumulative effect on my stomach later in the day. And if my stomach isn't happy I don't sleep.

I used to boil asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower and then blend them in the liquid. Came out like a soup but I liked it cold as well in the summer. I would make a big batch and freeze portions in muffin tins then after frozen put in a baggie. Sometimes I made it thick like a mash instead of soupy. I just had a thread on salads raising my bs far more than it should and I was only talking about lettuce!!

Just a word of caution as we are all different but benefiber or any such fiber like that stops my digestion in its track!! Avocado and protein make up the majority of my meals. If I eat my veggies away from other foods and alone such as a few asparagus spears as snacks I find them easier to digest. I have to still watch portions and carb content so I tend to eat more asparagus, mushrooms, bok choy and celery. I've just about given up on lettuce although it breaks my heart. Even just a lettuce wrap with one piece of lettuce raises my bs. Ridiculous. Diabetes along with stomach issues sure is limiting.

I second the half unit pen. I couldn't live without it. I bolus half unit for lunch having just protein and avocado. If I add lettuce I need one to one and a half. Bf is one half and an hour later another half to stop the morning rise. Sometimes another 1/2 at noon. I eat bf at 7-8 and lunch at 3. If I eat any sort of veggies, even a small handful vlc I need another 1/2 unit.

 

[Mep]

Mep, sorry to hear what you're going through. My stomach is awful too. I adore veggies but can only eat small amounts at a time and have to watch through the day as they also have a cumulative effect on my stomach later in the day. And if my stomach isn't happy I don't sleep.

I used to boil asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower and then blend them in the liquid. Came out like a soup but I liked it cold as well in the summer. I would make a big batch and freeze portions in muffin tins then after frozen put in a baggie. Sometimes I made it thick like a mash instead of soupy. I just had a thread on salads raising my bs far more than it should and I was only talking about lettuce!!

Just a word of caution as we are all different but benefiber or any such fiber like that stops my digestion in its track!! Avocado and protein make up the majority of my meals. If I eat my veggies away from other foods and alone such as a few asparagus spears as snacks I find them easier to digest. I have to still watch portions and carb content so I tend to eat more asparagus, mushrooms, bok choy and celery. I've just about given up on lettuce although it breaks my heart. Even just a lettuce wrap with one piece of lettuce raises my bs. Ridiculous. Diabetes along with stomach issues sure is limiting.

I second the half unit pen. I couldn't live without it. I bolus half unit for lunch having just protein and avocado. If I add lettuce I need one to one and a half. Bf is one half and an hour later another half to stop the morning rise. Sometimes another 1/2 at noon. I eat bf at 7-8 and lunch at 3. If I eat any sort of veggies, even a small handful vlc I need another 1/2 unit.

Yes, I can't eat lettuce either just because it hurts me going down. For some reason I can manage spinach leaves better probably because they're soft. I love broccoli but can no longer eat it... I stay away from cauliflower and cabbage too because they just add to my gas problem and cause a lot of pain. As I said I'm still getting pain from eating what I mentioned above. I can eat a carb only meal and have no pain from it, but of course it's not good for my sugar levels. It is ridiculous that my body seems to be rejecting the healthy foods. I'd love to sit down to a nice steak too but last time I did that I was in pain for days.... what was worse is I was out at a restaurant eating that and I was in pain and it ruined everything for me. There's my family saying what a fantastic meal they had and I'm wishing I never ate mine. All these foods I crave often too although I think what they do to me and that puts me right off. I'm not sure if I can get the half unit pens here or not? I will have to check with my docs. Thanks

 

[Kristin251]

Yes, I can't eat lettuce either just because it hurts me going down. For some reason I can manage spinach leaves better probably because they're soft. I love broccoli but can no longer eat it... I stay away from cauliflower and cabbage too because they just add to my gas problem and cause a lot of pain. As I said I'm still getting pain from eating what I mentioned above. I can eat a carb only meal and have no pain from it, but of course it's not good for my sugar levels. It is ridiculous that my body seems to be rejecting the healthy foods. I'd love to sit down to a nice steak too but last time I did that I was in pain for days.... what was worse is I was out at a restaurant eating that and I was in pain and it ruined everything for me. There's my family saying what a fantastic meal they had and I'm wishing I never ate mine. All these foods I crave often too although I think what they do to me and that puts me right off. I'm not sure if I can get the half unit pens here or not? I will have to check with my docs. Thanks

I don't get pain often anymore but portions are stupid small. Barely worth making. I do like them steamed and then cold so I can pick at them all day. Luckily I don't have problems with protein and avocado but I do miss veggies. The best thing I have done is keep me meals VERY small. And not too many different foods in one meal. Have you tried veggies without protein in the meal? My stupid stomach likes things very simple. I don't get bored as a use different herbs, infused oils and mayo for variety. I have multiple ways to make avocado.
I can't do cruciferous veggies really either. Not things with thick skins or seeds. Gas is certainly an issue with loads of different veggies. I spent many years bloated, in pain and with gas that wouldn't come out. I understand the foods turning you off now as the consequences aren't worth it. Then throw the foods we can digest but they effect bs too much.

Just saying....you're not alone!! I hope you feel better mep!!!

 

[Mep]

I don't get pain often anymore but portions are stupid small. Barely worth making. I do like them steamed and then cold so I can pick at them all day. Luckily I don't have problems with protein and avocado but I do miss veggies. The best thing I have done is keep me meals VERY small. And not too many different foods in one meal. Have you tried veggies without protein in the meal? My stupid stomach likes things very simple. I don't get bored as a use different herbs, infused oils and mayo for variety. I have multiple ways to make avocado.
I can't do cruciferous veggies really either. Not things with thick skins or seeds. Gas is certainly an issue with loads of different veggies. I spent many years bloated, in pain and with gas that wouldn't come out. I understand the foods turning you off now as the consequences aren't worth it. Then throw the foods we can digest but they effect bs too much.

Just saying....you're not alone!! I hope you feel better mep!!!

Thanks yeh it's a work in progress. I used to love food when I was young and now it's more like a love hate relationship. Love the idea of it, but hate what it does to me.

 

[zand]

No helpful suggestions from me, sorry. I just wanted to give you a hug ((())) because I too like my veggies and couldn't bear to be without them. I feel for you.

 

[chalup]

I was wondering if a low carb protein shake might sit better with your stomach. You should be able to get one dairy free if dairy is an issue. Just a thought.

 

[Mep]

I was wondering if a low carb protein shake might sit better with your stomach. You should be able to get one dairy free if dairy is an issue. Just a thought.

All the shakes I've seen here have aspartame in them which I can't have. I initially thought of using optifast for my digestion until I noticed it had aspartame in it. Then I went searching and they all seem to have it. ugh. Although at least it was an idea... and thank you for thinking of it too I even thought about sustagen drink although that has citric acid and soy which I can't have... also it's over 40g carbs per serve which I'm guessing it may not be good for my diabetes either. They have a diabetic formula too I think but it probably has some sweetener in it like most diabetic products do. I happen to have a bladder condition that doesn't like a lot of foods. Although I get stuck with my throat because I have to suck or chew and I can't suck on sugary lollies so I use the sugar free ones. But it's either that or choke (water alone doesn't always work for me). That's the only sugar free I use though. In winter I will definitely try and do soups I can digest which should help I hope. At the moment my GI tract just keeps spasming all the time after I eat vegetables or meat it can't handle. But if I eat just carbs it doesn't... so it likes carbs... but my diabetes doesn't.

 

[chalup]

That is a tough call. I thought low carb and coeliac together was limiting but I am glad I am not in your shoes. I hope you can find something that works for you and lets you feel better. It is a miserable thing to live in pain. Everyone's is different but I know this from personal experience. I am thinking about you.

 

[Mep]

Well my body temp has gone even higher and so has my blood sugars. I think I definitely need to get that test done now. ugh. If it's not one thing it's another. I guess I'll find out sometime on Friday whether I need to be on antibiotics or not.

 

[Mep]

I got my test result back... just my bladder condition again causing problems. My doc thinks I have rather a predicament that I can't figure out if I have an infection or not without a lab test. He also said it's possible that pain is increasing my body temperature... especially for me when they think I have an autonomic nervous system dysfunction which control a few things in the body including temperature. On the downside i have to go for a CT scan of my bad for the pain shooting to my foot and numbness both coming and going. So either a bulging disc or my muscles are so tight that it's mimicking a bulging disc.