Diet and Other Chronic Conditions - Problems

[SJC]

I figured I have nothing to lose but to share my predicament right now as I am experiencing problems with the diet side of things. First, it has to be said that I have been nauseous every day for the last nine weeks and nobody knows why yet. I am query M.E, but I also suffer from IBS and acid reflux. I have had this day in day out nausea before and even been admitted to hospital for it two years ago. During some routine scans they found the cancer on my kidney, so everything homed in on that and I was told my symptoms were actually nothing to do with it. I never did find out. I have had these bouts about six times in the last five years. This is the longest I have felt sick for. I have other symptoms but they are not important to this thread.

So, I am prediabetic. I bought my meter, changed my diet, but you must remember that with nausea I have had to struggle at times to eat but I try very hard. I am losing weight, I think about 11lbs in the last few weeks. I only weigh about 8 st 10lbs now and I am continuing to lose weight.

I am getting really bad kickback from the fruit I am eating - acid. The full fat yoghurts, butter etc are making me feel sicker and laying heavy in my tummy. I have started to go to the loo more often since I changed to the LCHF diet...not good for someone wanting to put on weight.

From a medical point of view, I have been told to eat low salt, low protein (kidney disease), I was eating activia every day to help the IBS, and have always eaten a lot of veg and whole grains anyway for the IBS. I have always had to be careful with certain foods for my acid problem. I was also told to eat a low fat diet. Now I have learned that I should be low carbing.

I am struggling to keep all my conditions happy. My GFR (kidney function) yesterday when I went up to the hospital had gone down from 5.4 to 5.3. Know it's negligible, but it's the first time it's gone in the wrong direction for two years.

The thing is, if I have been told to eat low everything, I am going to continue to lose weight...and with nausea on the top I am going to be become even sicker. I tend to lose weight quickly. Some days I can't eat til midday and even then just a snack. I do try a proper meal at dinner time though. This is all of great concern to me. I would appreciate any thoughts on all this.

I have been told on here that high fat is okay for my kidney disease. Other than that I am getting completely confused. Some days I feel like I should eat anything and everything and risk the diabetes. Then other days I most definitely want to do everything in my power to prevent it.

 

[Spiker]

A low everything diet is not sustainable.

Have they given you the reasons for the low fat advice ? If they are specific to your condition, and not due to cardiovascular risk or diabetes risk, that's one thing. If it's just the standard advice they would give to anyone, or if they are saying that higher fat would be a cardiovascular / diabetes risk, that is bad science and you don't need to follow that advice.

So unless you have a specific contraindication for dietary fat, the best approach I would suggest is to find sources of fat that are palatable to you.

The unexplained weight loss and recurrent nausea are serious symptoms but I gather you are getting those looked at medically?

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[andcol]

Have you had pancreas function tests. It is responsible for digestive enzymes as well as insulin

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Spiker]

To be honest the problems you are experiencing sound more serious than worrying about adherence to a low carb diet or even prediabetes. If low carb is challenging you I would leave it until the rest of your health is stable and understood. Just a personal opinion. One thing we do know for sure is that high carb diets are good for putting on weight!

Take care. You must be very worried.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[andcol]

Good advice there

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Lamont D]

I feel empathy and sympathy for you, having been on a 'diet' (particularly low fat) for over ten years after being given health warnings. I have lost about 2 stones since but I really struggle to lose very little and clearly since my last results, I have been told to eat regular low carbs and things that I just can't eat.
You just keep going back and even harass your medical people to find out. I now have a dietician and even though we disagree about some things, I have seen some slight improvements in my daily health. I have still a long way to go and a hospital stay to look forward to.
If you can keep to what you think is best, having read and learnt things about your condition, then hopefully after a little time, things will start to change for the better, there is great advice on this website about prediabetes and how to control your bloods.

 

[SJC]

Hi Spiker. When I had my offending kidney removed, I was told by the consultant that I would be open to more risks generally. That I must take great care with my diet because I wouldn't want complications like diabetes and cardiovascualr problems....hence the low fat. So I don't know whether to ignore that advice now. When I had the BG test that was borderline recently, I was also told my cholesterol had gone up from 5.4 to 5.7. I have very low levels of vitamin D and am taking a supplement. Sadly I can only have a low dose because too much vitamin D supplement is bad for my kidney!!

Andrew..thanks for responding. I am seeing my kidney specialist early June. I have had to have routine 6 monthly scans since my cancer. The last but one showed a nodule on one lung. The last scan showed two but the first hadn't changed in size or shape. I am due another scan in a week.

I have been re-referred back to gastroenterology but the appointment isn't until 30th June. I am being referred this week for an ultrasound scan on my gall bladder. They did another thyroid check yesterday and will get results Tuesday.

I am also awaiting both referral and funding to be seen by a CFS/ME specialist but this could take some time yet. With the nausea I get extreme fatigue, stopping me from going anywhere much at all. In fact all I want to do is lie down. (forget exercise for prediabetes right now!) I get joint/muscle pains and spasms. I feel foggy headed, slow, and to be honest really poorly. It's a bit like having flu but with no temperature but a lot of nausea thrown in. My digestive system is all up the swannee right now.

My doc weighs me weekly and sees me weekly but as for now there's nothing more he can do. Routine bloods would show pancreas problems wouldn't they? All my routine bloods apart from the glucose are ok.

 

[SJC]

Thanks nosher8355. I have been to casualty twice in the last four weeks or so. Both times I felt close to collapse. Both times they took my bloods and I had a chest x-ray once. Both times they said they can't see anything obvious and sent me home. I was already rather low after losing a friend, my dad and my dog in the space of a year, but all this ill health on top has made me feel very low.

 

[SJC]

To be honest the problems you are experiencing sound more serious than worrying about adherence to a low carb diet or even prediabetes. If low carb is challenging you I would leave it until the rest of your health is stable and understood. Just a personal opinion. One thing we do know for sure is that high carb diets are good for putting on weight!

Take care. You must be very worried.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

I am starting to feel that way. My doctor said to me a week ago, that I wasn't going to become a full blown diabetic overnight, but my weight and general health is more important right now and I should eat absolutely anything I can. He's referred me to a dietician as he's confused about putting me on the right dietary supplement because of high glucose and kidney disease.

 

[Spiker]

Your doctor sounds like a good guy. I would be tempted to embrace that advice.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Daibell]

Hi. It must be very difficult for you. I agree with the other posters that you need to query the low-fat advice you have been given in the past. I suspect it has more to do with general NHS advice than specifically for your condition, so do ask the HCPs to put it into context. Bearing in mind that with the current state of knowledge fats aren't the cardiovascular problem we were all told. I know fats can be a problem with gall bladders and possibly other areas but I've not heard personally of any kidney related concerns. You can always focus on the good fats although trying to avoid the proteins; not easy. As Spiker says perhaps worrying about low-carb at this time is not vital and if your blood sugars do rise there is always insulin to help balance that and I think insulin in general doesn't cause other problems. So, you have the difficult job of trying to get the HCPs and dieticians to think beyond their standard mantra and focus on your specific needs; not easy for them I can see with so much to take into account. Do keep us informed.

 

[Lamont D]

I am relieved that you are doing as much as you can medically and that you being tested.
Keep fighting and post your results.

 

[SJC]

Hi Daibell To be honest it's just a frightening time. I have lots to contend with. Nodules on lungs, kidney disease, fibromyalgia, IBS, acid, hiatus hernia, this cyclical nausea/fatigue issue and now higher than normal BG. My kidney specialist doesn't know how poorly I am right now. I have lots of questions to put to him. I'm worried I will get bad advice from a dietician.

Remember I was already down when I got these BG results. I am sure like all people who find out their BG has gone much higher, there is a degree of panic or at the least grave concern. I naturally and immediately wanted to try my hardest to prevent full blown diabetes. I feel like I have already lost the battle some days.

As you can imagine it's hard keeping anxiety levels down too which can exacerbate everything!

 

[Mazzer]

Hi SJC, so sorry to hear that you have so much going on at the moment, it is not surprising that you are feeling low. It is a frightening experience when first diagnosed, and can understand your anxiety. However, I agree with the other posters that you need to get your other problems fully investigated and treated first.

I was diagnosed with reflux many years ago and have always taken Omeprazole and although I have quite a lot of fat in my diet it doesn't upset my tummy. I also understand from reading other posts that low carbs improves symptoms of IBS, but you need to discuss this with your medical team.

I do hope that things improve for you soon, keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on.

Take care.

Marilyn x

 

[SJC]

Hi Marilyn and thanks for posting I am on rabreprozole twice a day for the acid. I am only allowed to use Gaviscon very sparingly because of the sodium and kidney problem. I can't have any anti-nausea pills because I have had a bad reaction to a few of them. I'll get there I guess...just need lots of answers right now. Will keep updating

 

[Daibell]

Hi Daibell To be honest it's just a frightening time. I have lots to contend with. Nodules on lungs, kidney disease, fibromyalgia, IBS, acid, hiatus hernia, this cyclical nausea/fatigue issue and now higher than normal BG. My kidney specialist doesn't know how poorly I am right now. I have lots of questions to put to him. I'm worried I will get bad advice from a dietician.

Remember I was already down when I got these BG results. I am sure like all people who find out their BG has gone much higher, there is a degree of panic or at the least grave concern. I naturally and immediately wanted to try my hardest to prevent full blown diabetes. I feel like I have already lost the battle some days.

As you can imagine it's hard keeping anxiety levels down too which can exacerbate everything!

The 'good' thing about diabetes if there is such a thing is that insulin does manage it extremely well with few side effects for most and it isn't the problem to administer that it once was. So, I don't think you need to worry on the score; just be prepared to ask/fight for insulin if needed and you can then focus on the other problems which don't have such an obvious 'fix'

 

[SJC]

The 'good' thing about diabetes if there is such a thing is that insulin does manage it extremely well with few side effects for most and it isn't the problem to administer that it once was. So, I don't think you need to worry on the score; just be prepared to ask/fight for insulin if needed and you can then focus on the other problems which don't have such an obvious 'fix'

The thought of even getting to that point seems depressing enough. I do take your point though. All is not lost, just makes life a bit more difficult generally.

 

[collectingrocks]

Hi SJC

Probably a long shot and no doubt I'll get shot down in flames but in addition to the nausea, do you feel any fullness in one (or both) of your ears, do you feel vertiginous, do you get a noise in your ear, does your hearing fluctuate?

Just trying to rule in/rule out other possibilities....

 

[SJC]

Hi collectingrocks
I have had benign positional vertigo twice in my life so I know how ear problems can cause massive disturbance. I do have tinnitus but that's all.

 

[SJC]

For the second time on the trot I have had a bad reaction to cauli mash with butter and a little cream cheese so I won't be having that again for definite. I have spent hours absolutely full of wind, feeling so uncomfortable. I don't know if it's the cauli or the fats though. I often think that foods are making me ill but working out which ones is a long task.