Diet rather than Victoza.

[Carrienewby]

Hi everyone, thanks for allowing me in!

I am pre diabetic and weigh 25 stone. Clearly what I have is more than just a situation of "eat less, lose weight" as there are mental issues involved as I was neglected and starved as a child and now food is the whole world to me!

I am not yet diabetic, but very close. I have been on Metformin and Victoza for years and of course now Victoza is as rare as hen's teeth and I can't get it anymore, so I am here to ask advice.

I know this is insane, but after having an eating disorder since I was 6, I don't know how to eat normally. Can someone please link me to the best (and most sustainable and realistic) diet plan I can do to lower my blood sugar? I don't know what is good food or bad! I literally need the basics because I don't have a clue and you're all so clued up. I don't understand how Diabetes works or how insulin is made or used - I am a complete beginner to all this. Any guides for idiots would be appreciated!

Thank you all so much in advance for being kind,

Carrie

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi there - As someone diagnosed with prediabetes, it's a sign you could be o your way to diabetes (most likely Type 2), but on the other hand some folks can stay pre-diabetic for years.

That isn't trying to dissuade you from trying to improve your health, just trying to get across that I would urge you not to panic.

In terms of what prediabetes is and how it works, in most cases our bodies make enough insulin (which helps regulate our blood sugars), but our bodies don't handle it that well, meaning some of it is effectively "wasted", but along the way our blood sugars rise a bit because our bodies aren't being as efficient as they need to be.

You highlight that you are carrying some excess weight - which is very common in folks with pre-diabetes and diabetes (as well as lots of other factors), so it would be helpful to trim some of that back, if possible.. How do you find Victoza? Has it helped you trim at all, or does in more impact your appetite? It can be a very clever drug, but different folks find it impacts them in very different ways. Have you been offered any alternatives to Victoza? Although there are a number of similar medications around these days, they all seem to be in short supply from time to time.

To be honest, whilst the standard suggestions for those with prediabetes/Type 2 diabetes is a cut down on sugars and other carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes and rice (just naming the most common of those), your situation is complicated by your very long-standing eating disorder. Are you currently getting any help with that? If you are, are they aware of your challenges getting a hold of Victoza?

To be honest, I would feel uncomfortable going too much further in terms of dietary suggestions without knowing where you might be with treatment for your eating disorder. It would clearly be very important not to do anything that would cause issues with your treatments or potential outcomes.

Please don't think I'm trying to be unhelpful, or unwilling to try to help, I'm just concerned the help you need in the first instance might be with specialist professionals, rather than well-meaning folks on the internet.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi everyone, thanks for allowing me in!

I am pre diabetic and weigh 25 stone. Clearly what I have is more than just a situation of "eat less, lose weight" as there are mental issues involved as I was neglected and starved as a child and now food is the whole world to me!

I am not yet diabetic, but very close. I have been on Metformin and Victoza for years and of course now Victoza is as rare as hen's teeth and I can't get it anymore, so I am here to ask advice.

I know this is insane, but after having an eating disorder since I was 6, I don't know how to eat normally. Can someone please link me to the best (and most sustainable and realistic) diet plan I can do to lower my blood sugar? I don't know what is good food or bad! I literally need the basics because I don't have a clue and you're all so clued up. I don't understand how Diabetes works or how insulin is made or used - I am a complete beginner to all this. Any guides for idiots would be appreciated!

Thank you all so much in advance for being kind,

Carrie

Hi Carrie,

@AndBreathe makes some good points, as eating disorders can really throw a wrench into things... But at the same time, someone who can teach you about healthy eating with a psychological component there, might not exactly be aware of what healthy eating means when dealing with an insulin-insensitive prediabetic. So.... Maybe do some research before seeing someone, and I do hope you will, as you seem to be wanting to do research anyway? I think maybe Dr. Jason Fung's The Diabetes Code might help. (Skip the other books, this has the basics).

If I'm reading you correctly, and may I add, there's nothing insane about anything you've said, food is basically your comfort. It is safety, it is love. Getting on top of diabetes or prediabetes isn't about eating less, though portion control can certainly be a part of it. It is mainly, eat fewer carbs. It's not about starving yourself, it's not about going hungry all the time. Fasting'd help, but it's not a prerequisite, especially when starting out and starting with a disorder to complicate things. Take it slow. You love food, but your body doesn't love all foods... It can't deal with carbs well. So... Love the foods you can physically deal with. Try not to overdo it, cut back on snacks between meals if you can... But when you have a proper meal, make it a proper meal indeed. Enough fats and protein, but no overeating. Cut the carbs. Sadly, the carbs are the most filling part of our meals, so that might complicate things a little, but... There are adjustments you can make, preferably with the help of a therapist and/or dietician..

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help a little with the basics, but I do think AndBreathe is right: don't start anything without a professional support network in place, if at all possible.

Hugs,
Jo

 

[JenniferM55]

Hi @Carrienewby welcome to the forum. Think most of us on this forum can absolutely relate to how you feel, and have at one time been where you are now. This is a very supportive forum from people who know what it's like to have diabetes and all the implications associated with it.

Most of a low carb diet is about choosing wisely, swapping high carb foods for lower ones, such as swopping Walls sausages which have 12g carbs for 100g of grilled sausages to Tesco's Finest Pork chipolatas which have just 2.5g of carbs per 100g of chipolatas (according to Cronometer.com). Simple clever swapping of foods could be all that you need. Other suggestions, bake with almond flour instead of wheat (there're plenty of recipes on the internet), avoid processed foods like jars of sauces, make your own bolognaise type sauces, eat dark chocolate containing over 85% cocoa instead of milk chocolate, only eating veg that grow above ground instead of those grown below, keep away from foods that appear to be coated in honey or syrup, all this will soon become second nature to you.

Any questions, please ask, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.