Terribly confused....any ideas ??

[AndBreathe]

@Gezzabelle - Have you noticed if you are more insulin resistant at different times of the day? There could be times of the day when you cope with the carbs better. For me, that would be evening time.

 

[Gezzabelle]

Is there any way you can change to another medical practice and start afresh? I understand that if you contact the NHS office and say you have had problems with a practice they may allow to register outside your area. It's not nice when you don't feel you have a good relationship with your HCPs.

That will probably be the next step if things don't improve.

 

[Gezzabelle]

@Gezzabelle - Have you noticed if you are more insulin resistant at different times of the day? There could be times of the day when you cope with the carbs better. For me, that would be evening time.

Evening time for me too....always get higher readings after evening meal

 

[AndBreathe]

Are you actually looking to gain weight, rather than just stabilise? I would absolutely suggest you try to stabilise for a while first, or there is a danger you'll struggle to stabilise after you gain whatever you plan.

I have ended up slimmer than I would ideally have chosen, but I'm not going to actually try to gain weight. The last thing I want to do is get onto a cycle of yo-yoing.

 

[AndBreathe]

Evening time for me too....always get higher readings after evening meal

In which case we're opposites. Although I don't have worrying spikes, carb-for-carb, I perform better later in the day. I'm sure it's partly my metabolism revs up as the day goes on, and partly that I'm always drinking tea (with milk) through the morning and over lunch.

So, it could be that you would be better served by upping your carbs at breakfast, or do you simply not have many carbs at breakfast, and that's why your numbers are better?

 

[Gezzabelle]

Are you actually looking to gain weight, rather than just stabilise? I would absolutely suggest you try to stabilise for a while first, or there is a danger you'll struggle to stabilise after you gain whatever you plan.

I have ended up slimmer than I would ideally have chosen, but I'm not going to actually try to gain weight. The last thing I want to do is get onto a cycle of yo-yoing.

I just don't want to lose anymore than I have now. It had stabilized with a lot of extra fat added to my diet and I hoped it was enough to maintain it but suddenly out of nowhere I am losing again. Losing weight was a huge plus to the low carb eating which I was happy to accept but I would like it to stop now and maintain what I have achieved. Hopefully a few changes as suggested will help with that

 

[Bluetit1802]

Most people perform better later in the day. Insulin resistance improves for most of us as the day progresses, so we can cope with more carbs at evening meal than we can at breakfast, for example. For me, I can't have any carbs at breakfast without spiking. I used to have about 6g. with yogurt and a few berries, but had to give that up and have my berries later in the day.

 

[Gezzabelle]

In which case we're opposites. Although I don't have worrying spikes, carb-for-carb, I perform better later in the day. I'm sure it's partly my metabolism revs up as the day goes on, and partly that I'm always drinking tea (with milk) through the morning and over lunch.

So, it could be that you would be better served by upping your carbs at breakfast, or do you simply not have many carbs at breakfast, and that's why your numbers are better?

I probably have more carbs in the evening in the form of veg and a few raspberries. Cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, courgettes, peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes are the selection I choose from. Perhaps I should eat them earlier in the day and not for evening meal

 

[Gezzabelle]

Most people perform better later in the day. Insulin resistance improves for most of us as the day progresses, so we can cope with more carbs at evening meal than we can at breakfast, for example. For me, I can't have any carbs at breakfast without spiking. I used to have about 6g. with yogurt and a few berries, but had to give that up and have my berries later in the day.

I cope better in the daytime....evening meal is always the high one for me

 

[Indy51]

You've had lots of great suggestions and I can't really add much, though I'd echo that increasing protein is a good place to start - it can impact BG levels but nowhere like the level that carbs do. It's Dr Bernstein's go-to strategy to help people gain weight with the added bonus that the weight is more likely to be muscle mass, especially if you're doing weight bearing exercise. Nuts if you can tolerate them - they're usually easy to eat. The sudden weight loss after being stable for a while might signal some other health issue, or possibly problems with insulin production. Changing practices sounds like a good plan to me.

Adding a high protein smoothie might be a good strategy?

 

[Gezzabelle]

You've had lots of great suggestions and I can't really add much, though I'd echo that increasing protein is a good place to start - it can impact BG levels but nowhere like the level that carbs do. It's Dr Bernstein's go-to strategy to help people gain weight with the added bonus that the weight is more likely to be muscle mass, especially if you're doing weight bearing exercise. Nuts if you can tolerate them - they're usually easy to eat. The sudden weight loss after being stable for a while might signal some other health issue, or possibly problems with insulin production. Changing practices sounds like a good plan to me.

Adding a high protein smoothie might be a good strategy?

I am going to be keeping a closer eye on my fbgs as they seem to be rising compared to their usual low levels. I am taking on board all the great suggestions here and going to make some adjustments to my diet and see if I can turn this around. It just shows that you can't afford to get 'over confident' about things. I had stopped testing so much and when I did a few random ones I had a bit of a wake up call with levels creeping up for tried and tested meals.

 

[Osidge]

Hi Gezzabelle

How did your scan go? I hope the results were good. If you are having bad results from meals that were previously OK, it does sound as if you are producing less insulin. Perhaps the new locum will either arrange for you to have the c-peptide or GAD tests or refer you to you local diabetes clinc (in the hospital or community service)

Take care

Doug

 

[Gezzabelle]

Hi Gezzabelle

How did your scan go? I hope the results were good. If you are having bad results from meals that were previously OK, it does sound as if you are producing less insulin. Perhaps the new locum will either arrange for you to have the c-peptide or GAD tests or refer you to you local diabetes clinc (in the hospital or community service)

Take care

Doug

The scan showed cysts all over my kidneys but my liver is fine....I have to have a load of blood tests done to eliminate other possible causes and also to check my kidneys are okay due to the number of cysts on them. If the bloods don't show anything up then he mentioned sending me to see a specialist so now I have to book the new bloods and take it from there

 

[Brunneria]

The scan showed cysts all over my kidneys but my liver is fine....I have to have a load of blood tests done to eliminate other possible causes and also to check my kidneys are okay due to the number of cysts on them. If the bloods don't show anything up then he mentioned sending me to see a specialist so now I have to book the new bloods and take it from there

Oh Love, I am so sorry to hear this!
If you don't hear back with a date for the specialist, make sure you chase it up. Sometimes these things grind to a halt and need a bit of a push.

How are you feeling in yourself?

 

[Hiitsme]

Sorry to hear that but do hope the problems can be sorted quickly. It does seem to be going on and on. Hope you get the blood tests done quickly and they can come up with some answers.

 

[hankjam]

The scan showed cysts all over my kidneys but my liver is fine....I have to have a load of blood tests done to eliminate other possible causes and also to check my kidneys are okay due to the number of cysts on them. If the bloods don't show anything up then he mentioned sending me to see a specialist so now I have to book the new bloods and take it from there

Sorry to read this, I hope you get it on as quickly as possible and wish you well.
Hj

 

[Sean01]

Okay...brief history. I had my initial routine blood tests which showed an HbA1c of 6.5 and had varying diagnosis made from type 2 diabetic to pre diabetic. I changed my diet to low carb/high protein and 3 months later and a retest showed an Hba1c of 5.7 which to me said I had it on the run. Instead, I was told I was no longer diabetic and to go back to eating white bread, pasta, chips and pretty much anything else I wanted ! I saw the doctor again as I wasn't happy at all about that and was told I am pre diabetic and should continue eating as I am but then further advice from dietician says to eat wholemeal bread, pasta and rice plus beans and pulses, fruit etc. All of those things send my BG through the roof and it takes a long time for them to return to normal. I am losing too much weight...gone from 11st 2 to 9st 3 and its still dropping off despite eating more fat. So the question is...how do I stop the weight loss and what on earth should I eat???...totally confused as to maintain the weight and from the advice given I should be eating lots more carbs BUT if I do my BG will rise badly and no doubt lead to a diabetic range in a years time when they take it again! I feel so out of control as I don't know what to eat or do anymore. I have to stop the weight loss AND keep my sugars under control to prevent diabetic problems in the future. It runs in my family so I obviously need to be careful. I eat less than 50g of carb a day but if I add any more to my meals my bg goes sky high and takes forever to come down I eat a lot more fat in the form of butter and cream etc but it isn't helping to keep my weight up. Any advice on what I should be eating or how to stop the weight loss without sending my BG through the roof?

Hi, I'm new to diabetes - but i have a lifetime's experience (30 plus years) in maintaining weight and even building muscle mass on a restricted diet. (ex strength athlete - body building Highland Games, power lifting etc.) The weight you want should come from muscle mass and the only way to increase muscle mass is to make your body realise it needs bigger muscles - i.e. exercise them with progressive resistance - training with weights and try to increase the weight of the weights as often as possible - i.e. train to get stronger. The muscles will grow as long as they are fed enough protein to build the muscles and as long as there are enough calories to meet your energy requirements for living and exercising. Then, without knowing more than you have provided in your post, I would get my calories from slow burning low GI foods. Personally I eat cabbage, leeks, courgettes, marrows, onions, garlic all mixed in as a stir fry with tomatoes (Lycopenes help reduce the risk of colon cancer - the family illness apparently). I also add crushed chilli peppers and worcestershire sauce and a pinch of cayamme pepper to give it all a bit of a kick and on a good day, i will get through a whole wok full of that along with (separately) egg whites, chicken, tuna etc etc. Slow burning slow release carbs to give me energy through the day and protein to build/maintain muscle mass. I'm not saying it works for everybody, it just works for me. Try it and see if it works for you. (I'm intending to loose 80lbs, 20 lbs so far in exactly 4 weeks) and I don't intend to loose my strength or my muscle mass. I walk on a treadmill - for around an hour every day, and I train with weights 4 days a week - for about 20-30 minutes - old school/high intensity/one set to failure, once I've warmed up. It's ugly but it works.

 

[Lamont D]

The scan showed cysts all over my kidneys but my liver is fine....I have to have a load of blood tests done to eliminate other possible causes and also to check my kidneys are okay due to the number of cysts on them. If the bloods don't show anything up then he mentioned sending me to see a specialist so now I have to book the new bloods and take it from there

Sorry to here this.

Keep fighting, we know you can do it!

 

[Gezzabelle]

Sorry to here this.

Keep fighting, we know you can do it!

Blood tests booked for a week on Thursday so will let you know when I get the results

 

[Lamont D]

Blood tests booked for a week on Thursday so will let you know when I get the results

The day I'm at my consultants!

Best wishes!