Tiredness

[Angelofthemarches]

Hi I was diagnosed with type 2 3 months ago and promptly went on the lchf plan - thanks to these boards. So I've lost 20lbs already and I've been wearing the Abbott freestyle libre so feel my blood sugars are fairly under control, though the hba1c test is coming up in February. I've still got another 25lbs to go, but just wanted to ask other people when and if the exhaustion decreases. I'm not on meds since I usually manage to keep bs between 4 and 7.8. Any help really appreciated. I'm just shattered most of the time.

 

[Freema]

Hi I was diagnosed with type 2 3 months ago and promptly went on the lchf plan - thanks to these boards. So I've lost 20lbs already and I've been wearing the Abbott freestyle libre so feel my blood sugars are fairly under control, though the hba1c test is coming up in February. I've still got another 25lbs to go, but just wanted to ask other people when and if the exhaustion decreases. I'm not on meds since I usually manage to keep bs between 4 and 7.8. Any help really appreciated. I'm just shattered most of the time.

do you know that your level of vitamin D is high enough.., if not it is a very usual reason for feeling both tired depressed or exhausted,
also lacking magnesium and vitamin b12 , or just being low in those can make one feel tired...
If your iron level is low you also will feel tired and weak...

do you eat red meat , then you should take vitamin c /or water with lemon squeeze to uptake the iron effectivly...in the same meal
Now you eat less when you are loosing that much, so maybe you get too little of some of the nutrients vitamins and minerals as you did before...maybe, and if so it would maybe be a good idea to take an multivitamin pill each day while loosing..

but it will be best if you can make your GP take a bloodsample ad find out if you are low in any of these essential nutrients..

my exhaustion has diasapeared after I excercise a lot..

 

[Angelofthemarches]

Thankyou, Freema! I'll check these things out!!

 

[callyandy]

I'm sorry I'm not going to be much good with the advice (I think Freema has some good ideas) but I would like to add my congratulations. Well done on your progress so far.

Have you always suffered with exhaustion?

 

[Geordie_P]

My case is quite similar in overall details to yours- diagnosed about 3 months ago, immediately went on LCHF, lost 20+lbs, not on meds, What happened with me was that I was losing a 1lb or even 2lbs a day when I started at 200lbs, but then I slowed down when I got to about 175, and now I'm losing about 1lb a week, being 168lbs today. My energy levels used to drop quite a lot and I had trouble walking up stairs to go to work etc, but I started adding some walnuts/ almonds and sunflower seeds to my diet, and it really took the edge off the tiredness. I find that as long as I have a boiled egg, or some sardines, and some nuts, then I can pretty much just eat steamed veg to fill up, and I have quite a lot of energy- certainly more than I had pre-diagnosis.

So for me, when my weight reached a sort of 'natural plateau' the exhaustion decreased, and then having nuts or sunflower seeds helps further. I also drink a lot of tea with no milk during the day, but I don't know if that last part is as healthy. Pre-diagnosis, I could go through 6-7 espressos, a can of monster and a litre or two of tea in a day, but I don't need it now.

It might be that your tiredness might be like mine- a bit of a reaction to cutting so much weight so rapidly. If so, then hopefully it will get better as your body gets nearer to, say, BMI 25 or equivalent. Make sure you're getting your nutrients, and maybe try some almonds and darjeeling as a little pick-me-up.

 

[kokhongw]

I have been on LCHF and occasional intermittent fasting for just over a year now.

Tiredness, exhaustion as in uncontrollable dozing off has been occuring before and after the diet. Generally it gets better when I am able to keep to lower level of carbs. But there are days when I find my brain struggling to be fueled in the middle of the day...and glucose level was still in a fairly good range 5.5 mmol.

Although I have read about it, I have not considered taking virgin coconut oil or the popular bulletproof coffee...until I came across this study last week:-

"Ketones are the brain’s main alternative fuel to glucose and brain ketone uptake is still normal in MCI and in early AD, which would help explain why ketogenic interventions improve some cognitive outcomes in MCI and AD. We suggest that the brain energy deficit needs to be overcome in order to successfully develop more effective therapeutics for AD. At present, oral ketogenic supplements are the most promising means of achieving this goal."

http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2016.00053

It suddenly struck me that my brain may really be struggling to be fueled as I switch in and out of ketosis...so I am beginning to experiment with a couple spoonful of virgin coconut oil in the morning and monitoring...

 

[Susikav]

My case is quite similar in overall details to yours- diagnosed about 3 months ago, immediately went on LCHF, lost 20+lbs, not on meds, What happened with me was that I was losing a 1lb or even 2lbs a day when I started at 200lbs, but then I slowed down when I got to about 175, and now I'm losing about 1lb a week, being 168lbs today. My energy levels used to drop quite a lot and I had trouble walking up stairs to go to work etc, but I started adding some walnuts/ almonds and sunflower seeds to my diet, and it really took the edge off the tiredness. I find that as long as I have a boiled egg, or some sardines, and some nuts, then I can pretty much just eat steamed veg to fill up, and I have quite a lot of energy- certainly more than I had pre-diagnosis.

So for me, when my weight reached a sort of 'natural plateau' the exhaustion decreased, and then having nuts or sunflower seeds helps further. I also drink a lot of tea with no milk during the day, but I don't know if that last part is as healthy. Pre-diagnosis, I could go through 6-7 espressos, a can of monster and a litre or two of tea in a day, but I don't need it now.

It might be that your tiredness might be like mine- a bit of a reaction to cutting so much weight so rapidly. If so, then hopefully it will get better as your body gets nearer to, say, BMI 25 or equivalent. Make sure you're getting your nutrients, and maybe try some almonds and darjeeling as a little pick-me-up.

Good morning Geordie P... you should be proud of yourself... it's never easy and it seems you have been strong... There is loads of advice re low-carb-high-fat on this site, but one of the good things that they advise is Bullet Proof Coffee... or tea... or hot chocolate made with cacao and sweetener if you need it... do you take coconut oil? Why did you give up coffee, it's good for you! Susi...

 

[Brunneria]

You say you are feeling 'shattered' most of the time, but is that physical tiredness or mental tiredness?

As others have said, there could be sooo many different causes for it.
Me? I get wobbly muscle weakness if I dont' get enough minerals (magnesium, potassium, salt)
and my brain shuts down to sleepiness with food intolerances (soya, whey) and high/low blood glucose fluctuations (too many carbs).

These things can be very, very personal and individual.

 

[Angelofthemarches]

You say you are feeling 'shattered' most of the time, but is that physical tiredness or mental tiredness?

As others have said, there could be sooo many different causes for it.
Me? I get wobbly muscle weakness if I dont' get enough minerals (magnesium, potassium, salt)
and my brain shuts down to sleepiness with food intolerances (soya, whey) and high/low blood glucose fluctuations (too many carbs).

These things can be very, very personal and individual.

Thankyou so much, everyone! I'm going to try the bulletproof coffee and adding some nuts. I don't feel so alone or scared with this forum! I started to panic that I'd just put all this weight straight back on but I don't seem to feel the usual cravings eating lchf.

 

[Maggie/Magpie]

Another angle to consider is that other health issues cause tiredness including Anemia, Hypothyroidism, Depression (which can also occur when your diabetic) and so on. I understand the need to eliminate but rather than guessing make an appointment with GP, they can organise a simple blood test to check for most of these things; as for the depression, take with you a written list of how your feeling in general with you and they will be able to rule that out to.
Hope this helps
Maggie/Magpie

 

[Enclave]

Another angle to consider is that other health issues cause tiredness including Anemia, Hypothyroidism, Depression (which can also occur when your diabetic) and so on. I understand the need to eliminate but rather than guessing make an appointment with GP, they can organise a simple blood test to check for most of these things; as for the depression, take with you a written list of how your feeling in general with you and they will be able to rule that out to.
Hope this helps
Maggie/Magpie

Was just going to say the same, The misses not diabetic .. but has been very short on energy for a while, she has just found out she is intolerant to rapeseed oil .. three days without any RS oil and her energy has bounced back .. because this oil is in most things now it was difficult to spot as her problem.

 

[callyandy]

Was just going to say the same, The misses not diabetic .. but has been very short on energy for a while, she has just found out she is intolerant to rapeseed oil .. three days without any RS oil and her energy has bounced back .. because this oil is in most things now it was difficult to spot as her problem.

Glad to hear your wife is on the mend. Good luck with the future, this intolerance sounds like a long road to travel....