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Keto and type 2

Winnie53 said:
@Radiat did you have a question?
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Yes I do. I just started keto( low carb high fat ) diet and I've been doing it for about 1 week . I was diagnosed with type 2 last year but I lost weight and my medication reduced so I wanted to start keto to loose more weight and finally go off metformin . My blood sugars have been going low and I don't get why . I don't feel like I have a hypo . There's no signs of hypo but I'm worried .
 
Radiat said:
My blood sugars have been going low and I don't get why . .
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Hi @Radiat
It's the carbs that cause the blood sugar to rise. So, when eating Low Carb, ie reducing your intake of carbs, your glucose levels will drop.

If you are on medication to increase your insulin productivity, you may risk going hypo. Therefore, if you are on such medication, it would be sensible to discuss your medication needs with your Diabetes Nurse or your GP.

Make sure you test frequently, especially when you think your glucose levels may be getting low and, if low, take measures to
 
The only way I know to sort this out is to test pre-meal and 1-hour and 2-hour post meal, also later if you're curious as to what your lowest glucose level is. Can you provide glucose test results?
 
Basically I take metformin but after starting keto for about 2 days I stopped it by myself and before keto my blood sugars were very normal . I don't know if metformin increases insulin
 
My understanding is that on a ketogenic diet (ie low carb and high fat) you will show ketones which means that you are burning the fat you are eating, but you will have low/normal blood sugars. Diabetic ketoacidosis is where you show ketones, but your blood glucose is very high which means you are not producing insulin and your body cannot use the glucose/carbs.

As your blood are low you do not have diabetic ketoacidosis :-) However, it must be very unnerving to be effectively hypoing.

Metformin should not cause hypos. It does not make you produce more insulin, but helps your resistance by helping your cells use it. Are you just on Metformin?

Are you sure your meter isn't faulty? Are your test strips in date? Have you recently done a lot of exercise? Your body's stores of glucose may be used up and you're effectively having trouble switching to fat burning?

I've been on keto for about 5 days now and have seen my bloods come down quite dramatically. I also think i've had a touch of keto flu today so have been taking electrolytes and magnesium.

How do you feel?

Treat a hypo with 15-20g of fast acting carbs. (eg small glass of orange juice or 4 teaspoons of sugar) and test again 15 to 20 minutes later if you are very very worried.
 
Radiat said:
Blood sugar levels 2.6,2.8 and I just tested now and it was 3.7
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@Radiat Remember, when these things happen, you can always call your doctor's office for guidance, then decide what you want to do.

Thanks for providing additional information. When I was in my 20's, I'd experience hypoglycemic episodes. I don't know how mine compared to yours - (2.6 mmol/l (46.8 mg/dl), 2.8 mmol/l (50.4 mg/dl), and 3.7 mmol/l (66.6 mg/dl) - but they were quite distressing. Wish I'd had a glucose meter then.

To prevent hypoglycemic episodes, my doctor suggested including protein with all meals. I also found it helpful to eat every 3 to 4 hours. To counter an episode, I'd eat a piece of fruit and some raw nuts to tide me over until I could properly prepare a meal. That combination provided a nice mix of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and fat.

I don't know if this will reassure you or not, but Metformin is not one of the drugs that forces the pancreas to produce more insulin. Read more about the hypos that type 2's sometimes have when reducing their carb intake here... http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.com/2007/07/type-2s-understanding-false-hypos.html

Regarding carbohydrates, everyone has a different "tipping point". It's a process of reducing and increasing your carb intake until you find the level that works best for you.

Perhaps temporarily increasing your carb intake at meals with small amounts of whole foods such as root vegetables, legumes, or fruit will give your body more time to adjust to stopping the metformin would be helpful.

Dietician Cassie, a popular health coach in the USA, recommends eating meals that include protein, fat, and carbohydrates every 3 hours when beginning the low carbohydrate diet. She refers to as "PFC every 3".

As for your raised ketone levels, I can't remember what mine were initially on the low carb diet. What I've read is that they tend to run higher in the early weeks, then drop back down.

If you tell us what you're eating for your meals and snacks, we might be able to offer some suggestions.

I'm 8 hours earlier than the UK time zone. By the time you read this I'll be asleep. Also working again tomorrow and won't be able to home until very late tomorrow night, but will try to check in to hear how you're doing during my lunch break. Hope you were able to rest and are feeling better by morning. :)
 
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