What have you eaten today? (Low carb forum)

[Viv19]

@Chook @Viv19 @zauberflote @PenguinMum
@Goonergal @Bildad @DJC3

@shelley262

and others who gave hugs and things x

Thank you for all your good wishes and advice and more. I appreciate it all as I was very nervous before I went in, and had a bad night’s sleep.

In the hospital, it was explained again that I have sudden onset primary acute angle closure glaucoma.

It happened suddenly with no warning. It was only by chance I was called for a periodic eye appointment at the hospital. And this was when it was said it was a matter of urgency because I could lose my sight at any moment with not enough warning to save it. I need my eyes to lipread as I am deaf.

I didn’t take this well initially and went for a second opinion. Because it was totally out of the blue, and I ‘only’ attend this hospital over my dry eyes with Sjogrens Syndrome, this diagnosis was unexpected. And especially because I had none of the symptoms the initial eye doctor insisted I should be experiencing, including severe pain and white flashes etc.

The eye doctor today, a very pleasant man, explained in detail, using analogy how close I had been to totally losing my eyesight.

The scary thing is I always attend my diabetic retinopathy appointment yearly, and nothing was picked up there. And also my last eyetest with my optometrist was just at Christmas 2018, and nothing was picked up then. I had this Liverpool eye hospital appointment sent me in February 2019, but then the hospital sent me a text cancelling it for their reasons, and sent me a new appointment for March 2019, and that was when the sudden onset primary acute angle closure glaucoma was diagnosed. It was confirmed again when I got a second opinion myself a week later in Wales.

So as you can guess I didn’t really believe it initially, especially as I had no symptoms at all.

What I am trying to say is I did all the right things in taking care of my eyes, I never miss an appointment, and yet that would not have been enough.

I have another diabetic retinopathy appointment in a months time, and that possibly would have been too late to save my eyes. They could have gone at any moment.

The eye doctor today explained it was a combination of me being long sighted, having diabetes, and because of the severe dry eyes of my Sjogrens Syndrome.

However, this laser treatment, of laser iridotomy, to reduce the pressure might not be enough, and I may still have to have cataract surgery, (even though I don’t have cataracts) but once you have cataract surgery with this kind of problem, you can never lose your eyesight because of it as no pressure can build up now as any liquid constantly drains away.

The eye doctor was very patient with me explaining carefully stage by stage and giving me all the time I needed to understand. Then half way through him explaining to me I urgently needed to wee!!

He told me to take all the time I wanted, and come back to him when I was ready.

When I went back he said he would give me as much time as I needed before he did the procedure. Anyway he explained more, and then a consent form to sign on an iPad, and gave explanations. He patiently explained all that I needed know.

The thing is, because he was so kind and caring and patient, I had no fears of anything during the laser procedure which he was giving me, and I felt confident enough to say what I felt during it if there was pain or discomfort, and he sorted it.

Consequently I was able to stay perfectly still and not move a millimetre because I placed all my trust in him.

He said patients would often draw back as they thought they felt the laser which is so not a good idea, obviously.

It went well for me, and the eye doctor was absolutely delighted with how I stayed relaxed and still.

And I was streaming Hildegard Bingen from my iPhone to my Cochlear speech processor to completely chill me out. I had been streaming it earlier in the different noisy discordant waiting rooms. A hospital is not conducive to a relaxed patient.

One more thing. I did have friends who warned me of this that and the other during the laser treatment. I won’t say what they said here. But don’t listen to anyone. There is nothing to it.

If you are not sitting comfortably in that laser chair, tell the laser operator, they can adjust the chair. If you need a wee, say so, and go. If when the laser operator puts the contact cups on your eyes (with gel) to keep them open during the procedure and they feel uncomfortable, then tell them (I did) and the laser operator can give you a moment for your eyes to get used to that alien contact lens cup.

I thought the actual firing of the laser into the eye was amazing to watch in my eyes. I felt like a modern day Frankenstein’s experiment (in a good way I hasten to add!). In my eyes was this pure whiteness, and then this amazing red visual lightning crackling and moving round in a circular motion. It almost didn’t last long enough. I was enjoying the light show. I wish I could explain it better. But I might try and make a painting of it tomorrow!

I am tired now after this long day.

I need a cuppa! Then I will post my food! I was eating lc food on and off all the time I was in there. But there was a fruit and veg stall in the foyer, and I bought a punnet of raspberries, a punnet of massive blackberries, and a punnet of blueberries!

>^..^<

You really have had a full on day haven’t you? Your doctor sounds very considerate- it makes all the difference. Glad it went well for you and wasn’t too scary.
Funny that you had the munchies all day long!

 

[zauberflote]

Food is what I'm really here for!
NME 1, usual 1/2 avocado, pecans, 3 tbsp dunnie (there, I said it and kept a straight face!), DWGoatM&C.
Allergist appt at which my wonderful and hilarious dr waxed most enthusiastic about one of his kids' musical potential (which sounds very very real to this expert) and also seemed extremely excited to tell be that the routine breathing tests I get each year had nearly unbelievable results: the two measuring how fast you can exhale and with how much sustained force were NORMAL!! (Low end but wow! Just Wow!) and the one testing flexibility of the small airways (I think that's a test to see if you've "progressed" to COPD) was only one percentage point shy of normal. Two years ago it had been 21 points shy. Asked him if he wanted to know what I did. When I said "very low carb to avoid diabetes dx" he smiled smugly as though I'd just confirmed his pet theory. I gave him permission/encouragement to share my story with others in my boat. He said "They won't do it! Endocrinologists are tearing their hair out!" Oh, and he'd gotten a "pre-smirk" when I mentioned unintended but welcome weight loss-- it will have shown up on his chart as 30 lbs since this time last year. So somewhere in US medical community is a group of people who are much in favor of at least LC but can't get diabetics to buy into it.
Which is odd to me only bc one of my BILs is a world-renowned endocrinolologist whose field has always been obesity, the care and mainly prevention of. He was dx diabetic some hears ago-- and so far as I can see at family gatherings hasn't changed his eating patterns one bit. I don't dare ask him about it, because he'd either talk my ear off or brush it off.
Food, that's what I'm here for, food.
NME 2, at our favorite café, one with a mission for young folks with disabilities, was shrimp steamed in IPA (nothing but the best) and liberally coated with Old Bay seasoning, and a garden salad. With a batch of smoked paprika dunnies in the car then the day's chocolate then some gouda then some more gouda. Trying to fill the hole left by the other 5 hrs of sleep I'm missing. Tried unsuccessfully to nap. Nope. More gouda. All gone!
There has to be a NME 3 for meds but it will be small. Or I could just keep eating, you know...

 

[zauberflote]

Forgot!

 

[Viv19]

Forgot!
View attachment 32968

 

[DJC3]

@zauberflote I’m so pleased for you that your results were so much improved. Interesting that your doc seemed to have heard of the benefits of lc. Very strange that your BIL isn’t up to speed on it though. Has he not noticed your weight loss at least?

Those shrimp look amazing.

 

[SlimLizzy]

Far too many days of excess.
Today smashed avocado on toast.
Lunch was a baked potato with cheese and coleslaw. That really was the most appropriate food on offer.
But tonight Chinese food.
Special fried rice with omelette, pork in delicious sauce! Chicken with mixed vegetables. Didn't eat prawn crackers and disgusted Mr slim by "disembowelling"a pancake roll to get at the vegetable filling. Followed by six squares of darkmilk chocolate. All washed down with Cremant de Loire.
This maybe the best day for weeks
Am beginning to think am in the wrong place/forum.

 

[zauberflote]

@zauberflote I’m so pleased for you that your results were so much improved. Interesting that your doc seemed to have heard of the benefits of lc. Very strange that your BIL isn’t up to speed on it though. Has he not noticed your weight loss at least?

Those shrimp look amazing.

Thank you! I'm tickled pink too!!
He's not the noticing type. And he doesn't talk about his diabetes more than twice in 15 years so... not of major interest to us.

 

[zauberflote]

@SlimLizzy !!!!! I've been hoping to hear from you Sorry about the excesses, when you get all settled your good habits ought to return I'd think. I'd give you a hug but phone app doesn't offer that, so a like will have to do. I've really missed you.

 

[Goonergal]

Morning all. Just catching up - seem to have had very little time recently.

@Chook fingers crossed for Mr C and hugs re the MIL. My dad has early stage Alzheimer’s and it’s not easy.

@gennepher what a day and what an amazing eye doctor. Sounds like he made an ordeal as comfortable as possible.

@zauberflote great results and the shrimps do look great

@shelley262 hope the stress management is effective.

@ianpspurs hugs for the difficult day yesterday.

@Viv19 beware of the chocolate. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have started on the high cocoa chocolate or the low carb sweet stuff. Just trigger all sorts of underlying eating issues for me.

@DJC3 well done on the fast.

Managed a full carnivore day yesterday. Lunch was M&S Serrano ham and manchego cheese rollitos and a bag of their pork crackling. Dinner was at Five Guys on the way to an excellent walking tour of the mail rail tunnels at the Postal Museum. Food was bunless bacon cheeseburger with mayonnaise.

Today I’ll be attempting to set the timer right on the slow cooker to eat Thursday’s planned lamb shoulder shanks!

 

[gennepher]

@gennepher what a day and what an amazing eye doctor. Sounds like he made an ordeal as comfortable as possible.

Thank you.

That eye doctor was brilliant. I wish they were all like that for all of us.

>^..^<

 

[PenguinMum]

Morning All. Yesterdays food was:
NE1: Usual slice HiLo toast, butter, tea x 2.
NE2: Serrano & manchego rollitos. Lots water.
NE3: Baked haddock with freshly made pesto, brocollli spears and buttered spinach.
Small wedge ripe Brie and walnuts.
2 g&sts before dinner.
@SlimLizzy I think Cremant is fabulous, the best of the sparkling wines and closest to champagne IMO. We have had it at Christmas for years but it is still not mainstream here. The French like to keep it for themselves!

 

[DJC3]

Lovely to see you back and fit and well @SlimLizzy , not surprising you’ve been off the wagon a bit but you’re back now and thats a good start.
I agree with @PenguinMum about the Cremant being closest to champagne. I don’t like Cave much and can’t abide Prosecco. I tend to stock up on Champagne when the supermarkets have offers, but I do like the Cremant - I’ve had it from Sainsbury’s.
The walking tour sounds really interesting @Goonergal . There’s so much of London we don’t know is there. I thought of you yesterday when I received The Pioppi Diet - having been inspired by Asseem Malhotra last weekend. It looks lovely but probably too much veg for you, however there is a recipe for Nut Butter Omelette! I agree it would probably have been easier not to go down the alternative sweet stuff route in the first place.
@zauberflote I only use the phone app too, shame there is only a like button. I had to log on to the full website yesterday when I didn’t have a phone and got very confused - didn’t know where to find notifications etc.
I’m off shopping and cooking later for our Eurovision Feast. I’ve done this for donkey’s years and its very easy to do lc. Lots of Greek olives Italian ham, Spanish tapas, Polish sausage, French cheese etc. I used to make little flags to put in the food and we only ate that food when their entry was being sung, but these days there are far too many countries I’ve never heard of and I’ve no idea what typical food for that region is, so it’s just a free for all lc buffet.

 

[Goonergal]

In search of some data really but IMHO very much tied up with this thread. How many of you good folk a) plan your menu each day and b) if you do is it based on carb count or using a tool/app to analyse vitamins, nutrients and possibly cals in and out or c) just what you like to eat that is LC? Is there a poll tool on this forum as I would be very interested in this data. . I know a similar question was asked by @Chook I think but without the analysis angle.TIA and please feel free to ignore me or move to somewhere more appropriate.

@ianpspurs there is a poll tool - not sure how you get to it, but definitely a good idea for a dedicated thread. I’ll see if I can find it.

I don’t have a standard formula. Sometimes I plan a day or even a week’s menus at once, sometimes I wing it. I track macros via my food app and can pretty much adapt food on the fly now that I’ve got used to it.

 

[Goonergal]

@ianpspurs its easier than I thought. Using the website (don’t know about the app), after clicking on start new thread, scroll down and the poll option is there.

 

[maglil55]

Forgot!
View attachment 32968

That looks good! Has it displaced Peter Parker on his toilet roll though?

 

[ianpspurs]

@ianpspurs its easier than I thought. Using the website (don’t know about the app), after clicking on start new thread, scroll down and the poll option is there.

Do you want ti do this now you know where the tool is?

 

[maglil55]

Thats looks great..if this cool weather continues I might give it a go..soup is so comforting and must be so gentle on our digestive system.

Can't beat James Martin. There is a River Cottage one by HFW but it uses potato as a thickener but I still prefer James Martin's version.

 

[Goonergal]

Do you want ti do this now you know where the tool is?

It’s your quest for data - over to you

 

[maglil55]

@gennepher - that was quite a day. Hope you managed to have a peaceful night afterwards. @ianpspurs - I'm a planner although I vary how long I plan for. Saturday is a planning day as I am minus the little people. I have planned for 1 week on a number of occasions but I find 2 or 3 days suits me better. You may recall I use MFP. I don't trust their exercise figures but for food & nutrients I've used it long enough to build up my own recipes with reliable data. If you get a poll set up let us know.
@DJC3 yesterday did involve steak & wine - lots of it! So, just to update yesterday
D. To start, squid with rocket and a garlic mayo. They don't coat their squid-just season it very nicely. A lot if dry white wine (and water). 8 oz rib eye with pepper sauce, portobello mushroom, vine tomato and a good veggie bowl of broccoli, cauli, green beans and a heritage carrot. No dessert but did have a special coffee with brandy and cream. We met up with my brother and SIL and the place was packed as usual. It's a very good restaurant for a small town and it shows. Always busy and you have to book.
@DJC3 - like the sound of your Eurovision feast. My favourite part is the crazy voting.
@zauberflote - despite your shrimp looking great , I regret to say Peter is still very much in residence.
Will catch up on today later - it's a planning day.

 

[maglil55]

@DJC3 - Saw this and thought of you (midgies).