Advice needed -slightly complicated

[Rach612]

Firstly I don’t mean to upset anyone this is a bit complicated. I was diagnosed with ‘gestational diabetes’ when I was pregnant I had to take steroids during the pregnancy as I was so sick. Baby just turned one. Anyway when I was diagnosed I was gutted and frightened it wouldn’t go away. I believe it never did. Had to take insulin for my FBS and steroid shots for baby’s lungs. Long story short I lost 2 1/2 stone after the birth by doing 2 meals a day scrambled eggs and chicken with cauliflower rice and real butter in the space of 3 months. HBA1c 22 at 3 months PP FBS 5.3. Increased carbs slightly FBS rose. Spoke to low carb private endro you aren’t diabetic your a1c is fine even though FBS was high he looked at my CGM figures. Lost too much weight BMI 16 needed to increase weight for a stupid treatment for anxiety (when anxiety is in the gut) so increaSed carb as advised by endro. All my symptoms got worse tingling feet which fall asleep, burning hands, dry itchy skin, rash on face, more blurry vision and floaters in the eyes, wetting and pooing myself. Fungal nail infection and red soles of feet and sides of feet red; white spots on back. So now I’ve figured I must have put undiagnosed diabetes in remission ate more and it’s come back again. Looking back i had symptoms since 2013 foot Ulcers podiatrist actually said to get blood tests done but they only did a random blood sugar never an a1c (I was thin then) awful panic attacks, boils, frequent UTI’s drinking more water, frequent urination, always snacking, fatigue, cuts that don’t heAl. I used to be anemic so figured it was it with the fatigue and getting older but I’m only 35 years old. Anyway my question is thankfully I haven’t reached diagnostic levels with the HBA1c but I think it’s only a matter of time with these FBS and spiking overnight. Has them taking my off the insulin (not that I want to be on it ever again as I have too much already) wrecked my body and I won’t be able to get all my numbers down again? I’m 8 stone now so don’t really have another 2 and a half to loose but doing very low carb now. Boiled Eggs with real butter and chicken thighs. Going to speak to private endro on Thursday to see what he suggests. I walk half and hour after my meals although atm just doing OMAD as now frightened of food and need to get my numbers down pronto. 30 min cycle and half and hour walk before bed. eGFR 60 and hair falling out in clumps. I know diabetes is not something to mess about with my uncle lost his legs.

 

[Lakeslover]

Is your BMI still 16? A lot of the symptoms you mention can be a result of eating too little over a prolonged period. If your Hba1c is normal and your FBS is 5.3 it is very unlikely these symptoms are related to diabetes in my opinion. Definitely speak to endo, and perhaps a dietician as well and see if they can suggest a healthy way of eating for you.

 

[Rach612]

Is your BMI still 16? A lot of the symptoms you mention can be a result of eating too little over a prolonged period. If your Hba1c is normal and your FBS is 5.3 it is very unlikely these symptoms are related to diabetes in my opinion. Definitely speak to endo, and perhaps a dietician as well and see if they can suggest a healthy way of eating for you.

No BMI now 19 but I was just about obese at booking in appt during pregnancy. I get over 12’s on my glucose monitor sometimes and have to lie down. FBS from 5.7 to 7.7

 

[Lakeslover]

Dawn phenomenon can affect people who are not diabetic, most don’t know because they don’t have a meter or test. It is also possible for a non diabetic to spike high depending on what they eat. The question is how quickly did your body deal with the spike and go down to normal. As the endo has definitely said you are not diabetic after looking at your CGM I don’t understand why you believe they are wrong.

I really think you need to look elsewhere for the cause of your symptoms. If the endo and dietician can’t help then go back to your GP. Do consider your diet and ensure you are eating enough calories and getting a sufficient variety of food so that you get enough vitamins and minerals as a start to help yourself while you wait to see the professionals.

 

[Rach612]

Dawn phenomenon can affect people who are not diabetic, most don’t know because they don’t have a meter or test. It is also possible for a non diabetic to spike high depending on what they eat. The question is how quickly did your body deal with the spike and go down to normal. As the endo has definitely said you are not diabetic after looking at your CGM I don’t understand why you believe they are wrong.

I really think you need to look elsewhere for the cause of your symptoms. If the endo and dietician can’t help then go back to your GP. Do consider your diet and ensure you are eating enough calories and getting a sufficient variety of food so that you get enough vitamins and minerals as a start to help yourself while you wait to see the professionals.

Thank you for your reply I would love to believe I am wrong but I’ll sit up for hours at high numbers. Like if I have something to eat at lunch depending on what it is it will remain high or continue to spike. It’s not even within the range for diabetics as per the diabetes website. Nhs dieticians recommend a carb heavy diet for diabetics which won’t help me or my liver. My endro did say if he’s wrong he will apologise but he cant examine me as he’s based in London and I’m Belfast. Will speak to him again later this week. All I know is I can’t handle carbs so am focusing on protein and fat now. Even nhs dr looked at my feet and agreed I could have put it in remission but we’ll never know as an a1c wasn’t done prior to pregnancy.

 

[Lakeslover]

The dietician would be helpful in checking your nutrient and vitamin contact is optimum and suggesting the right calorie balance for you……you don’t necessarily have to build that calorie level from a lot of carbs.

 

[Rach612]

The dietician would be helpful in checking your nutrient and vitamin contact is optimum and suggesting the right calorie balance for you……you don’t necessarily have to build that calorie level from a lot of carbs.

I spoke to an NHS dietician before and she told me to have a healthy balanced diet with semi-skimmed milk, low fat everything and to snack all the time, I don’t trust them the NHS dietician’s are the worst in my opinion. Oh and to have plenty of fruit and starchy carbs!

 

[Lamont D]

Firstly I don’t mean to upset anyone this is a bit complicated. I was diagnosed with ‘gestational diabetes’ when I was pregnant I had to take steroids during the pregnancy as I was so sick. Baby just turned one. Anyway when I was diagnosed I was gutted and frightened it wouldn’t go away. I believe it never did. Had to take insulin for my FBS and steroid shots for baby’s lungs. Long story short I lost 2 1/2 stone after the birth by doing 2 meals a day scrambled eggs and chicken with cauliflower rice and real butter in the space of 3 months. HBA1c 22 at 3 months PP FBS 5.3. Increased carbs slightly FBS rose. Spoke to low carb private endro you aren’t diabetic your a1c is fine even though FBS was high he looked at my CGM figures. Lost too much weight BMI 16 needed to increase weight for a stupid treatment for anxiety (when anxiety is in the gut) so increaSed carb as advised by endro. All my symptoms got worse tingling feet which fall asleep, burning hands, dry itchy skin, rash on face, more blurry vision and floaters in the eyes, wetting and pooing myself. Fungal nail infection and red soles of feet and sides of feet red; white spots on back. So now I’ve figured I must have put undiagnosed diabetes in remission ate more and it’s come back again. Looking back i had symptoms since 2013 foot Ulcers podiatrist actually said to get blood tests done but they only did a random blood sugar never an a1c (I was thin then) awful panic attacks, boils, frequent UTI’s drinking more water, frequent urination, always snacking, fatigue, cuts that don’t heAl. I used to be anemic so figured it was it with the fatigue and getting older but I’m only 35 years old. Anyway my question is thankfully I haven’t reached diagnostic levels with the HBA1c but I think it’s only a matter of time with these FBS and spiking overnight. Has them taking my off the insulin (not that I want to be on it ever again as I have too much already) wrecked my body and I won’t be able to get all my numbers down again? I’m 8 stone now so don’t really have another 2 and a half to loose but doing very low carb now. Boiled Eggs with real butter and chicken thighs. Going to speak to private endro on Thursday to see what he suggests. I walk half and hour after my meals although atm just doing OMAD as now frightened of food and need to get my numbers down pronto. 30 min cycle and half and hour walk before bed. eGFR 60 and hair falling out in clumps. I know diabetes is not something to mess about with my uncle lost his legs.

Hi,
I'm not diabetic, but that doesn't mean I can eat anything I want and it doesn't matter if the food I'm intolerant to will always drive my blood glucose levels through the roof, being lactose intolerant doesn't help, I was advised many years ago to eat porridge for my breakfast, my fasting would be in normal levels but within an hour my bg levels would be in mind teens. This is because I'm carb intolerant.
My symptoms are different but similar to T2.
It's because my initial response is poor and not enough to cope with the amount of carbs in porridge.

What I'm trying to explain is that there are more related conditions, than actual diabetes.

Ask your endo to do more tests, not decide diagnosis on Hba1c and fasting test levels.
My Hba1c done last month was 37.

I think that because of your pregnancy and every thing you went through and the meds you have taken, including the steroids, have altered your hormonal response to certain foods, but I'm only guessing.
Have you had tests on your thyroid or adrenal glands, or others?

If you know that low carb helps, don't let your endo push you to eat more carbs than you are comfortable with.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[lucylocket61]

I spoke to an NHS dietician before and she told me to have a healthy balanced diet with semi-skimmed milk, low fat everything and to snack all the time, I don’t trust them the NHS dietician’s are the worst in my opinion. Oh and to have plenty of fruit and starchy carbs!

In what ways have things changed since your posts six months ago, and what suggestions have you followed since the ?

 

[Rach612]

In what ways have things changed since your posts six months ago, and what suggestions have you followed since the ?

Hi Lucy thank you for your kind reply. Since I had to increase carbs for the treatment everything has gotten worse with the symptoms and my numbers. I did have a few slip ups lately and there has been a lot of stress so I don’t think that’s helping me either. I’m just so so depressed I feel sick after I eat anything now. Have the cold at the minute too. I’m so fatigued and just struggling in general. I’ve found mentally I feel better when I can keep my numbers low but sometimes they go to 3’s and I feel sick probably as I’m not used to them that low.

 

[lucylocket61]

Hi Lucy thank you for your kind reply. Since I had to increase carbs for the treatment everything has gotten worse with the symptoms and my numbers. I did have a few slip ups lately and there has been a lot of stress so I don’t think that’s helping me either. I’m just so so depressed I feel sick after I eat anything now. Have the cold at the minute too. I’m so fatigued and just struggling in general. I’ve found mentally I feel better when I can keep my numbers low but sometimes they go to 3’s and I feel sick probably as I’m not used to them that low.

Did you find professional support for your OCD and anxiety?

 

[Antje77]

Hi @Rach612 , only last week you mentioned in another thread that all you had eaten over the day was a single egg with 2 grams of butter and some salt.
Many of the symptoms you mention are more associated with starvation than with diabetes.
You have a history of having an eating disorder.

I'm very worried about your health, and it's not because of diabetes.
Your hba1c only 3 months ago was 30 or 32, and you've been saying you're worried about your 'high' numbers when they were completely normal for a long time, not wanting your BG to be over 5, ever.

Please find help for your anxiety first, and if it turns out you do develop diabetes at some point, you'll have the energy to adjust your life without taking dangerous measures.
Eating disorders are much more dangerous than diabetes, please do everything you can to stay out of that trap!

 

[jonathan183]

I'm sorry you are having problems - I am not sure I can be of much help.

If you want to increase body weight eating more protein should help, the rise in blood glucose will be less and slower than it would be eating carbs. If you do have problems related to diabetes or insulin production your body will deal with protein better than carbs.

It may be worth keeping a log of what you eat and when so you can compare the symptoms you are having and any CGM/blood glucose values. Also keep a log of what symptoms you have and when. It may also help if you have this data when you get to see your specialists, they may be able to spot a pattern and the best way to resolve the issues.

Hope you get things sorted soon.

 

[Lakeslover]

I spoke to an NHS dietician before and she told me to have a healthy balanced diet with semi-skimmed milk, low fat everything and to snack all the time, I don’t trust them the NHS dietician’s are the worst in my opinion. Oh and to have plenty of fruit and starchy carbs!

for someone who isn’t diabetic this sounds like good advice. Did you follow it? I strongly suspect the tiredness, hair loss, anaemia, etc are due to your very restricted diet. Please seek professional advice before you do yourself serious harm.

 

[Rylando88]

Firstly I don’t mean to upset anyone this is a bit complicated. I was diagnosed with ‘gestational diabetes’ when I was pregnant I had to take steroids during the pregnancy as I was so sick. Baby just turned one. Anyway when I was diagnosed I was gutted and frightened it wouldn’t go away. I believe it never did. Had to take insulin for my FBS and steroid shots for baby’s lungs. Long story short I lost 2 1/2 stone after the birth by doing 2 meals a day scrambled eggs and chicken with cauliflower rice and real butter in the space of 3 months. HBA1c 22 at 3 months PP FBS 5.3. Increased carbs slightly FBS rose. Spoke to low carb private endro you aren’t diabetic your a1c is fine even though FBS was high he looked at my CGM figures. Lost too much weight BMI 16 needed to increase weight for a stupid treatment for anxiety (when anxiety is in the gut) so increaSed carb as advised by endro. All my symptoms got worse tingling feet which fall asleep, burning hands, dry itchy skin, rash on face, more blurry vision and floaters in the eyes, wetting and pooing myself. Fungal nail infection and red soles of feet and sides of feet red; white spots on back. So now I’ve figured I must have put undiagnosed diabetes in remission ate more and it’s come back again. Looking back i had symptoms since 2013 foot Ulcers podiatrist actually said to get blood tests done but they only did a random blood sugar never an a1c (I was thin then) awful panic attacks, boils, frequent UTI’s drinking more water, frequent urination, always snacking, fatigue, cuts that don’t heAl. I used to be anemic so figured it was it with the fatigue and getting older but I’m only 35 years old. Anyway my question is thankfully I haven’t reached diagnostic levels with the HBA1c but I think it’s only a matter of time with these FBS and spiking overnight. Has them taking my off the insulin (not that I want to be on it ever again as I have too much already) wrecked my body and I won’t be able to get all my numbers down again? I’m 8 stone now so don’t really have another 2 and a half to loose but doing very low carb now. Boiled Eggs with real butter and chicken thighs. Going to speak to private endro on Thursday to see what he suggests. I walk half and hour after my meals although atm just doing OMAD as now frightened of food and need to get my numbers down pronto. 30 min cycle and half and hour walk before bed. eGFR 60 and hair falling out in clumps. I know diabetes is not something to mess about with my uncle lost his legs.

Have you had your thyroid checked? Might be worth looking into Graves Disease, you seem to have a lot of the symptoms.

 

[Rach612]

for someone who isn’t diabetic this sounds like good advice. Did you follow it? I strongly suspect the tiredness, hair loss, anaemia, etc are due to your very restricted diet. Please seek professional advice before you do yourself serious harm.

Thank you but I don’t have anaemia anymore. That’s not good advice for me as if I eat something high carb I can go up to 13’s sit there for ages, feel sick, thirsty running to the toilet and have to lie down. Be spiking all night and itching and not sleep. A metabolically well person that doesn’t happen to never mind the diaheara. I can’t process carbs anymore and quite frankly I don’t want to, I need to heal my liver. An HBA1c is just an average after all. As I’m going to refuse all drug for diabetes as it’s a dietary disease it’s very important for me to keep all my numbers low. Listening to private endro and nhs telling me I didn’t have diabetes was the worse thing ever, I had put it in remission ate more and it’s come back again. A lesson learned to trust my gut now I don’t actually know if it’s possible to do that again hence my post. Im fortunate as I’m not on any meds that I can do fasting to try and heal my body.

 

[Rach612]

Did you find professional support for your OCD and anxiety?

I’m speaking to my counsellor again tonight. I have so many emotions Lucy. so angry at making myself diabetic, worried about my eyesight and feet. Anxious around food now, stressed will they be wanting me on insulin as my body is messed up now what if I can’t fix it again. That would make me far worse, weight gain and sicker as doesn’t get to the route of the problem and then I would have to eat carbs! I will refuse any meds. I was never unhealthy but now I know I had too many carbs. Made my own soups often (carrot and coriander, potato and leek) used to take salads for lunch to work loads of fresh fruit again high carb. Im so cross at myself and my 16 year old self who only ate an apple a day as she wanted to die and then branched out to some cereal and rice. I as well as the nhs with drugs sore on my liver have destroyed myself. I have to heal myself and make low carb work for the sake of my son who has cerebral palsy which was likely caused by my undiagnosed diabetes. Never mind my poor husband who has to deal with my panic attacks when my numbers are high.

 

[HSSS]

Weight gain doesn’t have to include carbs. Fats and proteins are the way a diabetic can do that. At the very least eat those instead of starving yourself.

 

[lucylocket61]

Thank you but I don’t have anaemia anymore. That’s not good advice for me as if I eat something high carb I can go up to 13’s sit there for ages, feel sick, thirsty running to the toilet and have to lie down. Be spiking all night and itching and not sleep. A metabolically well person that doesn’t happen to never mind the diaheara. I can’t process carbs anymore and quite frankly I don’t want to, I need to heal my liver. An HBA1c is just an average after all. As I’m going to refuse all drug for diabetes as it’s a dietary disease it’s very important for me to keep all my numbers low. Listening to private endro and nhs telling me I didn’t have diabetes was the worse thing ever, I had put it in remission ate more and it’s come back again. A lesson learned to trust my gut now I don’t actually know if it’s possible to do that again hence my post. Im fortunate as I’m not on any meds that I can do fasting to try and heal my body.

it is possible you have a food intolerance. Have you been checked for food intolerances? or damage to your digestive system and stomach from starving yourself for a long time as a teen?

I think your black and white thinking eg diabetes = insulin, isnt helping.

It is perfectly possible to eat well, heathily, and not eat carbs. Many on here do so, and maintain a healthy weight.

 

[andromache]

Firstly I don’t mean to upset anyone this is a bit complicated. I was diagnosed with ‘gestational diabetes’ when I was pregnant I had to take steroids during the pregnancy as I was so sick. Baby just turned one. Anyway when I was diagnosed I was gutted and frightened it wouldn’t go away. I believe it never did. Had to take insulin for my FBS and steroid shots for baby’s lungs. Long story short I lost 2 1/2 stone after the birth by doing 2 meals a day scrambled eggs and chicken with cauliflower rice and real butter in the space of 3 months. HBA1c 22 at 3 months PP FBS 5.3. Increased carbs slightly FBS rose. Spoke to low carb private endro you aren’t diabetic your a1c is fine even though FBS was high he looked at my CGM figures. Lost too much weight BMI 16 needed to increase weight for a stupid treatment for anxiety (when anxiety is in the gut) so increaSed carb as advised by endro. All my symptoms got worse tingling feet which fall asleep, burning hands, dry itchy skin, rash on face, more blurry vision and floaters in the eyes, wetting and pooing myself. Fungal nail infection and red soles of feet and sides of feet red; white spots on back. So now I’ve figured I must have put undiagnosed diabetes in remission ate more and it’s come back again. Looking back i had symptoms since 2013 foot Ulcers podiatrist actually said to get blood tests done but they only did a random blood sugar never an a1c (I was thin then) awful panic attacks, boils, frequent UTI’s drinking more water, frequent urination, always snacking, fatigue, cuts that don’t heAl. I used to be anemic so figured it was it with the fatigue and getting older but I’m only 35 years old. Anyway my question is thankfully I haven’t reached diagnostic levels with the HBA1c but I think it’s only a matter of time with these FBS and spiking overnight. Has them taking my off the insulin (not that I want to be on it ever again as I have too much already) wrecked my body and I won’t be able to get all my numbers down again? I’m 8 stone now so don’t really have another 2 and a half to loose but doing very low carb now. Boiled Eggs with real butter and chicken thighs. Going to speak to private endro on Thursday to see what he suggests. I walk half and hour after my meals although atm just doing OMAD as now frightened of food and need to get my numbers down pronto. 30 min cycle and half and hour walk before bed. eGFR 60 and hair falling out in clumps. I know diabetes is not something to mess about with my uncle lost his legs.

I really don't like reading 8 st and OMAD in the same sentence, unless you're unusually short in stature. And I seriously don't like them in someone with a history of being being seriously underweight. Look, I have a distant history of AN, so I do know a little bit about how hard it is to eat when a person has become frightened of food and nutrition and has come to see nourishing her body as a source of anxiety rather than a natural pleasure. I do think that the priority for you is to find a way of making friends with your body and the good food that it needs for fuel. It's not enough to eat low carb - you have to eat enough of it! And that is where people who have a troubled relationship with food and nutrition can easily go wrong. Just because you eat butter and chicken thighs and eggs does not mean that you're eating enough of them. If you know in your heart that you're not eating enough, please do your best to let your heart override a brain that might have got very stuck in a damaging pattern of under-eating.