Eating ideas for RH other than low carb

[arniemouse]

I am starting this thread for those who for some reason find that they do not want to try low carb or like me are waiting for some medical advice or who cannot do it for any other reason. I think that a low carb diet makes sense for RH but it may not be possible for everyone to do. I hope that telling you what I do to try to stop getting hypos might help. But this is MY experience you may find it a load of rubbish in which case ignore it but it if it helps then I am pleased.

Please however this like all posts comes with a health warning. Before you embark on anything drastic please check it out first. This is a well run forum but it cannot always weed out the weird or the wacky. If someone says go sit in a tree and eat nuts for a cure I hope you would be sceptical!! People often come to forums because they are scared and vulnerable and looking for help with something new and overwhelming and it can be very easy to want to try everything!!

So this is me - I find that I need some carbs to get my BS going in the morning and for me that’s a slice of homemade wholemeal bread with seeds etc. But I know that 2 hours later it will cause a dip. So I graze through that time – apple, grapes, low fat yoghurt, milky coffee – just about something every 20 mins. I eat while I walk the dog even!

I use bananas when I swim to try to keep my BS ok and milky coffee before next dog walk. Exercise is a problem as it always make me drop. By lunch things tend to be more stable and I can reduce the snacks to about every hour or so. By tea I eat no carbs as I have night time hypos so I attempt not to push my BS too high before bed.

I never eat potatoes, rice or pasta (well maybe a few chips as a special treat) and try to have them at lunch of possible. If I can keep in the 5-7 range I am less likely to have a crash. The other day I was 7.7 and in 6 mins got to 3.7 which is not good. I test a lot and in order to see your body’s pattern you do need to do that. I get 200 strips a month from GP. Sorry to those who have to buy their own.

Please let me have any comments I am always looking for any advice or things to try to keep this retched RH under more control.

 

[Brunneria]

Blimey @arniemouse that sounds unbearable. Hat off to you - that must take endless hassle. My regime is soooo much easier and simpler. Mind you I used to live like that for longer than I care to remember...

I am going to tag @tim2000s because he asked - only yesterday, I think - what happens if RHers can't low carb or high fat, due to other health issues.

 

[tim2000s]

Thanks @Brunneria. It will be interesting to see how this thread plays out!

 

[Lamont D]

Just an idea, but have you tried intermittent fasting to help you with grazing all the time. You can use a six hour window to eat as much or little you want.
If you are exercising then fasting makes sense, I say this because a workout will be used as a trigger to raise then lower your blood levels.
As always, if you don't get the spike, you don't get the hypo!

 

[tim2000s]

Here's a question more than anything else. If carbs cause spikes, which in turn cause an acute insulin reaction, can you use protein, which has a much slower break down rate to avoid a sudden spike?

 

[Brunneria]

Here's a question more than anything else. If carbs cause spikes, which in turn cause an acute insulin reaction, can you use protein, which has a much slower break down rate to avoid a sudden spike?

I do, all the time. I very often don't have any kind of spike for the first 90 mins (cos my carbs are so low), then I get a gently domed hillock with a flat peak at around 2.5 hours (which is the protein), that trails down for another couple of hours. But of course, I am doing the fat thing too. If I just do protein, no fat, it is more unstable.

Sorry - don't want to butt in cos this is a NOT LC/HF thread, but the higher protein thing certainly helps me, if the fat isn't available. I just can't stand eating so much protein to keep stable on it. If I eat that much protein (more than 1-2 times a day), I feel heavy, sluggish and claggy. And constipated.

 

[arniemouse]

You are right Brunneria its a heck of a lot of hassle. Main current problem is having to share apple with a dog!!

 

[Lamont D]

Here's a question more than anything else. If carbs cause spikes, which in turn cause an acute insulin reaction, can you use protein, which has a much slower break down rate to avoid a sudden spike?

Yeah, you are right, protein is fine, because their is little or no spike whatsoever. Same as vegetables, eggs, certain other foods, but myself, it's a good job I like salad, once a day!
That's the control we need, to keep ourselves as well as our hormonal response dictates, to what we eat.
Fasting doesn't do nothing to our bloods and I've gone 80 hours, without my levels going either up or down.
I was advised to eat after that.
Fat helps to offset any spike and it helps with fructose and 85% chocolate is my nightly treat.
As with all diabetics or blood glucose disorders, the individual needs to know what there triggers are.

Mine are grains, starchy veg, dextrose, glucose, lactose,some fructose and anything with sugar in it! Especially the sugar manufacturers use like corn syrup, molasses, sodium monoglutamate and some more of them there pesky additives.
There is also, I do get a different reading using different oils. Natural fats have little effect, while polyunsaturated fats do, monounsaturated fats have a little more effect than normal.

 

[Brunneria]

Mind you - (and this is something about which I know almost nothing!) RH can be caused by an insulin producing tumour in the pancreas.

If you have one of those, you can get hypos while fasting. In a 3 day fast, the bg just continues to drop and drop. So for that particular issue (which can usually be cured by surgical removal of the tumour) fasting is NOT advised.

 

[Lamont D]

Is that different from insulinoma?

Mind you - (and this is something about which I know almost nothing!) RH can be caused by an insulin producing tumour in the pancreas.

If you have one of those, you can get hypos while fasting. In a 3 day fast, the bg just continues to drop and drop. So for that particular issue (which can usually be cured by surgical removal of the tumour) fasting is NOT advised.

 

[Kaz261]

I watch this thread with interest. I don't feel I know enough to offer any advice on this subject and my bs control is nowhere near as good as those on low carb diets, but I do know that for some reason, low carb doesn't fully work for ME.

I too need a few carbs to get me going in the morning. In fact I try to include a small amount of low GI carbs with each meal. On the whole I have seen a huge improvement in my symptoms, however I do still have dodgy, unpredictable days....like today!

My typical day is:
B - Greek yogurt, 20g no added sugar muesli (dried fruit removed), raspberries, blueberries, almonds and cinnamon with a white coffee.
S - very small Apple
L - usually salad with meat and one small slice low gi bread or cous cous OR omelette with toast
S - peanut protein bar or very small pear
D - varies but will include a small amount of carbs - brown basmati, small roast potato, roast celeriac, small amount of wholewheat pasta, even a very small jacket potato. All of which I seem to be able to eat without causing me to hypo as long as I don't overdo it and am careful what I eat with them.
S - 3 small multigrain crackers with cheese or Alpro yogurt with berries and a sprinkle of milled linseeds. Sometimes a small piece of 80% dark chocolate.

Apart from breakfast, I only drink black coffee or water (unless I need to bring my bs up and then it's coffee n cream).

I'm sure at some point I will need to go lower with my carbs but for now, for me, I'm happy enough with my progress.

Does anyone take any medication to help?

 

[Lamont D]

Does anyone take any medication to help?

If you have read my posts or my blog, I take sitagliptin!

But I am still very low carb!

 

[Kaz261]

If you have read my posts or my blog, I take sitagliptin!

But I am still very low carb!

Yes I knew that's what you were taking Nosher. I just wondered if anyone took anything else? The Practice Nurse at my GP surgery is doing some research for me. She's not sure if metformin might help, but is looking into alternatives also.

 

[Lamont D]

Yes I knew that's what you were taking Nosher. I just wondered if anyone took anything else? The Practice Nurse at my GP surgery is doing some research for me. She's not sure if metformin might help, but is looking into alternatives also.

Metformin, I should think is definitely not for us!
My endocrinologist in his correspondence to my GP, was adamant that it would not benefit me at all! Plus, you don't really need the side effects of it!

 

[Kaz261]

I was sceptical about Metformin too, but I met with the local lady today who has suffered with RH for years and she takes it. She does now have diabetes as well though. Says she has far fewer hypos since she started on it, but couldn't leave the loo for the first 3 days

 

[Lamont D]

Kat, the idea is not to have hypos at all if possible, and the T2 shouldn't give her the hypos, unless she is on insulin, which is very unlikely!
I would give the metformin a wide berth honestly, if it was me.
The old lady, does she know her trigger?

I know my meds have helped, but I haven't had a hypo in over two years now, except for the glucose test in hospital.

If any meds you would probably benefit from, I would suggest the sitagliptin.

 

[tooner9]

im on a mainly protein diet i eat every two hours and my specialist at the hospital is trialing me on byedureon injections once a week
it has been an utter nightmare to get to this point but i couldnt of got this far without the people on here

 

[arniemouse]

Just an idea, but have you tried intermittent fasting to help you with grazing all the time. You can use a six hour window to eat as much or little you want.
If you are exercising then fasting makes sense, I say this because a workout will be used as a trigger to raise then lower your blood levels.
As always, if you don't get the spike, you don't get the hypo!

That is a very intersting idea and has got my brain working overtime hmmmm

 

[arniemouse]

im on a mainly protein diet i eat every two hours and my specialist at the hospital is trialing me on byedureon injections once a week
it has been an utter nightmare to get to this point but i couldnt of got this far without the people on here

Hi what is byedureon please?

 

[catherinecherub]

It is a once a week injectable medication.
https://www.bydureon.com