Mega carb binge yesterday - need to offload - still VERY diabetic

[Jasperville]

Hi folks, this forum is an inspiration, but sometimes I am jealous of how effortless LCHF seems to be for some people, and how much they enjoy low carbing. It doesn't matter how low I go with my carbs, whether I am fasting etc, I always have a psychological craving for chocolate, bread, cake etc.

Since my summer holiday, more carbs have crept in, home a1cnow test up from 6.1 to 6.4 over 3 weeks.

Yesterday, the wheels came off the wagon.................

B: nothing - trying to fast
11am.............biscuits and cadburys mini heroes started staring at me from the office next door.
had about 15 mini heroes and 6 choc digestives - couldn't stop
1pm had my Lidl protein ham roll as planned
3pm another 15 mini heroes and 8 biscuits
5.30pm In for a penny in for a pound............stopped at Greggs on way home from work and had 3 jam doughnuts
8pm determined not to eat much in the evening
8.05............had a bagel (44 carbs)
8.45............had a large crumpet (30 carbs)
11.30pm................finally brave enough to test (my libre ran out 2 days before).............fingerprick BG = 17.2 (that might not have been my peak)...................OUCH!!!!!!!

Asymptomatic as usual with high BG - if only I felt unwell with high BG - might be a deterrent

Did another home a1cnow test...............up to 6.8 (51)

Still far better than 10.5 in January (which is an average BG of about 14).

Don't worry, will stick at it and get back on track. But after 17 years as a diabetic, despite my recent weight loss (now down to 14 stone 3 lbs), my response to carbs is as bad as ever.

I don't believe that most diabetics, unless very early on, will normalise their pancreatic function and insulin response.

So, the Mantra has to be, absolutely, LOW CARB FOR LIFE.

 

[shivles]

We're sugar addicts, don't be so hard on yourself at the end of the day sugar is more addictive than cocaine and it's everywhere, no one sees the problem with it. I'm not diabetic but eat low carb for health and because I'm a full blown sugar addict, I fall off the wagon regularly sometimes for months. The important thing is that you try again! I found that zero carb helped me a lot, many artificial sweetners and fake low carb foods just fed my cravings. If you're on Facebook there's a good group called zeroing in on health

 

[Serena51]

Yes we're in it for the long haul but we all fall off the wagon at times. Maybe try to see it as having lost a battle but not the war.

I feel your pain, good luck on your journey

 

[chalup]

I am in complete agreement that unless caught extremely early the chances of ever having a normal carb metabolism are very slim. Once T2 is full blown it can often be kept under tight control with diet and maybe meds but one high carb day is enough to send BS through the roof. Losing weight helps but it is not a cure for people who are advanced in the disease. Cut yourself a bit of slack and start fresh tomorrow. We all fall off the wagon at times and sometimes the wagon runs us over on the way by but tomorrow really is another day. You got this

 

[luceeloo]

Wanna know how I've come to terms with it?
Let yourself have one binge, one slip up, one meal where you plan to eat what you crave... but do it for your evening meal, so then you have no excuse to carry on eating carby for the rest of the day, and you can wake up the next day and put it all behind you.
I do this once a fortnight maybe. That night happened to be tonight for me. We were planning on having fish and chips last weekend, but we were good and didn't... so tonight was the night for junk. I've been virtually no carb all day because I knew that there'd be Pizza tonight. And there was! But instead of having a big pizza, I had a little one and ordered some chicken to fill up on.
I feel carbed up and bloated, guilty as hell too... but I know that tomorrow morning there is going to be a bulletproof coffee and nothing else until at least lunch time.

Don't be so hard on yourself for slipping up, but try and break out of the mentality of writing the rest of the day off as you've already slipped up once.

 

[craneman9]

I find if your need cards do in the morning. Take exercise then back to low carb. You will burn off the sugar and feel better.
Just my way.

 

[Brunneria]

I went for years skipping breakfast then binging later - exactly as you did.

Then i went for years thinking that breakfast was a good idea and skipping meals was a disaster (after all that time binging when the hunger/cravings struck).

Now, i have learned more about how my body works (even I learn eventually! ) i seem to be able to fast easily and effortlessly provided i am in ketosis and fat adapted beforehand. That helps to reduce the cravings. Then, if a carb craving or severe hunger pang strikes i whip out a fat bomb and splat it like a mosquito.

We are on hol at the moment and I'm eating more carbs than usual, and i won't even try to fast or go vlc until i have eased back down and all my carb cravings have faded away. It will take several days.

Hope that helps.

 

[Jasperville]

Thanks for all the comments everyone. Back to under 100 grams carbs past 2 days, trying to get lower, feel more in control. About to have a fry-up.

 

[ickihun]

I fall off the wagon. It is the getting back on the horse after a fall that is the strength of a true crusader.
Fight on, my friend. Tomorrow can give a fresh perspective!
I have bad days but some wonderful good days too. I wish more good days on you.

 

[debbiedoodles]

You are so not alone on this! We all fall off occasionally. Get back on your horse soldier. Good luck and stay strong

 

[boycat19]

I went for years skipping breakfast then binging later - exactly as you did.

Then i went for years thinking that breakfast was a good idea and skipping meals was a disaster (after all that time binging when the hunger/cravings struck).

Now, i have learned more about how my body works (even I learn eventually! ) i seem to be able to fast easily and effortlessly provided i am in ketosis and fat adapted beforehand. That helps to reduce the cravings. Then, if a carb craving or severe hunger pang strikes i whip out a fat bomb and splat it like a mosquito.

We are on hol at the moment and I'm eating more carbs than usual, and i won't even try to fast or go vlc until i have eased back down and all my carb cravings have faded away. It will take several days.

Hope that helps.

I notice you said you go into ketosis and get fat adapted. I wondered if you had any problems being in ketosis. I started a LCHF diet on 17.9.16 eating less than 15g carbs per day. I quickly went into ketosis and my BG became 5.1 and 9 - best results I've had in 10 years. I enjoyed the food and did not crave carbs. By Wednesday I thought I was suffering the effects of transition to fat burning from carb burning as I had no energy. By Thursdat evening I was in hospital with DKA and sepsis. A week later I'm fine although I have now been put on insulin injections, but I am now too scared to cut down on carbs and get into ketosis. I truly believe carbs are the work of the devil and would love to cut down on them. I wondered if you took insulin whilst following a LCHF diet?

 

[Indy51]

I notice you said you go into ketosis and get fat adapted. I wondered if you had any problems being in ketosis. I started a LCHF diet on 17.9.16 eating less than 15g carbs per day. I quickly went into ketosis and my BG became 5.1 and 9 - best results I've had in 10 years. I enjoyed the food and did not crave carbs. By Wednesday I thought I was suffering the effects of transition to fat burning from carb burning as I had no energy. By Thursdat evening I was in hospital with DKA and sepsis. A week later I'm fine although I have now been put on insulin injections, but I am now too scared to cut down on carbs and get into ketosis. I truly believe carbs are the work of the devil and would love to cut down on them. I wondered if you took insulin whilst following a LCHF diet?

You were taking Forxiga/Dapagliflozin right? As I posted on another thread, DKA is a known side effect of this drug. The fact that you went into DKA was the drug, not the diet:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...-on-the-risk-of-diabetic-ketoacidosis.104325/

 

[ickihun]

You still can hit food ketosis on insulin.
Stick with lchf diet as it will help enormously with how much insulin you will need to inject and keep weigh gain risk down.
You were doing brilliantly. That drug is the devil, for some.

 

[Brunneria]

I notice you said you go into ketosis and get fat adapted. I wondered if you had any problems being in ketosis. I started a LCHF diet on 17.9.16 eating less than 15g carbs per day. I quickly went into ketosis and my BG became 5.1 and 9 - best results I've had in 10 years. I enjoyed the food and did not crave carbs. By Wednesday I thought I was suffering the effects of transition to fat burning from carb burning as I had no energy. By Thursdat evening I was in hospital with DKA and sepsis. A week later I'm fine although I have now been put on insulin injections, but I am now too scared to cut down on carbs and get into ketosis. I truly believe carbs are the work of the devil and would love to cut down on them. I wondered if you took insulin whilst following a LCHF diet?

As @Indy51 has said, look at the medication before blaming the diet.

 

[ExD]

I 'm coeliac as well, so if I do give in and eat bread/pastry/beer/mars bars/etc., I am really really ill for days. However, I can eat sugar. (Gluten free substitutes are pretty horrible cardboard-like concoctions with no taste).
Dark chocolate is my waterloo, followed by meringue (pavlovas yummy) boiled sweets, so I completely understand your sweet tooth. I think I overcompensate my lack of bread and pastry by binging on sugar, and have done for years.
There seems to be no 'cure' except the one used by alcoholics to take 'a day at a time' and forgive yourself any mistakes (large or small). I can't say I'm enthusiastic over savoury things, a big juicy steak doesn't appeal, but a dish of apple pie and custard has me drooling just thinking about it.
If I want chocolate, a piece of fruit or a lump of cheese just won't 'do'.

 

[ickihun]

I'm a savory person but too much protein can give me higher bgs.
Its getting the balance right for you and your needs. Diabetes will insist on a good diet, first and foremost. Building blocks of good suitable exercise and controlled meds to perfect your plan, if capable and available.
That's why they blame diabetes on lifestyle. Lifestyle can make a huge difference! Even in diabetics who aren't over weight.
Get your diet better, even in small, slow steps. It definitely helps.
Rome wasn't built in a day.
There is no rush but has to be done for longevity.

 

[dawnmc]

I don't have a sweet tooth, but I do keep a bag of Werthers no sugar sweets in for when I just fancy something.

 

[Nicksu]

I have always had a chronic sweet tooth. The one thing I have found helped is taking Gymnema sylvestre (can easily be found at Holland & Barrett). This seems to alter both the way you taste sweet things and stop you craving them (it also helps diabetes). Took about a week for me to stop craving sweets and now I can walk past a trolley covered in cakes and not want one. AMAZING FOR ME! I also keep a tub of Alpro Soya Natural Yoghurt in, sprinkle loads of cinnamon in (another good one for diabetes) and a few spoons of Stevia sweetener. So if on the odd occasion I do want something sweet or feel the munchies, I grab a couple of spoons of that. Enough to satisfy the pang till my next meal.

 

[ChrisSamsDad]

My Achilles heel is Jam/Marmalde, we've got cupboards full of it, we go foraging, have friends with allotments and our family pact is that we'll give each other only homemade gifts for Xmas. If we do have a toast and jam-filled breakfast, then I go to the gym and burn off the carbs, by running 5k and cycling or going on the eliptical trainer for the rest of the hour, at my weight, that's easily 750kcal of exercise and my monitor shows I'm down below 5 within 2 hours. I reckon I should have burnt off 2 slices of toast and jam and then some.

 

[dawnmc]

My Achilles heel is Jam/Marmalde, we've got cupboards full of it, we go foraging, have friends with allotments and our family pact is that we'll give each other only homemade gifts for Xmas. If we do have a toast and jam-filled breakfast, then I go to the gym and burn off the carbs, by running 5k and cycling or going on the eliptical trainer for the rest of the hour, at my weight, that's easily 750kcal of exercise and my monitor shows I'm down below 5 within 2 hours. I reckon I should have burnt off 2 slices of toast and jam and then some.

Check out Chia jam, its dead easy to make, and might just hit the spot without all that sugar.