I have read about Carb cutting as this is really my only option. I do not and haven't done for years drink fizzy soft drinks or beer. Not a big sweet eater but I am a carb addict. I got over weight with chips and crisp not beer and sweets. So what should be the carb limit I should aim for as I have seem some extreme differences in advice. For example I had a veggie bean chilli last night it was 19 gms of protein but 40 gms of carbs. How low should my daily intake be. Cheers folks
First of all, welcome. I see that you joined the forum in August, and I also joined fairly recently. You have come to the right place.
I am sorry that you are having a rough time with the Metformin. It is considered a safe drug, but the side effects are an issue for some people.
It is a bit hard to give advice without knowing a little bit more. It sounds like you are on Metformin and no other drugs, right? Also, when were you diagnosed (edited to add: OK, thread title says 10 months), what was the HbA1C at diagnosis, and (if you have had subsequent tests) what is it now? (Sorry to ask for these personal details.)
Concerning carbs, some of us have had considerable success controlling our blood glucose with a low-carb diet, sometimes in combination with Metformin and some of us with no drugs at all. Moderate exercise is also helpful, although most studies show it has rather less impact than diet. It is impossible to say whether the diet approach will be sufficient to control your diabetes fully, but if you are medically able to try it, I would strongly recommend it.
You will find a lot of information on this forum, including for instance a separate low-carb sub-forum where people post recipes and cooking advice. I am also an unabashed fan of this website:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb.
You are totally correct that there are "extreme differences of advice" concerning carbohydrates and Type 2 diabetes. At one end of the spectrum, the NHS (and here in America, the American Diabetes Association) tend to favor a "balanced diet" which at its most extreme, barely reduces the carbs at all.
You will need to experiment. I classify it like this, but others will disagree. Taking into account that the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance is 225 to 325 grams of carbs per day (for non-diabetics):
- Low carb: 100 grams a day or fewer
- Very low carb: 50 grams a day or fewer
- Ultra low carb: 30 grams a day or fewer (sometimes referred to as "ketogenic" especially if it goes below 20g)
Only you can decide what is appropriate for your medical and lifestyle situation.
Me? I went straight for the "ultra low carb" option initially (the first two months after diagnosis). This brought my blood glucose to non-diabetic levels very fast (11 weeks). After then, I relaxed a little bit and there are days when I have, say, 50 grams.
But you do not necessarily have to be so extreme. It is, for all of us, an individual journey, a scientific experiment if you like.
Finally you should be warned that the low-carb, low-drug option is (weirdly) controversial and you may get some pushback from the medical community. It does not work for everyone, and it is not for everyone. Worth a try though, in my opinion.