Type 2 Struggling

[Eternal summer]

Type 2, on metformin, diagnosed 2mths. Iwas doing so well. Then Christmas I crashed and burned. Not a complete overload, but a steady lapse each and every day since. I just can't get back on board.

The weight was falling off, I felt better than I did in years.... I know all the risks. I know that I'm heading straight into having to take insulin, yet I just can't stop it!

Today I woke up so annoyed that I blew it again yesterday. So it was 2 eggs on green beans for lunch and I will be out shopping for my meals for the rest of the week shortly.

Is it normal to do this? I'm not stupid and I work in the health service, why would I choose to do it to myself!

 

[Guzzler]

Carbs are addictive. It would be like an ex smoker having 'just one ciggy' that one ciggy leads to another and another.

Don't beat yourself up, back on the waggon today and in no time the cravings will ease off and eventually disappear. A lot of us splurged over the festive period.

 

[Eternal summer]

Thanks for the support Guzzler. Well at least there is nothing else left to tempt me as I've just gave all that is driving me crazy to the neighbours!

 

[Metabolism_Boss]

Oh I have been where you are! I used to eat bad things and berate myself in the morning! I call it runaway appetite and it is a horrible thing to deal with. I can only suggest that you pick your moment. Try to reduce the naughty things even if you can't quite stop. Try swapping the bad for the not -so- bad -if -fattening like nuts. In this situation fat is good. Then when things settle down you'll be able to decide to stop. All that sugar swimming around and your body is screaming we're starving! we're starving! As fat metabolism is totally different to carb metabolism it is your best bet for appetite control. Don't under estimate the effect of your state of mind and be kind to yourself. You WILL be able to control this, just as you did before.

 

[ebbielou]

I have just started low carb but like eternal l am craving carbs still. I am not giving in as I feel very unwell. Figures in late teens even after fasting. I have pains in ankle,arm and back and now wonder if I have start of complications. Going back to docs who really does not seem to really understand diabetes. did not appear happy I am now doing own testing. Said my last bloods 5 months ago were not to bad. Will low carb help at this stage?

 

[Eternal summer]

Thanks Boss!! That is EXACTLY what is happening! I've just stuck a teaspoon into a jar of crunchy nut peanut butter in a defensive strike to make me hang out until dinner time - only 1 small spoonful by the way.
It's mad, I just feel like I'm completely consumed by the fact that I'm hungry (excuse the pun).
Grrrr those pesky carbs!!
Thank you all. I love this group. The support is amazing! xx

 

[Hotpepper20000]

What helped me was increasing the amount of fat i ate. I eat a moderate amount of fat but notice when I’m hungry it because I haven’t eaten enough
So I eat a few more olives, maybe a handful of nuts, a bit more butter on my veggies, an avocado, or a small bowl of full fat yogurt. It doesn’t take much.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks Boss!! That is EXACTLY what is happening! I've just stuck a teaspoon into a jar of crunchy nut peanut butter in a defensive strike to make me hang out until dinner time - only 1 small spoonful by the way.
It's mad, I just feel like I'm completely consumed by the fact that I'm hungry (excuse the pun).
Grrrr those pesky carbs!!
Thank you all. I love this group. The support is amazing! xx

If you are hungry up the fat content of your meals..
I have been known to nibble of cheese spread with butter... sounds gross but is in fact rather yum and keeps you full.
If you are cutting carbs you need to replace with something that gives you the full feeling but that actually fills you up.
Double cream in coffee helps too.

 

[Sue192]

I second @bulkbiker's double cream in coffee. I've been slipping since Christmas too, @Eternal summer, not that I fell off the wagon, but I have been getting the munchies and doing that wandering to cupboard, to fridge, and back, 'exercise'. Nothing bad in either but I am more hungry than I was. The coffee fix does help. Don't worry, you've done the neighbourly thing , grab yourself some of the goodies mentioned by @Hotpepper20000 and you'll be back up and running again. Although I have to admit I'm having trouble with the cheese spread with butter idea....

 

[lindijanice]

Hey eternalsummer, understand where you are coming from....I am a retired Nurse and even taught diabetes clients as a community nurse!! But didn't apply that knowledge to me - way too personal!! But, one day the proverbial light bulb went off and I went on to lose 75 pounds and now working on the next 25.....finally got it that it is a marathon, not a sprint as many on this Forum have repeatedly said. I plan my meals and snacks and then if hungry, I know what I can eat - sometimes eating my salad in the afternoon instead of at dinner....LCHF is really a "wonder drug" for me although I am not below 20 or 30, I rarely go above 50 and still seeing good results. It is hard to figure out why when we know something is so good for us, that we do the opposite.....but eventually we find other things to "distract us" from the bad and learn to enjoy the good so much more and consistently!! And that is a winning combo

 

[Eternal summer]

Again thank you all! The pacing to the fridge and cupboards has been such a habit I've worn a tread mark through the tiles!
I've just had a stick of celery with crunchy peanut butter.. oh it was heaven. I've already packed lunch for tomorrow, but I'm taking a few emergency snacks too, thank you all for the tips and snack suggestions

 

[Resurgam]

There is almost always something you can eat when low carbing - though the reduction in appetite it causes can be quite striking - I always have plenty of eggs and cheese around, things in the freezer, I used to make up a sugar free jelly several times a week - always cook a full pack of chicken thighs or sausages and keep the leftovers for next day and I still cook joints of meat or whole chickens even though there's just the two of us so as to ensure there is never an empty shelf.
I do find that making lunch with several boiled eggs and some grated cheese, or a tin of tuna, then coleslaw green salad cucumber tomato radishes celery beetroot pickled onions and anything else sitting in the fridge requires a large bowl and some dedicated eating and it isn't many carbs but you certainly know that you've eaten it.
I used to have two shopping lists which I used alternately for years, to ensure there was always something to eat in the house which was first of all attractive, but also going to deter me from any thought of eating the higher carb foods the family were having - I have been trying to stick to low carb since the 1970s and left myself would have had very few problems, but the HCPs were always so against it, and took no notice of my protests that I could net eat carbs without putting on weight - and they knew they were right and I was wrong, or lying.

 

[Teammidwife]

Type 2, on metformin, diagnosed 2mths. Iwas doing so well. Then Christmas I crashed and burned. Not a complete overload, but a steady lapse each and every day since. I just can't get back on board.

The weight was falling off, I felt better than I did in years.... I know all the risks. I know that I'm heading straight into having to take insulin, yet I just can't stop it!

Today I woke up so annoyed that I blew it again yesterday. So it was 2 eggs on green beans for lunch and I will be out shopping for my meals for the rest of the week shortly.

Is it normal to do this? I'm not stupid and I work in the health service, why would I choose to do it to myself!

Hi @Eternal summer, how I identify with you. I was diagnosed in 2016, was put on metformin and initially felt I was doing ok. I got my HnA1c down to 41!! then my Gp and nurse wanted me to reduce the metformin (I didn't want to)--- next HbA1c was 42, so they told me to stop it and would not prescribe any more. The next level was 46, but I was told I was "well-controlled" so no need to take it. I felt abandoned, as if they did not care. Since then (June 2017) I have put on a stone in weight, no longer regularly check my blood sugar levels as I can't afford to keep buying the strips, though I have a machine. I read your post and am crying. You are newly diagnosed, you are on metformin, try to see this as a "blip" (yeah, I know, do as I say not as I do). I had stopped reading or contributing to the forum, it was only the title "struggling" that made me read your post.
I hate myself, I feel down, and that I don't matter - I am overweight so it is my own fault, why should my GP or anyone else care?
You have only relapsed since Christmas, you can get back in control. I too am NHS, a recently retired midwife, but knowing what I should do and actually doing it are 2 different things. GOOD LUCK

 

[Guzzler]

I have just started low carb but like eternal l am craving carbs still. I am not giving in as I feel very unwell. Figures in late teens even after fasting. I have pains in ankle,arm and back and now wonder if I have start of complications. Going back to docs who really does not seem to really understand diabetes. did not appear happy I am now doing own testing. Said my last bloods 5 months ago were not to bad. Will low carb help at this stage?

Hi there, I see this is your first post. If you make your own thread, perhaps in the 'Introductions' part of the forum you will get loads of advice and support. Welcome to the forum and yes lowering your carb intake could help. Best wishes.

 

[ebbielou]

Hi there, I see this is your first post. If you make your own thread, perhaps in the 'Introductions' part of the forum you will get loads of advice and support. Welcome to the forum and yes lowering your carb intake could help. Best wishes.

Thank You will post later today.

Thanks Boss!! That is EXACTLY what is happening! I've just stuck a teaspoon into a jar of crunchy nut peanut butter in a defensive strike to make me hang out until dinner time - only 1 small spoonful by the way.
It's mad, I just feel like I'm completely consumed by the fact that I'm hungry (excuse the pun).
Grrrr those pesky carbs!!
Thank you all. I love this group. The support is amazing! xx

 

[stozza]

What helped me was increasing the amount of fat i ate. I eat a moderate amount of fat but notice when I’m hungry it because I haven’t eaten enough
So I eat a few more olives, maybe a handful of nuts, a bit more butter on my veggies, an avocado, or a small bowl of full fat yogurt. It doesn’t take much.

More fats yes.......except if you have gallstones and on a fat restricted diet, how does one fill up then

 

[Hotpepper20000]

More fats yes.......except if you have gallstones and on a fat restricted diet, how does one fill up then

Is it just animal fats that you are restricted with?

 

[stozza]

Thanks for replying.... no all types of fat, plus some dairy! I really don’t know what to have for a snack other than fruit which is also limited due to trying to keep my carbs low!

 

[Hotpepper20000]

That’s a difficult one. Do you have a meter so you can test how what your eating effects your BG?
I see your new here, I’ll tag @daisy1 she has some great information for new members.
Perhaps start a new thread with your questions and those members with the same experience can offer advice.

 

[Phoenix55]

Hi @Eternal summer, how I identify with you. I was diagnosed in 2016, was put on metformin and initially felt I was doing ok. I got my HnA1c down to 41!! then my Gp and nurse wanted me to reduce the metformin (I didn't want to)--- next HbA1c was 42, so they told me to stop it and would not prescribe any more. The next level was 46, but I was told I was "well-controlled" so no need to take it. I felt abandoned, as if they did not care. Since then (June 2017) I have put on a stone in weight, no longer regularly check my blood sugar levels as I can't afford to keep buying the strips, though I have a machine. I read your post and am crying. You are newly diagnosed, you are on metformin, try to see this as a "blip" (yeah, I know, do as I say not as I do). I had stopped reading or contributing to the forum, it was only the title "struggling" that made me read your post.
I hate myself, I feel down, and that I don't matter - I am overweight so it is my own fault, why should my GP or anyone else care?
You have only relapsed since Christmas, you can get back in control. I too am NHS, a recently retired midwife, but knowing what I should do and actually doing it are 2 different things. GOOD LUCK

Hi @Teammidwife, It seems that you are having a difficult time with being 'retired', but it does not mean that you are not needed. Have you thought of contacting your local surgery and asking if they have a support group for diabetics, or given your experience as a midwife for new mums. I work in a library and there are a lot of people who come in asking for baby care books and advice about weaning. When I put op a display of low carb eating recipe books they disappeared at a rate of knots. A small room with some toys to occupy the babies, tea and coffee is all that is needed. If the surgery can't/won't do that then approach a library. Once you feel that your experience is still of value you will be able to take better care of yourself. You can do it, people do care and being overweight is not incurable. Choose the lower carb options when you are shopping so that there is less temptation and go for the healthier fats. It is not too late to healthily lose that weight before the summer. Pick yourself up. dust yourself down and every day is a fresh start.