Blurred vision with lower carbs

[barbherod]

Having been short-sighted all my life, vision problems were one of the first symptoms of Type 2 twenty one years ago. A new lens prescription suddenly became blurred- very much so- and I consulted my oculist in some anger. He in fact suggested that I refer to my GP as he thought it was diabetes. Cutting a long story short I was immediately prescribed quite a large dose of medication, I think back then glibenclamide, and was told by the oculist to try old prescription glasses (I never throw anything away!) and not get a new prescription until the BG had settled down. I went through several pairs of glasses over the next few weeks but once the BG was controlled got a new pair, and have been more or less stable since.
My take on this is that high BG affected the shape of the eye- that being a cause of short sight- and once corrected and stable the problem settled down.
I am still short sighted but at a much lower level. I have been well controlled by meds.- glicazide, metformin and more lately basal insulin, but since going low carb (not Keto) have almost removed the Insulin and last Hba1c was 46.
I would add that I have never been overweight. Not typical Type 2 perhaps but no complications with retinopathy or neuropathy.

 

[pharmaceutics]

Type 2 twenty one years ago. A new lens prescription suddenly became blurred- very much so- and I consulted my oculist in some anger. (...) but once the BG was controlled got a new pair, and have been more or less stable since "

Thank you Barbherod for givng us newly diagnosed hope not just for a 8 week vision stability but for 21 years (plus no other complications)! And also for even after 21 years of being diagnosed and despite not being overweight reinforcing that if one does some diet, like avoiding carbs, then at least some medications can be taken out or reduced. May I ask you since the brain needs glucose in such a diet what is the amount of fruit that you can eat? I could live almost without carbs and I did for the 8 week diet but since I get less energy for the brain without glucose I now am starting to eat plenty of fruit (3 or 4 pieces of fruit a day) and dont really know yet if that will hinder fasting BG in the long term and A1C...

 

[barbherod]

Since going LCHF I eat very little fruit, maybe some berries once a day and a small portion of apple or orange occasionally.
Fructose is the worst form of carb. I think my brain has not suffered from any deprivation, although at 74 it is maybe not quite as sharp as it was! My family still admire my acuity and memory. So for me fruit is very minimal.

 

[onnecar]

Yes I guess I was lucky not being on meds immediately. I'm quite fit anyway as I walk 4-5 miles a day and do tai chi and other things. I'm not overweight either. In the end it's down to diet and the right diet. The reason so many people are diabetics now is because we all eat the too much of the wrong sorts of foods. Try to go low carb and sugar free and see what's left to buy in the supermarkets. It's no wonder people have such a problem.

 

[onnecar]

I've never really eaten much fruit anyway. Now however I eat some berries a few times a week. They are relatively low carb and nutritionally helpful.

 

[barbherod]

I really needed to go straight on to meds on diagnosis. I was not overweight, was very active and was eating what then was a healthy diet. Whole grain cereals, fruit and veg,wholemeal bread, porridge etc. The Eatwell plate, which 21 years ago was the recommended way to go. I ate very little junk food, and never followed the high carb part of the diet as it always made me too full. My GP was puzzled, as I wasn't conforming to the pattern. Meds very quickly lowered the BG levels, so were quickly reduced and as I said earlier I have since had no complications. I have lost weight on LCHF and really do not want to drop any more.

 

[onnecar]

Very high bg can be a medical emergency. That is where meds are definiely useful.

 

[pharmaceutics]

Since going LCHF I eat very little fruit, maybe some berries once a day and a small portion of apple or orange occasionally (...) my brain has not suffered from any deprivation, although at 74 it is maybe not quite as sharp as it was! My family still admire my acuity and memory. So for me fruit is very minimal.

Thank you again not only for the hope about the vision stabilizing but for the brain keeping its sharpness despite because of diabetes always having to reduce the intake of molecules such as fructose or others close to glucose. Anyway in LCHF the muscles get energy from fat but since the brain only gets its from glucose your liver produces some from the fat if you indeed take almost no sugar/carbs that can become sugar at all.

 

[pharmaceutics]

I've never really eaten much fruit anyway. Now however I eat some berries a few times a week. They are relatively low carb and nutritionally helpful.

A bit sadden that even fit and walking 4-5 miles a day like I do one still has to go into meds 7-8 years. But I am still puzzled if you dont eart much fruit or carbs at all where is your brain getting the glucose from? I went to diabetes UK food advice and they say eat 4 portions a day of fruit because fruit much better way of getting some carbs (10 g of fructose in one apple rather than 40 g in a muffin), If you dont eat carbs at all, no fruits, no pasta, no rice etc where is your brain gonna get the glucose from? I am fine without eating pasta or rice ever again if that controlls my BG without meds but I am assuming at least some carbs you have to have to feed the brain. What carbs do you eat if any?

 

[pharmaceutics]

Very high bg can be a medical emergency. That is where meds are definiely useful.

Yes very high levels BG are an emergency but phyiscians are putting everyone in meds right away even if the levels are just a bit above or not an emergency above pre diabetic levels, so wouldnt kill anyone to think twice and advise partiets to come to lower levels over 3 weeks say rather than right away steeply in one week and in that steep process of dramatic and fast BG drop have blurred vision 600% worse than normal, not being able to drive or work, for up to 10 weeks!

 

[onnecar]

There are carbs in everything it's all about the amount. I still get plenty of carbs, just not refined and high level ones. My bg vastly improved and mentally no difference. I had some energy issues to begin with but they seem to have improved a lot. High and refined carbs turn straight to sugar in the body and all the body ever does is burn that sugar because it's the easiest way to gain energy but fat in the visceral organs needs to be used in order to reverse T2 diabetes and the way to train the body to do that is to restrict the amount of carbs so it's forced to burn the visceral fat for energy. Jason Fung explains it much better than I can. lol.