Confused about me and food

[mrsspenny]

Help please. Age 55, female, type 2 Diabetic for 4 years, metformin 2000mg, Gliclazide 40mg, Pantoprazole 40mg, Losartan 25mg, Allopurinol 100mg. Strong history of close family T2 diabetes and one T1. Also strong close family history of cancers starting around gallbladder lower stomach and liver. Height 5.6ft weight was 14.11 stone when diagnosed, went down to 12 stone when following low carb a couple of years ago but crept back up to 13.6 currently and my HB1AC is now 75. My low carb regime was great to start with but I began to have issues with my digestion, feeling sick, little enjoyment of food, acid reflux. The nutritionist at the Diabetic Centre recommended including more carbs in my diet, which I did with rather too much enthusiasm. In 2019 I started having gallbladder issues, then had a cholecystectomy in August 2020. Since then the pain has gone but my digestive problems have continued and am unable eat fatty food without unfortunate consequences. I know I need to lose weight, the best diet for my diabetes is low carb; the best diet for my gallbladder-less state is low fat. What do I do? I am seeing my GP now for management of diabetes as the clinic here is less than stellar and under funded (Channel Islands) and am seeing him on Thursday. Advice would be welcome, I am feeling pretty low and helpless right now. Thank you for considering this.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. How difficult it must be. I can only suggest keeping the proteins up in various forms and keep the carbs down where you can. Lots of veg of course and non-tropical fruit.

 

[Dr Snoddy]

Could you aim to have a lower fat protein source at every meal? Eggs, lower fat cheeses like ricotta, skyr, tofu, quorn, or some protein/carb sources like beans, lentils etc? These could then be bulked out with non-starchy vege. I sympathize with your dilemma!

 

[bulkbiker]

I know I need to lose weight, the best diet for my diabetes is low carb; the best diet for my gallbladder-less state is low fat.

Not sure about the low fat bit being quite correct for gall bladder.. There are quite a few members here managing with LCHF without gall bladders.. can't remember anyone to tag in at the moment though.
Maybe rather than adding fat you simply eat the fat that comes with the meat and fish that should form the centre of any well formulated LCHF diet?

 

[mrsspenny]

Could you aim to have a lower fat protein source at every meal? Eggs, lower fat cheeses like ricotta, skyr, tofu, quorn, or some protein/carb sources like beans, lentils etc? These could then be bulked out with non-starchy vege. I sympathize with your dilemma!

Hi. How difficult it must be. I can only suggest keeping the proteins up in various forms and keep the carbs down where you can. Lots of veg of course and non-tropical fruit.

Thank you for the advice

 

[mrsspenny]

Could you aim to have a lower fat protein source at every meal? Eggs, lower fat cheeses like ricotta, skyr, tofu, quorn, or some protein/carb sources like beans, lentils etc? These could then be bulked out with non-starchy vege. I sympathize with your dilemma!

I have not tried some of the protein sources you suggest, but will give them a go. Pulses and chickpeas don’t agree with me in quantity but I do enjoy them in small quantities. I do enjoy all vegetables and fruits. Thank you for your advice, some good ideas for me.

 

[TriciaWs]

I continued to have issues in digesting fat after my gall bladder op, and for this reason I was concerned about coping with a low carb diet after my T2 diagnosis. But I found it settled down once I drastically reduced carbs and I can now eat more fat without bloating or having to rush to the loo a few hours later.

If I eat a lot of fat in a single meal I notice the impact but I can eat enough to feel full without noticeable bloating - and at least I have a simple cure for the constipation some people suffer with when they go low carb!

 

[mrsspenny]

Not sure about the low fat bit being quite correct for gall bladder.. There are quite a few members here managing with LCHF without gall bladders.. can't remember anyone to tag in at the moment though.
Maybe rather than adding fat you simply eat the fat that comes with the meat and fish that should form the centre of any well formulated LCHF diet?

I do remember seeing posts by a few people who had their gall bladders removed who had no difficulty with low carb. I am going to try to figure things out by process of elimination I think. Lean meats like chicken are no problem at all but things like belly pork, which I love, will give me a sleepless night.

 

[bulkbiker]

I do remember seeing posts by a few people who had their gall bladders removed who had no difficulty with low carb. I am going to try to figure things out by process of elimination I think. Lean meats like chicken are no problem at all but things like belly pork, which I love, will give me a sleepless night.

Might take a while but probably over time you'll be ok with it. Certainly worth persevering with!

 

[mrsspenny]

I continued to have issues in digesting fat after my gall bladder op, and for this reason I was concerned about coping with a low carb diet after my T2 diagnosis. But I found it settled down once I drastically reduced carbs and I can now eat more fat without bloating or having to rush to the loo a few hours later.

If I eat a lot of fat in a single meal I notice the impact but I can eat enough to feel full without noticeable bloating - and at least I have a simple cure for the constipation some people suffer with when they go low carb!

Thank you, this is very encouraging to read! If you have the time I would love to have some ideas of what you can enjoy eating. I am a keen cook but am losing confidence because many of the things I used to enjoy seem to hate me now, lol

 

[Rachox]

There are quite a few members here managing with LCHF without gall bladders

*puts hand up!
I’m a gall bladderless low carber! I had my cholecystectomy in 2000 well before I was diagnosed with type 2 in 2017. In the seven years in between I suffered from chronic diarrhoea, but going low carb actually sorted it out, in fact I was constipated initially!

 

[mrsspenny]

*puts hand up!
I’m a gall bladderless low carber! I had my cholecystectomy in 2000 well before I was diagnosed with type 2 in 2017. In the seven years in between I suffered from chronic diarrhoea, but going low carb actually sorted it out, in fact I was constipated initially!

This is so encouraging! I am already planning my low carb ‘elimination diet’ to find out what I can tolerate. Last time I did this I used an app to track my carbs and had <50g carbs a day so will do the same again. Thank you for sharing your experience, it really helps.