Carb flu - how to get past it?

[Totto]

@akindrat – I haven’t posted on your thread for ages and ages, as I felt I had said all I could in any attempt to help you months ago, and having reiterated it several times, I felt I would save myself the keystrokes, but here I am.

I stand utterly fast on my belief that the absolute key to control of T2 diabetes is every morsel we put in our mouths, followed, in most cases by the style and dose of any medication, then finessed by exercise and general activity. None of that belief is altered by your apparent experiences or your journey so far.

I really am sorry you’re having a hard time with all of this for whatever reason, but your eating is critical to it all. I’m not suggesting you don’t deep down know this, but also, as I have said before, you need to dig deep to make a difference to your own situation. We can all have the most fabulous ideas of how we would do it or how we would feel in your shoes, but that’s completely irrelevant. You and only you are the one who can walk the walk to make a difference to your life.

It isn’t something I have posted about on here, and I never thought I would, but I will. But, in my late 20s I suffered an eating disorder. For me it was rather the opposite of yours, in that I starved myself to a point near death. I was living overseas at the time, and my parents had to fly out to say goodbye to me. Yes, I was that close to death. Please trust me when I say you never, ever want to see the look I saw in both my parents eyes on the days they arrived. They were utterly broken hearted. At that moment; twice, 2 days apart (as they had had to travel separately for reasons I won’t bother with here) I knew that I just had to do something for myself to change and try my hardest to come back from the brink. Suddenly, I had my reason to change. Everyone needs their reason to change. Don’t you allow yourself to be in the position in which I found myself. Every day since, for the last 30 years I am thankful that I had that opportunity, and that I got extremely lucky in being able to turn around the behavioural juggernaut that was taking me rapidly to the exit I am pleased to say I have made a full recovery and miraculously suffered no long term effects, aside from infertility, which may or may not have been an issue, without my eating disorder. We’ll simply never know on that point. But in reality, my kidneys, liver, heart and all other vital systems work completely normally. How flippin’ fortunate am I? And maybe that explains my up-beat approach to diabetes and how I have tackled it. I have vowed never to be taken on a wave of defeatism by a condition I can influence by my own actions. Of course, I accept some things can’t be influenced, and I have to hope I can stave such conditions off for a very long time.

But, back to you. I have done quite a bit of reading about insulin therapy and will make a few comments now. These are not advice. These are observations, which I am hopeful someone actually using insulin (T1 or T2 – probably doesn’t matter) will counter comment on some of the points I may make.

But, it is my firm belief that insulin really is a balancing act, and a tricky one at that. I could be so bold as to state that I believe T1s who do not produce any insulin of their own may have it slightly easier than T2s who can often already be awash with insulin, but who can’t use it effectively, due to insulin resistance. But, that’s not the thrust of what I wanted to say.

Bottom line is that, in my belief, using insulin has a greater potential to lead you into higher highs and lower lows. If your eating is not under control, with additional insulin in your system, you may eat more unfavourable foods even that now. Clearly that’s speculation. But I have read so many times that insulin stimulates hunger. So many people new to taking insulin gain weight because they get hungry and eat more. Without being too personal, I think we would probably violently agree you neither need to eat more nor would gaining weight do you any favours.

There are many T1s on here who eat a low carb diet because it helps then reduce the amount of insulin they take, which in turn leads to a kinder hunger pattern and that in turn can impact on weight loss/stability/gain.

Again to reiterate that this statement is a general one, and not aimed at you, or anyone else, but it has to be said, in my view. If a T2, with significant insulin resistance is started on insulin and diet not controlled then it would be difficult to both estimate regular dosages and secondly to manage weight. Going on a hyper<>hypo<>hyper<>hypo roller coaster is something nobody needs, but without any dietary control, it’s a bit like buying an open season ticket to the ride. Another analogy would be like someone with depression being prescribed “uppers” to control the downs, then when in a manic up phase, being prescribed “downers” to bring them down, then giving them an open prescription to access the drugs at will.

I appreciate I may have made radical points here, but I’m trying my hardest to help you akindrat. I don’t intend rejoining this thread regularly as I can really only repeat myself so many times without boring even myself.

But good luck with it. You need to step back, think hard, dig deep and DO SOMETHING. My feeling is that you are currently standing at a fork in life’s road and you must take care not to choose a one way street.

You are a remarkable woman @AndBreathe

 

[GeoffersTaylor]

I make no pretense of knowing much about counselling or mental health support, so I bow to others' insights on that. But all that is just a means to an end - the bottom line is that this poor chap needs to get control of his situation or it will kill him. I say this not out of spite or prurience, but out of a desire to help get this kid out of this spiral. What else can we offer but words from a keyboard?

 

[AndBreathe]

You are a remarkable woman @AndBreathe

Thank you Totto, but I don't see it that way at all. I see myself as someone who was holding all the bad cards in my hand, but in my final draw, I drew all the aces in one go, and went on to win the whole pot.

When that sort of thing happens, one doesn't forget it, and one (OK, this one!) tries not to abuse the privilege of a full, healthy and happy life. So many people don't get the second chance I did. It would be such an insult to every one of those who died trying with all their hearts to just throw away the opportunities I have been given.

As I said when I made my disclosure, I don't talk about this openly very often, and I never thought I would, on a forum with this potential number of readers, but I chose to. I don't want to come across as any sort of goodie-goodie or an evangelist for life, but knowing how afraid I became in that dark place, all those years ago, I couldn't ignore anyone (and I mean anyone, not just akindrat) heading in that direction. I had people help me to recover, so I see it as important to just do whatever I can.

OK,....... You're safe to let the sick buckets go now.

 

[SunnyExpat]

Apart from stories about us, because we've all been there, and moved on, (otherwise we''d still be there, and everyone on this forum has a story), anyone got anything to help, apart from browbeating him?

 

[Celeriac]

I think it's easy for us to be armchair advisers but in akindrat's world he's trying to deal with multiple problems besides diabetes. His relationship with his family and unemployment when added to diabetes is easily an overload.

Counselling is a great de-stressor. A good counsellor doesn't tell you what you should do, but helps you find the way forward yourself with their support.

 

[zand]

akindrat, the question was asked above if anyone had anything else to help.

I am sure this must have been suggested before, but one thing that really helped me (way back 30 years ago when I started battling with my weight) was to do a food dairy. I don't mean one that you show anyone else - 'an official one' - this one is just for you. I made myself write down every little thing I ate, from one chocolate button to 20 mls squash. I just jotted it down as I ate it. I was shocked at how much I normally 'forgot' that I had eaten, often absentmindedly, not even realising I was doing it. What I realised then was that every little thing added up and that the phrase 'just one won't hurt' was wrong. Over the years it helped me cut down on the amount of junk I was eating. Someone else said to you 'be honest with yourself' , this is one way I found that helped me to be honest with myself. It was a huge shock back then to see just how much I really ate.

You could also then log it all on myfitnesspal. Then you can chart your progress as you improve.

I hope you are doing OK

 

[akindrat18]

I'm not doing ok, I think I've got the flu. I had the flu jab last friday and since doing the sponsored walk, I've had nothing but high blood sugars and feeling not like eating all the time. I've still been taking my medication, but my blood sugars have not been going down. Even swimming has not helpful. I think tomorrow morning I will go the gym and take some carrot sticks with mayo and then stay my nans till my appointment at 4pm.

 

[akindrat18]

My appointment to the see diabetes doctor went ok, I would not say that it went great as I've still got high blood sugar levels after lowering them into the teens by having a pot of yoghurt for breakfast and a hamburger with salad (no bun) for lunch after 3 hours of being in the swimming pool for 3 hours followed by rotations of the jacuzzi, sauna, Turkish room and cold plunge pool.

The doctor said to me that I maybe LADA not type 2 and that I would need several blood tests to confirm if I am type 2. We did talk about using insulin and he suggested that I should be put on a twice daily regime where I take my injections before breakfast and before going bed.

I have no ketones in my urine after they tested it, before my appointment and my cholesterol level is at 4.7. The only problem is that I've still got to continue with my medication until I see the nurse in 3 weeks!!! But if my blood sugars are still high, I should be seen by a paramedic and if he/she thinks that I'm ok, then there is no need for me to be admitted to hospital.

 

[ladybird64]

There has been mention of eating disorders and self sabotage, counselling and other approaches. I did a bit of soul bearing on a recent reply to somebody and will basically repeat what I said there, and what "And Breathe" has said too - there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that anybody can say or do to make somebody change a destructive eating issue until the time is right for them. When that time is, and what is the catalyst for change, is dependent on the individual. The one thing binge/over eaters have in common is that it is rarely anything to do with hunger, and more to do with emotion. Counselling maybe of some use to some, personally I find it pointless because one can search for a reason until the cows come home, even if one is found, that doesn't necessarily mean that a lightbulb moment happens, it doesn't switch off the desire to drown out bad feelings by eating large quantities of food. Having an eating disorder can be a lonely business, often with overeating there can be little sympathy. There has been an outpouring of sympathy and understanding here, not to mention some frustration - never a good thing.

akindrat, you know about food, carbs, calories..what makes it worse, what helps it. You know all this (and I think there are very few overeaters who aren't pretty knowledgeable about food) so I will play amateur psychologist and hazard a guess that you still post that you have eaten stuff that you know affects your levels because you know you will be sure of getting a big response to that. I'm just being honest, I'm not saying you are wasting time but feel a need to have others debating over what you should and shouldn't do - and that kind of prolongs the time before you have to take the decision to change how you eat.

About insulin. This is your decision, to be taken with your HCP. You know what steps you can take, and only you know if you are making reasons, not excuses, not to take them and why. I don't doubt fort a second that you have taken in and absorbed all the information that has been given to you, and that you will accept it and act on it when you are ready. But with that comes the responsibility of managing yourself, because you know that's what it comes down to. You just need to find your own way of facing it.

So, maybe it would be better if we support you when you feel ready to face that challenge, rather than repeating the same thing? Hopefully you will agree. You have all the tools at your disposal that you need until you see you health care team and your counsellor.

Wishing you well.