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Carb flu - how to get past it?

akindrat18 said:
Type 2 people how do you get past the first few days of low carbing as I keep on caving into eating carbs whenever I feel low on energy. I would say I eat more than 150 grams of carbs per day and I've tried to reduce it down to under 50 grams a day. I don't know what my blood sugars levels are like since my meter broke 2 weeks ago and today I'm having my first appointment at my home GP. Good news is that my weight has dropped down to 20 stone 13 pounds after weighing myself last night. I've also started kick boxing after my mum signed me up to join her and I love it!! I go their now three times a week for a hour or 2 for £30 a month even though I had no say in whether I want to join or not as I was looking at several other gyms for a low price as I'm now claiming jobseekers.
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I would say drink plenty of water, Eat some fresh vegetables and minimize on your fruit intake.
too much fruit will still give you a high sugar intake.

akindrat18 said:
I did have a meter, but the doctor at the hospital said that I do not need to test as I'm not on insulin and I was on my last few test strips.
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Meters are necessary for any diabetic, type 1or type 2, it is important to be testing your blood sugar regularly.
This give you the opportunity to know what foods affects your blood sugar.
If you are not certain where you sugar levels are you might think you are doing the correct thing, however you might be harming yourself.
I would also advise you to speak to another doctor on the matter.

akindrat18 said:
Type 2 people how do you get past the first few days of low carbing as I keep on caving into eating carbs whenever I feel low on energy. I would say I eat more than 150 grams of carbs per day and I've tried to reduce it down to under 50 grams a day. I don't know what my blood sugars levels are like since my meter broke 2 weeks ago and today I'm having my first appointment at my home GP. Good news is that my weight has dropped down to 20 stone 13 pounds after weighing myself last night. I've also started kick boxing after my mum signed me up to join her and I love it!! I go their now three times a week for a hour or 2 for £30 a month even though I had no say in whether I want to join or not as I was looking at several other gyms for a low price as I'm now claiming jobseekers.
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Your weight loss can be attributed to your poor blood sugar control. I am urging you to get a meter as soon as possible. Ensure to your exercise program you are involved is something you enjoying doing so much and you have ensure you are medically fit enough to be participating in it.
 
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Your fight is against this disease, not against your family.

What they think does not matter.

Stop all this ridiculous drama, TAKE CONTROL.
 
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CatLadyNZ said:
Don't give up on your Nan. She cooked perfect food for you when you stayed for the weekend. It sounds like she may have agreed with them because of family dynamics, which sound pretty tense at the moment. I still think your best bet is to move in with her for a while (because I know you can't afford to live alone yet).

Give up trying to educate your parents though. As an adult, you don't owe them explanations for any of your choices. Maybe avoiding discussing food at all would be a good idea for a while.

At the moment I think it would be better for you to get onto a nurse-approved basal/bolus MDI carb counting insulin regime like I've talked about before. On this regime you can probably get away with eating normal-ish carbs for a while, which would take some of the pressure off at home. The insulin would protect your body from the damage done by high BGs while you find longer term solutions. Going onto insulin does not mean you will have to stay on it. If you can get into a living situation where you have more control over your food, then you can reduce carbs and eventually come down off insulin and other meds.

So, you need to call and get your nurse appointment brought forward, IMO. It will be Friday when you read this, so please make it a priority to do this before the weekend. If you have an earlier appointment in place, that may boost your mood over the weekend. Re-read my post above where I gave you some tips for when you talk to them. Sometimes we need to exaggerate a bit to get what we need from nurses and doctors.
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I received a letter from my gp about a referral today and have just booked it for 16th October, which is their earliest appointment. I can't live with my nan as their is no room for me now that my uncle is back living with her. Also my blood sugars have greatly reduced from being over 33.3 this morning to 14.6 an hour ago.
 
Are you still at the hotel.
It must have good room service, if you were getting bacon and sausage at nearly midnight.

How long can you stay for,as those numbers today are excellent.
 
akindrat18 said:
I received a letter from my gp about a referral today and have just booked it for 16th October, which is their earliest appointment. I can't live with my nan as their is no room for me now that my uncle is back living with her. Also my blood sugars have greatly reduced from being over 33.3 this morning to 14.6 an hour ago.
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Is there anyone else you could live with? Maybe a social or emergency housing service can help you find a solution.
 
SunnyExpat said:
Are you still at the hotel.
It must have good room service, if you were getting bacon and sausage at nearly midnight.

How long can you stay for,as those numbers today are excellent.
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One of my friends is the hotel manager and was only allowed the one night their. I'm now back in with my parents and my sugar levels have further decreased into single figures with having carbs at each meal. Yesterday I had weetabix for breakfast, 4 ryvita fruit crunch and then party food at a wedding. After speaking to some of my relatives that I did not know were type 2 diabetic, they were telling me how going low carb made them feel terrible and pointed me to the website below, which provided some insight on how going low carb is making my gut unhealthy . I got told to look up the PhD diet and it says that safe carbs are potatoes, rice, tapioca etc.

To be honest, I am now considering whether or not low carb is the way to go for me as today I've had weetabix, 2 slices of wholegrain toast and a lasagna with garlic bread. My sugar levels have been below 12. I even had my first hypo this morning in a long time after drinking too much alcohol last night.

http://chriskresser.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-ruining-your-health/
 
akindrat18 said:
One of my friends is the hotel manager and was only allowed the one night their. I'm now back in with my parents and my sugar levels have further decreased into single figures with having carbs at each meal. Yesterday I had weetabix for breakfast, 4 ryvita fruit crunch and then party food at a wedding. After speaking to some of my relatives that I did not know were type 2 diabetic, they were telling me how going low carb made them feel terrible and pointed me to the website below, which provided some insight on how going low carb is making my gut unhealthy . I got told to look up the PhD diet and it says that safe carbs are potatoes, rice, tapioca etc.

To be honest, I am now considering whether or not low carb is the way to go for me as today I've had weetabix, 2 slices of wholegrain toast and a lasagna with garlic bread. My sugar levels have been below 12. I even had my first hypo this morning in a long time after drinking too much alcohol last night.

http://chriskresser.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-ruining-your-health/
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I think you need to find a diet that suits you.
I also think you need to further read about the link you provided, and the perfect health diet.

Neither would include weetabix, ryvita, toast, party food, lasagna and garlic bread.
They also include calorie counting as part of the diet.

And if you follow the link from the author of the post you linked to, you'll find she is very conservative on her carbs.

I think the phd has a maximum of 150g of carbs, most calories come from fats.
 
I know your numbers have come down ..... but seriously, if you got rid of the rubbish, I'd imagine you'd be back into single figures.

...... and feeling a LOT better.
 
akindrat18 said:
One of my friends is the hotel manager and was only allowed the one night their. I'm now back in with my parents and my sugar levels have further decreased into single figures with having carbs at each meal. Yesterday I had weetabix for breakfast, 4 ryvita fruit crunch and then party food at a wedding. After speaking to some of my relatives that I did not know were type 2 diabetic, they were telling me how going low carb made them feel terrible and pointed me to the website below, which provided some insight on how going low carb is making my gut unhealthy . I got told to look up the PhD diet and it says that safe carbs are potatoes, rice, tapioca etc.

To be honest, I am now considering whether or not low carb is the way to go for me as today I've had weetabix, 2 slices of wholegrain toast and a lasagna with garlic bread. My sugar levels have been below 12. I even had my first hypo this morning in a long time after drinking too much alcohol last night.

http://chriskresser.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-ruining-your-health/
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Are these T2 diabetic relatives overweight or normal weight, and do you know if their blood sugars are in the normal range or the diabetic range?

Would any of them offer to help you by letting you stay with them for a few months at least?

I also wonder if one or both of your parents are diabetic, but haven't been tested yet.
 
This is ludicrous, son. You can't seriously be trying to evaluate the effects of low carb on yourself because you haven't actually been on a low carb regime. Weetabix, ryvita, lasagne, toast ... what are you playing at?

You started this thread two months ago and you're still no nearer to actually taking control of your situation. Two weeks ago you said "no more excuses" after learning about your friend's death, and yet here you are, making no progress and not committing to any real course of action.

I said earlier in this discussion - you need to choose a direction. Pick a method of eating and stick to it. One thing is for sure - you're eating way too many carbs even for the alternative diet that you linked to. But, if I'm honest, I don't think you really care. I think you just want to eat whatever you like and are looking for some fig leaf to excuse it. Or did your parents make you eat the party food, too?

Sort it out. Or don't. But there are nice people trying to help you and you're wasting their time.
 
Like I said earlier,you need to decide what plan you follow. Unfortunately they don't work all mixed up. Ever. I have ended up fat and diabetic by eating a shed load of junk food although 75% of my family from both parents are type 2 diabetics. There are a lot of sensationalist claims out there why and how all the thousands of diet plans work and why they are the best. Decide man! And just as a pointer, I would be on insulin by now if I portrayed the levels of sugars you do. Mine have been hovering between 10 and 17 and I'm an inch away from further meds. Now I am under 10 and have seen results of under 6 in the last week, my ibs has disappeared and I have no cravings or slumps in my day. I sleep better. I am less moody. For me this is enough to say that low carb works for me and is helping me manage my weight and long term illness. I really must stop following this thread coz it is frustrating and drives me insane to he honest... all the best and hope you get control before you lose parts of yourself.
 
My mother doesn't have diabetes which really surprises me, because she is a serial dieter and carb binger. If she puts on weight, it won't be the iced buns or doughnuts she blames it on, it will be the dessertspoonful of cream she had in her coffee at a friend's house. She will come up with any excuse to cover her erratic dietary habits. She tries to say that a pile of runner beans and a cherry tomato is a balanced lunch and that Marks and Spencer ready meals must be good for you, because they're Marks and Spencer.

Really, she knows that she doesn't eat well and you're the same.

Maybe a very low carb diet isn't for you, maybe you would do better on a moderate carb diet. BUT the bottom line is your meter and if a food spikes your BG consistently, *** quit eating it. Find a healthier alternative. Borrow a book on the Low Glycemic Index from the library or read up on www.glycemicindex.com the official University of Sydney website. While you're at the library, see if you can borrow Escape The Diet Trap - Dr John Briffa, Why We Get Fat And What To Do About It - Gary Taubes, Fat Chance - Dr Robert Lustig. Plus a simple diet book, aimed at men, Waist Disposal - Dr John Briffa.

But of course you won't because you think that everyone else is causing your problems and you'll listen to anyone who gives you an excuse not to take responsibility for your actions.
 
I can't follow a low carb diet. It's just impossible for me to do so. The past two weeks has been hell for me as I've been away for a residential week at the princes trust programme that I've signed up to for a 12 week team programme. I had nothing but carbs for every meal and by the end of week I felt like utter ****! I only had 1 low carb dinner and dessert throughout the whole week as I was cooking a meal for the whole team which was hunters chicken (without bbq sauce) and veg, followed by jelly and clotted cream. the rest of the dinners for the week were; cottage pie, spag bol and chicken korma with rice and peshwari naan bread. Lunch was sandwiches with snacks and breakfast was either cereal or toast.

When I got back I felt so ill and rested for the weekend, trying to get my blood sugars under control by having a pot of greek yoghurt or eggs for breakfast, ham or chicken salad for lunch and steak, pork chop or chicken fillet with lots of veg and a crème fraiche sauce. I finally got my blood sugar numbers into single digits and then ended up succumbing to my cravings for carbs and totally lost the plot.

Also my parents are going to get tested soon to see if they are diabetic or not as they have both booked in to see their doctor on Tuesday. I've got 2 weeks left until I actually see the diabetes nurse and I am determined to get my blood sugars down by following a Mediterranean Diet and going the gym 6 days a week using the rowing machine, bike, arm bike and cross trainer.

I have also reserved the book 'Choose to lose : Chris Powell's carb-cycle solution / Chris Powell.' at my local library and should receive it by this afternoon.
 
akindrat18 said:
I can't follow a low carb diet. It's just impossible for me to do so. The past two weeks has been hell for me as I've been away for a residential week at the princes trust programme that I've signed up to for a 12 week team programme. I had nothing but carbs for every meal and by the end of week I felt like utter ****! I only had 1 low carb dinner and dessert throughout the whole week as I was cooking a meal for the whole team which was hunters chicken (without bbq sauce) and veg, followed by jelly and clotted cream. the rest of the dinners for the week were; cottage pie, spag bol and chicken korma with rice and peshwari naan bread. Lunch was sandwiches with snacks and breakfast was either cereal or toast.

When I got back I felt so ill and rested for the weekend, trying to get my blood sugars under control by having a pot of greek yoghurt or eggs for breakfast, ham or chicken salad for lunch and steak, pork chop or chicken fillet with lots of veg and a crème fraiche sauce. I finally got my blood sugar numbers into single digits and then ended up succumbing to my cravings for carbs and totally lost the plot.

Also my parents are going to get tested soon to see if they are diabetic or not as they have both booked in to see their doctor on Tuesday. I've got 2 weeks left until I actually see the diabetes nurse and I am determined to get my blood sugars down by following a Mediterranean Diet and going the gym 6 days a week using the rowing machine, bike, arm bike and cross trainer.

I have also reserved the book 'Choose to lose : Chris Powell's carb-cycle solution / Chris Powell.' at my local library and should receive it by this afternoon.
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I'm confused... you said you can't do a low carb diet, then told us how awful a high-carb week was. If you are going to eat low-carb, you need to get through the carb flu phase then you will get the benefits. If you go back to carbs, then the discomfort of the carb flu was for nothing.

As I've said before, unless you can consistently stick to a low carb diet, then IMO insulin may be necessary to keep your BGs under control.
 
@CatLadyNZ

I am going to do my **** best to consistently stick to a low carb diet as I've saved some cash from my jobseekers allowance and I've also quit drinking diet coke as it just makes me want food more.
 
akindrat18 said:
@CatLadyNZ

I am going to do my **** best to consistently stick to a low carb diet as I've saved some cash from my jobseekers allowance and I've also quit drinking diet coke as it just makes me want food more.
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Well, I wish you the best of luck.
 
I have to attend meetings and conferences as part of my job. Sometimes just a day, sometimes overnight with dinner and all that. I just tick the box that says "special dietary requirements" and ask for a simple meat & cheese salad because "I'm diabetic and following a strict low-carbohydrate diet regime". Hasn't failed me so far.

OK, so I miss out on the yummy pastas, pastries & desserts that I would happily have tucked into six months ago. But that is the hand I've been dealt so I do what is necessary. You don't, and that's why you felt ill for days on end.
 
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