Diet and Other Chronic Conditions - Problems

I figured I have nothing to lose but to share my predicament right now as I am experiencing problems with the diet side of things. First, it has to be said that I have been nauseous every day for the last nine weeks and nobody knows why yet. I am query M.E, but I also suffer from IBS and acid reflux. I have had this day in day out nausea before and even been admitted to hospital for it two years ago. During some routine scans they found the cancer on my kidney, so everything homed in on that and I was told my symptoms were actually nothing to do with it. I never did find out. I have had these bouts about six times in the last five years. This is the longest I have felt sick for. I have other symptoms but they are not important to this thread.

So, I am prediabetic. I bought my meter, changed my diet, but you must remember that with nausea I have had to struggle at times to eat but I try very hard. I am losing weight, I think about 11lbs in the last few weeks. I only weigh about 8 st 10lbs now and I am continuing to lose weight.

I am getting really bad kickback from the fruit I am eating - acid. The full fat yoghurts, butter etc are making me feel sicker and laying heavy in my tummy. I have started to go to the loo more often since I changed to the LCHF diet...not good for someone wanting to put on weight.

From a medical point of view, I have been told to eat low salt, low protein (kidney disease), I was eating activia every day to help the IBS, and have always eaten a lot of veg and whole grains anyway for the IBS. I have always had to be careful with certain foods for my acid problem. I was also told to eat a low fat diet. Now I have learned that I should be low carbing.

I am struggling to keep all my conditions happy. My GFR (kidney function) yesterday when I went up to the hospital had gone down from 5.4 to 5.3. Know it's negligible, but it's the first time it's gone in the wrong direction for two years.

The thing is, if I have been told to eat low everything, I am going to continue to lose weight...and with nausea on the top I am going to be become even sicker. I tend to lose weight quickly. Some days I can't eat til midday and even then just a snack. I do try a proper meal at dinner time though. This is all of great concern to me. I would appreciate any thoughts on all this.

I have been told on here that high fat is okay for my kidney disease. Other than that I am getting completely confused. Some days I feel like I should eat anything and everything and risk the diabetes. Then other days I most definitely want to do everything in my power to prevent it.

Hi Spiker. When I had my offending kidney removed, I was told by the consultant that I would be open to more risks generally. That I must take great care with my diet because I wouldn't want complications like diabetes and cardiovascualr problems....hence the low fat. So I don't know whether to ignore that advice now. When I had the BG test that was borderline recently, I was also told my cholesterol had gone up from 5.4 to 5.7. I have very low levels of vitamin D and am taking a supplement. Sadly I can only have a low dose because too much vitamin D supplement is bad for my kidney!!

Andrew..thanks for responding. I am seeing my kidney specialist early June. I have had to have routine 6 monthly scans since my cancer. The last but one showed a nodule on one lung. The last scan showed two but the first hadn't changed in size or shape. I am due another scan in a week.

I have been re-referred back to gastroenterology but the appointment isn't until 30th June. I am being referred this week for an ultrasound scan on my gall bladder. They did another thyroid check yesterday and will get results Tuesday.

I am also awaiting both referral and funding to be seen by a CFS/ME specialist but this could take some time yet. With the nausea I get extreme fatigue, stopping me from going anywhere much at all. In fact all I want to do is lie down. (forget exercise for prediabetes right now!) I get joint/muscle pains and spasms. I feel foggy headed, slow, and to be honest really poorly. It's a bit like having flu but with no temperature but a lot of nausea thrown in. My digestive system is all up the swannee right now.

My doc weighs me weekly and sees me weekly but as for now there's nothing more he can do. Routine bloods would show pancreas problems wouldn't they? All my routine bloods apart from the glucose are ok.

Thanks nosher8355. I have been to casualty twice in the last four weeks or so. Both times I felt close to collapse. Both times they took my bloods and I had a chest x-ray once. Both times they said they can't see anything obvious and sent me home. I was already rather low after losing a friend, my dad and my dog in the space of a year, but all this ill health on top has made me feel very low.

Spiker said:

To be honest the problems you are experiencing sound more serious than worrying about adherence to a low carb diet or even prediabetes. If low carb is challenging you I would leave it until the rest of your health is stable and understood. Just a personal opinion. One thing we do know for sure is that high carb diets are good for putting on weight!

Take care. You must be very worried.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

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I am starting to feel that way. My doctor said to me a week ago, that I wasn't going to become a full blown diabetic overnight, but my weight and general health is more important right now and I should eat absolutely anything I can. He's referred me to a dietician as he's confused about putting me on the right dietary supplement because of high glucose and kidney disease.

Hi Daibell To be honest it's just a frightening time. I have lots to contend with. Nodules on lungs, kidney disease, fibromyalgia, IBS, acid, hiatus hernia, this cyclical nausea/fatigue issue and now higher than normal BG. My kidney specialist doesn't know how poorly I am right now. I have lots of questions to put to him. I'm worried I will get bad advice from a dietician.

Remember I was already down when I got these BG results. I am sure like all people who find out their BG has gone much higher, there is a degree of panic or at the least grave concern. I naturally and immediately wanted to try my hardest to prevent full blown diabetes. I feel like I have already lost the battle some days.

As you can imagine it's hard keeping anxiety levels down too which can exacerbate everything!

Hi Marilyn and thanks for posting I am on rabreprozole twice a day for the acid. I am only allowed to use Gaviscon very sparingly because of the sodium and kidney problem. I can't have any anti-nausea pills because I have had a bad reaction to a few of them. I'll get there I guess...just need lots of answers right now. Will keep updating

Daibell said:

The 'good' thing about diabetes if there is such a thing is that insulin does manage it extremely well with few side effects for most and it isn't the problem to administer that it once was. So, I don't think you need to worry on the score; just be prepared to ask/fight for insulin if needed and you can then focus on the other problems which don't have such an obvious 'fix'

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The thought of even getting to that point seems depressing enough. I do take your point though. All is not lost, just makes life a bit more difficult generally.

Hi collectingrocks
I have had benign positional vertigo twice in my life so I know how ear problems can cause massive disturbance. I do have tinnitus but that's all.

For the second time on the trot I have had a bad reaction to cauli mash with butter and a little cream cheese so I won't be having that again for definite. I have spent hours absolutely full of wind, feeling so uncomfortable. I don't know if it's the cauli or the fats though. I often think that foods are making me ill but working out which ones is a long task.