Dr very unhappy

[Motherhen2014]

Hi friends I am now on a downer!
Saw my doctor today for diabetes appointment everything has gone sky high.He asked me what I am doing and told him I am on this forum and eating very low carb and have myself in ketosis.He was shocked and said do you know what your doing!!
You will end up in hospital extremely ill.
Get off that diet! I said I have felt better than I have for a long long time,my head is clearer and I don't get flustered.
I must go low carb, not cut them completely out, as I have been doing and not to believe everything I read on the internet. I said that many people on my forum have lost lots of weight. Now I feel so disappointed,I have struggled to get where I am I have been 5 in ketosis and thought I was doing well but he said no fat no sugar but a little bread and carbs.I am really enjoying the way of eating but don't know how to deal with this my hba1c is now 69 high blood pressure and kidneys not good. I need some support please xxxx.

 

[Guzzler]

So, let us recap.

You are feeling well on your diet. Check.
You have lost some weight. Check.
You are less flustered, more clear headed perhaps? Check.
Your GP has said ditch the new diet and reintroduce the carbs that helped you get to this point in the first place, being T2 I mean.

Yesssss, I can see his logic. Not.

As long as you are feeling well and testi g regularly, taking your prescribed medications as directed then I honestly do not see a problem. I wouldn't even obsess about ketone levels either to be honest.

 

[Energize]

Hi @Motherhen2014

First of all, lots of {{{Hugs}}}

My first impression is that your doctor reacted so strongly was possibly because you said you were in 'Ketosis' which, to him will shreik danger He will be assuming you mean high keytones due to high blood sugar (ketoacidosis) which can be very dangerous but usually, as far as I understand, may happen particularly with Type 1. I suspect he was immediately thinking of this https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/

I agree with you regarding low carb / higher fat being the better way to go. However, medics are so brainwashed into the 'low fat' diets. My diabetes nurse nurse asked me what I had for breakfast. I said 'some cheese' and she nearly dislocated her neck and her eyes almost popped out!!! She said 'All that fat!!!' 'So what would you recommend?', I asked. Her reply was '2 Weetabix'!!!!!!!!! She didn't believe me when I commented that my blood sugar would go skyhigh

The Health Professionals are really not as knowledgable as they like to think they are, in my opinion.

Anyway, please don't give up. Just imply to the HPs that you have a 'healthy' diet and they'll be happy

 

[Diakat]

Have your results improved or got worse? Is 69 better than before? Do you have values to compare heart and kidneys to?

 

[Motherhen2014]

Have your results improved or got worse? Is 69 better than before? Do you have values to compare heart and kidneys to?

My hba1c was 50 my kidneys are showing they are under a lot of strain,he did not say what my blood pressure was but that it was high.
I will keep going as you have said but will keep a check I am on Byetta injection and wanted to stop it but my doctor said no.
But I thought it was just to slow my food out of the stomachs am I wrong?

 

[EllieM]

If your HbA1C has gone to 69 from 50 then this suggests that your current drugs/diet isn't enough to control your diabetes. Have you been testing your blood sugars? I'm actually wondering if you've been misdiagnosed - as in you may be more of a late onset T1 than a T2?

 

[kokhongw]

I have struggled to get where I am I have been 5 in ketosis

It is good that you are tracking your ketones. But have you been tracking your post meal glucose as well?

It is unusual and especially unhealthy and dangerous to have ketones AND high glucose.

Your doctor is understandably worried for you.

 

[catapillar]

If your HbA1C has gone to 69 from 50 then this suggests that your current drugs/diet isn't enough to control your diabetes. Have you been testing your blood sugars? I'm actually wondering if you've been misdiagnosed - as in you may be more of a late onset T1 than a T2?

The OP has had diabetes for 14 years and isn't on insulin. If she was misdiagnosed type 1 she'd be dead, not with a not wildly high hba1c of 69 a few weeks after commencing a low carb diet.

 

[EllieM]

The OP has had diabetes for 14 years and isn't on insulin. If she was misdiagnosed type 1 she'd be dead, not with a not wildly high hba1c of 69 a few weeks after commencing a low carb diet.

Good point, hadn't taken in the 14 years.

 

[Diakat]

It sounds like you need an appointment with a nurse to talk through what the results given actually mean and what your blood pressure is. Might also be worth asking about alternative medication at least temporarily.

 

[zand]

re the blood pressure. Caffeine can make blood pressure go up in some people (not the majority but it does that to me) . I would stick to low carb, make sure you have a normal amount of protein and eat whole foods. The shorter the list of ingredients on the packet the better.

 

[Brunneria]

@Motherhen2014

There is absolutely no shame in using every tool in the box to control diabetes - if that is what your body needs.
If low carb is benefiting you in the ways you describe, then it is benefiting you, and you get to choose whether to continue it. But you may need to balance it against other health needs, such as your kidneys.
If your HbA1c has gone up, then something needs to change. Maybe your way of eating. Maybe your medication.

I would suggest that you start checking what happens to your blood glucose before and after every meal and snack, so that you can see EXACTLY what that food and drink is doing to your levels.

Some people need medication as well as low carbing. Some people choose meds over low carbing. This is always their choice.
But the important thing is that they use the tools to control their blood glucose.

As others have said, you really do need to get all the results of your tests - HbA1c, blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney, etc. all written down or printed out. It is the only way to work out what they mean, and how they compare with previous tests.

 

[zand]

We need fat in our diets, we don't need carbs.

I know you are feeling down at the moment, but all of these things...BP, BGs and kidney function are connected. If you improve one, you will probably improve them all. One thing that helps BP is weight loss, so if you have finally found a diet that helps you lose weight I would stick with it. One thing that helps the kidneys is lower BP.

 

[Motherhen2014]

I see you are a little like me (in fact we could be cousins and I'm not even your nationality), and can't have an easy way out. So, a little balance is necessary. We can no longer pull all nighters, fast for five days in a row like some of the young things on the forum, but we can do modifications of radical programs, supervised.

What are you noticing about your kidneys? Frequency? Dark/Concentrated Urine? Kidney pain? Had a sonogram of your abdomen? How are your tests? Which tests?

How about hypertension? On any medications? Avoiding the old salt?

There are concentrated cranberry juice pills. I use them.

How's your blood pressure? Thought about kidney hypertension combination? There are specialists for this common combination problem for people of a certain age

https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/what-is-renal-hypertension#1

Concerning Byetta (and its evil cousin Victoza), one of whose side effects is pancreatitis and death, you can assume it is reasonable to go off the crud. I initially tapered mine to the starter dose of .5 for a couple months, then moved to one the half dose with only one meal and tapered to none. Initially had way higher blood sugars off the stuff but eventually, these went down.

https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/medicines-blood-sugar-spike

Some drugs, ex. thiazides, can cause higher blood sugars. Another ex. is furosemide.

Contralto I have stage 3 kidney decease and am on warfarin to thin blood so cannot have any cranberry products.At the moment I have dark urine but am trying to drink lots of water.
I am on blood pressure tablets and have been keeping check on ketones but have decided that because I have felt so much better since I went low carb that I will not give it up,but I am keeping to low carb but having a slice of bread at breakfast and an egg but that is it.

So I am not checking my ketones but keeping my carbs low. I love sweet foods and for me it's like giving up smoking one puff and your back hooked.But at the moment I don't crave anything sweet.lf I let my guard down I will be back on all the rubbish I was addicted to.

I will have to go back and read your reply aand come back to you tomorrow. For some reason I cannot get to post on my mobile which is android on this forum keeps telling my network error so I have to go on my tablet to reply to Posts.

My all nighters are old episodes of Maigret the detective programme from years ago I used to love watching.

 

[lucylocket61]

So I am not checking my ketones but keeping my carbs low.

I am confused. How do you know you are in ketosis if you are not checking your ketones?

 

[Motherhen2014]

re the blood pressure. Caffeine can make blood pressure go up in some people (not the majority but it does that to me) . I would stick to low carb, make sure you have a normal amount of protein and eat whole foods. The shorter the list of ingredients on the packet the better.

I am not sure what a normal amount of protien is, always been a big meat eater untill the last couple of years it is more chicken now than anything else. I normally have two thighs or a leg or two drumsticks.If I have cheese it's 40 grams. I know potatoes send my readings sky high so stopped them.
I will try to keep my BG checker on me and test before and after meals Tomorrow and the rest of the week and let you know how I do. I never have caffeine always have decaf tea and coffee.
So grateful for all your replies many thanks

 

[Motherhen2014]

First, during a short period of time in which we had cable television, I, too, was binging on Maigret and other assorted mysteries and other things way into the night and would fall asleep to them. I live a kind of earlier 20th c.lifestyle. Have no mobile, no TV but do have internet!

I am never to be allowed coumadin. You may be having a common side effect of the same?

Which blood pressure tabs?

I see absolutely nothing wrong with the low carb? Why do you feel you must add bread to your diet? I personally have found some problems with fasting but not with lowered carbs.

Blood pressure tabs perindapril.I added bread asmy doctor said I am playing a very dangerouse game as my readings were much better when I was eating like I was with lots of carbs. He said I will end up in hospital on my back extremely ill. I suppose he has frightened me a lot.

I mean no sugar very little frying and no potatoes, rarely any carrots, have salads and vegetables low carb ones and yet I have raised hba1c I can't understand it and niegther can my doctor except, to say I am to stop low carbing. But being depressed most of the time and then finding this forum and really putting it to work and feeling much better, well the facts speak for themselves.
I couldn't live without my TV or mobile and Netflix, I have to have noise around me.

 

[AloeSvea]

@Motherhen2014 , I'm so sorry you re going through this with your readings, and with medical professionals. My rule of thumb is never pay any attention to dietary advice from medical professionals! (I said this to my diabetic-nurse sister a while back and she hasn't spoken to me since, but hey!). Basically they know either the same amount or a LOT less than we do! About food.

About testing on the other hand - that's what they are super good for, imho at least. What would we do without the labs and the tests in the first place? Especially when you have a serious complication of diabetes. You need them to keep you as well as you can be, with medications and keeping on top of the kidney disease. But you don't need them in your kitchen. (Just think "Get back to the hospital, medical centre and the lab where you belong!")

Now, this forum, and your kitchen, that is a whole other story! .

 

[Motherhen2014]

Well I was having muesli with yogurt and orange juice.Not now I am low carb.I have three bacon medallions and two eggs and weekends may add a chicken sausage.But have just made a lovely breakfast of portabella mushroom with 30 gram's of cheddar, an egg and a tomato.I put cheese on top put it in a little oven dish with a little water and cook till cheese is melted very nice.Sometimes I add half an advacado.You may say I am eating a bit more than I should but love my food,but I know I will have to get down to one egg and one medallion maybe.

 

[Motherhen2014]

It is good that you are tracking your ketones. But have you been tracking your post meal glucose as well?

It is unusual and especially unhealthy and dangerous to have ketones AND high glucose.

Your doctor is understandably worried for you.

I must correct my ketones readings here it should have read 0.5 not 5.I have today started taking BG before and two hours after meals.All was good till this evening after a dinner of loin pork chop cooked in oven no fat added and had that with two dessert spoons of baked beans that was 9.5 after two hours,which I think tells me baked beans are a no no. I have stopped checking for ketones at the moment as I want to get meals right to achieve a weight lose first and get some low BG readings regularly.