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Excellent doctor appointment but gained weight :(

Bs0lth

Well-Known Member
Messages
118
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Ok, can I sort of rant here? And can you put this into perspective?

Had a meeting with my doctor today, it went really well sort of. He's over the moon at my BS levels... This weeks average is 5.3. Yes it's had a couple of spikes but because I'm testing so often I know exactly what's caused them. Which means I know what to either limit or avoid... He laughed at my canned tomatoes spike and said he would think of me while he was eating some for breakfast tomorrow... But all in all he's happy. I'm going for a blood test to see how everything else is doing in two weeks. He decided not to up my metformin or glimepiride as he doesn't think I need it increased, which means some of the works paid off with my diet because this meeting was to check to see if I was coping or needed more.

We talked about my diet, he's impressed that I've stayed off bread, pasta potatoes and rice the entire time and my coffee is still sugar free. I asked him about what my carb intake realistically should be. He likes the fact that I'm down to between 10-20gms per day, but says he doubt that's going to be attainable long term, and says that there are times when I'm going to want carbs. So he was saying that realistically I should be looking at up to 50gms per day. And if there's a special occasion etc come up to try to keep them under the 200gms because this is going to really spike my levels. But moderation.

All of this is re-enforcing what I've been reading and makes a lot of sense if I'm wanting to maintain low carb eating... He did say though if I'm happy on 10-20mgs a day stick to it, I will reap the benefits long term.

My blood pressure has had a slight drop

But my weights increased by 1kg... I'm gutted.... I've lost 14kg since Christmas and have been actively trying to loose more. I've walked every day and really been focused on trying to shift at least another stone. The doc actually did say that he has been expecting me to gain a lot more than I have because my body's rehydrated it's self and it will take a little while to find the balance. So I'm trying to heed this advice and look positively that it was only a kilo.

Now the rant... My family and friends... You can see I see I've lost weight since Christmas, it's been more visible because over the last three years I've lost 4.5 stone. I did this a bit at a time, and kept it off... But I haven't had a push like I have since Christmas.. So the 14kg takes me up to loosing about 7 stone, and I still need to loose another 2 to be at my happiest weight. Anyway family and friends... All I'm getting is eating to few carbs is unsustainable... I need to start to eat more, I need carbs in my diet, they are a good group for a reason and my body needs them.. I need a balanced low fat diet and do it goes on and on and on and I have no idea how on earth to deal with them.. I've tried to say my doctors happy with my diet, my blood sugars under control so let me just keep going with it...to the point had a stand up screaming match with my sister today because I should be eating low fat instead of having whipped cream in my coffee.... I should be thinking about my cholesterhol and that I'm going to be causing myself damage.

How on earth do I get them to believe that my diet is ok, and I am going to continue with it?

Anyone got any ideas?
 
A one kg add could be just a variant on a different scales or a little water held back due to a little dehydration or different clothing/shoes... or all these things. weighing myself at a different time or after ablusions can give me such a variant.

However if the 1kg becomes 2 or 3 then even I'd want to tweek something in my diet.

The proof will always be on the meter (hba1c) and physical weight loss if we are obese.
Now, myself i dont believe we should be skinny to prove we are controlling our diabetes well but your family and friends may fear your adding again through lack of diabetc control, like in the past.
You and i know that it isnt as simple as that.
My suggestion is to win over one close member who you know is capable of understanding what you do about this disease and how to control it. Go from there?
 
Hi your right could just be a variant but I'm pretty paranoid about gaining weight. The weight I gained was due to mood stabilisers, 6 1/2 stone in 7 months... No change in diet, my consultant at the time said live with it as your moods are stable and eat less... I ended up stopping taking them after a year on them, but once the weights there is really hard yo get back off... I really struggled, and worked it 1/2 a stone at a time, which is why it took 3 years to loose 4 1/2 stone. The push this year was because I went to a posh dinner a couple of weeks ago and really wanted a stunning new dress. My target was a stone from Christmas to March, my diagnosis came in Feb so sort of changed things... I went to the dinner but with my own food...

I am seriously dedicated to getting this under control, my doctor is over the moon with my levels, he was convinced we would be having very different conversations today and is stunned that I've come so far... It's the family and friends that seem to be negative... I am at a loss how to deal with them at the moment... I keep saying my doctor is happy with the diet I'm on so why can't you leave it at that....
 
miahara said:
You are happy, your doctor is is happy. End of.
Click to expand...
Miahara, that's it exactly, I'm happy what I'm eating, my doctors happy with what I'm eating, we discussed it today and he's happy which ever way I want to go, staying really low carb or upping it to mod carb it's my decission, but I don't understand the negativity and why they are disagreeing with my doctor
 
Family tell them to F off.. would they rather you were blind and had your feet amputated.. yes really that is what could happen if you eat how they want you too.. and personally I would take the same approach with friends.. It's your health and your body not theirs.. Maybe save couple of pictures of people with gangrene on your phone and show them when they recommend you eat carbs.
 
As for the weight gain.. dnon;t sweat.. our bodies can take a break from loosing after all you didn't put it all on in a few months so it may take a bit of time to come off...
I have also lost about 7 stone in total but have been about the same weight since November last year the same few ponds come and go. I'm going to start more extended fasting to loose the last 2 stone I would like to shed but will probably try to take a few months over it. We're it in for the long game. The rest of our lives.
 
Smile and tell them they are absolutely right - and that you are going to start eating the way they advise first thing tomorrow. Then change the subject.
If they start on about it again, just repeat that you agree and you'll start tomorrow, and change the subject again.
It is a sad fact that sometimes you simply have to let people get on with their own fantasies. I have had to do the same thing with a couple of my doctors when I was eating low carb in the past.
 
I agree with bulkbiker as to attitude but I do know that it is not that easy with family. You could just simply say "you are not my doctor" and carry on your merry way or just refuse to discuss it. My weight can vary up to 5 pounds on a given day depending on water retention and bathroom trips so 1 KG may not represent any actual gain. You are doing fantastic, don't let anyone drag you down.
 
Hi bulkbiker

Your right, the thing is my mums type 2 as well but it's managed with diet and it's my sister who is the one that really controls it gir my mum by cooking for her. Because of this she seems to think that the diet I'm on is unreasonable as mums is controlled. My mums levels highest was 14... Mine ... 54. Big difference,,,,,

It's going to take a while to shift my excess weight, but for the first time in a very long time I'm lighter than when I started the mood stabilisers and that's just the best feeling ever...
 
Tha
ts actually a good idea...

I may have problems when I eat there, but, should be able to manage....
 
Chalup,

The more I research, the more I'm starting to understand, the more I'm understanding the easier this is getting, it's been really difficult to stay positive, and my poor therapist, we completely changed what we are working on to try to come up with a strategy to stay focused and positive. Seeing my levels at a normal level shows this is working, but friends I'm going to tell to leave me alone docs happy.. Family your right it's more difficult, but I think the nod agree to start tomorrow and ignore might be the best idea...
 
I have found with weight loss that occasionally you get weeks where it appears you gain 1 Kg, but then the following week things start moving in the right direction. It helps if you do some intermittent fasting. I started just skipping breakfasts at the weekend and then also skipped lunch on the Saturday or Sunday. You need to keep hydrated, but it is surprisingly easy. You actually feel energised afterwards. Fasting gives your body time to repair itself and is good to help burn off the visceral fat around your liver and pancreas.
 
@Bs0lth I gained a lot of weight in a short period of time when started on a medication in the early 90's. I'm absolutely shocked that medical practitioners are still doing this to their patients. Decades later, I have lost 40 pounds, have 40 pounds to go, but in no hurry, though I totally get wanting to wear a "stunning new dress".

You're doing so fantastic. Way to go!
 

That sounds very familiar, exactly what happened to me with Rosiglitazone only my GP decided I was getting too anxious and prescribed Citilapram, so I was getting fatter and fatter and didn't care.

Bs0lth said:
All I'm getting is eating to few carbs is unsustainable
Click to expand...

If you look at my message thread about metformin and LC diet, you will see that several people have managed for a number of years. When people say it's unsustainable, what evidence do they have? Carbs are used for energy but if one is carrying a few extra pounds, that's what we want to be used for energy, rather than anything we stuff in our faces, sorry, I mean eat.

The major thing about low carb is that it actually helps to keep cholesterol down, I'm not the only one who has experienced that, I have noted several others on this forum mentioning the same. Even weirder in my case is that although I had never increased my fat intake so I've been doing the low carb low fat diet I was encouraged to eat more fat by my GP to increase my calorie intake, so last year I did. My weight increased by 11 kgs and my HbA1c wasn't great for the first time in 4 years. Strangely my total cholesterol dropped from 5.4 to 4.

The whole thing with cholesterol isn't as straight forward as you'd expect. Twenty years ago my TC was 7 and even with statins it only went down to 5.4, low carb made it go down to 3.? and dropping statins saw it go back to 5.4 and now it's down to 4. The good news is that after some extensive tests done because some batty US doctor said I was having a heart attack (I wasn't) I know that my blood vessels are all in good nick and no signs of atherosclerosis.

Bs0lth said:
How on earth do I get them to believe that my diet is ok, and I am going to continue with it?
Click to expand...

They obviously don't care that you have changed your life style to help you manage diabetes, something that they do not have to contend with by the sounds of it. You are diabetic and eat accordingly.

Ask them what their cholesterol levels are like, I bet they're nowhere as good as yours.

BTW don't panic about a 1 kg weight gain just yet, that's only 2 pints of water and/or a slowed down intestinal transit time, it's not fat.
 
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Hi @Bs0lth

Regarding our friends/rels attitude and always on at you about your low carb diet, how about telling them that it's been identified that you're body is 'intolerant of carbs', hence avoiding them??? Then, change the subject while they're working that one out

If they were gluten intolerant / Coeliac, would they still eat gluten, knowing it would make them ill???

If allergic to a particular food, which made them feel ill or did harm to their body, would they still eat it???

If they were particularly sensitive to something, like perfume, knowing they would itch for the next 48 hrs???

So, in the same manner, you've discovered particular foods are no longer good for you so you choose to avoid them, which your doctor is fully behind you

I'm sure, with the consistent and 'broken record' replies from you, they will soon give up trying to advise you YAY

Good luck
 
@Bs0lth - I think many of us have had questioning comments from family and friends over time, especially when we start to look a bit differently. People find change hard to rationalise, and they only see what they see. They maybe don't understand you are probably feeling much better, maybe with a clearer head and more energy, and it's unlikely they would even understand the impact on so many other parts of your body.

When I was diagnosed, aside from with my closest family and literally a handful of friends, I never mentioned diabetes, and many of our social groups still have no idea about it.

When I was asked why I wasn't eating potatoes/bread/rice or whatever, I just explained I had had some blood tests done that threw up that my body was struggling to deal with certain foods, so I was giving them a rest. I've just never gone back to them.

Over time, nobody comments any more, except when I really trimmed up, some comments came; mainly asking if that was because I had given up potatoes/bread/rice or whatever. Of course the answer is yes.

Now, how I go about my business is no longer the subject worthy of comment, although I'm now going gluten free which will bring a new level of challenge, but it'll be fine.

Good luck with whatever route you choose.
 
Thanks everyone, @AndBreathe you make a valid point along with @Energize if I was allergic to any other kind of food they would be a lot more sympathetic. It's only a couple of friends but I suppose they think they have my best interests at heart in a screwed up way.

It was my doctor that suggested low carb diet, and the discussion I had with him yesterday he's totally behind it. Our aim is to try to stop increasing my meds and also keep me from using insulin for as long as possible. He was open to me trying to get my BS levels diwn by diet before he started my on insulin and I have had nothing but support for my choices.

I know my sister knows a lot about diabetes, she'd my mums carer and she does control mums levels by diet alone, but, the highest level my mums been is no where near where mine were sitting. So we are just going to have to agree to disagree on my diet. I'm in control of what I eat, it's my body and to be honest let them get on with it...

I am feeling a lot better, I'm more active than I've been in years and to be honest the thought of going back is not a good one.

It was stressing me, which is never a good thing when we had yet another argument about pasta and the amount I should be eating...
 
Hi, I've read your threads as I've found them both entertaining and informative, this forums like a breath of fresh air to be honest, I don't at the moment have anything to compare my first bloods with, I go for those in a couple of weeks, I know that they are going to show a significant improvement. I refused statins to lower my cholesterol a couple of years ago, and once stated my argument the doctor was happy to go with my point of view, and since they have never been brought up... I've never really thought that a slightly higher than average cholesterol reading was anything to worry about so ignored it and cut out a couple of things that increased it.

I'm really just going to have to play this one by ear and as I go along, because it's just going to stress me more
 

May I suggest your sister 'thinks' she knows a lot about diabetes. When you start to understand diabetes, surely controlling carbs is the only way to go? Maybe in time, your sister will see 'the light' and realise why you are doing what you are doing. Such a shame that your mum won't be able to benefit from the same diet principles that you have discovered.

I'm really pleased to read you are now feeling a lot better
 
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