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Nancy6

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11
Location
lincolnshire
Hello Everybody
I've just joined here and hope to get to know some of you a bit better and perhaps some of you can answer a few questions I have.
I'm 48, T2 and in a complete pickle !
I was diagnosed about 2 years ago and I am embarrassed to admit that I have never been able to stabilise my blood sugar in all that time - My readings have been in the low teens most of the time - I am on maximum oral medication of 4 Metformin, 4 Gliclacide and 1 sitagliptin per day and they seem to have had little effect - I know the main problem has been that I get the most terrible cravings for sweet food and I embarrassed to admit that I have been unable to control these horrendous cravings. My diabetic nurse is now considering insulin injections. I have 3 months to get it sorted.
About a week ago i started on a low carb Diet of about 50g per day and this has had a dramatic effect on my readings - They are now generally between 5 and 8 which is amazing for me - but im not feeling great -

I have been reading lots of the posts on here and found some great information, I apologise if these things have been asked before but I have a few questions that I am hoping somebody can answer for me Please.

I'm really pleased with the results i am getting from Low carbing and especially pleased that my craving for sweet food has disappeared but i am left with such a fuzzy feeling in my head - It is not a head ache just feels like i cant think straight. for example typing this is a bit of a challenge, has anybody else experienced this? if so how best can i deal with it and will it continue?

I have been trying to understand the science of diabetes and have learnt that one of the most common problems of T2 Diabetes is insulin resistance and that this causes the body to produce to much insulin in an attempt to get the cells to open up to receive the glucose. I may have got this round my neck but if the body is producing to much insulin why then do they give More insulin in the form of an injection?

Another thing that is confusing me is this.. My blood sugar reading are coming down due to a reduced intake of carbs and sugar but is my body actually metabolising the glucose any better? I appreciate that less sugar in the blood is a good thing but are the readings lower ONLY because the intake is reduced or is the sugar getting to the cells more effectively too? how do you help the body process the sugars better and have more energy? ( I hope that makes sense !)

I hope that was not to confusing and that some of you might have some answers.
I look forward to sharing and talking with further
Thanks in anticipation
Nancy
 
Hi Nancy6,

I know exactly how you feel. I was diagnosed 2 and a half years ago. It was like as soon as I was told I was Diabetic someone flicked a switch and I craved chocolate. Before I could take it or leave it, but from that day forward I craved it. Chocolate, cakes anything I shouldn't have. I suffered for ages, doing my best to avoid it, trying to diet, as that would all help my diabetes. It wasn't until I found this site with the low carb info that things changed. I only found this site about 3 months ago.

I started low carbing and now no cravings. I do have 74% cocoa or higher chocolate sometimes but its not a need anymore. Also yes in the first few weeks I didn't feel great. What your experiencing is sometimes called 'Atkins Flu'. But you have to consider that you have radically changed the way you eat. Your body is adjusting to that, give it time and you will feel great. Its also a great feeling to now be in control. I also eat alot less which is great, the pounds are slowly falling away as are my BG numbers. My DSN was so pleased with my results that she has reduced my medication! In just 3 months.

As to how the body works, Im not totally sure. I guess eventually over many months or years the body may start to work better at dealing with the sugar and carbs that we do eat. After all mine certainly has been abused over the last 15 years. We can't expect to turn around the damage years of abuse has done in a few weeks, it may take years to improve. But Im no expert, someone will probably come by soon with more information.

Id just like to say stick with it and soon you will be feeling so much better.
 
Hi Lenny3
Thanks So So much for your reply - It great to hear that this groggy feeling will soon be over !
Isn't it amazing how the craving for sweet stuff stops as soon as you stop feeding the craving? I stopped smoking 3 years ago with the help of a book that explained the psychology of addiction and the physical craving of nicotine - perhaps the same principles apply to carbs and sugar! but like you, my cravings are now none existent and im not really hungry at all - Its fantastic !

The science behind it all is so confusing isn't it ?- what is puzzling me is weather the BG readings are lower because the intake of carbs and sugar are lower and whether the underlying problem that we are unable to metabolise the fuel is sill there or if it is improved by some degree? I read somewhere that if you are carrying a lot of visceral fat then that hinders the process somehow - i think it is when that particular type of fat is converted back into fuel that he cells have difficulty absorbing it... I think I might be spouting off about stuff I dont know enough about so dont take much notice folks!

Thanks again for your reply Lenny3 and I look forward to talking with you and others on the forum further.
Nancy
 
Hello Nancy,

I think you'll find that the groggy feeling will pass. If you've dropped from a 'normal' diet to 50g per day then you're going to feel a bit rough to start with - you are getting withdrawal symptoms from all that sugar.
You don't say how heavy you are. If you have some weight to lose then you may have some insulin resistance to lose too. So you have a few factors happening - if you've got a lot of insulin resistance then the meds you've been using are having to work harder. As you low carb your weight should drop (but give it a few weeks). As weight is removed your insulin resistance improves and your poor old pancreas has to work less hard to keep up.
Some of us have little insulin resistance but our pancreas's are so shot that no amount of meds are enough to produce the insulin we need, so I have to inject it.

I would take the opportunity the doc has given you and try to get your numbers under control and avoid insulin. It's not an easy decision to reverse.

Swim
 
Hello swim
Thankyou for your reply, its very nice to hear from you.
Unfortuneately i do have weight to loose. I am 5 8 and weight about 13.7 st. So id think i have about 2.7 st. To loose.. Im slim at 11.. I have a typical diabetic shape in that i do not carry much weight on my limbs, top half and bum but my tummy is huge. I have been low carbing for about a week now but havent lost any weight yet!
I forgot to say "well done" to Lenny3 for doing so well in reducing you meds.. Thats super..
Tomorrow i go for my 3 Monthly bloods.Then i see the nurse next thursday. The results will, im sure, show high numbers as most of the preceeding three months were pre low carb but next time should be a big improvement.. Thanks again for your support folks
 
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