Hello all!
I am asking if anyone has any advise for my dad. He has been type 2 for many years. Recently he has had a kidney removed due to cancer and a growth frozen on the other kidney. His kidney function is very low so he has been taken off metmorfin- apologies for the spelling!- He will be put onto insulin injections and he is asking for my help as to what is best for him to eat- carb wise. I am a type 1, so I know the best/ worst carbs, but I don't know if type 2's on insulin are different to manage?
Sorry for the long post. If any one can help, it would be very much appreciated!
Thank you.
Hi. sorry your dad's having to deal with so much. I am not on insulin but I am am Type 2 and currently sorting out what's best in terms of carbs, and I am on a lot of meds following a kidney transplant (coz my function was down to 8%), and your dad may or may not be on meds I took prior to transplant. I have diabetes as a consequence of the anti-rejection treatment. Anyway, so far nothing I have looked at has indicated differences in the low carb diets of Type 2s on insulin or meds. I came off my "diabetes meds" when I realised that avoiding high carb foods and little bursts of exercise throughout the day brought my levels down almost to the normal range from where they were (.c 8.5-14.5). Of course, we are all different, and I am pretty new to this myself, but unless someone who is type 2 and on insulin has a different opinion (which I'd definitely bow to), I find (and am being advised by others on the forums) that the expected culprit carbs cause spikes in my levels (and you will clearly be aware of the best and worst carbs....so I'd say there's little or no difference in how we all handle carbs, or aim to. I'm feeling good with very few carbs in my diet...and now never touch bread, cereal, potatoes etc. I should maybe increase fats to replace things but...I feel fine. I'm keeping a food diary and testing my levels regularly with particular emphasis on before food and 2 hours after..that way I am identifying as I go. Hopefully a Type 2 on insulin can clarify things with more direct knowledge. Oh - and the one thing clearly to be aware of if your dad does go with a low carb diet..those on insulin need to be sure not to let levels drop too low as the risk of hypoglycemia is higher than those on other meds (generally, or at least that's the advice from the videos I've found on this site. Not sure he will manage to keep the pie and cakes though...but...if he gets levels low enough maybe he can add in the odd pie now and then - I mean..we have to have some pleasures in life, eh?
