Hi all - just joined

Irish Maeve said:

Not sure how this works yet but I have a question if anyone could help. Diagnosed 6 years ago. Started with diet and exercise and gradually meds added and increased. I have been very bad at controlling my diet and this is the result. I have always been very slim and therefore eat carbs etc to try to keep my weight on. Recently I have developed Acid Reflux which is pretty awful and can't eat fried food, fast food, sugar, bread - mostly everything I have been eating. My weight is dropping but my blood readings are still high - even though I am starving most of the time. I haven't eaten since 8pm (it's now 11pm and my reading is 14.5). If I eat something now I know it will drop a bit but I am not supposed to eat 3 hrs before bed because of the Reflux!! Morning readings are seldom lower than 8. Can anyone give me some advice please? Thank you.

Irish Maeve

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Hi @Irish Maeve! Welcome to the forum! I've also suffered from reflux since I was younger. From my experience, eliminating the "cause" is more effective than taking the medications. Here are the things that I do:

I stop eating when I'm 80% full or else I would feel really bad afterwards. I avoid "my culprits" such as refined sugars, soda, fast food, bread, high fatty food (bacon) and dairy or chocolate---I usually get an attack if I eat these in large amounts.The reflux would go as far as the back of my throat and nose....

Now I eat a mostly plant based diet like green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit (I check with my meter with the fruit if I can tolerate it)and and my protein/fats from nuts,fish and occasional seafood....I haven't had an attack since I started it and no need for my proton pump inhibitors plus an added bonus: it has helped my blood sugar results too my hba1c and fasting plasma are non diabetic levels...I have an occasional stew (because I like it) but I'm careful to eat it at small amounts....

Irish Maeve said:

Hi Adelle. thanks for replying. The symptoms I have are like a lump in my throat all the time and really I haven't a clue what to eat as everything seems to bring it on. Eating almonds is the only thing that helps but I can't live on that and I am starving. I love bread and potatoes but have stopped bread completely. But what do I replace it with - I miss my toast lol. I am going to have more fish and veg and cut the carbs and see if that helps.

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Yes that's how it is @Irish Maeve, it's very hard to swallow and a bit of nuisance isn't it lol .I think that "lump" forms white pearls on the back of the throat from the stomach acid, that's why it's really hard to swallow. Usually the doctors will have a probe/small scope inserted from the nose to the throat to diagnose..

With bread me too I like bread (!) but don't touch it now. That's a part of my diet ever since so stopping it was a complete nightmare. I had cold sweats lol But fret not, we can do our own low carb breads the members here shared a few recipes....it's a good substitute from the real one. You might want to check out @purplekat 's thread on low carb vegetarian recipes at food and nutrition section. Or check the low carb section for low carb breads...What I do, I bake them in batches then freeze the lot...then If I need a slice, I get one from the fridge and microwave/reheat it in the oven.I haven't had jam with it though (sugars!) but i have it with avocado or peanut butter...I am also fairly slim and lose weight fairly quickly, but I noticed if I stock up on the veg, it gives a lot of bulk and I don't feel as hungry yes, let us know how it turns out, Irish!

As for the potatoes/rice @Avocado Sevenfold also has a recipe on cauli rice then there's also a cauli mash recipe here in "what have you eaten today" thread or it May be in @purplekat thread (it's a sticky btw) hope that helps!

Irish Maeve said:

Thank you for giving me such useful information. I have been trying ACV treatment for the past 2 days and that seems to have eased it a bit. I also bought DGL Liquorice which has been recommended for tightness. Haven't tried it yet but will keep you posted. I am not much of a baker unfortunately but I got a gluten/wheat and dairy free loaf today. If all else fails will have to check out the sites you mentioned.

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That's great if acv treatment eased it a bit yes and the loaf too!you're welcome Irish, keep us updated and hopefully you'd feel better soon xx

You need to cut a lot of carbs for now and see what diet can do and you will need some meds to help as well with 14 not eating all day.
I would see the dr about your BG and reflux, get a scope to have a look to see what's wrong, diet and/or meds help. I find alcohol the worst for mine.
A lot are doing lchf diet
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

I'm more concerned with your high blood glucose reading
If it was me I'd go to A&E and get my BG sorted, they generally treat what you present with, they can give a one off treatment to bring it down and give you some ongoing meds

When you get back from A&E
Lchf, open the link, there is a video on the page. You cut the carb which reduces your blood sugar

Basically you cut all grain, grain product, potato and sugary stuff
Eat the old meat and 3 veg with a chunk of butter or olive or coconut oil

What you are eating isn't working for you, time for a change.

Irish Maeve said:

I just noticed and looked at your link. At a quick look I see I am doing it all wrong - potatoes, porridge!! Will really have to go shopping for the food I should be eating. Thanks again for your input.

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Atkins induction diet food list is a good start
Lots of leafy veg

If you put the head of your bed 4" higher than the foot so there is a slope down, it eases reflux, a house brick is the right size

Ok so your bloods aren't 14 lowest reading, that's better
Metformin if you can handle it, which I doubt at this stage. So go with LC diet only for now and see what it is in a week, it should come down

Eat fat in your diet, even though you have reflux, take the high fat part of low carb seriously
Health fats are olive or coconut oil, butter
Seeds, avocado and google will help there too

Irish Maeve said:

Hi Jack. Having a bad day with tightness in my throat. Waiting for appt to get scoped, was referred about 2 wks ago. I am fine in the mornings but after an hour the lump appears. I have porridge for breakfast. I usually have scrambled eggs for lunch but today I decided to have a boiled egg and I have really suffered for that. For dinner I just had a big helping of broccoli, carrot, parsnips and 2 potatoes (I know but I was so hungry). Now I feel so miserable as I haven't a clue what to do to make this go away. The ACV definitely eases it but I am now getting pain in my stomach and think perhaps the ACV is too acidic. I just dont know. Going to make an appt with Dr in morning and see if they can help while waiting for hosp appt. Thanks for your advice. By the way what is ichf diet?

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Hi, that sounds bad you need to see your doctor to give you a bit of relief.....and eating big meals won't help with reflux I'm afraid try small meals within the day prob. 5-6 times try avoiding caffeine, cola, chocolate, alcohol, acidic food such as citrus and avoid lying down after a meal...it may be a case to case basis, but in my experience eating a huge amount of fatty food in a meal makes it worse, the acid comes back but that is just me, I don't know for others,I can tolerate nuts like almonds for fat. These are lifestyle changes that I used and worked for me (not necessarily others) but better consult your doctor as well if you haven't, you may need meds xx potatoes and rice don't help either with blood sugars....

Here are some links on diet and lifestyle changes:

http://www.m.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/treating-acid-reflux-disease-with-diet-lifestyle-changes

http://www.abc.net.au/health/library/stories/2006/09/25/1831764.htm

@jack412

Are you familiar with UK A&E? Maybe you are speaking from experience of your Aussie A&Es?

I have noticed that you recommend people going to A&E an awful lot, but from what I have seen of UK A&Es, you would immediately be assessed as very low priority if you turned up with a BG of 'only' 14. Then you would sit for 4+ hours on an uncomfortable chair while stab wounds, broken bones, and alcohol poisoning cases were wheeled through before you. By the time you saw a doctor your BG would have dropped to much lower levels!

More likely they would send you home and tell you to get an appointment with your doctor.

Perhaps you are confusing it with a drop in centre? Some places have them. Many don't.

(I do realise that different UK A&Es vary, but generally they are very pressured, filled with emergencies and have to prioritise in very difficult situations)

Perhaps someone can set me right if they have been treated as a priority with a BG in the mid to low teens?

I'm sorry, @Irish Maeve , I don't wish to mess up your thread, but I'm concerned that you might have been worried by Jack's post.

I agree that 14 is too high, needs addressing, and that your doctor and diabetic nurse should be advised. A change of diet may well be in order. Maybe medication. But it is not yet Panic Stations.

We can wait here, but the treatment is normally ok at A&E, but we can normally see our dr same day, we have more per 1000 pop.
Perhaps 'out of hours' dr clinic is the best quick treatment there?
I know ringing your dr is an appointment in a week and they don't do same day

His BG has been clarified and wasn't as bad as first indicated
If it was his low 14 after not eating all day all the time and god knows what after eating, I think that's a fix now problem ......
8- 10 range with some freaky readings is ok and is going to be diet