How low carb can you go?

[Nikkig]

Since my diagnosis nearly two weeks ago I have been reducing my carbs, first to 150, but as I learned on this site, that did not work. Reduced to 50 and it had reduced to readings around 9. Ate only 35 today but reading 2 hrs post meal was 8.8 how low can one go?

 

[borofergie]

You can go zero carb if you really wanted to (although it makes sense to eat at least some vegetables).

I'm down to about 10-20g a day, but sometimes I don't eat any.

The only carbs I do eat come from a bit of salad, an avocado or two and some spinach. I ran 5 miles in the heat through central London yesterday. I'm didn't die.

 

[xyzzy]

If you were only diagnosed a couple of weeks ago you are still likely to be at a stage where you have a residual "background" glucose count as I would totally unmedically describe it. From a low 20's start it took me 6 to 8 weeks at 50/60g to consistently get all readings under 8 so if you did 35g and got 8.8 at this point then you may find you are actually do rather well. You are certainly beating where I was after the same period of time. borofergie is right you can go as low as you want but you may find it hard to do that to start so I would balance your eagerness to get your BG's really down against any cravings you start to develop for carby stuff. I found those cravings vanished after a few weeks when I suddenly realises it was pointless using so much of your daily carb allowance on such a small about of starchy whatever and I'd just eat more of other things instead.

 

[borofergie]

That's a good point. How long have you been trying?

I was diagnosed with BG of 24.6 mmol/l. I went <30g immediately and it took me a couple of weeks before my BG dipped below 7mmol/l and another couple of weeks before it stayed there.

Give it some time to work.

 

[Nikkig]

Thank you borofergie and Xyzzy for your help! May 18 I was give the diagnosis with a reading of 19.4 -being obviously shocked I took control. Although I have just spent a week in Cornwall, I religiously recorded the nutritional content of everything I ate. Todays morning reading was 8.8 and two hours after lunch 6.8 on a total of 15 carbs. I don't miss carbs much (oh alright, I lie like a Persian rug!)

I'm feeling ok but have had a headache so I snacked on celery and cheese ( in the past I would have had a slice of bread!)

However , I felt totally decadent this morning as I guiltlessly tucked into strawberries and clotted cream for breakfast!