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I'm a Believer!!

M

Magill

Well-Known Member
:D
Couldn't decide whether to add this here or on the back of my other thread over my suspected Metformin reaction. Anyway it matters not. I continue on the very low carb diet my GP suggested while I am off Metformin. I am still taking 1 Sitagliptin daily but I am fasinated with what is happening with my BG figures. I am now into Day 4 with no Metformin and my results Metformin free so far are

Day 1 - Morning 10.6 - Mid afternoon 9.2 - Evening 8.3
Day 2- Morning 9.6 - Mid afternoon 7.5 - Evening 6.7
Day 3 - Morning 8.7 - Mid afternoon 6.9 - Evening 6.2
Day 4 - Morning 8 - Mid afternoon 6.1

I'm not hungry at all and the only thing I miss is a bit bread but I know I will get low carb versions back in a few weeks so I can wait. What I am beginning to wonder is if this downward spiral continues why do I have to try to go back on Metformin at all? I feel better than I have in ages, I've had no funny turns since I stopped and my readings are better than they were when I was taking the pills. I have been on low carbs for 11 days now and my weight has dropped 9lbs plus I have a lot more energy at the gym - I even put in an extra 30 mins in the pool yesterday.
I must admit I was worried when the GP told me to come off Metformin for a week to see if they could isolate what was causing the reaction but as I said the results for low carb make fascinating reading. I have been testing after meals too and my BG has been shifting by max 0.7 at 1 hour.
I see the nurse next week for full blood-work and the GP the week after and I am really curious to see where I am at that stage. My last HbA1c was 9.6 and I fully expect this one to be a lot lower. I think I could be having interesting conversations when I see my GP.
 
Interesting........
What exactly are the readings you quote ? Fasting, pre meal, post meal with timings ??
Morning, afternoon and evening don't really tell us much ?? Can you help us out here please.

Ken
 
Ken - sorry - Morning readings are fasting, mid afternoon and evening are roughly 1 hour post lunch and dinner. The morning fasting readings were regularly in the 10's before the low carbing started (and while on 4 x 500 mg Metformin daily) and my HbA1c was creeping up.
I know it is early days yet but I fully expected my BG figures to rise when they took me off Metformin and they haven't - they are slowly going down at all stages of the day.
My apologies, I should have been more specific with my figures but I just find this quite exciting after everything being so gloomy a couple of weeks ago.
 
Thanks for that.
If your numbers are starting to drop from what you previously had that has to be good. :D

Are your morning readings taken immediately you get up or do you leave it for some time till breakfast ?


Ken
 
Magill said:
Morning readings are immediately after I have been to the loo and washed my hands.
Click to expand...


Too much information....... :lol:

So there is definitely room for improvement with morning levels, could be down to DP and a combination of what you ate the night before and what sort of level you go to bed at ? Sometimes if it is too low then during the night your Bg level will drop further, then DP will kick in to raise the levels before you wake.

Ken
 
You are really lucky to have found a doctor who advocates a low carb diet.
I'd discuss with him if you can continue without the Metformin.
He may decide that lo carb is potentially deadly in the long term.[I've never heard of it hurting anyone, but they still think so]
Hana
 
Hana
I do have a really good GP Diabetic Clinic. They really listen to you and are prepared to consider alternatives. I was glad to get away from the hospital clinic - too much of "this is what we do with everyone so get on with it" but with my GP I had been seeing them regularly post surgery for my spinal injury and it was because they were doing monthly blood tests in the 12 months after the surgery that they picked up the early elevations in my BG - so they caught it quick. I know them well now as a result of my frequent visits and they know I won't just accept taking another pill. My GP also admitted last week that they are prepared to really work with me because I try so hard. I must admit though reading through the forum I am beginning to realise just how lucky I am to have a practice that will accept there are alternatives (and gives me prescriptions for testing strips without question).
 
Hi Magill

Can you tell me how low you have gone with the carbs an outline what you eat for me? Will be much appreciated.

Thanks, Jude :)
 
Hi Jude
The diet I am following is The South Beach Diet. I was almost put off by the name as I thought it was another of these silly bikini type diets but nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike Atkins this diet also watches the fats. First 2 weeks are the most restrictive but after that you gradually reintroduce good carbs and good fats.
Anyway Phase 1 (which you follow for 2 weeks) an example menu
Breakfast
60mls V8 Vegetable Juice
Coffee with skimmed milk
Omelette made with 2 beaten eggs (I add parsley and pepper) and you can add to the omelette things like 1oz chopped lean ham, 1oz low fat grated cheese, chopped peppers, sliced mushroom - anything really so long as it is not on the "banned" list for Phase 1
Snack mid morning
Turkey or lean meat "wrap"
The "wrap" in this case is a large lettuce leaf - something like Cos or Romaine. On your "wrap" lay your lean meat and you can add all sorts of things - chopped onion, tomato, pepper, cucumber whatever takes your fancy so long as it is not "banned". You can also add a little low fat dressing (watch for sugar) or I make my own or use Helmanns extra light. Roll it up and that's it. I roll in cling film and put in the fridge to keep them in shape.
Lunch
Grilled Hamburger with a tossed salad dressed in olive oil & vinegar. You have to make your own burger and No BUN allowed. The burger I made was with extra lean mince, parsley, Lee & Perrins, finely chopped onion, bind with beaten egg and a bit of low fat cheese in the middle.
Mid Afternoon snack
Salmon spread on cucumber "biscuits". Yes - guess what you have to make your own Salmon spread. 6oz tinned pink salmon in water, 2oz light cream cheese, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, dash salt and pepper and chopped dill. Beat the lot together - enough for 2 servings. Serve on sliced cucumbers (If you don't like cucumber pick an alternative from the allowed veg)
Dinner
Balsamic Chicken (chicken breast dressed with a mix of balsamic vinegar, garlic, white wine seasoning), with wilted spinach and a tomato & onion salad.
Dessert
Ricotta Whip - 1/2 cup low fat ricotta mixed with 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and a little sugar substitute if you think it needs it. Whip together
They also recommend 2 cups dairy each day something like low fat yoghurt (not fruit) or small glass skimmed or soya milk.
It's a lot of food daily but the idea during the first 2 weeks is to strip out all the bad stuff and eat small and often so you don't get hungry. I find I am forcing myself to eat but I've dropped 9lb in under 2 weeks and more importantly my BG is almost under control. Today my fasting sample was 7.6 (down from 7.9 yesterday) and I've finally go into the 5's during the day despite being on 1/4 of the meds I was on before all this. I won't pretend it is easy. It's a lot of work and requires a lot of organisation and a heck of a lot of testing but this has really worked for me so all the effort is worth it. A good starter book for the SB Diet is South Beach Diet Supercharged which explains the principles as well as giving you the menus and the "banned lists" for the different phases. There are loads of SB Cookbooks. They are American but I have had no problem finding most of the ingredients or suitable substitutes. I also invested in a food vacuum and sealer which is a godsend as I am bulk cooking and freezing to build up a supply now. If you want more I can PM you with various breakfast suggestions, snacks, main meals etc? Once you get used to it, it is fairly easy.
 
Hey Magill,

Reading your post has really helped me get my brain round what I need to be doing. I'm off to print it out and get myself sorted.

Keep us posted on how the next tests go and keep up the good work!!

Griffy.
 
Hi Griffy
Remember there is quite a "banned" list for Phase 1 but it is only for 2 weeks then you start to get your good carbs back at the rate of about 1 a week. But Phase 1 you cannot have Starches - avoid all starchy food including all breads, all cereal, croutons, pasta, porridge, rice, cakes & pastries, all biscuits (basically anything with flour in it) Dairy - No full fat or semi skimmed milk (only skimmed allowed) and no soya milk with more than 4g fat per 240mls, no ice cream and no full fat, fruit or frozen yoghurt (low fat non fruit and 0% Greek allowed). Fruit - none allowed in first 2 weeks, no fruit juice either. Alcohol - none allowed, also no drinks that contain sugar. Veg - mostly allowed except potatoes sweet & white, beetroot, sweetcorn, carrots, green peas, pumpkin, squash, swede, turnips and yams. Cheese any full fat is a no - low fat only. Banned Meats - fatty ones basically rib-eye or rib roast beef, pork crackling, liver of any variety, chicken wings and legs (breast allowed), turkey dark meat (white allowed), duck, goose, bacon (although turkey rashers are pretty good and permitted), or honey roast ham. I got my copy of the book in WH Smith for £10 although Amazon has it for between £5 - £7 but watch for the delivery charges. After the first 2 weeks you start with one piece of fruit and they suggest one slice of nice wholemeal or grainy bread (white is banished forever) daily (you're allowed a low fat spread like Bertolli or Benecol light) and test to see what happens. If you stay stable after 1 week you can add in another good carb like a wholewheat pasta. I was laughing yesterday as even my husband has lost 5lb as he eats the same food but with some added carbs.
It took me a couple of weeks to get my head around it but I just cannot believe how well it has worked for me. The one "complaint" I have is you always seem to be eating Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner plus 2 snacks. Protein allowances by the way are 2oz at breakfast and 3oz Lunch and Dinner. Also minimum 2 cups veg with Lunch and Dinner. If you are still hungry you can have more protein. You are also allowed nuts for a snack but the numbers are strictly controlled. My favorite is hazelnuts (25 allowed if you have for a snack) so I spread it throughout the day. If you want to know anything else let me know. Hope it works for you too.
 
It would seem to me that you would lose weight on this diet as in the first week there doesn't seem to be anything you CAN eat :D
 
There's loads you can eat - sorry if I gave the impression you have to starve. You can eat any lean meat and as I said in the previous post any veg apart from those on the banned list and it is just for 2 weeks. You are also allowed beans, lentils, eggs, low fat dairy, fish, sugar free drinks, various "sweet" treats, nuts, soya based meat subs...in fact there are 6 pages of allowed foods in Phase 1 and only 1 page of banned foods. I have never been hungry since I started and I am eating more than I ever ate before, am losing weight and have falling BG levels. As I said, it is working for me and fortunately I really like everything that is allowed (although I am counting the days to get my slice of grainy bread back). It may not suit everyone but I was so miserable just a few weeks ago to finally feel in control again on less meds is good enough for me. :)
 
Sorry I was so negative. I think you are doing very well and wish you luck with the diet. I will have to read the book and maybe follow some of its ideas as I could still do with losing some weight! :)
 
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