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Is the LCHF Diet Safe for Type 1 Brittle Diabetics

Happy Daffodil

Happy Daffodil

Member
Messages
20
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi, I've had type 1 diabetes for almost 40 years and I am on an insulin pump (10 years). My diabetes has always had a strong tendency towards being 'brittle' although being on a pump does help. I eat between 50-60 grams of carbs a day and I really need and want to lose weight (about a stone). I walk 25 miles or more a week and have done for years. Gym workouts prove tricky as they cause instability and lots of hypos which means more carbs needed. Now I am going to ask lots of stupid questions! I have looked at the LCHF diet but am querying the ketosis element. Is this safe for diabetics? I know that ketosis is different to keto-acidosis but as soon as I go into 0.2 ketones (blood meter used to test) I know it - shivers, nausea, headache, foggy brain - generally really not at all well. Has anyone with similar diabetes to me (yep I know it is a very individual condition) successfully tried the LCHF approach and can they give me any substantial advice please? Asking your nutritionist at the hospital is such a no-no and a bit laughable considering their recommendations on what we should eat!!! Any advice or guidance would be so gratefully received. You can never learn enough.
 
I think it's safe to follow sick day rules of under 10BG and under 3.0 ketones is 'ok'.
https://www.ispad.org/sites/default...pad_guidelines_2009_-_sick_day_management.pdf

it sounds like you can't easily access your fat reserve, if you are shaky at 0.2 ketone..normal is up to 0.6, do you do a BG reading too?
Low carb could help here and stabilize your insulin and BG

you may need to talk to the LCHF T1's about TAG ‘total available glucose’ and bolusing
https://healthonline.washington.edu/document/health_online/pdf/CarbCountingClassALL3_05.pdf
 
As a type 1 who has undertaken this, and there are plenty of others, what I've found is that it stabilises your glucose levels dramatically so I think it would be worth you giving it a go.

The symptoms you describe with a low level of ketones sound very similar to the low carb flu that often occurs in the early stages of adapting to a ketone based energy system, and it may be that if you give it longer than a couple of days (a couple of weeks is more normal), your body, like most others have found, will keto-adapt and you'll no longer get those symptoms.

Whilst I don't verge on brittle, there is nothing at all wrong with ketosis for T1 diabetics. You are not far off at all, given your current carb levels at 50-60g per day.

Sorry I can't be more help, and welcome to the forum!
 
I know I can't help... but I'm going to try this out and only do low carb for breakfast and lunch and a 'normal' dinner as I do a lot of walking on my job... but good luck to you
 
Hi, I knocked myself out of ketosis this weekend. I ate too much protein so my insulin shot up. I've going through a headachy version of carb flu the last few days. My ketones have been less than 0.5 but this morning they were 0.6. Hopefully that will stop this headache. Blood sugars have been less than 9.
**** them Brazil nuts and extra mature cheddar cheese. And the sausages, eggs and bacon.and the walnuts.
I eat less than 50g of carbs a day but the extra protein caused gluconeogenesis.
I have had ketones of 3 with good blood sugars and felt great. No DKA.
I like the flattened blood sugars. Also, if you make a mistake it's always a small one. To me this makes it safe.
 
I agree with Tim on the safety and with Jack on your particular issue. As a serious walker do you by any chance have low body fat? My guess would be that LCHF could be risky for a T1 with a marathon runner physique. Though as Tim suggested, maybe you need to push through the carb flu barrier.

What's worrying is that your 0.2 ketones symptoms actually do sound like ketoacidosis and not nutritional ketosis. Are you using very low basal insulin? Might it be running out during the day?

Lots of questions. You are unusual in what you are reporting for T1 LCHF. And T1 LCHF is itself fairly rare /unusual.
 
Hi. Just a thought. Bernstein, Volek, phinney et al do insist on extra dietary salt to combat similar symptoms.
 
Thanks for all your replies. I've just been reading through them and 'digesting' the information. Ok, as I am on a pump and because I use fast acting insulin only there is a heightened risk of DKA because of the nature of the pump. When I get the symptoms I have described I always check my blood glucose because of the associated DKA risk and because I already operate on a lower than hospital recommended level of carbs. My bloods can be anything between 4 and 8 with 0.2/0.3 ketones and I'll get these symptoms - but not every time. I'd never heard of this 'carb flu' before and it sounds very like what I've experienced (sometimes including mild palpitations?!). I'm definitely not equipped with a marathon runner's physique :O) - hence the wishing to loose some weight. I adjust the pump parameters myself on a regular basis and yes, I do understand Spiker's comment about low basal levels - ie: not enough circulating insulin and have adjusted this when I think this may be the cause. It's tricky being brittle because your requirements changes so fast and can be so temperamental and it's hard to guess exactly what's needed and when. I have lots of practice! I try to operate on lower blood range of 4-6 mmols. I think the fact that these (let's call them carb flu) symptoms can make me feel so rough it has scared me off so far.
 
Reading through a lot of threads today on this subject and feeling rather a novice in so many areas - (actually quite cool)! If anyone out there who's a T1 and follows the low-carb diet and has any pointers for where to start with meals I'd be grateful for some pointers. There's lots of choices out there and seems a little confusion as to how much protein vs fat and carbs needed each day. Found the Diet Doctor last year and a few other sites too but there's nothing like hearing from folks in the same boat. Cheers!
 
I am lucky enough not to crave variety in my food, so I can get by with a daily menu that looks like this

Breakfast - fried breakfast
Lunch - hmm yeah that's the hard part
Dinner - meat or fish with non starchy vegetables. With lots of cheese and cream sloshed on.
Snacks - black coffee with fat (bulletproof coffee). Cheese. I avoid nuts else I gorge on them.
 
Thanks Spiker - this at least gives me a guide as to what 'building blocks' I need for each meal. Really useful so thanks a tonne for replying! I get your note on the nuts - I'm the same if I buy them I will eat them, they are my diabetic replacement for chocolate!! :p So glad I signed up to this, I've had more useful help in the last 2 days than I could have imagined. Brilliant!!
 
Happy Daffodil said:
Lunch - same as dinner or salad instead??
Click to expand...
I was going to say salad for lunch but it would be a lie to say I eat it much. But yes a nice salad with protein and oil would be perfect. On my better days I manage that.
 
I'm very similar, Daffy. Salad with cheese or smoked mackerel or chicken for lunch, eggs scrambled with cream or fried with real bacon for breakfast, some protein thing plus lots of green veg for supper.

Walnuts or macadamias. And one butter or cream coffee a day.

It is frankly DULL DULL DULL. But I don't mind as much as some, and one day I'll start being more adventurous.

The big big advantage, as Tim says, is that it makes everything much more stable and consistent.
 
I'm not that far away already - just the fat element has been missing completely. I guess cut the carbs back and add more fats. It doesn't sound too boring - but I guess in reality we don't have that much of a choice on the food front if you want long lasting control and stability?! Thanks Spiker and Lucy for replies - really helpful! Cheers. :)
 
If you are creative with food and have (or make) the time, it doesn't even have to be boring.
 
Yes, it really doesn't have to. I'm conscious that I have a mental block about it bec I'm still trying to produce family meals, whatever they are. There's a good cookbook called the low carb gourmet (I think). And the recipes on this forum make my mouth water. I've just been a bit lazy.
 
Okay, quick question - does anyone else have issues with cream raising their blood sugar? I have a strong inkling that every time I try to include double cream in particular it seems to have an adverse effect on my BG readings and for quite a while afterwards too. Just wondering... it may just be one of 'those' foods that for some reason doesn't work well for me - trial and error I guess.
 
Is it just cream or is it any dairy product?

Unexpected BG rise from dairy products can indicate a dairy allergy.
 
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