LOW CARB SUCCESS STORIES

[twhincup]

Re: Success stories

Well done everyone!

I'm T2, 2 x 500mg Metformin daily. I also had my first review today with the gp, results:

HBA1C 6.2% DOWN from 11.2 8)

HDL 1.28 UP from 0.97 8)

LDL 3.2 (no previous reading)

Cholesterol 5.6 DOWN from 6 8)

Triglycerides 2.57 (no previous reading)

I'm pretty chuffed to say the least, its given me a little bit more motivation to follow the 'lower' carb route. The GP was chuffed too, despite his concern that there is no long term evidence of any complications in low carbing, he even gave me a repeat prescription for 5 more boxes of test strips

 

[peppiB]

Re: Success stories

A few months ago I posted about a trip to podiatrist where he lambasted me for being on a low carb diet. When I last saw him I was crippled with neuropathy and could hardly walk. He was advocating pregabalin to ease the pain.

Today I walked in, no pain, full feeling in both feet and he was amazed and suggested the pregabalin must be working well. His jaw dropped when I told him I was not on any medication and the results he was seeing were purely as a result of my low carb approach, and he went bright red when I told him I had also lost a stone and a half in weight. He was trying to protest that ketosis was a danger and again I corrected him pointing out the difference between the ketosis and the other one (which I can't spell!!)
The argument that we need carbs for certain nutrients also fell on stony ears as I corrected him and explained why we didn't. Eventually, still shaking his head in disbelief, he acknowledged that I had made a remarkable recovery and that my diet had worked.

I told him that if he had other patients who desired a cure rather than more and more drugs he should refer them to me so I could point them in this direction.

I LOVE it when a plan comes together ..................RESULT!!!!

 

[claridge]

Re: Success stories

Hi all,

I was diagnosed in Feb of this year with a BS level of 30! Eeek... massive shock... l told them that my sugar was ony high as l had been very drunk at a cocktail making party the night before! And proceeded to tell mum not too worry and flirted with the cute irish doctor...
Once reality set it that l was Type 1 diabetic l was whisked by home to my parents and spent the days in bed on the internet looking into what it was and also told my diabetic nurse to look on Diabetes UK- best advice ever! Thank you everyone!! I was majorly into carbs as it was and figured it made complete sense... if l had carbs my BS would go up so why have them! So l cut them out! I much prefer the healthy food anyway! Plus not only do l love my food but really into my cooking so perfect! I upped my exercise (l left it a few months until l had the guts to get back into it) to almost every day with nearly an hour of walking a day (which is just walking to the station etc).
I have just had my HBA1C and it was 5.6% so lm really happy. My weight which had dropped l have put back on and lm a healthy trim size 8-10. All my tests showed everything is fine and nothing was damaged so now worries. My Blood pressure at resting is 60- lm female and 25 so told this is great- as a result of the exercise.
I recently decided to cut down even further on drinking alcohol and now tend to prefer not to have any alcohol.
At the moment l only have 5units of Levemir per day, and as long as l dont have carbs/sugar then l never have any novorapid.

I feel really good in myself- and not just with regards to the diabetes.
Thank you everyone!!! xxx

 

[Christinestone]

Re: Success stories

I really don't see how anyone can even query the evidence that a low carb diet works. I was diagnosed in December 2007, my HbA1c reading was 9, my everyday sugar reading was in the late teens. I didn't know much about diabetes so read every book going. All the so called experts told me to eat carbs with every meal. I was going out one evening and needed to take my own food with me, I decided to take some pasta, the boring brown stuff of course. Before I went out my sugar reading was 11 and after I ate the pasta it was 16. I wrote down everything I ate and my sugar readings 3 times a day, I soon discovered that my sugar would increase if I ate bread, pasta, rice or potatoes. It didn't take a genius or expect to work this one out, so I stopped eating complex carbs completely. Within 4 months my HbA1c was down to 6.5, now... 20 months later my HbA1c is 5.8 and my everyday sugar is in the 5's and hardly moves.... of course it goes higher when I have just eaten but it is back down in the 4's and 5's 2 hours after eating. The great thing is... now I can actually eat carbs and sugar without my sugar being affected, yes it goes up after eating cake and icecream but it goes right back to normal. I've tested my son and husbands sugar before and after eating carbs and their's is the same as mine. What I would like to know is... cutting out carbs.. can it cure diabetes? The experts will say no of course.. but this is food for thought! Oh, forgot to mention, Im not and have never been on medication.

 

[Knapweed]

Re: Success stories

Hi folks,
Just thought I'd share my success with you all, even although it hasn't been too long since I was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic.
In February, 2009 having moved house I registered at a new medical practice and with that came the normal health check. The result was a phone call from the doctor on 19 February asking me to visit him because they had found out I was a type 2 diabetic. Okay, my blood sugar was a bit high: 24.3mmol/L. I weighed 99.4 kgs, waist was 38".
I got all the usual advice on what to eat, etc but after a month I got my blood tested and my Hb1Ac was 10.1.
Looking around and reading I came upon this site and the lo carb info. Found it interesting and read Dr Bernsein's book :idea: Wow! It made so much sense. So a complete change of diet.
Next blood test on 13 May Hb1Ac was 6.5 and 90.3 kg. Progress.
Yesterday Hb1Ac result was 5.1% (32.2 new figure) and currently 81.8 kgs.
My blood glucose is a bit up and down from 5.x to 7ish, would like to get it lower. Starting to exercise more so hopefully this will bring it down .
All due to low carbs
My doctor and diabetic nurse have been great, got my test meter and strips with no issues. Turns out I'm the only low carb diabetic in the practice, I don't understand it but...
It works for me!

 

[Spiral]

Re: Success stories

I was diagnosed in February/March 09. Chest pain sent me to the doctors and they did loads of tests. The chest pain was due to an anxiety attack, no sign of cardiac problems. However, I knew a T2 diagnosis was coming (gestational diabetes 1997 and a strong family history).

So, based on Conventional Wisdom, I cut/avoided added sugar to anything, sweets/chocolate and started eating a "proper" breakfast (jumbo oat porridge) and added fresh and raw.

The next fasting blood test happened and although the readings were lower, which was good, I was dissapointed by the result as the levels were still in the diabetic range. I thought I'd done enough work to get the blood sugars really low

So I did a bit more research as I was getting quite distressed by the spectre of inevitable complications and vivid memories of my T2 dad's poor quality of life. I found the Glycaemic Index and started to adopt those principles. I also came across low carb, but as I'd swallowed the "healthy plate" mythology I was very skeptical about it. As well as that, my GP smiled and nodded happily when I told him I was going to adopt a low GI diet.

Another blood test, and while the results were headed in the right direction, they were still in the diabetic range. I felt I'd been working hard and wasn't getting the results I needed.

An accidental search at Amazon about 3 months after diagnosis turned up "Bloodsugar101: what they don't tell you about diabetes" and so I googled the website.

It turned my life around. I found out there were all kinds of toxic myths and diabetics who took responsibility for managing their diabetes through diet and were getting virtually normal readings. Around the same time, I found my way here :mrgreen:

There are loads of diabetics here with really great control and good numbers. It didn't take me long to work out that most of the people with really great control were low carbers and they were the numbers I wanted myself. And have also joined lowcarbdiabetes.com where I'm also a regular. I have had loads of support from the regulars here and there. There is so much knowledge and a real generosity in the time taken to respond to queries on both sites.

I'm also a "proper" vegetarian and don't eat anything that has involved something being killed. I did meet with a little skepticism about combining that with a low carb diet to start with, but there was loads and loads of support and hints and suggestions of things to eat. I'm pleased to say that no animlas (other than the ones used by the drug companies :? ) have been harmed to get my control to something near "normal".

I have been testing and low carbing since the end of May, when I cut bread, pasta, potatoes and rice and all starchy carbs. I have got my HbA1c down from 7.8% in early March to 6% last month I'm aiming for the lower end of the 5% club.

I have also had a significant amount of weight to lose and I have shed 25% of it so far. I need to be half the woman I was at diagnosis. I'm also learning to manage my macadamia nut and Lidl Greek yoghurt addictions. I have even found that I can stop at 2 squares of G&B 70% or M&S 70% Swiss chocolate :shock:

I did all that on diet alone 8) 8) 8) No meds. However, I have just started metfomin as I'm bored with diabetes and I think it will help me get where I want to be a bit quicker. Especially as I've been concerened about my high morning numbers for some time. I'm hoping that in the longer term, when I have lost the weight and the insulin resistance is gone, that my pancreas may show some recovery if I promise not to abuse it again.

 

[Dillinger]

Re: Success stories

Hello,

I've just got my most recent bloods back and I'm pleased to say things are going in the right direction;

HbA1c down from 6.5% to 6.2% (the 5% club is getting tantalisingly close...).

Also, my estimated Globular Filtration Rate (the best overall index of kidney function) has improved from 66 to 74 (despite this not being normally considered a 'reversible' reading; rather a measure of decline).

Lipids:

Total cholesterol 4.4
HDL 1.40 mmol/L
LDL 2.60 mmol/L
Triglycerides 0.89 mmol/L

Slowly and surely getting things in order

The only blemish is that I'm still over weight, but have not been exercising for months (due to the arrival of our first child who takes up most of my free time), but I'll have to pull my finger out and get back to that and hopefully shed some of this gut.

I'm going to drop the Aspirin and may drop the Statins for 3 months and see what happens.

Thank you once again to all the low carb champions on here; it's the way ahead!

Dillinger

 

[NickW]

Re: Success stories

Hi,

Just thought I'd post and add my own small story to the weight of evidence for low-carb diets' suitability for diabetics.

I've been a T1D for 11 years now (diagnosed at age 22), and always ate a "healthy" diet (according to conventional wisdom) - lots of whole grains, fruit and vegetables, mainly home cooked meals etc. I exercise regularly, test regularly, don't smoke and I'm not overweight, but for the past 5 years I hadn't had an HbA1C lower than 7.1 (had some better readings during the honeymoon period, but that's it).

Within 2 months of switching to a low-carb paleo diet (typically 30g - 50g of carbs per day, almost exclusively from vegetables, coconut and occasional small amounts of berries), my HbA1C was 6.3 (dropped from 7.6 in 8 weeks). At the same time my HDL rose to 2.4, LDL and trigs stayed constant at 2.5 and about 0.7 respectively. For the past month I've tracked my bloods very closely (10-15 readings per day), and the average BG is 5.8 with a standard deviation of 1.84 - sorry if that's a bit geeky, but basically it means that my predicted A1C based on these readings is 5.2. It'll be a couple of months before my next bloods are taken and I'll be surprised if it's actually that low, but at the same time I'm confident that I'll have a 5.x.

Obviously this is just one anecdote (on top of all the other anecdotes on here!), but the logic behind a low carb diet's superiority for diabetics is overwhelming in my opinion. I personally think that a paleo approach offers further benefits, but low carb ought to be the first priority for any diabetic. I just hope that those of you who have sub-6 A1C's (hopefully including me soon!) can start to convince some of the medical practitioners about this.

 

[srm100841]

Re: Success stories

Fergus,

I'm not sure whether or not you can call this a success story but I have recorded my test levels for a period of 27 days pre low carb and compared these with 27 days post low carb, as follows:

Pre Post
B/fast 11.2 6.9
Lunch 11.0 9.1
Dinner 10.7 8.2

Quite substantial reductions as you can see but still a long way to go.

Without extolling the virtues of low carb, I must confess that I'd given up hope of ever achieving levels approximating the target range of 4 - 7. Now at least I can dare to hope.

I've been diagnosed for 6 years. My age is 68 years. I'm male, 5' 8" tall and weigh 12 stone. I am striving to lose weight aiming at an ideal of 10 stone 8 lbs but just don't get enough exercise to support my diet and objective.

I don't do blood tests so perhaps my results aren't quite what you were seeking but nonetheless they do their own story.

In terms of medications I take 4 80 mgs gliclazide per day.

Steve

 

[srm100841]

Re: Success stories

Hi Steve,

Life is perverse. Whatever is said though you must feel better for the weight loss. I guess that it's because you lost such a lot over a short timescale that your family need time to adjust.

For me I was always skinny and until I was past 50 years old always maintained a weight of about 10 stone or slightly less. Now I could do with getting rid of the excess weight which has settled all around my stomach. It's not a beer belly honest. Well, perhaps....

You didn't say how your levels had improved or how you lost the weight.

Steve

 

[Bluenosesol]

Re: Success stories

my HBA1C on diagnosis was 10.3 and at my 3 month review it was 5.8. My recent BG's suggest it could well have come down quite some more. My goal is a HBA1C of 5.(6 month review Nov 19th).
When I was diagnosed, the GP who is a chronic disease specialist frightened me to death and had me convinced that my demise was just around the corner. So I discovered this forum and Fergus, Ken , Sue, Trinks and co convinced me that LC was the way to go. So I target 40-50 g of carbs per day. Very simply I follow the golden rules :-
No - Pasta, Rice, Potatoes, Cereals, Bread, pastries, sweets, etc (apart from 12.5 g of 70% chocolate), some fruit but mainly red berries as I spike with many other fruits and tons of rhubarb with greek yoghurt.
Daily diet would typically be :-
Breakfast - Kippers and Egg, or Mushroom Ommelette, bacon/frankfurters/bratwursts/100% pork sausage, 1/2 tin tomatoes, or Cheese and Ham/Chorizo/other sliced meats on matso crackers or melba toast.
Mid Day, Lots of chopped salad with cheese, walnuts, olive oil, olives etc and Mackerel/smoked salmon/sliced meats/spiced chicken, hartleys sugar free jelly with greek yoghurt
Evening, Lots of boiled veg/stir fry veg/roast veg with steamed salmon/pork/beef/lamb/2 1/4 pound 100% beefburgers, then 350g of sliced rhubarb with greek yoghurt, or jelly with red berries and greek youghurt.
Snacks/Treats : 12.5g of 70% cocoa chocolate (4g carbs) and 25g brazil nuts
Ensure I eat 4 portions of oily fish a week.

Exercise from sedentary to 5 miles walk each day as a minimum.

My trigs have dropped from 7.7 to 1. BP was 130/82 on dx, now averages about 109/74

All the best Steve.

 

[cugila]

Re: Success stories

Hi Folks.

Well, finally the 'spring cleaning' of this thread is complete. Bluenosesol, didn't think it was being looked at very much. I have to say that after looking through the posts there was page after page of congratulations and other off topic stuff. A total of 19 pages in all. This is now down to just 4.

This has all been whittled away to the actual Success Stories which is what it should be. So if you post your story here, let's leave the congratulations to a pm or post something elsewhere. That way it makes this far easier to read.

 

[welshtony]

Re: Success stories

I've just had my latest blood test results....and I'm down to 5.6% hba1c!

The low(ish) carb approach has worked for me with the blood results; but seem to have stalled completely on the weight loss. Would like to find a way to lose another 30 lbs, really :roll:

 

[clearviews]

Re: Success stories

In a fashion I have posted my success story in other places on this forum but realise that here is where it should be.

Diagnosed impaired early 2007. Told that with diet and exercise I could control this. Agreed I seemed to have a healthy diet. Did plenty of exercise but seriously overweight BMI 30+. BP was 145/95 so I was put on BP tablets. Had long history of reflux and on medication.

Diagnosed T2 - 23/10/2007 now my cholesterol was 4.4 nothing else known but told that doiabetics need to be under 4.0 so I was given a statin. Sent to the diabetes clinic to do the beginners course with an educator and a dietician. Given the standard "measure the carbs" and went away with my traffic lights sheets. Green means Free foods eat as much as you like, Orange means with caution and Red means avoid.

My HbA1c was 5.9 at my worst I was told but the weight wouldn't come off and I was worried about my numb feet and some side effects I had read about statins causing it! Stopped taking them.
October 2008 was sent to an Endo about my feet. He read the riot act and told me to lose 15 kgs, 20 cms from waist take the statins again as my cholesterol had risen to 5.4, start Metformin 500 twice a day and as I left his rooms he said NO CARBS!

I was shocked. Gave up my heavy alcohol habit. I did not want diabetes. I did not want medications.

I found books Cabot, Atkins and Bernstein. I read this and other forums. I low carbed seriously. First I ditched my reflux meds, the new statin lasted 5 days, then the BP and tailed off my Metformin and returned to the endo for a 6 months follow up. I had lost about 11 kgs and my HbA1c was 5.0. Again he insisted I take the statin and return in 12 months.

I have lost 19 kgs now with a BMI of 24. Need to lose another 5 cms on my waist. Did not take the statins and my GP is telling me that my lipids are great-no stains required although my total is 5.6 ratios are brilliant. No medications whatsoever. Endo visit due in 3 months. Hope he tells me to take a hike and not bother him again, he did say that this might be his suggestion when he saw me last!

What a feeling to wake up and get a 4.5 and know that it is all my own.

 

[Synonym]

Re: Success stories

I went to the hospital today for my follow-up appointment and was told that my Hba1c is now 5.5 and all my other numbers are fine so I am really chuffed!

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and help over my very rocky start on the diabetes path and for directions on cutting the carbs which I have followed very strictly over the 3 months since my first hospital visit. 8)

It makes your head spin to start with but all the effort is worthwhile!

 

[IanD]

Re: Success stories

Well done! - its worth the effort - and the low HbA1c results make it easier to sustain the reduced carb diet - even if our friends work hard to try to supply foods we can accept.

Its taken two years to get down from 6.7 to 5.9 & its so good to feel well, & not be tired all the time.

THANKS, FORUM FOLK FOR ALL THE ENCOURAGEMENT & SHOWING THE WAY

 

[Bluenosesol]

Re: Success stories

Folks,

latest 3 monthly blood test results -

Two MAJOR results !!!!

1. My HBA1C - 10.3 on diagnosis May 2009 - Now 5.1%

2. MY GFR (Kidney function) has been as low as 78, but is now back to normal = 90 !! (I was told that GFR is progressive - just like my T2!! :roll: )

Last one is a relief to me as I was beginning to think that I may have had a late diagnosis and my kidneys had been damaged. I am now confident that they are to date unaffected!!!

PS - Daughter had my second grandchild on Monday, the future is bright!! 8)

All the best everyone...Steve

 

[cugila]

Re: Success stories

Hi Folks.

Well, finally the 'spring cleaning' of this thread is complete. Bluenosesol, didn't think it was being looked at very much. I have to say that after looking through the posts there was page after page of congratulations and other off topic stuff. A total of 19 pages in all. This is now down to just 4.

This has all been whittled away to the actual Success Stories which is what it should be. So if you post your story here, let's leave the congratulations to a pm or post something elsewhere. That way it makes this far easier to read.

Edit. 18/02/2010. Timed 1619 hrs
This is a reminder of how this section should be used. The posts that were made here by other members have been copied and sent to Steve via a pm. Keep this area free of congratulations, just the success stories please.

 

[clearviews]

Re: Success stories

As this thread seemed to have gone very quiet I thought that I would wait for my 12 month follow-up visit to the endocrinologist.... the one who told me "no carbs" and read the riot act prescribing Metformin and re-introducing statins before I shared, hopefully, some continued success.

Firstly he congratulated me on my A1c of 5.3 down from a worst at diagnosis of 5.6 but still up 0.1 from December 2009. Seemed pleased with my weight loss though I have gone a further 2 kgs on his ultimatum, checked BP which was rising due to a 2 hr 40 min wait past appointment time but still normal!! Asked for my BGL diary so I produced the graph from this Lifestyle section. Impressive figures and graph. Then he said that the question was do I have diabetes? I told him that without a doubt I do and will for the rest of my days as one slice of bread or a piece of fruit will demonstrate on my meter. He smiled at me then said "So you now know what causes T2". He asked if low carbing was dull and challenging and I told him it just took a new mindset and some great recipes such as using almond meal as a replacement flour in quiches or Flaxmeal & Parmesan Crackers that really crunch! He asked where I sourced recipes and I told him and of the forums I read and participated in.

I mentioned that unlike some, I believe through reading research that higher fat was a contributing force in my good health. He advised caution saying that LDLs were a predictor to heart disease and mine were too high. I asked for my results and he conceded that they had continued to drop after the initial rise. I pointed out that this was entirely due to diet, NO STATINS. :shock: He wants my 2.6 to be under 2.0 despite 3.5 being the upper range for a healthy person. Total cholesterol fell from 5.62 to 4.97 and trigs rose slightly from 0.48 to 0.76 and I know this is due to the increased alcohol I had these past months. HDL fell slightly but is still at the mid point of the range. Ratio chol/HDL is 2.5. I love it! :lol: :lol:

As we wound up the consultation I reminded him that he had promised me that I would not have to see him ever again if I followed his recommendations and got the results. He agreed that he had and dictated a letter to my GP handing my monitoring back to her providing I would supply him with my flaxmeal cracker recipe!!!!! :wink:

Next challenge is to drop the A1c some more, cholesterol will continue to improve and I am free of symptoms of diabetes and the long term non-healing ulcer. Will be forever vigilant and my passion for dancing and the solution to the epidemic that is diabetes continues.
Alison

 

[theblokefromstoke]

Almost a success story

Well...... getting there!

After diagnosis as T2 8 months ago on 3 Metformin per day, Fasting BG of 14, HBA1C of 25, Cholestorol level of 6, high Blood pressure and weighing in at 19 stone I have just been to see the nurse for the results of my latest tests.

My Hba1c is 5.5, my Cholostorol reading is 3.3, my fasting was 5.2 and my blood pressure is well within the normal range. My weight is 14 stone 2 (BMI 27) and I am feeling better than ever.

I have joined a canoe club, running a couple of times of week and enjoying life again - what a change.

I put it all down to the low carbing and the support of you guys on this forum. The nurse has suggested I drop to 1 metformin per day at my main meal and see how i go on for a couple of weeks.

My target is to lose another stone and a half by the end of January to get down to a BMI of 23. Hopefully then if all else goes well I can put my post on the success stories section (LOL)

Just thought I'd share it with you - i am so pleased.

All the best and thanks again

Carl