LOW CARB SUCCESS STORIES

Re: Success stories

Here's my success story:

T2 Diagnosis 15th April 2010
HbA1c: 13.8 :shock:
Cholesterol: 6.8 :shock:
HDL: 0.9
LDL: ?
Weight: 100Kg

After 6 months low carb plus excercise (and a stay in hospital to have a stent fitted after some horrific chest pain), I got blood results last week and they are:

HbA1c: 5.4
Cholesterol: 3.7
HDL: 1.2
LDL: 1.26
Weight: 81Kg

I am on statins and aspirin for blood and cholesterol control, the only thing not fully in the green yet is my triglycerides, which have come down from 4.6 to 2.7....but I'm pretty hopeful that they should be in the green zone by my next test.

What's especially good though is that I feel far better these days than I have done in years

Success stories

Just got to record my own success story here. I am so grateful for the help of this forum - it's only through here I have learned so much and made the changes necessary. First GP I saw (who apparently specialises in diabetes) just said to go away, no need to test, no dietary advice ... nothing. I had my first lot of blood tests done on 11th October 2010:

HbA1c 6.6
total cholesterol 3.88
HDL cholesterol 1.06
LDL cholesterol 1.8
triglycerides 2.34

These were repeated on 17th November for the diabetic clinic. These are the results I was absolutely delighted with:

HbA1c 6.4
total cholesterol 3.22
HDL cholesterol 1.11
LDL cholesterol 1.3
triglycerides 1.69

In just over 5 weeks my own GP - who does specialise in diabetes - is absolutely delighted. I told her the information I had found here and the low carb diet and she agreed it was the best way for me. I had been low fat/low sugar for 8 years and getting nowhere. She also gave me a meter to test. So thanks for all the help and information on this forum, I feel in control of my diabetes and as an added bonus from 24th October until now I have lost 1st 5 lbs.

Hi everyone,
Well, I started low carbing in August 2010 with my weight at 17st 12lbs and blood sugar totally out of control (early morning reading on 1st day of diet: 17.9). I had my clinic appointment only 2 weeks into my new regime and my HbA1c was 9.7; blood was taken for lipids etc.
Today I had my next clinic appointment:
Lipid blood results (from August sample):
Cholesterol: 3.4
HDL: 0.9
LDL: 1.7
Trig: 1.9

B/P: 120/82

Weight: 16st 2lbs

HbA1c: 5.5

Had more blood taken for lipids and will go back to clinic in early April for those results but I am ecstatic!! This is just amazing. Nurse thinks that I might be able to reduce some of my medication soon (currently on Glipremide 4mgs and pioglitazone 45mgs daily as well as statins and 2 lots of stuff to lower B/P). Weight loss is slower than I would like and I can't seem to stay in ketosis (I have urine test strips) unless my daily carbs are under 20gms - which is really not healthy - so my usual daily carb intake is 30 - 40gms but that is OK. I'm so pleased to finally have the diabetes under some level of control, have my weight going steadily downhill and to do this with no food cravings at all. This diet has turned my life around. Thanks to everyone who posts info here. Keep it going.

I was diagnosed in November 2009 aged 61 . I set about reading and researching, finally finding lots of answers on this forum . My HCP had agreed to let me try diet and exercise for 3 months, but I could tell that she had many doubts at my ability to take control , she hadnt bargained for me
I was very overweight, never ate much sugary food but loved my starchy carbs , time for a rethink .
To cut a long story short , right now I weigh 8 stones 12 lb which for my age and at 5 ft 3 inches , is about spot on , I am also in size 12 jeans, verging on size 10 and have lost 5 stones in the 15 months of low carbing . My blood sugar is fine , usually under 6 two hours after eating and my previously troublesome BP is now 132/70 , cholesterol is around 4.5 .
I now only have to see nursie every 6 months and feel better and healthier than I have done in many years . I walk most days with my dogs, often 3 or 4 miles and miss it if I dont . I am a carer for my disabled husband and simply cannot afford to be unwell so in a strange way , I have diabetes to thank for putting me on the straight and narrow . I am aware that this regime is for life , I might have made diabetes go away, but its there lurking, waiting for me to fall off the wagon . Thanks to all who have helped .

Hope I'm writing this in the right place! I was diagnosed in november 2010 as a T2, 60 years old, and placed on "diet and exercise" to control it. The dietician told me to eat lots of starchy foods, and told me for example that I didn't eat enough potatos. I increased my intake, but took BS readings after sample meals.2 hours after one starchy meal with boiled potatos etc, my readings were 13.1. I often had readings over 11. I started to change the meals that gave me high readings without knowing what a low carb diet was; I ignored the dietician and went back to less spuds. I started to realise that reducing carbs reduced my readings. I had fish without batter and pasta fusili, which I read had a low GI, rather than spaghetti. I changed my bread to burgen linseed and soya which reduced my post-lunch readings. Pizzas and wraps went. Pork pies were replaced in salads with cold meat or fish.
My post meal BS readings now rarely go over 8, and average less than 7. I've lost over a stone (although I've not been trying to; my BMI was only 25 anyway, but now it's 23) and my blood pressure is down. Fasting glucose levels are down from just over 7 to just over 6. So lowish carbs seem to suit me.
Two things I tried recently - probably old hat to you experienced ones.
I bought some low-carb tortilla wraps from the low carb megastore. I feared the worse, but they tasted just like the normal white flour wraps. Had them with crispy duck - yum! Had three wraps which would have been a disaster normally, but BS 2 hours later were just 6.8
Also got some "carbalose flour". I make my own pizzas with a bread machine, but using normal flour had BS of 11.1. Tried a rye flour, had BS of 9.7 so a bit better, but the pizza was like a dog biuscuit! Inedible! Used the carbalose, not as nice as normal flour but O.K and much better than the dog biscuit, and had BS of 6.4! So it does work! Looks a bit funny in terms of consistency, and need a bit more water than usual plus a bit more cooking at a lower temp, but if you like your flour type foods then might be worth a try. Bit expensive though!
Malcolm

4 years ago, for a birthday celebration, we went to Warwick Castle. I was then on the NHS/Diabetes UK diet. I could not then consider the walk round the battlements involving over 500 stairs. I sat on the seat & looked after 2 baby girls in their push chairs.

Yesterday, after 3 years of low carb, I had no problem, though I did slow down when climbing the stairs to the keep. We went on to tour inside the buildings. After 4 hours my BG was 5.2 (94.)

My wife & one of the Mums looked after 2 baby boys while we toured the walls.

I admit I was tired afterwards, & slept in the car while my son was driving home.

(One of the birthdays celebrated was my 72nd next month.)

Hi i'm not at my goal weight yet but i thought i'd add this as a sort of well on the way story!

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2006. The consultant ran some blood tests and found that i had T2 diabetes. I was put on metformin and told to eat a healthy diet. I put on about 3 stone because i was constantly tired, especially after eating. I was craving food constantly and just felt starving!

I have been on a low carb diet since September. I fell pregnant pretty much straight away but i lost 17lb i stuck to low carb for most of my pregnancy but at 9 weeks i felt i needed something else and i had the odd jacket potato and piece of wholemeal toast. I miscarried in January at 14 1/2 weeks it was horrendous but i got straight back to low carb the day after i delivered my son.

I have now lost 3stone 2lb i have a way to go yet but i'm feeling better, i'm not tired all the time, my blood sugar tends to be around 5, 6 at the most. I had a blood test just before i miscarried is it a HB something and it was 6.9. They did another one yesterday and i'm hoping that it will be lower.

I really want another baby and that has been my motivation to keep going. I've started walking daily and i do water aerobics twice a week and swimming once a week. I felt too fat and tired before to do these things

I would love to be pregnant by 18th July as that was my due date but the longer i'm not pregnant the more weight i can lose so it's a win win situation!

Bec

Hi everybody

Me and my T1 boyfriend have been on a low carb diet since November to try and get his Blood sugar under control as he has been T1 for almost 20 years and his 6 month blood tests have been all over the place really. At his last appointment his hbc1 was 9.2, 6 months later and he has just got his latest results 6.6 woo hoooooo!

We were so chuffed as it's never been that low before! So low carbing definately works in my boyfriends case.

Sarah x

Re: Success stories

cugila said:

Hi Folks.
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.

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Just a reminder to all that this thread is just for the 'Success Stories'.

 Please feel free to PM the appropriate member if you want to discuss or congratulate them on their success.

My success story is perhaps a little different to most because I have now reached the dizzy height of a weight of almost 7 stone I was diagnosed 2 years ago with a BG of 26.9 my first Hba1c was over 15 and I weighed around 6 stone .My latest Hba1c was 6.9 cholesterol 4.9 and this is all down to the advice on this forum so the real success story is this forum .THANKS.
CAROL

More success here.
Three years down the low-carb way of living and my latest results are in. I only get them done once a year now as they are always spot on. I take one metformin tablet at night.

HbA1c 5.1 Up from last year when it was 5.0 (he he!)
Lipid ratio 2.7
trigs 0.7

I eat only vegetables, proteins and fats. No Burgen bread, one potato or a small portion of pasta, rice or anything else, but with the occasional low-carb pud and some fruit and nuts thrown in. I still miss those blasted carbs but that's because I'm addicted to them and any addict will tell you the craving never goes away.
I'm never hungry and I'm 6 stones lighter with another 1.5 to go. I have to remember that a stone of that is the loose, baggy skin that wont go anywhere without costly and vain surgery.

When it comes to choice, I choose my eyesight, feet, healthy heart and reduced stroke risk over a boiled potato or a spoonful of rice anytime.

wiflib

wiflib said:

When it comes to choice, I choose my eyesight, feet, healthy heart and reduced stroke risk over a boiled potato or a spoonful of rice anytime.

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+1

Me too. Since being diagnosed 3 months ago, I've manage to reduce my Hb1ac from 10.2% to 5.2%.

Like wifilib, I have an almost zero tolerance approach to carbs, I aim for <30g a day, mainly by eating low or zero carb food for breakfast and lunch, so that I can eat as many vegetables as I like with my evening meal (and I never eat pasta, bread or rice).

I haven't missed the carbs at all. I feel 100 times better, and 20lbs lighter.

Hiya Fergus, (and others!)

Im a type 1 diagnosed about a year and a half ago...initial control was quite good but once exited the honeymoon stage have struggled...last hba1c was 10 (up from 6.7) and when I'm really trying to be 'on it' I hypo all the time! My energy levels are terrible, have constant dry mouth and feel dizzy quite a bit. Feel really uplifted reading about your successes with low carb and want to give it a go!! I would also like to loose a bit of weight (around 10pounds or so) for my wedding in november...is it advisable to go for the foundation ketone producing stage for two weeks?? Also how do you figure out how much insulin to give with protein? Or do you just use long acting injection? I'm currently on lantus.xxx Steph x

Hi.
Have been doing a low carb diet, mostly meat and veg, porridge in morning.
No bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, cakes or soft cheeses, basically doing without all of my fav things.
I take Tablets to control my diabetes however due to my very low blood sugar levels I am now being told to reduce my tablets, have gone from 4 metformin and 4 Glidlazide to half the amount and looking to reduce more, is it possible to be tablet free and just control with diet???
Good part about this diet is I have lost a stone still more to go.

Bardon said:

is it possible to be tablet free and just control with diet???.

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It certainly is possible and, for some of us, achievable. My success story is on this thread and to date I am still totally medication free since around April 2009 by following a VLC diet. Porridge doesn't help my BGLs, only shoots them up but soft cheeses (not cottage cheese) like camembert, are OK.

I am 61, have Type 2, and at the time of review in July 11 was approx 19st 8lbs. My HBA1c has been rising over the years and was 9.1 at the review. My medication is 4xmetformin plus both glimepiride and sitagliptin. My GP increased another 2mg to the sitagliptin, but said that was probably the end of the road for oral medication.

Not being the sort of person who would take kindly to sticking needles in myself, I decided that it really was time get myself together. I started researching low carb diets and in mid-July started on the Dukan diet. I found it pretty hard, but in just three weeks, I lost nearly 20lb and my fasting blood glucose fell to 5.4 mmol/l.

I went on holiday in Scotland for the last 3 weeks of August and the Dukan diet fell by the wayside a bit, even though I tried to keep the calories down. I was about 18st 5lb when I got back from hol. I continued the research and started to read one of the Atkins books.

I restarted on a low carb diet on 7 Sept 11. I had to reduce my medication a couple of days back when my BG fell to 3.4 mmol/l just before bedtime and I felt a bit jittery (I believe you call that a hypo). The bottom line is that I have ditched the glimepiride and sitagliptin. For the last couple of days, I have just been on 4xmetformins and my BG is now 5.4 fasting. I also test during the day, about 90mins after meals and it is generally 4.6-5.4 mmol/l.

I think there might be scope yet for reducing or eliminating the metformins too. I am really rather hoping that I can eventually eliminate the metformin, keep the fasting BG at 5-5.4 mmol/l by diet alone, weigh under 17st and have an HBA1c of under 6 when I go back for another blood test in about a months time.

I've bought a rowing machine too (which hasn't yet arrived). I'm sure exercise will help, but cannot get on with walking or jogging.

Andrew

The Low carb diet is working for me, its tough leaving behind all those so called staple foods, I think of the bakers shop as the door to the undertakers, come to think of it the same door is available at the italian, chinese and indian restaurants. I learned to treat all carbs as sugar, i measure all food, without cutting out carbs altogether, I use an excel spreadsheet to calculate insulin doses which produces a weekly analysis of BG levels, weight, calorie intake, insulin doses.
Willing to share exel spreadsheet, PM me.

Hi Fergus and all other posters on this subject
I was diagnosed with type 2 (probably 2007)- diet controlled at first and am now on metformin. Numbers have not been so important for me until I found this site. I was always told I was ok. After heart health rpoblems etc I decided to take control of my diabetes because I didn't want any extra health complications. I asked for a meter etc but was refused so I bought my own. I joined WW and put on one and a half stones! Persevered and found out that one of my heart tablets had affected my thyroid so I now had extra weight to lose.I tested and my morning readings are higher than some of yours 7-9. Sometimes later in the day readings have been 10.5 but I can equate these with eating chocolate or going out for a meal etc.I have now become besotted with low(er) carb eating. I have just treated myself to Dana Carpenders 1001 recipes. It's like learning a different language and finding some of the things to use has been really difficult BUT my readings have dropped after about 3 weeks of consistently trying. My before dinner tonight was 5.5 (for the first time) and my +2hours was only 6.8 and this was after scoffing half the recipe for stuffed peppers instead of one sixth........I feel tons better. I'm sleeping better etc The only issue I may have and I'm watching it like a hawk is that I take warfarin and I'm not sure how all the changes will affect my INR. Extra seeds and nuts etc. Soya milk whizzed up into interesting shakes etc etc

My recommendations are find what works best for you. I have never had an education course or seen a dietician so this site is fantastic. I have thrown out the carbs. Literally. Re-organised my kitchen cupboards and changed my shopping habits.

When I see the DN next month I shall ask her what my relevant numbers were last year and what they are now so I can start comparing properly.

As an aside do not try Slimming World's low carb crispbreads they are DISGUSTING !

I have learnt how to cope with the sad death of ketatoes and not being able to cook all the recipes in Dana's book until I found the recipre for a clone ketatoes...........see what I mean. I am learning a different language. Sad being that I am I'm really enjoying discovering how to low carb any meals. My family have stopped asking what I'm doing in the kitchen. I think they hope it's just a phase!

Hi Guys
Forgive my intrusion, but i'm so motivated and eager to learn more about how the Dukan Diet can help people with Diabetes.
I am T1 and have been for some 32 years, I am now at the point where my high HBA1C is driving me and my medical team MAD :evil: I desperately want to loose all of my post baby weight and I am very concerned that my doctor's have said that loosing weight on insulin is very hard as that hinders weigh loss...(not much support there then...)
If anyone who is Type1 and has tried the Dukan diet, did it actually work and was reducing your insulin dosage a hard process??

Please, please let me know

I am not using any particular diet, just reducing carbohydrates, it seems that the fewer carbs you consume the lower your insulin doses will be, i also count calories and try to stay below the recomendations for six out of seven days of the week. I eat huge numbers of eggs; fried, boiled, scrambled, poached, omelettes etc etc any amount of chicken or fish.
When i was first diagnosed type two i just cut down on sugar, looked at the nutritional breakdown of food and just looked at the sugar content, BIG MISTAKE, I firmly believe my diabetes is entirely down to the amounts of carbohydrates I have consumed, often in an effort to avoid fats. My diet now is only about carb avoidance no longer concerned about fat, have gone back to butter on my single slice of bread each week, or my solitary jacket potatoe.
Weigh all your food and understand the nutritional information on food packaging, your insulin doses can be tailored to each and every meal in relation to the carbohydrate level you consume.
Within a short space of time you begin to learn the levels of carbs present in foods, fruit and veg carb levels are quite interesting, leaves you making some interesting choices when you know all of the carbohydrate values. Learning about the GI can also be useful to help you understand your Blood sugar level readings when sometimes they can confuse you.