• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

LOW CARB SUCCESS STORIES

Hi HelenMW , we'll done .
Lower carb worked for me , and being more active .
I hurt my knee and went off the rails abit so did the 800 blood sugar diet . My results have been consistently good since going lower carb . I'm not a saint and go off on a carb fest every now and then but I've learned to just start again . It's as if my body needs it . Anyway good luck . I've attached my results . I was diagnosed 3 years ago . ImageUploadedByDCUK Forum1458834818.713496.jpg
 
Jamrox said:
Hi HelenMW , we'll done .
Lower carb worked for me , and being more active .
I hurt my knee and went off the rails abit so did the 800 blood sugar diet . My results have been consistently good since going lower carb . I'm not a saint and go off on a carb fest every now and then but I've learned to just start again . It's as if my body needs it . Anyway good luck . I've attached my results . I was diagnosed 3 years ago . View attachment 18297
Click to expand...
Thanks Jamrox. Your results look pretty good. My diabetes nurse only ever gives me my BG figure. Would love a printout like yours. Will ask for one next time, but that's not for a year now lol
 
HelenMW said:
Thanks Jamrox. Your results look pretty good. My diabetes nurse only ever gives me my BG figure. Would love a printout like yours. Will ask for one next time, but that's not for a year now lol
Click to expand...
Great reductions in blood sugar level and weight @HelenMW, well done! You could try ringing your GP surgery and asking for a printout, though I must admit I haven't done that myself. But GP surgeries are supposed to make patients' medical records accessible to them online by 1 April. I'm waiting to see if my GP surgery does this, but I doubt that they will.
 
HelenMW said:
Just wanted to say how delighted I am with this LCHF thing! I was diagnosed type 2 on New Years Day with a reading of 20.7. I was on steroids for 3 weeks for another health issue and, during this time I was following standard NHS advice to eat carbs with every meal etc. Ate no processed sugar at all and was gutted when my test at the end of January came back at 12.9. I had been told that the steroids were artificially raising my levels so I was secretly hoping for a dramatic drop in level. I went home and carried on with the same old regime for 2 further weeks then discovered the LCHF diet on here. I started this on 13 Feb and had my blood tested again on 17 March. Went to see my diabetes nurse today for the result and it was 6.7. She said she'd never seen such a dramatic reduction in such a short space of time. She now doesn't want to see me for a year! I've also lost 1 stone and 5 pounds since I started. Thoroughly enjoying the food and the feeling of being well and more energised. Anyone who's struggling please keep going. It's so worth it!
Click to expand...
Hi HelenMW Well done to you, I was diagnosed a couple of days after new year as well with a BG reading of 19.3 I have also lost around the same amount as you. I have to go back for my 3 monthly blood tests in mid April hope I get as good as result as you did. By the way what do you eat in a week if you don't mind me asking.:)
 
HelenMW said:
Thanks Jamrox. Your results look pretty good. My diabetes nurse only ever gives me my BG figure. Would love a printout like yours. Will ask for one next time, but that's not for a year now lol
Click to expand...

I'm sure you could get one now if you asked
 
Prem51 said:
Great reductions in blood sugar level and weight @HelenMW, well done! You could try ringing your GP surgery and asking for a printout, though I must admit I haven't done that myself. But GP surgeries are supposed to make patients' medical records accessible to them online by 1 April. I'm waiting to see if my GP surgery does this, but I doubt that they will.
Click to expand...
Ooh I didn't know that! Would love to see mine
 
amgrundy said:
Hi HelenMW Well done to you, I was diagnosed a couple of days after new year as well with a BG reading of 19.3 I have also lost around the same amount as you. I have to go back for my 3 monthly blood tests in mid April hope I get as good as result as you did. By the way what do you eat in a week if you don't mind me asking.:)
Click to expand...
Hi, I hope you get a good result too. I tend to eat egg and bacon for breakfast, sometimes adding mushrooms and tomatoes etc. If I'm planning to have an omelette or frittata later in the day I leave out the eggs. For lunch I often have a ploughmans with ham or chicken, tomatoes, cucumber and a sliced apple (I can get away with eating about 3/4 of an apple a day). Alternatively I might put a couple of large mushrooms in the oven with cheesue on top, sometimes wrapped in pancetta. For tea my staples are curry - chicken or lamb, passata, loads of veg and add the spices. Also enchilladas using cabbage leaves instead of tortillas. Lasagne using sliced aubergine or layers of leek instead of pasta. I bought a spiralizer and love making my own meatballs served with courgette spaghetti. My main ally is passata - use it most days. When I get a bit bored with the tomato taste I add cheese to it or cream (I always use cream in curry) or even a spoonful of gravy granules. Cauliflower rice is a big favourite and I try to chuck as much veg as I can into every dish. I've only got one pudding at the moment - thinly sliced apples fried in butter - they get really caramel-ly and gooey! I serve these with or without whipped cream. Am planning to make banana ice cream tomorrow for an easter treat. I'd be grateful if you have any ideas to share too x
 
Hi HelenMW, Thank you for the food info, for breakfast I have eggs mainly poached , bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms or an omelette with cheese, if I am making an omelette I mix in cream with the eggs add a pinch of paprika and cinnamon. I may have half a lidl roll or a slice of burgen bread, for lunch I like mackeral fillets in tomato sauce or rivitas / crispbreads/ or multigrain crackers with either cream cheese spread or cheddar cheese or pate. Fruit can tolerate a pear or plum I also eat red watermelon, I have had the odd apple. Dinner is mainly fish / meat / or chicken with veg. I make my own soups. every night I have a desert which I make up about 4 at a time, I really look forward to these. Place some raw oats in the bottom of a dish cover with yogurt [ alpro coconut or almond yogurt or Turkish greek yogurt from lidl.] cover with mixed grounded nuts or linseed and gogi berries from lidl. another layer of yogurt and about 6 raspberries place in fridge overnight so the yogurt soaks into the oats, delicious, will keep for a few days. Hope this has been helpful.:)
 
Hi,

I first joined when i had gestational diabetes. It went away when i gave birth a year ago.

A few months after that i became ill (contraceptive implant my worst nightmare) it caused raised blood sugars!!! I took it out myself as i would rather loose an arm than have diabetes. I have never been able to loose weight i am 85kg and have been stuck here for 12 years (though active). A month after taking out the implant i had an asthma attack was put on steriods and got all the symptoms of diabetes! I took a finger prick test it was 29! (Even though i hadnt eaten all day, very thirsty and needed the loo every 10 seconds)that was january 2016.

I then had the hba1c (which i had been putting off) it was 85. My fasting was 15. This was end of feb but didnt get results until march.

I immediately went on the low carb diet. (Something i looked into and researched to find a cure for diabetes!)

I had my first visit with the gp (useless) and then the nurse who took bloods and checked my feet etc. In 2 months my hba1c is now 48 results received a few days ago.(over lapping my last hba1c though) when i first started it really made me sad as before eating was always double figures. It took a week to get it to 10, now i am regularly between 5 and 7 (9 after exercise) i still havent lost weight!

It was hard at first... the withdrawal symptoms were bad for me, i shook for a week! Mood swings, irregular bleeding (sorry but they thought i was perimenopausal at 30!) Headaches... i was told i would have no energy but i feel the opposite! Before i had no get up and go! I now have energy to play with the kids. I down loaded an app to help me with my carbs and concentrate on the carbs rather than sugars now! I have tea and yogurt with blueberries for breakfast (another thing i discovered that can lower bg) a carrot for lunch (i could eat more but just dont want to) and salad of some description for dinner.
My calorie intake is below 400 a day! I do this because i desperately want to get rid of this.

As a woman it is harder to control bg levels! We have soooo much that effects them, hormones (the inevitable rise in sugars before/during the monthly) stress, even exercise raises my blood sugars. I come on here to read... to feel better, to encourage and to research. The only way to get info is to go out and find it. I publish my blood sugar results on my fb page so my friends can support me and also to encourage myself.

I hope that this torture (i am/was a foody and used food as a pick me up) i am putting myself through may cure me! I hope i can change and inspire others, because if i can do it... any one can, i promise you that i am not a health food nutter. I love cakes and sweets, grattins, pies etc each meal before would have a large amount of carbs. I have had a few "hiccups" and some times i do feel like giving up... that is normal, aslong as you dont give up completely.
 
@busydiabeticmum
Congratulations on the great improvement of your HbA1c. I thought the Newcastle diet was drastic at 800 cals per day and it was hard. I admire you determination and understand it as I got to that point as well. I also understand that this is your choice and it has been getting great results. But please be careful at that calorie level and consider lifting it so you don't run yourself into the ground and can sustain it for longer.
Great results
Cheers
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When diagnosed with diabetes I weighed 16 stone 3 Lbs that was 13 months ago, my current weight is 13 stone 2 Lbs. The reason I am putting these thoughts into words is I just cut my toenails with ease! 13 months ago to cut my toenails was agony I couldn't breath I cut 1 or 2 toenails then I would have to straighten up until I could get my breath it had got so bad I was thinking of paying a chiropodist to cut my nails for me, now I can cut them with ease and no need to stop. I went on a low carb high fat lifestyle and although difficult at first it is now a part of my new life. My blood sugar was 17.5 the last 7 days it has averaged 5.8 so I am delighted, I would not have lost the weight and I haven't finished yet my target is 12 stone none of this would or could have happened until I had the diagnoses. So I am so thankful to my doctor and nurses and to diabetes.co.uk between you all I think you have given me a much better life and hopefully a longer one.
 
Since being diagnosed T2 in 2011, I have blundered my way since with the inevitable weight increase (caused by Gliclazide???) My GP cut the gliclazide in half and subbed Sitagliptin to try to stabilise my unacceptable weight. It did not reverse the weight gain but did stabilise it. Based on those circs , I decided to join the 10 week programme and readily cut my Calorie intake to 120 per day, then fell into chat mode with a kind site user, who advised I try dropping this to 30 carbs a day. I have done this for the last 13 days, using MFP to count my food intake and have so far successfully lost 4Kg in that time. I do not know if this is a winning formula or not, (only time will tell) but as a "blunderer", it never occurred to me that my constantly high BG readings night and day could be modified by just reducing the carbs (I was always good at keeping my calorie count stable) So what I want others to know is my BG's are now back in the 6.3 range where they were between 13 and 14 normally with a fasting BG of 11 and I am watching my weight decrease on the scales as I do it. I do not say this is going to work for everybody, but it does appear to work for me (at the moment), :) :) :)
 
Viv0147 said:
When diagnosed with diabetes I weighed 16 stone 3 Lbs that was 13 months ago, my current weight is 13 stone 2 Lbs. The reason I am putting these thoughts into words is I just cut my toenails with ease! 13 months ago to cut my toenails was agony I couldn't breath I cut 1 or 2 toenails then I would have to straighten up until I could get my breath it had got so bad I was thinking of paying a chiropodist to cut my nails for me, now I can cut them with ease and no need to stop. I went on a low carb high fat lifestyle and although difficult at first it is now a part of my new life. My blood sugar was 17.5 the last 7 days it has averaged 5.8 so I am delighted, I would not have lost the weight and I haven't finished yet my target is 12 stone none of this would or could have happened until I had the diagnoses. So I am so thankful to my doctor and nurses and to diabetes.co.uk between you all I think you have given me a much better life and hopefully a longer one.
Click to expand...

So pleased you are progressing well, but just wanted to let you know your county runs a foot-care clinic for diabetic sufferers at which you should be seen by a foot care practitioner approximately every 16 weeks. The reason I know this is because I live alone and have an artifical hip, so cannot reach my feet and so attend the clinic. Check in your local directory for Community NHS podiatary Services and make an appointment with them if you have difficulty maintaining your feet.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you for the information but I am pleased to say I no longer have the problem but nice to know.
 
Not posted for many months - the forum became a huge distraction and was taking far too much of my time. I haven't updated my signature but basically a year on and my HBA1c is 37 and my blood lipids are almost identical to my last test; quite normal. I feel fitter and more alert than I have for a long time. The one thing that needs more work on is my weight, which I got down to BMI of around 23 and it's now 25. I do a lot of walking and now have a cycling turbo trainer for the bike and this extra activity may be responsible for my weight gain as I am over-compensating with replacement calories. Anyway, nearly two years on a very low carb diet and I am very happy.
 
Had my Type 2 reviewed and went for the results on Tuesday. Eight months ago the Nurse threatened me with insulin tablets if my glucose levels kept going up. No 'Well done' for weight loss, etc. Anyway, the Low Carb diet beckoned and I have been on it ever since, with 2 days fasting thrown in for good measure. It has worked, and I am feeling very pleased with myself. That Hb thingy has dropped to 41, and the weight is now 79.2k. Going to keep on the diet plus the fasting, They don't check anything but weight and glucose levels in a review. :)
 
Off medication blood Hb1ac normal again after 3 years (48) being a type 2 thanks to the LCHF diet and loosing 10 kg since Feb 2016. Thanks to Vivs thread and www.dietdoctor.com and my GP who recommended the LCHF diet and some interesting reading on the real cause of obesity and diabetes type 2 - insulin resistance and all those years of carb poisoning. :)
 
Just a small victory - but i have now lost 6 lbs in two months. First time my weight has gone down, with no hunger : )))))
 
Bubsy Malone said:
Re: Success stories

I thought I'd let everyone know about my success. I'm not actually diabetic but my mum has and my gran had type 2. Mum's only been diagnosed 4 years but is practically blind already due to cataracts, but she's waiting for an appointment with the opthalmologist to arrange an operation on them. Last year my vision started going blurry so I went to the optician who said that my eyes were fine. But then in June this year I did one of those one-off fingerprick tests and both times it came in at over 8 (fasting) So I told the doctor and was advised to lose a bit of weight. (my BMI was 30 then) I started seeing the practice nurse every fortnight and she has been monitoring my weight and blood pressure each time I go. My highest blood pressure was 148/92 and my trigs were high. I started having a look round on the internet and a google search came up with this site. I logged on and when I started to read all the posts by Fergus, etc. it struck a chord with me. I started reducing my carbs and I am now down to a comfortable (for me) level of 100 a day. Believe me, I felt the difference! Since then, I have been walking for at least 30 mins a day and using my exercise bike for 10 -20 minutes a day as well. I got a meter last week and was delighted to find that my first reading (2hr pp) was 4.6!!! I've since done 2 fasting tests (pre breki) and they were 5.2 and 5.4!! I have lost 1st 3 and I have gone from a size 16 to a size 12 in jeans, and I have lost 7% of my body fat. I would like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone on this site, who have been my friends through thick and thin, especially when my dad died suddenly from a blood clot on his brain in September. I consider it a great privilege to be able to use this site every day, and I always take a printout to my mum when I visit her. Again thank you everyone, lots of love

Bubsy
Click to expand...
What an inspirational post... thank you.
 
Back
Top