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LOW CARBING TRIALS.. FAILING.. RED BULL EMERGENCY..

Q007

Well-Known Member
Messages
466
Location
Wales. UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
People who tell lies.
My GP (Dr Doom).
Well hello, I haven't been on here for some while. Wanted to share a story of events and see if I can get me some advice and help. My weight has been going up even though I only ate once a day, if at all some days. But when I did eat it was chips done in the Tefal spaceship thing so high in carbs. I stopped taking Furosemide back in December as I wasn't sure of the benefits and the weight gain started around the same time but I can't see where the link may be with stopping a diuretic? So, I decided to go Atkins style diet and dropped suddenly from what must have been 50-90g of carbs to around 20-25 and have held it there for a month. I also started a new job, I'm on a long induction with 14 hr days and my mind is at saturation point with new information, I'm driving around 330 miles a day, up at 4am getting home at 8-9pm some days. The massive drop in carbs was a week before I started the new contract and I felt very tired? This all said, this past few days I've been so tired, cognitive thinking is poor I can't think straight and mid week I felt as if mind and body was starting to shut down and I had to do something quickly to stop me keeling over, all this work with low carbing and all that's happened in the last month is 14st 8lbs from 15st 3lbs.


I decided to buy a large Red Bull and a bar of chocolate thinking the high hit of sugar would fix the symptoms and get me through this week, I saw a slight improvement in ability to focus and concentrate but that wore off after a few hours, so I had another hit of the same today.

Any ideas on what's gone wrong? Do T2's carry fluid around the abdominal apron areas? Was it a bad idea to ditch the diuretic? Why is weight loss nominal when some days I have just under 20g of carbs? Why am I so exhausted to the point of shutting down? Is taking a Red Bull a good idea when I hit crisis point?? What does that do to me as a T2.

Sorry it's a long winded post but I thought all these points maybe linked. Hope my message finds you all well, kind wishes, Q..
 
Q, Sorry to hear that you are feeling a bit deflated, it sound's like you need to slow down a bit, no wonder you are feeling so tired etc.

I had the same problem with the weight gain and could not pin point it to anything other then fluid/water retention i.e. fruit has high water content etc. as I was eating a very low carb and healthy diet.

One meal a day is certainly not very healthy for anyone let alone diabetics as for the red bull I wouldn't know and chocolate is fine in small doses and moderation although it is better if you can go without.

I think maybe a change of lifestyle if thats possible and a game plan and something to aim for.

Wishing you well, keep us updated.
 
My understanding is that some people can take longer than others to adapt to ketosis, so maybe that's the reason for the fatigue. An electrolyte balance is also possible given the diuretic effect of ketosis. I doubt that Red Bull is the solution - you'd probably be better off with an electrolyte drink (I don't know brands in the UK, but they're available in pharmacies in Australia). I also don't think huge lifestyle changes are likely to be effective when you're under stress. If it was me, I'd up the carbs back to the level where you were feeling OK, then go on a very gradual reduction program so that your body can adjust slowly to the change. Stress can derail most things pretty easily and it certainly sounds like you are stressed.
 
Sounds to me as though the drop in carbs was too steep too soon... your brain needs the carbs to concentrate until it gets used to running on low carbs.

Also, eating only one meal a day some days is not a good idea for the bodies requirements. Best to eat little and often, especially throughout your period of adjustment and especially with such a demanding job.

I personally think the Red Bull will be a complete culture shock to your system . If you need a sugar fix try something a little less processed and chemical ridden.
if you thinkk you need a sugar fix are you testing first to get a reading ...

All the best
 
Hey Q

Glad your still about, stop doing what your doing and do the exact opposite, where did you read behaving like this is a good idea? i know you know what your doing is nuts, was it a eureka moment, i have a horendous new job starting next week, i know, ill take a massive drop in carbs and only eat one meal a day because thats the best advice ive read on controlling my weight and diabetes, then when i feel **** ill eat chocolate and drink redbull? lol or is this a reverse psycology experiment to help newbies? give yourself a hard slap


all the best matey
 
I did Atkins induction, all went well for a while, then about a month ago fell off the wagon (hence why I'm not commenting much at the moment.... I think I need a good slap and a massive talking too lol). Don't go down the redbull and chocolate path. It's not worth it, and it's an absolute ***** to come back from. There will always be some excuse to give for eating rubbish, such as the momentary buzz you get, or my favourite "I'm stressed", or what I call my Scarlett O'Hara approach of "I'll think about it tomorrow".

Pull yourself back from it now, otherwise in a few weeks you'll be where I am, and that place is one of absolute regret and annoyance.
 
Q007 said:
<snip>all this work with low carbing and all that's happened in the last month is 14st 8lbs from 15st 3lbs.
Click to expand...

So you lost 9lbs in a month and you think your diet is not working?
Keep going like that and you will be under 13 stone within 3 months which will be an amazing achievement.
What is your target weight?

First, though, eat a decent (i.e. big) low carb high protein breakfast and make sure that you eat low carb snacks regularly through the working day.
Starving yourself until you are ill and then hitting raw sugar is not the way to manage diabetes! (but you already know that).
Stressing your body will only make your condition worse so ease up on the frantic work rush a bit.

Dig in for the long term and realise that your first aim is good BG control via a sensible diet, and your second aim after achieving control is to take weight off in a controlled fashion so that it stays off.

You aren't in a "quick fix" situation, you are into long term rational planning.

Hope this helps.

Best of luck.

LGC
 
Thanks for that. What I just don't understand is I used eat carbs at every meal, sugar in tea, a cake or biscuit with every cup, chips or potatoes every meal and it's all gone now and I've stopped weight loss at 14st 8lbs. I want to get to 13st 9.lbs so a stone to go. I know other people that have gone low CARBING / Atkins style and lose 5-6lbs per week. The only thing I find tough is eating 3 meals a day, 2 at best really. I've even tried not eating for 4 days and I lost 2lbs. What's next, anyone got ideas, none of my summer clothes fit and I don't feel good carrying weight I've always been skinny.

Does anyone know about diuretics? Could I be holding fluid as a T2? I've read they can drain off body salts such as potassium and sodium which buggers up your mood. I was taking Furosemide and stopped in December last. Since then, the weight gained on me. Kind regards, Q.
 
More likely your body is thinking 'whats going on here' -i've had lots of carbs and now very few... And then you say redbull etc...

Although it is nice to lose lbs initially, the vast majority of people will hit a stumbling block if they suddenly have their body fighting back for a week or two. Like you they then have a hit of something they haven't had and then the carb cravings come back. Then you are back on the vicious rollercoaster of weight on.. Weight off etc.

To be honest and horribly open about this..it is possible that through this change in eating pattern that your stomach is not evacuating so effectively as it did with lots of carbs. I hope you are not experiencing any amount of constipation... As myself, when my stomach slowed down then my weight increased.

I wouldnt blame water retention, it is not a diet that you are on but a change in life style and thinking of diabetic living as a diet makes failure more likely... It also sounds that you are sat in your car a lot at the moment and this wont be helping with tiredness either...

I think you have a lot going on and to be honest looking at water retention etc may not be allowing your body time to adjust to new lifestyle.

I personally wouldnt be rushing in to hitting a target weight and worrying about flyid retention etc


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi Q, I think your body could be overwhelmed and confused by such a drastic change. Metabolism slows down when food is drastically reduced and goes into starvation mode, so when you do eat it stores it immediately in case of future drought. Perhaps lower carbs more gradually until you find a place that suits you and add in some exercise such as walking, cycling or anything you enjoy. Personally I think it is more important how healthy we feel that what the scales say. Might be worth mentioning the furosemide to your doctor, he/she must have thought it was beneficial at the time. Hope your new job goes well and that things settle down soon.
 
eat regularly; starving yourself will cause the body to think it needs to store energy when you do eat hence the weight gain.
 
Thanks all for the kind advice, it's all welcomed. I'll never get away from 3-4am starts and 8pm getting home, I do finish early some days, I do get to go overseas though and finish early when i want to - just and still don't get why I ain't dropping a few dress sizes (joke) by now as I haven't had a potato for 5 weeks, no bread, no pasta, I don't drink alcohol and don't smoke (haven't got a lot going for me have I), no sugar in tea, gone on to de-caf tea now. I did have a McDonalds coke and a sugar donut yesterday, I got home an hour before the car did, I was off my ****. It was soooo good. Still think the diuretic had something to do with weight gain but I'm away for a while and cant get to see the doctor. So, if anyone knows if T2's are prone to fluid retain around abdomen and whether a diuretic could harm electrolyte levels please do talk to me.

Oh, and just to top it all off, my wife left me on the weekend, gone off with my best mate of 15 years. I miss him so much already. Oh well, off to the cinema tomorrow " just the one ticket please" . Kind regards all, Q.
 
you won't lose any weight drinking coke and eating doughnuts... do you think this is where you're going wrong?
 
When I advised you to up your carbs, I wasn't thinking in terms of processed **** - more like pumpkin, sweet potato, lentils, rice maybe, depending on how they affect your BG. As for caffeine and other stimulants, every high comes with a crash and then it becomes a vicious cycle. It's unsustainable long term.
 
You mention your up at 4am and don't get home until 8-9pm on some nights. On average, how much sleep do you get each night?

If you're getting inadequate sleep, then it is almost impossible to fix the situation. Combine that with sitting in a car for several hours, the stress of a new job, and then not fueling your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to function, then your body is going to be a metabolic wreck. Fluid retention could be caused by all those factors. Have you been able to test your blood sugar during this period? Is your current work situation temporary or are you going to be doing those hours on a regular basis?
 
Hi Q, although I am not diabetic (my husband is), I still flag like you. At work I make sure I drink plenty (my fave at the mo is summer fruits and soda!) As when you dont drink enough you feel drained and lack concentration, same as getting 8hrs sleep a night, which is easier said than done, I know. Why not look in to keeping a couple of the 2 pack of biscuits with you as a but of a boost when needed?

Jo xx
 
Thanks all once again, the fatigue has been a bit easier this week as the long journeys have been a bit shorter and I got to work from home for a few days too. But I'm still wavering on the lack of weight loss, I've lost 1lb this week and I've stuck to 95% protein and fats hardly any carbs I JUST don't get it. Any ideas gratefully received as I'm nearing the point where I quit the low carbing, kind regards, Q
 
Your job does not appear to me to have any exercise. Especially sat driving.

At the end of tbe day, what goes in your gon must all come out, otherwise it sticks like s**t to your hips. ( sorry to be basic and crude).


Dont forget 1 day of excess can cohnteract a week of good.... And a lb is a lb..... Its still a loss!! I would personslly say wel done.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
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