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Me again sorry!

fumanchu

Well-Known Member
Messages
393
Location
Scotland
Type of diabetes
Family member
Treatment type
Diet only
Husband type 2, aged 77, been diagnosed since 2008, never been on meds, always diet controlled. Let things slide this year but now back on track and getting his numbers down. Both of us doing Bernstein (cos its easier than cooking separate meals), - started on it around the middle of August and he's sticking to it very well.
A couple of problems appearing now though - extreme tiredness and puffy ankles. Any connection to the diet or is this something else? He does have heart & kidney probs but not been just this tired before and never had swollen ankles. Also is it possible that this diet is doing him harm rather than helping? It's impossible to get any medical person to talk sense about LC diets, they just keep shoving metformin at him.
I should add here that he doesn't eat tons of cream and butter - I use olive oil so it might be a more Med-diet really, rather than pure Bernstein.
 
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I agree. You should seek a medical view.

Meanwhile, gentle exercise such as walking and sittiing with legs raised whenever possible during the day, should help to alleviate the swelling.
 
Hi, I’m not medical but I’ve been through heart bypass etc. swollen ankles can 100% be related to heart, also most other organs, a blood test can either find which one or rule them out, see your GP or his.

This is pure opinion, absolutely no it’s not because of low carbing, I have watched a thousand videos and read a million posts online and have seen nothing that would suggest LC can do that. No medical training whatsoever!
 
@fumanchu - I'm strongly in the speak to the GP camp, although I am also in the camp that you should report the issue, not try to give the GP the answer. In my experience, GPs can go down the easy route, without a full investigation.

Puffy ankles can be a sign of dehydration when our body tries to hang onto the fluid it has. Going low carb, or reducing carbs a fair bit can lead to a bit of dehydration.

In your husband's shoes, provided I had not been told to limit fluid intake, I might be trying to up my fluid intake a bit.

Do have the dear chap checked out though. Better safe.......
 
Absolutely understand what you're saying re GPs and medical people jumping on easy-to-dismiss issues. We've had this a fair bit since we moved here and this is what's putting husband off going near them. But I don't like being in charge of his diet with his health probs. Will give them a phone tomorrow, try and get past the reception dragon!
 
Thanks very much for this, very helpful ty!
 
I had badly swollen lower legs and ankles - this was severe water retention, to the point where fluid was leaking through my skin. Started long before I was on low carb (20g/day) and since a) getting BGs back to normal and b) losing 30 kg has (almost) completely gone. I'll still get a small bit of swelling every so often with no apparent cause., but it never lasts, and Bumetanide helps get rid of excess water.
 
Wow - well done!
 
Would sooner think heart/kidneys than diabetes or the diet, honestly... Get him to the GP, for a full MOT.
 
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