Mental and physical paradox

[Dave Russell]

Some days I've been mentally alert but feel physically unfit, then other days I've felt fatigued but physically I'm fit. It's not the first time I've known this, but it feels unusual somehow, or maybe I'm conscious of it since my diagnosis.

For example, last week I was struggling physically at the gym and on my run, which turned into a walk/jog between lamp posts. Yet, this week and the last two days especially, I've felt fatigued and had a lie in (very unusual for me. Yes, I've tested for COVID and it's negative). At the gym on Saturday I felt excellent and I've just been for a run today, despite the mental effort of getting ready and getting out of the door, I managed a Personal Best and it felt good once I was going

I want to know if this is just another symptom of diabetes. So many questions: Is my body still adjusting to a new low-carb diet? Could it be my liver releasing glucose (when it feels like it)? It has been suggested I need more carbs, but why are my blood sugars in range?... What's goin' on?

 

[Bigbassett_]

I'd say getting used to low carbs tbh. When I've done it in the past (out of control at the moment) I had serious fatigue and brain fog at times and plenty of energy at others. It is a weird one. However perseverance was the key for me and careful monitoring of your sugars. Running lowered my sugars well but for some reason cycling increases them? Shame as I prefer to cycle.

Keep going, keep testing, and well done you for making the changes, it is not an easy process.

 

[Erin]

Some days I've been mentally alert but feel physically unfit, then other days I've felt fatigued but physically I'm fit. It's not the first time I've known this, but it feels unusual somehow, or maybe I'm conscious of it since my diagnosis.

For example, last week I was struggling physically at the gym and on my run, which turned into a walk/jog between lamp posts. Yet, this week and the last two days especially, I've felt fatigued and had a lie in (very unusual for me. Yes, I've tested for COVID and it's negative). At the gym on Saturday I felt excellent and I've just been for a run today, despite the mental effort of getting ready and getting out of the door, I managed a Personal Best and it felt good once I was going

I want to know if this is just another symptom of diabetes. So many questions: Is my body still adjusting to a new low-carb diet? Could it be my liver releasing glucose (when it feels like it)? It has been suggested I need more carbs, but why are my blood sugars in range?... What's goin' on?

I do sometimes wonder if the meter numbers listed in so many low carb, low blood sugar guides, are not appropriate for ALL diabetics, and if not personal feedback of stability may show a variability person to person, i.e. hypoglycemia may happen at higher numbers with underestimated hypo symptoms.

 

[RosemaryJackson]

Reading your post Dave Russell, it's saying just how it is with me. Some days I'm so tired mentally and other days so tired and achy physically. I know my age doesn't help (83) but it's been far more noticeable since I started low carb

 

[Oldvatr]

A Low carb diet can mess up your electrolytes. LC dieters are advised to increase salt intake especially in the early days of the diet.
LC dieters who are physically active are also advised to increase their healthy fat intake to compensate the energy depletion from the loss of carbs, This protects the muscles from being scavenged when body fat has reduced.

You do not mention any medication. For instance, Metformin can increase lactic acid buildup which would not help a runner. Other meds can also kick in with surprises. in my case I was on a heart med that required a proton pump inhibitor med (PPI) which reduced my stomach acid and thus reduced my metabolism, and also interferred with absorbing some medications.

Your liver will be doing its job, which is to release stored glucose to bring your sugars up to a level it thinks you should be at, which in the early days of LC will be higher than your target and more akin to whst it used to be before the diet. Over time it will adjust down and the effect will lessen as the stored glycogen and lipid depletes from the restricted intake.,

 

[catinahat]

I want to know if this is just another symptom of diabetes. So many questions: Is my body still adjusting to a new low-carb diet? Could it be my liver releasing glucose (when it feels like it)? It has been suggested I need more carbs, but why are my blood sugars in range?... What's goin' on?

Could it be that our bodies are not the well oiled machines we like to think they are, and being human we all have days where we are not at our best.

 

[Dave Russell]

You do not mention any medication.

Thank you. Your reply is very helpful. I'm not any medication. My BG levels are relatively low.