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Newbie carb crash

M

MrsGnu

Member
Messages
15
Hi

I wonder if you can help me? I have started to follow a low carb regime in a desperate attempt to get my blood sugars down. I have managed 2 days on 60-80g but am really struggling with headaches and lack of energy. Is this normal for the first few days? Will it get better?

Some background info.....I have been type 2 diabetic for 22 years and my control has been good and bad over the years. This year has been a bit of a disaster as I was using byetta, levemir insulin and metformin and had managed to get almost perfect control ( HbA1C 4.8 )

I was then taken off all my meds and have managed to put 4 stones on and increase my HbA1C to 10.7!! My primary care team won't touch me or give me any medication, I can't see my secondary care team until 11th June even with the primary care team trying to bring my appointment forward. I effectively haven't seen anyone for nearly a year, since I was taken off meds.

Any help gratefully received
Jo
 
I personally never had any symptoms from low carbing and I'm usually under 50 per day, but i reduced it gradually. However I have heard people describe the same symptoms you did. it takes a while probably a couple of weeks to adapt. Your body has to get used to ketones circulating in the blood and using them for fuel instead of glucose. If you can manage it, keep going and it will get better. If it's too hard, relax a bit and take it slowly. Then it would take a bit longer.
Hana
 
Hi

Thanks for your reply, I'll stick it out and see what happens. It might sound silly but I am a teacher, due back at work on Monday and worrying about coping whilst feeling like this!! On the other hand I've been steadily feeling iller as my sugars have crept up, so in the long term it should be worth it....

Jo
 
why were you taken off all your meds when you were doing so well?

I have been low carbing (for me) at around 80-100g of carbs a day for 5 weeks. The first two weeks I had a headache too. Now I just seem to be cold all the time. However, I have more energy now.
 
MrsGnu said:
I wonder if you can help me? I have started to follow a low carb regime in a desperate attempt to get my blood sugars down. I have managed 2 days on 60-80g but am really struggling with headaches and lack of energy. Is this normal for the first few days? Will it get better?
Click to expand...

Yes. It takes 2-3 weeks to become "keto adapted". As a "sugar burner" brain needs 100g of carbohydrate to function properly. It takes a few weeks for you to build the metabolic machinery for it to switch to getting (up to) 75% of it's energy from ketones. Stick with it, it's worth the effort I promise.

Also, as you liver becomes depleted of glycogen it sheds a lot of water taking sodium and potassium with it. You need to replace this some how, either by increasing your salt intake or, as Steve Phinney recommends, drinking a salty boullion.
 
I had the headache as well for about two weeks. I do eat very few carbs, around 20 a day, so maybe you will get over it quicker than I did. I promise you will feel fighting fit very soon :-)
 
Yup, I was the same. Headaches, fatigue, generally feeling ill. Once I got into ketosis all the symptoms cleared and now I feel great. I am around 15 - 20g of carbs a day, so ultra low, but it will get better.
 
Didn't get a headache but got tired to start with. I average around 60g / day. Took a couple of weeks for things to sort themselves out. If you don't mind me asking why on earth did they take all your meds away sounds a dreadful thing to do?
 
Thanks everyone, I'm actually feeling a lot better this morning, hopefully it will be OK when I get back to work!

He took me off my meds because he thinks that as a type 2 I should be able to manage without them once I'm down to a certain weight, unfortunately I haven't been able to see anyone since as my last hospital appointments have been cancelled (by them). I had my annual review with my primary care team last week and they were a bit gobsmacked by it all too!!

I've been foolish in not raising the alarm as I've felt that it was my own fault that I wasn't able to get it under control....

Jo
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Hi Jo

I'm not a doctor but as a Type 2 you will normally have two things going on that will effect your ability to control your levels.

First how much insulin resistance you have. If you have lost a lot of weight then you will have likely lost a lot of resistance so any insulin you produce will work better on the carbs you consume. This maybe why your gp thinks you'll do ok with no meds.

However the big question is also how much insulin you are actually producing in the first place. If prior to diagnosis or getting that outstanding HBA1c :clap: your sugars were running high for some time it is likely to have damaged your beta cells in your pancreas which produce insulin. If that's the case then while low carbing will help you may need meds (or insulin) to actually be able to process any significant amount of carbs regardless of how much weight you have lost.

Do you self test with your own meter? That could give you an very good indication of how well you are coping with carbs. Self testing is what most members on the forum recommend for that very reason.

Oh and I'd go back to your GP and give him a hard time if you genuinely feel you aren't to blame for your suagrs rising. Why he thinks someone who can get a sub 5% HBA1c would suddenly accept a rise to 10%+ is beyond belief. Total and utter madness in my non professional opinion.
 
Hi xyzzy

It's the Professor at the hospital who has taken me off my meds and then cancelled my appointments since, my GP/Specialist nurse won't put me back on anything until I've seen him.

My specialist nurse thinks my beta cells are damaged, I had been taking insulin for a while for that reason. All very frustrating and quite frightening too.

I do self test. This morning resting bs after 3 days of low carbing is 15.2!! Eight weeks until I get to see anyone.....

Jo
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