Newly Diagnosed and So Tired

[IanBish]

Hi, my name's Ian.

I was recently diagnosed with Type 2, and since (and even before) diagnosis I've been feeling so tired. If I eat any white bread (which I don't any more), I'll be in bed within an hour.

There's some great information on here, but I just wondered if anyone had any tips for tiredness.

 

[EllieM]

Hi, my name's Ian.

I was recently diagnosed with Type 2, and since (and even before) diagnosis I've been feeling so tired. If I eat any white bread (which I don't any more), I'll be in bed within an hour.

There's some great information on here, but I just wondered if anyone had any tips for tiredness.

Hi Ian and welcome to the forums.

Tiredness is a typical symptom of high blood sugar....

Do you have any idea what your blood sugars are like at the moment? Did you get told an hba1c on diagnosis? What medication are you taking?

I'm sure some T2s will be along to advise soon but I'm pretty sure that the recommendation will be to cut the carbs, (Though that may depend on what medication you are on).

 

[IanBish]

Hi Ellie,

Yes, I had a hba1c test - it was 69. I'm taking metformin.

I've cut right down on carbs, but I still take a little bit of sugar (maybe a 10th of a spoonful) with my tea and coffee.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi Ellie,

Yes, I had a hba1c test - it was 69. I'm taking metformin.

I've cut right down on carbs, but I still take a little bit of sugar (maybe a 10th of a spoonful) with my tea and coffee.

Thanks for the reply.

It'll get better as your blood sugars stabilise. Your body'll take a little time to get used to things as they are, but it will get better. Take it from someone who became too weak to lift a fork, or just had her legs collapse right out from under her. You're going to get your life back, really.

Hugs,
Jo

 

[IanBish]

It'll get better as your blood sugars stabilise. Your body'll take a little time to get used to things as they are, but it will get better. Take it from someone who became too weak to lift a fork, or just had her legs collapse right out from under her. You're going to get your life back, really.

Hugs,
Jo

Thanks, Jo. It has got a little bit better quite recently. I'm overweight too, but I've lost half a stone already.

And thanks for shining that bit of light at the end that tunnel.

 

[catinahat]

Welcome Ian
The tiredness thing can take a little while to sort itself out, up until now your body has been struggling to use carbs for energy.
Now you have changed your diet it's got to adapt to using other fuels for energy. Make sure you are giving it the alternative food it needs. Quite often people make the mistake of cutting carbs but not increasing protein and fats, especially the fats.
Trying to eat a low fat and low carb diet is just not sustainable and can only lead to undernourishment.
This is where people usually throw their hands up in horror and say, "what about my heart, my cholesterol".
No-one is suggesting that you eat slabs of lard or blocks of butter, you just need to replace the calories you were getting from carbs with a little extra healthy fats.
So if you're having meat and 2 veg for example, leave out the carby spuds & gravy, have a few extra slices of meat, 3 veg instead of 2 and a delicious knob of butter on the veg instead of gravy.
Salads, have more of the green stuff add a boiled egg or two, a delicious olive oil and vinegar dressing and pass on the crusty bread.
By the way, it's not just white bread you need to avoid, your body can't see the colour, or if it's wholemeal/seeded, it only notices the carbs.

 

[IanBish]

Welcome Ian
The tiredness thing can take a little while to sort itself out, up until now your body has been struggling to use carbs for energy.
Now you have changed your diet it's got to adapt to using other fuels for energy. Make sure you are giving it the alternative food it needs. Quite often people make the mistake of cutting carbs but not increasing protein and fats, especially the fats.
Trying to eat a low fat and low carb diet is just not sustainable and can only lead to undernourishment.
This is where people usually throw their hands up in horror and say, "what about my heart, my cholesterol".
No-one is suggesting that you eat slabs of lard or blocks of butter, you just need to replace the calories you were getting from carbs with a little extra healthy fats.
So if you're having meat and 2 veg for example, leave out the carby spuds & gravy, have a few extra slices of meat, 3 veg instead of 2 and a delicious knob of butter on the veg instead of gravy.
Salads, have more of the green stuff add a boiled egg or two, a delicious olive oil and vinegar dressing and pass on the crusty bread.
By the way, it's not just white bread you need to avoid, your body can't see the colour, or if it's wholemeal/seeded, it only notices the carbs.

Hi catinahat,

That's good news about the tiredness. I snack on crab sticks and mixed nuts if I feel a bit hungry, instead of biscuits and Welsh cakes like I used to.

I'm also eating more veg (broccoli and cauliflower) too. I've been eating more salmon as well.

Furthermore, I'm determined not to go to bed until bedtime tonight!

Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 527103]

@IanBish I just wanted to add to the comments above about the impact of high blood sugar affecting your tiredness.
Don't discount the cost of anxiety of a new diagnosis on your sleep patterns ... and your blood sugars.

Be kind to yourself, look forward (not backwards) and get your head around your new diagnosis.

 

[jjraak]

Hi catinahat,

That's good news about the tiredness. I snack on crab sticks and mixed nuts if I feel a bit hungry, instead of biscuits and Welsh cakes like I used to.

I'm also eating more veg (broccoli and cauliflower) too. I've been eating more salmon as well.

Furthermore, I'm determined not to go to bed until bedtime tonight!

Thanks.

I 2nd @catinahat post

I too was hungry when I cut out the carbs so much, until i began balancing up with the fat/protein part.

If it helps, once I went to two meals a day (no snacking) I still felt hungry after my evening meal.

I was loath to eat more (wife was surprised just how much I ate, and still lost over 3 stone in weight )

I found a pudding helped enormously.

Now as a T2D, that required a little more thought

But double cream & blueberries
Or Greek yoghurt & blueberries made a simple quick dish.
In fact berries of any sort worked

Did find a childish fondness for the 10 cal jellies, made or home made packets. They went lovely with double cream & some berries.

Sated & pleasantly full after every meal.

The hungry drifted away, so I dropped the puddings, the two meals is more then sufficient for my appetite now .

Best of luck finding one of the many ways that others use, that works for you.

 

[Bludnok]

This is a super helpful thread - also recently diagnosed (I got lucky through a BUPA healthcheck) and hadn't connected feeling tired with Type 2. Can't think why not!

 

[jjraak]

This is a super helpful thread - also recently diagnosed (I got lucky through a BUPA healthcheck) and hadn't connected feeling tired with Type 2. Can't think why not!

I went in for what I thought was a heart issue, turned out to be back problem....and a cheery 'oh btw, you have T2D, as well' almost as an after thought

But once DX'd a lot of things did add up.

A voracious appetite over the previous few weeks was one , just no control around food

I'd get thing that were intended to last the work day, and eat at one sitting .

Spot on about forum, best site for advice bar none.

 

[IanBish]

I 2nd @catinahat post

I too was hungry when I cut out the carbs so much, until i began balancing up with the fat/protein part.

If it helps, once I went to two meals a day (no snacking) I still felt hungry after my evening meal.

I was loath to eat more (wife was surprised just how much I ate, and still lost over 3 stone in weight )

I found a pudding helped enormously.

Now as a T2D, that required a little more thought

But double cream & blueberries
Or Greek yoghurt & blueberries made a simple quick dish.
In fact berries of any sort worked

Did find a childish fondness for the 10 cal jellies, made or home made packets. They went lovely with double cream & some berries.

Sated & pleasantly full after every meal.

The hungry drifted away, so I dropped the puddings, the two meals is more then sufficient for my appetite now .

Best of luck finding one of the many ways that others use, that works for you.

Hi jiraak,

It's just as well I like Greek yoghurt and blueberries then.

But bread - I'm not quite sure what to do about that; I used to love bread, especially baguettes and crusty cobs!

 

[KennyA]

Hi jiraak,

It's just as well I like Greek yoghurt and blueberries then.

But bread - I'm not quite sure what to do about that; I used to love bread, especially baguettes and crusty cobs!

There are low-carb breads around - and I don't mean the stuff that supermarkets sell, beware of those. Quite often it's not really low-carb, just "lower" carb.

I have been ordering from a firm called Srsly Low Carb - https://seriouslylowcarb.com/ - and they have "bread" rolls at 2g each. It would not fool you into thinking it's actually bread, but it does well for a bacon sandwich etc. Srsly are online only unless you happen to live near Hemel Hempstead.

There are other manufacturers out there and I'd recommend a bit of shopping around until you find something that suits. Some people on here make their own substitutes with almond flour etc - you'll find plenty of info in the Food sections of these forums.

 

[ajbod]

Here's the recipe i use, it is very good provided you're not Gluten intolerant. this is basically what Seriously low carbs bread is based on.

 

[IanBish]

There are low-carb breads around - and I don't mean the stuff that supermarkets sell, beware of those. Quite often it's not really low-carb, just "lower" carb.

I have been ordering from a firm called Srsly Low Carb - https://seriouslylowcarb.com/ - and they have "bread" rolls at 2g each. It would not fool you into thinking it's actually bread, but it does well for a bacon sandwich etc. Srsly are online only unless you happen to live near Hemel Hempstead.

There are other manufacturers out there and I'd recommend a bit of shopping around until you find something that suits. Some people on here make their own substitutes with almond flour etc - you'll find plenty of info in the Food sections of these forums.

That's one thing I do miss: a bacon sarnie. I'll try the recipe posted by @ajbod (thank you).

All this isn't going to be easy. There's a lot of stuff to get my head around, plus breaking old habits. I now know that they weren't great habits, but they were habits nonetheless.

I feel a bit sad that I'm going to have to say goodbye to some old friends. They may not have been the best for me in reality, but we must part company. It may be hard to accept new friends, but with a bit of help I'll get there!

 

[IanBish]

@IanBish I just wanted to add to the comments above about the impact of high blood sugar affecting your tiredness.
Don't discount the cost of anxiety of a new diagnosis on your sleep patterns ... and your blood sugars.

Be kind to yourself, look forward (not backwards) and get your head around your new diagnosis.

Thank you, that seems like good advice.

 

[jjraak]

Hi jiraak,

It's just as well I like Greek yoghurt and blueberries then.

But bread - I'm not quite sure what to do about that; I used to love bread, especially baguettes and crusty cobs!

Perhaps I should have worded it better as in "are you eating enough? Is that causing the tiredness "

And hear you loud & clear on the bread, etc.

 

[IanBish]

Perhaps I should have worded it better as in "are you eating enough? Is that causing the tiredness "

And hear you loud & clear on the bread, etc.

Yes, I have been.

The tiredness started a little while ago. I'd feel really tired after eating lunch (normally a sandwich) so much so that I'd have to go to bed not long after. I work from home, so that was doable. And after Sunday lunch (normally with lots of roast potatoes) I'd feel the same, go to bed, and would often wake up too late too meet friends. I didn't make the connection then, but I do now.

 

[ajbod]

I used to refer to them as carb comas. They will disappear when the carbs do. Don't forget breakfast with that bread can be a Bacon and Egg sandwich. or scrambled egg on toast, with loads of butter to fill you up. Or just buttery toast with boiled eggs. Or toast butter and loads of Marmite, great for your B12 levels.

 

[IanBish]

I used to refer to them as carb comas. They will disappear when the carbs do. Don't forget breakfast with that bread can be a Bacon and Egg sandwich. or scrambled egg on toast, with loads of butter to fill you up. Or just buttery toast with boiled eggs. Or toast butter and loads of Marmite, great for your B12 levels.

I like the term "carb coma". Looking forward to meeting that old favourite Marmite again (after making that bread) - I love it, plus real butter!