• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Still very low battery

L

Lollygaggle

Member
Messages
13
I was diagnosed type 2 in November with a HBA1C of 85. I am on 2 x 500mg metformin tablets and following a low carb diet for a little while before diagnosis and have lost three stone and my blood glucose now is below 8.5 most of the time and averaging around 7.5 .

However my batteries are still quite low , I work three days a week and find I cannot stay up much beyond 9 o clock (walking around 10,000 steps a day as much as possible ) . I also feel the cold easily now with my feet often feeling really cold (I've had foot check and all normal) when I used to run very hot.

Is this all part and parcel of the low carb diet, losing a lot of weight and early days with type 2 and metformin? I am expecting to feel full of energy again a bit too soon? I have a hobby that takes me out a few evenings a week and I haven't been able to go for the last couple of months because I'm so tired in the evening l
 
Hi @Lollygaggle

Congratulations on your progress - sounds like you’re going great guns. I too feel the cold so much more now having lost a lot of weight.

On the energy levels, that may take a while, but are you getting enough fat? Enough sleep? I don’t remember how long it took me to feel an energy surge, probably a good 2 - 3 months.
 
Lollygaggle said:
Is this all part and parcel of the low carb diet, losing a lot of weight and early days with type 2 and metformin?
Click to expand...
Maybe, but not from LCHF if done starting slowly i.e. don't cut calories until your body is fat adapted.

You may ask : How to tell if fat adapted?
- Easy, you are fat adapted if you don't feel as hungry i.e. don't feel the need to eat as much or don't feel (as) hungry at a normal meal time.

When I started LCHF, I probably ate more calories (mainly in the form of cheese) than I'd been doing before on High Carbs.
I soon found I could reduce breakfast to just 2 eggs. Despite this, even though I'm slim (a TOFI), I felt warmer and more energetic on LCHF than before!
For more than a month I haven't ever felt hungry at breakfast time - so haven't eaten until lunch - sometimes a late lunch - after 14:00.

If you have a BG meter, test your BG before meals and 2hrs after first bite. If it is a little higher than you would like before a meal time - ask yourself: Did I over-eat at my last meal? Do I actually feel hungry ? Should I still eat, but cut carbs more than I had planned?

Your body and your BG Meter will tell you all you need to know if you listen to them.
 
Have you been tested for low thyroid function?
When I began to take Thyroxine the first change I noticed was how warm my hands and feet felt.
It took some time to get the diagnosis as the thyroid can fail and recover over a period of years.
 
I'd agree with all the comments above. I would add not to worry about exercise until you've filled the batteries up by making sure you are eating a little more salt and eating enough fat.
However when you get to that stage I think you'd find that exercise can be energising physically and mentally. 10,000 steps can be daunting so aim for 5,000 or even just a 30 minute stroll a day. Roll on Spring!
 
I've been taking folic acid tablets after I was put on insulin, metformin tablets depletes b12 and folic acid in some people. I was exhausted all the time, there was days I would get up after sleeping for 12hrs and stìll feel the same, my vision was blurry , pins and needles in my hands and feet but the worst was the cold. I've always been warm even in the depths of winter, never worn a hat, scarf or gloves but my hands and feet were ice cold all the time. Got my thyroid check nothing wrong there, read a few things about metformin and the effects of vitamin b and other minerals .
Had to ask my GP for these tests to be done. Boom no folic acid googled where folic comes from apparently it comes from all the food that you eat but metformin might inhibit it in some people. Guess who fell in that category.
I would ask you GP for thyroid, b12 and folic checks and see how you get on.
I'm back to my old self all cosy toastie and loads of energy.
All the best
Dan
 
@Lollygaggle , I'd agree it's too early, especially if you are not eating enough fats.

I found 1 was 2 months+ in before my energy level settled back down.

For me the rocket formula that showed I was back was a breakfast of Greek yoghurt and real fruit.. Blueberries at the time, but if guess any berries would be effective... Had me running for trains and everything after barely being able to walk fast for one. ..

Ditto on the cold, used to not mind it, (biker) so out in it all weathers.. But now I feel it a lot more.
Never used to wear gloves if walking, now it's almost a necessity come a cold days walk
(Lost 3-4 stone, so may just be less fat insulation, I suppose ? )


Interesting point made @Danmiluk
I knew about B12, so got tested.. Low end 330 I think.. Then took supplements..(sublingual, as B12 less effective if it has to pass through the stomach like a tablet)

Interesting to me, just got back 2 weeks away, long haul..13 hours in the air.. Just drained most of the time.. Considered it was jet lag.. But now you mention it , it did miss a lot of normal fats and foods while away.. And also had only taken tablet form..( Missus misplaced spray form..)

On to Amazon methinks asap, for another sublingual batch...btw what form or label brand did you use for the foliate..?

Good luck @Lollygaggle .. Great work so far.
Looks like you got this, to me..
 
There's a bunch of possible reasons... Thyroid's already been mentioned, and metformin makes it harder for your body to absorb Vitamin B, and... It's January. Any vitamin D stores you might've accumulated over the summer could be depleted. I know at this time of year I move like I'm fighting my way through molasses and I have to up my intake of fatty fish a LOT to make a dent in the way I feel. So you could just get a few supplements over at Holland & Barrett's and see whether they make a difference (B complex and Vit D.). If those help, you don't have to jump through the getting-blood-drawn-and-waiting-for-results hoops. If none of that helps, getting a full blood panel might shed some light. People often just put things on the diabetes, but there's so much that can go wrong in a body, and fatigue's a very common symptom for just about everything. As for nutrition, if you're eating enough fats and protein, low carbing shouldn't make you feel fatigued.

Hope this helps a little,
Jo
 

Octavia 5mg folic acid tablets got from my gp


Post edited by moderator for clarity
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I changed to slow release metformin and started vitamin d and feel much better , staying up until past 10 now. Also morning glucose down to 6 ish from 11 and weight still coming off on low carb diet.

Feel much better started back going out to my interests in the evenings but have had to buy vests and fluffy slippers as feel the cold much more now. Everyone says I look much better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…