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Struggling with this

H

horrible_al

Member
Messages
23
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I seem to be going round and round in circles. I keep reading stuff on here, trying to get food ideas, but it seems to me that unless you eat leafy veg, cauliflower, cabbage , sprouts etc, and salads you're never going to turn this round. The only veg I like are carrots, peas sweetcorn and occasionally a bit of broccoli. It seems to me that LCHF is not going to do me much good either. On top of all this I work as a bus driver 4 days a week, and every day is different. Start times, break times and finish times vary by the day. Which is one of the reasons I believe Metformin is unsuitable for me, as it gives me diarrhoea. I am going to see the vet on Thursday morning, and tell him I want off it. If he won't change my meds then I will just stop taking it. I will "roll the dice and take my chances." I am totally fed up with this, I have no quality of life at all. Still struggling to sleep, and I am beginning to wonder if it is an after effect of Tramadol, or if it's to do with this curse. I have.
 
I am not a veg eater. Never have been. I like peas and put up with cauli and broccoli once a week. By testing I have found peas are OK for me. I have maintained a low carb diet successfully for 3 years without eating leafy veg, cabbage, sprouts etc. In fact I have lived happily for 69 years without eating them. Whilst they are full of nutrients, they aren't compulsory. Nutrients can be found elsewhere. If you like them, eat them. If you don't like them, don't eat them. Simples.

Which foods do you like? Make a list and concentrate on the foods you do like and can eat, then start from there. If you like, you can list your preferred foods here and maybe we can help. (Leave out the major carbs - you know they aren't good for us)
 

Horrible_al , it could be worthwhile trying Metformin SR. The SR stands for slow release. Many people find that's far more tolerable than the "ordinary" version.

Enjoying vegetables certainly make going low carb a bit easier, but not everyone eats veg. Indeed, we have a couple of T2s ( @NoCrbs4Me immediately springs to mind) who are confirmed and adamant salad and veg dodgers.

Are your feeling about vegetables the main reason you don't feel that low carbing isn't going to suit you, or do you have other issues with it?

Do you enjoy cooking, or does someone else at home do most of the cooking?
 
Oh dear ... you are having a dreadful time aren't you. I think you have too many issues at once here on your mind and need to concentrate on one thing at a time perhaps? You must have some food favourites that you can intergrate into a sensible eating plan ... you just need to write them all down and see what you can start to work with? If you eat just one diabetic friendly meal each day to begin with and have the things you love for the other two meals BUT LESS than you'd normally eat? Would that be an idea? Your GP can prescribe various meds ... and should find one to suit you and your shifts ?
 


well thanks for information of what you will and won´t..

if you really want advice I could tell you that all kinds of meats are good for you also fish all kinds , just without the coating.
Nuts are good eggs are good and broccolli is good and carrots and peas in smaller amounts... you can take a vitamin pill if you can´t eat alle the worlds many delicious kinds of vegetables...cream is good fat is good almost all kinds of cheese.

if Metformin is causing you troubles there is a slow release kind that some can use instead, maybe give that a try instead..

but if you won´t take any kind of medication it is even more important not to eat high carb foods, and especially when you are a bus-driver and thereby have a sedentary lifestyle demanded by your job...

sadly it is the main road in type 2 diabetes to change food style into the low carb high fat food style.. no medication can help much, and if you don´t take care now you could easily get adding conditions if you have an all time very raised blood glucose.
 
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It's the slow release that I'm on. When I was first diagnosed about 3 years ago, I was on the other type. That made me depressed, and having suffered from depression in the past there was no way I was going to go back chemically induced. And therein lies the crux. All these vets do is shove ever increasing amounts of CHEMICALS down our throats, and expect us to live with the consequences. I have previously been on Ramiprill, ended up running to the toilet every hour on the hour all day and night. If they can't come up with something that does not have unacceptable side effects, then I may just go it alone.
 

My body doesn't tolerate drugs very well. Metformin and statins made me feel awful so I don't take them.
As everyone has said, if you wish to go the unmedicated route , you will have to take control of your carb intake. There are some great meal and snack ideas on these forums. Try and concentrate on things you do like. If you haven't got a meter , then get one and test. We are all different and reactions vary to different carbs. Build a list of foods that you like and don't spike you.
 
Yes, veg are horrible. I've eaten almost no plant derived food in almost 2 years now. I live off of bacon and eggs for breakfast and mostly beef and some pork for the rest. No signs of scurvy, constipation, or any other health problems. No sign of type 2 diabetes any more either.
 
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OK. There are plenty of other tablets your Doc can try you on. I won't go speculating which he/she will go for, but there are plenty.

There's little doubt though that for we T2s the biggest weapon in our armoury is what we eat and drink. If we can get that sorted, we usually can do fairly well. Not everyone can do well without meds, due to a plethora of reasons, but many do.

Personally, I got lucky. I was adamant I wouldn't take meds without a decent fight first, and managed to sort out my way of eating pretty swiftly, and my body appears to have healed itself fairly well. Again, fortunately, I just love vegetables of almost all descriptions, and often if I'm eating on my own, I'll choose my veggies before deciding what to have with them.

Do you cook, or have an enthusiastic cook at home who might be into a bit of experimentation?
 
I could not stand the tablets either, so I just gave up - maybe a shorter life but at least I'll have lived it.
I'm afraid that sweetcorn is a grain, not a vegetable, but I suggest that you take a look at Atkins - I use Dr Atins New Diet Revolution and there is a great long list of what you can eat for low carb and perhaps you can try out various things and test to see what raises your blood glucose levels.
Some people are lucky and can manage to eat all sort of things which raise my BG levels sky high.
If you need sandwiches try the Lidl protein rolls. I do react to them but far less than proper bread.
Personally, I told myself that I would do whatever it took to get my reading down to normal - but thankfully I did not have to.
If I do eat peas it is a small amount, likewise green beans, no other legumes, no potatoes, pasta, rice no very sweet fruits or starchy veges, and it really works. Not only does it lower BG levels, I have seen that week by week eating the same, or even slightly more carbs my levels have gone down, and that is in less than 6 months.
 
I'm not really a fan of veg, though I do like salad. My 'disease' has given me an excuse to eat more of what I like and my numbers are coming down. It doesn't have to be lettuce when you say lettuce. I'm eating raw onion with my cheese, sometimes in vinegar. I love the peppery taste of radish. But mostly I'm concentrating on the protein. Meat, eggs, fish. A couple of weeks ago I did get a bit down because I'd stopped with any variety and it seemed boring. So I went out and found some new things in the shop, like chicken in garlic pieces, peppered beef. But the best thing is I have a brilliant excuse to eat high quality sausages and burgers (not the normal cab filled ****.

So previously where I might eat something because I was made to feel it was good for me, I now eat something because I like it, and more importantly I know it IS good for me as opposed to what I ate before.
 
As you can see @horrible_al there are plenty of options under LCHF.

Here are just 4 examples of what I eat:

Meal 1:
Seasoned sword fish, roasted cherry tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, leeks / butter / bacon lardons, a few sweet potato chips (leave out for much lower carb)

Meal 2:
Baked leeks, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, radish (yes I bake these), butter and coconut oil pan fried mushrooms and broccoli, grilled salmon

Dessert:
Cheese, hazel nuts, brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries (must have ran out of strawberries)

Meal 3:
Seasoned pork chop, home made apple sauce, greens, green beans, leeks and caramelised onions



Home made treats are in also, cheese cake:



Sometimes I get frustrated due to not having enough meals in a day to get some of my favourites in such as mackerel, prawns, avocado, almond biscuits, etc. Seriously there are so many low carb meals out there. You can get recipes on this sites low carb program, from social media such as Instagram etc.
 
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that eats baked radishes.
I collect old cook books and remember seeing it in a old French one.
People think I'm crazy until they try it.
 
Hotpepper20000 said:
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that eats baked radishes.
I collect old cook books and remember seeing it in a old French one.
People think I'm crazy until they try it.
Click to expand...
I just thought I am chucking everything else on the baking tray, so why not....for those still laughing, don't knock it till you try it.
 
I really do understand your frustration, but I would urge you to stay with the meds, I found tolerance to Metformin took a while and I had to split my dose to start with, just one tablet once a day and always following food, then increased to two a day again always after food and then to my dismay 4 tablets a day but with some perseverance I have managed it and no longer have the upset stomach that is often a side effect.

As for food you can either eat on the go or fit in around a shift pattern............

I take my breakfast to work everyday - Full Fat Greek Yogurt, as I do not particularly like the taste I add blueberries or toasted pumpkin seeds or even a plain digestive biscuit crushed.

Lunch can be cheese with a couple of crackers with butter - I can tolerate the carbs involved - but I usually have it with salad but appreciate you may not want this option.
An omelette is an option as you can have it plain, with cheese, with ham, bacon, chicken - you can make it the night before and take it with you as you can eat it cold.

Evening meal - I have some form of meat but generally just go for a couple of new potatoes (again because I can tolerate this), some veg (yes I like my veg but you could still have some of the veg you do like) and a little gravy so it is a basic meal but gets me through. I do have fish and a few chips occasionally, egg and bacon is always a good standby.

I have found easio yogurt maker - this will make me a pudding as such - have to be careful as it does have sugars in and does raised my levels but if I have been really low carb all day it is something I can allow myself for a dessert which I do miss.

If I allow myself to eat an apple then it is a once a week treat, the same for any fruit that is not a 'berry' which generally is OK for me.

I know finding good food options is really hard to find because we all react differently to to the foods so testing as you go is the one thing that has helped me so much - so the cost of the testing kit to me is very worthwhile and if you either have a test kit then you know what works food wise and if not then I would say I would not be without mine and in fact have brought a second one just so I have one at work and one at home.

I do take Metformin and Sitagliptin - without them I would really struggle as I know when I went on holiday and forgot my tablets and could not get more supplies (doctors surgery was very unhelpful - mine own surgery that is ) I found it really difficult keeping the blood glucose levels within the area I prefer.

Good luck and know we are here for you and do ask questions, I found people on the site so kind and so knowledgeable.

I am no expert by any means and I am still finding my way - 2 years diagnosed.
 
horrible_al said:
it seems to me that unless you eat leafy veg, cauliflower, cabbage , sprouts etc, and salads you're never going to turn this round
Click to expand...

You must have been reading the wrong thread...I eat roast fatty meat all the time and get very good glucose numbers 5-5.5 mmol.

 
Thanks to all who have replied. Some of the meal plans are interesting, but.................... they all contain large amounts of veg, the bulk of which I cannot tolerate. The stuff I tend to live on goes like this. Bacon and eggs, roast beef, (peppered or otherwise) roast pork. new potatoes, carrots, peas, grilled haddock or coley, . My wife makes me quiches which have a sausage meat casing, filled with eggs, ham, and cheese. Sometimes for breakfast I may have a small bowl of cornflakes, with milk, and a bit of granulated Canderel sweetener. And of course I also like my cheese especially Red Leicester, Double Gloucester, and medium strength cheddar. Oh I forgot I also love a bit of very lean belly pork. I realise this all sound dull and boring, but to a point I suppose it is. For fruit, I love bananas, Granny smith apples, and oranges.
 

most of your food choices are fine BUT ;

cornflakes are worse than sugar , just to inform you... and banana too... also just to inform you
 
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