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To Stop Insulin And Low Carb Instead

J

joeynomates1969

Well-Known Member
Messages
68
Hiya, I'm o 34jnt8s of lant7s at the moment. I e been lower carbing f9r a month now and the stone I've lost seems to be creeping back on. Mentally, I am frazzled and have had enough. I would like to stop I jecting and just focus on the low carbing.

My nurse has told off because she says that if I low carb I will produce ketones and these will make me ill. I had raised ketones last month due to a nasty infection that put me in hospital. After a lot of fluids I was allowed home with antibiotics...which I am still taking. I feel well enough to start exercising too, which is something I didn't do before hand.

Anyway, is it ok to just stop injecting and to start giving the low carb diet a proper go? Has anyone here stopped taking the insulin and just carried on?

Hope someone can share their stories with me as I feel I'm going to crack with the stress!
 
I’ve never been on insulin so don’t have personal experience to share. I believe you need proper medical support to manage the process of reducing insulin and reducing carbs to avoid problems with hypos. Doesn’t sound like your nurse would be helpful. Can you try talking to your GP to see if they might be willing to help? Am assuming you are Type 2?

I have read reports on the forum of people managing this, but the only one I can readily recall (chook) is no longer regularly active. Hopefully someone with a longer memory than me might be able to help. @Bluetit1802 any ideas?
 
What type diabetes do you have, and what is your insulin regime? The more we know, the better advice we can offer
 
joeynomates1969 said:
Hi..sorry...I'm a type 2 and I'm on 34 units of lantus and 4 units 9f novorapid bef9re meals.
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I've be2n asked to split the lantus dose to 20/14 however, I've tried insulin before and I just balloon up. It's starting to happen again as the stone I lost last month 8s creeping back.
 
(Given how illinform your nurse is about low carb diets and ketones, I question if anything the nurce says can be trusted.)

But there is no need to stop inslin for a low carb diet and/or intermittent fasting provided you don't let your BG get too low. However that can take a lot of testing, have you considered a CGM to reduce the mental load of the testing?

Do you know how to adjust your own inslin dose? (If not I believe the NHS ofter a training course.)

Has the level of insulin your body is making been tested (cpettride test) or are they just assuming you are type2?

Have you ever had a confirm DKA where the blood gas test shows it?

Do you have access to a blood ketones meter?

@ickihun has type2 and is on inslin so may be able to help.
 
joeynomates1969 said:
I've be2n asked to split the lantus dose to 20/14 however, I've tried insulin before and I just balloon up. It's starting to happen again as the stone I lost last month 8s creeping back.
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So easily done on insulin as a severe insulin resistant diabetic.
 
Have you had to increase your fast acting by reducing your lantus?
I find fast acting (novarapid) has more influence on weight gain, compared to my Toujeo300.
I got to a stalemate reducing my basal (your lantus) and I became ill (stomach infection/ibs and became tolerant to tramadol).
I had to increase both insulins again, and again.
 
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It sort of depends. Someone with T1D still needs to take insulin because their pancreas doesn't produce any, or very very very little.

The organs of the body need glucose to function, the glucose gets into the organs via insulin. Bodies need insulin.

So, it depends how much of your T2D is caused by insulin resistance, and how much is caused by your pancreas not producing enough insulin.

I'd be very cautious about stopping insulin completely, but reducing carb intake, and as your blood sugar reduces then reducing insulin, would probably work. But be careful. People with T2D can sometimes get DKA, though it is far more unusual. It depends on how much insulin your pancreas is producing, and what impact the low carb diet has.

I agree with @ringi above, that getting some ketone testing strips is a good idea.
 
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Hiya . I haven't a clue what my insulin levels are as nobody will test it..
Or if they have, they won't tell me. The last time I asked about how much insulin I had my nurse said" you do t need to know that, and anyway, we won't bother testing.
 
I also had ketosis without the acidosis, apparently. I saw the nurse at the docs the other day who told me thatbindont need to see the diabetic team at the hospital as in not type 1 and that I should definitely NOT be splitting the dose as this is old fashioned. To be honest, is rather just stop injecting as although I'm low ish carbing, I'm putting the weight on. If I'm I sum in resistant, surely th8s will make matters worse ??
 
Hiya Ickihun,
No, I've been on 4 units of fast acting now for 5 weeks and my lantus dose is now 34 units. I don't want to go any higher but the nurse seems to thing I should . My by is 13mmol in the morning and has been for a couple of weeks now. It was at 10 mmpl but for some reason has crept up.

Can you tell me how I can stop feeling hungry after an evening meal? I would have, for example, steak and salad, but then after a short while I'd be hungry and go searching for food
 
Hiya, I have some strips and I do check sometimes, but only if it's 15mmol or above. Apart from when I was ill the other week, the ketones are always low.
 
joeynomates1969 said:
Can you tell me how I can stop feeling hungry after an evening meal? I would have, for example, steak and salad, but then after a short while I'd be hungry and go searching for food
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Have you checked your glucose levels when you feel hungry? There are different type of hunger...those that are hypo driven usually ends up with uncontrolled overeating.
 

What are your typical meals like?
 
Youre hungry because your bgs will have spiked. And on top of a starting average 13.0 before meals your body is asking (via leptin) for a spike/surge of insulin. Which you may be getting poor quality insulin made by your own pancreas or not enough to cover your carb and protein. Remember in carb absence we insulin dependants start trying to convert protein to compensate.
Any dressing on salad or root veg in salad or sugar in salad cream or similiar?
Also too much fat slows down an insulin dependants digestion or if had bad management numbers similiar to 13mmol/l in the past can have damage to your stomach nerves/vessels. Chewing bubble gum aids healthy digestion. (Dr. Bernstein's book tip).
Don't be put off increasing your bgs to reach good bg levels, with extra work you can reduce those units to perfection. As you know your units will vary month to month, that's life!

(off now to pick sons from school but keep posting as loads more tips to help you achieve... Your goal. )
 
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I increased my units to be able to perfect my management of bgs to be able to reduce it and lose weight. sometimes we have to go back to move forward.
 
Thank you x
 
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