Hi,
I am being treated as type 1 diabetes (since diagnosed just before Christmas). Since being put on 4 injections a day (Lantas and Novorapid) I put on 8kgs in 3 weeks and I was having frequent severe hypos, which I found distressing and really impacted my work. It was explained to me that the hypos were due to my pancreas still ‘squirting’ some insulin (erratically) and that this could last for anything up to a couple of years.
The essence of what I heard is that we’re waiting for my pancreas to give up the ghost altogether because then it will be easier to control. It seems strange to me. Isn’t it a good thing that my pancreas is doing something, even if it is erratic?
So after doing some research, speaking to the dietitian at the hospital and thanks to the brilliant resources on here, I started a diet that cut out sugar and carbs. I still take my lantus injections but have stopped my rapid insulin and my BGLs have all been between 5-8, except for some hypos in the morning which I hope can be avoided by reducing the Lantus when I next see the diabetes nurse next week.
I must say, as someone who has never paid much attention to nutrition before, I’m shocked to have learned about the western ‘healthy diet’ guidelines, the ‘sugar conspiracy‘ etc..
I went on to look into Ayurvedic approaches and found this report.
http://www.ayurvedacollege.com/site...betes-AnAyurvedicPerspective-KatinaCarter.pdf
I’m particularly taken by the 3rd paragraph on page 4.
“This is the point where Ayurvedic treatment stands out from western medicine. From an Ayurvedic perspective, this form of diabetes is also incurable. However, Ayurveda sees the causation of the disease as a vata-vitiating lifestyle. This means that the individual has depleted their system from too little sleep, too much worry and stress with a possible genetic (karmic) connection. The symptoms are similar to western medicine but can also include complications due to candida, ulcerations, diabetic neuropathy (which can cause proprioception) difficulty, frequent nausea or vomiting and a fruity odor emanating from one’s breath. (Halpern 1995). There are three main prognosis in Ayurveda, as described by Gogte; they are sadva (curable), yapya (palliable) and asadhya (incurable). Gogte explains that patients under sadva have received a diagnosis of this disorder at an early stage and also those who are obese.”
It suggests that there is still a few patients who are curable. It has given me some hope that perhaps I’m diagnosed at an early stage and it’s giving me my drive to stick to a no carbs and sugar diet to give my pancreas less to deal with. Either way, even if its a matter of when not if my pancreas quits working, I’m reading some inspiring stories on here of people reducing their reliance on drugs.
I’m very grateful for the care and support I have been given since being diagnosed - long live the NHS! - and it is no complaint, however I can identify with the ‘one size fits all’ approach. I’ve been told a few times now ‘you’re type 1 so you can eat the carbs/sugar and take the insulin’ but am not fully buying into it. I can testify to the causation listed above (sleep, worry, stress etc) as I’ve experienced burn out and exhaustion from work and PTSD. I’m interested if anyone has experience and knowledge around Ayurvedic medicine, has been to any Ayurvedic hospitals etc.
Also, if anyone has tried things that work (or don’t) in their honeymoon period, I’d be happy to learn from your experience.
Thanks,
Sophie x
I am being treated as type 1 diabetes (since diagnosed just before Christmas). Since being put on 4 injections a day (Lantas and Novorapid) I put on 8kgs in 3 weeks and I was having frequent severe hypos, which I found distressing and really impacted my work. It was explained to me that the hypos were due to my pancreas still ‘squirting’ some insulin (erratically) and that this could last for anything up to a couple of years.
The essence of what I heard is that we’re waiting for my pancreas to give up the ghost altogether because then it will be easier to control. It seems strange to me. Isn’t it a good thing that my pancreas is doing something, even if it is erratic?
So after doing some research, speaking to the dietitian at the hospital and thanks to the brilliant resources on here, I started a diet that cut out sugar and carbs. I still take my lantus injections but have stopped my rapid insulin and my BGLs have all been between 5-8, except for some hypos in the morning which I hope can be avoided by reducing the Lantus when I next see the diabetes nurse next week.
I must say, as someone who has never paid much attention to nutrition before, I’m shocked to have learned about the western ‘healthy diet’ guidelines, the ‘sugar conspiracy‘ etc..
I went on to look into Ayurvedic approaches and found this report.
http://www.ayurvedacollege.com/site...betes-AnAyurvedicPerspective-KatinaCarter.pdf
I’m particularly taken by the 3rd paragraph on page 4.
“This is the point where Ayurvedic treatment stands out from western medicine. From an Ayurvedic perspective, this form of diabetes is also incurable. However, Ayurveda sees the causation of the disease as a vata-vitiating lifestyle. This means that the individual has depleted their system from too little sleep, too much worry and stress with a possible genetic (karmic) connection. The symptoms are similar to western medicine but can also include complications due to candida, ulcerations, diabetic neuropathy (which can cause proprioception) difficulty, frequent nausea or vomiting and a fruity odor emanating from one’s breath. (Halpern 1995). There are three main prognosis in Ayurveda, as described by Gogte; they are sadva (curable), yapya (palliable) and asadhya (incurable). Gogte explains that patients under sadva have received a diagnosis of this disorder at an early stage and also those who are obese.”
It suggests that there is still a few patients who are curable. It has given me some hope that perhaps I’m diagnosed at an early stage and it’s giving me my drive to stick to a no carbs and sugar diet to give my pancreas less to deal with. Either way, even if its a matter of when not if my pancreas quits working, I’m reading some inspiring stories on here of people reducing their reliance on drugs.
I’m very grateful for the care and support I have been given since being diagnosed - long live the NHS! - and it is no complaint, however I can identify with the ‘one size fits all’ approach. I’ve been told a few times now ‘you’re type 1 so you can eat the carbs/sugar and take the insulin’ but am not fully buying into it. I can testify to the causation listed above (sleep, worry, stress etc) as I’ve experienced burn out and exhaustion from work and PTSD. I’m interested if anyone has experience and knowledge around Ayurvedic medicine, has been to any Ayurvedic hospitals etc.
Also, if anyone has tried things that work (or don’t) in their honeymoon period, I’d be happy to learn from your experience.
Thanks,
Sophie x
