I wonder whether that was before or after going on to insulin Kristin? My 24/7 hunger has only started since going on Humulin M3 insulin 16 months ago. I felt much healthier BEFORE. OK, the BS figures are better but I've put on a stone. So I was probably fitter too before insulin. Is there an insulin that doesn't make you feel this way? Could this all be a big pharma conspiracy?? As I guess if you put on extra weight you need more insulin - which generates huge profits?
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/healthcar...to-big-profits-for-insulin-manufacturers.html
Geoff, I can only tell you my experience. I think I have always been a hungry girl but never over weight and was always able to control it. Did insulin change that? Absolutely. When I was 1st DX'd I was 96 #'s. WAY to skinny. I stated on Lantus and Novolog. I was told I needed to eat 15-20 C per meal and was put on a sliding scale dose. Started with 5 Lantus and 8-12 Novolog depending where I started. NOTHING I did kept BS stable. Highs, lows and everything in between. Within 2 months I gained my 20 #'s back and it stopped. HOWEVER, at the same time I cut out my 2 oz sweet potato and just started eating low carb. After a few hypo's I ended up reducing Novolog to 1 unit with meals and Lantus 2-3 units at night. No more lows or highs. Much easier to not fear death of insulin as a bonus. But here's the kicker, if my BG is fluctuating high or low I feel very unbalanced and the hunger starts, a physiological hunger. Ravenous. Even when BS is with in great ranges. If I go over 105 I get very hungry. I get more hunger with going up than going down. My sweet spot is 85-90 and steady. I have certain meals that I know will keep me there. Small as they may be I eat the same BF and lunch and mix dinner up a little but keep the same macros for every meal and same insulin dose. I have to get insulin there at the same time as my food and I have found with carbs other than veggies it was impossible for me. I also need to balance them. A certain amount of veggies (about a cup) a certain amount of protein (2-3 oz) and enough fat (EVOO, mayo, avocado) to satisfy. If I don't have veggies and just eat P and F I miss 'the insulin mark' . If I want a larger meal I take a little extra insulin but I up all the macros, not jut one or two. To be honest I have no idea how people on MDI just eat random meals and fluctuate without feeling crazy. It is the fluctuation much more than the number. The steadier I am the better I feel. I have stopped fighting it and just view it as 'it is just food'. Luckily I like my food! I could eat a huge plate of food but find a small amount is just as good as long as BS stays steady. Filling my stomach too much raises me as well but it also creates that ravenous hunger even if I feel like I will burst. I like Bernsteins Laws of small numbers. That means small meals for me as well.
I'm not feeding the Big Pharma. The less insulin I take the better I feel even if it means small meals. Like you, I felt better before insulin but there is no doubt I need it now and it actually gave me my life back. I was near death before they finally figured it out. Trust me I have my bad days but they were worse. And a glass of wine at the end of the night makes it much easier for me. These are the cards I was dealt and I try to take it one day at a time. If I had only one suggestion it would be to try to find meals that keep you VERY steady. And I mean very little fluctuation. Only 10 points is about my limit without feeling the effects.
As far as 58% protein turning to BG, it is ALL over the place. Bernstein, Rosedale, BS101, Primal Mind Primal Body, Think Like a Pancreas etc. As far as I can tell these books were not written 100 years ago but YMMV
As a side note, excess protein will also take you out of ketosis. Fat too actually. And wine but that one I let slide.