what is it all for?

[Guzzler]

Hi there everyone, my name is Pauline and I was dx with T2 about six weeks ago. The nurse said I must have been diabetic 'for a long time' and told me that my blood sugar was 98 (or 9.8?). I had just one symptom which was freezing cold feet. I was prescribed metformin (one twice a day for one week then two tablets twice a day thereafter). I did some research online and bought Michael Mosely's books on carb control. And I felt that I was making inroads, losing weight although I am slim. I have now been five days without carbs except for sweet potatoes and tbh, I have never felt so ill in my life. It is almost worth going back to my sugar rich diet if it means an end to this lousy, painful and hungry existence. If this is what it is going to be like for the rest of my life then .... well you see where I'm going with this.

 

[Rachox]

I'm new to this too, two weeks behind you. I'm limiting myself to a maximum of 100g of carbs a day and feel ok on it. I'm sure the more experienced members will come along soon, but maybe you've gone too low carb too quickly?

 

[tim2000s]

Hi @Guzzler and welcome to the forum. Whilst a carb reduction can be tough, if you don't need to lose any weight, it's worth checking how many calories you're really eating. The statement that you're feeling hungry probably means you're not eating enough. I've tagged @daisy1 to provide some information.

 

[Snapsy]

Hi @Guzzler , sending strength!

I gather there is something called 'carb flu', which is the name given to symptoms of carb 'cold turkey' - I understand that it passes within a couple of weeks, tops.

Although I'm type 1 on insulin I choose to eat lower carb, too. I find I have much better control this way, and in general I feel better in myself. But I came to this point gradually.

I'm not at all the expert in this - I'm sure some of our many friends will drop by in a minute with some helpful advice.

Please don't give up on things. Six weeks post-diagnosis - it's really really early days - you've done the right thing in coming to this forum. Stick around - you'll find lots of mates on here who understand what you're going through.

A big big welcome to the best place on the web, Pauline!

Love Snapsy

 

[Nicksu]

Hi there everyone, my name is Pauline and I was dx with T2 about six weeks ago. The nurse said I must have been diabetic 'for a long time' and told me that my blood sugar was 98 (or 9.8?). I had just one symptom which was freezing cold feet. I was prescribed metformin (one twice a day for one week then two tablets twice a day thereafter). I did some research online and bought Michael Mosely's books on carb control. And I felt that I was making inroads, losing weight although I am slim. I have now been five days without carbs except for sweet potatoes and tbh, I have never felt so ill in my life. It is almost worth going back to my sugar rich diet if it means an end to this lousy, painful and hungry existence. If this is what it is going to be like for the rest of my life then .... well you see where I'm going with this.

Keep going and don't backslip - its known as carb withdrawal and can last about 10 days - it does go off though after this. I've been there myself - muscle aches etc.

 

[lindisfel]

Hi there everyone, my name is Pauline and I was dx with T2 about six weeks ago. The nurse said I must have been diabetic 'for a long time' and told me that my blood sugar was 98 (or 9.8?). I had just one symptom which was freezing cold feet. I was prescribed metformin (one twice a day for one week then two tablets twice a day thereafter). I did some research online and bought Michael Mosely's books on carb control. And I felt that I was making inroads, losing weight although I am slim. I have now been five days without carbs except for sweet potatoes and tbh, I have never felt so ill in my life. It is almost worth going back to my sugar rich diet if it means an end to this lousy, painful and hungry existence. If this is what it is going to be like for the rest of my life then .... well you see where I'm going with this.

IMHO, if you are thin there is a possibility your pancreas is not working properly and producing enough insulin, I think you may need to get back to your doctor and get properly checked out. A slim person with presumably very high Hba1c needs looking at more comprehensively. On the other hand you did not mention your BMI? Perhaps you are not eating enough fat to keep your weight ok? When you eat sufficient of the right kind of fats you dont feel hungry. best wishes Derek

 

[Bluetit1802]

It is possible you are not eating enough, and cutting right down on carbs to a minimum amount without looking at your protein and fat intake will lead to hunger and weight loss. You need to maintain the same calories lost by cutting carbs.

Even if you have increased your fat intake, it is still possible to have what is known as carb flu. This is a state some people find themselves in where the body is getting used to the change in fuel - from carbs to fats.

 

[librarising]

I have never felt so ill in my life. It is almost worth going back to my sugar rich diet if it means an end to this lousy, painful and hungry existence.

As @Snapsy says, it sounds like carb flu, and will pass within two weeks or earlier. There's light at the other end, so just stick in there. Lowcarbers often find a new excitement in eating, and you'll probably get there too.
Geoff

 

[Guzzler]

IMHO, if you are thin there is a possibility your pancreas is not working properly and producing enough insulin, I think you may need to get back to your doctor and get properly checked out. A slim person with presumably very high Hba1c needs looking at more comprehensively. On the other hand you did not mention your BMI? Perhaps you are not eating enough fat to keep your weight ok? When you eat sufficient of the right kind of fats you dont feel hungry. best wishes Derek

Hi there, the nurse said my BMI was fine but still wanted me to lose half a stone. I suppose this would be wanting me to lose visceral fat? Mosely describes it as being a TOFI i.e thin on the outside fat on the inside. I have had to cut down on fat as my cholesterol is too high and the GP suggested statins which I refused with the idea of lowering it by diet alone. Is it possible to tackle T2 and high cholesterol at the same time?
Thanks.

 

[Snapsy]

Lowcarbers often find a new excitement in eating, and you'll probably get there too.

Really good point, @librarising - and certainly the case with me! Looking forward to my salmon, asparagus, broccoli and hollandaise sauce tonight, followed by lemon cheesecake (lemons, cream, cream cheese, Splenda, vigorously whisked.........).

 

[Snapsy]

(Message crossed with your latest one, @Guzzler )

 

[librarising]

Looking forward to my salmon, asparagus, broccoli and hollandaise sauce tonight, followed by lemon cheesecake (lemons, cream, cream cheese, Splenda, vigorously whisked.........).

Stop it. You've got my saliva glands going !
Geoff

 

[Snapsy]

Sorry!

 

[AM1874]

Hi @Guzzler .. and welcome
I agree with @tim2000s .. I suspect that in cutting carbs, you have actually cut your total food intake and you are not eating enough .. it can be tough in the first few weeks but you can correct this fairly easily and quickly

Managing and controlling your diabetes through exercise, diet and testing your Blood Glucose seems to be the best way forward for many people. For me, committing to an LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) lifestyle and testing 3-5 times a day seems to be working and you'll find that there is a wealth of info, relevant advice and positive support about LCHF on the forum ..

I see that @ daisy1 has already been tagged for you and I would suggest that you read up on the Low Carb Program in the information that she will soon be sending you. You might also find the discussion on the Low Carb Diet forum helpful .. and the following Diet Doctor websites ...
Low Carb Intro and Information
Low Carbs in 60 Seconds

If you have not already done so, I strongly recommend that you get yourself a meter for testing .. I suggest that you try the website at:
https://homehealth-uk.com/product-category/blood-glucose/
for the SD Codefree meter, which costs £12.98 (you don't pay VAT) or:
http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
who distribute the TEE 2 meter, which is free.
I have both for comparative purposes and I have never found any significant difference between them. Unless you are prescribed test strips by your doctor (unlikely), the costs of testing comes down to the ongoing charges for test strips and lancets. I'm testing 3-4 times a day which works out at around £10 to £12 per month for either of the two packages above but, more importantly, I now know what my BG levels are .. and I can now manage them
Hope this helps

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi there, the nurse said my BMI was fine but still wanted me to lose half a stone. I suppose this would be wanting me to lose visceral fat? Mosely describes it as being a TOFI i.e thin on the outside fat on the inside. I have had to cut down on fat as my cholesterol is too high and the GP suggested statins which I refused with the idea of lowering it by diet alone. Is it possible to tackle T2 and high cholesterol at the same time?
Thanks.

On very low carb you cannot cut down on fat without losing tons of energy and also weight. Please use the search box to find the hundreds of threads on cholesterol. You will find it very interesting and useful. Have you any idea what your cholesterol was? (HDL/LDL/Triglycerides) You really need these figures. Until you know your levels of cholesterol you have no idea if you even need to tackle it. (Statins are offered to all diabetics as a matter of routine) Cutting down on fat will rarely help. It is sugar and carbs that are the culprits.

Cutting the carbs will help increase your HDL (good cholesterol), eating plenty of Omega 3 and antioxidants will help with the rest, especially oily fish, avocado, nuts, olives and olive oil, milled flaxseed and chia seed, even a small glass of red wine. My own personal experience is my cholesterol improved once I went low carb and increased my fats. So yes, you can tackle both - that is, if you need to.

 

[Mark_1]

You shouldn't be hungry, it's low carbs not low calories. Eat more of the things that stop your blood sugars rising too much.

 

[Resurgam]

Sweet potatoes?
They have more carbs than ordinary potatoes so they are really not something to have on a low carb diet.
You'd be better off tossing them in the bin and making better choices - try having mushrooms with breakfast, maybe a tomato - OK, maybe just half a large one, omelette is always good,
For lunch take the half a tomato and add a big green salad, some coleslaw and then whatever you fancy from all the meat or fish available - tuna or salmon is nice, for dinner - maybe roast chicken or a steak, with cauliflower and another low carb vegetable.
My Hba1c was 91 at diagnosis and 47 80 days later, and I really enjoyed the process - it really was not difficult, I did not even feel that I was trying as hard as I might have done.
I had coffee with cream and berries with cream - and I don't even need to take tablets to get normal blood glucose readings.
For a list of things to eat you could look at Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution - he got low carb sorted out decades ago it is just a pity it was labelled a fad diet and he was not acknowledged for the people he helped.
I really feel rejuvenated, and the only downside is that I keep having to throw away garments which are too big. I'm just hoping that my kaftans are still in the back of the wardrobe.

 

[lindisfel]

Hi there, the nurse said my BMI was fine but still wanted me to lose half a stone. I suppose this would be wanting me to lose visceral fat? Mosely describes it as being a TOFI i.e thin on the outside fat on the inside. I have had to cut down on fat as my cholesterol is too high and the GP suggested statins which I refused with the idea of lowering it by diet alone. Is it possible to tackle T2 and high cholesterol at the same time?
Thanks.

Hi Guzzler, did they say what your lipid profile was? A low carb good fats diet puts up your HDL and puts down your triglycerides. Its refined carbs that mess up ones lipids not good fats.
Derek

 

[Guzzler]

On very low carb you cannot cut down on fat without losing tons of energy and also weight. Please use the search box to find the hundreds of threads on cholesterol. You will find it very interesting and useful. Have you any idea what your cholesterol was? (HDL/LDL/Triglycerides) You really need these figures. Until you know your levels of cholesterol you have no idea if you even need to tackle it. (Statins are offered to all diabetics as a matter of routine) Cutting down on fat will rarely help. It is sugar and carbs that are the culprits.

Cutting the carbs will help increase your HDL (good cholesterol), eating plenty of Omega 3 and antioxidants will help with the rest, especially oily fish, avocado, nuts, olives and olive oil, milled flaxseed and chia seed, even a small glass of red wine. My own personal experience is my cholesterol improved once I went low carb and increased my fats. So yes, you can tackle both - that is, if you need to.

Thank you for this advice, it seems I need to do a lot more reading. ☺

 

[Guzzler]

Hi Guzzcan't did they say what your lipid profile was? A low carb good fats diet puts up your HDL and puts down your triglycerides. Its refined carbs that mess up ones lipids not good fats.
Derek

To be honest, Derek the news of T2 so floored me that I can't remember much of what the nurse said. Was she trying to frighten me when she said that in her opinion I should go onto insulin injections so that she could "keep me alive"?