Re: LOSING too much weight????

[Guest guest]

Janie, we have a limited need for protein, and it does put some

strain on the liver and kidneys when it is a major part of the

diet.

Diabetics have to be kind to their organs, they tend to be

damaged. Can you move him toward more veggies, salads and some

starchy vegetables. He might be type 1, insulin dependent? Sam

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/8/01 5:40:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

designnut@... writes:

> Janie, we have a limited need for protein, and it does put some

> strain on the liver and kidneys when it is a major part of the

> diet.

>

As long as he is drinking plenty of water, his kidneys should be fine.

Protein is only dangerous for kidneys that are already damaged.

[Guest guest]

Janie, can he add back some carbs with low to medium glycemic foods and high

fiber?. Is his bg stable? See the glycemic index and lots of information

at:

http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm As always, test, test, test.

Barb

> I sure need advice/comments. When my 6' husband was diagnosed with

Diabetes

> around February, he hovered about 180. He controls his blood sugars with

> diet, eating a lot of protein. He has since lost about 15 lbs. He doesn'

t

> feel physically bad, nor does he look " skinny " but it worries him to be

down

> to that weight (165 lbs). And it keeps coming off.

>

> Is there something to worry about here? Will he level off, or is he just

not

> getting the calories he needs since he has cut out so much carbs, and he

> will continue to lose weight???

>

[Guest guest]

Until fairly recently it was thought that only kids got type 1 diabetes, a

lot of general practitioers haven't gotten the word yet that you can get type

1 as an adult, therefore they apparently almost automatically give adult

onset diabetics a type 2 diagnosis. However, this is not correct. If your

husband is losing weight that's one sign of type 1. Another is that oral

meds generally aren't effective in lowering BGs on type 1s. I speak from

experience -- I was diagnosed type 1 at age 60. Ask for a C-peptide or GAD

antibody test...either of those will indicate definitively whether he's a

type 1 or 2. Vicki

In a message dated 01-07-08 20:37:37 EDT, you write:

<<

Good, Janie, and no, Type 1's can't control their bs with diet and exercise.

He probably just needs some food choice adjustments - don't forget the

" good " fats, like avacados.

>>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/8/01 10:24:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time, whimsy2@...

writes:

<< a

lot of general practitioers haven't gotten the word yet that you can get

type

1 as an adult, therefore they apparently almost automatically give adult

onset diabetics a type 2 diagnosis. However, this is not correct. If your

husband is losing weight that's one sign of type 1. Another is that oral

meds generally aren't effective in lowering BGs on type 1s. >>

But it seems from what she's said that he's losing weight because of his diet

-- his BG readings seem to be exactly where they should be. In that sense,

the oral meds *are* working; even a Type 1 who eats almost no carb at all is

going to see a rise in BGs because there is no basal insulin available -- the

insulin needed to keep BGs in a normal range without any food intake. When I

was initially diagnosed, my doctor told me that she believed I would need

insulin, that I my symptoms were *classic* Type 1, but she still put me on

oral meds for five days; I ate *so* little carb that first week -- and my

readings rarely went below the 500 mark. At one point she even *tripled* the

dose of the meds I was taking, and the lowest reading I ever managed to

achieve was somewhere in the range of 350 -- my first-thing-in-the-morning

fasting reading. It was obvious from the outset that I needed -- desperately

-- to be on insulin. The readings I was getting for those five days I was on

oral meds were terrifying, to say the least. I was afraid to eat or drink

anything at all. My weight loss was dramatic -- almost 20 pounds in a six

week period, and I was eating virtually everything I could get my hands on,

foods I would never think about eating otherwise -- but the weight loss

didn't continue once my BGs were stabilized. It steadily reversed itself.

I don't think this is a case of his losing weight because he's Type 1; it

just doesn't seem likely considering the control he's had with his readings.

I agree though that the tendency is to automatically diagnose Type 2 after a

certain age; not only is it more common in adults, it's more common in

general. Type 1 is far less common than Type 2 on the whole. I would be

curious to know what his average calorie intake per day has been.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the responses so far to my question about my once-180-lb.

husband going down to 165. We are printing the Gycemic Index page now.

But some of your comments lead me to ask: If he is Type I instead of

II, wouldn't he be unable to control his diet like he is??? For

example, he was at 92 this morning. Basically stays between there and

120 with good diet control. Could a Type I do that with diet???

Also, when the VA said he was Diabetic, they had done something

called a 3-month test. They never said he was Type I, just Type II.

Is that kind of test accurate to diagnose between Type I and II??

I am going to stay in touch with you guys about his weight loss. We

will try to incorporate all your ideas because it is worrying me.

Janie

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 01-07-08 22:56:09 EDT, you write:

<< I was afraid to eat or drink anything at all. >>

Yep, I remember that well. I was diagnosed two weeks before my 60th birthday

3 years ago...had planned a restaurant dinner with ten friends...I was

absolutely terrified to eat anything, just barely nibbled. Didn't know about

lowcarb at that point, either. It was my Very Worst Birthday Ever. Vicki

[Guest guest]

Good, Janie, and no, Type 1's can't control their bs with diet and exercise.

He probably just needs some food choice adjustments - don't forget the

" good " fats, like avacados.

The 3 month test is an hbA1c (or A1c) and just shows his average bs for the

past 2-3 months. There are other test to determine type I or II, and your

doc could tell you more about that.

Good luck, and by all means, keep in touch.

Barb

> Also, when the VA said he was Diabetic, they had done something

> called a 3-month test. They never said he was Type I, just Type II.

> Is that kind of test accurate to diagnose between Type I and II??

>

> I am going to stay in touch with you guys about his weight loss. We

> will try to incorporate all your ideas because it is worrying me.

[Guest guest]

I mention the possibility as type 1 without insulin typically lose a lot

of weight. Thee 3 months test is glyccated hemoglobin, called HbA1c or

A1c. Sam

[Guest guest]

Sam, we have a limited need for every type of nutrient. What evidence have

you seen that protein puts a strain on healthy kidneys of diabetics? I have

heard this, but I suspect it is a myth. All the evidence I have seen

indicates that protein intake has no harmful effects if kidneys are not

already damaged and blood sugar levels are kept within normal ranges -- even

when one is diabetic. Wish I had the cites at hand. I'll keep my eyes

open.

What we do know is that high blood sugar levels really harm kidneys.

Personally, I would definitely suggest salads, leafy veggies, green beans,

etc. for anyone. But I would never suggest starchy veggies to a diabetic.

We certainly need to take care of our organs, so we need to control our

blood sugar levels and, if insulin resistant, our insulin levels since

hyperinsulinemia is also harmful (particularly to our hearts).

Tom the Actuary