Help!

[Guest guest]

HI, ...can we have a little more information? First of all, what was the

pill you were taking? If it's a sulf (sulfonylurea) , that could be the

reason you were going low. However, there are other pills not in that class

that won't cause lows because they work differently. One is Glucophage, one

is Prandin, another is Starlix. Why did your doc take you off pills? Did he

give a reason?

Next, what kind of food plan are you following? Is it the traditional ADA

exchange plan? Or are you low carbing?

Have you read Dr. Bernstein's book? Have you read Gretchen Becker's book?

(I consider these the two best books on diabetes written).

How long since your diagnosis? What was your initial A1C?

How often are you testing and when? What was your last A1C?

And...are you exercising regularly? And drinking lots of water?

Vicki

In a message dated 02/08/2003 11:24:31 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

larbsr@... writes:

> I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in July 2002 and have had

> problems ever since. Never was on insulin, and my doctor took me off

> my pill about 3 weeks ago. I need advice on diet, period of

> adjustment, and whether there's ever going to be a chance for me to

> feel halfway normal again. When I went off the pill I felt pretty

> good for a while, but apparently the medication is just now beginning

> to wear off and I'm feeling lousy again. So far I seem to be staying

> really close to the normal range, but over the last few days I've been

> seeing higher numbers again (like 135). The only thing I can think of

> to do when I'm a little bit higher is not to eat again until the level

> comes back down. I'm afraid to. I also worry that I'm not getting

> enough calories, even though my carbs are in the target range. With

> my pill, I had several hypoglycemic episodes. No trouble with that

> now, but as I said, the levels seem to be heading up again. I'm

> particularly interested in how to get enough calories (500 per meal,

> the nutritionist said) while staying in the target carb range (30-60

> per meal, 15-20 per snack) and avoiding fats and sodium. I asked the

> nutritionist how far apart I should eat and she just said, " Listen to

> your body. " What do you suggest?

> Thanks,

> Alma

>

[Guest guest]

Well, Pam...die like flies?? I've heard of MANY diabetics following Atkins

and never heard from one who died <g> ...really, though, a low carb diet is

definitely NOT harmful to diabetics. There ARE many of us on this list who

have been controlling our BGs with low or medium carb diet for long periods

of time. When you consider that diabetes is largely a carbohydrate

metabolism problem, it makes simple sense to avoid as many carbs as possible.

Carbs make our BGs go up.

However this does NOT mean to avoid all carbs...but the ones higher on the GI

(glycemic index) such as the " whites " -- potatos, breads, cereals and all

grain products including pasta and rice. There are many veggies that are

relatively lowcarb and low GI that you can eat a lot of. Check Rick

Mendosa's site for lots of great info about the GI index and other related

diabetic information (link at bottom of this page, I believe).

Here it is...Vicki's Pretty Lowcarb Veggie List:

Spinach

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck)

Spaghetti squash

Mushrooms

Asparagus

Greenbeans

Cabbage

Sauerkraut

And of course lettuce and avocados which aren't a veggie but a fruit …but

they're definitely lowcarb. I have a large mixed lettuce salad with avocado

every night with dinner.

It's quite true that you're going to hear a lot of different advice from

different diabetics. That's because diabetes is a very individual disease. We

have a saying here... YMMV. That means " your mileage may vary " -- i.e. what

works for me may not work for you. The best way to find what works for you

is to test a lot and keep good notes. Strips are expensive and since you

have no insurance right now, this may be a problem - but ultimately the

results of poor control (I'm sure I don't have to tell you what those are)

will be MUCH more expensive. So it's a really good thing if you can at least

for a while do frequent testing, like first thing in the morning, before each

meal and one and two hours afterwards. Pretty soon you'll learn how your

body reacts to different foods and can stay away from the ones that make your

BG go up.

I understand Walmart has a lowcost meter and strips that's considerably

cheaper than most. You might want to check it out. There are also several

resources for people with low income to help out with the cost of diabetic

meds. I don't know if this includes strips, though.

Good luck - and keep asking questions. We were all newbies once.

Oh, as to what I do for diabetes control...well, I'm LADA (latent autoimmune

diabetes in adults) diagnosed five years ago. It's like type 1 really, except

I was 60 on diagnosis 5 plus years ago, not a juvenile! So I take insulin. I

keep my carb intake to under 100 a day (I call this medium carbing) and take

Humalog and Ultralente insulin. I exercise daily and I feel great and have

no complications. My last A1C was 4.6.

Vicki

In a message dated 02/09/2003 1:07:58 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

larbsr@... writes:

>

> I had someone tell me months ago that he knew many diabetics who had

> absolutely no problems at all after going on the Atkins diet, but

> I've also heard that people on the Atkins diet tend to die like flies.

>

> The worst problem is that everyone has a different idea as to what is

> the best way to handle diabetes. I just wanted to see what everyone

> else is doing, and maybe then I'd be able to see a direction for

> myself. So far, I've only talked to health care professionals, none

> of whom is actually diabetic. I felt it was time to take my issues

> to the experts, and I appreciate the feedback.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Alma wrote:

<< I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in July 2002 and have had

problems ever since. Never was on insulin, and my doctor took me off

my pill about 3 weeks ago. I need advice on diet, period of

adjustment, and whether there's ever going to be a chance for me to

feel halfway normal again. >>

What pill were you on? (I assume the doctor took you off because your

glucose readings had returned to near normal.) In what way do you

feel crummy? We need details.

<< I also worry that I'm not getting enough calories, even though my

carbs are in the target range. >>

What is your target range? Most of us try to keep our carb intake

beneath 100 grams, and some aim for much lower than that ... 20-40

grams daily.

<< With my pill, I had several hypoglycemic episodes. >>

That answered my question. You were likely on a sulfonylurea such as

Glucotrol.

<< now, but as I said, the levels seem to be heading up again. >>

Those pills were overdriving your pancreas beta cells to pull your

glucose readings down. You have a good chance of accomplishing the

same thing without exhausting your pancreas by lowering your

carbohydrate intake. Other things that help: weight loss and regular

exercise, particularly weight lifting.

<< I'm particularly interested in how to get enough calories (500 per

meal, the nutritionist said) while staying in the target carb range

(30-60 per meal, 15-20 per snack) and avoiding fats and sodium. >>

There are three main food groups. The one we diabetics need to

minimize is not fats but carbohydrates. Your nutritionist has you on

120-220 grams of carbs per day, which isn't likely to give you good

diabetes control without the use of pancreas-pummeling sulfonylurea-

type drugs.

Susie

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the responses.

I started out on a medication that I can never remember the name of.

Something that started with a V, or " Av.... " Then my doctor switched

me to 2 mg daily of Amaryl. That went down to 1 mg of Amaryl.

The doctor took me off the pill because I had lost weight and he felt

I could now stay under control due to the weight loss. He also said

not to worry if my level got up around 200 for a while, that my body

would adjust in a couple of months. He said nothing about how long

it would take for the medication to leave my system. The

nutritionist said 4-6 weeks. It has been almost 4 weeks now.

My only A1C reading was 6.2. That was in August. I had to give up

my medical insurance when the rates went up in January and it would

cost about $100 to have the next test. I am currently on

unemployment and cannot afford that cost.

My doctor seems convinced that most of my symptoms are due to

anxiety, not diabetes. Sometimes I feel dizzy. Sometimes I can't

see as well (though nothing gets blurrier), and I find it difficult

to concentrate. This most often happens within an hour to an hour

and a half after I eat, but still within two hours after a meal I am

usually below 120. Exercise almost always increases the concentration

and vision problems.

The nutritionist said that if I take in fewer than 500 calories a

meal (not counting snacks), I will have muscle trouble. The doctor

said 1200-1800 calories per day. I have a food list (in fact,

several lists), but that's mostly about the numbers of carbs and has

very little do to with planning a healthy meal.

I had someone tell me months ago that he knew many diabetics who had

absolutely no problems at all after going on the Atkins diet, but

I've also heard that people on the Atkins diet tend to die like flies.

The worst problem is that everyone has a different idea as to what is

the best way to handle diabetes. I just wanted to see what everyone

else is doing, and maybe then I'd be able to see a direction for

myself. So far, I've only talked to health care professionals, none

of whom is actually diabetic. I felt it was time to take my issues

to the experts, and I appreciate the feedback.

[Guest guest]

When your blood sugar is high, (but still under 250) you can always

exercise. It brings mine right down.

Robin G.

> "

>

The only thing I can think of

>to do when I'm a little bit higher is not to eat again until the level

>comes back down.

_________________________________________________________________

STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*

http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

[Guest guest]

Alma on wrote:

<< I had to give up my medical insurance when the rates went up in

January and it would cost about $100 to have the next test. I am

currently on unemployment and cannot afford that cost. >>

Please contact your County Health Dept. about getting medical

assistance - along with food stamps, etc. When I couldn't find work I

got free doctors, medical tests and medicines.

I agree - it is very confusing at first, with one group telling you

to eat more carbs and less fat, and another group telling you to do

the opposite. There are three main food groups: carbohydrates, fats

and proteins. Of those three, carbohydrates are the problem for us

diabetics. Read the posts for awhile and see if what others say makes

sense to you, and please ask questions as they occur to you. Most of

us eat fewer than 100 grams of carbohydrates a day, I believe, and

several do what is considered Atkins Induction or Bernstein: 20-40

grams a day. They do that to control their glucose readings as well

as to remain in ketosis, which helps our bodies burn excess fat.

Susie

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/12/2003 12:01:58 PM Central Standard Time,

pnorwood1@... writes:

> I only lost

> 40 and then it kinda stopped. I am trying again, without much success.

>

>

Even Dr. Atkins states that calories do count so watching portion sizes on

the higher fat foods might help...and of course exercise would help....not

like I have done any this week with bronchitis.....bad ressy...bad ressy....

ressy

[Guest guest]

Great! As I said, the counting carbs and keeping to a rigid schedule of

'phases' is a bit too complex for me; however, I have integrated some of his

ideas into my WOE, and as a result have gone from a 46 or 48 inch waist to a 42

inch (estimated--my 44 trousers are slipping off my hips) in about 8 months.

Re: Re: Help!

Dr. Atkins is a cardiologist. If you read the book, you will see miracles of

people cured from heart disease. It helped my heart, cut my tryglicerides

from 800 to 199 with no meds, but now I am having a hard time losing weight.

So it is not all perfect. But, others have lost 100's of pounds, I only lost

40 and then it kinda stopped. I am trying again, without much success.

[Guest guest]

Jenni,

I have a really good vulvar specialist in Jxn, MS. If you want his information, let me know.

Sincerely,

Suzy