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Hello

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.

Green Eyes

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi there! I just wanted to introduce myself. Im really wondering what is happening with my body lately. I was diagnosed as prediabetic 18 years ago. I was gestational requiring insulin and went back to prediabetic range after I gave birth. I have been able to control through diet and exercise since then staying at a prediabetic range but recently my BS is over 10.2 when I wake up and stays there or higher throughout the day. My last A1c was 6.9. I eat 50-60 gr carbs per day, most of which is coming from vegetables. I also try and walk daily. Was walking over 10,000 steps a day until an injury sidelined me for a bit, so I'm not walking quite as much though I still do try and make an effort. I had gone on metformin for a bit but severe reactions and my doctor took me off.
I'm at a standstill with weight loss. I have been stuck at a plateau for years and I do need to lose. I've been doing intermittent fasting too from 12-24 hours. Does anyone have any suggestions to help me? Thank you so much.
 
Not able to help that much sorry - BUT what else are you eating apart from veg?
 
Hi Trophywench,

Here is a typical day for me. I don't always ear breakfast but will sometimes have a cup of coffee with some heavy cream which often holds me till lunch. Yesterday I had a medium apple with 2 tbsp of nut butter and my BS was 12 for hours. Nothing seemed to move it.

Lunch is usually some type of lean protein including chicken, pork or tuna with a salad or veggies usually celery, small tomatoes and baby carrots. I will sometimes have a tbsp or 2 of hummus or tzatziki.

Dinner is always lean protein and more veggies like roasted Brussels or cauliflower rice or broccoli.

I don't typically snack between meals nor do I eat desserts. I follow the Carb Manager app and am consistently eating about 1400 calories per day. I'm 6 ft. tall

My dietician told me I eat better than her and can't understand like me why my pudge won't budge!
 
Welcome @Green Eyes 🙂 Your diet does indeed sound very light and restrained. The only thing I can think of is to try to jumpstart your weight loss by dropping your calories a bit more, even if only temporarily.

Also, have you had tests to make sure there’s nothing else going on eg thyroid problems?
 
Hi Inka. I realized after posting I forgot to include I have Hashimotos too. Yes, my thyroid has been an ongoing issue for me too.
 
I don’t know much at all about thyroid problems but there are lots of posters here who do. I think Hashimoto’s is auto-immune? Have they ruled out LADA/Type 1 diabetes (also auto-immune)? It sounds like you’re doing everything right, and the level of carbs you’re eating is very low.
 
Hi @Green Eyes and welcome to the forum.
Unfortunately Blood Glucose and weight don't always go together.
While an HbA1C of 6.9% isn't good, it isn't that bad either since it isn't far into the diabetic range. Apart from walking less, has anything else changed recently such as new medication, illness, injury, stress or severe lack of sleep? All of those things can affect our Blood Glucose without any change in what we eat.

You aren't eating many calories (based upon your height). What is your BMI?
It is thought that slim (or TOFI Thin Outside Fat Inside) Type 2 diabetics have a harder time reducing their glucose levels than the more usual overweight ones.

Low calorie diets especially when maintained for a long time reduce the body's Resting Metabolic Rate - making it burn less calories when sitting. This makes it much easier to regain weight even when eating fewer calories than a normal healthy person would do. Unfortunately the calories burned while doing not much form the bulk of all the calories that a normal person will use during the day - this is why they say it isn't possible to out run a poor diet.

Of course it is possible to reduce both carbs and even calories even more, but personally I wouldn't reduce calories since that may be the cause of your current situation in the first place.

Again on a personal note, we aren't all the same in our reaction to carbs and so for me those baby carrots spike my BG even though many/most diabetes would have no problem with them. Have you tested different carby veg to see if any affect you much more than others. That is what i did when I was first diagnosed, before which I used to eat an apple and several carrots every day (as well as a more obvious banana). Well testing before eating and then 2hrs after first bite showed a rise of more than 2.0 mmol - so I don't eat those any more.

You appear to be saying that your BG is high in a morning I presume that is before your coffee. This can only be due to either eating lots of slow acting carbs in the evening) perhaps with lots of fat or with alcohol), or the Dawn Phenomenon. That is where our cave dweller's liver decides to help us by providing the energy for us to hunt/gather our breakfast by dumping its own produced glucose into our blood stream. It can take several years to get it to reduce this to more acceptable levels.

Finally, it is possible for the Insulin creating Beta cells of the pancreas to stop working as well, so reducing the amount of insulin produced and thus causing BG to rise even if insulin resistance is not changing.

Whatever things you decide to try I wish you success with them.
Ian
 
Hi there. It’s so frustrating isn’t it. Although my profile states type 1 I’ve been without medication of any kind for around 3 months, so the suggestion is I’m type 2. It’s not always related to weight, it can be a combination of other things too. I also had gestational 23 years ago and have suffered with spells of high sugars ever since. I really struggle as I’m very underweight and I can’t get enough to eat. I’m low carb always under 50g a day, the DN wants me to eat more carbs but I can’t really can’t tolerate any more. My diagnosis was sept 20’ and it’s only in the last couple of months that I’ve started so see a real drop in BG particularly fasting. That really is the last one to come down. If I don’t eat in the morning my glucose keeps creeping up so I have a low carb nut bar that seems to steady me. I can’t eat apples or more than a couple of cherry tomatoes. My a1c was similar to yours it was 7.2 at one point, (55) and it’s took me this long to get to 37/38. You see many posters reducing from 90’s to 30’s in a couple of months and that can be deflating but you got to keep trying to see what works for you. An endocrinologist once said to me - you got your type 1’s and your type 2’s and a huge grey area in the middle that even medics doesn’t understand. So don’t beat yourself up if your at a loss too. Have you tried the freestyle libre ? They usually have a 2 week free trial. Great to see what’s happening especially overnight. Another thing, I never eat anything after 7pm. I’m not gonna lie, it’s not easy and it takes over your life whilst your getting to grips with it but I’m hoping it’s not always gonna be like this. Please come back for advice/encouragement or just a moan, always someone here to help xx
 
Now, hang on there, though what has been suggested could be 'it' - what actually were your last Thyroid blood test results? - and, do you actually see an Endocrinology Consultant at the hospital for that, or only your GP?
 
Now, hang on there, though what has been suggested could be 'it' - what actually were your last Thyroid blood test results? - and, do you actually see an Endocrinology Consultant at the hospital for that, or only your GP?
My last reading showed me more hyper. I had lots of sweating, anxiety and heart palps. I'm a congenital heart patient too so heart palps are a concern. I have an internist who is more focused on my blood sugar and heart.
 
Hi there. It’s so frustrating isn’t it. Although my profile states type 1 I’ve been without medication of any kind for around 3 months, so the suggestion is I’m type 2. It’s not always related to weight, it can be a combination of other things too. I also had gestational 23 years ago and have suffered with spells of high sugars ever since. I really struggle as I’m very underweight and I can’t get enough to eat. I’m low carb always under 50g a day, the DN wants me to eat more carbs but I can’t really can’t tolerate any more. My diagnosis was sept 20’ and it’s only in the last couple of months that I’ve started so see a real drop in BG particularly fasting. That really is the last one to come down. If I don’t eat in the morning my glucose keeps creeping up so I have a low carb nut bar that seems to steady me. I can’t eat apples or more than a couple of cherry tomatoes. My a1c was similar to yours it was 7.2 at one point, (55) and it’s took me this long to get to 37/38. You see many posters reducing from 90’s to 30’s in a couple of months and that can be deflating but you got to keep trying to see what works for you. An endocrinologist once said to me - you got your type 1’s and your type 2’s and a huge grey area in the middle that even medics doesn’t understand. So don’t beat yourself up if your at a loss too. Have you tried the freestyle libre ? They usually have a 2 week free trial. Great to see what’s happening especially overnight. Another thing, I never eat anything after 7pm. I’m not gonna lie, it’s not easy and it takes over your life whilst your getting to grips with it but I’m hoping it’s not always gonna be like this. Please come back for advice/encouragement or just a moan, always someone here to help xx
Thank you so much! I have to admit I have been feeling a bit deflated with this. I sometimes feel concerned what I should be eating now.
Hi @Green Eyes and welcome to the forum.
Unfortunately Blood Glucose and weight don't always go together.
While an HbA1C of 6.9% isn't good, it isn't that bad either since it isn't far into the diabetic range. Apart from walking less, has anything else changed recently such as new medication, illness, injury, stress or severe lack of sleep? All of those things can affect our Blood Glucose without any change in what we eat.

You aren't eating many calories (based upon your height). What is your BMI?
It is thought that slim (or TOFI Thin Outside Fat Inside) Type 2 diabetics have a harder time reducing their glucose levels than the more usual overweight ones.

Low calorie diets especially when maintained for a long time reduce the body's Resting Metabolic Rate - making it burn less calories when sitting. This makes it much easier to regain weight even when eating fewer calories than a normal healthy person would do. Unfortunately the calories burned while doing not much form the bulk of all the calories that a normal person will use during the day - this is why they say it isn't possible to out run a poor diet.

Of course it is possible to reduce both carbs and even calories even more, but personally I wouldn't reduce calories since that may be the cause of your current situation in the first place.

Again on a personal note, we aren't all the same in our reaction to carbs and so for me those baby carrots spike my BG even though many/most diabetes would have no problem with them. Have you tested different carby veg to see if any affect you much more than others. That is what i did when I was first diagnosed, before which I used to eat an apple and several carrots every day (as well as a more obvious banana). Well testing before eating and then 2hrs after first bite showed a rise of more than 2.0 mmol - so I don't eat those any more.

You appear to be saying that your BG is high in a morning I presume that is before your coffee. This can only be due to either eating lots of slow acting carbs in the evening) perhaps with lots of fat or with alcohol), or the Dawn Phenomenon. That is where our cave dweller's liver decides to help us by providing the energy for us to hunt/gather our breakfast by dumping its own produced glucose into our blood stream. It can take several years to get it to reduce this to more acceptable levels.

Finally, it is possible for the Insulin creating Beta cells of the pancreas to stop working as well, so reducing the amount of insulin produced and thus causing BG to rise even if insulin resistance is not changing.

Whatever things you decide to try I wish you success with them.
Ian
I have had super amounts of stress in the past few months and my sleep has never been good. I wake up at any sound actually. My BMI is 32.so I have lots of padding on me, yet I'm also very muscular underneath that padding so I'm a fat one. Lol...
I think the thing for me is that I'm not often hungry. My thyroid issue has messed that for m. And I'm not a snacker. Haven't snacked for a long time. I think I'm at the point where I'm quite concerned about what is going to affect me. Many years, prior to me being diagnosed, I ate 2 cobs of corn for dinner along with some chicken and salad. Nothing crazy right? Yet, I was unable to wake up for hours. My family tried numerous times to rouse me. I'm sure that was the beginning of my issues then.
I don't eat a lot of carbs for dinner but I do try to eat above ground veggies. I'm not a big drinker, a glass of wine now and then is what I drink. I'll sometimes eat a square or two of dark chocolate. I'm pretty sure it is the Dawn phenomenon because I tested the other day before bed and I was 3 points higher the next morning. Yet, I had only eaten some chicken and a salad.

Thank you so much for the information. I'm sure I have messed my metabolism from the years of dieting.
 
Welcome to the forum @Green Eyes

You do seem to be putting in a lot of thought and effort into turning things around, and it must be very frustrating to have hit the plateau you have, and not see the results your actions might otherwise provide.

Keep going with your experimentation, and hopefully you’ll find the particular set of approaches and components that your body responds well to.

Are you checking before/after meals (and fasts) to see how your BG is responding to your current meal strategy?

Some members here find checking before and then again 2hrs after and aiming for a rise of no more than 2-3 can help to spot how your body responds.

The auto-immune angle is worth bearing in mind in the future too, particularly if both fasting and low carb are seeing your BGs stay stubbornly above your target range?
 
I can really relate to the messed up metabolism - I seem to have the knack of picking exactly the wrong GP and now I just avoid all grain and starchy foods as I simply can't cope with them.
Do you test your blood glucose?
I would not eat corn, my dinner tonight was lamb and a few peas, there was salad in the fridge but I just didn't fancy it now the weather is turning cold - it will probably become salad soup tomorrow.
 
Interesting idea, @Drummer ! - like a cross between Vichyssoise and Gazpacho ...... garnished with wilted lettuce ......
 
Interesting idea, @Drummer ! - like a cross between Vichyssoise and Gazpacho ...... garnished with wilted lettuce ......
Waste not want not at the minute - the supermarket shelves are not entirely empty but supply is very patchy - today I could get yoghurt but no cream.
The base for the soup is a tomato and the lettuce, blended, once it is cooked, I cut very thin slivers of onion, separate the rings then drop them onto the surface of the soup in the bowl. By the time it is cool enough to eat, the onion is softened and adds to the flavours.
I must see if I can get a modest sized pumpkin - the first one I got was only half eaten, far too much for one person to eat before it went mouldy, but for 40p I thought it was worth a try.
 
Waste not want not at the minute - the supermarket shelves are not entirely empty but supply is very patchy - today I could get yoghurt but no cream.
The base for the soup is a tomato and the lettuce, blended, once it is cooked, I cut very thin slivers of onion, separate the rings then drop them onto the surface of the soup in the bowl. By the time it is cool enough to eat, the onion is softened and adds to the flavours.
I must see if I can get a modest sized pumpkin - the first one I got was only half eaten, far too much for one person to eat before it went mouldy, but for 40p I thought it was worth a try.
You can freeze the pumpkin/squash if you have space. Then you can just cook from frozen or add to soups or casseroles.
 
I never thought to try freezing it - I thought that it would just go to mush like strawberries.
 
I never thought to try freezing it - I thought that it would just go to mush like strawberries.
Courgettes do tend to go to mush but the dryer fleshed ones like butternut or actual pumpkin or some of the other odd varieties I grow freeze well. I usually cut into cubes, I don't bother to blanche, they stay separate and you can just tip out what you need.
 
I will give it a go - I have a large freezer and it will need to earn its keep with the cost of everything set to rise.
 
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