Hi I’m new need help

Hello @Anne Driscoll, can you say a little more about what's happening for you? Is this new for you? Or an existing problem you've been dealing with?
 
Thanks Anna, I am new & finding it very hard to get enough sustenance from what I’m eating, I feel weak & am concerned about becoming ill
 
Anne Driscoll said:
Thanks Anna, I am new & finding it very hard to get enough sustenance from what I’m eating, I feel weak & am concerned about becoming ill
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Hi, Anne. Sorry to hear that you're struggling with your diet. Can you give us a rundown of a typical day's eating and also how you manage your diabetes? The more we know about your situation the more we'll be able to help.
 
Martin.A said:
Hi, Anne. Sorry to hear that you're struggling with your diet. Can you give us a rundown of a typical day's eating and also how you manage your diabetes? The more we know about your situation the more we'll be able to help.
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Thank you Martin,

1) I had a banana before I got up around 9 0’Clock
2) I ate porridge for breakfast at11 O’Clock
3) I ate two hard boiled eggs with half an avocado around 2:0’Clock
4) Supper, 3 egg scrambled egg, good portion of spinach & grilled cherry tomatoes.
5) Around 9 O’ Clock 2 ryvitas with fair amount of cottage cheese & half an avocado.

I feel weak & weepy & am very concerned about the medication. I was prescribed Ozempic initially, I took the lowest dose for a week it made me nauseated & feel like not eating. I started on Metformin last Thursday 500mg, My doctor wants me to increase it from 500 mg to 1500 in over a week.. I am concerned about this as I have no appetite on 500mg.

In truth Martin, I am in despair. I trust you can help, my head does not feel right.

Anne
 
I know that loss of appetite is listed as a side effect of Ozempic - are you off that now?

Apart from the banana, which us T2s normally avoid, and maybe the porridge, I can't see anything wrong with what you've listed if you're embracing a low carb diet.

Do you have a home testing kit for checking your blood sugar levels?
 
Are you vegetarian as you mention no meat or fish in your menu and very little vegetables or salads.
Metformin can upset people's stomachs and in any event to dose should only be increased gradually over a few weeks not just 1 week.
What was your HbA1C as that will indicate how much you really need to be reducing your carb intake. It looks as if you may have reduced it too much too quickly.
Have a look at this link as if you are vegetarian there is a veggie meal plan but othewise meat and fish are good low carb and good protein. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
 
Thanks Martin,I do eat some meat but am so downhearted as to what I can eat,there are low targets on fat, sugar, carbs. I will have to get a grip as I am 69 & feel very frail & somewhat light headed. You have been very kind must get my full bloods from my doctor.
 
Anne Driscoll said:
Thanks Martin,I do eat some meat but am so downhearted as to what I can eat, there are low targets on fat, sugar, carbs. I will have to get a grip as I am 69 & feel very frail & somewhat light headed. You have been very kind must get my full bloods from my doctor.
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The important thing is to be careful of carbohydrates as it is all carbohydrates not just sugar which convert to glucose rather than fats and protein so many look at adopting a low carb regime but make sure they are having plenty of protein and healthy fats as they need something to replace the carbs that will provide energy and prevent hunger.
Foods to be careful of are potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, breakfast cereals, starchy veg, tropical fruits and fruit juice as well as the more obvious cakes, biscuits, sugary drinks. However there is still plenty you can eat, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, vegetables, salads and fruit like berries.
If you look at the link I posted then you will see there is still plenty you can eat. That is a low carb approach it is not NO carb. The suggested amount of carbs per day is no more than 130g carb not just sugar. In fact when you look at nutritional information look at the carb value rather than sugar.
One think to make sure you get checked is you Vitamin B12 and vitamin D and folate as if low that can make you feel tired and frail.
Do ask what your HbA1C is then you know where you are starting from.
 
Sorry to hear you have been feeling a bit off colour and backed into a corner about what you should and shouldn’t be eating @Anne Driscoll

It can take a little while to piece together a flexible and satisfying menu, which is built around your body’s individual tolerances for different macronutrients, but it is possible. So take your time, and be kind to yourself as your body adjusts to your new way of eating.

There are a few meal plans here, based on different principles, which you might like to browse as possible starting points while you experiment to get the right balance of carbs, fats, and proteins for you. An important factor is ensuring that your metabolism is able to process the food effectively (with the help of meds if required), so that you can actually use the energy you are consuming.

Meal plans and diabetes

Eating nutritious, healthy and downright delicious food is that bit easier with our meal planners. We've created multiple different weekly meal plans to suit all types and tastes. They're nutritionally balanced, are calorie and carb counted, and can help if you want to lose weight. They also...
www.diabetes.org.uk www.diabetes.org.uk

High glucose levels (where the body is unable to process the intake of carbohydrates) can lead to both hunger and fatigue. And insufficient carbohydrates (the body’s preferred energy source) can lead to feelings of weakness as the body doesn’t feel fuelled.

It’s about getting the balance right for you 🙂
 
Anne Driscoll said:
I do eat some meat but am so downhearted as to what I can eat,there are low targets on fat, sugar, carbs.
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Remember that generally speaking low targets on fats are for saturated fats. If your low fat target is for cholesterol reasons then healthy unsaturated fats should be fine - if in doubt check with your doctor/nurse.
If you like fish, then most fish or prawns are a good option, and chicken or turkey are also good options.
 
Anne Driscoll said:
Thanks Martin,I do eat some meat but am so downhearted as to what I can eat,there are low targets on fat, sugar, carbs. I will have to get a grip as I am 69 & feel very frail & somewhat light headed. You have been very kind must get my full bloods from my doctor.
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I'd feel really ill eating that - I eat any meat, fish, eggs and full fat dairy plus low carb veges and fruits.
Compared with the 'healthy' diet I was pushed to eat which was high carb and low fat - well - there's no comparison.
Having high carb in the mornings is maybe best avoided as that is when many people are at their most insulin resistant - and a banana plus porridge??!!!!
I just noticed I forgot to have breakfast again - not uncommon as I am over 7 years from diagnosis now, but it was going to be beef.
If you are newly diagnosed then cutting down the carbs eaten each day should be done gradually, is the usual advice, but I was just so angry I cut down to no more than 50 gm of carbs a day after a couple of days of only meat - the adrenalin release probably supplied enough carbs for a week anyway.
The cherry tomatoes contain a lot more sugar than the full size salad ones, by the way. I find them sickly sweet whenever I eat one by accident, as they are being bred for higher sugar content.
 
Drummer said:
I'd feel really ill eating that - I eat any meat, fish, eggs and full fat dairy plus low carb veges and fruits.
Compared with the 'healthy' diet I was pushed to eat which was high carb and low fat - well - there's no comparison.
Having high carb in the mornings is maybe best avoided as that is when many people are at their most insulin resistant - and a banana plus porridge??!!!!
I just noticed I forgot to have breakfast again - not uncommon as I am over 7 years from diagnosis now, but it was going to be beef.
If you are newly diagnosed then cutting down the carbs eaten each day should be done gradually, is the usual advice, but I was just so angry I cut down to no more than 50 gm of carbs a day after a couple of days of only meat - the adrenalin release probably supplied enough carbs for a week anyway.
The cherry tomatoes contain a lot more sugar than the full size salad ones, by the way. I find them sickly sweet whenever I eat one by accident, as they are being bred for higher sugar content.
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Thank you, Drummer, thanks for information on cherry tomatoes, I have been eating quite a lot of them & did not realise they are full of sugar, I will change to the larger ones. The things that can trip you up, it’s a minefield. Your help is appreciated.
 
s'nic said:
Remember that generally speaking low targets on fats are for saturated fats. If your low fat target is for cholesterol reasons then healthy unsaturated fats should be fine - if in doubt check with your doctor/nurse.
If you like fish, then most fish or prawns are a good option, and chicken or turkey are also good options.
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Thank You, for the very valuable information s’nic
 
The cherry
Anne Driscoll said:
Thank you, Drummer, thanks for information on cherry tomatoes, I have been eating quite a lot of them & did not realise they are full of sugar, I will change to the larger ones. The things that can trip you up, it’s a minefield. Your help is appreciated.
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All the carbs in tomatoes are sugar, whether cherry or salad. The vine cherry tomatoes we buy are 3.4g carb per 100g, the salad tomatoes 2.9g carb per 100g, so the difference is minimal. As always it's portion control that's important. For example, the 3 cherry tomatoes I always have with a salad weigh around 30g in total, which is only 1g carb or thereabouts, barely worth counting.
 
Like @Martin.A i treat myself to cherry tomatoes because they taste better but just restrict it to 2 or 3 cut into halves or quarters depending upon the size to distribute their little bursts of flavour throughout my salad.
Most of the salad tomatoes in the shops taste of nothing so I won't buy them. On the vine are usually better but home grown are best of course. I would personally rather have a small portion of tasty tomatoes with a good balance of tart and sweetness than a larger portion of more or less tasteless salad tomatoes.
 
rebrascora said:
Like @Martin.A i treat myself to cherry tomatoes because they taste better but just restrict it to 2 or 3 cut into halves or quarters depending upon the size to distribute their little bursts of flavour throughout my salad.
Most of the salad tomatoes in the shops taste of nothing so I won't buy them. On the vine are usually better but home grown are best of course. I would personally rather have a small portion of tasty tomatoes with a good balance of tart and sweetness than a larger portion of more or less tasteless salad tomatoes.
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Once you have tasted home grown tomatoes, the bought ones are so disappointing. I have about 10 varieties growing, mix of cherry and normal size and plum. Only a few to harvest at the moment unlike courgettes which are going berserk.
 
Martin.A said:
The cherry

All the carbs in tomatoes are sugar, whether cherry or salad. The vine cherry tomatoes we buy are 3.4g carb per 100g, the salad tomatoes 2.9g carb per 100g, so the difference is minimal. As always it's portion control that's important. For example, the 3 cherry tomatoes I always have with a salad weigh around 30g in total, which is only 1g carb or thereabouts, barely worth counting.
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I'd not believe that amount - the analyses done are rather out of date as the varieties of cherry tomatoes in particular are being made ever sweeter - it was at least 5 years ago that I last got an update on the 'progress' being made, as a lot of groups I corresponded with are no more, but I don't like them for their sweetness.
 
Drummer said:
I'd not believe that amount - the analyses done are rather out of date as the varieties of cherry tomatoes in particular are being made ever sweeter - it was at least 5 years ago that I last got an update on the 'progress' being made, as a lot of groups I corresponded with are no more, but I don't like them for their sweetness.
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Check it out for yourself then. This is what we buy every week:-


 
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