Newby struggling with low carb hunger pangs

[RAL6630]

Hi
Just joined the group and really struggling. Recently diagnosed with T2 and put on slow release metformin. Was due to see diabetes nurse to talk about diet but it was cancelled due to Covid 19, no routine appointments at the GP. I have a very active job, farmer, and almost always hungry, relied heavily on carbohydrates, not any more! Any help with diet appreciated, also need to lose belly fat!

 

[SueEK]

Hi
Just joined the group and really struggling. Recently diagnosed with T2 and put on slow release metformin. Was due to see diabetes nurse to talk about diet but it was cancelled due to Covid 19, no routine appointments at the GP. I have a very active job, farmer, and almost always hungry, relied heavily on carbohydrates, not any more! Any help with diet appreciated, also need to lose belly fat!

Hi and welcome to you. Great start by joining the forum, you will get loads of good advice and everyone is friendly. Ask any questions at all, be they big or small. We also like a chat or even a rant at times so feel free, we are here to help and support each other. As @Anitram says your HbA1c result would be helpful and a little more about you. Look forward to seeing your posts. Sue x

 

[Drummer]

There is always something you can have to eat when doing low carb - no need to go hungry. Maybe have some things ready to eat in the fridge so you can avoid that food is half an hour away sensation.

 

[RAL6630]

Hi. Welcome to the Forum.

I wouldn't worry too much about not seeing your DN to talk about diet. In the experience of almost everyone on here dietary advice from HCPs is generally pretty basic. You'll get much better advice from asking questions on here.

If you're happy to share the info what was your Hba1c at diagnosis? This will tell everyone where you are on your diabetes journey and how much you need to be doing to get your BG levels into the green zone, so that the advice on diet is tailored to your circumstances. Needless to say, any advice will involve cutting your carb intake.

Martin

HB1AC 70. To be honest I’m still in shock!

 

[Ljc]

Could it be that you have cut down on the size of your meals and snacks too much . You see going low carb doesn’t mean you have to be hungry , you do need to replace those carbs with something else esp as your very active .

We have no problems with protein and providing you don’t have a medical problem requiring you to reduce fat intake, we have no oroblems with good fats, infact they help keep us feeling fuller for longer, and their is now growing evidence that the dietary advice about fats may be wrong.
Also as you have a very active job you need the calories .

An Hb1ac of 70 though not good, many of us on here, me included were much higher on diagnosis.
42 to 47 is pre diabetes 48 + is diabetes , I was over 100., that was well over 20 years ago and I am still here to tell the tale.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to self test your BG (blood glucose to see how the various carbohydrates affect you , as we’re all different in this respect , ie some can eat porridge with little effect in their go levels others have to avoid it like the plague, by self testing we can sort out the carbs that raise our BG too much and keep in others that don’t .

Have a read of Test review adjust by Alan s
If you decide that testing is for you, sadly it is highly unlikely the nhs will provide you with a glucose meter and test strips , we thing it’s a fist cutting measure that will end up costing the nhs more money in the long run due to diabetes complications.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GlucoNavii...tps://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B082MP5XN5/

 

[Ljc]

Having trouble inserting links to the glucose navii meter
I hope this works

GlucoNavii Blood Sugar Meter (mmol/L) Glucose Monitor Starter Kit - VAT Free: Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care

GlucoNavii Blood Sugar Meter (mmol/L) Glucose Monitor Starter Kit - VAT Free: Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care

www.amazon.co.uk

It’s test strips

GlucoNavii Blood Glucose Test Strips - Diabetics VAT Free (YES - I Have Diabetes): Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders of £20 or more. Buy GlucoNavii Blood Glucose Test Strips - Diabetics VAT Free (YES - I Have Diabetes) at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[RAL6630]

HB1AC 70. To be honest I’m still in shock!

 

[RAL6630]

Thanks have just ordered the Gluconavii test kit and a diabetes cook book!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sounds like you are making some great adjustments already @RAL6630 (is that a paint colour by the way?)

Having a BG meter will certainly help you get the balance of carbs, fats and proteins right for your active daily life. During exercise/activity the body has the ability to absorb some carbohydrate directly I believe - without all that tiresome mucking about with insulin - so you may be able to use some carbs for readily accessible energy.

The snag with a wonky metabolism, of course, is that too many carbs will get stuck in your bloodstream, rather than getting released into cells to give you energy, and you will end up with high BG and feeling more fatigued!

Incidentally, hunger pangs can be a symptom of both high and low BG (hardly helpful!).

Having a BG meter can really help you understand how your body is reacting to foods, activity, stress, heat and many other factors that influence BG values.

Good luck! And keep the questions coming 🙂

 

[RAL6630]

Sounds like you are making some great adjustments already @RAL6630 (is that a paint colour by the way?)

Having a BG meter will certainly help you get the balance of carbs, fats and proteins right for your active daily life. During exercise/activity the body has the ability to absorb some carbohydrate directly I believe - without all that tiresome mucking about with insulin - so you may be able to use some carbs for readily accessible energy.

The snag with a wonky metabolism, of course, is that too many carbs will get stuck in your bloodstream, rather than getting released into cells to give you energy, and you will end up with high BG and feeling more fatigued!

Incidentally, hunger pangs can be a symptom of both high and low BG (hardly helpful!).

Having a BG meter can really help you understand how your body is reacting to foods, activity, stress, heat and many other factors that influence BG values.

Good luck! And keep the questions coming 🙂

Have ordered the glucose monitor, any recommendations for snacks to help with hunger pangs, I’m so missing the digestive biscuits!

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @RAL6630. I am glad that you have found us, and it is perfectly understandable to be in shock at the start.

It sounds like you have got started on the new journey already. Well done.
Glad that you have a test kit in the way. That will enable you to gather a lot of useful information and find out what foods you can manage, and an appropriate portion size for you and your pancreas.

Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Have ordered the glucose monitor, any recommendations for snacks to help with hunger pangs, I’m so missing the digestive biscuits!

Nuts are handy, as are things like hard boiled eggs, chunks of cheese, cold meats, olives, even things like pork scratchings occasionally?

I find that snacking is mostly habitual rather than necessary. I tend to get very hungry at times I usually eat. If I keep eating at those times, I keep getting hungry. Sometimes it’s easier to break the cycle?