What Can I Eat - Weight Loss Issues Now

[Tanikit]

I started a low carbohydrate diet in August 2013 - I am a type 1 diabetic who had been on far too much insulin for a long time having frequent hypoglycaemia. When I finally managed to get referred to someone who could help, I was put on carb counting and immediately dropped to low carbs to try to loose all the extra weight I had put on on the set insulin. The weight came off and then stabilised around November 2013 and my sugar levels looked a lot better, though still reasonably far from what would be considered normal.

 

I was still suffering from asthma, hypothyroidism, depression and PMDD and started doing some research regarding how these can all be connected. I found a site that linked many auto immune conditions to PMDD and suggested a diet to help. I got help with this as the diet would not have worked with the diabetes and the low carb diet I was following and was told to go gluten free and dairy free - a month in and I also had to go soy free. Two months in I was eating mostly vegetables and meat and doing much better - no asthma at all, better moods, but was still losing weight and was now below my ideal body weight (6 pounds below where I had planned to stop losing weight). They suspect I am outright celiac though have not ever had a biopsy.

 

It was then suggested that I had SIBO and that the solution for that is usually to go on almost no carbs - no fruit, no sugars and few starches. I could not do that as with the diabetes I was still having frequent hypoglycaemia even on tiny doses of insulin and in order to function I had to eat dextrose or some form of very high GI food - I did try to switch to fruit juice to treat these lows.

 

However in month 3 now of this diet my mood is all over the place. I am waking with chest pains every morning despite tests that say my potassium and magnesium in my blood are normal, I still had an increased PR wave on my ECG - I have had a number of ECGs in my life and they have never shown abnormalities at all. My sugars are also all over the place worse than they have been for a while.

 

It seems I respond in anger and depression, feeling overwhelmed and battling to concentrate to a LOT of foods - it has been advised that I stop rice and corn and dates and most fruit. Even quinoa is suspect. 

 

However at the same time I cannot afford to lose any more weight and I do not know how to eat properly when I cannot eat so many things (even avocados and bananas and tomatoes are suspect). I am now 9 pounds below the weight I should have stopped losing at.

 

Does anyone know of a diet that can help with this - I am getting desperate - I need to be able to function and also get all the nutrients I need. I am on a multivitamin, omega 3, calcium, magnesium and zinc supplements also.

[cyclinglady]

Try reading Dr. Berstein's diabetes solution. He is a type 1 diabetic who emphasizes a very low carb diet, exercise and insulin to manage blood sugar levels effectively.

Are you monitoring your blood sugar carefully? You should know by now what foods or exercise can cause your blood sugars to fluctuate. Juice is not good to take when you are hypo. Use glucose tablets (or glucose-based candy) based on your body weight to bring up your blood sugar levels and avoid a big spike. Your current diet of rice, corn and dates has got to go.

If your are eating low carb and consuming enough calories and keeping your blood sugar in line, then your weight should stabilize. What is your BMI, body fat percentage? Etc.

I urge you to find a diabetes clinic (or read the book) who will get you off your diabetic roller coaster ride. Address the diabetes and your other symptoms may improve.

[Tanikit]

Thanks for the reply.

 

My BMI is 20.5 - which sounds great actually, but I know I should weigh more than I do. 

 

I am monitoring my blood sugar 6-12 times a day - I have had trouble with night monitoring recently though as I am incredibly exhausted (night testing I find for me needs to be done at least 4 times a month and means waking every 2 hours - I think 1 hour is recommended, but then they presume your basals do not change as much as mine seem to) and since my basal rates change constantly (they really do - though it is said they should not - most of this is caused by my menstrual cycle - I also have PMDD and that is supposed to make things worse as far as sugar level control goes). It is also the initial reason I went on the gluten free diet.

 

I was told to switch to 100% fruit juice for treating lows rather than the dextrose tablets I had been taking - this was to try to get rid of all processed foods and specifically colorants and flavorants - I know there are naturally flavored glucose tablets available in America, but I live elsewhere and they are incredibly hard to get hold of - I have asked the supplier to order some and it is clearly a problem as even the ones with flavoring and coloring have not made it into this country recently - no idea why, but they are out of stock of all of them now.

 

The calories is an issue - I have never checked how many calories I am eating - the nutritionist suspects I am around 1000-1200 per day which is too little - I know they advise avocados and also nut butters to increase calories - I seem not to tolerate peanut butter so have switched to other butters and I cannot handle avocados and land up nauseous soon after eating any (this has been since I was a child).

 

A few days back I did switch back to just meat/fish/eggs and vegetables with almost no fruit (just pieces of fresh apple - never a whole apple as it is too many carbs) and my sugars did improve greatly and my mood and ability to concentrate has also improved - but again, this is a terribly restrictive diet to remain on long term. 

 

So for anyone on a very restrictive diet like this: how do you cope with it - do you constantly look up new recipes, or cook the same old things (I made stew and ate it breakfast, lunch and supper yesterday) I am also preparing food for my children who need a gluten free dairy free diet but without any other restrictions (and they do need carbs) and my husband who is vegetarian and is not restricted in any other way (so eats gluten and dairy and soy) which means by the time I get to prepare my food I am sick of food and do not want to make any more.

[cyclinglady]

Although I'm a pretty good authority on Celiac Disease (I was diagnosed a year ago, but my husband has been gluten free for 13 years), I'm new at Diabetes.  

 

Your BMI is fine.  Don't worry about that.  Just make sure you are tracking your calories for your current weight (or more if you want to gain).  

 

You need to be concerned (and you are) about your diabetes first over your other illnesses.  

 

Who told you to switch to juice to bring up your blood sugars?  An endocrinologist?  A medical doctor?  Forget "natural" you need glucose.  Fructose found in fruit and juices will only give you a wild swing.  You can not control it.  That's why you need glucose tablets or glucose candy.  Search the internet for how you can accurately dose to bring up your sugar level but not go too high.  The glucose tablets or candy will give you control.  

 

Check out a few diabetes forums like TuDiabetes.  They'll be able to give you support.  

 

I am on a very low carb diet 35 to 50 carbs/day.  I mostly eat meat, fish, and veggies.  I only use soy milk in my coffee (allergic to milk).  I'm testing to determine what other foods I can eat without spiking over 140 post meals.  

 

I too, am sick of cooking three meals a day for my family, but if it's cooked, they are eating the same thing as me.  My daughter gets pre-packaged gluten foods that she takes to school.  She also has access to all fruits and veggies and milk products.  My husband who is also gluten free, eats low carb with me.  He can indulge out of the house!  

 

I try to vary my veggies and I eat pretty simply.  It is hard, but seeing good results is my reward. 

 

Dealing with hypoglycemia is difficult and can be dangerous! 

 

Please see if you can get some expert help!