Diabetic ?

[dollamasgetceliac?]

Do I have to check for Diabetis?

After a few weeks of the gluten-free diet I am constantly craving sugar? I wonder if I am eating sweets because of the chrnic fatigue and I need the quick energy or is it Diabetes? Am I at higher risk of getting type two if I have Celiac?

[2kids4me]

The symptoms of diabetes are not so much craving sugar.... as it is craving carbs of any kind...this is because the body doesnt have sufficient insulin to use the sugar that's there so the body thinks it is starving.

Type 1 - craves food, fatigue, drinks and pees excessively and loses weight - this can occur in anyone under the age of 30. It is autoimmune and islet cells are destroyed = no insulin. Symptoms are fairly rapid in onset and get worse

Type 2 - also drinks a lot, pees a lot, may have weight gain or weight loss, fatigue,leg aches. Often over produces insulin but for some reason it does not work effectively. Symptoms may seem to come and go for some time and gradually get worse.

If you suspect you have diabetes or symptoms that concern you - they can do a simple urine test or blood test.

...and yes anyone with an autoimmune disease (celiac or other) is prone to other autoimmune diseases. Its doesnt mean every celiac is at risk but anyone with one autoimmune disease should be aware of unusual or peristent symptoms and have them checked.

[dollamasgetceliac?]

The symptoms of diabetes are not so much craving sugar.... as it is craving carbs of any kind...this is because the body doesnt have sufficient insulin to use the sugar that's there so the body thinks it is starving.

Type 1 - craves food, fatigue, drinks and pees excessively and loses weight - this can occur in anyone under the age of 30. It is autoimmune and islet cells are destroyed = no insulin. Symptoms are fairly rapid in onset and get worse

Type 2 - also drinks a lot, pees a lot, may have weight gain or weight loss, fatigue,leg aches. Often over produces insulin but for some reason it does not work effectively. Symptoms may seem to come and go for some time and gradually get worse.

If you suspect you have diabetes or symptoms that concern you - they can do a simple urine test or blood test.

...and yes anyone with an autoimmune disease (celiac or other) is prone to other autoimmune diseases. Its doesnt mean every celiac is at risk but anyone with one autoimmune disease should be aware of unusual or peristent symptoms and have them checked.

Hi Sandy;

Thanks for the info. I saw this thing on T.V last night that this Doctor from UCSF ( that is where he studied) he said I think that you can reverse the onset of Diabetes? If I start shaking when I get hungry is that a bad sign?

[2kids4me]

you can sometimes prevent the onset of Type 2 diabtes. Type 1 is autoimmune and unless there is some reversal of an autoimmune assault - it will happen if it happens.

Shaking when you are hungry can be asscoiated with HYPOglycemia. This is not diabetes.

D8iabtes cause HYPER glycemia...the only time hypoglycemia occurs in diabetics , is of they are on insulin (Type 1) or meds for Type 2 and their blood sugar drops.

Hypoglycemia in a non diabetic should be investigated,

If you are concerned about your symptoms, see a doctor

[psawyer]

Type 1 - craves food, fatigue, drinks and pees excessively and loses weight - this can occur in anyone under the age of 30. It is autoimmune and islet cells are destroyed = no insulin. Symptoms are fairly rapid in onset and get worse.

Although it usually presents in childhood, which is why it was once called juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes can occur at any age. I was over 30 when diagnosed. I had the typical type 1 symptoms: weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue. I called my doctor and said, "I think I have diabetes. You need to test my blood sugar." It was so high they could not believe that I was walking around and not in a coma.

So do not rule it out, no matter how old you are. Like celiac disease, it knows no age limitations.

Type 1 diabetes and celiac correlate statistically. There is no correlation between type 2 and celiac.

[dollamasgetceliac?]

Although it usually presents in childhood, which is why it was once called juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes can occur at any age. I was over 30 when diagnosed. I had the typical type 1 symptoms: weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue. I called my doctor and said, "I think I have diabetes. You need to test my blood sugar." It was so high they could not believe that I was walking around and not in a coma.

So do not rule it out, no matter how old you are. Like celiac disease, it knows no age limitations.

Type 1 diabetes and celiac correlate statistically. There is no correlation between type 2 and celiac.

Iguess it is time to see the Doctor AGAIN. I have been ignoring him for 2 weeks! The whole diagnosis of Celiac took many Doctors about 7 years, My last doctor a very patient man still has not chased me away, since I have been seeing him so often with all my symptoms of Celiac. I have to tell you that the major reason I never was diagnosed earlier was because no one suspected it, because they all ( I collect doctors) said that abdominal pain is not a symptom of Celiac. Now I know it is. The thing that I wonder about, is that whenever the advise nurse would question me about the abdominal pain she would ask, is this related to Diabetes in other words are you Diabetic. So can Diabetes cause abdominal pain? I sure hope not.

[psawyer]

I am not aware of any circumstances in which diabetes of either type would cause abdominal pain. The closest thing that I can thing of is the intense bladder pressure associated with the urgent need to urinate. But there is no doubting what that is. You KNOW.

If you are having abdominal pain, I would look for another reason. Celiac disease could very well be that reason.

[2kids4me]

A very high blood glucose and/or ketoacidosis can cause abdominal pain. But you would also be feeling very crappy (speaking from experience). Abdominal pain can result form so many conditions everything from severe gas to ileus (gut is at a standstill)and hundred other causes.

Yes, see your doctor if you are concerned.

Sandy

[veggienft]

This is my experience. I craved sweets until I stopped ingesting them. But that should be no surprise. Every addictive substance is the cause of its own craving. Stop ingesting the substance, and you'll stop craving the substance.

Have you tried not ingesting sweets? .........including fruit? You can get the same nutrient value through other carbohydrates and supplements without growing harmful microorganisms in your gut.

[edit] By the way, type 2 diabetes is a disease of the small intestine:

Open Original Shared Link

[ravenwoodglass]

I saw this thing on T.V last night that this Doctor from UCSF ( that is where he studied) he said I think that you can reverse the onset of Diabetes? If I start shaking when I get hungry is that a bad sign?

How much protein are you getting? Whenever you consume something that has a fair amount of carbs you should also get some protein. The protein is metabolised more slowly and will help prevent the steep drop in blood sugar that can cause the shakes. For example if you grab a snack a gluten-free pretzels grab a handful of nuts also. If you have toast make sure you have an egg or a nut butter.

I was able to reverse my early stage Type 2 diabetes. When I was diagnosed they wanted me on metformin but I refused and read a lot on how to eat with diabetes instead. My doctor agreed about my med fears and as I was in the early stages it wasn't critical to begin meds immediately. We decided I would try close BG monitering at home, dietary changes and we would moniter my A1C (3 month BG level) and see how it went. It wasn't real easy but it wasn't that hard either. First I cut out all high fructose corn syrup from my diet. I paid attention to my carbs and got more of them from veggies and fruits than from grains (my DS joked that I used rice as a spice for while). I also tryed to eat mostly low glycemic index foods. I found the pre and post meal BG monitering to be really useful as it let me see how what I had eaten impacted my levels. One thing that also after time became clear to me was how being accdently glutened impacted my BG levels. When I am glutened they really shoot up. I often wonder if Type 2 is more associated with celiac than they realize at this point. They do advise checking all Type 1's for celiac but personally I think they should also add the type 2 to the advisory.

[dally099]

hi i can totally understand what you are talking about, all the symptoms you are having. i am not diabetic however what my doc and a few people explained on the site was that a gluten-free diet is very high in refined carbs, so what can happen is you eat and your insulin levels rise to help digest your food, however gluten-free food burns off really quickly so your insulin levels will come down very quickly to compinsate for this. you numbers may be perfectly normal (between 4-8 feeling great!) however a quick decline in insulin can make you feel pretty crappy. i had to start eating more fat and protein with every meal. cheese, peanut butter, reall butter, yougurt, stuff that will stick to you better. you can allways pick up a glucose monitor and start testing your self or just go to the doc or ER and get tested. hope you are feeling better soon!

[aikiducky]

Something that has been discussed here on this board before is that a lot of people seem to be hypoglycemic when they first start gluten free. It seems to even out after a few months on the diet.

If you start shaking when your hungry and crave a quick energy fix (sugar) that could point to hypoglycemia. Do you get hungry very often, like after a couple of hours after your last meal?

What you could try is to eat more often, and always eat something with fat and protein with your carbs. Don't try to eat too low fat for now.

In the beginning I used to always carry nuts and raisins anywhere I went so I could munch on them when I started to get a bit hungry. Good combo because the raisins gave the quick fix but the nuts balanced it out.

Pauliina

[dollamasgetceliac?]

I just got tested I am border line, so I wonder what food ( I am guessing vegtables) would be the thing to eat more off. I hope I can reverse these numbers. I was right The problem is that I love rice, and I know from the Allergist that very few people are allergic to it. The problem with brown rice ( if I buy it locally it is stale). The one from Trader Joes has been processed in a facility with tree nuts.

[missy'smom]

Yes. Lots of veggies. Lean protein and lowfat dairy. Carbs in moderation. Brown rice would be better than white. Try an asian market for thhe brown rice. They sell it more quickly sometimes so it's fresher in my experience. Refrigerate it if you don't use it quickly. Things that take longer to digest usually keep the blood sugar from spiking. White things, white bread, white rice, sugar usually cause it to go up more rapidly. Sugar is not the only enemy. It is the fat and carbs that often accompany it. Make sure you eat a balance breakfast and don't skip breakfast!

[ravenwoodglass]

I just got tested I am border line, so I wonder what food ( I am guessing vegtables) would be the thing to eat more off. I hope I can reverse these numbers. I was right The problem is that I love rice, and I know from the Allergist that very few people are allergic to it. The problem with brown rice ( if I buy it locally it is stale). The one from Trader Joes has been processed in a facility with tree nuts.

It isn't so much what you should eat more of as what you should eat less of. I found the easiest way to get the hang of how to eat was to get a book on eating with diabetes and a book that will tell you about glycemic indexes. You will want to cut down on the amount of carbs you get from baked goods and sweets. Did your doctor give you a script for a blood glucose meter, lancets and strips? If not you might want to ask for one. That way you can monitor the way what you eat is impacting your sugar levels. If possible it might be helpful to talk to a diabetic educator, you doctor can refer you to one and your insurance usually will cover it. Most are clueless about the gluten issue but they can give you a good starting point to begin the changes you need to make to make those numbers normal and have them stay that way. Another thing that you need to do if you don't already is to make sure you are excercising or active every day, that will help things along also. We do have some members that have been dealing with diabetes for a long time you may want to start a new thread asking them for advice also.

One last thing, watch our for sugar alcohols, some are gluten derived and all of them are rough on the gut. Stevia is a good choice if you are not allergic to ragweed for a sweeteher as is agave nectar. Zylitol is toxic to pets even in small amounts so if you use that be sure not to share with your furry freinds.

[dollamasgetceliac?]

It isn't so much what you should eat more of as what you should eat less of. I found the easiest way to get the hang of how to eat was to get a book on eating with diabetes and a book that will tell you about glycemic indexes. You will want to cut down on the amount of carbs you get from baked goods and sweets. Did your doctor give you a script for a blood glucose meter, lancets and strips? If not you might want to ask for one. That way you can monitor the way what you eat is impacting your sugar levels. If possible it might be helpful to talk to a diabetic educator, you doctor can refer you to one and your insurance usually will cover it. Most are clueless about the gluten issue but they can give you a good starting point to begin the changes you need to make to make those numbers normal and have them stay that way. Another thing that you need to do if you don't already is to make sure you are excercising or active every day, that will help things along also. We do have some members that have been dealing with diabetes for a long time you may want to start a new thread asking them for advice also.

One last thing, watch our for sugar alcohols, some are gluten derived and all of them are rough on the gut. Stevia is a good choice if you are not allergic to ragweed for a sweeteher as is agave nectar. Zylitol is toxic to pets even in small amounts so if you use that be sure not to share with your furry freinds.

I will ask my Dr, for the meter, thank you for reminding me. i wonder when you say "start a new thread I am asuming that that is differant than starting a new Topic?

[psawyer]

A thread is the same as a topic--the words are synonymous. A new topic in the related disorders forum might be a good idea.

[Nancym]

If you're concerned about your blood sugar (and you probably should be, about 1/3 of people are running blood sugars that go too high) then you can always discover this yourself. Here are instructions on doing your own glucose tolerance test: Open Original Shared Link

Here is a web site with really good information: Open Original Shared Link

You don't actually have to have diabetes to be in trouble with your blood sugar. Open Original Shared Link is causing damage to your tissues and organs but I don't think they even define diabetes to be until your blood sugar is 200 or more. And your Open Original Shared Link.

I'm ok if I don't eat sugars and starches. I stick to non-starchy veggies, nuts, fats and proteins and my blood sugar stays good. But if I eat something with sugar or starch, I get into trouble.

[AliB]

[edit] By the way, type 2 diabetes is a disease of the small intestine:

Open Original Shared Link

I just read that article - that is very interesting and backs up my theory on the cause of Diabetes.

I believe it is to do with Leaky Gut. Sugars are getting through the gut wall into the bloodstream that shouldn't be there - normally it would all be processed through and controlled by the liver. The extra sugars in the bloodstream are sending the system haywire - the pancreas starts uncontrollably pushing out insulin to combat it resulting in weight gain and hypoglycemia.

Eventually, as in my case, the pancreas burns out and is unable to supply enough insulin to cope - hence, although I am classed as type 2, I have to supplement with insulin.

Some, as in the case of Type 1, with a very sensitive system will have a burn-out much quicker, others will develop more slowly, and some may never get to the point of needing insulin. It is all down to the degree of permeability in the gut. I am convinced that there is no difference between type 1 and 2 (and the 'them and us' brigade would probably throw their hands up in horror!) - I am certain they are all just a different progression of the same disease.

It could explain why, as it mentioned in that article, some have had remission from their diabetes after a stomach by-pass, as the food is not entering the jejeunum so is bypassing the leaky gut.

I know it's only a theory but it makes a heck of a lot of sense to me.

The Leaky Gut is damaged by many things, but particularly gluten and the high-carb, high-sugar Western diet.

You may be diabetic, but many have found when they start on a gluten-free diet that they crave a lot of carbs. Carbs feed the 'bad' bacteria in our guts, the fungal and yeast-based bacterias feed on it and can actually make us crave it! The gluten-free diet carb foods are very high in carbs and often very high in sugar too. By all means get tested for diabetes, particularly if you are also drinking a lot, but if it turns out not to be that, you will be far better sticking to a plain, low-carb diet which would only help the diabetes anyway. I am VERY carb-intolerant and the less carbs I eat, the better controlled my diabetes is.

[veggienft]

I thought that article was extremely interesting. Like you, I try to solve a few unsolved medical mysteries, and type 2 diabetes is one of them. I came up with a theory which attempts to utilize a natural function.

People have a built-in fight-or-flight response. Normally muscles use adrenalin to convert adjacent fat into sugar, then they feed off the sugar. In order to maximize instant fight-or-flight energy, our muscles are capable of consuming themselves. Obviously this can't last very long, so there has to be some mechanism to chemically monitor that process, and shut it down. I figure the monitoring mechanism monitors muscle degradation by monitoring a particular free muscle protein when it's loose in the bloodstream.

Then the body produces insulin to shut down the whole feeding process.

In type 2 diabetics, the pancreas constantly releases its maximum volume of insulin. This continuously converts more carbs into fat, wears out the pancreas insulin production mechanism, and raises the insulin threshold required by cells for a response.

If you combine both above phenomena, it's easy to see how type 2 diabetics could be recognizing some other protein as muscle protein. Such a process could flood the blood with insulin whenever wheat gluten is present. Could type 2 diabetics be confusing wheat gluten for muscle protein, and continuously flooding the blood with insulin?

That would make the type 2 diabetes mechanism one of molecular mimicry, just like gliadin's mimicry of endorphin in nerve attack.

..

[veggienft]

No, that's not right. There's no reason to theorize some new human protein for gliadin to mimic. We produce endorphin upon exertion. The body could monitor endorphin levels to find out if insulin is needed to shut down muscle consumption. The body sees a flood of blood gliadin, mistakes it for endorphin, as a sign of muscle consumption, and responds with a flood of insulin.

We already know celiac bodies mistake gliadin for endorphin, and that the body produces endorphin after a certain level of exertion. The remaining information is technical, and unimportant to the hypothesis. How does the body normally delay the insulin effect long enough to allow a fight-or-flight response?

..

[dollamasgetceliac?]

this thread continues in Celiac:related diseases and research

look for my username

"dollamasgetceliac"

[veggienft]

.........and here's evidence:

Open Original Shared Link

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Using a specific antiserum, beta-endorphin was quantitated in 8 human pancreas obtained at autopsy by radioimmunoassay and localized by immunocytochemistry. .........Pancreatic beta-endorphin concentration in two premature infants were within the range found in adults. In one diabetic pancreas, there was no measurable beta- endorphin. Specific beta-endorphin immunofluorescence is localized within the pancreatic islets. This finding suggests that beta-endorphin may participate in intraislet regulation of pancreatic hormone secretion.

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I believe that type 2 diabetes, at least in some patients, is a broken fight-or-flight response. The pancreas mistakes gliadin for stress-encited endorphin.

..

[dollamasgetceliac?]

I am trying to move this thread to related conditions, Help I hope I did it right?

[dollamasgetceliac?]

this thread continues on the "Celiac related testing and research" board

continue to post there!