Celiac/gluten Intolerance Plus Type 2 Diabetes?

[DoubleTroubled]

Hello, All ...

About 2 months ago, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. My numbers were extremely high and I was placed on insulin immediately. A lot of complaints improved dramatically. But now I suspect there's something else going on as well.

Diabetics on insulin can usually eat a near-but-not-really-normal diet if we count our carbs accurately and dose ourselves accordingly.

But I'm math-challenged and, no surprise, found the learning curve quite steep. Now that I've finally learned to manage carbs somewhat effectively, I find that carbs still give me the same symptoms that I'd always attributed to glucose spikes resulting from insulin mistakes.

But this happens even when my glucose control is good. The symptoms start with heartburn, then bloating and diarrhea. Those go away in hours. But brain fog, fatigue and a bad temper linger for a few days.

And I'm beginning to believe some of my earlier spikes were not all due to my deficient math skills.

I can't find anything like it on diabetic sites. I have an email in to my doc, but she's on vacation for the next couple of weeks. So my question is, do any of these complaints sound familiar to you all?

Diabetes recently forced me to change my diet completely. I've only now worked my way to the point where I can loosen it slightly -- or so I've deluded myself. Not happy. But what is, is. Now I've just got to find out what it is!

Thank you in advance for any insight you can provide.

[Jenniferxgfx]

I do think celiac and type 2 can be related. My grandfather had diabetes that was only problematic for him when he ate bread. They didn't know about celiac or gluten intolerance but it's one of the pieces of the puzzle that led me here.

Sorry I don't have any real advce or suggestions but I wanted you to know your theory doesn't sound farfetched to me.

[Coinkey]

The symptoms you have sound all too familiar and common to this board. I'm not diabetes savvy so I too cannot offer any helpful advice but you could be on to something with having both diabetes and celiac (or the celiac caused the type 2).

[DoubleTroubled]

Hi, Jennifer & Coinkey ...

Very grateful for your answers. Frankly, they're not what I wanted to read ... but reality check trumps denial, any day of the week! So, again, thank you.

I'm getting plenty of support on the diabetes end. If I must deal with twin terrors, this board looks like a great place to start.

(Confession: Still hoping this is psychosomatic. Trouble is, I've never had an ailment that was truly "all in my head.")

Most of the time, I'm very low-carb, anyway. Whilst awaiting my doc's return, I plan to omit wheat/gluten from what carbs I do consume, and see if that makes a difference.

[RollingAlong]

You might like to check over at the Bernstein Diabetes forum; people there who are working with insulin and food intolerances, including celiac, may have some advice for you. Could delayed digestive transit (gastroparesis) be part of the problem? It could create a mis-match between the carbs and the insulin.

Open Original Shared Link

Most of Bernstein's book is available online for free. It is well worth a look even if you do not want to follow his diet plan, which is very low carb. Dr. Bernstein is a T1 diabetic and in very good health after many, many years. Open Original Shared Link

[DoubleTroubled]

You might like to check over at the Bernstein Diabetes forum; people there who are working with insulin and food intolerances, including celiac, may have some advice for you. Could delayed digestive transit (gastroparesis) be part of the problem? It could create a mis-match between the carbs and the insulin.

Open Original Shared Link

Most of Bernstein's book is available online for free. It is well worth a look even if you do not want to follow his diet plan, which is very low carb. Dr. Bernstein is a T1 diabetic and in very good health after many, many years. Open Original Shared Link

Hmmmm ... I've got Dr. Bernstein's book on order; never thought of it in terms of celiac/GI.

Will check out his Forum, too.

Have found very little that deals with both conditions at once, which is understandable.

As for gastroparesis ... if anything, my system seems to ... errmmmm ... go in the opposite direction.

Many thanks!