AliB wrote: eddie1 wrote:Ali I have a few ideas that may help you, but I don't want to get off on the wrong foot, may I ask a few questions. 1. Was you diagnosed as a type two diabetic ? has that changed i.e you was misdiagnosed ? 2 Are you over weight, if so by how much ? 3 Have you ever had a plasma insulin level test ? 4 Have you ever had a R and R interval test ? 5 Do you have regular thyroid checks ? Have you ever tried a Keto diet say less that 30 carbs and a reduced calorie say around 1300 for a couple of months or so at the same time ?
Hope you don't mind me asking, talk again soon.
1. I was diagnosed at age 40 as type 2 (but my mum was type 1 and Dad late onset type 2
2. I might well have been misdiagnosed, or went on to develop type 1 - with insulin resistance.
3. Never had a plasma insulin test. After the Byetta fiasco when I realised I may not have been producing much insulin I did ask the 'speshlist', but he said there was no test. But then he was an eejit.
4. Dunno what an interval R & R test is, apart from rock n roll.....
5. I had one thyroid test done a few years back but it came back normal. The doc did say that I could have subclinical thyroid insufficiency, although I have no real obvious symptoms of that. Cold extremities quite often, but not all the time, and only when I haven't eaten enough food to stoke the fire.... :0). Even if my thyroid was low, I would rather deal with it dietarily rather than take more drugs.
6. Yes I have done sub-30 gms carbs keto. Even virtually zero (apart from broccoli) when I was on Bee's Healing diet for 3 years. You name it, I've probably done it. Tried lowering fats, tried lowering calories, tried standing on my head.....
The diet did heal my digestion. It works a darn sight better now than it did when I started and virtually everything I ate was going straight through me. But the insulin resistance worsened, I gained well over 30lbs and didn't lose it in over 3 years on the diet (nor since apart from the few lbs lost whilst fasting), my hair never stopped falling out, and my energy never came back. Oh and I was constipated something awful (which now seems to have resolved beautifully on potatoes....
)
Many people do recover their health on her diet, even some with mild insulin resistance, but not me. Karen, who I became very pally with on there, and who was one of her moderators actually ended up becoming insulin resistant on her diet although she wasn't before. She is relatively slim and only did the diet because of poor digestion and Candida, but although her digestion and the Candida issue improved, she ended up with IR!
Whether people's IR improves or worsens on LCHF must have something to do with what has triggered their diabetes and what is gong on in their body. There very obviously is not a 'one size fits all'.....
The potato addition does have a link to the resistant starch thing that is getting a bit of publicity lately, so maybe its not that far fetched after all....
OK Ali sorry if the sounds like the Spanish Inquisition but here goes.
You said "I might well have been misdiagnosed, or went on to develop type 1 - with insulin resistance." This indicates to me you don't know whether you are type 1 or 2. I should have asked earlier have you had a GAD Antibody test. I am presuming no, otherwise you would know if you are type 1 or 2. The test is performed to help determine which type of diabetes someone has. The test is particularly useful for adults over 30 who get diabetes where a type 2 diabetes diagnosis is in doubt.
A plasma insulin test while not injecting insulin would determine how much insulin you are making, if a type two is making adequate insulin and on low carb diet, and still not getting to good BG numbers high insulin resistance is usually the cause. A type two and over weight at diagnosis can have a plasma insulin level up to 3 times higher than a slim non diabetic. Clearly more injected insulin will get them nowhere, it will make matters worse. You have said you believe you are insulin resistant and eating carby food, you also said you gained 30 lbs and you try to keep injected insulin down to 50 units a day.
Imagine this situation, a type two who is making a good amount of their own insulin (which many are) but highly insulin resistant, they shoot more insulin, they become more insulin resistant and pile on the weight, a vicious circle. The bottom line for you is, you must find out whether you are type 1 or 2. A GAD test should sort that out.
Don't worry about never hearing about an R and R test, I have never known a UK HCP who has even heard of it. Unsurprisingly this is one of the first tests Dr. Bernstein carries out on all new diabetic patients. The R-R interval study is a simple, affordable test of the vagus nerve, and it should be part of your initial diabetes physical examination. It is performed like an ordinary ECG, but with only 4 leads. The R-R Study tests the variation in your heart rate between inhaling and exhaling. It is a good indicator of blood sugar complications, especially Gastroparesis, and more importantly, it shows improvement after aggressive blood sugar control. It is usually performed on all new patients (Bernstein's) and later after 12-18 months. Gastroparesis if present can make BG control very difficult and throw up very erratic numbers. Maybe worth thinking about.
The bottom line here is you must find out if you are a type on or two. Eating starchy carbs and shooting up insulin is not doing you any favours, whether type one or two. Push for an R and R test to see if any long term damage has occurred and act accordingly. If your medics can't do it, insist on seeing an Endo. Don't take no for answer. An Endo can also organise a GAD test. Also, get another Thyroid test done.
It sounds to me you have been badly let down by your medics. For two years after diagnosis I used to have over 40 separate blood tests done every three months. I stopped the tests as my diabetes had completely stabilised, and seemed to be a waste of valuable NHS resources to me. I was very lucky maybe, but I believe I got what I wanted because my team could see I was making every effort to get good control. Without being cocky, they realised I had made studying type two diabetes a full time job, and we worked as a team of equals, as far as diabetes is concerned.
I truly believe your diabetes situation can be sorted, it won't be easy, but keep posting and let's keep talking. I know its been tough for you, but I like to think we are a team here on this forum. I appreciate my writing is not always clear, but keep asking questions. I may not know the answers, but I am lucky having friends like Franziska and Dr Jay and they usually have the answers.
Ali, we have been friends for a long time, chin up. If we can't work hard to help you, we might as well shut the joint. One last thing, keep away from wacko's on the Internet LOL
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