Could I be having neuropothy pain?

PMoon · 04-15-2009, 07:13 AM

I was diagnosed as insulin resistant about 10 years ago. Then, two years ago, I told another doctor about it and he said, "You know that means you have diabetes." I've been testing my BG's sporadically for a couple of years and a few times, I would have BGs over 200. Often over 150. Mostly in the 120's-140's. These were just random times.

Anyway, I got Dr. Bernsteins book and decided I didn't fancy amputation, so I have been lowcarbing for almost a month. I recently started back on metformin, too and am still working my way up in dose. I'm not doing this to lose weight and I am not monitoring my weight. (thought I am medically considered obese) I may have lost a little, but not much. With eating low carb and metformin, I have been keeping my BG's in the 90-115 range.

Since starting, I don't have as much trouble getting up off the floor, I don't feel so weak, and I have more energy and more oxygen. But I've been having some weird muscle or joint issues in the last month.

First, when I would stand in one place for a couple of minutes my legs would start to get numb and tingle (go to sleep). And I found when I am sitting, they go to sleep a lot faster than they used to... like, within several seconds they start tingling.

I bought some really expensive shoe insoles because my feet are starting to hurt really bad. I realize that I am heavy and I am asking a lot of them. But it feels like they are flattening out. Sometimes I even get the sensation, when I'm using my feet, that the tissue in there is tearing and stretching. My instinct at those times is to scrunch my feet up in a ball to remove pressure from the arch, which relieves the pain.

Now, I am starting to be awakened at night by tingling in my legs and pains in my feet. It's mainly the sharp, stabbing pain the bottom of my foot that wakes me. Incidentally, I've had the numbness/pain/tingling in my hands and arms that I have sometimes experienced with repetitive stress injury. This may or may not be related. But it seems suspicous that all of my extremeties are tingling and painful when I sleep.

Lifestyle wise, aside from my eating habits, I have recently gone from working a desk job to small farming. It's not THAT labor intensive, but I hoe and dig and do other manual labor, often to exhaustion, almost every day. But there have been lots of times in my life when I've worked myself sore and this is NOTHING like that!

Yes, I know I need to see a doctor. But I don't have insurance and am recently unemployed. So, when I go, I need to be able to tell them what tests I want and what medicines I would like to try, etc. I can't afford an expensive diagnosis. I need to do that myself.

P. Moon

doxielove · 04-15-2009, 11:16 AM

I would say you are beginning neuropathy, yes. Please take good care of yourself, monitor your blood sugar regularly, keep carbs very low, and exercise. Take your meds. I was very lazy and inconsistent about all these things. Had to go off Metformin because of the side effects. Don't like to take my insulin because it causes weight gain for me. Anyway, my feet are numb - completely - and I have very little feeling in my left lower leg. I lose my balance, have trouble buying shoes, and can't run or walk really fast. My upper legs tire easily from compensating, I think. I'm taking better care of myself now but I don't think it's reversible. Learn from my mistakes.

PMoon · 04-15-2009, 12:46 PM

doxie, I am really trying! It seems eating ANYthing makes my bg's go up. I woke up this morning and it was 100. I ate breakfast of eggs, ham and coffee with HWC and a couple of equal tablets (like Dr. B recommends), and a couple of hours later it's 115.

Then, today I went into the office where I recently worked to help out the girl there for a couple of hours and she brought me something for lunch called chicken on a stick. I agreed to have some with her without knowing what it was. Turns out, it was chicken wrapped in onion and potato slices with a pickle in the middle, dipped in batter, then deep fried. Several of these were stacked on a skewer.

Out of desperation (I couldn't figure a diplomatic way to avoid it! LOL) I ate a little bit of it, and proclaimed myself stuffed. Then brought the rest of it home for the kids. An hour after eating that, my bg was up to 134. Which leaves me with the urge to eat nothing but bacon for the rest of the day!

I am seriously thinking about going on a zero carb diet to see how low I can get my bg's that way. Then slowly and one at a time, testing out different foods to see what happens. It is SO frustrating for me that I am beginning to have these complications now when I am working so hard to prevent them.

P. Moon

BrianSCohen · 04-15-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMoon

doxie, I am really trying! It seems eating ANYthing makes my bg's go up. I woke up this morning and it was 100. I ate breakfast of eggs, ham and coffee with HWC and a couple of equal tablets (like Dr. B recommends), and a couple of hours later it's 115.

Then, today I went into the office where I recently worked to help out the girl there for a couple of hours and she brought me something for lunch called chicken on a stick. I agreed to have some with her without knowing what it was. Turns out, it was chicken wrapped in onion and potato slices with a pickle in the middle, dipped in batter, then deep fried. Several of these were stacked on a skewer.

Out of desperation (I couldn't figure a diplomatic way to avoid it! LOL) I ate a little bit of it, and proclaimed myself stuffed. Then brought the rest of it home for the kids. An hour after eating that, my bg was up to 134. Which leaves me with the urge to eat nothing but bacon for the rest of the day!

I am seriously thinking about going on a zero carb diet to see how low I can get my bg's that way. Then slowly and one at a time, testing out different foods to see what happens. It is SO frustrating for me that I am beginning to have these complications now when I am working so hard to prevent them.

P. Moon

Ok. Take a deep breath. Everything is going to be ok. You already know you have these issues. Having a reading over 200 mg/dl any time is an indication that you have diabetes. You don't need a doctor to run expensive tests on you to tell you that. You should have a HbA1c test done, but you can even get an inexpensive home version. All that being said, there is no reason you can't control your blood sugar and avoid further complications and heal any damage you have incurred. Some people actually report pains from neuropathy only when they have gotten their blood sugars down (as tho the healing hurts).

You need to set reasonable targets for yourself. Don't beat yourself up over nothing. Having eggs and ham and going from 100 to 115 mg/dl is perfect. Test before your meal and try to keep your levels below 140 mg/dl 2 hours after your first bite. You will learn how many carbs you can deal with. A level of 134 mg/dl is a success! Make sure you have followed up with our fellow member's site Blood Sugar 101.

Think about a strategy for seeing a doctor (efficiently). If you have a local diabetes center, they often can give you great advice. They may also be able to suggest ways of getting free or inexpensive diabetes supplies.

PMoon · 04-15-2009, 02:19 PM

pffff... I do feel better. I have just started reading the Blood Sugar 101 site and it's AWESOME. I need to find her and tell her so!

We have a local charity clinic that is for people who are uninsured. You can see the doctor for free. That's how I got my current prescription for metformin. I'm going to have to go back soon and get a new one. You have to pay for your own tests, but I know the HbA1c is not terribly expensive all by itself. And the metformin is $4 a month.

I'm always looking for deals on the strips. It's seems like those are the killer for ALL diabetics whose insurance doesn't cover them (and it seems fewer and fewer are.)

I realize what you are saying, Brian. What I would like is to have normal bloodsugars, so every time I see they aren't 85, it pees me off a little bit. I'm still trying to get a grip on that! 95-115 is pretty good!

I hope this pain doesn't last forever, though. It's a bit like being kicked when you're down and trying to climb back up, right?

P. Moon

doxielove · 04-15-2009, 03:03 PM

Hey PMOON, I don't think your numbers are bad at all - I'd be happy to have them! Brian and Jenny (Blood sugar 101) are great sources of knowledge. Listen to them. You'll be okay.

Monkee · 04-15-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMoon

I am seriously thinking about going on a zero carb diet to see how low I can get my bg's that way.

I haven't tried zero carbs, but have always been curious. For me, too much protein raises my blood sugar just as carbs do. I have to practice portion control and spread my protein grams throughout the day. That's why I haven't tried zero carb. If you decide to try it, keep me updated. I would be interested in how it affected or helped your numbers.

PMoon · 04-15-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NurseMonkee

I haven't tried zero carbs, but have always been curious. For me, too much protein raises my blood sugar just as carbs do. I have to practice portion control and spread my protein grams throughout the day. That's why I haven't tried zero carb. If you decide to try it, keep me updated. I would be interested in how it affected or helped your numbers.

I will, NurseMonkee! I was just doing a mental rundown of the pantry. And I should wait until next shopping trip to try it. (We only go every two weeks.) once I get started I will post about it--start a journal or something.

P. Moon

NCgrl · 04-16-2009, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMoon

I realize what you are saying, Brian. What I would like is to have normal bloodsugars, so every time I see they aren't 85, it pees me off a little bit. I'm still trying to get a grip on that! 95-115 is pretty good!
P. Moon

I feel exactly the same way.The numbers game drives me crazy.Even though I rarely go over 140 anytime and mostly it's in the 100-125 range,it just drives me crazy.I was diagnosed formally in February but for some reason I think I'm supposed to have perfect control in 9 weeks.

Hang in there,it comes with time.I understand about the no insurance thing,too.It's really hard to get healthcare without it.

BrianSCohen · 04-16-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCgrl

I feel exactly the same way.The numbers game drives me crazy.Even though I rarely go over 140 anytime and mostly it's in the 100-125 range,it just drives me crazy.I was diagnosed formally in February but for some reason I think I'm supposed to have perfect control in 9 weeks.

Hang in there,it comes with time.I understand about the no insurance thing,too.It's really hard to get healthcare without it.

You know this is a marathon. So far your sprint is great. But remember, we have to live like this. Zero carbs, good luck. You can certainly reduce your carbs further, but it is diminishing returns and you will find your diet options seriously restricted. You think you can eat eggs? Wrong, they have carbs. A surprising number of foods that you think are carb free are NOT, they have what I term fractional carbs. Get ready to just eat meat.

Look, there is just no real evidence that reducing your postprandial blood sugars way down below 140 mg/dl down to 120 or lower is going to provide you with any measurable health benefit. I realize you worry about your fasting, but it really has been no time at all. It took me three months after diagnosis to get my postprandial numbers on target, but it was over a year before I could get my fasting number down to target.

PMoon · 04-16-2009, 01:35 PM

Agreed, Brian. I am looking for a 'control group' of numbers, if you will. I want to do an experiment on myself using what I have seen referred to as the 'test, test, test' method. Where you just figure out how everything effects your blood sugar by testing after you eat anything new.

I want to do this, and for my own benefit. I want to know what my blood sugars are in the absense of carbs. So, I have something to compare everything else to.

I know this may be pointless as far as health outcomes go. But, doing exercises like this makes the whole situation less tedious and easier for me to cope with. It's like busy work, I think. I'm already doing what I should be doing. But I need something else to keep me busy while I'm waiting to reap the rewards.

P. Moon

NCgrl · 04-17-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianSCohen

You know this is a marathon. So far your sprint is great. But remember, we have to live like this. Zero carbs, good luck. You can certainly reduce your carbs further, but it is diminishing returns and you will find your diet options seriously restricted. You think you can eat eggs? Wrong, they have carbs. A surprising number of foods that you think are carb free are NOT, they have what I term fractional carbs. Get ready to just eat meat.

Look, there is just no real evidence that reducing your postprandial blood sugars way down below 140 mg/dl down to 120 or lower is going to provide you with any measurable health benefit. I realize you worry about your fasting, but it really has been no time at all. It took me three months after diagnosis to get my postprandial numbers on target, but it was over a year before I could get my fasting number down to target.

I'm not eating no carbs.I eat low glycemic vegetables,salads,eggs,meats,nuts,cheese.I'm not starving and I'm not going to eat just meat.My diet is restricted on low carb,that's just a fact of life.Carbs make your bs go up.By the way in a few weeks it will be 3 months.Time flies when your having fun.I'm just trying to get comfortable and find something I can live with.I'm being honest,the numbers make me crazy.

From reading my posts and being able to judge the effort I've put into this,I would think you would know that I am aware of the carb counts on what I eat.As far as I'm concerned I know of no foods that are"carb free".I'm trying to deal with a situation that has so many variables it's overwhelming.

PMoon · 04-24-2009, 07:50 PM

Amy, I am pretty sure he was talking to me since I said I was going to try it.

Anyway, I don't feel the need to at the moment. My BG has been consistently in the low to mid 90's for the last several days. I am curious now to see how far it will go without such drastic measures.

I do need to do some sort of elimination type diet, though. Something is giving me foul headaches! The most likely culprit is probably artificial sweetener... It's going to be hard to give up. I guess it would help a lot if I kept a journal of what I eat and when my head starts hurting.

P. Moon

pepperette · 04-24-2009, 08:35 PM

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]I used to have terrible foot and leg pains- it stopped after I quit aspartame laden drinks, ie. my diet Dr. Peppers and Cherry Coke Zeros. If I have one bottle again, I have two nights of misery at least. For soda, if I feel I want one, I use Diet Rite Pure Zero- no carbs, caffeine, sodium, calories, OR aspartame!
But I now have a new love, which I hope to start making at home in the very near future- kombucha tea. [/COLOR]

.

NCgrl · 04-25-2009, 06:34 AM

I'm sorry,my quote was in his reply so I thought he was speaking to me.It sounds like you are doing well,PMoon.I think I might have to agree with you on the artificial sweeteners.I have been getting a headache late in the evening.I drink one diet soft drink a day but I think it may be time to give it up.I was hoping one might not affect me.Continued success in your journey!

Small_1 · 05-02-2009, 04:28 AM

I love that pepperette! "Fear the bread, NOT the butter..." Great quote!!! May I borrow it?

Good morning P.Moon,

While Brian is correct that eggs DO contain carbs. It's only like 0.6 grams. I can't think of too many things that low in carbs. Maybe a Smartie/two...but an egg will fill my tummy a lot quicker and last a lot longer than a couple Smarties!

If you look at an egg carton it states that the carb is 0grams. You probably already know that any thing less than 1 gram is considered 0 grams by US government standards.

By my standards, anything less than 5 grams (foods that also contain fat and protein) are considered 0grams because they do not cause a rise in my blood sugar level. Which is a type 1 who is supposed to require insulin means a lot because I hate needles with a passion!!! My brother a type 2 eats anything that he desires, he takes a lot of metformin. My mother in-law is also type 2, she eats veggies & fruits and little fat, she takes 3 different types of pills for her diabetes plus she takes 50 units Lantus each morning and night along with I forget how many units of novolog at mealtimes. Not trying to scare you but everyone needs to know the truth about diabetes and carbs.

The fat and protein in an egg kinda keep the carb from doing damage to your body like a Smartie/other carby food. That's why a lot of persons with diabetes can eat homemade full-fat ice cream. The fat keeps the sugar from doing too much damage.

If I eat say, a veggie, even pork and chicken at meal time, my blood sugar will go above 120mg/dl. My legs begin to tingle...I do not need my monitor to tell me that my body is taking a serious hit.

I explained to my children that my body is like one of those he-man bell ringer "games" at the state fair. "The Club" is a carb...the stand with the bell at the top is my body. The little thingie which goes up the stand is my blood sugar...if it goes high enough...just as the thing causes the bell to ring, the carb in my body causes damage with each hit. Only thing is each time I ring that bell, I do not get a prize. I get another body part damaged. Just my take on it though.

Be aware that Cheese also contains carbs. But again there is a huge difference in the "carb" of full-fat cheese than say, a "healthy carb" salad.

Yes, we as a people think eating meat, eggs and cheese gets boring. But in reality, I was just telling my Beloved that we have been eating 2 eggs and a steak (ribeye, porterhouse, or Ny strip), with a piece of full-fat cheese each morning for breakfast for the past month. Along with drinking water with our meals. I asked him if he was getting bored. He said, No not like when I was eating a meat-filled biscuit, oatmeal or cereal. He said Plus I don't get hungry as quickly as I used to. This is from a man with a heavy duty job...he is a welder/diesel mechanic.

This is just the other side of the coin. I have been eating like this since February 2009. I am feeling great! My blood sugar levels are excellent, except when I am stressed/tired/anxious/etc...but that has nothing to do with food.

Last night at suppertime I started with a BGL at 91mg/dl. I tested at the 2 hour mark and my BGL was 74mg/dl. I tested at the 4 hour mark, it was 92 mg/dl. Before bed (a couple hours later) it was 98mg/dl. I awoke this morning at 93mg/dl. Perfect!!!

The goal for me is not the yo-yo of highs and lows...even though they might provide the "Perfect" A1C.

My goal is to keep my blood sugar as evenly as possible. Just as Dr. Bernstein recommends. As you can see by my blood sugars above, with the exception of the odd 74 reading in there. Which is possibly due to the fact that I ate a very very fatty thick slice of beef brisket and cheese for supper. I drink a couple cups of coffee after supper and add AS with it.

I wish you well in your journey.

P.Moon, Listen to *your* body...it will tell you what works for it and what doesn't. If you force it to take in something it doesn't want/need it will rebell just like a spoiled child.

Peace to you all,
Paula ~ who is Zeroing in On (her) Health!

jem51 · 05-02-2009, 08:16 AM

i tried zero carb and my BG was always elevated....always over 100 and seemed stuck around 120....FBG's were always around that #. the best i have done is w eating small meals and i haven't really figured that out because i am often hungry w/in a couple hours (sometimes less). looking for food that frequently is a pain.
the really great thing about small meals, is that i can actually digest them. so, that is what i am focusing on. of course, the fact that my BG is below 100 for the most part is encouraging.
i am still searching for the ideal way to do this.

pepperette · 05-02-2009, 04:59 PM

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Small_1: Yes, 'cause I borrowed it from someone else, too, just couldn't remember who.[/COLOR]

.

PMoon · 05-02-2009, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Small_1

P.Moon, Listen to *your* body...it will tell you what works for it and what doesn't. If you force it to take in something it doesn't want/need it will rebell just like a spoiled child.

Peace to you all,
Paula ~ who is Zeroing in On (her) Health!

Paula, thank you for sharing that. It really does help to know what other people are going through and what they are doing to try to make the best of it.

P. Moon

Small_1 · 05-03-2009, 06:43 AM

P. Moon, I do not have insurance either. My doctor knows this and will offer me free Lantus and Novolog pens that the sales reps give to them. I do not receive help on test strips (I do not test as often now, because when you eat this way, you do not have to worry about hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. It's a Good Thing!)

And you know I wasn't quite right when I said I had been following the WOE since Feb. 2009. That's not exactly true. *oops*

Actually I started eliminating everything that was on Dr. Bernstein's NO-NO list. I tried to do zero-carb one day but it just didn't work for me. I felt so sick that first day.

I visited a site www(dot)biblelife(dot)org and learned about the diet for IBS sufferers. I have not been able to eat cheese, hot dogs, soy products, any foods containing MSG or chocolate/cacao since I was 15. I have eaten them but they all caused sever migraines. So I have not touched them in oh about 20 years.

(the top part of that site is religious, however, if you scroll down toward the bottom he has lots of great articles and links to articles on all sorts of "diseases/illnesses". It's very informative, methinks!)

Anyway...I eliminated some of the vegetables on Dr. B's "Okay to Eat" list, mostly because things like kohl rabi can't be found in rural NC and then the jicama that I bought had mold growing on it. Yuck! No thanks! Also I was spending and wasting lots of money on veggies that no one in my family liked and so it was all being tossed out the door as I didn't want to eat them myself, for days before they would rot in my refrigerator. Talk about boring!!!

So anyway...With each food I eliminated I noticed I didn't bloat and have gut pain. I eliminated each and every food item which caused me to have a reaction. Not necessarily to help my blood sugar level...it was just a wonderful side effect.

I do limit my amount of protein at meal time. I eat the fat first (if you cook it just right it gets crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside...almost has the taste of tender buttery stewed potatoes. yum). And then I fill up on the eggs, cheese and meat. I truly can't eat the much. But I do eat a little every 2 hours. I have to!

As I said, I have to eat every 2 hours so I keep a Glad container with cut up fatty beef and diced cheese in my refrigerator. When I leave home it goes with me. I slice and dice red rind cheese myself which saves money. Amazingly, cheese is no longer causing migraines or any other reactions. Not sure why. But I am thankful.

By the way, cold fatty beef straight from the refrigerator is just as good cold and doesn't require heating.

I save money on the fatty beef by shopping Wal-Mart in the mornings when they mark down their steaks. You would be amazed at how quickly I am in and out of there! LOL I love it!!! If I go to the meat farm about 45 minutes away, I spend about $100 a month and that's what we eat on besides the marked down meat at WM.

My Beloved will spend Sunday, grilling all the meat we will eat during the week. I freeze and re-heat as needed. But there is always cooked, ready to grab and eat meat in the refrigerator.

I am spending less time cooking, washing dishes, shopping and preparing foods. My Beloved loves it because last night we ate supper (we had a buffet of ribeye, ny strip, hamburgers, and sirloin steak plus cheese sticks). It didn't take very long to tidy the kitchen and head for the river for the second time. We actually spend more time *living* now instead of thinking about, shopping for, preparing for, serving and eating foods. It's great!!!

Oh, I wanted to say that in the same article about IBS on the website I mentioned above, there was included a diet for persons with Candida, which I have all the signs of having and so I did go through a period of eliminating cheese, vinegar, etc. I have since added back in the cheese to see if there would be a reaction and like I said, none! Thank the Lord!

May you all be blessed in your journey to better health.
Peacefully,
Paula

jem51 · 05-03-2009, 09:35 AM

paula, i like the bible life site for dietary recommendations but the religeous stuff is very negative and hard core....too angry for me.
i followed the recommendation for IBS but found that glutamine increases my liver enzymes. no more of that. actually when i was working and took lysine for cold sores, i had the same experience. so i do not take any amino acid supplement.
i gave up lettuce for a while and that really helped. now i can eat some w/o problem.
my problems w dairy disappeared after i gave up grain....i understand that is common.

so, my new thing is crisp bread. had my first wasa yesterday and had no problem. i will not be going crazy w them so maybe i'll be okay. my BG was great.

i'd sure like to win the battle w my blood sugar. no meds at this point, though.

Small_1 · 05-03-2009, 02:40 PM

Way to Go Jem51! I am sooo glad you are listening to your body and doing so well. No meds...I envy!!! As Brian always advises...don't stress.

I am always afraid that the religious part will scare folks away. Kent has a great message for persons with health issues. I haven't read the religious part as that is not why I visit there.I wish he would just link to his religious beliefs like he does the medical information. KWIM?

I kept buying vitamins and minerals, but it seemed it either bothered my IBS, blood sugar level, or went against another woe that I needed to follow.

For example: I read that persons with diabetes can have soy and flax. Forgetting that *I* can't have soy products, I went and bought some soy flour along with flax seed meal. I started taking flax supplements. I had major gut pain each time but silly me didn't realize that the soy and flax were upsetting my gut. It finally hit me that I can't have soy and so I stopped with that. And that helped to ease the pain. Then it dawned on me that each time I ate something with flax I would have such bloating and pain that I would have to lay down each time. So I eliminated the flax seed meal and supplements.

I could still have cream cheese (those mock microwave cheesecakes were delish) but I suddenly developed a problem with those...due to some Keflex the dentist prescribed me. I gave up the anti-biotics and the cream cheese.

Oh yeah, I have had dental surgery three times since dx of diabetes. I haven't needed an anti-biotics. I think my WOE is helping there. Also I busted up my leg trying to kill a bee with a tennis racket...it was trying to crawl up my pant leg. I panicked and nearly took myself out with it. Anyway...in less than a week the scar plus the bruise had gone completely away. My Beloved was floored. Because...

I still carry the marks where I was attacked last summer by (what seemed to be) the entire colony of fire ants. My shoes and pants from my knees down were completely covered. The question I often get asked is didn't you feel them crawling. No. I only felt them when they began biting the *fire* out of me.

My mother knows my weakness for fresh strawberries. She tells me that she is planning to have whipped cream with fresh strawberries and angel food cake for Mother's Day. I am really considering trying some unsweetened strawberries with homemade whipping cream. I have eaten it since I was dx and it didn't seem to bother my blood sugar. We'll see. :/

Have a wonderful Sunday (what's left of it)
Paula

PMoon · 05-03-2009, 03:34 PM

Elimination diets can be so tedious! I eat so many different things that it seems almost everything sets off some kind of reaction (headaches or stomachaches or restless leggs or something!)

I love my food. I will hate to have to give anything up.

P. Moon

Small_1 · 05-04-2009, 04:27 AM

P.Moon,

Everyone is different and must follow their own path to better health.

Although from listening to folks around me most really don't seem to care about better health IF it means giving up __________ (fill in the blank). To which I say, "To each his/her own" and leave it at that. As I certainly do not wish for them to criticize my WOE. KWIM?

I like to read in the VLC/ZC forums under the "Other Plans" section of this place.

Here's something interesting I read this morning:

On 5/2/09 Danceruk posted:

"I do 5g daily (ie no more than 10 eggs)

just eat eggs, butter and water

once a month I will chuck some spinach in my eggs.. thats it! easy as!
_________________
Vegetarian of 12 years..going strong the VLC way!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

legrandeginge replied with this:

"No way? Danceruk!!?? You really live on eggs??????????

Tell me all!!?? How's your hunger? cravings? how to other people react? how long for?

I'm VLC at the mo, just meat, eggs, butter, cream and a tiny bit of cheese occasionally! It's easier in many ways than induction or other low carb options because you dont really actually have to count carbs. I was only planning a week or so of VLC to break a stall but i'm enjoying it so much think im gonna hang on in there awhile!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really hope Danceruk will answer because I too am curious. Not that I only want to eat eggs and drink water. But these different WOE's truly fascinate me, especially when the person has something like this in their signature line:

"Vegetarian of 12 years..going strong the VLC way!""

Take Care.
May Peace be your Companion all through the day,
Paula

jem51 · 05-04-2009, 08:56 AM

for sure, vlc/zc is so easy. one thing i learned is that i don't need vegetation to complete a meal and i am often better off not having a 'mixed' meal.
my digestion sucks due to gastroparesis and too much variety at a meal makes me miserable.
problem w zc is that i cannot eat large meat meals not just because of digestion but also the increase in my BG.
there was a guy on the magic bus forum who was a raw meat eater. he usually ate once daily and did a period of time where he checked his BG. he checked throughout the day and fasting. also if he was up during the night, he checked.
his BG was never below 100 or rarely at least. and it was never in the eighties. it was usually 106, maybe a bit more.
he had been eating that way for a couple years and had never been diagnoses as diabetic.
most have no reason to check BG so have no idea if it has the same effect diabetic or not.

Small_1 · 05-04-2009, 06:39 PM

Jem51,

I never dreamed I could eat a burger without fries. Or a meal without potatoes!!! I bake the most awesome (imho) from scratch buttermilk biscuits. We had them nearly every night for supper. But now...well...it's just fatty meat, eggs and cheese.

I have never heard of the magic bus forum. If I didn't have to I would not check at all!!! When I was first dx I would check every hour from one meal to the next.

Today I was able to very quickly run into my local Piggly Wiggly. I bought 10# boneless ribeyes, 2 nice fatty chuck roast, 10# 70/30 ground beef, a big block of red rind cheese and 2 dozen jumbo brown eggs. I won't need to grocery shop for the rest of the month. I didn't need the eggs but they were on sale for 99c. LOL And we'll definitely eat them! yummy

I have read of the raw meat thing. Interesting!!! But hopefully I will never have to go there. I sorta like mine on the well-done side and brown-ish.

I can't eat very large meals either. For breakfast I eat an egg (usually a large but sometimes an ex-large/jumbo) with a small amount of fatty meat. Probably about the size or less than a sausage pattie.

The meat I have left over gets cut up and tossed into a plastic glad container along with some cheese that I have diced. Every two hours I eat a few bites of steak and cheese.

On Sunday, I ran out of steak. But I keep burgers in the refrigerator so my family will have something to grab and eat instead of grabbing a cookie/candy bar. So, I broke a burger in half and ate it. I didn't even bother to heat it. They are rather tasty cold/warm.

I ate the other half this morning with my eggs. See, my protein portions aren't that large. Although the more I do this the more I can eat without a rise in my blood sugar.

Anyway, I haven't seen a reading above 100 since this afternoon. I was doing some re-arranging on my front porch. I guess my adrenal gland kicked in because it went up to 106 for no reason at all.

Twice we went to the river a couple hours after supper, my blood sugar dropped to 69 the first time and then 68 the next time. My adrenal glands definitely play a part in my bgl.

I just noticed your "WOE" Eat Fat/Get Thin? That's the WOE that got me started on this path that I am on!

Paula

PMoon · 05-07-2009, 12:07 PM

Something interesting:

I recently read that prilosec may be linked to neuropathy pain. Anyone else heard that? I've been taking it almost daily for over a year. So, as an experiment, i stopped taking it a few days ago.

My symptoms are getting a lot better! I have not discounted the possibility that this is in my imagination. But, hey... whatever works, right?

Also have seen improvement in a couple of other things. Fewer headaches and I'm sleeping better and more.

Incidentally, I've added a D3 supplement in the same time period. So who knows.

P. Moon

jem51 · 05-07-2009, 06:36 PM

medication side effects should never be overlooked. why take the chance?

PMoon · 05-07-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jem51

medication side effects should never be overlooked. why take the chance?

Oh, dear jem, because the heartburn can be horrible!!!

I am still not taking the prilosec. But, man! It becons from the kitchen cabinet! I have been hoping that my lower carb eating would have helped with the heartburn. It has some. I haven't woken up with reflux. (Knock on wood.)

Several months ago, I had wondered if the prilosec wasn't causing me to have gastroparesis symptoms. More than once, I woke up at 4:00 in the morning, vomiting up solid food after not having eaten anything in ten hours.

I'll be happy if THAT never happens to me again!

P. Moon

jem51 · 05-08-2009, 08:00 AM

i have gastroparesis. it is horrible but medication didn't help me....and i do think it made it worse.
i have to really watch quantities. small meals are the best thing i can do.
dr. B says it may be possible to heal but i'm not convinced. i get flare ups that make me miserable periodically.
drinking extra liquid w meals just made things worse.

04-15-2009, 07:13 AM	#1
PMoon Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 404 Gallery: PMoon	Could I be having neuropothy pain? I was diagnosed as insulin resistant about 10 years ago. Then, two years ago, I told another doctor about it and he said, "You know that means you have diabetes." I've been testing my BG's sporadically for a couple of years and a few times, I would have BGs over 200. Often over 150. Mostly in the 120's-140's. These were just random times. Anyway, I got Dr. Bernsteins book and decided I didn't fancy amputation, so I have been lowcarbing for almost a month. I recently started back on metformin, too and am still working my way up in dose. I'm not doing this to lose weight and I am not monitoring my weight. (thought I am medically considered obese) I may have lost a little, but not much. With eating low carb and metformin, I have been keeping my BG's in the 90-115 range. Since starting, I don't have as much trouble getting up off the floor, I don't feel so weak, and I have more energy and more oxygen. But I've been having some weird muscle or joint issues in the last month. First, when I would stand in one place for a couple of minutes my legs would start to get numb and tingle (go to sleep). And I found when I am sitting, they go to sleep a lot faster than they used to... like, within several seconds they start tingling. I bought some really expensive shoe insoles because my feet are starting to hurt really bad. I realize that I am heavy and I am asking a lot of them. But it feels like they are flattening out. Sometimes I even get the sensation, when I'm using my feet, that the tissue in there is tearing and stretching. My instinct at those times is to scrunch my feet up in a ball to remove pressure from the arch, which relieves the pain. Now, I am starting to be awakened at night by tingling in my legs and pains in my feet. It's mainly the sharp, stabbing pain the bottom of my foot that wakes me. Incidentally, I've had the numbness/pain/tingling in my hands and arms that I have sometimes experienced with repetitive stress injury. This may or may not be related. But it seems suspicous that all of my extremeties are tingling and painful when I sleep. Lifestyle wise, aside from my eating habits, I have recently gone from working a desk job to small farming. It's not THAT labor intensive, but I hoe and dig and do other manual labor, often to exhaustion, almost every day. But there have been lots of times in my life when I've worked myself sore and this is NOTHING like that! Yes, I know I need to see a doctor. But I don't have insurance and am recently unemployed. So, when I go, I need to be able to tell them what tests I want and what medicines I would like to try, etc. I can't afford an expensive diagnosis. I need to do that myself. P. Moon

05-02-2009, 04:28 AM	#16
Small_1 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern Carolina Posts: 89 Gallery: Small_1 WOE: VLC Start Date: Feb 2009	I love that pepperette! "Fear the bread, NOT the butter..." Great quote!!! May I borrow it? Good morning P.Moon, While Brian is correct that eggs DO contain carbs. It's only like 0.6 grams. I can't think of too many things that low in carbs. Maybe a Smartie/two...but an egg will fill my tummy a lot quicker and last a lot longer than a couple Smarties! If you look at an egg carton it states that the carb is 0grams. You probably already know that any thing less than 1 gram is considered 0 grams by US government standards. By my standards, anything less than 5 grams (foods that also contain fat and protein) are considered 0grams because they do not cause a rise in my blood sugar level. Which is a type 1 who is supposed to require insulin means a lot because I hate needles with a passion!!! My brother a type 2 eats anything that he desires, he takes a lot of metformin. My mother in-law is also type 2, she eats veggies & fruits and little fat, she takes 3 different types of pills for her diabetes plus she takes 50 units Lantus each morning and night along with I forget how many units of novolog at mealtimes. Not trying to scare you but everyone needs to know the truth about diabetes and carbs. The fat and protein in an egg kinda keep the carb from doing damage to your body like a Smartie/other carby food. That's why a lot of persons with diabetes can eat homemade full-fat ice cream. The fat keeps the sugar from doing too much damage. If I eat say, a veggie, even pork and chicken at meal time, my blood sugar will go above 120mg/dl. My legs begin to tingle...I do not need my monitor to tell me that my body is taking a serious hit. I explained to my children that my body is like one of those he-man bell ringer "games" at the state fair. "The Club" is a carb...the stand with the bell at the top is my body. The little thingie which goes up the stand is my blood sugar...if it goes high enough...just as the thing causes the bell to ring, the carb in my body causes damage with each hit. Only thing is each time I ring that bell, I do not get a prize. I get another body part damaged. Just my take on it though. Be aware that Cheese also contains carbs. But again there is a huge difference in the "carb" of full-fat cheese than say, a "healthy carb" salad. Yes, we as a people think eating meat, eggs and cheese gets boring. But in reality, I was just telling my Beloved that we have been eating 2 eggs and a steak (ribeye, porterhouse, or Ny strip), with a piece of full-fat cheese each morning for breakfast for the past month. Along with drinking water with our meals. I asked him if he was getting bored. He said, No not like when I was eating a meat-filled biscuit, oatmeal or cereal. He said Plus I don't get hungry as quickly as I used to. This is from a man with a heavy duty job...he is a welder/diesel mechanic. This is just the other side of the coin. I have been eating like this since February 2009. I am feeling great! My blood sugar levels are excellent, except when I am stressed/tired/anxious/etc...but that has nothing to do with food. Last night at suppertime I started with a BGL at 91mg/dl. I tested at the 2 hour mark and my BGL was 74mg/dl. I tested at the 4 hour mark, it was 92 mg/dl. Before bed (a couple hours later) it was 98mg/dl. I awoke this morning at 93mg/dl. Perfect!!! The goal for me is not the yo-yo of highs and lows...even though they might provide the "Perfect" A1C. My goal is to keep my blood sugar as evenly as possible. Just as Dr. Bernstein recommends. As you can see by my blood sugars above, with the exception of the odd 74 reading in there. Which is possibly due to the fact that I ate a very very fatty thick slice of beef brisket and cheese for supper. I drink a couple cups of coffee after supper and add AS with it. I wish you well in your journey. P.Moon, Listen to your body...it will tell you what works for it and what doesn't. If you force it to take in something it doesn't want/need it will rebell just like a spoiled child. Peace to you all, Paula ~ who is Zeroing in On (her) Health! __________________ [COLOR="PURPLE"]*Paula*[/COLOR]

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

04-15-2009, 11:16 AM	#2
doxielove Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 650 Gallery: doxielove Stats: 175.0/144.0/120 WOE: LC/high fat Start Date: 9.22.11	I would say you are beginning neuropathy, yes. Please take good care of yourself, monitor your blood sugar regularly, keep carbs very low, and exercise. Take your meds. I was very lazy and inconsistent about all these things. Had to go off Metformin because of the side effects. Don't like to take my insulin because it causes weight gain for me. Anyway, my feet are numb - completely - and I have very little feeling in my left lower leg. I lose my balance, have trouble buying shoes, and can't run or walk really fast. My upper legs tire easily from compensating, I think. I'm taking better care of myself now but I don't think it's reversible. Learn from my mistakes.

04-15-2009, 12:46 PM	#3
PMoon Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 404 Gallery: PMoon	doxie, I am really trying! It seems eating ANYthing makes my bg's go up. I woke up this morning and it was 100. I ate breakfast of eggs, ham and coffee with HWC and a couple of equal tablets (like Dr. B recommends), and a couple of hours later it's 115. Then, today I went into the office where I recently worked to help out the girl there for a couple of hours and she brought me something for lunch called chicken on a stick. I agreed to have some with her without knowing what it was. Turns out, it was chicken wrapped in onion and potato slices with a pickle in the middle, dipped in batter, then deep fried. Several of these were stacked on a skewer. Out of desperation (I couldn't figure a diplomatic way to avoid it! LOL) I ate a little bit of it, and proclaimed myself stuffed. Then brought the rest of it home for the kids. An hour after eating that, my bg was up to 134. Which leaves me with the urge to eat nothing but bacon for the rest of the day! I am seriously thinking about going on a zero carb diet to see how low I can get my bg's that way. Then slowly and one at a time, testing out different foods to see what happens. It is SO frustrating for me that I am beginning to have these complications now when I am working so hard to prevent them. P. Moon

04-15-2009, 02:19 PM	#5
PMoon Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 404 Gallery: PMoon	pffff... I do feel better. I have just started reading the Blood Sugar 101 site and it's AWESOME. I need to find her and tell her so! We have a local charity clinic that is for people who are uninsured. You can see the doctor for free. That's how I got my current prescription for metformin. I'm going to have to go back soon and get a new one. You have to pay for your own tests, but I know the HbA1c is not terribly expensive all by itself. And the metformin is $4 a month. I'm always looking for deals on the strips. It's seems like those are the killer for ALL diabetics whose insurance doesn't cover them (and it seems fewer and fewer are.) I realize what you are saying, Brian. What I would like is to have normal bloodsugars, so every time I see they aren't 85, it pees me off a little bit. I'm still trying to get a grip on that! 95-115 is pretty good! I hope this pain doesn't last forever, though. It's a bit like being kicked when you're down and trying to climb back up, right? P. Moon

04-15-2009, 03:03 PM	#6
doxielove Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 650 Gallery: doxielove Stats: 175.0/144.0/120 WOE: LC/high fat Start Date: 9.22.11	Hey PMOON, I don't think your numbers are bad at all - I'd be happy to have them! Brian and Jenny (Blood sugar 101) are great sources of knowledge. Listen to them. You'll be okay.

04-16-2009, 01:35 PM	#11
PMoon Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 404 Gallery: PMoon	Agreed, Brian. I am looking for a 'control group' of numbers, if you will. I want to do an experiment on myself using what I have seen referred to as the 'test, test, test' method. Where you just figure out how everything effects your blood sugar by testing after you eat anything new. I want to do this, and for my own benefit. I want to know what my blood sugars are in the absense of carbs. So, I have something to compare everything else to. I know this may be pointless as far as health outcomes go. But, doing exercises like this makes the whole situation less tedious and easier for me to cope with. It's like busy work, I think. I'm already doing what I should be doing. But I need something else to keep me busy while I'm waiting to reap the rewards. P. Moon

04-24-2009, 07:50 PM	#13
PMoon Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 404 Gallery: PMoon	Amy, I am pretty sure he was talking to me since I said I was going to try it. Anyway, I don't feel the need to at the moment. My BG has been consistently in the low to mid 90's for the last several days. I am curious now to see how far it will go without such drastic measures. I do need to do some sort of elimination type diet, though. Something is giving me foul headaches! The most likely culprit is probably artificial sweetener... It's going to be hard to give up. I guess it would help a lot if I kept a journal of what I eat and when my head starts hurting. P. Moon

04-24-2009, 08:35 PM	#14
pepperette Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Raytown, MO. Posts: 1,837 Gallery: pepperette	[COLOR="DarkGreen"]I used to have terrible foot and leg pains- it stopped after I quit aspartame laden drinks, ie. my diet Dr. Peppers and Cherry Coke Zeros. If I have one bottle again, I have two nights of misery at least. For soda, if I feel I want one, I use Diet Rite Pure Zero- no carbs, caffeine, sodium, calories, OR aspartame! But I now have a new love, which I hope to start making at home in the very near future- kombucha tea. [/COLOR] .

04-25-2009, 06:34 AM	#15
NCgrl Senior LCF Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains Posts: 629 Gallery: NCgrl Stats: 410/310/299 WOE: Diabetic 2/09 Start Date: restart 2/09	I'm sorry,my quote was in his reply so I thought he was speaking to me.It sounds like you are doing well,PMoon.I think I might have to agree with you on the artificial sweeteners.I have been getting a headache late in the evening.I drink one diet soft drink a day but I think it may be time to give it up.I was hoping one might not affect me.Continued success in your journey!

05-02-2009, 08:16 AM	#17
jem51 Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: south central OR Posts: 3,125 Gallery: jem51 Stats: oh so happy at 120 WOE: Mine, all mine Start Date: controlled carb '97-98	i tried zero carb and my BG was always elevated....always over 100 and seemed stuck around 120....FBG's were always around that #. the best i have done is w eating small meals and i haven't really figured that out because i am often hungry w/in a couple hours (sometimes less). looking for food that frequently is a pain. the really great thing about small meals, is that i can actually digest them. so, that is what i am focusing on. of course, the fact that my BG is below 100 for the most part is encouraging. i am still searching for the ideal way to do this.

05-02-2009, 04:59 PM	#18
pepperette Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Raytown, MO. Posts: 1,837 Gallery: pepperette	*[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Small_1: Yes, 'cause I borrowed it from someone else, too, just couldn't remember who.[/COLOR]* .

05-03-2009, 06:43 AM	#20
Small_1 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern Carolina Posts: 89 Gallery: Small_1 WOE: VLC Start Date: Feb 2009	P. Moon, I do not have insurance either. My doctor knows this and will offer me free Lantus and Novolog pens that the sales reps give to them. I do not receive help on test strips (I do not test as often now, because when you eat this way, you do not have to worry about hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. It's a Good Thing!) And you know I wasn't quite right when I said I had been following the WOE since Feb. 2009. That's not exactly true. oops Actually I started eliminating everything that was on Dr. Bernstein's NO-NO list. I tried to do zero-carb one day but it just didn't work for me. I felt so sick that first day. I visited a site www(dot)biblelife(dot)org and learned about the diet for IBS sufferers. I have not been able to eat cheese, hot dogs, soy products, any foods containing MSG or chocolate/cacao since I was 15. I have eaten them but they all caused sever migraines. So I have not touched them in oh about 20 years. (the top part of that site is religious, however, if you scroll down toward the bottom he has lots of great articles and links to articles on all sorts of "diseases/illnesses". It's very informative, methinks!) Anyway...I eliminated some of the vegetables on Dr. B's "Okay to Eat" list, mostly because things like kohl rabi can't be found in rural NC and then the jicama that I bought had mold growing on it. Yuck! No thanks! Also I was spending and wasting lots of money on veggies that no one in my family liked and so it was all being tossed out the door as I didn't want to eat them myself, for days before they would rot in my refrigerator. Talk about boring!!! So anyway...With each food I eliminated I noticed I didn't bloat and have gut pain. I eliminated each and every food item which caused me to have a reaction. Not necessarily to help my blood sugar level...it was just a wonderful side effect. I do limit my amount of protein at meal time. I eat the fat first (if you cook it just right it gets crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside...almost has the taste of tender buttery stewed potatoes. yum). And then I fill up on the eggs, cheese and meat. I truly can't eat the much. But I do eat a little every 2 hours. I have to! As I said, I have to eat every 2 hours so I keep a Glad container with cut up fatty beef and diced cheese in my refrigerator. When I leave home it goes with me. I slice and dice red rind cheese myself which saves money. Amazingly, cheese is no longer causing migraines or any other reactions. Not sure why. But I am thankful. By the way, cold fatty beef straight from the refrigerator is just as good cold and doesn't require heating. I save money on the fatty beef by shopping Wal-Mart in the mornings when they mark down their steaks. You would be amazed at how quickly I am in and out of there! LOL I love it!!! If I go to the meat farm about 45 minutes away, I spend about $100 a month and that's what we eat on besides the marked down meat at WM. My Beloved will spend Sunday, grilling all the meat we will eat during the week. I freeze and re-heat as needed. But there is always cooked, ready to grab and eat meat in the refrigerator. I am spending less time cooking, washing dishes, shopping and preparing foods. My Beloved loves it because last night we ate supper (we had a buffet of ribeye, ny strip, hamburgers, and sirloin steak plus cheese sticks). It didn't take very long to tidy the kitchen and head for the river for the second time. We actually spend more time living now instead of thinking about, shopping for, preparing for, serving and eating foods. It's great!!! Oh, I wanted to say that in the same article about IBS on the website I mentioned above, there was included a diet for persons with Candida, which I have all the signs of having and so I did go through a period of eliminating cheese, vinegar, etc. I have since added back in the cheese to see if there would be a reaction and like I said, none! Thank the Lord! May you all be blessed in your journey to better health. Peacefully, Paula

05-03-2009, 09:35 AM	#21
jem51 Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: south central OR Posts: 3,125 Gallery: jem51 Stats: oh so happy at 120 WOE: Mine, all mine Start Date: controlled carb '97-98	paula, i like the bible life site for dietary recommendations but the religeous stuff is very negative and hard core....too angry for me. i followed the recommendation for IBS but found that glutamine increases my liver enzymes. no more of that. actually when i was working and took lysine for cold sores, i had the same experience. so i do not take any amino acid supplement. i gave up lettuce for a while and that really helped. now i can eat some w/o problem. my problems w dairy disappeared after i gave up grain....i understand that is common. so, my new thing is crisp bread. had my first wasa yesterday and had no problem. i will not be going crazy w them so maybe i'll be okay. my BG was great. i'd sure like to win the battle w my blood sugar. no meds at this point, though.

05-03-2009, 02:40 PM	#22
Small_1 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern Carolina Posts: 89 Gallery: Small_1 WOE: VLC Start Date: Feb 2009	Way to Go Jem51! I am sooo glad you are listening to your body and doing so well. No meds...I envy!!! As Brian always advises...don't stress. I am always afraid that the religious part will scare folks away. Kent has a great message for persons with health issues. I haven't read the religious part as that is not why I visit there.I wish he would just link to his religious beliefs like he does the medical information. KWIM? I kept buying vitamins and minerals, but it seemed it either bothered my IBS, blood sugar level, or went against another woe that I needed to follow. For example: I read that persons with diabetes can have soy and flax. Forgetting that I can't have soy products, I went and bought some soy flour along with flax seed meal. I started taking flax supplements. I had major gut pain each time but silly me didn't realize that the soy and flax were upsetting my gut. It finally hit me that I can't have soy and so I stopped with that. And that helped to ease the pain. Then it dawned on me that each time I ate something with flax I would have such bloating and pain that I would have to lay down each time. So I eliminated the flax seed meal and supplements. I could still have cream cheese (those mock microwave cheesecakes were delish) but I suddenly developed a problem with those...due to some Keflex the dentist prescribed me. I gave up the anti-biotics and the cream cheese. Oh yeah, I have had dental surgery three times since dx of diabetes. I haven't needed an anti-biotics. I think my WOE is helping there. Also I busted up my leg trying to kill a bee with a tennis racket...it was trying to crawl up my pant leg. I panicked and nearly took myself out with it. Anyway...in less than a week the scar plus the bruise had gone completely away. My Beloved was floored. Because... I still carry the marks where I was attacked last summer by (what seemed to be) the entire colony of fire ants. My shoes and pants from my knees down were completely covered. The question I often get asked is didn't you feel them crawling. No. I only felt them when they began biting the fire out of me. My mother knows my weakness for fresh strawberries. She tells me that she is planning to have whipped cream with fresh strawberries and angel food cake for Mother's Day. I am really considering trying some unsweetened strawberries with homemade whipping cream. I have eaten it since I was dx and it didn't seem to bother my blood sugar. We'll see. :/ Have a wonderful Sunday (what's left of it) Paula

05-03-2009, 03:34 PM	#23
PMoon Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 404 Gallery: PMoon	Elimination diets can be so tedious! I eat so many different things that it seems almost everything sets off some kind of reaction (headaches or stomachaches or restless leggs or something!) I love my food. I will hate to have to give anything up. P. Moon

05-04-2009, 04:27 AM	#24
Small_1 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern Carolina Posts: 89 Gallery: Small_1 WOE: VLC Start Date: Feb 2009	P.Moon, Everyone is different and must follow their own path to better health. Although from listening to folks around me most really don't seem to care about better health IF it means giving up __________ (fill in the blank). To which I say, "To each his/her own" and leave it at that. As I certainly do not wish for them to criticize my WOE. KWIM? I like to read in the VLC/ZC forums under the "Other Plans" section of this place. Here's something interesting I read this morning: On 5/2/09 Danceruk posted: "I do 5g daily (ie no more than 10 eggs) just eat eggs, butter and water once a month I will chuck some spinach in my eggs.. thats it! easy as! _________________ Vegetarian of 12 years..going strong the VLC way!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ legrandeginge replied with this: "No way? Danceruk!!?? You really live on eggs?????????? Tell me all!!?? How's your hunger? cravings? how to other people react? how long for? I'm VLC at the mo, just meat, eggs, butter, cream and a tiny bit of cheese occasionally! It's easier in many ways than induction or other low carb options because you dont really actually have to count carbs. I was only planning a week or so of VLC to break a stall but i'm enjoying it so much think im gonna hang on in there awhile!!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~ I really hope Danceruk will answer because I too am curious. Not that I only want to eat eggs and drink water. But these different WOE's truly fascinate me, especially when the person has something like this in their signature line: "Vegetarian of 12 years..going strong the VLC way!"" Take Care. May Peace be your Companion all through the day, Paula

05-04-2009, 08:56 AM	#25
jem51 Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: south central OR Posts: 3,125 Gallery: jem51 Stats: oh so happy at 120 WOE: Mine, all mine Start Date: controlled carb '97-98	for sure, vlc/zc is so easy. one thing i learned is that i don't need vegetation to complete a meal and i am often better off not having a 'mixed' meal. my digestion sucks due to gastroparesis and too much variety at a meal makes me miserable. problem w zc is that i cannot eat large meat meals not just because of digestion but also the increase in my BG. there was a guy on the magic bus forum who was a raw meat eater. he usually ate once daily and did a period of time where he checked his BG. he checked throughout the day and fasting. also if he was up during the night, he checked. his BG was never below 100 or rarely at least. and it was never in the eighties. it was usually 106, maybe a bit more. he had been eating that way for a couple years and had never been diagnoses as diabetic. most have no reason to check BG so have no idea if it has the same effect diabetic or not.

05-04-2009, 06:39 PM	#26
Small_1 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Eastern Carolina Posts: 89 Gallery: Small_1 WOE: VLC Start Date: Feb 2009	Jem51, I never dreamed I could eat a burger without fries. Or a meal without potatoes!!! I bake the most awesome (imho) from scratch buttermilk biscuits. We had them nearly every night for supper. But now...well...it's just fatty meat, eggs and cheese. I have never heard of the magic bus forum. If I didn't have to I would not check at all!!! When I was first dx I would check every hour from one meal to the next. Today I was able to very quickly run into my local Piggly Wiggly. I bought 10# boneless ribeyes, 2 nice fatty chuck roast, 10# 70/30 ground beef, a big block of red rind cheese and 2 dozen jumbo brown eggs. I won't need to grocery shop for the rest of the month. I didn't need the eggs but they were on sale for 99c. LOL And we'll definitely eat them! yummy I have read of the raw meat thing. Interesting!!! But hopefully I will never have to go there. I sorta like mine on the well-done side and brown-ish. I can't eat very large meals either. For breakfast I eat an egg (usually a large but sometimes an ex-large/jumbo) with a small amount of fatty meat. Probably about the size or less than a sausage pattie. The meat I have left over gets cut up and tossed into a plastic glad container along with some cheese that I have diced. Every two hours I eat a few bites of steak and cheese. On Sunday, I ran out of steak. But I keep burgers in the refrigerator so my family will have something to grab and eat instead of grabbing a cookie/candy bar. So, I broke a burger in half and ate it. I didn't even bother to heat it. They are rather tasty cold/warm. I ate the other half this morning with my eggs. See, my protein portions aren't that large. Although the more I do this the more I can eat without a rise in my blood sugar. Anyway, I haven't seen a reading above 100 since this afternoon. I was doing some re-arranging on my front porch. I guess my adrenal gland kicked in because it went up to 106 for no reason at all. Twice we went to the river a couple hours after supper, my blood sugar dropped to 69 the first time and then 68 the next time. My adrenal glands definitely play a part in my bgl. I just noticed your "WOE" Eat Fat/Get Thin? That's the WOE that got me started on this path that I am on! Paula

05-07-2009, 12:07 PM	#27
PMoon Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 404 Gallery: PMoon	Something interesting: I recently read that prilosec may be linked to neuropathy pain. Anyone else heard that? I've been taking it almost daily for over a year. So, as an experiment, i stopped taking it a few days ago. My symptoms are getting a lot better! I have not discounted the possibility that this is in my imagination. But, hey... whatever works, right? Also have seen improvement in a couple of other things. Fewer headaches and I'm sleeping better and more. Incidentally, I've added a D3 supplement in the same time period. So who knows. P. Moon

05-07-2009, 06:36 PM	#28
jem51 Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: south central OR Posts: 3,125 Gallery: jem51 Stats: oh so happy at 120 WOE: Mine, all mine Start Date: controlled carb '97-98	medication side effects should never be overlooked. why take the chance?

05-08-2009, 08:00 AM	#30
jem51 Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: south central OR Posts: 3,125 Gallery: jem51 Stats: oh so happy at 120 WOE: Mine, all mine Start Date: controlled carb '97-98	i have gastroparesis. it is horrible but medication didn't help me....and i do think it made it worse. i have to really watch quantities. small meals are the best thing i can do. dr. B says it may be possible to heal but i'm not convinced. i get flare ups that make me miserable periodically. drinking extra liquid w meals just made things worse.