carbs and insulin - what are the docs thinking?

[Seeking]

Originally Posted by richmanlopez

I do not understand why every endocrinologist and other doctors insist that I eat whole grain carbs and unrefined ones and agave sweetener and low glycemic foods when my body reacts to all carbs the same way. I pour out too much insulin regardless and gains weight and get hungrier and more depressed. All the net carb products with sugar alcohols still shoot my glucose up. The docs argue with me and say I need these carbs at least 120 per day to have my brain function! What is with that if they know all carbs affect my insulin? How come that does not make sense to them?

Ok there are many reasons for this:

1. Liability. The doctors are scared that if they advise their diabetic patients to eat low carb, their patients will accidentally go into a state of ketoacidosis and then sue. Ketoacidosis can be fatal; it changes the pH of your blood.

2. Time. Doctor's don't have the time to teach their patients about how to properly do a low-carb diet and prevent ketoacidosis.

3. Patient non-compliance. Every doctor will complain about this one; the vast majority of patients are too lazy or dumb to care enough to manage their disease(s) correctly. They just don't want to be bothered, so they don't do what the doctor says anyway. I know a lot of people like this.

4. Low-carbing is hard. You have to make a lot of changes to your diet and re-learn how to cook. My mom is Type 2 and when I told her I'm low-carbing, she said, "What do you eat every day? Boiled chicken and broccoli?"

It's just easier for everyone when doctors tell their patients to eat carbs and inject insulin as needed. Even if doctors were willing to accept liability, were willing to take the time with their patients, and encouraged them to do low-carb, very few of their patients would actually do it.

[Sister]

I was diagnosed with Type 2 last Nov. At my nutrition instructor meeting on Monday, I told her I have discovered eating grains and "heavy" starchs raised my readings too high, (2 hr after eating blood draw), so I was avoiding them and only getting carbs from veggies and some fruit. She said "It's good you found that out and know what to avoid." Hurrah for her!!

[Patina]

Originally Posted by Sister

I was diagnosed with Type 2 last Nov. At my nutrition instructor meeting on Monday, I told her I have discovered eating grains and "heavy" starchs raised my readings too high, (2 hr after eating blood draw), so I was avoiding them and only getting carbs from veggies and some fruit. She said "It's good you found that out and know what to avoid." Hurrah for her!!

That's great you found a nutritionist that supports you! Indeed a rare find!

When I was diagnosed, I went to the nutritionist and sat there while she pulled out a basket of plastic food items and put them on a plate. Of course there was always a "healthy carb" on the plate like plastic wheat bread, a potato or granola. Unfortunately for me, I didn't do my own research on this disease early on so I believed the nutritionist and continued on eating carby foods. At no point did the nutritionist explain how carbs would affect my blood sugars, just that I should eat healthy carbs.

Looking back, my time with a nutritionist did more harm than good.

The only downside I see is that the nutritionist left you to your own devices to figure out that carbs raise blood sugar. I don't understand why they don't just say that up front. That's a really important thing to understand when newly diagnosed.

[Sister]

Patina, Thanks for the response. I knew all along that starchs raised my blood sugar, because of previously doing a low carb diet.
My husbands nutritionist when he was diagnoised also did the plastic food plate; and she was doing the "juicing" that was all the craze then. NOT a help at all.
My nutritionist originally gave me 45 carbs for each of 3 meals and 1 snack. I don't eat over 20 carbs all day and she said my readings were really good, but didn't ask how many carbs I was eating. I am still struggling with staying back on the low carb wagon tho....I know I need to, to lose weight, but now for my diabetes also.

[Patina]

Sister,

Yes, I think they should throw out the plastic food and give every newly diagnosed diabetic a copy of Dr. Bernstein's book. Looking back, no one really ever explained to me in any depth what diabetes is or how it can tear you apart from the inside out. When I was diagnosed, the doctor just looked at me and said "You have diabetes and need to go see a nutritionist". Prescribed me some medication and out the door I went. That was it. I didn't know what questions to ask because I knew virtually nothing about this disease back then.

It's great that you're taking control of your diabetes and counting carbs. I would have done that too early on if someone had explained the cause and effect of carbs to me back then or if I had taken the time to educate myself.

[lc-chica]

This is a great thread.

I think patients often believe what their doctors say (a few examples in this thread) because it's what they want to hear.

I tend to believe that my doctors have my best interest at heart, but I don't believe everything they say. They are not all knowing. They all learned the same way, medical school, and basically are funded by the pharmaceutical companies. In med school they learn all about the drugs, and how to prescribe them. Unfortunately it's just the way it is.

I feel I have a personal responsibility to myself to learn all I can.

[Jeffs]

I'm with you on this.
Diagnosed with type 2 in January
Dr wanted to immediately up me on insulin.
I talked him down on that so he put me on met and januvia.
Last visit he couldn't believe my progress and remove januvia and lowered my met to the minimum per day.

Best book ever for diabetics is Bernstein

I cut my starches to 2 servings a day and that did the trick
Dietician wanted me at 7-9 per day, ugh

[Mistizoom]

Originally Posted by Jeffs

I'm with you on this.
Diagnosed with type 2 in January
Dr wanted to immediately up me on insulin.
I talked him down on that so he put me on met and januvia.
Last visit he couldn't believe my progress and remove januvia and lowered my met to the minimum per day.

Best book ever for diabetics is Bernstein

I cut my starches to 2 servings a day and that did the trick
Dietician wanted me at 7-9 per day, ugh

Welcome and congrats on your results so far!

[saltnpepper]

Just wanted to give a quick update. I got the Dr. Richard Bernstein's book "The Diabetes Solution" from the library. I must confess, I did not read the whole thing. BUT I read enough to get my dh on board with LC diet. So he has lost more weight....but his sugar is staying steady!! And he cut his metformin dose in half. Still doing good, as long as he eats LC. He has 2 upcoming drs appointments....so hoping all goes well.

I wanted to thank Jrw85705 and everyone else for sharing your knowledge.

You all are priceless

Anna

[Jrw85705]

What a great update. I’ve always been shy to recommend things to other people, such as a plumber, mechanic or whatever, because what was a good experience for me isn’t always the same outcome for the person I recommend it to. But I don’t hesitate to recommend Dr. Bernstein. For me it’s as simple as 2+2=4 -- eating carbs = high glucose numbers.

What a success he is able to start lowering his metformin. It took a full year before I could start lowering my meds but I was diagnosed with type 2 in 2005, and who knows how long I was really experiencing bad glucose levels.

Keep up the good work and let us know how it is going.

[SweetMe678]

Originally Posted by Vilya

I don't mean they're getting direct kickbacks, but from what I know the "gifts" are still spread around pretty liberally. In any case, the pharms are raking it in from pushing their drugs.

Correct, direct financial kickbacks are illegal, but Doc's get things like free vacations to attend seminars on new drugs, to offers to buy stocks at a discounted price, because they are in the medical field. Of course no strings attached. . .

Originally Posted by Sister

I was diagnosed with Type 2 last Nov. At my nutrition instructor meeting on Monday, I told her I have discovered eating grains and "heavy" starchs raised my readings too high, (2 hr after eating blood draw), so I was avoiding them and only getting carbs from veggies and some fruit. She said "It's good you found that out and know what to avoid." Hurrah for her!!

This is great. I was so grateful when DH and I went to a series of nutritionist appointments last year, the nutritionist told him that if his bs is fine he doesnt "need" to eat carbs.

Originally Posted by saltnpepper

Just wanted to give a quick update. I got the Dr. Richard Bernstein's book "The Diabetes Solution" from the library. I must confess, I did not read the whole thing. BUT I read enough to get my dh on board with LC diet. So he has lost more weight....but his sugar is staying steady!! And he cut his metformin dose in half. Still doing good, as long as he eats LC. He has 2 upcoming drs appointments....so hoping all goes well.

I wanted to thank Jrw85705 and everyone else for sharing your knowledge.

You all are priceless

Anna

DH and I are on the same journey with Dr Bernsteins book. Even thought he hasnt officially began following it, just the few changes we've made are making a huge difference, AND the info in the book has opened my eyes to a few things about my own metabolism.

[Perfectdeb]

Originally Posted by Jrw85705

I recommend Dr. Richard Bernstein's book "The Diabetes Solution" or his other book "The Diabetes Diet". I have type 2, diagnosed in 2005, and by following his advice, for the last two years, I have totally brought my numbers under control and am now off all of my meds.

He explains why this WOE of eating works even if you don't need to lose any weight. I know for me, once I understood the science behind diabetes and diet I was able to follow it. Even if your husband decides against a low carb diet these books will help him in understanding exactly what is going on with his blood sugar.

Good luck

Yes! My husband as been following his diabetes diet for over two years and his health is fantastic, in fact when he's tested now he tests as not diabetic