Insulin resistant

tinahagar498

hi everyone,
I have been diagnosed with insulin resistance and am now taking metformin. I have a very strict diet of 3 slices of brown bread per day, 1 yogurt, low carb vegetables, 2x potatoes the size of eggs or ½ a cup of rice or pasta and chicken, turkey and fish. I can have ½ an apple, banana or 2 kiwis for a desert twice per day.
I've had almost every side effect on the list of the metformin and now it seems it is not working as well as it tatted out. I've been taking it just 9 days but now I am back to feeling starving hungry all the time even though I stick to the food program.

Do any of you have this illness? Do you have recipe/food ideas? I need some inspiration. How does the medication affect you?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

Tina.

Cherimoose

If you're always hungry, your calorie intake is probably too low for your activity level. Discuss it with whichever medical professional gave you that diet.

Do you have PCOS?

Unknown

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yarwell

The logic for bread, rice and potatoes should be questioned in IR.

tinahagar498

I've never been tested for PCOS so I am not sure. The side effects are normal and have passed now but I just need help with a few food ideas. Also some support with anyone going through the same thing would be nice.

Diabetics are also told to eat bread, rice and potatoes so I'm not concerned. The amounts I am allowed are fairly small. I'm not sure what IR is though?

Thanks.

girlviernes

Who put you on this diet? It seems very restrictive. IR = insulin resistance. I have IR, but I basically eat regular foods, I just limit my sugary/starchy carbs to 30g per meal and I bumped up protein and fat.

MamaSteg

I just started metformin too. My doc told me to increase my protein and lower my carbs to 100

professionalHobbyist

The diet seems on the surface almost backwards

Not much protein and lots of carbs.

Pretty much the opposite of what my Dr advised

Seems like time to talk to your dr and get a clarification

Make sure you are understanding everything and let them know how it is working

auntstephie321

I have IR as well, though I'm not taking metformin. My Dr recommended limiting my carb intake from breads, pasta, sweets etc and to get carbs from whole grains and veggies. I limit to around 40-50 g a day sometimes lower.

seansquared

Your doctor said you're IR and prescribed you 3 slices brown bread a day? Even ignoring the rest, find another doctor.

ndj1979

MrM27 wrote: »

You really should be contacting your doctor to run stuff like that by them.

this

azulvioleta6

I've been on Metformin for more than a decade--you will adjust. The time-release version is easier to tolerate.

It's odd that you are being encouraged to eat bread, pasta and bananas. A lower-to-moderate carb diet is generally recommended for people with insulin resistance. Are you tracking? How many grams of carbs are you currently eating per day?

DittoDan

tinahagar498 wrote: »

hi everyone,
I have been diagnosed with insulin resistance and am now taking metformin. I have a very strict diet of 3 slices of brown bread per day, 1 yogurt, low carb vegetables, 2x potatoes the size of eggs or ½ a cup of rice or pasta and chicken, turkey and fish. I can have ½ an apple, banana or 2 kiwis for a desert twice per day.
I've had almost every side effect on the list of the metformin and now it seems it is not working as well as it tatted out. I've been taking it just 9 days but now I am back to feeling starving hungry all the time even though I stick to the food program.

Do any of you have this illness? Do you have recipe/food ideas? I need some inspiration. How does the medication affect you?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

Tina.

Ditto the above. Starchy things like bananas and potatoes are the opposite of what you should be eating. Reduce your carb intake to less than 75gs @ day. Eat more fat.

I hope this helps,

Dan the Man from Michigan
It's Ketogenic or Bariatric! How I Found the Ketogenic Diet
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gothchiq

I'm on a very similar diet because I am prediabetic. But it sounds like the overall amount they give you is too low to live on. What the doctor told me is to never eat a carb without pairing it with a protein. and of course those carbs are limited as you have pointed out. I do think it would be good to revisit this with your doctor asap because there's only so long an adult woman can survive on portions suitable for a toddler... and that's ME saying this, I only get 1440 cal a day maintenance! Are you seeing an endocrinologist? If not, it might be a good plan to.

ihatetodietalways

I am sorry I didn't read the thread, so this may be redundant, have you upped your fats?

Unknown

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Unknown

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azulvioleta6

gothchiq wrote: »

I'm on a very similar diet because I am prediabetic. But it sounds like the overall amount they give you is too low to live on. What the doctor told me is to never eat a carb without pairing it with a protein. and of course those carbs are limited as you have pointed out. I do think it would be good to revisit this with your doctor asap because there's only so long an adult woman can survive on portions suitable for a toddler... and that's ME saying this, I only get 1440 cal a day maintenance! Are you seeing an endocrinologist? If not, it might be a good plan to.

I would say that if you are not, you absolutely SHOULD see an endocrinologist.

azulvioleta6

ETA: I just looked at your profile and saw where you are living. I've been there!

You may not have a lot of choices in terms of medical care, but you can certainly track your food on your own. You can play around with your carbs a little bit and see if going lower works for you. I also have IR (and some more complex issues) and I find that 100G/day is great for maintenance and 75G/day is a better level for weight loss.

swift13b

I have insulin resistance, I was originally put on Metformin but after a while I decided to see if I could just change my lifestyle instead. After a few months of changing my diet and losing ~10kgs (at the time, I've now lost 22) I re-did the sugar drink test. My endo was happy with the results and I don't have to take Metformin anymore.

The things you've been told to eat are basically all the things I cut out. 3 slices of bread seems crazy to me, especially if you're also eating potato and pasta that day. If I'm going to eat pasta, bread or potatoes I make sure the rest of my meals are as low carb as possible. Ditch the bread, pasta and potatoes, and probably the banana while you're at it. You're better off eating berries instead. As someone else mentioned, make sure you eat protein when you do have carbs. I love apples so I have half of one in the morning with my eggs and then take the other half to work to have with cheese in the afternoon. You can also try spreading peanut butter on them. Yoghurt can be high in carbs, particularly if it's a sweetened or flavoured variety. Stick to a greek yoghurt that is higher in protein than it is in carbs per serve. Another great option is cottage cheese, I have it with frozen berries. You could try having that for breakfast instead of the bread (assuming that's your breakfast) or you could have scrambled eggs with spinach and cheese. Instead of pasta, buy a spiralizer (you can order them online) and make zucchini noodles instead.

tinahagar498

Thanks everyone. It's really good advice. I was very suspicious of the bread and pasta that's for sure. I've not had much appetite so I haven't eaten much. It is true that the health care in chile is not fantastic however I have private medical insurance so it's not as bad as it could be. The doctor gave me this diet. It is all down on a sheet of what I am allowed per day. I'm not allowed to eat fats according to the diet. No nuts, nut butters or butter. Only 1 teaspoon of olive oil per day. I have read that fats worsen insulin resistance - maybe that could be why? I have a few books and the diets I see in them are little different to mine. Some have more carbs and some have less. I have to limit corn, carrots and onions according to the doctors diet and I guess the whole grain bread is to encourage fibre intake?
I feel like I am struggling to eat food. I can't find anything that I want to eat or enjoy much. I can't find cottage cheese here either which someone suggested.
At breakfast I am eating a yogurt. I'm only allowed egg whites which I'm not a fan of so it doesn't leave me with many options.

PeachyCarol

Oh dear. The limiting fats sounds so wrong. They are good. Limiting carbs is where it's at is more like it. Eat the whole egg if you like eggs.

I'm going to call in @Nony_Mouse, she had insulin resistance. (She's lost enough weight that it's not longer an issue for her). She might have some suggestions for you.

Nony_Mouse

Oops, late to my summoning!!

Agree with everyone else that that doesn't sound like a lot of food, but quite a few carbs for insulin resistance, and I also don't understand the avoiding fat thing. For one, it's necessary for a whole host of things (vitamin absorption and hormone balance to start with), and for another it helps with feeling full longer.

My insulin resistance was PCOS-related, and only affects me when I'm at a higher weight (kicks in around high end of my healthy BMI range I think). I limited my carbs to around 100g a day, and that worked for me. Some people need to go lower, some can eat more than that. As others have said, pairing your carbs with protein and fats is important too.

I'm seconding the recommendation to see an endocrinologist if you can.

SLLRunner

MrM27 wrote: »

You really should be contacting your doctor to run stuff like that by them.

I agree with this 100%.

PrizePopple

I have IR due to PCOS and while I am not on metformin I am also not restricted in my diet. I see an endocrinologist and she was more than happy to see where I went with my weight loss with just watching my caloric intake. Being so restrictive seems obscene, and not being permitted to eat fats seems like someone is yanking a diet plan from their bums.

shabaity

I have IR not due to something else and after a bout with metformin (lord I hate that thing) I've now gotten it under control thru diet and exercise. Funny enough tho I haven't really lost much weight just upped my activity level and cut out some excess refined sugar by removing sugared sodas.

tinahagar498

I lost 7lbs in the first week but it was just the weight that I gained the week before. I'm now back to the same weight that I have been for over a year and can't lose no matter what I do. The doctor told me to follow this diet plan. Today I've vomited and felt really weak all day. I am going to go back to eating whole eggs and avocado and maybe some nuts to snack on because I need something to keep me going and this restricted food is killing me. I don't believe the metformin is working for me because I'm feeling dizzy again and I'm sure my insulin levels are just as high as when I went in. Most likely because of the carbs. I'm gonna try to get them down to 100g and under per day now and go back to eating good fats.

professionalHobbyist

Pu_239 wrote: »

tinahagar498 wrote: »

hi everyone,
I have been diagnosed with insulin resistance and am now taking metformin. I have a very strict diet of 3 slices of brown bread per day, 1 yogurt, low carb vegetables, 2x potatoes the size of eggs or ½ a cup of rice or pasta and chicken, turkey and fish. I can have ½ an apple, banana or 2 kiwis for a desert twice per day.
I've had almost every side effect on the list of the metformin and now it seems it is not working as well as it tatted out. I've been taking it just 9 days but now I am back to feeling starving hungry all the time even though I stick to the food program.

Do any of you have this illness? Do you have recipe/food ideas? I need some inspiration. How does the medication affect you?

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

Tina.

Yes talk to your doctor about your medicine. Just concerned about your "very strict diet" was it Rx by a doctor??? For insulin resistance that makes no sense to me honestly.

WHole wheat bread 3 slice = 36g of carbs
Yogurt = 6g carbs
red potatos(smallest ones i can think of) = 68g of carbs
apple = 25g of carbs

Totaling 135g of carbs. Most people with insulin resistance usually follow a lower carb diet.

This is so right.

OP:

In 18 months of 60-80 carbs and over 100 lbs lost I reversed my type 2 diabetes.

I would seriously seek a second opinions and look for a Dr that attempts to reverse type 2 with diet, exercise, and meds combination.

ihatetodietalways

mamapeach910 wrote: »

Oh dear. The limiting fats sounds so wrong. They are good. Limiting carbs is where it's at is more like it. Eat the whole egg if you like eggs.

I'm going to call in @Nony_Mouse, she had insulin resistance. (She's lost enough weight that it's not longer an issue for her). She might have some suggestions for you.

Ditto on fats being good. You look young. 1 T a day? You need essential fats from diet to live. Also, insulin resistance can most likely lead to diabetes. Do you take your blood sugar. Do you have any labs to share?

ihatetodietalways

tinahagar498 wrote: »

I lost 7lbs in the first week but it was just the weight that I gained the week before. I'm now back to the same weight that I have been for over a year and can't lose no matter what I do. The doctor told me to follow this diet plan. Today I've vomited and felt really weak all day. I am going to go back to eating whole eggs and avocado and maybe some nuts to snack on because I need something to keep me going and this restricted food is killing me. I don't believe the metformin is working for me because I'm feeling dizzy again and I'm sure my insulin levels are just as high as when I went in. Most likely because of the carbs. I'm gonna try to get them down to 100g and under per day now and go back to eating good fats.

OMG, change your doctor. Or read on the internet. I know more than my doc about my condition. With her advice, my HbA1c would still be high and I would be 40lbs heavier. Friend me if you want.

amy_kee

Fats, as they relate to blood sugar do things. Fats raise blood sugar slower, which is bad if you are too low. Fats also raise your blood sugar higher for longer periods of time, as compared with other foods.