Need to go off low carb diet
leviabobcat
Posts: 7
Here's the deal: At the beginning of February, my doctor diagnosed me as pre-diabetic, and put me on a low carb diet. I cut all carbs out cold turkey and was literally bedridden for a week from the adjustment period. I maintained less than 30g carbs per day for the next three weeks, and then went a little over my carb allowances, and went back into the transition period, only this time I'm still not well. It's been over two weeks this time, and I still feel like death (fatigue, extreme nausea, shaky, etc). The only way I manage to feel well enough to get food or liquids down is by taking pepto bismol, ginger, and phenargan My blood sugar has stabilized, and I can't keep living like this, so I'm going off this miserable diet. What I'm concerned about is another difficult transition period as I add more carbs in.
A few things I need to add: Going off of this diet is non-negotiable. It has to go. Please don't try to convince me otherwise.
Part of what may be giving me difficulty is that I had my gallbladder removed six years ago, when I was sixteen.
Thank you for any advice you may have to give!
A few things I need to add: Going off of this diet is non-negotiable. It has to go. Please don't try to convince me otherwise.
Part of what may be giving me difficulty is that I had my gallbladder removed six years ago, when I was sixteen.
Thank you for any advice you may have to give!
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Replies
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Did your doc tell you to cut out all carbs, or give you any guidelines at all?0
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Since this is medical, tell your doctor the truth, that you can't comply with what was recommended. Tell the doctor how you are responding to the low carb diet and ask for alternatives. If the doctor can't give you one, get a second opinion. If you can't stick to it, it's not going to help.0
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Start by adding complex carbs back first and then slowly integrating the simple carbs and starches. That way your body has time to adjust. Do this over a few weeks so it's not sending your body into carb overload and causing major insulin spikes.0
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Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. I have no idea of the dietary approach for pre-diabetics without a gall bladder.
I think your approach is too aggressive. 30g carbs/day is very low carb. A lot of diabetics manage their bgl at 150g carbs/day. They do this by limiting their carbs per meal to under 50g.
It's important to avoid blood sugar spikes. Here's some good information on managing blood sugar:
http://www.bloodsugar101.com/
If your doctor is advising you to keeps your carbs under 30g a day I would get a second opinion from another doctor. Let the doctor know about the issues you had with a very low carb diet.
Did the doctor tell you to cut out all carbs cold turkey?0 -
maybe you should give the Dr who put you on this plan a jingle and see what he thinks, rather than a bunch of random people on the internet? wow….0
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Uh, wow...kinda extreme.
I'm allowed 45g of carbs per meal x 3, and that's a woman trying to lose weight who's already diabetic.
Do you check your blood sugar on a regular basis?0 -
When your doctor said low carb, are you sure they meant that low or did you misunderstand? Would have made more sense to just reduce carbs slowly. If I was bedridden one day due to my diet I would know something was not right and called my doctor0
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I agree with everyone who said... "Talk to your doctor". If this were just for weight loss and it made you feel like garbage I'd say chuck it. But if it was recommended by your doctor, then you really need to have a conversation with him or her about how it is affecting you.0
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If you have diabetes, and you've had your gallbladder removed, you need to eat a LOW FAT diet, not a low carb one! If you are getting the fat out of your diet, you still need calories to live. Carbohydrates are your fuel.
Google "intramyocellular lipid"0 -
Since this is medical, tell your doctor the truth, that you can't comply with what was recommended. Tell the doctor how you are responding to the low carb diet and ask for alternatives. If the doctor can't give you one, get a second opinion. If you can't stick to it, it's not going to help.
^^ This!
Make sure you understand exactly what was recommended. If you cut carbs, you (by default) end up high protein and/or high fat. Without a gall bladder I can't imagine that would work well. You likely need a very balanced diet with controlled meals at regular intervals to manage blood sugar naturally.0 -
No need to be a jerk about things, ndj1979. The doctor has been out all of the past week, and I'm getting desperate.
It's a little more complicated than most of you realize, since I've had a handful of chronic digestive diseases since I was six, and am used to feeling kind of crappy for no real reason.
He didn't really say anything more than to go on a low carb diet, and during the first adjustment period, he blamed my condition on a sinus infection I was recovering from, and then said that some people have a difficult time transitioning from a very high carb diet to a very low carb diet. I was given the anti nausea meds to tide me over until I was better. I didn't really have any sort of guidance during any of this except the doctor's recommendation of the diet. I didn't realize that going off the way I did could cause so many problems
I get that I screwed up, believe me. I will be contacting the doctor tomorrow morning.
Thanks you guys!0 -
Sorry to double post, but my blood sugar is back to normal. I no longer qualify as pre/borderline diabetic.
I only put two and two together about the gallbladder the other day. I feel like a moron!0 -
No need to be a jerk about things, ndj1979. The doctor has been out all of the past week, and I'm getting desperate.
It's a little more complicated than most of you realize, since I've had a handful of chronic digestive diseases since I was six, and am used to feeling kind of crappy for no real reason.
He didn't really say anything more than to go on a low carb diet, and during the first adjustment period, he blamed my condition on a sinus infection I was recovering from, and then said that some people have a difficult time transitioning from a very high carb diet to a very low carb diet. I was given the anti nausea meds to tide me over until I was better. I didn't really have any sort of guidance during any of this except the doctor's recommendation of the diet. I didn't realize that going off the way I did could cause so many problems
I get that I screwed up, believe me. I will be contacting the doctor tomorrow morning.
Thanks you guys!
so there is no one at the Dr's office that can answer your question….like maybe the other DR's….
not being a jerk, just questioning the logic of asking random internet people for medical advice.0 -
No need to be a jerk about things, ndj1979. The doctor has been out all of the past week, and I'm getting desperate.
It's a little more complicated than most of you realize, since I've had a handful of chronic digestive diseases since I was six, and am used to feeling kind of crappy for no real reason.
He didn't really say anything more than to go on a low carb diet, and during the first adjustment period, he blamed my condition on a sinus infection I was recovering from, and then said that some people have a difficult time transitioning from a very high carb diet to a very low carb diet. I was given the anti nausea meds to tide me over until I was better. I didn't really have any sort of guidance during any of this except the doctor's recommendation of the diet. I didn't realize that going off the way I did could cause so many problems
I get that I screwed up, believe me. I will be contacting the doctor tomorrow morning.
Thanks you guys!
Yep, same thing happened to me. Didn't lose but 2lbs the first 6 months because I wasn't scheduled for the diabetic education classes like I should have been. Pretty much told to I was diabetic, and to lose weight, but not given any guidance.
Ask to speak with a diabetic educator, even if you're not currently diabetic. They can help you prevent the onset of diabetes with meal plans and support.0 -
Alright dude, let me spell this out for you. No, there was nobody else at the office that I could ask. My GP doesn't have any idea about how nutrition affects health, and wants to transfer me to a GI specialist that I would have to wait over a month to get in with. The thinking behind asking random internet strangers for advice is that maybe some of them have been through this before. I will of course consider the source on this new information, but I'm really grasping at straws now, and it's the weekend, so obviously I can't get in contact with any of my doctors. Why does this forum exist, if not to let people share their experiences and offer advice to others? You are seriously going to run some people off of this forum.
MysteriousMerlin, I didn't even know there was such a thing as diabetic education classes! They don't even mention things like that at my appointments. I'll certainly check this out as soon as possible!0 -
Alright dude, let me spell this out for you. No, there was nobody else at the office that I could ask. My GP doesn't have any idea about how nutrition affects health, and wants to transfer me to a GI specialist that I would have to wait over a month to get in with. The thinking behind asking random internet strangers for advice is that maybe some of them have been through this before. I will of course consider the source on this new information, but I'm really grasping at straws now, and it's the weekend, so obviously I can't get in contact with any of my doctors. Why does this forum exist, if not to let people share their experiences and offer advice to others? You are seriously going to run some people off of this forum.
MysteriousMerlin, I didn't even know there was such a thing as diabetic education classes! They don't even mention things like that at my appointments. I'll certainly check this out as soon as possible!
so the DR that recommended this diet now admits that he knows nothing about nutrition and referred you t someone else? I would suggest getting a new dr then ..
this forum does not exist to give medical advice, the disclaimer at the bottom clearly says this
I know if i had a medical issue I would consult a physician or whatever before asking random questions on an internet thread…0 -
Fine, I've heard your opinion. Does anyone else have anything constructive to say?0
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bingoSince this is medical, tell your doctor the truth, that you can't comply with what was recommended. Tell the doctor how you are responding to the low carb diet and ask for alternatives. If the doctor can't give you one, get a second opinion. If you can't stick to it, it's not going to help.
^^ This!
Make sure you understand exactly what was recommended. If you cut carbs, you (by default) end up high protein and/or high fat. Without a gall bladder I can't imagine that would work well. You likely need a very balanced diet with controlled meals at regular intervals to manage blood sugar naturally.0 -
I have been a diabetic for about twenty-five years and my doctor has me on 45 grams of carbs for a meal and 15 grams for a snack. If the carb has over 5 grams of fiber I can subtract the fiber amount from the carb amount. My diabetes is well under control and I have eaten this way for a lot of years. I am like you I can't go without carbs or I get sick. Ask your doctor to see a dietician.0
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Maybe a nutritionist could help you develop a plan that will be conducive to weight loss as well as your compliance. Most physicians are not experts in nutrition and often insurances will pay for a consultation and a few follow up visits if health issues are involved. Experiencing the symptoms you describe is a bit extreme and may need to be discussed with your physician. I wish you well and hope you find the solution to your difficulties.0
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If you have diabetes, and you've had your gallbladder removed, you need to eat a LOW FAT diet, not a low carb one! If you are getting the fat out of your diet, you still need calories to live. Carbohydrates are your fuel.
Google "intramyocellular lipid"
Where is your info regarding gallbladders and diet modification coming from? Can you cite your source?
Cholecystectomies (GB removal) are one of the most common surgeries. You'd be surprised at the number of people walking around without a GB. You can certainly eat a low carb diet without a gallbladder!0 -
Fine, I've heard your opinion. Does anyone else have anything constructive to say?
Yeah, Google some diabetes websites and forums if this is for real.0 -
Fine, I've heard your opinion. Does anyone else have anything constructive to say?
Well, I agree 100% with ndj1979.
Personally, I would not make any drastic changes until speaking to a medical professional. No one on these boards can give you constructive information because they don't know your whole medical history, your numbers, or anything else. They can guess but to take that information as being correct for you could be dangerous. This site is NOT for medical advice of this sort.
You might want to up your carbs some for the next couple of days but I wouldn't go 100% off the "diet" or eat as others are suggesting until you speak to someone. A diabetic councilor may be a good idea since you now have a history that you want to prevent happening again.
But to get all upset because someone is worried about your health and is giving you the best advice that can be given... well, that is just not cool. Don't ask if you don't want answers.0 -
No need to be a jerk about things, ndj1979. The doctor has been out all of the past week, and I'm getting desperate.
It's a little more complicated than most of you realize, since I've had a handful of chronic digestive diseases since I was six, and am used to feeling kind of crappy for no real reason.
He didn't really say anything more than to go on a low carb diet, and during the first adjustment period, he blamed my condition on a sinus infection I was recovering from, and then said that some people have a difficult time transitioning from a very high carb diet to a very low carb diet. I was given the anti nausea meds to tide me over until I was better. I didn't really have any sort of guidance during any of this except the doctor's recommendation of the diet. I didn't realize that going off the way I did could cause so many problems
I get that I screwed up, believe me. I will be contacting the doctor tomorrow morning.
Thanks you guys!
low carb usually doesn't mean as low as 30g carbs a day. I don't think your doctor meant that. In any case, the doctor should have given your guidance. Some people consider 40% calories from carbs as low carb (although that's moderate carb to most people). So I second the advice to go back to your doctor.
additionally as you already have medical conditions that restrict your diet, you should have been referred to a dietician. You need to ask to be referred to one, Don't just switch to high carb, due to having diabetes; You need guidance about specifically how much carbohydrate to eat in a day and how to reintroduce it safely. Your doctor should have already provided this, but seeing as he or she hasn't, you need to ask to be referred to a dietician0 -
For until you can speak to your doctor:
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/diabetes-meal-plans-and-a-healthy-diet.html0 -
I admit it's not a very reputable source, but the Mayonnaise Clinic recommends eating low fat after a gallbladder removal. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/gallbladder-removal-diet/bgp-20056135 but i have also heard many people with a removed gallbladder mention that their doc told them to eat low fat. If you are eating low fat, and low carb, you would need a lot of protein powder to meet your caloric needs.If you have diabetes, and you've had your gallbladder removed, you need to eat a LOW FAT diet, not a low carb one! If you are getting the fat out of your diet, you still need calories to live. Carbohydrates are your fuel.
Google "intramyocellular lipid"
Where is your info regarding gallbladders and diet modification coming from? Can you cite your source?
Cholecystectomies (GB removal) are one of the most common surgeries. You'd be surprised at the number of people walking around without a GB. You can certainly eat a low carb diet without a gallbladder!0 -
Alright, I'm sorry. I get that you were just trying to help, but the way you said that made me feel pretty stupid. Still no excuse for me going off at you like that. I was just hoping that someone could give me advice on what to do between now and the time I can get in for an appointment. Believe me this is "for real", I just wasn't given any information whatsoever except to go on a low carb diet, and didn't think to ask anything else, figuring that my interpretation was correct. Obviously, it wasn't. I've been so miserable for so long, I guess I was hoping there was something I could do here and now. I had seen where people were discussing the side effects of low carb diets on this forum, and figured that I could get some help here. Thanks for steering me in the right direction!0
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You're probably just best off getting a second opinion from another doctor.0
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If you've only been low carb for a couple of months a shouldn't think the transition back should be a problem.
Just ease back onto them.
Good luck0 -
What you are going through is awful, I wish someone had told you this earlier: The nausea, headaches and other symptoms of carbohydrate withdrawal can be eased with a dose of Emergen-C. Get well soon.0
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