No carb diet

micheledarley2012
micheledarley2012 Posts: 24 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I go to a weight-loss doctor and I had a lot of blood work done last week. It turns out that I am prediabetic, and have to go on a no carb diet. I had already limited my carbs for the first month I've been going there and had lost 8 1/2 pounds. Now, I cannot have any grains or carbohydrates, and no sugar whatsoever, which I wasn't having except for eating fruit anyway. To top it off, a medication that I'm taking is known to cause diabetes, but my weight-loss doctor is not really looking at that, and just telling me that I'm doing well dieting and I should keep it up and add more exercise. I'm frustrated because I've never had issues with blood sugar or insulin before and I feel like this woman is not listening to me. If anyone is on a carb free diet and has some foods they like that they could share with me I would really appreciate it. I have already given up all of the bad food, but I'm not really sure what to eat.
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Replies

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,337 Member
    No carbs at all? So no vegetables? A zero carb diet would basically have to consist of all meat, as there really isn't anything else that is NO carb rather than low carb.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    Did the doctor gave you a list what you can eat? Maybe visiting a nutritionist that can make a plan together with you?
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Did your doctor give you any guidance as to how this is supposed to happen? Most low carb diets are comprised of veggies, fruits, meats, fats (oils), and some dairy, but carbs/sugar occur naturally in veggies, fruits, and dairy, so complete avoidance would be next to impossible. I think your assessment that she isn't listening to you is spot on - is there another doctor in the practice you can talk to? I've honestly never heard of a "no carb" diet prescription for some diagnosed as pre-diabetic.
  • Kexessa
    Kexessa Posts: 346 Member
    micheledarley2012 wrote: »
    I'm frustrated because I've never had issues with blood sugar or insulin before and I feel like this woman is not listening to me.

    That says to me you need to find someone else to help you with your nutritional issues. If you aren't comfortable and have a good relationship with any medical professional you are taking advice from, it's time to find a new one. Maybe a registered dietician would be more beneficial.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    kgeyser wrote: »
    Did your doctor give you any guidance as to how this is supposed to happen? Most low carb diets are comprised of veggies, fruits, meats, fats (oils), and some dairy, but carbs/sugar occur naturally in veggies, fruits, and dairy, so complete avoidance would be next to impossible. I think your assessment that she isn't listening to you is spot on - is there another doctor in the practice you can talk to? I've honestly never heard of a "no carb" diet prescription for some diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

    I have full blown T2Dm and I have been prescribed a moderate carb diet. Are you sure that is what your doctor told you? No carb is extreme, even for people with diabetes let alone pre-diabetics. Did they give you a list of food to eat? You might want to get a referral to a Registered Dietician who can walk you through meal ideas.

  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    kgeyser wrote: »
    Did your doctor give you any guidance as to how this is supposed to happen? Most low carb diets are comprised of veggies, fruits, meats, fats (oils), and some dairy, but carbs/sugar occur naturally in veggies, fruits, and dairy, so complete avoidance would be next to impossible. I think your assessment that she isn't listening to you is spot on - is there another doctor in the practice you can talk to? I've honestly never heard of a "no carb" diet prescription for some diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

    I have full blown T2Dm and I have been prescribed a moderate carb diet. Are you sure that is what your doctor told you? No carb is extreme, even for people with diabetes let alone pre-diabetics. Did they give you a list of food to eat? You might want to get a referral to a Registered Dietician who can walk you through meal ideas.

    Indeed i think so too.

  • 115Everest
    115Everest Posts: 31 Member
    Second opinion. There's nothing wrong with getting one.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,337 Member
    Yeah, I'd be seeking a second opinion, particularly as you feel she isn't listening. If she's telling you not to have any carbs whatsoever, I'd be concerned about her credentials.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    The weight loss doctor diagnosed you as pre-diabetic? Go back to your regular doctor.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    It would be near impossible to have a NO carb diet, wouldn't it?
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    micheledarley2012 wrote: »
    I go to a weight-loss doctor and I had a lot of blood work done last week. It turns out that I am prediabetic, and have to go on a no carb diet. I had already limited my carbs for the first month I've been going there and had lost 8 1/2 pounds. Now, I cannot have any grains or carbohydrates, and no sugar whatsoever, which I wasn't having except for eating fruit anyway. To top it off, a medication that I'm taking is known to cause diabetes, but my weight-loss doctor is not really looking at that, and just telling me that I'm doing well dieting and I should keep it up and add more exercise. I'm frustrated because I've never had issues with blood sugar or insulin before and I feel like this woman is not listening to me. If anyone is on a carb free diet and has some foods they like that they could share with me I would really appreciate it. I have already given up all of the bad food, but I'm not really sure what to eat.

    A no carb diet would be eating as a carnivore. Was it perhaps a no sugar diet or a low carb diet? That would be easier to do than no carb.

    I eat low carb and have days with just one or two sugars. I haven't had a carb free day yet though.

    I would clarify with your doctor what his expectations are and how he wants you to implement it.

    Best wishes.
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
    What special qualifications does this "weight-loss doctor" actually have? Is she actually qualified to know how to manage pre-diabetes? I'm not sure I'd trust a doctor recommending a "no carb" diet.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    micheledarley2012 wrote: »
    I go to a weight-loss doctor and I had a lot of blood work done last week. It turns out that I am prediabetic, and have to go on a no carb diet. I had already limited my carbs for the first month I've been going there and had lost 8 1/2 pounds. Now, I cannot have any grains or carbohydrates, and no sugar whatsoever, which I wasn't having except for eating fruit anyway. To top it off, a medication that I'm taking is known to cause diabetes, but my weight-loss doctor is not really looking at that, and just telling me that I'm doing well dieting and I should keep it up and add more exercise. I'm frustrated because I've never had issues with blood sugar or insulin before and I feel like this woman is not listening to me. If anyone is on a carb free diet and has some foods they like that they could share with me I would really appreciate it. I have already given up all of the bad food, but I'm not really sure what to eat.

    Like a real MD doctor who went to medical school?
  • tbtheg87
    tbtheg87 Posts: 5 Member
    If you've actually gotta go no carb. I would suggest looking up something called a Ketogenic diet. It's all about high fat, extremely low(25g max) - no carb.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    If you completely omitted carbs, I'd say you'd be swapping your current problems with another kind, in the toileting department :confounded:
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
    Maybe talk with your primary care doctor. Pre diabetics have an A1c level of 5.7-6.4. That measures the sugar that clings to red cells. I would question a no carb diet. High protein diets that are very low in carbs are hard on kidneys. Ask if a Mediterranean style diet might be safer.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    edited July 2015
    I think you need a second opinion. This is too extreme. I'm prediabetic and I was told to eat moderate carb, not NO carb. You'll end up malnourished by trying to avoid all carbs. I second the idea of talking to your regular family doctor. I should elaborate, I saw an endocrinologist, and she said that moderate carb was the way to go. Moderate to low-ish... the key is that you never eat a carb without a protein. Always pair them together.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    I can't believe your doctor said "no carb". Are you sure it wasn't low carb? That is common with a pre-diabetes disgnosis. Sometimes people will causally say things like "cut the carbs". This is generally meant as reduce them significantly, or even cut out added sugar. I really think there was some miscommunication here.
  • micheledarley2012
    micheledarley2012 Posts: 24 Member
    Thank you for all of the replies!
    She wrote no carb on my new diet plan which says Mediterranean diet on it. She is actually part of a very large practice that is part of our local hospital and very well respected. I do think I'm going to call and ask for a new doctor as she makes me feel so uncomfortable. I'm going to see the dietitian in two weeks and hopefully that will help me get some tips on cooking and such. I also want to have my primary care doctor look at my blood work, because he takes the same medication I do and has done bloodwork on me for the last eight or nine months and I want him to see the blood sugar and insulin information.

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  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    You'd better ask for clarification. Low-carb and literally-no-carb are two completely different beasts.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Yeah you definitely need to clarify with this doctor. A quick glance of your Mediterranean meal plan does in fact include carbs.. It seems like quite the contradiction
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    edited July 2015
    Based on what the diet actually calls for, my guess is that as she wrote that she accidentally wrote the wrong word. Just like people misspeak, they can miswrite. She wrote no grains. Maybe she meant to write no added sugar as well. The sheet does say no concentrated sweets and no grains. But you need to ask her to clarify.

    But if she actually makes you uncomfortable, switching might be good. Although I will say from personal experience, sometimes the first visit to a new doctor is awkward and then a very good relationship can form.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    I would ask her to clarify what she meant by no carbs. The diet she gave you says plant foods, which fruits and vegetables are carbs. Maybe they meant something different.
  • arb037
    arb037 Posts: 203 Member
    Ok a lot of misinformation on here. No carb- low carb does not equate or lead to kidney damage.
    What you need to look up and read is the "ketogenic diet".
    The body does not need carbohydrates. In the ketogenic diet FAT is used as the primary fuel source ( instead of carbs).
    A common macro split for a keto diet would look like this. 65-75% fat, 5% or less carbs, 20-35% protein ( depending on lbm).
    The Ketogenic diet has been shown to reverse type 2 diabetes all together as well as alzheimers and helps prevent cancer.
    It is frankly a better fuel source for the body.
    Give your Dr the benefit of the doubt and look into it.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,337 Member
    That diet is definitely not 'no carb', so either she is confused, or she wrote the wrong word. I know sometimes if I'm writing and talking at the same time, I will write the word I'm saying and not the one I meant to write. So maybe she did that. But do ask to see a new doctor and speak to your primary care physician.
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    That is not low carb, there are plenty of carbohydrate rich foods in that list.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,301 Member
    I am going with mis written word.

    The rest of the guidelines shown on that piece of paper sound reasonable so I think it is probably just a mistake.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Yes, talk to your regular doctor or a dietician.
    Eat lots and lots of greens (spinach, romaine, swiss chard, kale, cabbage), olives, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, pickles, asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, avocados, coconuts. :)
    You do need some fat in your diet: eggs, nuts, avocado, coconut.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    I think what she meant are no sugary carbs, no grainsand breads or pancakes waffle. Bc there are carbs on that list like beans and fruit and vegetables.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Fruits and veggies have carbs in them. I would ask for some clarification from the dietician.

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