Need more friends for motivation blood work came back
microwoman999
Posts: 545 Member
Hello everyone
I am new to low carb. I'm not 100% doing this but working to be better at it. Now that I've gotten my blood work back I've found that I am in the low area for thyroid. I'm not out of range but I was put on thyroid 1GR. I was told this is a natural pill to just elevate my thyroid hormone a little. He stated I was close to diabetes type 2. My glucose is at 89 and range is 65-99. I'm not sure how bad all of that is but I'm going to try to listen better too the low carb no sugar plan. Doing this I need more motivation. People who are active on commenting. I am a big conversationalist. I don't get offended easy so I'm good with criticism. I'm living in a place with no oven so it's a 2 burner stove and a crock pot. These are my main ways of cooking. Also I'm big on cooking not getting things to microwave unless it's leftovers. Not saying I have not bought microwave meals but me and my guy are big on good homemade food. He is taking well to my protein diet. He loves meat so we go through a lot
I am new to low carb. I'm not 100% doing this but working to be better at it. Now that I've gotten my blood work back I've found that I am in the low area for thyroid. I'm not out of range but I was put on thyroid 1GR. I was told this is a natural pill to just elevate my thyroid hormone a little. He stated I was close to diabetes type 2. My glucose is at 89 and range is 65-99. I'm not sure how bad all of that is but I'm going to try to listen better too the low carb no sugar plan. Doing this I need more motivation. People who are active on commenting. I am a big conversationalist. I don't get offended easy so I'm good with criticism. I'm living in a place with no oven so it's a 2 burner stove and a crock pot. These are my main ways of cooking. Also I'm big on cooking not getting things to microwave unless it's leftovers. Not saying I have not bought microwave meals but me and my guy are big on good homemade food. He is taking well to my protein diet. He loves meat so we go through a lot
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my oven broke a couple 3 - 4 years ago, I never used it so I didn't replace it. now I use a sous vide, convection/steam toasted oven and my traeger wood pellet grill for all the cooking I do now a days, they seem to get the job done. Now that I cook more I really should replace that oven. you can add me if you want1
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If I had room for a convection oven I would get one. We live in a studio extended stay. Been here for almost 2 years. I miss oven baked chicken legs0
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If you have a crock pot, a refrigerator for left overs and a microwave to heat up left overs, you are all set. The burners are a great addition for individual meals, but I could live with just the others.
My first suggestion is to read the Launch Pad (http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest) You don't have to read it all, but there is some good info in there to peruse.
Second, in terms of the diabetes side, as you will find many in the pre-diabetic and diabetic world in this group, there is an enormous wealth of information and experience from which to draw.
The scary thing about diabetes is far more people are on the path to it than the medical community admits. Generally speaking, by the time they tell you, you are years into the process. When you have some time, this link is a video with a researcher who really explains it well that T2 diabetes is almost always an issue with insulin and not glucose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0nV-_ddXoc
Based on what you have stated above, it is hard to tell where you are on the path. The fasting glucose of 89 is not a red flag. Did you have your A1c checked?
Here is a series of 3 fairly short articles about blood glucose (BG) and diabetes that will help you get a good foundational understanding.
https://chriskresser.com/when-your-normal-blood-sugar-isnt-normal-part-1/
https://chriskresser.com/when-your-“normal”-blood-sugar-isn’t-normal-part-2/
https://chriskresser.com/how-to-prevent-diabetes-and-heart-disease-for-16/
When you have questions (and you will) feel free to post them here. I have learned so much since joining this group it is amazing. It has helped me dramatically in taking control of my health and getting my BG levels heading down significantly. I am still not where I want to be, but I am improving.
Welcome aboard!5 -
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cstehansen wrote: »If you have a crock pot, a refrigerator for left overs and a microwave to heat up left overs, you are all set. The burners are a great addition for individual meals, but I could live with just the others.
My first suggestion is to read the Launch Pad (http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest) You don't have to read it all, but there is some good info in there to peruse.
Second, in terms of the diabetes side, as you will find many in the pre-diabetic and diabetic world in this group, there is an enormous wealth of information and experience from which to draw.
The scary thing about diabetes is far more people are on the path to it than the medical community admits. Generally speaking, by the time they tell you, you are years into the process. When you have some time, this link is a video with a researcher who really explains it well that T2 diabetes is almost always an issue with insulin and not glucose.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0nV-_ddXoc
Based on what you have stated above, it is hard to tell where you are on the path. The fasting glucose of 89 is not a red flag. Did you have your A1c checked?
Here is a series of 3 fairly short articles about blood glucose (BG) and diabetes that will help you get a good foundational understanding.
https://chriskresser.com/when-your-normal-blood-sugar-isnt-normal-part-1/
https://chriskresser.com/when-your-“normal”-blood-sugar-isn’t-normal-part-2/
https://chriskresser.com/how-to-prevent-diabetes-and-heart-disease-for-16/
When you have questions (and you will) feel free to post them here. I have learned so much since joining this group it is amazing. It has helped me dramatically in taking control of my health and getting my BG levels heading down significantly. I am still not where I want to be, but I am improving.
Welcome aboard!
Great resources!
I just listened to the interview with Dr. Kraft this morning. Very interesting - certainly underscores that occasional fasting glucose tests will miss T2D, as they did in my case..
.. (I hope to muddle my way through his short book before my upcoming endo appt - have you read it?) 1 -
@microwoman999 - One reason I can think of as to why your doc would mention diabetes based on these numbers is if he is using the triglyceride to HDL ratio to infer your insulin level as it is a little higher than desirable (preferably below 2:1 and yours is just over that - ideal is below 1:1). A higher number here can indicate early insulin resistance (IR). Your fasting BG reading of 89 would be considered healthy by nearly everyone. The only other explanation I can think of is if he did have your A1c checked and it is just not included in what you were given.
Either way, lowering carbs in your diet will almost always lower your triglycerides, which is a good thing. This ratio along with total cholesterol to HDL ratio are the two best predictors of CVD of all the cholesterol numbers. The total to HDL is ideally below 3:1. Yours is nearly 4:1.
Increased dietary fat and reduced dietary carbs GENERALLY increase HDL - more than 90% of people. Like every other study out there, it seems there is no rule that applies to 100% of people in 100% of circumstances.
Even if you do not go very low carb, just cutting most/all sugar and most/all refined carbs (i.e. anything that has enriched flour, high fructose corn syrup), you should see improvements in both of these ratios and help your BG as well.
@RalfLott - I have not yet read his book. I was first made aware of this study from one of the people on the Keto Summit who was doing her thesis on Dr Kraft's study. I later ran across others referencing it so I looked for this so I could get it straight from the horse's mouth so to speak. I was disappointed to see the kindle version was not much less than the physical copy on amazon. I have a list of books I would like to read. This is on there now. I wish I had as much time to read as my daughter does. Sometimes it sucks being a grown up with responsibilities like working to pay the bills.4 -
Thank you fore explaining that a little. I had a have a hard time reading the blood work. I know I don't understand it very much. I tried looking online to see but not much help1
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microwoman999 wrote: »Thank you fore explaining that a little. I had a have a hard time reading the blood work. I know I don't understand it very much. I tried looking online to see but not much help
Trust me when I say that when I started down this journey, I didn't know that much either. Doctors don't tend to give clear explanations. And, depending on how long they have been doctors and how well they keep up on new research, many give incorrect information.
There are many people in this group who have pointed me in the right direction to read the actual research studies (I'm a bit of a nerd) which completely contradict much of what seems to be what has been deemed "facts" by the general population.
I am quite thankful for the the help I have received as I am now having success with lowering my BG. When I followed the ADA (American Diabetes Association) recommendations, it actually got worse. I have yet to find, and they do not provide, any research that actually backs up their recommendations.
If you go to the diabetes links on the main page of this forum, it has many more online links which you may find helpful - http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10482542/diabetic-discussions#latest
One video that will be in a few of the threads referenced that should be seen by everyone - not just those with diabetes - is this one. It is only about 15 minutes, but it is amazing.
https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_attia_what_if_we_re_wrong_about_diabetes4 -
cstehansen wrote: »
^^ THIS ^^ EXACT video is what got me started to figure out my body, my obesity, and my insulin resistance, which is just Diabetes waiting in the wings for me to screw up.
Ironically, today, on my lunch break, my mother informed me that diabetes (T2D) not only ran on her father's side, but worse and at deadly speed on her mother's side, as well... The gene that makes us susceptible to this obviously runs strong on that side. My father's side, his mother, my grandmother, has been hypoglycemic since she was a teenager. Her disease never shifted. My father's father died of cancer, or he might have also succumbed. As of yet, none of my siblings, nor my father have a diagnosis...but we're all at elevated risk as opposed to the general population. But whomever, whenever, however this video was shared, it changed my life...and may have saved it, too.2 -
Out of curiosity, was it your T3 that was low on your thyroid panel? I recently learned that insulin resistance makes it harder for your body to make T3 out of T4. Here's a link I found useful for motivation: https://authoritynutrition.com/14-ways-to-lower-insulin/2
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@stacicali - I'm assuming that question was to me? My Free T3 was far below the optimal level my Endo wanted me at, but still "in range." However, my Reverse T3 was crazy high. Hence why we went from only Levothyroxine (now at 112 mcg) to Liothyronine 5 mcg, started at 1/2 a pill, then 1 pill, the 1 twice a day, then now thrice a day. Seemed to think it was either the IR or likely messed up gut stuff (since no gallbladder, nutrient deficiencies across the board, etc.), or both, as it all affects it. Hoping it's all improve in April. It had started to improve in April/May, then got worse slight in October (hence meds increase - went from 100 mcg levo to 112 mcg, lio went 2 x per day to 3 times per day)...
I'll definitely check out the link.
But sorry, just re-read that. TSH was high (had gone up since last test), T4 (had gone down) AND T3 (hadn't changed despite meds) - none of them were in the range he wanted them in, and he stated specifically "I can still increase the meds as there is still room for improvement in all of these."
I am very lucky in that he values lab values and symptom relief of about equal value. He told me we can keep adjusting until we get in a good zone. I didn't have enough symptom relief, and most of the numbers worsened...1 -
cstehansen wrote: »One video that will be in a few of the threads referenced that should be seen by everyone - not just those with diabetes - is this one. It is only about 15 minutes, but it is amazing.
https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_attia_what_if_we_re_wrong_about_diabetes
Wow - what an informative and moving video. Thanks for sharing it.
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No. Those are related to your thyroid.1
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Ok I saw in the grey area it said A1c was not sure if they were pointing out the hemoglobin part above the grey area1
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Look above the grey. Hemoglobin A1C is 5.6%, which is in the risk range even though lab says it's only close.1
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So, that's odd...they ran a Total T4, but not a free T4. They ran a Free T3, but not a Reverse T3 - but a total T3, which is an outdated test, to my understand. Did you get a TSH with those numbers, @microwoman999 ? Those numbers are hard to interpret, but my T3 is close to yours, and my Endo changed my meds because I was still symptomatic...but without the other numbers for context, it could be okay, though Free T3 should be in the upper 75% of the range for optimal, to my understanding.1
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Yes, I'm sure the doc was looking at the Hb A1C at 5.6% and trying to be cautious. A BG of 89 mg/dl isn't going to cause a 2nd glance, but A1C at 5.6% is noteworthy.
As to cooking, I have a stove/oven, crock pot, microwave, etc.... but I use my counter-top (George Foreman) grill more than anything. These usually show up pretty cheap at thrift stores, so you can probably even find a grill for about the cost of a fast food meal.1 -
@midwesterner85 - Great tip - thrift store stuff even comes pre-seasoned sometimes.
An HbA1c of 5.6% is not bad, but if it were me (already T2D), I would reduce my carbs and calories and retest in a couple months.
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I would concur with @RalfLott regarding taking action now. Although 5.6 is considered good by the medical community, it is more like "not totally sucky" rather than optimal. There is a margin of error of up to 0.5 on these tests, so that could be anywhere from 5.1 to 6.1. By having another test in 3-6 months, you can get a better idea of where you are.
Also, given your FBG was only 89, but your A1c was 5.6, I would wonder if your PP (post prandial - after eating) readings are more elevated than is optimal which would indicate IR (insulin resistance) which is the first step toward T2 diabetes. This is where using the blood monitoring suggested by Chris Kresser in the earlier links would help you understand where you really are now in terms of BG health.2 -
My last BG was 91, my A1C was 5.4%, which was up from 5.2%...but the kicker was my fasting insulin level... 11.3. If your doctor is sincerely concerned about your risk for diabetes, I'd request a follow up testing for fasting insulin levels. My endocrinologist discovered that I was insulin resistant (due to outlying health factors, and comorbidities with my hypothyroidism, including odd outlying health questions) through questioning and testing. This predates the actual shift into diabetes. I personally would push hard for that test, as it can really give you the best chance to underline and discover treatment options.0
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cstehansen wrote: »I would concur with @RalfLott regarding taking action now. Although 5.6 is considered good by the medical community, it is more like "not totally sucky" rather than optimal. There is a margin of error of up to 0.5 on these tests, so that could be anywhere from 5.1 to 6.1. By having another test in 3-6 months, you can get a better idea of where you are.
Also, given your FBG was only 89, but your A1c was 5.6, I would wonder if your PP (post prandial - after eating) readings are more elevated than is optimal which would indicate IR (insulin resistance) which is the first step toward T2 diabetes. This is where using the blood monitoring suggested by Chris Kresser in the earlier links would help you understand where you really are now in terms of BG health.
@cstehansen - That's really interesting. My PP1 and PP2 readings were never elevated, yet I am definitely insulin resistant. I wonder if I'm the exception...or the rule.1 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »cstehansen wrote: »I would concur with @RalfLott regarding taking action now. Although 5.6 is considered good by the medical community, it is more like "not totally sucky" rather than optimal. There is a margin of error of up to 0.5 on these tests, so that could be anywhere from 5.1 to 6.1. By having another test in 3-6 months, you can get a better idea of where you are.
Also, given your FBG was only 89, but your A1c was 5.6, I would wonder if your PP (post prandial - after eating) readings are more elevated than is optimal which would indicate IR (insulin resistance) which is the first step toward T2 diabetes. This is where using the blood monitoring suggested by Chris Kresser in the earlier links would help you understand where you really are now in terms of BG health.
@cstehansen - That's really interesting. My PP1 and PP2 readings were never elevated, yet I am definitely insulin resistant. I wonder if I'm the exception...or the rule.
Given an A1c indicates an average BG reading of 114 over the previous 3 months or so, if the fasting is 89, then there has to be a significant rise PP, a significant rise at some other time (stress induced perhaps?) or very slow reduction in from spikes. Clearly, there is some point in time where the BG is elevated and/or it never really gets down as low as it should for as long as it should during fasting periods.3 -
Thanks for that, @cstehansen. I hadn't researched into how to calculate back from the A1C...I knew it could be done, but I hadn't researched it as I was still considered "not yet a risk" nonsense. I am back on the Glucophage, and so far - only 2 days in - no real side effects...other than seemingly improved sleep. Could be psychosomatic. But, I have to acknowledge that right now, I can't do this by diet alone, even if I ever would.
Do you have any specific links for PP readings? I remember my numbers being around 110-120, but at the time, and the limited research I could find for non-diabetics, those seemed reasonable, given the fasting numbers, but I realize that may need to be revisited... I haven't tested in some time, just through laziness and cost, as my meter was free, test strips were not, and I hadn't been prescribed anything - was just doing one offs... I tested the PP during my "crashes" and the readings were not indicative of anything specific, but that was pre-keto and maybe 6 months in, so at least a year ago...0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »Thanks for that, @cstehansen. I hadn't researched into how to calculate back from the A1C...I knew it could be done, but I hadn't researched it as I was still considered "not yet a risk" nonsense. I am back on the Glucophage, and so far - only 2 days in - no real side effects...other than seemingly improved sleep. Could be psychosomatic. But, I have to acknowledge that right now, I can't do this by diet alone, even if I ever would.
Do you have any specific links for PP readings? I remember my numbers being around 110-120, but at the time, and the limited research I could find for non-diabetics, those seemed reasonable, given the fasting numbers, but I realize that may need to be revisited... I haven't tested in some time, just through laziness and cost, as my meter was free, test strips were not, and I hadn't been prescribed anything - was just doing one offs... I tested the PP during my "crashes" and the readings were not indicative of anything specific, but that was pre-keto and maybe 6 months in, so at least a year ago...
https://chriskresser.com/how-to-prevent-diabetes-and-heart-disease-for-16/
This is the site I use in terms of what readings should be. However, I am shooting for lower PP readings because this stupid dawn phenomenon messes with my FBG reading so much. Now that I have gotten a handle on controlling my post workout readings by use of extended cool down, my FBG is typically the highest reading of the day - about 10 higher than my average PP reading.
I know there are a ton of meters out there and I was wary of the one he mentions because it is so cheap. However, I had used both the Ultra and the FreeStyle and the readings I got from them just didn't make sense with my A1c results. When I switched to the ReliOn, I was irritated with how much higher it read, but then when I looked at it, the results were pretty much dead on with predicting my A1c. Therefore, I figured I was better off using it. It doesn't hurt that the meter was $9 at Walmart and 100 strips is under $20.1 -
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »I forget, but do you need an RX for the strips?
Not in the U.S. I can't answer for other countries. You can buy them at a pharmacy OTC. Sometimes they keep them behind the counter, but I think that is because they are not cheap and may get stolen as a result? Whatever the reason, BG test strips don't require a prescription.
However, your insurance probably isn't going to cover them without a prescription. I have to test because of T1D, so I have a prescription, it is processed through a mail-order pharmacy, and insurance pays most of it. Then again, I'm testing several times per day. Testing frequency is obviously going to affect cost and help determine whether it makes sense to ask your dr. for a prescription. Any responsible physician treating a diabetic... even if not taking insulin... should not hesitate to provide at least some amount of testing supplies.1 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »
That ReliOn is in the pharmacy section of Walmart just on the shelf. No prescription needed.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Prime-Blood-Glucose-Monitoring-System-Red/20752267
https://www.walmart.com/ip/ReliOn-Prime-Blood-Glucose-Test-Strips-100-count/38423728
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Also keep your eyes peeled for Bayer Contour Next EZ - sometimes on promo for $9-10. (Also very well rated, and there are soon-expiring strips deals on eBay for cheap now and then.)0
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cstehansen wrote: »I would concur with @RalfLott regarding taking action now. Although 5.6 is considered good by the medical community, it is more like "not totally sucky" rather than optimal. There is a margin of error of up to 0.5 on these tests, so that could be anywhere from 5.1 to 6.1. By having another test in 3-6 months, you can get a better idea of where you are.
Also, given your FBG was only 89, but your A1c was 5.6, I would wonder if your PP (post prandial - after eating) readings are more elevated than is optimal which would indicate IR (insulin resistance) which is the first step toward T2 diabetes. This is where using the blood monitoring suggested by Chris Kresser in the earlier links would help you understand where you really are now in terms of BG health.
Yep, the Kresser links are really good to have at your side when you're first starting to track your BG.
BTW, Congratulations, @microwoman999, for jumping on this early! You are doing yourself a lifetime's worth of favors.
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