Could a bad carb day affect one's sugar levels for days after?

snha
snha Posts: 388 Member
I have been on low carb diet. I overdid it three days ago with too much carbs, a first in five months. Could that explain the high sugar levels I have had in the last three days?

Replies

  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 850 Member
    Yes it could. Cannot remember where I read this, actually I think one of my Dr's told me, if I had a carb day where say I about doubled my carbs. I try to hit 50, but say I hit 98 one day. Then next day, went back to hitting 50 again. It could take up to 7 days to get my numbers back to where they were prior to my carb splurge.
    Now if you are on medication, you could potentially adjust for that. But if not, or it is not medication that you can adjust, you just have to ride it out.
  • snha
    snha Posts: 388 Member
    Thank you. That's really helpful. I am on Metformin (the max). Will ride it out.
    Yes it could. Cannot remember where I read this, actually I think one of my Dr's told me, if I had a carb day where say I about doubled my carbs. I try to hit 50, but say I hit 98 one day. Then next day, went back to hitting 50 again. It could take up to 7 days to get my numbers back to where they were prior to my carb splurge.
    Now if you are on medication, you could potentially adjust for that. But if not, or it is not medication that you can adjust, you just have to ride it out.

  • judyvalentine512
    judyvalentine512 Posts: 927 Member
    Yes it could. Cannot remember where I read this, actually I think one of my Dr's told me, if I had a carb day where say I about doubled my carbs. I try to hit 50, but say I hit 98 one day. Then next day, went back to hitting 50 again. It could take up to 7 days to get my numbers back to where they were prior to my carb splurge.
    Now if you are on medication, you could potentially adjust for that. But if not, or it is not medication that you can adjust, you just have to ride it out.

    How do you survive on only 50 carbs a day? That's not even the allowance for one meal from my dietician. 45 per meal, 15 per snack.
  • chelny
    chelny Posts: 179 Member

    How do you survive on only 50 carbs a day? That's not even the allowance for one meal from my dietician. 45 per meal, 15 per snack.

    I can't speak for Maureenkhilde, but I am following low carb/high fat way of eating. My target is 20 g carbs/day, but honestly it's usually around 50 g/day. It has helped reduce my daily blood sugar & A1C. Is it difficult? It was a first, but once i found foods that I like that fit the plan it's not a big deal. I received the same advice as you from a dietician, but I had already started reading about LCHF before I met with that person. She didn't like it, but I decided to stick with LCHF. Fortunately my doctor is supportive of low carb. I think there are some posts here in this group with articles about reversing diabetes with low carb eating. Check it out & decide for yourself if that could work for you.
  • judyvalentine512
    judyvalentine512 Posts: 927 Member
    tsazani wrote: »
    I disagree about LCHF being hard on the kidneys. Do you have any sources or literature regarding this?

    Mayo clinic, Harvard medical, ADA, CDA all have literature of this diet and the risks. One of the risks diabetics face is ketoacidosis medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/ketoacidosis
    The keto diet puts a strain on the kidneys because they are working overtime to eliminate the ketones in your body and blood.
    And, according to Harvard medical, and other sources, there is really no long term studies of the diet.
    In my humble opinion, it's another fad diet that once you stop using it, you will just gain the lost weight back.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Personally I don’t see high sugar following a high carb day. When I have a high carb day it is because I need the carbs for running, so my blood glucose is never elevated. In fact I usually need to eat more carbs than usual the day after, or even a couple of days after, a race. Keto works well for some people, but if you love your carbs and want to keep eating them, becoming a runner is something to consider!

    Not that even a marathon would allow me to guzzle a Big Gulp or eat a big old piece of pie, but at my half marathon I had about 100 carbs during and 90 carbs right after, without a spike.
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 850 Member
    I am on a low carb diet, and not a Keto diet. As a normal week I will be at or below 50 to 55 5-6 days a week. And mostly on Sundays will go up but not over 65 to 70. I have been eating this way for over a year now.
    I have dropped from my food list white flour, whole wheat flour, which means no pasta of any type. As well as all rices. Out with white sugar, brown sugar, honey. Because it is still sugar.

    I bake with almond flour, coconut flour. I use Monkfruit and Stevia for sugar. And yes the taste is a bit different but I enjoy it. And it keeps me away from the foods that set off my blood glucose numbers.

    Oh and my Endocrinologist is 100% behind me following a low carb diet.

    I think there is a misconception out there that if someone is following a low carb diet, that means they are eating huge amounts of fat. I get it that happens with some on Keto, but again I am not doing that way. On the whole my fat grams follow my carb grams.

    And eating this way, I am still improving my kidney numbers. Eating the old diabetic way led me straight to 3A level kidney disease. Actually all my blood and lipid numbers are all in the normal ranges now.

    I do not believe that Diabetes can be cured and or reversed. I believe it can be put in remission and what we eat is a huge part of that. Maybe people who are prediabetic, or truly only had for a year or so. But when you have had for a long time. I am working on being as healthy as possible.
  • atirado623
    atirado623 Posts: 2 Member
    Chiming in on this conversation. I've tried dozens of diets. I will say yes... Keto is not your friend. I have high cholesterol before my liver enzymes were pretty messed up. I had to do some low carb dieting but I misunderstood my doctor and did keto. It messed me over. Then I decided to do some research and read that 50% of diabetics macros should come from carbs 30% fat and 20% protein. I followed it for a bit not only did my neuropathy go away but my liver enzymes are back to normal. You have to do what works for you but you also have to do your research.
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 850 Member
    atirado623 wrote: »
    Chiming in on this conversation. I've tried dozens of diets. I will say yes... Keto is not your friend. I have high cholesterol before my liver enzymes were pretty messed up. I had to do some low carb dieting but I misunderstood my doctor and did keto. It messed me over. Then I decided to do some research and read that 50% of diabetics macros should come from carbs 30% fat and 20% protein. I followed it for a bit not only did my neuropathy go away but my liver enzymes are back to normal. You have to do what works for you but you also have to do your research.

    Trust me I have done my research, and I also will go out on a limb and say I have been on a huge number of diets over many years. I am 61, I was never the thin child, teenager, adult.
    And I can tell you that when I was at 50% of my food from Carbs I was an uncontrolled Diabetic on multiple diabetes medications, both oral and Insulin. Now all Oral meds gone, I am down to 1 type of Insulin, and one weekly shot. And have lost over 80 pounds.

    The 50%/30%/20% is the so called Old School thinking diet for diabetics. The American Diabetes Asssociation is very slow to make any changes what so ever. I am lucky enough to see a Diabetes Dr. (endocrinologist) that is totally onboard with a low carb diet. I am not following Atkins. I do not eat processed foods, white flour, white sugar, brown sugar.
    That is an issue with just calories in/calories out when a diabetic. Because besides losing weight the quest is to get A1C into controlled status and keep it there. And of course to get all of the blood lipids into same place. That is why I explained for me that low carb works perfect. And I totally 100% understand that what works for one person for a variety of reasons may not work for someone else.
  • 2t9nty
    2t9nty Posts: 1,621 Member
    edited February 2020
    atirado623 wrote: »
    Chiming in on this conversation. I've tried dozens of diets. I will say yes... Keto is not your friend. I have high cholesterol before my liver enzymes were pretty messed up. I had to do some low carb dieting but I misunderstood my doctor and did keto. It messed me over. Then I decided to do some research and read that 50% of diabetics macros should come from carbs 30% fat and 20% protein. I followed it for a bit not only did my neuropathy go away but my liver enzymes are back to normal. You have to do what works for you but you also have to do your research.

    FWIW, my research brought me to keto when the Diabetes Association macros were not working for me. It was like flipping a switch. Glucose was better managed. I went off meds. Liver enzymes have been better than they have been for 20 years. Cholesterol came down and I went off my statin.

    On some level, we find our own path. I totally understand there is no one-size-fits-all. For some the keto diet is not sustainable. It has been for me, and my only regret has been that I did not try it sooner.

    I say if the 50% carbs works for you then I am glad you have found a WOE that is healthy for you. Keto may not be your friend, but it works for many.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    2t9nty wrote: »
    atirado623 wrote: »
    Chiming in on this conversation. I've tried dozens of diets. I will say yes... Keto is not your friend. I have high cholesterol before my liver enzymes were pretty messed up. I had to do some low carb dieting but I misunderstood my doctor and did keto. It messed me over. Then I decided to do some research and read that 50% of diabetics macros should come from carbs 30% fat and 20% protein. I followed it for a bit not only did my neuropathy go away but my liver enzymes are back to normal. You have to do what works for you but you also have to do your research.

    FWIW, my research brought me to keto when the Diabetes Association macros were not working for me. It was like flipping a switch. Glucose was better managed. I went off meds. Liver enzymes have been better than they have been for 20 years. Cholesterol came down and I went off my statin.

    On some level, we find our own path. I totally understand there is no one-size-fits-all. For some the keto diet is not sustainable. It has been for me, and my only regret has been that I did not try it sooner.

    I say if the 50% carbs works for you then I am glad you have found a WOE that is healthy for you. Keto may not be your friend, but it works for many.

    Personally, keto has has been my friend going on 5 years now, after various "eat your carbs" approaches simply didn't work to get my BG, triglycerides, liver enzymes, and inflammation markers down.