[pankajkr]

Hi,

I have Type-2 diabetes for 2 years. Till now, I had been careless about it. But, I have changed my lifestyle from the last month to overcome it.

My stats on 30-Sep-2019:
Fasting Sugar: 135
Hba1C: 7.4
Smoking 3-4 ciggi daily, late night sleep, 4-5 hours sleep, night eating and lot of junk food.

From 30-Sept, I changed my lifestyle to health diet, no smoking and no sugar.

Morning 6 AM: 2 sugar-free biscuits
7-8: one hour tennis
9 AM: breakfast, 2 roti and some vegetables
11AM: one small fruit
1 PM: Lunch, 2 roti and some vegetables, followed by 15 mins walk
5 PM: Sugarless tea and 2 sugar free biscuits
8 PM: Dinner, 2 roti, pulses and vegetables, followed by 20 mins walk
9:30: sleep
Meds: Metformin 500mg morning and night

Result on 21-Oct:
Lost 4 Kgs, from 82.5 to 78.5
Now stopped taking meds because it was causing low blood sugar
Today fasting sugar: 110
Hba1c: 6.8

How am I doing? Am I losing weight too fast? Is it okay to stop meds?

My stats are great IMHO but sometimes I feel really low, lot of anxiety, and not able to focus on things. This low feeling goes in 10-15 mins but I am worried if it happens more, then what to do?

 

[itissteve]

Hello, pankajkr! Welcome to the forum.

As the forum rules (that pesky checkbox you clicked when you signed up) state :smile2:, we're not doctors and cannot offer medical advice. So we won't advise you to stop taking the Metformin. You should contact your doctor about possibly reducing the dosage.

First, though, we can tell you from our collective experience that greatly reducing the amount of carbohydrates you eat can -- at first -- make you feel like you're experiencing low blood sugar (blood glucose) even though your blood glucose is not reaching medically dangerous levels. Our bodies become accustomed to certain levels of blood glucose and reducing carbs significantly has some side effects (like that one).

In addition, carbohydrate storage in our bodies causes a lot of water to be retained. When we start eating much less in carbohydrates, our bodies shed that water. So some of the weight you've lost in the last three weeks likely is water weight. You probably won't lose weight quite as quickly in the next three weeks -- or three months. That's alright.

Because that same retained water holds certain levels of some nutrients, people who go to lower-carbohydrate diets are urged to increase the amount of water they drink each day. It will be flushed quickly.

My suggestion to you: stay the course. You're making some big changes right now. Losing weight is good. Reducing carbs is good. Metformin is a relatively benign medication. Keep at it. Things will level off and you'll be able to manage your diabetes.

 

[pankajkr]

Thanks for the response, it has motivated me to keep continue.

 

[VeeJay]

Welcome to the forum, pankajkr

WOW, bringing your A1c down from 7.4 to 6.8. and fasting from 135 to 110 - in less than a month!! That's real progress.

Keep up the good work.

 

[pankajkr]

Welcome to the forum, pankajkr

WOW, bringing your A1c down from 7.4 to 6.8. and fasting from 135 to 110 - in less than a month!! That's real progress.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the motivation. I will continue with the diet and report the progress in another 3 weeks.

 

[pankajkr]

1. I have also added 10 mins light Yoga in the morning around 6.
2. One glass of lukewarm lemon water in morning empty stomach.

 

[mbuster]

Hi panjandrum, welcome to the forum. I see my response to you yesterday is somewhere between infinity and beyond. I guess my internet service quit working right before I hit the send button. It looks like itissteve covered most of my post. I did congratulate you on you gains so far, the healthier you attitude, and the reduction in sugary foods but also suggested it is more than just sugars that create havoc with blood glucose. Most grains and grain products, starchy vegetables, legumes, and fruits can do the same. I see room for more carb reduction in your diet. Rotis, biscuits, fruit, and pulses can add up to higher BG.

I also touched on your comment about lows. What BG level are you getting down to? Are you on any other meds for diabetes besides metformin? Metformin is not a likely suspect to cause hypoglycemia, it works to lower your insulin resistance which in turn lets you utilize that glucose. Also mentioned reactive hypoglycemia and false hypo’s.

I look forward to reading more posts from you.

 

[pankajkr]

Hi panjandrum, welcome to the forum. I see my response to you yesterday is somewhere between infinity and beyond. I guess my internet service quit working right before I hit the send button. It looks like itissteve covered most of my post. I did congratulate you on you gains so far, the healthier you attitude, and the reduction in sugary foods but also suggested it is more than just sugars that create havoc with blood glucose. Most grains and grain products, starchy vegetables, legumes, and fruits can do the same. I see room for more carb reduction in your diet. Rotis, biscuits, fruit, and pulses can add up to higher BG.

I also touched on your comment about lows. What BG level are you getting down to? Are you on any other meds for diabetes besides metformin? Metformin is not a likely suspect to cause hypoglycemia, it works to lower your insulin resistance which in turn lets you utilize that glucose. Also mentioned reactive hypoglycemia and false hypo’s.

I look forward to reading more posts from you.

Thanks for the reply. The last time I felt low sugar was on 17th Oct evening time and I checked the levels immediately and it came to 78. I stopped medicines from next morning onwards and I don't have that feeling anymore.

I am not on any medicines right now, I checked my FBS level on 21st and 23rd and it was 110. From a weight perspective, I have lost some more and now at 77.7 kg in the morning.

I know that Carbs can be reduced furthermore, but I am a Vegetarian and looking at the way BG levels and weight is going, I think it's going well. I think the morning Tennis and walks after food are playing a major role in this. :smile2:

 

[itissteve]

I think the morning Tennis and walks after food are playing a major role in this. :smile2:

Increasing activity levels definitely has a positive impact on metabolism. And that, along with lowering carbohydrate intake, helps lower and manage blood glucose levels. You're on the right path.