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Lessara
Fri, Oct-19-01, 12:04
My Husband has Type 2 Diabetes. He admits he's addicted to sugar and has tried to cut back on it without much success. He's been following the diabetes diet and has gained weight. I told him about my LC diet and how its helped me with some of my medical problems (I don't have diabetes) and how I lost some of my weight but he keeps telling me his doctor says that LCing will kill him and make his diabetes worse. My husband is frightened to change but I'm fearful that his diabetes is getting worse. He's now to two insulin shots and what's really scary is that his diabetes effected his digestion and when its out of wack, he gets so sick, and it gets out of wack when his sugar is high. Lately his sugar is over 300 at night. He is taking cromium at my request but so far nothing helps. Please is there links that I can down load or advice you can give, any evidence so I can show my husband that LCing may help him? Does anyone have Type 2 Diabetes and can show numbers how LCing help them?
Thanks

- A very worried Wife... ok so I'm obsessing again ;)

Oldsalty
Fri, Oct-19-01, 12:55
I am not diabetic, just insulin resistant, but I have friends who are diabetic, type 2, and I lost one relative in her 40's from complications of type 2, i.e. blindness, amputations of her legs and finally kidney failure.
Your husband must read the Bernstien Book, he covers pretty much all of the complications of type 2 diabetes and absolutely supports low carbing.
His web page is here http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/
don't walk to Barnes and Nobles to get the book...RUN......

wsgts
Fri, Oct-19-01, 20:39
I am a type II and only 28 years old. I was 27 when I found out. I was really about 80 pounds overweight. When they found me, my sugar was 599. Yes, I almost died.

There are many doctors that say that LCing will kill you, there are frankly uneducated or bull-headed. I say this because my best friend in the whole world is now a surgeon, and I understand how most doctors are bull-headed. If you talk with him about the good ole days (back in high school), he is normal, ask about work, and he knows everything. Of course, it is his job to know everything. So, the first thing I would recommend is that your husband see a doctor that is Low-carb friendly, you may have to call around to different doctors offices to find one.

Anyway, back to my story. I was only in the emergency room for a few hours and they gave me a bunch on insulin injections, and sent me home with a blood-sugar of about 225, not great, but not immediately dangerous anymore. Put me on a medication called glucatrol. I did my best to stay low-fat and so forth for the next couple weeks until I could meet with my endocrinologist. My lowest sugar was around 250, even though I was exercising everyday with a 3 mile walk and a trip to the gym.

My endocrinologist really saved my bacon when he said two things are wrong: one thing is that my medication produced more insulin, and should be changed to a medication that help you to use the insulin you have. The other thing is that carbohydrates (sugar or not) with few exceptions increases blood sugar levels; complex carbos increase it more slowly, which is bad news for someone who is insulin resistant. He gave me a copy of sugar-busters.

This was on a Tuesday morning. I ate mostly eggs and chicken and by week-end my sugar was a nice stable 150. The next week, I was sick with a head cold (happens sometimes to diabetics), and wasn't able to do very much exercise, but my sugar level had continued to drop. My fasting glucose was around 130, and the afternoon was around 90 - 100. This according to my endocrinologist was normal blood sugar levels.

On my first visit, my hba1c was 9.2 or ~ 220 average blood sugar. Second visit (approximately 2 months) was a 6.5 or ~ 135 average blood sugar. My last visit, we didn't do an hba1c, but since I had lost another 15 pounds he knew I was keeping my sugar under control. My last a1c was 5.8 or ~ 114 average blood sugar.

So, in recap. Find a LC friendly doctor to properly check-out your husband for low carbing. There are some tests that need to be run for diabetes, which is a kidney function test, and a general health assessment.

Good luck to you,
wsgts

Lessara
Mon, Oct-22-01, 06:26
I own the Sugar Buster's diet and I went out and bought the Dr. Bernstein's Diabetic Solution book (Boy does that book have great information!) I gave both to my husband and asked him to try the LC diet for two months. I said if he doesn't feel better and if his sugar doesn't go down he can quit. He said he'll think about it... I'll let you know if he starts.

Oldsalty
Mon, Oct-22-01, 07:36
For a personal story on defeating diabeties try reading this page.

http://www.survivediabetes.com/

Good luck in persuading your husband to take control.

Also I have added a link to a specific article from Bernstein.
Click on the sentence"read the rest of this article...."
this will need adobe to read but it will give a clear insite into the long term problems of NOT controlling bllod sugar.

Oldsalty
Mon, Oct-22-01, 10:16
Her is the link it did not appear in my last post.

http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/articles/poorly_controlled_diabetes.shtml

Ruth
Tue, Oct-23-01, 01:49
Hi Lessara,

I've been a Type 2 diabetic for over 3 years. You've already received some good advice, I'm glad you've got Bernstein's book, this is the best tool for understanding diabetes, its effects and how to control blood sugars. A must read for all diabetics. IMHO, Bernstein is the foremost authority on diabetes in the world. Not only does he only treat diabetics, he has been insulin dependent for about 60 yrs and has outlived almost everyone diagnosed with D when he was. Dr B has both the clinical knowledge & experience but he has LIVED it for 6 decades. He's amazing.

So, my advice: your DH must read this book himself. The complications from diabetes will (hopefully) scare him silly and then he will commit to LCing. Kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness, circulatory problems, including erectile dysfunction (diabetes is a major cause of this disorder). Yikes, what man would want to risk this? After he reads Bernstein, he should read the LC book you are following. How can one commit to a way of life if you haven't read the material, done the research? With diabetes, knowledge & commitment are vital. Even so, diabetics can let their sweet cravings get the better of them and fall off the wagon of their good intentions. I've done that, but that's a story for another day & another thread, maybe.

Good luck to you & DH in managing blood sugars

:wave: Ruth