Hi. I am a new member with somewhat of a problem. I have CFS Fibromyalgia and Diabetes. I have not had a lot of luck in losing weight however about a month ago I started a low carb diet ( I used the Atkins plan and modified it slightly as I am not comfortable with eating all the fat and I dont care that much for eggs etc. ) I have lost about 19 pounds and best of all have decreased my insulin requirement from 80 units daily to 10 units at night only. My problem is that my diabetic counsellor is very adamant that I not show any ketones ..she says this diet is eating away at my lean muscle and I must increase my carbs to about 100 grams daily. Well, if I do that up goes my weight and up goes my sugars and up goes my insulin requirement which I am working very hard to get off. I exercise at least an hour a day and am doing well on this plan. In spite of all the evidence to the contrary she is sure I am going to have kidney failure if I stay on this plan even though I told her it was only for a while. My doctor has no problem with it. I don't know what to do and would welcome any suggestions. Has anyone else here had to deal with this? Thanks.

Hi Karen B, welcome aboard.

Was your diabetic counsellor recommended by your doctor? Ask the doctor, or look for another one. She sounds very ignorant, and doesn't know what she's talking about. One of the advantages of low-carb IS preserving muscles. And the kidney failure thing she probably picked up from a magazine or newspaper, NOT from a scientific source.

Great news about your loss, and most of all for your improved health. We have a few members here who also got their insulin under control. Way to go!

Wa'il

Ditto with what Wa'il said. This counsellor obviously didn't pay attention in Physiology 101 ... the liver makes ketones from the breakdown of FAT. The only way your body would break down its muscle tissue is if you're starving, or not eating enough protein, which often happens on a lowFAT, high CARB diet, where eating meat is discouraged. Uncontrolled high blood SUGAR is much greater risk to your kidneys!

Ketoacidosis, an unrelated and dangerous condition, results from way high blood sugar and uncontrolled diabetes. Click here to read a post I wrote earlier on this subject. You might want to print it out even and show it to the counsellor. Give her the internet links that I listed as well, maybe she can do some homework and educate herself...

Check out Dr. Bernstien's Diabetes Solution website. Quite a few informative excerpts from the book are posted online. You might also be able to borrow the book from your public library. Dr. B. is a Type 1 diabetic, and found himself getting worse and worse following the high carbohydrate advice of the day.

There is growing evidence that a higher protein, lower carb diet that eliminates all refined sugars and starches is helpful for fibromyalgia and ME (myalgic encephalitis is now the officially recognised term for CFS). I've posted some articles here. I'm a fibromite/ME'er myself .. ; there are a few other members here in the same boat.

I believe that losing weight, getting good control of your blood sugars and trying to maintain a regular exercise routine will improve your health and well-being immensely. You need to have supportive and positive members in your healthcare team ... if this one person isn't supportive, get someone who is (easier said than done, I realize in this day and age of cutbacks).

Congrats on the lbs lost so far, and I look forward to reading more posts of your continued success!

Doreen

Hi Karen.
I just went through the same thing as you.
I stayed on the diabetic diet and I could not loose weight.
A number of people were nagging me about the evils of low carbing etc.
But then I sat back and weighed the pros and cons.
If I loose weight I WILL have less complications from diabetes.
I cannot loose weight in any other fashion.
The more weight I loose the lower my blood sugars are.
I feel better.
My blood sugars do not swing like they used to.
O.K.
Now on their diabetic diet.
My blood sugars remained higher.
I did not loose weight.
My blood sugars would swing and I would be in hypoglycemia.
I did not feel well.
The diet is a permanent diet...........
I can tell you this. If you sat 10 medical pros in a room, everyone would be fighting.
I have 5 nurses in my family, a registered dietician and a doctor who by the way specializes in research on human proteins and guess what. Not one of them could agree......

Hi Shelley. Thanks for your post. I am still being constantly harassed by the clinic to put more carb into my diet. I have tried on three separate occasions to add a little bread, bagels or pasta with disastrous results but am being told I am setting myself up for kidney disease and heart problems even though they say my protein intake is exactly what it should be. I have now lost forty pounds but it has been doubly hard because everytime I eat something that has a little fat in it or put real butter on my veggies I feel like I'm committing a crime. My cholesterol and blood pressure has gone down but I am constantly reading about and being told about how bad this diet is, however when asked why no one can give me a proper answer. The latest problem is that my mental function will deteriorate if I don't eat complex carbs. Well, I can't find any scientific evidence for that and high sugars constantly make your mental function deteriorate also.

Anyway I am back on track now and sticking to it. I guess having all those medical people in the family must be confusing for you also since they all disagree. I guess in the end we each have to make the decision for ourselves and I have found what works and I'm sticking with it. Thanks for your post..It really helps to know that Im not the only one facing this kind of problem..sometimes it gets overwhelming with everyone else telling you what to do, especially when we know ourselves we have thoroughly researched our choices.

Good luck to you too.

Karen.

P.S. I don't know if you've read Dr. Bernsteins book about diets for diabetics. He says low carb is the way to go but when I brought the book to the diabetic clinc they said they had read it and didn't believe it even though he runs a big clinic in New York and has had much success with diabetics on the low carb plans. Oh well..

Hi,

Re Diabetes: For what it's worth, I believe you're doing great!!! I've been a Type 2 for 3 yrs and don't plan on going back to my local diabetes clinic since I'm doing well with LC. I was starving on their diet & no way could I do it for more than a few days. I learned way more from Dr Bernstein & Dr Atkins than I did ~ the diabetes clinic. I'm about ready to get up on a soapbox, but I'll resist.
IMHO you should ditch the diabetes counsellor, and talk to your Dr about the grief you are getting from the clinic. IF you return to the clinic, maybe you should ask them to provide you with the source of the "scare tactic information" they are giving you. Make them prove what they are saying. What research are their remarks based on?
Do you have a diabetes specialist/endocrinologist? If not, maybe the Dr will send you to one so you can ask him/her to confirm or deny what the clinic says.

ARRGGH! it bugs me that you are getting so much hassle when you've lost 40 lbs, greatly reduced your insulin requirement and are obviously a healthier person. Hah! Maybe they are just trying to protect their jobs by keeping you highly dependent on insulin & coming back to the clinic. (says the mistrustful cynic)

Keep up the good work & check in here if you need more encouragement.
Ruth

I hope this diet works for you Karen. I feel so much better.
I will be going to my endocrinologist at the end of the month. I am anxious to see my blood work.
You were speaking of brain fog, well I can tell you that I was having problem with zoning out BEFORE the diet not since I started. I can stay awake all day now. I haven't been able to do that in about 10 years. For me that speaks volumes. My quality of life has improved dramatically.