Euroguy
Sun, Feb-12-06, 13:50
I'm a 28 year old male, not currently following a LC diet for the following reason: I have kidney failure and am on dialysis, a treatment in which my blood goes through a machine three times a week to filter out toxins and surplus water so as to compensate for my lack of kidney function. I need to follow a very strict diet that limits my intake of potassium, phosphorus, liquid and sodium. In addition I have to eat a low-protein diet in order to maintain what's left of my kidney function...
Thankfully this situation won't last forever: I am on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, and I've been waiting for a year and a half already so it could happen anytime now. After the procedure I will (hopefully) have a good kidney function once again, but I will have to take immunosuppressive medication for the rest of my life to stop my immune system from rejecting the new kidney.
This is where I have a question. One of the meds I have to take, probably long term, is prednisone, which is part of the steroid class. As a lot of you probably know steroids affect the metabolism and often cause the body to go haywire with insulin responses to carbohydrate consumption. As many as 25% of kidney transplant patients suffer insulin dependent post transplant diabetes mellitus and, needless to say, I don't want to be one of them! My caregivers, including a team of highly competent doctors, have prepared me well for my upcoming surgery and the challenges it entails, but they didn't tell me about going low-carb after the transplant. I wonder however whether or not this would be a good idea and if it might lower the risk of diabetes (it would really suck to get diabetes after being on dialysis for so long...).
My question is: do you know anyone who tried LC after a transplant, or on steroids? Were there any benefits? Any drawbacks, risks? Right now I have no cholesterol issues and my blood glucose is fine, but all that could change after the transplant (my older brother has high cholesterol and several people in my family have had heart failure so I guess that means I'm genetically predisposed...). Will I be a good candidate for Atkins or some other LC diet?
Thanks for your time...
Edit: sorry I didn't see the "Don't post here!!!" warning, moderator could you move this thread to the introductions board ? thanks!!!
Thankfully this situation won't last forever: I am on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, and I've been waiting for a year and a half already so it could happen anytime now. After the procedure I will (hopefully) have a good kidney function once again, but I will have to take immunosuppressive medication for the rest of my life to stop my immune system from rejecting the new kidney.
This is where I have a question. One of the meds I have to take, probably long term, is prednisone, which is part of the steroid class. As a lot of you probably know steroids affect the metabolism and often cause the body to go haywire with insulin responses to carbohydrate consumption. As many as 25% of kidney transplant patients suffer insulin dependent post transplant diabetes mellitus and, needless to say, I don't want to be one of them! My caregivers, including a team of highly competent doctors, have prepared me well for my upcoming surgery and the challenges it entails, but they didn't tell me about going low-carb after the transplant. I wonder however whether or not this would be a good idea and if it might lower the risk of diabetes (it would really suck to get diabetes after being on dialysis for so long...).
My question is: do you know anyone who tried LC after a transplant, or on steroids? Were there any benefits? Any drawbacks, risks? Right now I have no cholesterol issues and my blood glucose is fine, but all that could change after the transplant (my older brother has high cholesterol and several people in my family have had heart failure so I guess that means I'm genetically predisposed...). Will I be a good candidate for Atkins or some other LC diet?
Thanks for your time...
Edit: sorry I didn't see the "Don't post here!!!" warning, moderator could you move this thread to the introductions board ? thanks!!!