I have been doing his diet for a little over a month, and my BG numbers are better but still not staying steadily in his recommended target range 95-83. I hit those numbers but never stay there for long periods of time. I will gradually go higher into the 100’s or get super low. I even had a bad low of 47 after exercising the other night, over corrected and woke up at 320 and had to take insulin all day to get back into the 100’s. Just curious how long it takes to reach the target ranges and maintain them as a lifestyle.
I know it is still early in the diet process for me but I don’t want to get bummed out. I just want to see results and stay there!
Are you Type 1 or Type 2? For me, I went from a 8.0 A1c to a 5.0 after three months, but being a type 1 I feel there is a never ending stream of “adjustments”. For example, I am getting over a cold (raises blood sugar) we are coming into sprint (I hope) and during summer I use a little less basal, etc. I can’t speak for Type IIs, but even though I am 100% compliant I still go out of range a few times a week both high and once in a while low. It’s never easy being a pancreas (which is a good book by the way Think Like a Pancreas) Good Luck !
I am a Type 1 , and my last A1C was 13. At that time I didn’t have any control at all plus no insurance and had to make my insulin last as long as possible. That was 4 years ago. Today I feel like I can do this diet and am trying to fit in exercise and more water! I did switch my Lantus to NPH and I really like it, but still take Humalog through the day for high’s.
Phishery, what an awesome job your doing. Especially to make such a big change in your A1C from 8 to 5 in three months.
Just curious, how long have you been Type1 and how long have you been on the diet?
I’ve always had good numbers, but I’m LADA, and because of an early dx and doing Dr. B from the get-go, I am still not on insulin. However, my range is larger, now, as my pancreas craps out, and my A1c has risen to 5.5. I must exercise in order to keep this up. I cannot skip more than one or two days. I still make some insulin, but I don’t have any insulin resistance with a fasting glucose of 87. Exercise has become a necessity, and I don’t eat much, anymore. It’s sad. I used to love eating and cooking for lots of people. BTW, when I exercise, many times it is a dripping wet kind of exercise, but it is working if I can keep this up.
I am not perfect in sticking to Dr. B’s plan, but I keep the carbs well down and have had Hb A1cs in the 5s for about 3years now. And I have lost about 40lbs. I need to lose more and would like the A1c into the 4s. I have another set of blood tests scheduled for mid May and hope tto be there then. I know all I need to do is STICK TO THE PLAN
Hana
PS i also do about 2 - 3 hours exercise per day.
I’m T2 and now 64 years old.
Have been on Dr. B’s plan since before the first of the year. Carried an A1c of 7.4 when i started and by the first of the year my A1c was down to 5,9. Keep Range of 70 to 110 as tight as I can, but still struggle a little to keep Carbs. under 60.
Yet I am more active during the warmer months, and can not wait tell spring begins. Right now I am pleased that my A1c is staying steady in the 5.8/5.9 range.
Now all I Need to do is get my Novolog scale better adjusted to save on Insulin useage. Diet wise Just take it slow and Keep The Faith…Chele
Thank you for your reply. When were you diagnosed and are you Type 1 or 2? What are your fasting numbers? The reason I ask is I am finding my fasting BG anywhere from 285-325. I can go to bed and have a BG of 85-92 take my NPH at bedtime and either wake up low and have to eat or take glucose tablets, then wake up at about 4am with a BG of close to three freakin hundred.! Yes, I am very frustrated. I will then take up to 12 units of Humalog in 2 smaller doses and even 3-4 units of NPH. When I re-check my BG at 6am I am usually either 232 like this morning or 192 still to high. I will then eat breakfast and take another 7 units Humalog and 2-3 hours later my daily dose of NPH. Today I finally got my BG down to 82 by 9am and started to feel low. Ate an early lunch took Nph at 9:30am and by 11:30am had a better BG of 93.
It’s driving me crazy. I thought doing this diet I would be using less insulin and have better BG control. I know I am only bearly two months into it but I just want to figure out the night time day time stuff. I am super scared to get low sugars and feel like crap going from low to high back down again.
Thank you again for your help. Sorry if I sound bumed. Not trying to take it out on any of you.
The situation your describe really sounds like you are having a rebound. What can be frustrating is that if you try to treat the morning high blood sugar with more evening insulin it has the opposite effect. It is common to find that your basal and bolus needs drop with Bernstein. Perhaps you could try dropping your evening basal NPH dose to like half and see if that helps. Even if it leaves you modestly high, you could then work up to an appropriate overnight dose.
I really feel sorry for you. This type of thing can not only be frustrating by leave your feeling totally sick all day.
I know what you are going through, I have been there and done it all. What kept me going was watching my A1c dropping each week. That gave me the reason to keep going. I did not drop my carbs. all at once, I started at 150 carbs a day and dropped down 10 carbs. each week. I am now at 90 to 100 carbs a week and feel better at this range. By doing this slowly it gave my body time to adjust. Weight went from 136# to a steady 115# and I feel better than I have since 1976 when I was diagnosed.
If you need to set a goal do it one month at a time. I watch my estimated A1c with my phone app., and my A1c is at 5.7 down from 7.6 when I started with Dr. B. Many hormones and medicines affect Bg., so do not be so hard on yourself. Stress can be a breaker when Cortisol and adrenalin show their wicked head. Hang in there and don’t by shy requesting help…Chele
No I mean when you body naturally counterregulates. Normally when a non-diabetic starts to go low, their insulin drops and they release glucagon signalling the liver to dump blood sugar, “counterregulating” and bring blood sugar back up. When you are a diabetic and most importantly on insulin, things get screwy. When you go low with external insulin, the higher levels of insulin mess up the signalling, but don’t turn it all off. When you go really low, your glucagon signal “finally” gets through to your liver and it dumps a huge amount of blood sugar. That is a rebound. Read the link on the Somogyi effect.
Thank you again for your reply. This past Wednesday Feb 23 I had the opportunity to listen to DR. Bernstien’s webinar. In this webinar he distinguished the difference between the Dawn Phenomenon and the Somogyi effect.
He then stated he did research on it and found it to be untrue. He said he doesn’t believe in the Somogyi effect. You can probably find his web cast on YouTube. He then suggested to avoid DP to split the Basal insulin. One dose at bedtime and the other dose 4 hours later. So I am trying this and so far so good.
I was instructed by my endo to split my doses 12 hrs. apart. Then to avoid morning lows another endo ( when mine was off on Mat. Leave ) instructed me to take half at 5:30am and one at 4:30pm. However, by doing that my Bg’s went over 150 in the morning for 4 days. So back I went to 9am and 9pm and Bg’s are back to 120 to 140, which I am happy with.
The past 4 days seems that my Insulin just is not working any more, yet my endo feels I am getting to much Insulin. I have only been asking for an adjustment to my sliding scale for the past 8 months. Now I hear " getting two much Insulin" but no adjustment has been down.
Guess I should make an extended list for my Endo Apptm. that was postponed from this month to April. Yolanda keep that stiff upper lip and charge ahead…Chele
Good Luck !