at one time in my early diagnosis of being a type 2 diabetic. i was fasting between 200-220. if i can lower my fasting levels to 80-100 then so can you, trust me.
are you a type 1 or 2
thank you for your support, I am happy for you could get so good control on BS. I have to ask my doctor for meds because they all say my BS is a dream for diabetics.but it is progressing. I appreciate you made me stronger and I feel to fight for myself.I am T2
Perhaps it is the definition of tight control. Dr Bernstein recommends staying around 83 mg/dl. I am suspicious that even blood glucose readings in low 100's may be damaging.
Personally, I try to keep mine in the 70 to 100 range even after meals (I am actually a little concerned with readings in the 90's). If I go over 100 I make adjustments to my diet so as to not repeat the experience. As an example of what I aim at, yesterday I had 2 slices of bacon and a 3 egg omelette made with cream topped with tomato sauce for breakfast. Before breakfast my reading was 73 mg/dl and it was 78 mg/dl and 77 mg/dl 1 and 2 hours postprandial.
I know that normal blood glucose is not well defined and that we do not appear to have good studies that even define normal blood glucose and if we did, it would likely be for people on SAD(Standard American Diet). I also know that keeping blood glucose in the 70 to 100 range may not be possible for everyone and that it takes a lot more effort. Still I personally buy into Dr Bernstein's rationale. It also seems to make sense at the biochemistry level.
That said, it is still possible that neuropathy can be caused by something other than blood glucose and that even very tight control as I have defined it will not prevent it. So far my personal experience indicates otherwise. When I was diagnosed with type II my entire GI track and lower abdominal area was impacted and I was very miserable. Since I began tight control using a very low carb diet I am continuing to see significant improvements in my neuropathy. I am feeling better than I have in years. Even my blood pressure is now generally below 120/80 without the pills compared with 150/90 with the pills at diagnosis.
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OldTech, that's another example of how much is NOT known about diet & health. How many doctors & nutritionists talk about the pitfalls of foods like eggs & bacon?
A guy in my diabetes support group lost 40 lbs. on a low-carb diet. After some routine labs, his doctor asked him what he was eating. When he told him, his doctor threw a fit & told him to stop or he was headed towards kidney & other problems that were worse than high blood sugar.
Yes, I understand that is the prevailing view of our medical establishment. There are also a few myths about about the dangers of low carb especially for diabetics.
I have done a lot of study since my diagnosis and am convinced that the very low carb per Dr Bernstein and others are prescribing is better path to follow than the establishment advice of a low fat high carb (high sugar) diet.
First I can easily see what carbs do to my own body by just looking at my meter. So it made sense for me to go low carb just based on my meter.
Second when you look at how the decision was made for our low fat high carb public policy you will see that there is little real scientific evidence to support it. For the gory details see "Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health" by Gary Taubes. The evidence is now pointing to low carb as the better choice especially for diabetics or anyone with metabolic syndrome.
It is my hands, feet, heart, ... and I feel that I need to take control after the bad advice I got after my heart stent was inserted in 2007. Then I was put on statins and a low fat high carb diet. I now blame that prescription, at least in part, for my diabetes.
I have read Dr. Bersteins book and that is why I stay between 80-100 at all times since september of last year. I have not broken the 140 mark where nerve damage starts since september that no doctor has never told me about. I had ac of 5.0 and I was going up to 180 on my meter and my doctors were giving me a thumbs up. I eat a low carb/high fat diet with no starches. I have had neuropathy for 6-1/2 years and even since september it is still gradually getting worse.
How long did you have neuropathy before you got it under control?
How severe was your neuropathy before it got better?
How long has it been since your neuropathy has started to improve?
Looking back I had the first signs of autonomic neuropathy about 20 months before I was diagnosed with type II in December 2013 (I even complained to my doctor and she dismissed it). And I suspect that I was at least a predibetic for the last 6-7 years.
At the time of my diagnosis I thought that I was dying. I was miserable. I could not sleep because of the pain in my lower abdominal area and pain in my feet.
I have only kept my blood glucose in the 70 - 100 range for the last several months. Before that I was mostly under 120 at all times after I started treatment with Metformin and a low carb diet. So I have only had my blood glucose under control for just over 4 months. I should add that the improvement in my neuropathy is gradual, but I can definitely see improvement.
In the last month I have started sleeping all through some nights without pain or needing to go to the bathroom waking me up. Now I make it through most nights without waking up in the middle of the night.
I should add that at the time of my diagnosis my A1C was 6.5 and my fasting blood glucose was 133 mg.dl.
well the mitochondria will take up to 3 years to travel to your feet depending on your height. I take it to be 3 years with excellent blood sugar control for it to work.
Ahhh... you've read that research too!
Very interesting...
"it is still possible that neuropathy can be caused by something other than blood glucose" yes it is true. A doctor told me neuropathy may have many sources; some meds may cause acid muscles pains and burning of skin and toes, cramps in calves-that might be acid musles not neuropathy.Metformin didn't work for me but caused acidity in musles
"here are also a few myths about about the dangers of low carb especially for diabetics." my BS is under 110,I am on a low carb diet= zero flour , no barley nor rice, zero starch, so doctor said my BS was a dream for diabetics and I din't need any meds. She critisized me for being on a law carb diet , and said I may have deficiency in minerals vitamins and that cause problems with my health. However she gave me gliclazid 30mg in the morning on my request to lower BS to 80. SHe was reluctant though.
to cdredbaron10
after carefuly reading you it seems to me that your neuropathy may have another cause than diabetes. I would search another causes and consult neurologist. your food regime is great and BS is normal so you’ve done all you could I guess
It takes up to a year just to see gradual improvement, its only been 8 months since I have stayed away from the 140 nerve damage mark. i was not able to eat peanut butter because of the starch and drink coffee ecause of the caffeine. since adding the stailized alpha lipoic acid into my sytem and giving it some time to help the healing process, i am able to consume those things in moderation and in the last week i have had less burning throughout my ody and i am starting to feel better from the diabetic neuropathy since staying away from starch. the cause has been determined to be diabetic neuropathy from a neurologist.
that will work, just monitor that between 80-100 at all times. you will see gradual improvement in 6 - 12 months. starch spikes your blood sugar, stawy away from it, go low carb/high fat. avocado, peanut butter, almond butter, nuts, high fat cheese, high fat cream cheese, butter, cream, high fat sour cream, high fat yogurt, i have started feeling better in the last few weeks, it takes time.
my cause has been determined to be diabetic neuropathy with lots of blood test by a neurologist 2 years ago. he did not tell me that nerve damage starts at 140. i found that out here about nerve damage starts at 140. its clear and simple. stay away from 140 and maintain normal blood sugars between 80-100 just like what a non-diabetic blood sugar is and improvements will be seen in 6-12 months on a low carb/ high fat diet. an average non diabetic blood sugar is 83. what does that tell you. maintain blood sugar levels between 80-100. its that simple.
Nerve damage (diabetes related) has also been known to occur at lower bg levels. In fact, neuropathy is sometimes what brings someone to the doctor prior to diagnosis!!
neuropathy is the reason why i went to the doctor to find out i had diabetes of 9.2 a1c. i went to 7 different doctors in 5 years for my neuropathy and not one of them told me that nerve damage starts at 140 or even lower. i found out here that nerve damage starts at 140 and since the last 8 months i have maintained my numbers between 80-100 at all times and just in the last week i am starting to feel better with less burning, pins and needles and etc. low carb/ healthy high fat diet is the way to go for much better blood sugar control and weight control
OK , all is clear to me, that's great you observe improvement. I can't eat starch eiter, BS is very high, nor flour. Since I keep better control on BS, I feel less pain in my feeet too.
yes, excactly. thanks for your support. I almost resign because two specialists told me I had good BS (110). I keep very tight regime on food and BS is 105 fasting. I couldn't lower it, I was starving on small portions, no flour no starch and just few vegie. Today I have started gliclazid (30mg), and will see. Thanks again cdredbaron10 , wish you all well. I suspect that nerve damage starts earlier than 140 and it is individual
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aim for fasting of 90, if it puts you at below 75, then cut your dosage in half and go from there, you will get it