Just Diagnosed With Type-2

[Rhinohd]

Hello Everyone,
My name is Mark and I have just been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. I am extremely overweight and have started the Atkins WOL on 1/4 and lost about 16 pounds the first week and a half. My Vision then started to get blurry so I went to the doctor where I was told it was because I was diabetic. They told me my blood sugar must have been extremely high and my eyes were adjusting to the drop because of not eating carbs. Then I was prescribed Glyburide and my weight loss has stopped! My blood sugar is just about under control (90 - 140 on average) but I need to lose weight.

I feel like maybe the Atkins diet is not for me. Can this be true or will I start loosing weight again? I just got the Atkins book for Diabetes so bare with me until I finish the book. Any help or advise is extremely welcome!

[Binsk]

Hi Mark, welcome. I also am Type 2. The best advice that I can give to you is to read the Dr. Bernstein - The Diabetes Solution book. Everyone in the forum swears by it, and it has changed the way I approach diabetes.

He advocates low carb, and to make small changes and evaluate each change. That is the only way you are going to know how a certain food effects your blood sugar. Test regularly in the beginning. I hope you have a meter. Test first thing in the morning before you brush your teeth. Test 2 hours after meals and before bedtime. If you record what your blood sugar is doing, and what you ate prior, you will start to see a pattern. This pattern is the key to losing weight. If you can keep your blood sugars in the normal range, and exercise (non negotiable with Atkins), you will start to see the weight drop. You cannot expect to see the same loss you had in the begginning, you body cannot handle that kind of change on a regular basis. Your body needs to rebalance fluids after each weight loss and this can create a slight stall. Don't be discouraged, and stay active. Walking is great, you don't have to go fast in the beginning. I use a bike while watching TV.

Good luck.

[canuck]

Yes and read Atkins DANDR too, he says II's should be on metphormin, not the group of drugs you are on, once read all this you will be able to understand it and discuss with doc. binsk gave you good advice and all of us here feel better on Atkins , our diabetes is gone latent or is in good control, stick around and work it thru, it will help you.Oh and welcome
The DANDR will help with weight loss, the Diabetic one is more for those who need diabetic control and not as restrictive. Read the posts here, they will help you too.Coop will come along and tell you about Bernstiens website, but buy the books, they will save your life.
:wave

[Rhinohd]

Thanks for the welcome!
Yea I just read tonight how my drug is causing me to gain weight! I have an appointment with the doc next week. I will ask for metphorman (sp) next week. I am so excited to be on this WOL and look forward to chatting with you all!

[sassyone]

I had the same problems you had- blurry vision- and tried to take the glyburide- it caused me to gain weight also- and I also had many problems with extreme lows-even in the middle of the night, and especially with any exercise. My doc finally switched me to Glucophage XR and I stopped having the lows- then I got on Atkins- and within days I was off all meds. Atkins is the best way to conrol diabetes. If you think of it as Atkins for your diabetes and to save your life or add many years to your life, and the weight loss is secondary- then you won't be in such a hurry to lose the weight it took years to gain! If you are doing it properly, you will lose weight! Good luck, stay in touch, ask questions, and you will get it under control and this will become a way of life.

[canuck]

sass i thought it was you that happened too but memory so bad nowadays didnt want to say incase wrong, thnx for clarifying.Ya take book with you to doc's office, expect some flack, or is he supportive of this wol.

[2big4mysize]

Rhindhold I'm confused how did you get blood sugar highs eating Atkins? you should have been under 20 net carbs and stable blood sugar with your high fat low carb Atkins eating. were you eating your atkins too hiogh protein anc converting the proteins to sugars? Many newbies think high protein low carb is atkins bur Atkins is 65% of your total calories from fats and only 30 % proteins in induction with carbs limited to under 20 grams net.

If you remember some of your early menus you might want to plug them into the free online site www.fitday.com and see what your ratios were before you think about Atkins not being right for your diabetes as you might not have been eating Atkins.

Happy low carbing

[Rhinohd]

I must of had extreamly high blood sugar levels BEFORE i started the Atkin diet. Once my blood sugar came down (from being on the diet) my vision went blurry.

Originally Posted by canuck

Ya take book with you to doc's office, expect some flack, or is he supportive of this wol.

I dont think he is but I am gonna do what gets me results and dosen't set me up to fail. I wanna beat this AND lose weight!

[david832]

Mark,

I'm also a type 2 and have have serious fluctuations the last 9 months, however within 2 weeks of starting Atkins I was under 153, stable and still dropping (this morning I was 140.40). :yes

The difference is amazing, I don't feel tired all of the time, I sleep like a log and my mood swings have stopped. My carb cravings have also halted and I don't feel hungry all of the time anymore. ha

My weight loss is slow, but I put this down to other meds I'm taking and it will take time, but it's worth it for the positive effect on my diabeties alone.

All the best

Dave

[canuck]

yupe my way of looking at it too, it controlled all my health ills and losing weight was like a fringe benefit, I loved losing weight and doc told me yesterday I probably burn better wih glucose and insulin usage as body smaller. Now if only could lose that tummy more as they say tummy fat is the most dangerous fat..