I’m going to document my attempt to put my diabetes into remission in this thread, using the fast 800-8 week diet, combined with fasting for 16-18 hours most days. I’ll add a post to this thread (at least) once a week, with a weekly statistical update.

[Feel free to add your experiences, if you feel like it. I just wanted a place in this community to document the journey so making a thread I could keep adding to seemed to make the most sense. But I don’t mind at all if others chime in with their own journeys!

Week 1

Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 5.28 mmol/l W: 5.06 Th: 5.39 mmol/l (highest in months) F: 4.44 mmol/l S: 4.39 mmol/l Sun: 4.44 mmol/l
Starting weight (this week): 150.2 lbs – Ending weight: 147.0 lbs. Loss 3.2 lbs
BG High for the week: 7.72 mmol/l, Low for the Week: 4.06 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.5 mmol/l

I have been eating 1200 calories a day, and fewer than 20 net carbs in a meal for 6 months, so I didn’t expect a dramatic weight loss, or any of the symptoms that accompany starting this diet cold. My weight loss is actually a tad higher than I expected, since I have been losing at a rate of around a pound a week and I only added a new deficit of 2800 calories (less than 1 lb). I would have been kicked out of Roy Taylor’s studies, since he required a 3.9 lb weight loss in the first week! As I predicted, I experienced none of the symptoms some experience (headaches, hunger, fatigue, chills, muscle cramps). I didn’t have many 6 months ago when I made the big dietary change, so no big surprises that a comparatively small change didn’t create any.

I got a fitness tracker, and plan to increase my steps gradually – as suggested in the book. I’m undecided about the other exercise recommendations. Not for now (no time) – but perhaps later.

Food is yummy – but the many of the measurements in the recipes are too fuzzy to make the calorie counts useful – and the carb content in many items is at the top of what I can eat without kicking my BG out of the normal range.

(No, the fuzziness of measuring by the handful etc. is not an American thing, as I’ve seen suggested – except among people who learned to cook at the knees of their Baba from the “old country.” We may use funny tools (tablespoons for butter, for example), but aside from some spices (“to taste”) our recipes typically give precise measurements.

But – never fear – I’ve been tracking every bite I eat for 6 months, so I have good mental estimates and the tools to adjust the recipes as I’m making them.

I am making an effort to include proportionately more healthy carbs than I’ve been eating rather than take the easy way out and subsist on carb-safe cheese and nuts. I only had two days where I had to resort to emergency rations. (I considered delaying the start a week, due to a weekend conference that just ended, so only 2 days was better than I expected). On the whole, this diet means more carbs than I have been eating. I’ve been pushing my personal limit most meals. Ironically, by comparison to what I have been eating, this is a low fat diet 🙂 (I went from eating around 80% fat to around 40% fat – since the 400 calorie cut came primarily from fat.)

In a small hopeful sign – I had 2 days this week where my BG never went above 5.6. On the other end of the spectrum, one of the carb days really pushed my limits. I have not seen 7.72 in a LONG time, and I saw it this week. I adjusted the carbs in the recipe down a bit – but have decided to be a bit braver with carbs from pulses, at least. Overall – even with the high carb days – my average for the week was 5.5 (with more, and more evenly distributed, testing than is typical). Off to a good start! (And I already have meals packed for two days next week.)

Background:
Diabetes diagnosis October 2, 2015.
A1C: 7.3.
Cholesterol 231 mg/dl
HDL: 46 mg/dl
LDL: 151 mg/dl
Trig: 171 mg/dl
Weight: 197.3

Check-up on March 8, 2016 (after 5 months low carb-moderate protein, capped at 1200 calories)
A1C: 5.7% (normal)
Cholesterol: 173 mg/dl (normal)
HDL: 55 mg/dl (normal)
LDL : 99 mg/dl (normal)
Trig: 94 mg/dl (normal)
Weight: 154.4

Since the day of diagnosis I have been following a low carb-moderate protein diet (which also means my fat consumption is high, since limiting carbs and proteins means the calories have to come from the only remaining source: fat). This diet (obviously) works for me to keep my blood glucose in the normal range, but it is intensive dietary management, not remission. I am not looking forward to maintaining such tight control over every bite I eat for the rest of my life.

Roy Taylor’s studies on remission intrigue me. I am troubled, though, by the fact that he has extended his observations about the possibility of remission to losing weight by any means, without a single (reported) controlled test that it is weight loss – not the timing and manner of weight loss – that makes the difference.. I have now lost 50 lbs (25% of my original weight), and have no less insulin resistance than the day I started. I am well beyond the thresholds he has suggested, so if weight loss, alone, was going to trigger remission, I should have seen an impact. After my own literature review and other research, I have decided that I will lose the last 19 lbs, at least, on an 800-calorie a day diet consistent with Mike Mosley’s fast 800 diet (mimicking the post-bariatric surgery diet that Roy Taylor modeled his study on). I believe that the magic, if any, is in the dramatic, sudden, decrease in calories – or perhaps fasting (or near fasting) for sufficient periods of time to deplete the liver’s glycogen stores – hence the 16-18 hour/day fast. I’m perfectly fine not eating until mid-day – so stretching it a couple of hours following a late-night supper is no big deal.

Subsequent posts in this thread will be shorter. Promise!

Way to go neohdiver. Might be best to keep this thread purely for yourself as you will be able to print it off and take to medical appointments.

Skywalker has kept updating the profile page which seems like a very good idea.

You have certainly done a lot of research!

Hi neohdiver
I did the same sort of thing when I started in my “This has to work for me” thread.
It did attract a lot of posts but the record of my weekly progress is there for me when I need it.
Best of luck with the blood sugar readings.

hashimoto – thanks for the suggestion to keep it separate. I do have a database I track everything in (actually two, since I’m too lazy to carry the food data into the BG data). The stats from the BG database maxes out my doctor’s tolerance for data 🙂

I definitely did a lot of research. My family attracts medical unicorns, so I’ve gotten in the habit of doing enough research so that I stay a step or two ahead of the doctors (in the narrow area of the medical issue) . (Medical unicorns: The advice to new medical professionals – when you hear hoofbeats, look for a horse – rather than a zebra. Our family repeatedly stymies doctors, since usually what shows up is actually a zebras (uncommon diseases), and occasionally a unicorn (e.g. one on the rare diseases database – that has no treatment and no cure – for that one I had to tell the doctor what tests to run, at the time he believed there was still nothing serious wrong). Diabetes is the (uncommon for us) horse – as is my Hashimoto’s disease and Vitamin D1 deficiency, but research habits die hard.

Bill – I looked through some of your thread. Definitely attracted a lot of posts!

Wow, neohdiver, no wonder you are so well read and research so much. I am very impressed 🙂

hashimoto – It’s mostly a matter of survival for my family. When my daughter was 3-4, I spent a year arguing with our GP that something was seriously wrong with my daughter, and asking for a referral to a specialist (back before the internet – so I couldn’t easily research). I kept being told I was an overly obsessive mother. I finally demanded to see a specialist – I was handed a phone book and wished good luck in finding one who would see her. Once I got her to a specialist, she was diagnosed within 2 weeks – it only took that long because it required a test that took most of a week to prepare for. That was my daughter’s first “zebra.” Not necessarily an uncommon disease for adults – but it is rare in children.

I vowed never to let that happen to anyone in my family again. Ironically – her “unicorn” was missed 14 years later by the specialist who rescued her at age 4 – until I figured out what she had, pulled the, “when she was 4” card, and insisted on the test that I knew would demonstrate it at least well enough to convince him to take my concerns seriously. (He ran it, it demonstrated exactly what I expected it would, and he then started taking it seriously.)

I have a lot of really wonderful doctors, some of whom appreciate the research I do. But I’ve also has too many that are unwilling or unable to think outside the box, and unfortunately our family frequently lives outside the box.

Wow neohdiver you really have been thrown a few curved balls in life. It is so hard when you know something is wrong with your small child and no one is listening. I sincerely hope she is OK, it sounds as if she has had a lot to contend with.
I send all my good wishes to you over the net XXX

Ok. Time for a real-time test. I just made the Chickpea and Hazelnut salad. 33 carbs. More than I’ve eaten in one sitting since October. Gulp!

Starting BG – 5.0 (A tad higher than I would like to start at for this many carbs). I’ll report back in about a hour with the next installment!

5.7 at 1 hours post my 33 net carb salad! So far, so good!

Only 6.16 at 2 hours! Count me tickled pink! Unfortunately, I need to crash for the night, so I won’t be awake for a test at 3 hours.

Wow, neodiver that is a gutsy experiment 🙂

I’m trying to follow the principles of the BSD – which generally include more carbs than I have been eating – in particular carb families (pulses being one of them). Their “no-carb” foods all contain a fair amount of carbs – they are just what the author considers friendly carbs. In the past, my body has not treated them as friendly carbs. I’m cautiously optimistic that the combination of 800 nutrient-rich calories and 16:8 IF is changing that!

Last night’s experiment was a complete success. I actually was still awake at hour 3, post eating. My BG was back down to 5.17, and this morning it is 4.33.

Wow neohdiver, it took some guts to try that experiment of yours but it has paid off!! This diet never ceases to amaze me!! 🙂

Week 2 down, Week 3 started. It’s going to be a doozy.

It’s high octane grading time – finals for my students started today & I have way too many papers I have not returned to them. Not much sleep this week.

I also have a meal challenge on Thursday – a banquet I’m paying big bucks not to eat (or at least not to eat much of), and at the wrong time to break my 16 hour fast. I may just have to break it early – good thing I’m less rigid about fasting than content. 🙂

The last hurdle is that I have two diagnostic follow-up tests after my screening mammogram turned up something. Very strong history of breast cancer in my family, manifesting around my age – and I’m sure the spot they are interested in is the one I discovered about 2 months ago that triggered setting up the appointment in the first place. Tomorrow’s the day for follow-up. Bummer that this may be the year I acquire all the family diseases.

Other than my mid-week success with garbonzo beans, the only thing of note is my mild surprise at how much I had come to enjoy my daily cheese. I’ve been eating 2-4 oz/day since October, and I miss it since I have largely cut it out to stay at or under 800 calories – a necessary cut since it’s yummy, but relatively poor bang for my buck for nutrients.

I continue to try new recipes and find new favorites. I’m plotting an herb garden this summer, since I can’t afford to keep buying mint, thyme, etc. at $3/pop.

Here’s the data so far:

Week 1 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 5.28 mmol/l W: 5.06 Th: 5.39 (highest in months) F: 4.44 S: 4.39 Sun: 4.44
Week 1 – Starting weight: 150.2 lbs – Ending weight: 147 lbs
Week 1 – High for the week: 7.72, Low for the Week: 4.06, Average for the week: 5.5

Week 2 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.83 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 5.11 mmol/l Th: 4.79 mmol/l F: 4.83 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.6 mmol/l
Week 2 – Starting weight: 147 lbs – Ending weight: 144.8 lbs
Week 2 – High for the week: 6.83 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.5 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Two week totals: 5.4 lbs lost. High down .89 mmol/l; Low down .56 mmol/l; Average down .23 mmol/l.

Hi Neohdiver,
Great results on the weight loss and blood sugars.
All the best for your mammogram results. Praying it’s just a cyst and not an inherited cancer. Good job you’re aware and on the ball with regards to that.

Hi Neohdiver, I echo what Cherrianne has said. Praying all goes well 🙂

Thanks!

Had a frustrating medical day – and the appointment will be tomorrow (I hope). My initial screening was 3 weeks ago. The entity didn’t send out the post-screening follow-up letter, as promised. I waited the maximum days they had given, and then called them. Their first response was, “it takes 7-10 days.” I informed them it had been longer than 10 days. Next they insisted they had sent it out – and transferred me to someone else who would take my information and send me another copy. Ok. I could have missed it. My spouse gets the mail and recognizing important documents and getting them into my hands is not a strong suit.

10 minutes later, I get a call from my spouse who has gotten a mysterious call from someone who insisted I needed to call back right away (but won’t say why). When I called back, I was told I needed a follow-up diagnostic mammogram & an ultrasound. In the course of the conversation, they revealed that they had had a lot of people who hadn’t gotten their post-visit letters. . . red flags start going off (my suspicion is that it was all of us who got call-backs, which would be a different letter than the regular one).

We set up an appointment for today – longer than I really wanted to wait, given the delay that waiting for the MIA letter already caused.

As I’m backing out of the driveway to go to work, having pushed the button to close the garage door, my spouse comes running out under the half-closed door risking a solid bop on the head. They are on the phone. They wanted to check about my appointment for tomorrow and make sure I was bringing my doctor’s order. Aside from the date screw-up, this is the first I’d heard about needing a doctor’s order. (I don’t need referrals under my health care plan, so it had not occurred to me that I had to go find a doctor to write an order for the diagnostic test the screening entity informed me I needed and had set up with themselves. Apparently that tidbit was in the letter they never sent.

That was their last chance. Any entity that makes so many administrative screw-ups is not one I really want to trust with important health matters. If it is cancer, I’ll be heading north to one of the most recognized facilities in the country (the one that did my mother’s second mastectomy – for her second (new, not metastasized) breast cancer – like I said. Strong family history.). I had planned to get past the rule-out stage before making the trek north – mostly because I don’t want to worry my mother by asking her to remind me of her surgeon’s name until I know I may need one. I now have an appointment up north for next Wednesday. If the entity I’m abandoning manages to squeeze an order out of my primary care doc, I’ll have the diagnostic tests tomorrow then get copies of them to take north (and sneak a peak to get an early peek at what’s in them). If not, I’ll have done next week in conjunction with my appointment. Either way I’ll be finding a different screening entity for next year.

Sigh . . . I didn’t need the added stress of dealing with bungling idiots on top of waiting a month to rule out (or diagnose) cancer. Sheesh..

What a miserable episode for you Neohdiver. Sounds more like a Fawlty Towers farce than the way to run a diagnostic screening service! Unbelievable ineptitude adding to an already worrisome time 🙁
Hope you get better service this time round.

Neohdiver, I sincerely hope the bungling has come to an end and you get the service you deserve xx

Hi neohdiver
So sorry to hear of the ‘cock up’ & reason behind it. Do hope it’s much better news soon. You could do with a bit of mindfulness me thinks. Every good wish to you
Eureka

Hi neodiver,
Hopefully you will now get the treatment you deserve, I do hope it is a false alarm, but it looks like you know where to go for the best treatment which must be a relief.
Best wishes

Thanks all! The actual treatment was better than the administrative mess-up. But the bad news is that I do have a solid marble-sized mass. Visit to the surgeon tomorrow – likely accompanied by a needle biopsy to confirm what we all suspect (but they are being careful not to say – couching what they are seeing as “not good news,” “concerning,” etc.

Rats. I’d planned to have a it of fun tomorrow – go see a friend I haven’t seen in a while, not-eat a fancy meal at the event he’s hosting. That’s it – my body is just trying to protect me from myself by keeping me away from the meal! Just kidding. Even though I expected it, the actual (almost) news is packing a bigger punch than I had expected.

Hi neohdiver
It’s almost news. The postman hasn’t delivered yet. So put your gloves on for a work out & punch back! We’re in your corner & nobody has got a towel.
Eureka. 💐

Hey Neohdiver, so sorry to hear your news…. from a fellow breast cancer survivor, it’s a tough road but you will get through it… give yourself some time to come to terms with it all, sounds like your Mum will be able to be a great support…. good luck with your appointment tomorrow…D☺

Thank you! It’s the weekend that will be a royal pain – normal wait time for pathology is 2 days. Two days falls on a Saturday. The surgeon I see tomorrow co-authored a paper with our favorite breast cancer doc (out of network), so that’s a good sign.

Neohdiver I’m keeping everything crossed for you. You are a strong woman so that is in your favour xx

Biopsy and genetic screening today. Results in 5-10 days – pathologists should really work weekends. 🙂

Just tired. BG still higher than recently – definitely stress.

I really feel for you, the waiting is the hard part. Fearing the worst but hoping for the best.
Your higher blood sugars are only to be expected with all this stress. Disappointing for you after all your hard work.
You are a strong, proactive woman though, more than capable of negotiating your way through this. I do wish you didn’t have to though.
Thoughts and prayers are with you.

Hi Neohdiver, You are really motivated and I wish you every success. I am just completing week 10 on Fast 800 14:10. I could not easily do 16:8 but I take my hat off to you (Musto sailing cap substitute?). I will watch your progress and admit that I was not diabetic but my wife was pre-diabetic that motivated me to try and I was technically obese any way. Your evidence may be widely read and inspire some of the medical fraternity to look a bit more seriously at what we are all doing for a variety of reasons and not just blood sugar reduction even though that is one of the most important for us all and vital for our diabetic colleagues. Good luck…

Week 3 is behind me. As predicted, it was a doozy! Unfortunately, my blood glucose reflects that, a bit.

Thank you for all of your support through the past week’s fun and games!

As to the diet itself – it continues to be easy-peasy, aside from the fact that I (still) resent spending so much time preparing food.

As to the rest of the week – what a pain. I start week 4 with a cancer diagnosis (bright and early before my first blood test for the week). I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about the impact of stress on blood glucose. That same stress bumped my numbers up a bit in the latter half of the week – but they are still below where they were when I started this phase of Plan: Diabetes Remission!

I hope my newly acquired cancer doesn’t interfere with the remaining 4.5 weeks of my attempt at inducing remission, but if surgery intervenes I suspect I may have to bump up at least the protein and perhaps the calories. It is what it is – and ultimately breast cancer is a threat that demands a more immediate response than putting well-controlled diabetes into remission, so that will take priority.

My tumor has a name, and I’m focusing on making it feel welcome, happy, and content so it doesn’t get tempted to go wandering about the rest of my body looking for a new home . . . until I have a chance to sneak up on it and surgically evict it!

Week 4 will be filled with tests (MRI, X-ray, genetic bloodwork, other bloodwork), an appointment with my surgeon and an appointment with a second opinion doc). And, oh yeah, my job. In other words, more stress. Perhaps a bit less, since I am always more comfortable when I have knowledge, as opposed to when I don’t.

With that prelude, here’s my stats to date:

Week 1 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 5.28 mmol/l W: 5.06 Th: 5.39 (highest in months) F: 4.44 S: 4.39 Sun: 4.44
Week 1 – Starting weight: 150.2 lbs – Ending weight: 147 lbs
Week 1 – High for the week: 7.72, Low for the Week: 4.06, Average for the week: 5.5

Week 2 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.83 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 5.11 mmol/l Th: 4.79 mmol/l F: 4.83 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.6 mmol/l
Week 2 – Starting weight: 147 lbs – Ending weight: 144.8 lbs
Week 2 – High for the week: 6.83 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.5 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Week 3 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.61 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 4.67 mmol/l Th: 4.9 mmol/l F: 4.5 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.66 mmol/l
Week 3 – Starting weight: 144.8 lbs – Ending weight: 142
Week 3 – High for the week: 7.22 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.9 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.5 mmol/l.
Note: High stress precipitated by early stages of cancer diagnosis.

Week 4 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l – 30 minutes after my cancer diagnosis

Weight loss on Low Carb/Moderate Protein (179 days): 47.1 lbs Average BG 6.0
Weight loss on 800 Calorie Mediterranean Style food with 16:8 intermittent fasting (21 days): 8.2 lbs Average BG 5.42 mmol/l (lower, even after the breast cancer diagnosis – which came in bits and pieces starting the middle of week 3, to the first day of week 4)

Hi neohdiver, I’m so sorry your suspicion was confirmed. Like you say the diet may have to take a back seat while you undergo treatment for your cancer but you know you can pick up the diet again as you had it well under control.

I’m praying your treatment will be successful, with your positive attitude it should be. Let work sort itself out, you need to think about you at the moment. The educational establishment can sort out lessons, exam marking etc.

Hi neohdiver
Knowing is halfway to curing. It’s always been my motto & gives me direction & strength to tackle any news & situation I find. My hope is that you may feel the same. With every good wish to you for a quick & full recovery.
Eureka

hashimoto – yeah, but since control was what I was hoping to blow past to get to remission, it really sucks to go back to mere control. As to the exam marking – it’s a bit more complex than the ordinary teacher-out-sick. (Been there, done that – for a month – in a different setting). Several years’ investment of time and money is on the line in an exam 3 months from now, with no one else up to speed (yet) to provide the kind of help I provide.

Eureka – thanks!

Now I’m heading home to do some more research, in advance of the second opinion tomorrow.

Oh, sorry your work is so vitally important when you have so much too cope with 🙁

You will cope though, although I’ve never met you I can tell you are a strong and motivated person. I’m hoping for the best for you xx

Praying the tumour is completely contained to that one lump, and that you have a speedy recovery from your surgery. Like the others have said, don’t stress about the diet too much, keep your sugars as controlled as you can without limiting the essential nutrients you’ll need to get through surgery and any follow up treatment.
Be prepared for possible steroid therapy as part of your treatment, and it’s potential for affecting blood sugars. Ask lots of questions from your second opinion Dr. to make sure you have as much info as possible. Sometimes it helps to write it down because the fear factor can kick in and you miss some information.
Wishing you all the best…

This is a great idea with lots of info. Best of luck to you 🍀I’ve just joined ‘n will see my doctor next week in order to get his support so will begin the 800 on Monday 2nd of May. Looking forward to getting tips ‘n advice 😀

Thanks all!

Cherianne – thanks for the heads up on steroids. A quick look suggests they won’t be necessary. I’m in the earliest stage (or perhaps the second, depending on what surgery ultimately turns up), and it looks like steroids are primarily used for late stage, following failed treatment of one form or another, or as an antineoplastic agent (and I’m the lowest possible grade for neoplasms). But I’ll ask.

The challenge with the second opinion is that not all of the results are back yet – but the next available appointment was late May. I know more than I did when I made the appointment (since I didn’t yet have a diagnosis), but less than I will know by early next week (when all the pathology reports are back, as well as x-rays and MRI and additional bloodwork).

Dee Power – best of luck! Both on the diet and in getting your GP’s approval (not always easy).

hashimoto – I’m definitely a bear once I have something specific on my radar to focus on. I tend to have as much energy and focus as it takes to get through anything predictable in good spirits. Focusing on finding the best solution keeps my spirits up – and my emotions away from dark places. The challenge comes when the hits just keep coming far longer than I expect. So I’ll hope for a routine progression – and I’ll be fine.

Hi Neodiver,
When I was looking through posts last night I was wondering how things were going for you and had you had the results. I saw the news this morning, and like the other wish you strength and fortitude for the battle. Knowing is always better than wondering, but it must still be a big shock and trauma. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Having seen both my brother and his wife subjected to chemo and radiotherapy etc twice in the last 7 years, I know how much it can strain you. Neither had much appetite, and the 800 diet is a good balance of foods, so you may not go as far off of plan as you think.
For your teaching and marking – can you do it with someone else? In that way you get someone else up to speed to help you through the work? It also means you can work in short shifts of work. You will be very tired and sleep is very important as part of allowing the body to heal. A couple of hours work, then a rest, then a few hours later in the day with support, may help you keep things moving.
Hopefully you will get support from all those around you – you are clearly strong-willed and determined, but do take the help where offered.
Wishing you all the best.

Thank you Orchid!

The grading is a challenge. They decided earlier this year they were asking me to do more than it was reasonable to ask of anyone – and hired a part-time assistant. Training is generally a net drain for a full semester, so short term it doesn’t generally provide much assistance. Fortunately the training for my current assistant did not (as I feared) result in a net increase in time – the assistant is extremely good at providing the kind of feedback I do. Unfortunately, her other commitments prevent her from actually providing much assistance. Out of the 1000+ papers for the semester, she managed to get through a few more than 100. I had hoped for closer to 300.

And the big challenge is that there is a hard, fast deadline for the grades – I exclusively teach students who are graduating. So this could not have come at a worse time.

Starting week 5.

Well, another week has gone by!

Last week was filled with medical visits and frustration at the ineptness of the administrative staff who – so far – have not gotten one thing right. My blood glucose went up far more due to avoidable glitches than to hearing that I have breast cancer.

Still good prognosis. Hormone receptor positive – and HER2 negative. A teeny chance I will need both chemotherapy and radiation therapy (based on the oncotype of the tumor) – but a much larger chance that I will only need radiation.

We’re waiting on genetic testing to decide between lumpectomy and bilateral mastectomy. If my particular genetic make-up puts my risk of recurrence or a new primary tumor at 60% or greater, my surgeon would recommend the more extensive surgery. (I could have one tomorrow, just based on family history – but I’m comfortable waiting for the test results so I have more information to make the decision.) It looks like surgery will be the week of the 16th or the 23rd of May.

So that’s my fun and games this past week. I may need to put the BSD on hold – I’ll talk to a dietitian tomorrow. Not that I necessarily trust the dietician if her focus is diabetes.

Here’s what my world looks like, so far. Pretty remarkable, given that 1.5 of the 4 weeks have included the added stress of a cancer diagnosis.

Week 1 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 5.28 mmol/l W: 5.06 Th: 5.39 (highest in months) F: 4.44 S: 4.39 Sun: 4.44
Week 1 – Starting weight: 150.2 lbs – Ending weight: 147 lbs
Week 1 – High for the week: 7.72, Low for the Week: 4.06, Average for the week: 5.5

Week 2 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.83 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 5.11 mmol/l Th: 4.79 mmol/l F: 4.83 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.6 mmol/l
Week 2 – Starting weight: 147 lbs – Ending weight: 144.8 lbs
Week 2 – High for the week: 6.83 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.5 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Week 3 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.61 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 4.67 mmol/l Th: 4.9 mmol/l F: 4.5 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.66 mmol/l
Week 3 – Starting weight: 144.8 lbs – Ending weight: 142
Week 3 – High for the week: 7.22 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.9 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.5 mmol/l.
Note: High stress precipitated by early stages of cancer diagnosis.

Week 4 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 4.83 mmol/l W: 4.61 mmol/l Th: 4.67 mmol/l F: 4.67 mmol/l S: 4.67 mmol/l Sun: 4.33 mmol/l
Week 4 – Starting weight: 142 lbs – Ending weight: 140.8 (2 lbs from a normal BMI!!!)
Week 4 – High for the week: 8.39 mmol/l (in the wake of incompetent administrative stress) Low for the Week: 4.33 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Note: Formal breast cancer diagnosis came on Monday, before my fasting BG reading. Might be why it was a bit higher!

Weight loss on Low Carb/Moderate Protein (179 days): 47.1 lbs Average BG 6.0

Weight loss on 800 Calorie Mediterranean Style food with 16:8 intermittent fasting (28 days): 9.4 lbs Average BG 5.39 mmol/l (lower, even after the breast cancer diagnosis and follow-up that came in bits and pieces starting the middle of week 3)

Hi neohdiver
Hope everyone gets their act together as much as you have got yours, on all fronts! Weight loss & blood sugars pretty good ( extra stress included).
It will be good for you to have all the info & op date sorted ASAP. Genetics are a bummer you can’t control, just have to deal with it! Sorry it’s so for you.

Fingers crossed re everything x
Eureka

Hi Neodiver,
I hope the testing reveals the more positive outcome for you x

Hi Neodiver,
I hope the admin nuisances keep well out your way for a while and that the next set of tests are also at the positive end of the spectrum – take care – we are all thinking of you.

@orchid,
Your hope is in vain . . .Got in today to a phone message “reminding” me of my plastic surgery appointment – the one I had been waiting to hear about. They gave me a toll free number for patient registration – that was answered at a location about 30 minutes from where I expected my appointment to be, in an entirely different health care system. What was most amusing (since I’m in a relatively good mood today) is that they suggested that they would see if they could schedule my radiological oncologist appointment back to back with the plastics appointment so I only had to make one trip. Nice trick, as long as they’ve mastered teleportation – since the radiological appointment is 5 minutes away (where I expected then to schedule plastics).

Since I’m past the big set of appointments (medical and work related), I’m relatively good tempered about it and content to wait for the next set of tests to come back. I’ve been looking at reconstruction options (something I always assumed I’d forego – and there is a relatively good option that it may even make sense to delay until later this summe – an additional surgery, but I’d be healed and they would have time to do one more post-surgical genetic test for even more information.

Thanks for thinking of me!

Gee, Neodiver! You are a one woman wonder! All this s… going on and you are in a good mood!

You are inspirational.

Let’s hope from now on the admin starts to run smooth 🙂

Judith x

A tad slow posting Week 5’s data. Not that I’ve been busy, or anything.

The diet itself itself continues to be a non-event. My BG continues to be lower – although higher on days when I am infuriated by the incompetence of the administration associated with the doctor treating me. This week’s surprise spike event was being told when I walked into an appointment, that it took moving mountains to set up, that there would be an additional (potentially entirely out of pocket) charge of $95 to $200 that no one warned me about – each and every time I visited this particular doctor. Had I been forewarned, I would have chosen another doctor – or at least checked insurance to make sure I knew what a financial hit I was being set up for. The single spike from that (on Monday) has not yet worked itself out of my weekly average – which is still (4 days later) running .17 higher than the highest 7-day average from the 5 previous weeks.

I’m afraid that what that (the spike) tells me is that I am not yet in remission – which is unfortunate, because I’ve also been told I need to stop eating at a calorie deficit to prepare for surgery. So this week will be my last – at least for now. I have an A1C drawn on Tuesday morning, so that makes a logical stopping point. I’ll gradually increase my calories & briefly, rather dramatically, increase my carbs (to 100-150/day) so that I can do a relatively accurate DIY home OGTT later in the week to see if I’ve altered my glucose metabolism at all.

Today my coworkers learn I have cancer – and will be recruited to help fill any gaps my absence will create, I interview 3 candidates for my permanent assistant, conduct exit interviews with 4 students, and continue to move my office out of the way of the construction crane and, with luck, make a dent in the pile of papers I have to grade. Nope. Nothing to do today.

Here’s the complete data set for the next to last week on this diet. For now.

Week 1 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 5.28 mmol/l W: 5.06 Th: 5.39 (highest in months) F: 4.44 S: 4.39 Sun: 4.44
Week 1 – Starting weight: 150.2 lbs – Ending weight: 147 lbs
Week 1 – High for the week: 7.72, Low for the Week: 4.06, Average for the week: 5.5

Week 2 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.83 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 5.11 mmol/l Th: 4.79 mmol/l F: 4.83 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.6 mmol/l
Week 2 – Starting weight: 147 lbs – Ending weight: 144.8 lbs
Week 2 – High for the week: 6.83 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.5 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Week 3 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.61 mmol/l, T: 4.72 mmol/l W: 4.67 mmol/l Th: 4.9 mmol/l F: 4.5 mmol/l S: 4.33 mmol/l Sun: 4.66 mmol/l
Week 3 – Starting weight: 144.8 lbs – Ending weight: 142
Week 3 – High for the week: 7.22 mmol/l Low for the Week: 3.9 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.5 mmol/l.
Note: High stress precipitated by early stages of cancer diagnosis.

Week 4 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 5.05 mmol/l, T: 4.83 mmol/l W: 4.61 mmol/l Th: 4.67 mmol/l F: 4.67 mmol/l S: 4.67 mmol/l Sun: 4.33 mmol/l
Week 4 – Starting weight: 142 lbs – Ending weight: 140.8 (2 lbs from a normal BMI!!!)
Week 4 – High for the week: 8.39 mmol/l (in the wake of incompetent administrative stress) Low for the Week: 4.33 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.27 mmol/l.

Note: Formal breast cancer diagnosis came on Monday, before my fasting BG reading. Might be why it was a bit higher!

Week 5 – Fasting blood glucose: M: 4.89 mmol/l, T: 5.06 mmol/l W: 4.83 mmol/l Th: 3.83 mmol/l F: 4.83 mmol/l S: 5.39 mmol/l Sun: 4.61 mmol/l
Week 5 – Starting weight: 140.8 lbs – Ending weight:140.0
Week 5 – High for the week: 7.05 mmol/l (High stress day) Low for the Week: 3.83 mmol/l, Average for the week: 5.44 mmol/l.

Weight loss on Low Carb/Moderate Protein (179 days): 47.1 lbs Average BG 6.0

Weight loss on 800 Calorie Mediterranean Style food with 16:8 intermittent fasting (35 days): 10.2 lbs Average BG 5.39 mmol/l (lower, even after the breast cancer diagnosis – which came in bits and pieces starting the middle of week 3, to the first day of week 4, with added stress associated with too little time to wrap up affairs before surgery mid to late May)

Neohdiver, you continue to impress me!! I don’t know how you are finding the energy to measure and record with everything else that’s going on.

Your colleagues will wish to do all they can to support you through this ordeal and hopefully manage your work load efficiently.

So sorry you are continuing to have a nightmare with regards to the admin grrrr it makes me want to come over and shake them.

My thoughts and prayers are with you x

Hi neohdiver
Just to let you know you are being thought about & wished all that is best, not just when you post
Eureka 🙏🏻 💐

Hi Neohdiver, well done for keeping going! Have you read Michaels previous book about fasting? There is an interesting section there about fasting prior to chemotherapy. It refers to a paper from 2008 – it may or may not be current, but given your ability to research and analyse things – you may want to have a look. It is around page 57 in the Fast Diet (soory nI have it on Kindle so cant give a definite page). Paper referred to is in the Proceedings of the National Academy of sciences of the United Stated of America. June 2008. It is titled ‘Starvati0on-dependent differential stress resistance protects normal but not cancer cells against high-dose chemotherapy’. Authors, Raffaghello, Le, Safdie, Wei, Nadia, Biachi, Longo, from Unic Southern Cal.
As I said, it may no longer be current, but is worth a read.
Thinking of you and wishing you all the best.

Thanks, all!

Particularly thanks for the point to the research on fasting and chemotherapy. I don’t expect to have chemo – but if that changes, it would be good to have a look at it!