Hi,

Just thought I’d pop in and say ‘Hello’..Im 50 in a couple of weeks, I\’ve become more sedentary and over the last year or two, along with becoming lethargic and I’d started to put on weight, I went to the Drs for something unrelated on Wednesday and had bloods taken, the next day I got a call to say I\’d been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Type 2 Diabetes, the combination explains my lethargy and possible weight gain, I\’m currently 171cm (Don\’t think I can do much about that, but the 90kgs I\’m packing are all up for grabs…I don\’t want a BMI of 30 anymore…hope I\’m not looking to do too much, too late…but I\’m intending to get on top of this!

The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet Book landed this morning…Had a great Salad for tea!

Red x

Ps…what’s with the apostrophes turning into rear slashes?

Hi 8weeksand counting, welcome, shout out if you need any help

Hi sunshine-girl,

Thank you, I’m suitably enthusiastic about all of this right now, more because I see it as a way of me taking on this ‘surprise’ diagnosis head on!

A couple of things I am curious about…

I’ve literally just taken my first Metformin (1x500mg) this morning, as I’ve equally been to the gym and had around 800 calories of food…presuming my activity levels stay high and my calorie intake low, would we just review this medication intake in 4 weeks when my next blood test is due, as I’m sure you know, it the Met increases weekly for the first 3 weeks?

And secondly, I’ve always been a muesli, milk and fruit kind of person on waking, now I’m on the Levothyroxine (100mg) in the morning, I’ve read that dairy is to be avoided…I’ve got the recipe book coming in the morning, but do people one the Thyroxine tend to do the prolonged daytime fast thing and have breakfast around 10am-12am, after the Thyroxine has done it’s thing…or do they just change their breakfast of choice to non dairy?

Hope that’s not to much for a ‘Hello’…As an aside, the forum looks great and is seemingly nice and friendly, cheers,

Red

Hi Red
Just to reply about the thyroxine, I’ve been on it for 4 years. I.ve never been told to avoid dairy (only soya). I take it around 7.30am. Am enjoying having ‘proper’ porridge as opposed to instant, made with water and some chopped up fruit with it about 8am. This really satisfies me and keeps me going until early afternoon if needed. Since following BSD principles I do have some full fat yogurt, but not as much as the low fat stuff I used to have. Not craving lashings of cheese on toast as I used to!

Hi Dyl,

Thanks for that, good to know you’re thriving on it. I suppose I just want to get this right from the start, it really came as a shock to me, but reflecting on my lethargy and weight gain I may have found the cause…which cheers me in some way.

As for the calcium/dairy advice…not to mention morning coffee…this study seems to sum it up well and as such I’m thinking of going to night time time thyroxine taking…
https://www.healthcentral.com/article/thyroid-patients-cautioned-to-avoid-drinking-milk

I should really move these questions to the main forums too…I’ve said my ‘hello’ now…suppose that’s the done thing…;)

Red

I would suggest that you dont take the Metformin at all. It is not often I say go against medical advice but as you have not been on it and are doing this diet you really shouldn’t need it. Just one thing though, you need to be doing this properly so you should cut out the porridge or muesli as they are both high in carbs – muesli is also full of sugar unless you have made it yourself and with fresh fruit not dries. Besides the calorie control in this diet, cutting out the carbs is crucial to lowering your blood sugar which is your main aim for the diabetes diagnosis. I bet when you go back in 4 weeks and your bloods are lower you can then tell the doctor that you didn’t take the Metformin and it is the diet that has had the desired effect. By the way, you dont have to take my advice it is just a suggestion. On the subject of hypothyroid, my daughter has been on Levothyroxine for about 15 years and has never been told to avoid dairy – I will mention this to her and we can look at the research.

Hi Sunshine,

Thanks for that, you know what, I do trust my Dr…but I’m also not wanting to be rattling around like a bottle of pills. The stuff I’m reading on here really does make me want to do this without Metformin…I’ve taken two so far, but I reckon I’ll not take anymore. I’ve not actually seen any figures from the bloods for my diagnosis yet, I’ve just stepped into action following a call from the Dr following my test results, I don’t see the diabetes nurse until the 4th July, with a fasting blood test in 4 weeks…be good to see if I can kickstart a change by then!

I’ve not touched the muesli since my diagnosis…in fact I’ve not consciously touched any carbs, I’ve the 8 week BSD book and the accompanying Diet book next to me and am just about to hit the gym, what’s the worst that could happen…lol!

I’m no expert on the Thyroxine stuff, but I’ll be researching that too, good luck!

Red

hi 8weeks, just how great will it be to get your blood results and be able to say you did it yourself without the meds. If you take the meds you wont know what causes the better results – the meds or the diet – my money is on the meds. I had 8.4 when I started this diet and in 6 weeks was down to 6.2 then at my next 3 month test was 5.5. I am on medication but was getting those results and reducing the meds. Still on meds as it gets harder to get off once you start.

Hi Sunshine,

Yes, I’m going to go for it, sans meds…I didn’t know i had it a few days ago, what will a few weeks matter! I’ll go stealth and not tell the Diabetes nurse until I come back from my holidays at the end of July…I’ll be 5-6weeks in then and hopefully lighter, more energised and a medical phenomenon…just like everybody here!

Thanks for the knowledge…

Red

Hi Red
I was diagnosed with Type II at the beginning of August last year. I was called in to see the GP the day after my initial test and GP said I would need to go on Metformin. I was told the practice nurse would prescribe the Metformin at my first appointment which was over 2 weeks away. So, I started the BSD straight away.

I did pick up the Metformin prescription but decided to give myself another 2 weeks before I started taking them (I figured the GP practice had delayed giving them to me by 2 weeks so it was reasonable for me to delay taking them for 2 weeks). During that time I could see my daily blood sugar readings were going lower and lower – the diet was working – so I never took the Metformin. I managed to get my blood sugars back into the normal range by my next hba1c test at the end of November.

Btw, I also posted a question about Metformin on this Forum when I first started and got similar advice from sunshine-girl. It’s great advice.

Ultimately, we each have to make these decisions for ourselves, but as you are going to have a fasting blood test in 4 weeks you could always start taking the Metformin at that point if you haven’t seen improvements in your blood sugars by then. But if you adhere to the BSD between now and then, like sunshine-girl, I’m confident you will!

You’re making a great start. Best of luck and will look forward to hearing how you get on.
Marie xx

edited – just read your response to sunshine-girl – go for it!
Btw, don’t forget to get/make a note of your initial test result from the diabetes nurse on 4th July.

Also, just a thought for the future. If you are in the UK (well, England definitely) you can now get access to your medical records online (easily arranged through your GP practice) which I’ve found really helpful as it means you can see the results of tests etc prior to any review meetings with the healthcare team.

Hi Red,

I think like me but for different reasons you’ve found all this fantastic and got the books. I got the BSD book yesterday and receipe one today (far better than in the book!). 🙂
I’ve watched with fascination Dr Michael Mosley over the years looking into one diet after another and comapring results etc. Love it.
My comfort eating is my achilies heal and recent probs so me indulge far too much!
So I’m here about to start… clearing out cupboards etc..
I did the 5:2 about 18mths ago and found it very good but as I plateau-ed I also had hassles and comfort ate my way off the diet. So I paused it…
So having seen this development of the diet to the BSD this is I believe what I need, too. 🙂
So really good luck! And I hope your journey is going to be every bit as good as I hope mine will be! 🙂

Hi Red
Thanks for info about thyroxine and milk, it’s a minefield isn’t it? I’d be interested in how you get on with taking thyroxine at night, I’m a chronic insomniac, on the patient information leaflet the top side effect is insomnia…. great! When I first started taking it, I didn’t sleep night or day for a fortnight. Settled now on 50mg for the last 4 years and yearly bloods suggest that’s the right dose for me. You may like to get your B12 checked as a deficiency in that goes hand in hand with thyroid issues. Mine was checked recently by default, seriously deficient and had the 6 injections within a fortnight and now every 3 months. Left untreated can cause all sorts of horrors.
Good luck!

Hi Dyl,

I’ll be sure to let you know…as I’m quite new to all of this, I’m not so sure it’ll be very objective, the reasons given in the link below are seemingly common sense, though it seems to rely on the fact that you’re not a night time eater….unless you go to be very late that is. Also, it does talk of people who have multiple prescriptions and the interplay between the various drugs. I’m lucky as I don’t take any other drugs…not even Metformin, thanks sunshine-girl!
https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hypothyroidism/morning-still-best-time-take-levothyroxine

Good luck…

Red

Hi Aurora,

It sounds like you’ve prior knowledge and certainly know what’s expected of you…fingers crossed you can crack it! I’m liking the forum as we’re all in this together, so good luck and lets see how we get on!

Be strong, and be ruthless in the pantry!

Red

Hi Marie,

Thank you for your advice, and your edit…I didn’t know that about my GP records, I’ll be sure to get on to that, and I’ll certainly be making note of my readings…I’ve taken my last Metformin today, let’s see if a course of two 500mg tablets was enough…lol!

I’ll make sure I feedback my progress, I know it can serve as inspiration for some, let’s do it together…

Red

Yes, it’ll be good to hear how you get on.
By the way, I love your name – makes me think of Maureen O’Hara in one of those classic Hollywood films.

Hi Marie,

I’ll make sure I share…thanks for the name comment, it seemed apt, I’m thinking more ‘Some Like It Hot’…a more humorous option!

Red