Hello all,

Wondering if anyone can help or has been through the same thing?

I’m trying to lose weight at the moment with the hope of stabilising/reversing my diabetes.

Over the last few years, my blood sugar has been high and pretty much uncontrolled.

Whilst im not on the BSD at the moment, I’m making changes (fewer calories between 200-500 a day) more fruit veg and nutrition, walking more etc. I want to be sensible and not be too restrictive and focus more on my health.

Due to many years of high blood sugar, I think I’ve shocked my body (even with the small changes I’m making) and its not use to low blood sugar. It feels like hypoglycemia as I’ve got heart palpitations, feel dizzy, foggy, pale .
It’s almost like I’m having a constant panic attack.

My eyes aren’t great and I don’t want to damage them anymore with upping my blood sugars to feel better. Has anyone else been through this? Does your body just need to adjust? Feeling like this isn’t something I can do long term 😕

Any advice would be greatly appreciated 😊

Hi Jazzhands … sorry you are feeling so dreadful. I’m assuming the calorie levels you mentioned, refer to the approx amount you have lowered you’d calories by and not the amount you are trying to live on! Think you are right that your body has probably been shocked by the reduction in calories, making you feel grim.

Many people suffer ‘flu like symptoms in the early day of the BSD way of eating and it does pass. However, if you have several years of diabetes behind you, it’s likely that you are being hit more drastically than most. Hopefully SunshineGirl will make a response to you, as she is also diabetic and has much experience when it comes to how this way of eating can affect those with the condition.

Best wishes, hope you feel better soon and will be able to continue with BSD to improve your health.

Jazzhands you say you’re not following the BSD at the moment. I’m assuming you’ve read the book, if not, please do.
As SunnyB says your symptoms are common.
Can I just say one thing ….. weight per se isn’t the main determining factor in lowering blood sugar. Have you heard the expression TOFI … thin on the outside fat on the inside! You can be ‘thin’ and still have T2.
The real secret is CARBOHYDRATES.
Yes reducing calories is good, as is increasing vegetables but fruit, other than berries, may not be so great.
In its simplest form low carb eating entails removing bread, rice, pasta and potatoes , plus the obviously sugary foods like biscuits, from your diet! Sounds drastic but it does work.

Hi jazzhands, are you testing your blood glucose to see if you are going hypo. It certainly sounds like hypo symptoms. I didn’t think I would ever be able to manage on 800 calories but your body soon gets used to it. Before BSD my go to for a hypo would be something sweet, quick and easy like jam and bread. That seemed like I was wasting my time trying to lose weight and/or get my BG down. Now I am more likely to have a piece of cheese or ham or chicken. Or cut up a couple of prunes and put them in a plain yoghurt. So my only suggestion if you are having a hypo is to eat something but something healthy. If I have a serious hypo and the above don’t help I have a Werthers Original sucked slowly, only about 24 calories.

I do hope you are not trying to live on 500 calories but if this is how much you have cut down by, how much were you eating and what are the calories you are now eating. Without knowing your numbers it is hard to advise where you might possibly be going wrong – eating too little or the wrong things. Be careful with fruit, not only is it high in calories but also in sugars. Berries are a good source of fruit and maybe an occasional apple or pear. An apple has around 29g of carbs which is half of my daily allowance. As Verano says, don’t worry about the weight loss just stick with low carb. You should read the book and understand that all carbs are sugars so it is not just a matter of cutting down on what you know to be sugar (cakes, biscuits, sweets etc) but simple carbs like wheat, bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals.

Let us know what your BG is and what calories and carbs you are eating. We tend to stick to around 50g of carbs per day.

Try to ease into it by gradually lowering your calories and monitoring your blood sugar closely. Keep some snacks handy to prevent lows.