Hi all,

I’m just looking for some advice please. I’ve been nudging the prediabetic range for a few years, but was shocked when I recently started recording ( since Jan) my fasting sugar in the morning and during the day when I feel very shaky. Fasting levels are up in the 6 range, and this morning over 7, even though levels post dinner 2 hours are around 6. When shaky, they sometimes fall to 4. I think I may have hypoglycaemia and read somewhere to have protein before bed, so trying that at the moment.

My question is, is it safe to do this diet? If I did the fast800, I’m concerned that I might have sugar lows. Should I try and ride these out? Will this help my body reset the sugar levels. Hypoglycaemia advice is when low is to have something sugary, but that is in conflict with the BSD? I’m just trying to work out the right approach.
Thanking you.

Hi LisaBrit, welcome to the site and I hope we can be of some help. First of all I would say it is not safe if you have uncontrolled diabetes and dont know what you are doing. So there are several things we should know before we give advice. For example, are you still pre-diabetic, have you had a proper blood test (HbA1c) or a glucose tolerance test. When did you last see a doctor about the pre-diabetes (or diabetic nurse). Why are you doing regular blood tests yourself, were you advised to. Are you on any medication for diabetes or any other condition. Are you already doing low carb low calorie.

I take it from your wording that you havent had any hypo type episodes but are worried you might have them if you do the 800 cals.
Can I advise that if you have a low and shakey episode you should definitely have something to eat very quickly. Traditionally it was something sweet but that is a very short term solution and will only increase your BG for a short time until you can get some proper food. If you are not dangerously low or passing out and can look after yourself and can get access to food you would be better to have something like plain yoghurt and some dried fruit, or a protein like cheese or ham or chicken. This will bring your BG back up gently and not let it drop again too quickly. However, if you feel you need something very sweet and want to feel safe, please do it rather than collape and to heck with the diet. Also make sure you have something with you at all times, I carry I small bag of nuts but also have some Werthers Originals in my bag. I think you need to answer the questions I have asked if you dont mind and lets take it from there. Once you have replied I will tell you how I coped when I first started the diet and how to stay safe.

Hi sunshine-girl,

I’ve not had a blood test for over a year, but previously I was nearly into the prediabetes range. I’ve had diabetic symptoms for a few years now, such as burning feet, going to the loo etc, but doctors have said it is not diabetes due to blood test. I bought a testing kit after reading the MM book, as would like to loose some weight and move away from the prediabetic range. I’m not convinced that my foot problem isn’t related as have read this can be a sign before full onset of diabetes. So, I just wanted to see what my blood sugar levels were doing. If I eat well, they are around 5 in morning after fasting, but can be around mid 6 range if I do have any carb the previous day.I note that this is creeping upwards, so may well have entered diabeties range. I’ve always not been able to go long without food and get shaky. Testing at this time reveals a low 4, so I now know what it is. I think at theses times, even though I’m having protein meals and possibly not eating enough. I struggle with the idea of eating lots of protein, as much prefer pasta and rice, which is why I’ve ended up in this predicament! I have always had a sweet tooth and can binge sweet foods if not careful, just wonder if these surges can be harmful, but would not show on the standard test, along with low blood sugars would bring the average down.

Sorry, I feel muddled in the way ahead and thanks for your advice so far, but would welcome some more thoughts on this.

Hi LisaBrit. I have to say first of all that I am not a medical person and can only speak from my own experience and my own personal knowledge of the diabetic condition over many years.

I really dont know how to advise you as, from your numbers on self testing you dont appear to be diabetic and even pre-diabetic. Under 5.8 on morning fasting is a normal reading and 7.8 is normal 2 hours after eating. The lows of 4 are probably because, as you say, you might not be eating enough and this would happen to anyone. Pre-diabetes have numbers of usually over 7.8 and around 11.8 two hours after eating. Diabetics are much higher and usually have reading of around 11 in the morning if they are not being treated. Can I also say that the numbers you get from a self test are not exactly accurate. For example I run at around 4.5 to 5.0 most of the time when I test in the morning after no food. My HbA1c would typically come out at around 5.9 to 6.4. So there is I think about a 10 to 15% tolerance for error. To be clear on this you really should ask for another test if you are really worried. I have not heard of burning feet being a symptom and only going to the loo if you have a raging thirst that you cannot satisfy and drink glass after glass of fluid, then that will make you go to the toilet. The other symptoms are blurred vision, confusion, sweating, massive weight loss without trying, hunger, slow healing sores and constant infections i.e. thrush, sore throats, tingling in the feet or hands (if that is what you mean by burning) and constant fatigue.

Assuming you are diabetic you should be able to do the diet but with the conditions I mentioned in my first post i.e. that you eat something if you feel at all unwell. When I was trying to lose weight due to a large gain from the insulin injections I used to swim every after noon and get out of the pool feeling really shaky, numb lips, blurred vision etc and used to grab something like jam and bread, and that is where you are asking what to do as it really defeats the object of trying to lose weight to improve your diabetes. So I take you back to my earlier advice to have something none carb and none sugar. Something like cheese, chicken, ham or yoghurt with prunes or apricots. You wont be on this diet if you continue to eat rice and pasta so maybe you should read the book again and be clear on the principles. No bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, breakfast cereal as well as what you traditionally think of as carbs and sugars like biscuits, cakes, sugar in tea etc. You dont have to go high protein but supplement the protein with lots of good veg like cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, kale, peppers, courgettem salad veg – too many to mention but there are charts you can look at (thedietdoctor.com is a good one). If you want to chat more about this just keep asking questions. Nothing we cant sort out.

Finally, until you are sure what is going on make sure you have 3 normal spaced meals a day plus a snack if needed and do not think about intermittent fasting or any type of fasting.

Sunshine-girl / Denise