Hi keepsmiling
I’ve had Turkish slipper toes for 16 years, but not for the past 12 weeks! And legs are good too. I’m Type 2 Diabetic but had this long before diagnosed. Mum (T 2,) & gma & ggma as well ? Why.
We are much more hydrated now & I think maybe we were losing too many electrolytes before? Who knows? Clearly NOT GPs!! Still enjoy my tonic water daily though. Took it for the quinine content. Helps cramps.
Keep on … Smiling

Hi everyone. I’ve now completed 7 weeks and today starts day 1 of week 8!! I’m really pleased with my results but have been struggling with higher BS levels in the mornings. I only test once a day when I wake up, so as good as fasting. I was diagnosed T2 8 years ago and with meds my levels have been around the 7 mark. Been on 2000mg metformin a day. In week 5 as results were so good (5.8-6.1) I reduced to 1000mg a day. Week 5/6 were OK in terms of 6.1-6.4. But week 7 is showing over 7 and this morning 7.9! Not sure why?? On a positive note, I’m exercising – Hiit classes – and trying to walk for an hour most days, I’ve lost nearly 1stone (I’m a fat insider!), my waist has decreased by 3inches and I feel great. Have had no carbs and diet is good – I don’t even feel hungry! Only bad thing I’m doing is eating too many nuts! I’ve read the posts but am a little concerned that this has happened in week 7. Do you think I should increase my meds again? By the way, I intend to stay on this regime (but with slighter higher cals), and the odd glass of wine, a pudding every now and again and….. some bread with my soup! Any suggestions or recommendations gratefully received! You’re all fantastic!

Hi willf, have you cbecked Bill1954. Results? He and cherrieanne both had probs with higher bs levels for a few weeks which then settled 🙂

Thanks for this hashimoto. I did read them but they spiked earlier than me. Think I’ll continue for my final week on lower meds and see what happens. I did check my BS again 2 hours after my breakfast this morning (and 1 metformin!) and level was back to 6. Would be so happy if it stayed like that in the mornings! Will keep you posted….

Yes please Willf, it would be great to hear about your T2 journey and hope your bs stays low 🙂

Hi Willf, I’m on my very last day of my 8 weeks tomorrow. Weight loss has been good – lost just over a stone and a half. However this last week has seen fasting readings in the 9’s!! In the beginning they were 11. Mid-diet they dropped to the 6’s then went up to the 7/8’s in weeks 5/6. I halved my Metformin to 1000mg about 3 weeks ago. However today I’ve upped them back to 2000mg at this late stage. I’ve blamed the 9 readings on peanut butter finger in jar eating at hunger pang times. Disappointed with my levels but pleased with everything else. Maybe I will have to keep on going to get better results.

Hi Will and Leanne,
I think that the blood sugar spikes hit when your liver starts releasing it’s stored fat.
Metformin works by slowing the release of sugar by the liver. So if you didn’t cut down your metformin until week 4/5 you wouldn’t expect to see the blood sugar spikes until after that. By taking metformin I think you are effectively stopping what you want the fast800 to achieve: ridding your liver of it’s fat stores.
I wasn’t on medication so my liver started shedding fat a few weeks into the BSD. Bill was still on metformin but had ceased other diabetes meds, hence his fasting blood sugar spikes.
It took a few weeks to settle but the results are very worthwhile. All my blood sugar readings are now in the non diabetic range. I continue on a low carb med style diet without calorie restrictions.
Good luck with your blood sugars 🙂

Thanks for this Cherrianne, I’ve read Bill’s posts and see that his levels are coming down now which is great. I’m continuing with the lower dose of metformin and will try not to dwell on morning BS readings especially after reading what you’ve said. I’m in my last week now and like you I plan to continue with the diet after but without the 800 cal restriction. I’ll keep the carbs low though (apart from the odd treat!). My Hba1c was 6.4 before I started the BSD but that was on 2000mg of Metformin. My GP doesn’t think much of this diet and won’t test me again till June! But if my BS settles I might try and reduce to 500mg of metformin a day before I go back for the blood test. I’ll keep you posted and thanks again!

Hi Will,
It can be a bit daunting seeing those high fasting readings, but there isn’t much data regarding blood sugar levels in the material I’ve seen from Prof Taylor’s research. So we are really learning as we go here. What it comes down to is we are trying to treat the cause not the symptoms. We are so conditioned, as are the health professionals, to maintaining lower blood sugars as the goal. The BSD makes the goal getting rid of the fat and insulin resistance that causes the high blood sugars. It takes a while for us to get into that way of thinking because it means living with higher levels for a while, in order to reach the goal. Scary stuff!
I think you are wise to cut down the metformin before ceasing it. I’m sure by the time your next HbA1c is due you’ll be having better readings. Then the next test will show the true results as you’ll have had good results for over three months by then 🙂

Hi Cherrianne, apparently reducing insulin resistance damps down other inflammatory markers in the body. Clare ( Michael’s wife) said that is why things like my asthma get better on this diet. I didn’t even realise that Hashimoto’s caused inflammatory markers derrrr sooo
Willf, so you can look forward to other health improvements – but you are probably noticing them already after 7 weeks of BSD!!!!!

Thanks both for your replies – 7.4 this morning so it’s going in the right direction. I’ve taken heart in what you’ve both said so thank you…but you’re completely right Cherrianne, the goal is to rid myself of meds and diabetes and i’ll continue until I do – or at least reduce to 500mg of metformin a day! I’m ok at the moment and I still want to be ok in 10-15 years as well! Happily the weight loss has been good and I certainly feel great hashimoto, you right! I’ll keep you posted – onwards and upwards and thank you all for your help and encouragement! Wouldn’t it be great if we could kick this rubbish disease!!! 😉👍

Totally agree Willf! 🙂

Hi, fasting level was 7.4 today. Ate absolutely properly yesterday but took 2 Metformin before bed. My reading just before bed was 6.6. Gone back to 2 tablets now ( half dose).

Thanks, Eureka – I love ‘Turkish slipper toes!’ Had my first instance of the toe thing since starting the diet last night, but realise that I’d been out gardening all day, then out again in the evening, so might not have been hydrated enough. I’ll try the tonic idea – but will have to resist putting a large gin in it!

Hi keepsmiling
If this weather keeps up I’ll be bbq at the weekend – minus the gin! Boo hoo! 😉 Low carbing all the way. 🍗 🍤 🌽 🍆 🍓
Turkish toes in sandals just about cope with, but boots is another matter? No cramps so far. You drink lots. I get lost in the garden too. One of my Ceanothus is about to burst in blue delight! The other usually June but looks earlier this year. 🎼 Here comes the Sun ☀️

Hello all! LAST DAY TODAY! Has been very successful apart from the glitch with the rising bs levels! I have lost a stone (I’m a fat insider!) so this was great for me but more importantly I’ve lost 4″ around my middle and my BMi is down to 22.1 – in 8 weeks fantastic!! Morning bs is still a little higher than I’d like 6.4 this morning but testing 2hrs after eating my reading was 5.4 – can’t ask better than that! I feel great, mentally and physically. I’m going to stick with it but not count cals so rigidly and allow myself a few carbs. Can’t wait to go back to the doctor and poke him in the eye for scoffing! My goal is being achieved – I’m down to 2 metformin instead of 4 and next week I’m going to cut it down to 1 a day. Not sure whether I should take it in the morning or at night though. Anyone know which would be better?
My advice to anyone starting or losing heart – STICK WITH IT WE CAN RID OURSELVES OF DIABETES!
I’ll keep you all posted, meantime good luck to all of you and thanks for all your support and advice!

Wow, Willf, that is fantastic news. I have still lost a bit of weight and improved my health doing what you are about to do Willf.

BTW welcome to the veterans club now that you are over the 8 week line : )

Hi Willf
That’s excellent news especially for us T 2’s. I’m not there yet, more weight to go before I reach my tipping point ( I hope)? Came off x 2 daily metformin 3 weeks ago off my own bat before I changed GP. Found the new GP supportive ( YES!) & ok with him. Check with yours first, it’s more reassuring if you have at least told them even if they don’t agree!
My FBS been too high ( went right up to 10 at one point )!! but getting better now, 6.6 today. I’ll give it a bit longer before I decide to go back on maybe 1 metformin a day at my main meal. I only eat breakfast & dinner.
Your readings, BMI & inch loss perfect. Hope to join in soon 👍

Week 5 and stopped taking morning readings as all over place,will leave week or two
My day ones dropped bit 6.2 before food 7.9 after two hours ,not sure how good this is but like the 6.2 reading .
Considering I stopped my meds too
Alan bit confused 🤔

I have been on the 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet for 8 days and my BS have gone down from 180 to 110. Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar really works wonders. Dr Fung in one of his lectures recommend to drink 2 tbs before bedtime. I add a herbal ginger tea bag to the ACV and drink a warm cup. After two days my fasting blood sugar started to fall. It’s worth a try. The ACV has to have the “mother” in it. The mother is the strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria that gives the product a murky, cobweb-like appearance. ACV is also helps with acid reflux.

Hi scan di girl do you put lower blood sugars down to this diet or the Acv ?
As I’m in uk I couldn’t recognise the readings of 110 my meter is set to the 6s and 7s etc whatever they’re called
Alan

Thank you everyone for these really great posts. It’s so good to read about your experiences and so heartening when navigating these strange (metformin-free) days.

Just a little message to let those who are struggling know.. I have had type 2 for 16 years… getting off medication seemed like a dream and the first time i reduced my metformin at week 6 or so – it was just too early… and I took the dose back up till I stabilised again… now this week I have halved the dose again… and bsl have been behaving nicely….. will give it a few more weeks to reduce further and hopefully cease one day… or not…. at least I am not at max oral meds with no where to go except injections….

Cheers and huge encouragement

Fatty

I’m in my first week fully and strictly on the BSD and have lost 1.3kg in the first three days, but I am seeing my fasting BG rising from my starting 6.2 to 7.4. I had not heard of the Dawn Phenomenon before I hit this thread but I have now read several scholarly articles about it and feel assured that I know what is going on. Thanks, folks, and especially Squidgy for pointing me in this direction.

My fasting blood sugar has started to go up over the last couple of weeks to around 6.1.

It had dropped to between 3.1 and 4.7 since being on the diet. I’ve been doing it for around 21 weeks, could the dawn phenomenon be at work after all this time?

My post dinner results (2 hours approx after eating) is between 3 and 5.8.

The Dawn phenomenon works all the time even in non diabetics but, of course, it has little effect on them and they are not constantly testing. It is a natural process of the body.

Thank you so much!
I have only been on BSD for 13 days and have been type 2 for 5 years. Starting bsl was 6.9 on 1500mg metformin.
The weight has fallen off me, no surprise as i am unable to fully exercise due to disability. If I diet I lose weight, but on this diet I have lost 2 Stone, 13 days. 2 stone! My fasting blood sugars are 9.9 this AM. I nearly had a fit!
I then calmed down, no stress, and decided to investigate. I know your thread is from 2016, but hope you stilllook on this forum. Everything you put here makes sense, when nothing else has. My liver must be screaming, losing so much so fast, nothing made sense except maybe ‘dawn phenomenon’ . I was unable to open the link shared that you have described in this article, it had bugs, so such a relief to read this, again thank you.
Regards, Penny

Hi Penny
I’ve just come on to post about a book and am dashing to my friend’s but just read your post and wanted to respond. .
I also experienced rising blood sugar levels. Mine was after a few weeks – 4, I think. My bgls were slowly going down week by week and then they suddenly went up again. Mine stayed there for about 2 weeks and then went down again and stayed down. (Others went down much quicker). Not everyone reports it but it’s still pretty common.
My understanding is it’s because glucose is being released into your blood stream from your body. I’ve heard Jason Fung say it should be seen as a positive sign as you are releasing all of that stored glucose and it’s on it’s way out. Certainly, it was positive for me as mine stayed low after that.
When I have more time I’ll try to find where he says it, but meanwhile it’s good you found this thread.
Take care
Jennie xx
Edited: forgot to say, what a fantastic weight loss – big congratulations.

Thanks Jennie,
I hope all is well with you? My weight is still dropping rapidly, so feeling great. I can’t believe as we start week 3, I have lost well over 2 stone and my husband nearly 2, so amazing.
A quick update: BSL dropped to 8.6 this morning, am sooooo relieved. For anyone else reading this thread, I had an awful taste in my mouth every morning from 3am onwards, with BSL jumping to 12.3! I think this was due to liver dumping glucose at that time overnight, due to fasting syndrome overnight, discovered this after much googling. Found out about it eventually on this thread. Which is probably why anyone else is reading this 🤗 This morning taste was nowhere near as strong as it has been, so decided to do BSL Am delighted, and relieved, seems to prove what is happening.
Best wishes
Penny

Hi
I am newly diagnosed January 20024 Type 2.
I have managed to lose 14.5 kg since diagnosis. Slowed down a few weeks because of influenza.
Now I feel great the weight loss from 98 kg to around 84 kg I have energy back.
The nurse in March put me on a daily Metformin tablet to be taken in the evening as my morning blood sugars are between 6-8
However it doesn’t seem to have made a difference. if anything I am now higher than before and slower to go down.
I am now not eating before at least mid day in an effort to get them down. Previously they reduced in a couple of hours.
I have tried taking the Metformin in the early hours as it is a slow release that made things worse. Blood sugars before bed are between 4-7 mmol two hours post meal. When at 4.4 mmol I was frightened to take the Metformin so missed it out. morning blood sugar was still in the 7 mmol range.
HbA1 Jan. 64 mmol in March when I saw the nurse 53 mmol
Has anyone had a similar experience , now feeling very despondent and waiting to see the nurse again.

Hello Ninara.
Firstly this is a very old thread (2020) so not really active there are newer threads which you can post on and may get more help.

Well done on your weight loss. However it’s not weight loss per se that is the secret to keeping blood sugars in check. Have you heard of TOFI, thin on the outside fat on the inside? There are slim people who also have T2. The real secret to lowering your HbA1C is to restrict carbs.

I see from your profile that you are eating ‘low carb’ How low!

Finger prick testing is really quite random and depends very much on what you have eaten, Tim elf day etc. and also I think it’s a ‘personal’ measure but it’s certainly not that accurate it really is only a guide. Blood sugars between 4 & 7 maybe your ‘norm’. By the way, metformin only reduces BS by roughly 10% so don’t get too worried.

I was diagnosed with T2 back in 2011 and found this way of eating in 2016. At that time I was on the highest dose of Metformin . I lost some weight, not a great deal, but did keep my carbs at less that 50g a day and within three months my BS was in the ‘normal’ range. I reduced my Metformin over the next 6 months and it has stayed in the normal range ever since without medication. My last HbA1c was 39 but it has been in the low 30’s and my random finger prick tests are usually between 4.5 & 6.5. If I go above 7 it’s because I’ve had a carb heavy day the day before.

Please don’t feel despondent. Please don’t take finger prick results at face value they really are only a guide. This way of eating does work to reduce blood sugar. I don’t know how you count your carbs or how accurately. For most people around 50g a day works but you may need to go lower.

Thank you for your reply, I will now concentrate on the the Carbs and find a way to count more accurately. I will also look for a more recent thread. New to all of this. Thanks again

Hi Ninara, a good site to log your food is MyFitnessPal.com. It starts slow as you will have to search for the foods to put into your daily log but it will remember what you eat so you can find those foods quickly. It shows carbs, cals, fats etc. You can tell it your goals, i.e. 800 cals / 50g carbs and it will alert you if you go over. Also, don’t worry if it tells you you havent eaten enough or it changes your goals if you add in exercise – we dont allow more food to compensate for exercise but the site does. Just ignore what you dont want to use.

Good luck and join us in other threads.