Type 1 Diabetes Ups and Downs

[mountainjillian]

I am one week into my Whole 30, and while I have been feeling pretty good (less highs and lows with my blood sugar), sometimes it still hits me and hits me HARD. Yesterday morning, I couldn't do anything to keep my blood sugar up, and I hadn't taken any fast-acting (or bolus) insulin all day. I even had to sip coconut water (boy I hope that's okay on the Whole 30... I think it should be) just to keep myself from going low. Then, I got home for dinner. It was all down hill from there. I had some sweet potatoes with my dinner, and after dinner I was craving SUGAR. I submitted to my weakness and had 2 medjool dates. Bad, bad, bad. That was when my decline started. I. Felt. TERRIBLE. My blood sugar skyrocketed to over 300. I was practicing guitar and had to stop because I felt so terrible. I fell asleep on the couch after taking some insulin at 9pm - seriously in a "sugar coma." I am realizing I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! I need to be satisfied sipping some herbal tea for my "treat" after dinner (if I need it). Seriously, what was I thinking?! It doesn't matter if I have ice cream or "Whole 30 approved" dates - they are basically feeding my body the same sugar rush that is so terrible for my diabetes. I felt so sad and started to cry because I am so tired of the roller coaster I go through every day with my highs and lows with my blood sugar. I am going to try to re-energize, and use the rest of my Whole 30 to really try to get in control of my blood sugar levels. Yes, I can have carbs, but they need to be in amounts my body can manage on its own. Sweet potatoes and dates all within the same hour is simply too much. Let me know if you are a type 1 diabetic and have tips on how to naturally manage your blood sugar.

[Zoodles]

There are definitely days when I have been lowish all day as well, and I just had to keep having dates or straight sugar to ride it out. I know if I spend a whole day with lowish blood sugar, trying to avoid having extra sugar/carbs, it bites me back HARD and I'll keep eating nonstop at night until my blood sugar is way too high.

This is my second whole30, and i think the low days happen at that transition point when your body is learning to burn fat rather than carbs, and isn't turning protein into glucose efficiently yet. For both my whole30s there have been 2-3 days where I've had to drop my insulin right back, and then things seem to return to normal. Hang in there, try not to be low all day because it certainly triggers big sugar cravings! Just have some sugar/carbs if you need them, they're not going to give you an insulin spike like they might with most people!

Also, don't beat yourself up about 2 dates. It's 2 dates. Not so bad

[mountainjillian]

Thanks Zoodles! It is so great to hear from another Type 1 diabetic! It is such a challenging disease to get the hang of - so unpredictable.

[mark0chels]

My husband and I just started Whole30 and he is type 1 diabetic as well. He has been experiencing some lows how do we get his blood sugar back up while still staying on the Whole30 guidelines. Since your experience was not great with two dates, I'm wondering what is the best option to raise his blood sugar besides, fruit or nuts. Prior to this diet, his blood sugar seemed to always be a roller coaster too. My hope is that this will help stabilize it. Any suggestions?

[LydiaL]

I found that switching to paleo diet really helped me keep my blood sugar in a reasonable range (4.0 - 6.5) the majority of the time. I've found that as I have reduced the amount of carbs (especially complex carbs) I eat, I am also able to adjust the amount of fast acting insulin I take to work more effectively and timing of when I take it in relation to when I eat.

Prior to going paleo,I read It Starts With Food in combination with The Diabetic Solution by Dr.Bernstein.

I found The Diabetic Solution to be really helpful with regards to managing blood sugar and adjusting insulin dosage after switching to a low carb diet. Although he is basically advocating a no carb diet and encourages the use of some artificial sweeteners, I found that the general principles of the eating plan to work well with a paleo diet. All of this being said, I wouldn't suggest adjusting your insulin dosages without consulting your doctor.

I am using glucose tablets to counteract low blood sugar, not Whole 30 compliant but I am considering this a medication as opposed to a food. They work quickly and its easy to calculate how many to take to raise blood sugar to acceptable levels. Alternately, someone mentioned fruit leather in another thread. I think those generally have about 15 grams of carbs each so 1 is often enough for me to get my blood sugar up. I also find that dates make my blood sugar spike so I am trying to avoid those.

[bkbk]

Yes, it's so hard. I've also had days during this whole30 when i can't get my blood sugar below 200. Instead of beating myself up, I try to remind myself that paleo or W30 is not going to be as much of a solution for me/us as it will be for those who aren't trying to imitate a bodily organ extrinsically. Isn't it remarkable to think of it that way? Most people's bodies will be able to manage their blood sugar better just by eating according to W30 guidelines, and their bodies will manage their hormone levels, stress levels, etc., but we have to do it from the outside, and without the automatic body cues that other people's bodies get to use.

I find that after a day like Mountainjillian's, when i've been low or close to low for a long time, I crave carbs like nobody's business, and that's TOTALLY NATURAL. Your body needed glucose, and so your brain drove you to consume glucose.

I do think that using glucose tabs for lows is the best way to prevent those cravings. They raise your blood sugar way faster than dates, fruit, fruit juice, or anything else. I actually consider using glucose tabs for a low blood sugar during a W30 to be the BEST way to do it - it's like medication, and it's more effective for treating lows, and it has fewer side effects. And they don't give me a "surprise" high a few hours later, like other, more delicious carb sources will. I'm using Glucolift tabs, which are more expensive, but they're reasonable on Amazon if you get a package that has super-saver-shipping. They taste better than the ones you can get at the drugstore, they have ingredients you can pronounce, and they're more natural. http://www.glucolift.com/blog/nutritional-info/

[Zoodles]

I agree - glucose is what's needed in your blood, and glucose tabs are the purest way of giving your body what it needs, without anything else unnecessary Plus I hate the taste, so they're definitely in the medication category, rather than something that would trigger a craving like dates/sugary lollies etc

[Missmsl]

Just curious as to how finished results have turned out for Type 1 Diabetics? I need to hear of some positive results!! On day 10 and pushing on through the lows and highs....

[LydiaL]

My blood sugar has been pretty well controlled since starting my Whole30 on April1st, but for the past few days I have been struggling to keep my blood sugars up. I seem to be somewhere between 2.4- 3.5 before meals so have been eating a bit more fruit with my meals to keep my blood sugar level. Think I need to look at adjusting both my fast and slow acting insulins. Ugh.