Insulin query

(Norma Laming) #1

I should be very grateful for thoughts on what is going on concerning my insulin levels.I should say that I live in the UK, I don’t have diabetes although I think I might have metabolic syndrome; I do not want to engage at all with the medical profession concerning cholesterol/insulin/anything else and I cannot afford ketone / insulin meters or the expensive strips needed for these.

I have rheumatoid arthritis, which obviously is an autoimmune problem, and there is diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis in my extended family. When I was quite young I found that I would get what I now know to be hypoglycaemic episodes. At the time I thought was quite amusing but as I have become older I realise I really do have to be careful.

I have been eating low-carb for a long time, although when I was much younger I was very keen on carbohydrates and thought that was quite healthy way to eat. I am confident that most of the time I am in ketosis, largely because I no longer have episodes wher I’m desperate for food or even particular hungry. I am learning to fast, although it has not been easy. I haven’t eaten grains, sugar, root vegetables for years and I have never thought of sodas as serious drinks. I don’t get carb cravings but I do have a weakness for butter, cream and fatty food. I’m not overweight but I would like to lose perhaps 8lbs. I’m post menopausal.

On Monday for the first time for longer than I can remember I ate 2 small pieces of chocolate sweetened withsugar: I was asked to do this as part of some market research and I was curious to see what happened . Normally I eat 35 g of dark chocolate sweetened with erythritol and have absolutely no problems. Within about 10 minutes I felt the symptoms of hypoglycaemia. I was surprised about this because it was such a small amount and because I have been eating low-carb for such a long time.

So on Tuesday afternoon I started a fast, which lasted until today lunchtime: around 68 hours. At lunch today I ate a steak and some prawns, unfortunately it just wasn’t possible to add fat to that but I was very pleased to find that the food just slipped down and I really didn’t in the least bit full whereas my vegetarian companion felt absolutely stuffed by the carb fest that she was eating. nevertheless, I felt hungry after, as I hadn’t felt hungry during the days I was fasting and I feel bothered by this.

I now intend to fast from this evening, Friday evening, until around Sunday lunchtime and then fast again from Sunday evening to perhaps Wednesday/Thursday.

I don’t really understand about insulin or why I apparently have hypoglycaemia: is it that I’m producing too much insulin and why would this be?

(Naomi Brewster) #2

Could your RA medication be having an effect? My dad takes various steroids for his RA and gets the shakes - he’s not LC though.

Also, lean protein on it’s own without added fat may have the affect of spiking insulin especially if large portion meaning that you could get hungry sooner.

Just a couple of quick comments, I;m sure someone else will have something intelligent to say on insulin itself. Good luck

(Norma Laming) #3

Thanks for the thoughts: But it’s not likely. The hypoglycaemia started when I was in my teens, though it didn’t happen often, and I didn’t start taking RA medication until I was in my late thirties/early 40s.

I’m not on steroids: I’m on an immune suppressant, etanercept. In the past I’ve taken bits and pieces such as methotrexate but never oral steroids. I do have an occasional steroid injection but that’s only about once every three years.

I think it’s something more systemic within me and I suspect it’s an insulin, / metabolic problem.

I’m sure you’re right about the fat, though!

(Norma Laming) #4

From reading around, hyperinsulinemia is linked with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. So it’s the RA, rather than the medication.