Hello,
I am new to the group and thought I would share my story. I started Keto the day after Thanksgiving this year. I am not new to Keto, Around 20 years ago I went on the Atkins diet and lost about 70 pounds in 3-4 months. When I got to a weight I was happy with I went off Atkins and right back to my poor habits. Over a few years, I had gained this weight back with interest. Five years ago I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. My highest A1c was 11, I have kept it in the 7-8 range with diet alone, my body did not agree with Metformin. Three years ago I was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma. At the time I was working in the radiology department of a large hospital. My boss, the Director of the Department, asked me to be a model for testing out a new Ultrasound Machine. The “selling” feature of this model was its ability to penetrate large body habitus; it would be a more effective scanner for fat people. During this demo, my coworkers identified a 7cm tumor on my left kidney. This was followed up with a CT, a trip to my doctor, finally a visit to a Urologist. The Urologist pretty much told me that this was an old people cancer. He scared me with how getting control of my health now would be essential to keeping my single kidney healthy. I had my whole left kidney removed. I tried various diets and exercise programs that first year. Nothing worked. Last January I went on Keto. I lost about 40 pounds in the first three months, but fell off the wagon, for some reason or another and topped out on the scales at 402. In October my wife informed me that she was filing for a divorce and the next 42 days, I lost 42 pounds. I could not eat or sleep. But I did notice how much better my clothes fit. I took this momentum and started back on Keto. I have been on Keto now for a month. I have only lost 7 more pounds, but I think the high levels of stress I am under and the fact that I lived on 400-700 calories for a month have maybe messed up my body somewhat. I am following the plan strictly; I log everything. “What you don’t measure you can’t manage.” I have a long way to go, but I am convinced this is how the body was meant to work. In October I had my semiannual follow-up CT scan. I’m still clean, no sign of cancer. Since I have only one kidney, they have to draw labs to check my kidney function to make sure its ok for the IV contrast. In a little over a month, my cholesterol has improved, my HDL has gone up, and my triglycerides have come down. My liver function has also come down a little, it’s still a little high, but with a fatty liver, this is to be expected. The last time I had my A1c checked in July, it was 8.7, and it is now 7.8. For the last month, my daily glucose checks have been in the 70s.
Anyway, I’m glad to have found this podcast, I have listened to all the episodes and I am happy to have found such a great group, and have been lurking on the Facebook group for a few weeks. I really don’t have a support system right now so a group like this is really needed.
Thank you.
keep calm and keto on!
