I'm still trying to find my way around, this is a pretty massive board, bigger than most I've visited. There does seem to be alot of information and Im glad because I have alot of questions.

I've been on this "diet" (actually Im trying to change the way I eat for life) for 9 days now. The original inspiration was Carbohydrate Addicts Diet and my search to find out why my Hypoglycemic condition seems to be getting worse and worse even though I eat all day long!

Learning about the carb issue is bittersweet for me, sweet because Im thanking god there is something I can do to stop the low blood sugar symptoms that drive me crazy and prevent me from living a normal life, and bitter because I am the biggest carb addict that ever lived and the last 9 days have been torturous. (not exagerrating!) I think it would be easier to quit smoking than cutting back on carbs.

I'm not having a problem with the fact that you can lose weight on this diet either, I only have about 10 lbs to lose whish isnt much but I was well on my way to much higher considering the fact that I gained that and an extra five and found that the more I ate the hungrier I felt. I feel like I've been going in circles with it all. It really gets frustrating. My stragety was to exercise like a maniac, but I am exhausted alot of the time because of it.

My first question of day then is how long till you stop getting the cravings!? 9 days now and they are not all gone, I have to FORCE down the things that I am supposed to eat, its like my body just DOES NOT WANT THIS! You would think if I was really that hungry I would eat what was available right? I'd almost rather not eat at all than not have the thing I want (cereal, toast, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, rice, etc..) but because of the HG I have to eat to function.

Is everyone else finding the first couple of weeks as hard as I am?

Stargrrl

Hi and welcome!

How long 'till the cravings go away? I don't know. Most people say 'within a week', but not everyone has such serious HG, and we're all different.

Is it possible that you're eating something that's triggering cravings? Too much artificial sweeteners or something? And you're not going to crazy with sugar at that reward meal, are you?

Anyway, keep us posted. Feel free to start a journal.

Oh, I love your bangs.

If you want to make that picture your avitar, you can click 'profile', then 'edit options' on the next screen. Avitar is at the bottom.

Welcome to the forum!

Kick back, settle in, and navigate your way around. There’s more information than you ever imagined here…and great people, too!

Good luck!

Donald

Hi and thank you for the welcomes! Today is day 10 and I've dediced I dont need to be drastic, yes Krisitine was having a problem with those reward meals! I can't eat too much at one sitting so I dont think its as bad as it could be but I couldnt wait for the day to pass so I can eat some mashed potatoes, or gratin potatoes or something like that. I was even skipping the dessert so I can eat POTATOES! As you can see I had a problem with them, and bread.

But and here is my big butt I think weaning myself off the white bread, cereal, milk and potatoes (I am eating way less) is really an accomplishment in itself. Im finding my breakfast does kick in and last longer when I let myself have one to two pieces of wheat toast with my eggs and ham in the morning. Then I try to stay away and eat protien rich as long as I can, untill I give in and have a glass of carnation instant breakfast (w/no added sugar) or a small bowl of cereal around 4 ish. After that is dinner and I dont go quite so crazy now in the evenings.

What Im thinking at this point is that I will let myself have very small portions of carbs during the day and it will help me control myself in the days end. I know that isnt Carb Addicts Diet anymore but Im sure everyone has to do a little customizing?

Stargrrl

>>"I know that isnt Carb Addicts Diet anymore but Im sure everyone has to do a little customizing?"

Yep, we all experiment and adjust a little. And you're right about it being good that you've reduced your intake of the "white stuff." I actually did that before I jumped into Protein Power.

Be aware of this, though: in reactive hypoglycemia (which I assume you have - the other kind is extremely rare), the one and only thing that aggrivates the condition is carbohydrates . Your blood sugar only plummets after consuming those carbs. Once you eliminate the high-glycemic carb intake, the condition virtually disappears. If it were me, I'd be seeking out a *more* restrictive plan, not a less restrictive one. I'd go cold turkey. Give Atkins or Protein Power some consideration. I mean, assuming your HG symptoms are really annoying. Mine were sufficiently annoying that carby foods just aren't worth it to me. YMMV.

Just a suggestion based on experience. My HG is only under control as long as I'm having less than... oh, 50 or 60 g of effective carbs (total carbs minus the fiber) per day. Any 'taters, cereal, junk food, and I'm back into heart palpitations and sugar madness.

[SIZE=3][COLOR=blue]Hey Stargrrl & everyone else. I'm new here, also. I've had HG for about 2 years now, and what a pain it is. Anyway, I tried Atkins a few months ago and lost 5 lbs or so, but I was at a loss for new foods to try, & in the midst of getting ready for my wedding, so I quit. Bad move. Carbs pack on the pounds faster than the speed of light! Now, I'm trying the Suzanne Somers Somersize diet and it seems to be more my type of diet. She doesn't exclude carbs or make you count carb grams, but you have to group foods together. I end up always eating more protein & fats than carbs anyway becuz those are the foods that keep me from being hungry, but the option is always there if I want to eat carbs. I do know this: Splenda is the bomb! It's made from sugar, tastes like sugar, but has no calories and is ok'd by the low carb people. I'm so glad. I guess I'll go scan through the recipes now. Be back laterz!

(Kristine) Reply Part One:

Wow that is interesting do you mean that I can have sugar? I have read in this latest book Im reading that potoatoes are actually worse than table sugar! I guess it makes sense, giving up sweets hasnt been nearly as hard as giving up starches.

White Buttermilk Bread (Millbrook) and potatoes have been the most difficult. As of today Im officially off the white bread! Yay! Although I do allow myself 2 pieces of wheat toast with my breakfast and small bowl of high fiber cereal between 3 & 4 pm.

Now this weekend I will be trying a recipe found here for low carb bread, where I can replace that with my morning toast (gotta have it) I hope I hope it tastes as good as they are telling me

You know I can tell that all this stuff isnt just a load of crap today I am finding that my withdrawl symptoms are significantly lower than last week and I feel pretty clear headed (my usual form of gauging my blood sugar) Its kind of exciting I wanted to run out into the street and yell:

"I FEEL BETTER!!!!!!"

Hehe I just might still what do you think?

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( The Krispuh My Precious) Reply Part Two

Krisp!! Im so glad you made it!! Everyone this is my friend Krisp she is a fellow HG and just recent LC'er too, what a totally kewl person I asked her to come in and check all this out with me. I think she is adorable the way she is but she wants to lose a few and more importantly stabilize her blood sugar as well. She is easy to relate to because she understands all the symptoms that come with it. (Heart Palpitaions, tired etc.) Although she really doesnt to be quite as forgetfull as I am.

Im gald you are here!!

Hi to Stargirl and Kristine......

I have been looking at this thread and when I saw that you, Kristine, had commented on the heart palpitations, it really peaked my interest. I've never been diagnosed with HG but when I would be eating the the white flour junk, I would get light headed, floaty, and also had the palpitations. Are those kinds of symptoms that HG people get? I find it all very interesting.
Looking forward to your reply.
Tangy

Hi Stargrrrl.

>>"Wow that is interesting do you mean that I can have sugar?"

Well... no, it's not a good idea. But have you heard of the glycemic index? Try to think 'low-glycemic'. High fiber cereal isn't half bad; it sounds like you're making good choices. Keep experimenting, and go by how you feel. It honestly depends on how much 'control' you want over the situation. Personally, I find it easier to just give up the carby stuff completely. Trying to 'negotiate' CAD-style would definitely not work for me.

Hi Tangy. Technically, reactive hypoglycemia symptoms are usually symptoms of blood sugar that's too high, then too low. Personally, I don't even consider HG to be a 'disease' or 'condition', but something that's a normal human response to abnormal food. Our bodies simply aren't made to handle the masses of 'white junky stuff' many of us eat; it's just that some people feel the symptoms, and others don't (or ignore them, or blame something else.)

What would be typical for me, if I ate something junky/carby, would be the heart palpitations, mild shakiness, and I'd feel like I could run a marathon. Then within an hour, I'd be so tired I could sleep standing up. That, and I'd want to stuff myself with even more carby junk - and often did. After all, most of it was fat free. This was before LCing virtually eliminated the problem for me. Now, I can even sneak the occasional cookie or mini-chocolate bar with no problem.

For more info, there's some info here.

Oh darn l well like I said its easier for me to stay away from than those other white starchy (fat free!) foods too! And here I though I was being good all that time.

My HG symptoms go like this, tired, irritable, cant concentrate or think of the right words in a sentence (names too) yet at the same time overstimulated, talking quickly and about many different subject, anxiety (now this is the bad one, I think I am a bit of a worrier anyway but the HG puts me into overdrive here) and trembling. All very difficult things to deal with when your trying to run a business!!

Now for a long time I thought I was just painfully shy or suffering from some kind of anxiety disorder and when I feel the trembling coming on (usually when Im talking to someone for a long time) then I would just try to control it by brute force telling myself to get a grip and I have beat myself up about it for years!

I have to say one of the foremost reasons I am doing this is to get that anxiety in check, honestly theres nothing so out of control in my life that should have such an effect on me. Thats why it makes sense that its the HG and my bad eating habits. I'm telling you it get old quick!

Kristine are saying you eat no carbs at all? Or just a severely limited amount. I was surprised to see that cottage cheese and some and even cream cheese have them. Im on the run all day long and I have to have things I can pack up and have ready to chow down. The thought of having the blood sugar rock solid like that sound promising but I know I cant go cold turkey. It would take me while to get to that point I think.