blurred vision

[brown-eyed-girl]

Hi I am new to atkins. I am in induction 10th day..lost 10 pounds the first
week. I started on Nov 1 and last Friday I started experiencing blurred vision. I finally got in to see the Dr today(opthamologist) and he said that
it looks like my sugar dropped really low really fast and has caused this blurred vision. Has anyone experienced this? I had to get glasses today because I couldn't read any print (in books, computers or anything)it is really scary.

[2big4mysize]

Hi welcome to the board, Congrats on your 10 pound loss.


Have you been monitoring your blood sugars? it is very important as a diabetic to do that since the damage diabetus does is slow over time and every time you are out of range you do a bit of damage.

Did the doc say it was from a fast drop in the last few days that caused your vision problems that required the glasses or were those just gradual changes in your eyes as part of the normal aging process. Temp blurred vision can happen from sugar being too low or even too high and causeing fluids to accumulate in the lenses causing a nearsited condition but those symptoms go away after your blood sugar returns to mormal. Unmamagaed high blood sugar can also damage the blood vessels of the eye and rsult in a permanent loss of vision.

Are you on any insulin producing meds if so you need to discuss your low carb eating with your treatment plan. Y9ou should be under the care of a doc regardless of what type you have and watching closly your blood sugar levels for swings. You can get a free monitor at most drug stores in the US this month too.

[brown-eyed-girl]

blurred vision

I am under the care of a doc. I am on meds also. Avandament and
synthroid. I monitor my sugars once a day. My sugar did drop drastically
the first week of my diet. The thing of it is most diabetics are near sighted, I am extremely farsighted. They are keeping a watch on it ( I am to) He said it make correct itself some over the next 8 weeks, meantime I am wearing glasses.

[2big4mysize]

synthroid is a thyroid hormone medication are you type 1 or type 2 hypothyroid?
Avandament is one of those combination drugs for lowering blood sugar from the live and insulin resistance both of which your Atkins diet will help with too. Please make sure your doctor knows you are eating Atkins low carb. you may need a lowering of your medication. Many type II diebetics have been able to get of their meds while eating the Atkins plan. Have you read the new diabetic book by Dr Atkins or the Dr Bernstine sp? book many of the low carbers here use with their diabetus.
Is once a day testing all your doctor recomends?

[brown-eyed-girl]

blurred vision

I am type II borderline basically...He recommends testing once a day.
No I don't have either book, just have the dr atkins new diet revolution book, will look into getting one of those books. I really want to stay with this diet, its the first one that I have actually been able to stick with. (started nov1) I need to lose this weight. He says once my weight starts coming down then I will be able to come off of the meds. I just want to be safe. I don't want to damage anything.

[2big4mysize]

Good for you taking control of your blood sugar issues. checkout the stickies at the top of this forum for more information from diabetics who have been there done that like you. 10 pounds might be enough weight to warrent a med chage. :yes Does your doc know your blood sugar got too low. and caused this vision problem? the reason many of the diabetics use the other books is because on the very low net carbs their blood sugars got too low too. Will you be moving to OWL when you get to day 15? if so it will be a mute point for you.

You are a type 2 hypothyroid too? I was asking because some of the foods on the acceptable foods lists are know goitrogens and can effect the conversion of your T4 to T3 so you may need that level checked and your med adjusted too. I'm a type 1 hypothyroid and have Hasimoto's

[brown-eyed-girl]

blurred vision

To tell the truth I'm not sure what I am as far as thyroid?
I was going to stay with the induction phase since I have 80 more pounds to lose, but I am definitely going to get the diabetic book now. So you are saying they have a different diet that they follow? I just want to get with what I need to be on and stick with it and get this weight off.

[2big4mysize]

they use a higher net carb I think it is 40 to start and adjust accordingly.

Please read those topics stickied to the top of the Atkins/diabetics forum to understand it better.

Your doctor knows your condition better then anybody though and your treatment team can help you modify it so you don't hae a blood sugar swing like that again.

[IrishIrish]

Congratulations on your weight loss.

This may be an issue that some disagree with on this board, but borderline diabetic is the same as being diabetic. If someone is borderline pregnant, they are pregnant. Personally, having worked with the medical profession for many years, I think that they like to "soften" the blow when they tell us so they use terms like "borderline".

Bottom line is you need to treat yourself like you are diabetic. I agree with 2Big ... Dr. Bernstein's book, Diabetes Solution is the best I have read. I was diagnosed a "borderline diabetic" five years ago and was put on oral agents, followed closely by insulin injections.

Since starting Atkins, I've obviously modified the way and what I eat so I test frequently (three to four times a day). In doing so I've had great information to share with my physician and we've been able to safely reduce my oral meds and reduce the amount of insulin I take. And despite the reductions in my meds, my most recent HmgA1C was 5.1.

Do I have diabetic episodes? Yep! Depending on my level of activity, my blood sugar has dropped significantly, but is correctible with some cheese and pepperoni. It takes a little longer than a quick shot of sugar, but it works for me.

[tish]

I agree totally with testing your levels more than once a day... it really gets your head around the impact that the food makes on your sugar levels.

I generally check first thing in the morning upon waking... this give me true knowledge of my blood... I know if it is way out of whack by this reading or under control.

I then check 2 hours after each meal... I like these ones because it shows if my body is adversly reacting to a food I ate... If my sugar peaks after a meal or a snack (2 hours after) ...I don't eat it again...

I think I focused on keeping my sugar levels in line and the weight loss naturally follows ...well, it works for me anyway... besides if my sugar is under control...I get to live longer..simple principle but an important one.

In the begining of this life changing eating program, my eyes blurred intermittantly... but because I checked my blood so often, I knew it was because my metabolism was changing.... once my body got into the swing of things and was used to the new and more stable ingesting of carbs...my eyesight cleared up and I havn't had an episode since.

As diabetics... we have the advantage to be able to test our blood to know the diet is working ...and to keep it around the 110 range for optimon weight loss.. Yay for us!

[brown-eyed-girl]

blurred vision

Thanks for all of your help! I have called my doctor today and he said
to start checking my sugar 3 times a day. I am going today to get the
Dr Bernstein's diabetic book and read it and educate myself on how and what I need to be eating and doing...Tish do you go by that book or which one do you follow?

[shawnee]

Dr Bernstein;s book "Diabetes Solution" is absolutely the the best book ever witten about low carb approach to handling Diabetes

Dr Bernstein was diagnosed as a type 1 Diabetic in his youth & he is now in his late 70's, healthy & very active (read works out every day)

His book is much more detailed than the new Atkins book, which can be looked on as 'primer' while Bernsteins is the 'reference book'

[IrishIrish]

I agree Frank. I've read Diabetes Solution (ala Frank's suggestion !!!!) and I refer to it easily a few times a week in managing my own diabetes. I recently donated several of my other "diabetic" books to our community book drive because since I found Dr. Bernstein and his "solution", I've seldomed read other reference material except for new journal articles.

[tish]

I havn't actually been able to get the diabetic revolution out here... so I adhere to the good ole DANDR and the invaluable advice I receive from the respected gals and fellas here...

I have found that on the board asking for advice can get some pretty hair brained results sometimes...but I have been lucky enough to find solace and solid help in the people that have responded to your post here.

Heed their advice... follow it to the letter and you will do no wrong. They have all been highly successful in their weightloss and are controled diabetics...

It isn't hard and the outcome is great... you will feel like a new person in a week or two... I am just the happiest person that I found this place... I hope it brings you the same joy.

[brown-eyed-girl]

thanks

Thanks everyone! You all have given me GREAT advice and encouragement. Having diabetes is really SCAREY and I just want to do what is best for me and my health. I am going to stick with atkins and go today and get the book by Dr. Bernstein. I need all of the educating I can get on diabetes.