[SherryA]

A guy I know at work has been measuring his blood sugar a lot. He decided to try Atkins because he has hypoglycemia, and some of the symptoms were big nasty headaches after eating high carb meals.

I'm not sure he is following the diet very well, but I was curious about his results. He said that while following Atkins his blood sugar levels would never get above about 80 or so. But he wasn't getting the physical symptoms of low blood sugar.

I'm wondering if any of you here regularly test your blood sugar and what sort of numbers you get while on Atkins?

[Tennessee]

I'm not diabetic or hypoglycemic, although a high glucose reading on my physical last year is what got me started on Atkins. I take a fasting blood sugar reading every morning, and my numbers are 94-106.

A consistant blood sugar reading in the 80's is low but fine, it's the 60-70 range or lower that is dangerous. Like a diatetic he needs to be very conscientious in his eating, and avoid blood sugar spikes and the resulting drops. He should be following this (or any other) WOE under a doctor's supervision. What did his physician say about following Atkins?

[saturnsandi]

Hello, I am a diabetic, who lost 60 pounds several years ago on Atkins. My Dr. and dietician recomended it. While I was sticking to the diet I took my readins often three times a day and because my sugar started dropping below 70 I casme off one of my medicines. Then like many lCrs I lost it gained back most of what I had lost and sugars started going up.
As a diabetic I have found that only Lc will result in weight loss for me. It was suggested and supported by my medical support team.

[SherryA]

Well he says he is feeling better on Atkins rather than off. I'm not sure he is following it precisely, he has mentioned several times having high carb times. But he seems to think that his blood sugar being low was causing him to not feel good, before Atkins. Now with Atkins his sugars don't go above a certain point, but even still he feels good, no headaches.

I'm not sure his doctor is monitoring him for either diabetes or hypoglycemia, or whether he is even in touch with a physician at all on any of this. He has just started taking his blood sugar readings on his own.

I was just curious about the numbers. It seemed odd to me that without Atkins he would get a low blood sugar reading and feel rotten, and with Atkins and the same low blood sugar readings and he feels fine. I was curious why the difference?

[lady_adnerb]

Sherry, is it possible he was feeling rotten because of just starting Atkins? You know...the carb withdrawals and all? And if he's not following it to the letter, then as you said, he's not doing it correctly and CAN do damage to himself. That's not a good thing. Recommend to him to talk to a doctor...and to follow the book EXACTLY.

[lilybelle]

I have hyper-insulinism and am on Glucophage. My blood sugars stay between 77 - 105. I am not having any ill-effects from staying on Atkins. Quite the opposite really. Prior to starting Atkins, I had massive blood sugar swings, would get dizzy, sweaty and pass out or nearly pass out after high carb meals. This is no longer a problem at all and I feel better than I have in years.

[Ciarra]

My husband is diabetic. Carbs definately cause the sugar spikes followed by lows. then he will eat and there goes the cycle again.
If he eats what I do he doesn't seem to have the swings. He will only humor me usually at supper though. I'm trying to encourage him to jump on and do Atkins full force though.I think it would greatly help his problems.
One thing though is diabetics tend to get Atkins flu worse and should monitor induction closely at first. Sugar feeds yeast and once it is gone the yeast starts dying and they feel awfull. At least with my husband. Really need to watch high yeast foods at this time like cheeses.