Sooo....we're on vacation...leaving tomorrow

This is the first extended vacation I've taken, post-dx.

We're on motorcycles, so no coolers in the car...I'll update.

5 Month Mark

It's been 5 months since my diagnosis.

Lots of ups and downs.

If a body needs a break from Metformin because it quits working, I think I might be there.  Dawn is back with a vengeance - upper 120's the last four mornings.

Weight is stalled.

Although...I blame the week I took a statin drug.  Everything stalled.  I have no known heart issue, I had an EKG and an C-scan of my chest in March.  Nothing was wrong.

Even all my lipid numbers are "normal" except the LDL and that's only 12 points in the "high-normal" range.  But they want everybody on statins.

Everything stalled.  Even after four days on the drug, but muscles hurt.  I quit taking it.

That was a 1-1/2 weeks ago and I'm just now starting to drop weight again.

There was a sense of futility - if nothing is working, then why am I not enjoying the food I used to eat and enjoy?  So...a couple more cheat meals a week.  Having food in the house that I should not have.

But if I'm losing again, it's time to start really low-carbing again and see what I can do.

I'm going to rock this disease.  

Doctor's Orders...

I am becoming increasing aware of the willingness of others to "play doctor."  That is, giving unsolicited medical advice.

(This is the big reason I'm not sharing my diagnosis with family members - while not universal, we do have relatives that will be virtually unable to contain their "wisdom."

This is really concerning when that advice goes directly against what the doctor says.

If a person asks about a doctor's advice, I'll happily answer the question and offer possibilities, but will not simple tell anybody "don't take that medication" (without telling doctor.)

HOWEVER - I am equally happy with making the choice to not follow medical advice for myself.

My endocrinologist was very insistent on giving me  prescription for statins.  (I'll post research later.)

Because of my metabolic issues,  I have to work HARD to lose weight, and I have to be CAREFUL in order to keep my blood glucose controlled.

I had been on statins for a week.

I've gained 4 pounds, and my fasting blood glucose went up 25 points (137)

I've not had a great night's sleep since I started taking the drug.

My joints and muscles started aching.

So...I don't have any heart issues, so the drug is given simply because they give people with statins drugs to prevent issues - there is no evidence that they work to prevent heart disease.

Last night I didn't take the pill.

This morning, but FBG is 113.

I lost .4 pounds.

I'll message the doctor tomorrow and tell her I'm throwing the stuff away.

"Cage Phase"

Cage Stage Calvinism is a humorous term used to warn Christian believers recently converted to Calvinistic Theology. It suggests that the new Calvinist would be best placed in a cage rather than cause undue offence due to their zealous promotion of a Calvinistic theology.

No, this really isn't a religious post.  It's a post about people.  People who have a (probably) new and amazing outlook on a particular area of life.

Cage Phase Calvinism...I've been there, done that.  And I've learned to see that the term "cage phase" applies to other areas of life.

The Diabetes Connection

I have come to believe that LCHF (low carb/high fat) is the absolute best way for people with Type2  diabetes to manage their disease (with or without medication.)

Many other people have come to that conclusion as well.

What does "cage phase" have to do with that?

If you hang around on-line support groups long enough (some days, "long" means a few minutes) you'll bump into a "cage phase low carber."

It is very likely that this "cage phaser" has grown an attitude that medication is 1) unnecessary and 2) outright bad for you.

(see also - the most annoying anti-smokers are ex-smokers.)

If somebody asks a question about medications, the answer will be "all medications are bad."  Or "get off those med!" Or some variation on that theme.

For a while...

Right after my dx, when I joined a great facebook group...

There were a few that were so insistent, so consistent in the way they were speaking at, and to people about LCHF and "all meds are bad" that people were leaving the group.

That's why I started this blog (notice the title) and my (very little) group.  I would like it to grow, because I would like it to serve a different purpose than the large group -  the big group is much more active, and questions get lost.  Recipes are files and organized differently.  I wanted to have a place where people don't have to worry about the "this is the only way to do it" attitude.

We each have our own path, and we need to be able to find it.  That path may, or may not...include medication.  We may, or may not...come to the LCHF path.  In fact, the HF might be BAD for some people.

Until we can look into the other person's mind, heart and medical history...we simply don't know what that other person's path is going to be.

Get out of the cage.