I just came from the doctor and she said I was insulin resistance...and that unfortunately it is unlikely that I will ever get back to the weight I was last year. I already eat 12-1400 calories a day and eat whole foods etc. I work out and everything. I felt like she gave me a death sentence...and even though its not cancer, I feel devistated that my body is so not within my control. She said I could try metformin or whatever...but even with that...it was doubtful that I would get back to my weight of 130 (now 156). If anyone has any stories of the like or any hope for me...please let me know.

You will release a surge of insulin if you eat sugar. Therefore, how would a low carb diet cause you any problems? Keep in mind that many docs don't subscribe to the LC way of eating, and even think it's harmful -- if she is one of these docs, then of course she doesn't believe that the LC WOL will help you. Remember she is only one person, and that docs differ in the advice & diagnoses they give.

Why not just try this WOL & see if she is or isn't correct for yourself? That is the only way you will really know. If you monitored your blood sugars throughout & saw that they were within normal range, you may question the advice to take metformin. Insulin resistance can often be diet controlled, and you may find that you keep your blood sugar down AND lose weight with the LC diet.

I happen to believe that this can be done, and healed, I have much farther to go. LC is the way to go and it is not a death sentence. I suggest you change Doctors, and find one that is proactive to help you out. You don't have much to loose, and If sounds like you should do okay. I suggest finding a great way to lc by checking out all kinds of LC books, most are fairly similar. Your blood sugars maybe normal and still need glucophage and possibly aldactone as well. They both worked for me. You can read some of my story in my journal. The insulin Resistant diet is good, I do the Schwarzbein Principle, (the first book, I find her lastest two, too complicated to figure out, I do better just sticking with the first one.) But read as many books as you can, because most talk about insulin, and one should have a way to manage eating in a manner you can live with.
Else where on this thread I saw them say that Milk is okay, actually Lactose is a simple sugar and the body treats Milk just like drinking a fruit juice, the action of insulin is 3x higher than the same amount of carb eaten as a whole food. I avoid milk. I eat cheese and plain yogurt. Don't despair, you can do this and find that you will feel so much better.
Tanya

Shariq, what the doctor told you is a lie, period. I am not just insuline resistant, I am a full blown diabetic, 60 years of age and just lost 70 lbs., so you at 156 and only having to lose only 30 lbs. can do it if you watch your carbs. So, take your metforming, read the Atkins book and commit to this way of life. You will make it.

Thank you all so much for your advice. I truly appreciate the hope you have given me. I think I will go get the Insulin Resistant diet book and see what I can do. I just feel like I already eat really healthy whole grains, fruits, veggies etc...and was hoping that I wouldn't have to live my whole life on a diet...oh well...maybe I will. I tried Atkins...and had a super hard time on that...maybe the insulin resistant will be better. Thank you all so much though...yesterday I cried more than I have in a long long time.

Sadlady-you rock! You're my inspiration!

You have to think of it as a life style change not a diet. If atkins was so hard, don't fret. Many are more liberal in the amount of carb to eat. TSP is about 15-30 gms of carb per meal with two 7 1/2 grams of snacks if you are in the 15 gm range. CAD has you lc most meals but one you can be fairly free with it. Life without Bread is much the same as TSP, I think IR diet is also in that same category. Not all lc plans send you into ketosis, or limit the carbs as much as atkins induction. If you cant' do it, you can't do it. Listen to what you body says. It does take a few days to get used to limiting carbs, headaches, a bit of shakiness, irritability, but that is your body trying to get rid of the carb addiction, because that is what it is. So the first bit, can be the biggest struggle don't give up. You can do this.
Tanya

Shariq, it is not difficult, you just have to learn to change a few things. There is still pizza, cakes, muffins, cheesecake and a whole bunch of things, just made different. Maybe once you lose those 30 lbs it improves and then you do not have to be so strict. I know, I know what you mean. I did not want to be on a diet all my life and I had to be on one because Insuline is the hormone that makes you gain the weight. If your cells do not use the Insuline and it stays in your blood, you are going to start gaining weight and more weight as the years go by. So take hold of it before you have to lose 100 lbs instead of just 30.

Dry those eyes, it is not worth it. Look up and see all the wonderful things you can eat, rather than those you can not.

Shar: Your Dr is an uneducated idiot. I lost 60 pounds with IR diet, met and lifestyle changes and I've kept it off for 2 years. It took me 3 years to do it and the loss was slow but steady, but once my hormones lowered, I did it.

Don't let your Dr's negative thinking discourage you...once your hormones are where they need to be, you can lose weight and keep it off.

All the best!

I bought three books last night the Insulin Resistant Diet and also both of the Schwartzbein (sp?) books. I read the Schwartz... one till almost 1am last night. I found it to be a completely amazing book. I love that it explains it all...because I am always the person asking "why me" "how did this happen" "what did I do wrong" and I felt like I got a lot of answers from this book. I am thinking I will try this program. Has anyone done this? How are they feeling?

There's a thread here on Schwarzbein.

I agree you doctor is not very informed.

I read the SP books, but just couldn't get into it, can't remember why. I also was IR. But, I then read a very simple thing (maybe here...i can't remember where, maybe it was SP) anyway that said if you are IR, then just keep your carbs down to 25 per meal (and if you have to snack 15 per snack). Is that SP? It's so much easier than figuring out what I should and shouldn't be eating.

Of course, I started out with Atkins, and still bascially do Atkins but I never let my carbs go beyond 25 per meal. I don't snack so that isn't an issue with me. I learned from the last time that I can never "maybe this once" on the carb thing again. This time I know i had gotten insulin resistant...last time I just suspected it.

Excersing can sometimes fix it, but if your shoving in a lot of sugar things (even the good stuff), then it's a no-win situation.

I just decide at each meal what I want my carbs to be, and then work around it with the meat and no carb vegs.

http://www.schwarzbeinprinciple.com/pgs/home.html

That is the link to her website.

I'm a Schwarzbien person, to some degree. I can understand why people don't like her program because it is somewhat complicated, particularily as you get her 2nd and 3rd books but her information is great, and her observations. In her first book the basic is 15 to 30 gms per meal, depending on activity level and degree of IR in your body time, I usually did 15 gms even though I was pretty active at the time, and then 2 7 1/2 grm snacks in the day. Then she tells you to eat only what you could pick, hunt, grow, ect, no man made food, that can be hard, particularily if you like bread, but generally I can live with out it. If you can get through what my dad calls "california" food, to what is basic and you can live with, it works great, I lost about 50lbs, before I came down with a case of pneumonia and two babies, but I did well with my pregnancy otherwise, and the program was not to fault for my weight gain, rather my own control over my cravings. Come check out my journal for my story. I find the Schwarzbein board to not be very helpful, not much activity over there, but it is a good plan, and I love how her focus is on healing, and then weight loss will come, not the other way around.
Tanya

Tigersue-
I loved your post. I just bought the book yesterday and am looking forward to seeing if I feel better on that plan, and also if my working out will actually build any muscle etc after I give it some time. Besides losing weight....did you feel better on the program at all? Also...one thing is that my endocrinologist said I was insulin resistant, but I am thinking I might be insulin sensitive...any ideas how to find out.

I'm not sure on that one, I'm not the best expert on IR, or Insulin sensitivity. I think Dr. Bernstein might talk about it in Diabetes Solution. Since I have been either pregnant or nursing in the past 2 years, I haven't read as much as I normally do.
Working out expecially weight training is a very good thing. Go slow and build up slow, and gradually and you should be okay. I do the firm and loved it, I haven't done as much since I had Kendra, I have had a hard time finding a routine that works for me, but I know it has helped.
I felt much better lc, that I ever had, in years. I suffered from Irritable Bowel syndrome, I started taking enzyme pills and they helped but I was taking up to 9 or 12 a day, to keep it in control. Now that I try to lc, I take 1 or 2 in the morning and most days I'm great, and when I was on program really well, no problem with it at all. I was tired at first on it, that is normal as you adjust, but then I had more energy, in fact I'm sure now when I'm really tired it is because I have had too much carb.
I also had frequent migrains and when I lc I hardly have any, and the ones I have are very much related to a TMJ problem and neck and muscle stiffness that I have been working on the past year. In general, I feel so much better, that I know this is right for me. You may have to give it time, but read the book and Dr. Schwarzbein is good about talking about what happens to the body on program so you know what to expect. You can gain, if you need to store building blocks to repair any damage, just stick with it and listen to how your really feel.
The only other thing I can think about IR is an insulin test, I have never had one, but I'm sure there are other's out there that can explain it to you. I know I'm IR, I have the apple shape, so I'm right there. Round as can be.
Tanya

yeah, I've had an insulin resistant test, but I don't know what score would mean resistant versus sensitive.
My glucose was 80 and my insulin was 38 (that was the 2hour test)IF anyone knows anything about insulin resistance scores....let me know... :-)