Hello! Please permit me to share a bit of my story. I would enjoy hearing from others with similar experiences.

Shortly after starting a low carb routine to combat diabetes type 2 two years ago, I was diagnosed with DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy), placed on a “heart healthy” low fat, high carb diet and given two years to live. My ejection fraction fell to 25%, I was tired and depressed. Initially I lost about 35 pounds, mainly due to just not eating some days, but after getting with the low fat routine I gained and gained and gained. The doctor attributed the weight gain to some of the heart medications. As the weight went on, the blood sugars went up as well. Even with diabetic medication my fasting blood sugars were never below 150.

Last year I changed cardiologist. He was very optimistic on my long term survival, actually changing the “two years to live” into “much longer” if I lose weight and get my diabetes under control. This last week I experimented with low carb as a way to control blood sugar. It was amazing. After three days my fasting blood sugars (without medication) fell from 150 to 100. My cardiologist is dead set against this way of eating for my heart. It’s hard to go against the experts, but it seems to work for blood sugar control. Although I have yet to see any weight loss, I would think losing weight would be the greatest benefit to the heart (less load) if the increased cholesterol didn’t create a real problem.

When I searched on this forum for “cardiomyopathy” I found the most uplifting thread from PENNINK. Wonderful story! I also noted in the thread a reference to someone who had sustained further heart damage with the diet. I would appreciate hearing from others who have had experiences with low carb eating and heart failure/diabetes issues. Thanks so much for your help.

JD

Hi JD

I am so glad you found low carb. I believe it will really increase your chances of extending your life. Don't stress about the weightloss yet. It will follow.

Low carb does not cause heart disease, it wont make your kidneys explode, nor will it destroy your bones. These are all common fears about low carb.

Here are links to some of my blog posts that you may find helpful...
http://wifezillasway.blogspot.com/2...pid-things.html
http://wifezillasway.blogspot.com/2...ther-pound.html

Remember, Atkins was a CARDIOLOGIST.

Here is another interesting blog...
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2...ists-enemy.html

We have a low carber here that reversed her heart disease.

Pennick, where are you? Hope she sees this.

Oh wait, you already know that!

Oh yes, you might want to read this doctor's blog (go through the archives too)

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com

I have not had to deal with heart failure but my whole family have some form of insulinemia. I had hypoglycenia, my brother, sister and mom are all diabetic. Since low carbing my hypoglycemic symptoms have vanished. migraines,itchy skin, insulin spikes are history. My joint pain also improved on Atkins and as my body became accustomed to IF, my joint pain has continued to improve to the point of being "cured".

Nancy, thanks for the link to the Heart Scan Blog! It will take a while to get through the archives, but it's very informative....thanks again, JD

You're right about Atkins being a cardiologist. I had forgotten that. The South Beach doctor is one as well, isn't he? Wow, I love that blog of yours! You've inspired me. Can't wait to read more. Thanks again! JD

wow, my ears were burning!

Hi,

Yes, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Mine, they say, was caused from my WAY too high blood pressure that went unchecked for years.

They put me on Avapro and diuretics and, at first, the DASH diet. Yes, the blood pressure did come down, but too far and I was fainting all the time. Also, I wasn't losing weight.
Soooo, they put me on WW's, 1200-calorie a day, low fat diet. I gained more weight.

FINALLY (and the stupid thing is, I've been low carbing on and off since the 70s, but I was too scared to do it because of the heart disease) I met a noted nephrologist on a plane who said to me point blank, "Atkins is a wonderful diet. It may just be the only diet to save your life." That was last May.

Fast forward to January of this year.
I get a call from my doctor (at work, how scary is that?) after my echo.
Apparently, now, my heart disease is 'negligible'. She was astounded. EVERYONE is astounded. Bear in mind, they'd told me I had only about 3 to 5 years to live!!!! Now, it's barely worth mentioning!!!! holy shite!!!!

Yes, I still get angina attacks, but my doc explains it like overstressing any muscle. It's going to take time to stop it from being overstressed. She still wants me to refrain from exercise until I'm down to about 160, but I'm now able to walk more.

I am now, also, no longer borderline diabetic.

My family doctor is true convert now. Researching and learning everything about low carb and how the introduction in the 70s of HFCs and the damn food pyramid junk has caused the obesity epidemic.

I'm working on getting rid of all the meds right now. they are going to re-assess me in April and my fingers are crossed!


(oh, and low carb also cured my acne, snoring--I still will snore if I eat anything too carby--PCOS and balanced my chequebook... --well, I can hope can't I?)

save your life. go low carb.

Thanks so much for the post. And congratulations on the health improvement with LC. You mentioned your mother and siblings being diabetic. Are they on low carb, and have they improved?

Thanks again, JD

Pennink, you made my day AGAIN! I read your original thread the other day which inspired me to post my first message. Having a doctor, especially a nephrologist in light of all the concerns some people have on the effect of low carb on the kidneys, tell you that Atkins is a wonderful diet is really something. My current cardiologist told me to do WW, but my body just doesn't work well on starches and carbs...I seem to be hungry all the time. Although only on Atkins for a few days, I haven't noticed any weight loss yet, at least I'm not hungry all the time AND my blood sugars are normal all through the day without any diabetic medication. That's a huge plus.

Thanks again for the reply to my post and for your initial thread on your success story. JD

Good luck JD. ANYTIME you want to get advice I'm here for you!

I remember when I was first diagnosed I was in total denial. In fact, I totally struggled to get on a diet.
Then one day I thought, "you know, I will do or buy just about anything for my daughter, why the heck won't I save my life?"

too bad I was given the wrong diets at first.

BTW, I wrote to that doctor (he's very well known and I was able to find him easily). I told him that he'd saved my life and thanked him. he wrote back and said.

You've done the easy work. Now do the hard part. Realize that a goal weight is not a finish line. You must maintain this way of eating for the rest of your life.
He was right before, I know he's right this time.

I'm so glad you found this board.

Big hugs.

No they are not. My sister plays with low carb but does not do it with any degree of understanding. My mom could have avoided diabetes altogether if she'd have been doing low carb. She takes a very small dosage of injectable insulin and she brags about it. To me, you should brag if you don't need insulin at all. I think that if my siblings and mom lived with me, no one would be diabetic.

Hi there,
Havn't had the time to post at all in the last half year or more, but decided to check in tonight. Like Pennink, I was diagnosed with heart failure. Hospitalized in March 2005, weighing 339 lbs, I was given a grim prognosis. I had CHF, DCM, LVH. Tests in June 2005 showed my ejection fraction below 20% and my heart seriously enlarged.
Fast forward 1 year and 100 lbs. I was walking 5 miles per day, blood pressure (still on meds) was around 120/70 my ejection fraction was normal and heart enlargement was 'negligible'. I low carbed most of that time and experienced only increased health. Unfortunately, I have not continued to lose because I struggle with eating on plan given the social aspect of my vocation. However, I am back on plan because even though my weight has remained relatively stable ( up and down the same 10 lbs) I always feel better when I restrict carbs. Also, I CAN'T STAND being hungry so I really on lose weight well on low carb because I am never hungry. And now I am tired of seeing a 2 at the beginning of my weight so I need to keep going.

Best of luck on your journey to improved health
Charlie

Oh Charlie that is WONDERFUL news.

I think of you often!

It's informative, yes, but to my knowledge, it does not deal with cardiomyopathy or not much anyway. It deals with atherosclerosis / arteriosclerosis. Blockages. Hopefully, there is some info on her condition.

You're right Songwriter. That's an interesting site, but doesn't help cardiomyopathy people from what I've read.

And I fight this all the time. People hear I have heart damage and think 'blockage' "plaque" and "cholesterol".