Diabetic and hungry all the time.

[cheeseisthebest]

Feel completely clueless, recently diagnosed, told to control through diet but no real guidance. I'm trying to up protein, eggs, yoghurt, meat, fish, etc but I feel starving all the time. Like a real horrible shaky hunger that I've not felt since being pregnant. What am I doing wrong? I've quit sugar which is a challenge at this time of year!

Eating plenty of fat, as well as moderate protein, should stop the shaky/hungry feeling. But as PP have said, this is likely to be a short term thing while your body adjusts to the reduction in carbohydrate.

Did you eat a lot of carbs before your diagnosis?

If you’re not on medication you’re not diabetic

Umm that's not true.

HbA1c of 48 isn't terrible (should be under 40) just eat less processed food, up the protein and fats as that will help keep you full for longer.

Are you Type 1 or 2, OP?

Not true!

Diabetes is an HbA1c of 48mmol/mol or more

42 or less is non diabetic levels

The bit inbetween is high risk of diabetes (used to be called pre diabetes)

Try this www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/healthy-eating OP
Diabetes UK are the national charity

It’s the sugar withdrawal, stick with the low carb higher protein and good fats and your body will adjust. You will start to feel full soon. With a low carb diet I lost nearly 7st and put my type 2 into remission.
Good snacks are a handful of nuts (almonds or cashews). Boiled egg, cooked chicken, sliced apple with peanut butter.

Sorry, I've just re-read your OP and see that you were told to control through diet so you must be T2. Apologies.

Not true at all!

Would it help to eat slower release complex carbs as well as the protein? Things like brown rice, wholemeal sugar-free bread (Warburtons do a lovely no added sugar brown sliced loaf. Even pasta is quite slow release. Jacket potatoes or potato wedges with skin on. Ryvita dark. Maybe oatcakes or porridge or low fruit muesli.

Nuts are good but very high calorie so you can't rely on them long term to fill you up.

I found popcorn (popped in a machine at home) with granulated stevia to be a great snack between meals. Full of fibre and protein.

Oat-based snacks can also be good. Oats contain slow acting sugars - but beware of oat snacks like flapjacks which actually contain a large amount of free sugars.

I am fond of Nairns gluten free oatcakes (0.1g sugar per oatcake) with some low fat spreadable cheese.

When I was diagnosed in the summer, I was given a few sheets of paper showing "bad" foods and suitable alternatives. Basically a cheat sheet showing low GI foods which are great snacks and meal accompaniments.

I've gone from 141 hba1c in May to 38 in my last check at the end of last month. My medication has obviously played a part in that (metformin and gliclazide) but switching to healthy low GI snacks helps manage my hunger as well as my sugar levels throughout the day.