Diagnosis And Hospitalization
My name is Vlad. I’m a 41yo type 1 diabetic.
I was diagnosed in January 2018 and hospitalized in ER as I was in keto acidosis with an a1c of 11.7, 329 blood glucose and just below normal level c peptide. I was immediately hooked to a “minibar” with insulin and vitamins.
Transition To A Low-Carb Diet
This diagnosis relieved me as I finally knew why my life and my family’s life were a nightmare the months before. I was losing weight, I was always very tired, and most disturbing, I was always angry and sometimes violent. I lost short-term memory, and it was very hard to focus.
The first meal I was served in the hospital was a plate with boiled potatoes, white bread, and a chicken leg. I did not eat it. I immediately started researching online, and against my doctor’s and my mother’s recommendations, I just stopped eating carbohydrates. When I left the hospital, I was recommended 250g of carbs daily and 34 units of insulin.
Luckily I got very strong support from my wife and my mother. It was very hard for her since she was a doctor trained in the late 70s. Also, ironically, today is a good time to be diabetic since there are many very good sources of information, success stories, and Facebook groups to get information and advice.
Benefits Of A Palaeolithic Ketogenic Diet
We visited Budapest six months later and scheduled a meeting with Dr. Toth Csaba at the Paleomedicina office. It was a very convincing discussion, and we left the office optimistic and curious about how only a meat and fat diet could improve my condition.
Once home, we started to implement the diet, we changed the shopping and cooking routines, and in the next months, I noticed obvious improvements under the paleolithic ketogenic diet compared with the previous period when I was on a classic ketogenic diet.
I gained muscle, strength, mood, and my memory was better. In just three months, I was able to stop one of the insulins. Over time I made mistakes and miscalculations, and after a while, I had some digestive problems, and we did not notice any progress.
Paleomedicina Patient Event
I scheduled a place for me this fall at one of Paleomedicina’s patient events. After two days of measurements and observations, they stopped my insulin. I felt completely safe under Dr. Toth’s close observation, but I have to admit that I was not confident at all that I could manage without insulin. The first days were very hard as I felt a bit sick and very lethargic, but one morning it was just a bit better.
Life As A Type 1 Diabetic Without Insulin
Since then, I can only notice improvements. I feel normal, I have normal levels of energy all day long, I can focus, and I only have small and normal digestive problems and only if I overeat. Overall I feel much more balanced and better without insulin than with insulin.
Almost every morning, I wake up with blood sugars below 80, and the highest post-prandial blood sugar was 124 mg/dl. And that meal included half of a teaspoon of raw honey, just because I wanted to test the limit and because honey is pkd accepted.
Today is my 58th day as a type 1 diabetic without any insulin at all and eating only meat, fat, organs, and eggs in precise quantities tailored by Dr. Toth Csaba and Dr. Zsofia Clemens.
Vlad
12 thoughts on “Vlad manages his type 1 diabetes on a carnivore diet”
Thanks for sharing such a good information with us. Keep it up.
Vlad, do you still have autoimmune markers? Eg: GAD, etc.
Hi Vlad,
I am really impressed with your progress without insulin. I am also a type 1 diabetic who has just started the carnivore diet. I have lots of questions and would love to get in touch with you, what media can I follow you on?
What Vlad is experiencing is called the “honey moon” period, where insulin needs are reduced for a while. It happens to a lot of newly diagnosed diabetics. I just don’t want people to have false hope. I eat a carnivore diet and have type 1 too, so I’m not suggesting this is a bad thing to try. Maybe it will prolong your honey moon forever, who knows? But keep monitoring your BG and don’t give up if your insulin needs rise again.
I am Type 1 42 years old and have had it for 14 years. I’m on carnivore for 14 days and i get super high after big protein and fat meals. When you do a lot of protein you liver makes glucose. I find it hard to believe you take zero insulin and are an actual Type 1. Maybe since you were newly diagnosed you have function in your pancreases. I definitely do not in mine.
It is medically impossible for a human to live without insulin. There are three things you could be. Not a diabetic at all, a type 2 diabetic, in this case your pancreas still produces insulin. A type 2 diabetic usually take either pills or a small amount of insulin. Or a type 1 like myself (39 years). The pancreas of a type 1 diabetic does not produce insulin. You have to take insulin via injections or insulin pump. Advertising Vlad’s comments is deadly. I would suggest you remove that post immediately before a type 1 listens to Vlad’s nonsense!
I don’t think it likely that someone with type one will read a post and then proceed to degenerate to the point if mortality. Either you feel better, or you do not.
As you have rightly pointed out; he may even have been misdiagnosed.
But this is vital discussion to be having. Let’s not start self-censoring for fear that others are too stupid to make their own decisions.
He’s lived 58 days without taking insulin. Obviously his body is making his own insulin now that he does not have a carb high diet.
He is experiencing the honey moon period. I was diagnosed in January at the age of 42 this year. Low C peptides and and GAD 65 high levels. By February my body was producing normal levels of insulin. I walked constantly and ate low carbs. I was off of all insulin. June hits and nothing I am doing is working. Had my labs tested and I was still normal insulin however it was lower and just over normal. Since then I have had to take insulin.
I am told that your liver makes only enough glucose for your brains requirements. Once you are in ketosis, you should see increases in cholesterols, lowered lipids and a tiny amount of “brain food” (glucose).
Even if your still in your honeymoon phase 0 insulin is amazing 👏
I’ve been diabetic about 5 years now and I’m taking a ridiculous amount of insulin daily for very little food. I’ve never tried a specific diet to stabilise my blood sugars and have pretty much had the “ill just take some insulin and it’ll be reyt” view on it.
I am going to try to make my main source of food animal meats and fats, even if I have to take 20 units of glargene a night instead of 30 ill be more than happy with the results
As mentioned above, if your body is making zero insulin brain cells and the few other tissues will not be able to utilize the glucose made by the liver. Blood level could conceivably be cleared by exercise causing muscles to uptake glucose without need of insulin but that would still leave the glucose requiring cells without it. So yes, there must be some amount of insulin production still going on.
All that said, quite a wonderful tale and I would love to know more, get follow up info as to current status with diet, insulin need, etc.