Hi there. I've been following Dr Bernsteins diabetic diet for five days now. Not long really but I'm getting the hang of it. My problem is that over the past three days, I've been suffering with excruciating headaches and nausea. I note that you are supposed to go through a brief period of carbohydrate craving when you first start but I wasn't prepared for this.

Has anyone else had experience of this diet? And were there any side effects for you?

Did you by any chance cut down on caffeine at the same time you cut back on carbs? The symptoms you're describing sound like caffeine withdrawal.

The other possibility is that your blood sugar is actually going too low. Next time you feel nauseous, immediately test your blood sugar. If it's below 70, then you're too low and that's probably what's causing the headaches and nausea.

Ruth

Hi. Thank you for that. I must admit my sugars have been all over the place since starting the diet. One minute I'm slightly high and the next I'm having two or three little hypo's in quick succession. I guess I just have to get used to it as it's a learning experience. I havn't cut down my caffeine, so I think you are spot on with the low sugar theory. I will monitor it a bit more closely.

Thank you once again for all your help.

Adjusting to a lower-carb way of eating can take a while. After two years of being on a reduced carb diet, I still tend to inject too much insulin at meal times - simply out of force of habit. You probably also need to reduce your basal insulin. Test the level by skipping lunch and monitoring your blood sugar closely for a few hours.

Cheers,

Mark