Diet and withdrawal

[Guest [Tu...]]

Perhaps some of the "old-timers" here can offer advice on diet. I am diabetic and already watch what I eat, but I was reading a thread (started, as it turns out, by someone who had been banned and the thread was locked) and someone posted that anxiety increases one's glucose levels. Does anyone know if that's true. I eat sensibly but since I started this CT on April 2 I've noticed that I am thirsty all the time (a common symptom of increased glucose levels among people with diabetes) and I have to drink tiny sips all night, which causes me to get up and go to the bathroom more often. I'm just wondering if the CT could be causing an increase in glucose, which would account for my increased need for water and the annoying extra trips to the bathroom.

 

Any info on that questions, plus suggestions on diet in general would be appreciated. You are what you eat, and, darn it, I ate too many slices of pizza and too many tacos in the past and I'm paying for it now!  

 

Thanks!

[Guest [So...]]

Oh man, pizza I would stay away from.  What works for me is chicken, salad, vegetables, some fruit, fish, peanuts, almonds, eggs, basically a protein diet.  If you get sick of water the brand V8 makes a good vegetable drink (I get the low sodium bottle).  I am thirsty all day as well ever since I quit the benzos.  I try my hardest not to drink too much water before bed or I am up 4 times during the night.  Carbs, sugar, caffine, supplements, all made my anxiety shoot through the roof!

 

Rob 

[[Mi...]]

I have not read any reliable sources that state that benzo withdrawal can cause an increase in blood glucose, but it certainly would not surprise me - in fact, quite a few members have reported blood sugar issues, thanks to the benzos.

 

I don't know why this happens, but it seems to be common. 

 

When I was in withdrawal, my weight got down into the 80's - not a pretty sight for someone who is 5'2".

 

Since I've been off, I'm hungry all the time and I've gained 30 + pounds!

 

It's amazing what these drugs do to us, isn't it?

 

 

[Guest [So...]]

Tuscon,

 

I had the same experience in the early months.  After month 2 I had major compulsive eating.  I was in the fridge all the time, the other half of the day I was laid out on the couch.  I also ate lots of carrots with ranch dressing.  Easy to snack on and healthy.  Dont be surprised if you start to get benzo belly.  For me it felt like I was eating but nothing was getting processed.  It gave me a beer like belly for awhile, but finally its dissipating with time.  I also forgot to mention I have been eating lots of cereal in the morning.  I try to get the healthy stuff, the grain and fiber cereals. 

 

Rob

[[Fi...]]

I am a person that tends towards low blood sugar. I'm not considered hypoglycemic/hyperglycemic. But on occassion I get the shakes, mainly due to not eating right (too much sugar, not enough healthy food etc.) As I'm withdrawing from Clonazepam I am noticing that the episodes of shakes are more often but the interesting thing about them is that instead of wanting to increase my sugar intake (as in the past when I'd get shakes) I have an intense desire for protein!! I immediately find myself looking for what ever protein is most available to stop the symptoms. This works really well. I have no idea if the root cause is the Benzo or just foolish diet choices on my part, but the protein really makes an immediate difference. *Kathy

[[BY...]]

Benzodiazepine drugs are widely prescribed, mainly for their anxiolytic and sedative properties. In addition to these psychotropic actions, different metabolic effects have also been reported but few clinical trials on that topic are available.

 

A trend to increased glycemia without significant modification of insulinemia was shown after a single dose administration of diazepam in healthy volunteers [1]. Aggravation of hyperglycemia has been reported during benzodiazepine treatment in diabetic patients [2]. In patients treated with the imidazopyridine compound alpidem, which binds benzodiazepine receptors [3], we reported an alteration of glucose tolerance after one week administration [4]. Studies in vitro have shown that some benzodiazepines could affect insulin secretion differently according to the experimental model [5,6].

 

Weight gain, which is often related to insulin resistance, has also been claimed to occur in some patients treated with benzodiazepines. Different benzodiazepines have different effects on body weight gain in rats, suggesting that different subtypes of benzodiazepine receptors are involved [7].

 

More here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6904/4/3

 

 

[[Mi...]]

Thanks for the great info, Mike!

[[le...]]

Hi Tucson,

 

My son is a Type 1 diabetic, and yes...for him when he is sick or anxious, his blood sugar levels can go up.  It does not surprise me a bit to think that you would have this same response.

 

I also have had an interesting experience, of having a higher "fasting" blood glucose during a big part of my withdrawal (I am 17 months off).  However, it seems to have gone back pretty much close to normal.  I am still trying to be careful about too many carbs, but what I think was making mine go higher is that I could not sleep due to pain...which I think caused cortisol levels to rise, and therefore a raise in blood sugar and insulin.  I noticed on the days when I had at least a little stretch of sleep, my blood sugar would be lower (in the 80's or 90's).  If I did not sleep, it would be in the low 100's (WHICH shows there is a lot of truth to the new discoveries about how important sleep is in NOT developing type 2 diabetes.

 

You have a "double whammy"...dealing with diabetes AND benzo withdrawal.  What you are having to push through is really hard, and you are to be admired for your determination!

 

~Leena

 

 

[[LJ...]]

I would just suggest to eat healthy whole food, like fruit, veggies, fish, lean organic meat, seeds, nuts etc. This diet is advised for all people, just like exercise. Most people eat crap and that can't be good for anybody.