Fasting For 28 Hours

[Schlep]

Yesterday was Yom Kippur and I had to fast for 28 hours, no food or water. This is the first year that I have done this since I was diagnosed as type 2.

When I finally did eat I felt dizzy and nauseous, checked my blood sugar and it was 7.1, the next day today I can't seem to satisfy my appetite.

Is this the diabetes or is it just me?:confused:

[Harold]

The diabetes and any oral meds will contribute or complicate it. You should not fast for that long when you have type 2 diabetes IMHO. Fasting puts your body into starvation mode, and increases insulin resistance. Food intake is the only means we have of controlling uncontrolled glucose release by the liver, and that is a hit or miss thing. Too long between meals or more activity than your glucose level can handle you will then have an uncontrolled release.

[Funnygrl]

I'm guessing anyone would have felt like that, you're body isn't meant to go through that.

[Evermont]

The diabetes and any oral meds will contribute or complicate it. You should not fast for that long when you have type 2 diabetes IMHO. Fasting puts your body into starvation mode, and increases insulin resistance. Food intake is the only means we have of controlling uncontrolled glucose release by the liver, and that is a hit or miss thing. Too long between meals or more activity than your glucose level can handle you will then have an uncontrolled release.

(emphasis mine)

Harold, this is interesting (and new) to me. Where can I learn more specifically about the these things?

[slipperyelm]

Did you go off of any oral medicines for the fast? Stay on any of them?

The optimal balance is different for each of us when NOT fasting and is apt to be different for each when we are fasting.

I, for example, would go ahead and stop my metformin during a fast day, because metformin appears to very effectively slow my own liver's glucose release. During fasting, I would need that glucose. My BG does not typically rise, but fall on a normal overnight fast. With the combination of daytime activity, metformin in my system, and no food, I expect BG would fall even further and I would not be able to continue the fast. So for me, I can fast if I stop the metformin that day....But perhaps for another person they might become hyPERglycemic with fasting as Harold suggests.

Also a fast is likely much easier if you have gotten really good control over your blood sugars and are already accustomed to levels close to what a fast would bring you to. Back in the days when my average was 120, I probably would have felt rotten on a fast day. And certainly when my average was 140 or higher--no way; I could not have done it. But now, with averages around 93, fasting is not such a problem....But again, this could be different for other people.

Seems like it would be a good idea to experiment with going off one or more meds during a fast. I mean, do the experiment on a day which is not really supposed to be a fast day so that you can see what happens and intervene with food if necessary. That way you will have a better idea ahead of time if you can manipulate your fasting physiology in a better way.

Also I know some people will be so strict as to consider anything put into the mouth to be a breaking of the fast. But if you are not that strict, please do remember if you have become unable to function due to low blood sugar, then glucose can surely be seen at that moment as medicine rather than as food.

[slipperyelm]

Oh, sorry I did not even answer what you asked. Duh!

Well I think the increased appetite this year after fasting probably is from diabetes. But of course anyone could be a bit hungry.

When I was young fasting was no big deal to me at all. It did not seem to bother me a bit before, during, or after. Those were the days....

[Harold]

(emphasis mine)

Harold, this is interesting (and new) to me. Where can I learn more specifically about the these things?
Would like to point you one or two sites to explain it but I do not have them. This comes more from what I have read, experienced, and a little understanding of control systems. Let's take a look.

Fasting puts your body into starvation mode, and increases insulin resistance. The first part is a often heard statement and no secret. Fasting for longer than your stored glucose can sustain you switches your body over to converting proteins and fats to glucose or commonly referred to as starvation mode. Once in this mode the body is demanding glucose which the body is making, but since we have insulin resistance it takes longer for the pancreas to make enough insulin to overcome this resistance. The body will treat insulin like many other things in that the effectiveness of a substance will decrease with repeated excessive extended doses of it effectively increasing insulin resistance. I know this is a simple explanation, but with any control system there is a response time and insulin resistance increases that response time. Which increase the glucose levels and the insulin levels, pancreas capable, accordingly. This happens whenever we eat too much or not enough and our body supplies glucose.

[owlyn]

Harold,

You are not required to fast for Yom Kippur. You are also not restricted during Passover.

[Harold]

Thank You! Not something I need to worry about in either case.