Keto test strips

[Peanut31]

Hi

Following from advice here, I have now cut back my double cream in take and my snacking as well. I've increased my portions on my meals, and not had my strawberries in the morning, and swapped to eggs or nothing.

It was also very encouraging watching ITV the diet programme, Save money Lose Weight on Tuesday 19th March at 8-9pm. The Keto diet came up top weight loss diet, and the most scored out of all the diets they have featured so far.

Anyway, I thought I would buy some ketone test strips and did one last night, it came up that I was moderate 4.0 mmol/L, does the results improve over time, or, does it change from one day to the next?

I am also on thyroid medication and I have become over medicated and I suspect this is to do with the Keto diet.

When people have thyroid issues and Hashimoto's, I have been reading that you must not have too many carbs, but, don't limit them too much.

I suspect that maybe as my metabolism is now starting to work, I don't need as much thyroid meds. This has been confirmed in a blood test.

Does anyone on here use the strips.

Best Wishes

Peanut31

[Praveen55]

Your reading of ketone level is higher than optimum. You may have cut down on food too much. 1.5 - 3 mmol/L is considered optimum range. Did you take the reading during fasted state?

Measuring ketones

Today, there are reasonably-priced gadgets available for measuring ketone levels at home. One needle prick of the finger, and in just a few seconds you’ll know your blood ketone level.

Blood ketones are best measured on a fasted stomach in the morning (before breakfast, that is). Here are a few pointers on how to interpret the result:

Below 0.5 mmol/L is not considered “ketosis”. At this level, you’re far away from maximum fat-burning.

Between 0.5-1.5 mmol/L is light nutritional ketosis. You’ll be getting a good effect on your weight, but not optimal.

Around 1.5 – 3 mmol/L is what’s called optimal ketosis and is recommended for maximum weight loss.

Values of over 3 mmol/L aren’t neccessary. That is, they will achieve neither better nor worse results than being at the 1.5-3 level. Higher values can also sometimes mean that you’re not getting enough food. For type 1 diabetics, it can be caused by a severe lack of insulin, see below.

dietdoctor.com/lose-weight-...

[Vale57 in reply to Praveen55]

I would be interested to try one of the measuring items, do you just get these at a chemist or is it online? I too take thyroid medication, so I will watch out for this possible change. I would be quite happy to try the strips (Though I am not going onto the keyto diet until Thursday) and compare any results.

[Peanut31 in reply to Vale57]

I brought mine from Amazon, its a UK company.

Yes, watch out that you don't end up over medicated on your thyroid meds. I've had to cut down on my thyroid meds as going Hypo and not very nice at all.

I do my own thyroid blood testing as well. I recommend Medi checks for thyroid testing TSH, T3 & T4 , this is a finger prick test and costs £39.00, if you enter THYROIDUK a further 10 % will be deduced.

My latest results show my T3 is well over range hence why I feel so bad.

Good luck with Keto.

Best Wishes

Peanut31

[Vale57 in reply to Peanut31]

I am quite naughty and never check my thyroid levels! I had it irradiated and think some has grown back because the level fluctuates. I have looked on Amazon and ordered some strips, which should arrive tomorrow.

[Vale57 in reply to Vale57]

I will look at getting a thyroid tester. I end up just having it done once or twice a year. I think that the problem with not losing weight on LCHF may often be that, people keep telling me not to count calories and aiming for 'High' fat level. But it is more about being Low carb and having higher fat and protein foods, but it makes no difference whether it is Carbs, fat or protien, if you put more in than you use ... you gain weight. So you don't need to become an obsessive calorie counter, just check on them now and then. If you are in the ketosis range, your body will burn fat easier than it will carbs, it is just shifting the balance eating fat and cutting the carbs, but not more successful the more fat you eat.

[Peanut31 in reply to Vale57]

Hi Vale57

If you have any thyroid issues look on the Thyroid forum on this website, they are very helpful and have helped me a lot.

I didn't realise how important thyroid testing was until I went on the thyroid forum. I bet your GP only tests TSH as well, that is no good. It's T3 that controls our metabolism, weight control etc. If this is low then it doesn't matter what eating plan you go on, it will not help.

Always test thyroid first thing in the morning before 9am and if your on Levo don't take it before the test. Drink water only and no eating.

It's normal procedure to only test 6 - 12 months once your thyroid results are stable and your on the correct medication. If you feel good and that dosage, don't let your GP reduce it either, otherwise you end up with a roller coaster effect of feeling good then bad. Don't let them tell you a suppressed TSH is bad either is all a load of bull.

For us to feel well on levo our TSH should be 1 or below and T4 & T3 in the higher ranges of the lab figures.

I ditched Levo as I just didn't feel well on it at all despite my blood results telling otherwise. Often when patients have an auto immune disease (Hashimotos) we can't convert the Levo (T4 only) to T3 and we feel awful.

Dr Peatfield and others mention going on a low carb diet to help, but, not to restrict it too much and not to count calories either.

I better stop taking about thyroid issues on here before my post is deleted. haha

Best Wishes

Peanut31

[Vale57 in reply to Peanut31]

Thanks for that info Peanut. I will look into,and the thyroid forum. And will start LCHF next Thursday. Until then I am just cutting back on bread, cereal, potato and beer and added sugar (rare for me to have anything with much sugar in anyway)

[Peanut31 in reply to Vale57]

Hi Vale57

I’ve just found this in diet doctor regarding thyroid and it states you may not need as much thyroid medication.

dietdoctor.com/low-carb/con...

Click on thyroid heading.

Best wishes

Peanut31

[Vale57 in reply to Peanut31]

Cheers! I just read it all. The only thing that even slightly worried me was hair loss I lost a lot when the silly thyroid was raging, I don't want to end up balder than my husband. All sounds good, the key being it being well balanced and controlled.

[Peanut31 in reply to Praveen55]

Thanks for the information

I did the strip test at around 8pm last night, my main meal was at 5pm, bacon and eggs with some toms, then off to the gym.

I'm not losing weight now and it has stalled, I wonder if that's the reason, when I put a post up before, people wondered if I was having too much double cream and strawberries and eating in between meals.

I can't seem to get my head around this keto diet as been doing Weight watchers for so long.

When you say I have cut down on food too much, should I still stop the snacking then, and pile more on my plate as in fatty foods etc?. How can I resolve this?

For example tonight I have slowly cooked pork chops (1) with cabbage and cauliflower, fat still on. Today I have had chicken breast salad with cheese, lettuce, celery, toms, cucumber and lettuce.

Drinks are tea and coffee and water.

I haven't had any keto bread I make (the rolls) or any of those peanut butter and chocolate bites I made at 4g. I wonder if I am eating below 20g of carbs a day.

Don't want to sound thick, but I am doing something wrong here.

Best Wishes

Peanut31

[Praveen55 in reply to Peanut31]

First of all, have patience. You are doing okay. You are in ketosis. You will lose fat.

My comment regarding cutting down on eating was based on the assumption that your ketone reading was taken before breakfast in the morning as suggested by dietdoctor's attachment.

Please read the relevant section. It would be good to take ketone reading tomorrow morning before eating anything.

May I ask you what is your current weight and height?

Could you please answer Vale57 's query also.

[Peanut31 in reply to Praveen55]

Thanks Praveen55

There were no instructions on the keto strip box and I was excited to give it a go. I'll do it tomorrow before breakfast as advised.

I'll look at the links you have provided as well.

I'm 5ft 5in and 9 stone 3lbs. Healthy weight, but, feel heavy.

I started this keto diet as I have high cortisol levels, which effect insulin levels and this is all connected to thyroid, Hashimoto's and also explained my expanding waist line and my energy levels dipping and my craving for sweets.

I've answered Vale57.

Best Wishes

Peanut31

[Praveen55 in reply to Peanut31]

Wow! Many of us will be dreaming to have your BMI (21.4) ! I did suspect you may not be overweight.

This is a very very common difficulty for someone like you who is light and want to become little lighter. The reason for this is that it becomes little difficult to create a deficit in energy consumed ( calories in) and energy used by the body ( calories out). The amount of food that gives you satiety is generally required to maintain your current weight. Which also means you are metabolically at your good weight. Still you can lose more fat by tweaking your diet and exercise, but it will be rather slow.

You may be gaining some muscle mass as you are doing exercise also.That can hide your fat loss. Take measurement of your waist, that is another good indicator of fat loss.

Congratulations and wish you continued success in your journey.

[Peanut31 in reply to Praveen55]

Hi

I was overweight as a teenager and was bullied for it, that’s when I first lost 2&1/2 stone with weight watchers, second time was when I had my child as packed the weight on, couldn’t understand it as suffered with sickness all the way through.

The second time losing weight, it was so hard and took ages. Looking back I think that was when I started with my thyroid symptoms but they came gradually.

As my weight was normal, my thyroid symptoms were dismissed as anxiety, depression etc.

It wasn’t until my TSH was finally tested and was 12.2 the NHS stepped in with levo and acknowledge a thyroid issue.

As said I did this low carb to help with my insulin resistance, cortisol issues. I really didn’t realise the hidden carbs in fruit.

I was eating far too much fruit and when I look back I was eating all the time to gain energy, thinking fruit was good.

Apples, especially. This has definitely made me think about what I eat to fuel my body.

Best wishes & thank you.

Peanut31

[Praveen55 in reply to Peanut31]

No worries. You are now in good shape and you will remain healthy. Enjoy life to the fullest.

[NoMoreJunk in reply to Peanut31]

Wow I am just heavier than your weight (9stone4) and only 5ft2"! I have decided to take the plunge and buy keto test strips. Just to see if I am in ketosis. I think I am because I am losing weight most weeks!

[Peanut31 in reply to NoMoreJunk]

Unfortunately, I’ve got the complications of thyroid issues, high cortisol issues which results in weight gain and Hashimotos.

Your doing well, keep up the good work.

Best wishes

Peanut31

[NoMoreJunk in reply to Peanut31]

You are doing really well to be a healthy weight with your health conditions

[Peanut31 in reply to NoMoreJunk]

Thank you

My weight was one of the reasons it took so long for a diagnosis of thyroid issues. Because I wasn’t over weight they said it wasn’t thyroid despite having other symptoms.

Blood test then confirmed thyroid issues.

Best wishes

Peanut31

[NoMoreJunk in reply to Peanut31]

Glad it got sorted in the end