Thread: stupid stupid!!

uggggh!
well, i buckled and had a pack of those russel stover pecan delights at work this afternoon (the LC kind). i have been so good about avoiding that junk ...
but i just HAD to have it.
well i'm paying for it now! those horrible tummy gurgles, awful feeling!
it's like putting your hand on a hot stove - even though you know it's gonna burn!!

Atkins since 1/6/04
152/143/130

Unlike putting your hand on a hot stove, at least you got some enjoyment out of eating them.

And the "after effects" will probably keep you from eating them again for awhile!

I've done stupider things

261/226/215?
Started Atkins on 6/12/03

I wonder why these treats do this to some people but not to others?

Well, Kerry, there's a theory that makes some sense to me. It appears that those who suffer intestinal distress are NOT digesting the sugar alcohols. Because they don't metabolize them, they cause the distress in the lower intestines.

On the other hand, those who DON'T get the intestinal problems ... well, it's because they're metabolizing them. I'm in this theoretical group. Sugar alcohols do not cause me any problem at all, digestively speaking. However, my blood sugar goes up like a rocket. I might as well be eating sugar.

Someone suggested that it might be similar to lactose intolerance. Some people have the enzyme needed to digest sugar alcohols and some don't. For those who have the enzyme (while the blood sugar goes up) there's no intestinal distress, since there's nothing left by the time it gets that far.

I fit the theory. Hopefully someone will do some research on the issue. These studies will NOT be funded by Atkins, is my guess. They make too much off the products which rely on sugar alcohols.

Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160 + lbs)
~ 50 lbs. of "water" gone forever! ~

~~Redhead until further notice! ~~

I know! I do that too! My sister who had the gastic bypass eats S/F and/or lowcarb candy all day long. If I eat more than 1 small peice, especially on an empty stomach, I get the gurgles and all that goes with it. I know I am lactose intolerant and I also thought I may have IBS, too. Following a $1600 trip to the E.R.(not covered by insurance), I did a little reasearch. The Dr.s sent me home to eat toast and mashed potatoes...AAAAKKKK!!!! since they said I had gastroenteritis AND some kind of funky-foo intestinal virus co-existing. Yow! When I felt well enough to look at my enzyme panel report, it showed me to be >30 on my amylase count. The norm is 30-110 UL. Amylase is the enzyme that digests carbohydrates. Duh! They told me to go home and eat the potatoes and toast because they are "easily digestible". Yeah, not for me! I have low amylase levels. Long story short, a trip to the health food store, along with the knowledge of enzymes is a must for those suffering from digestive problems. I am now taking digestive enzymes. My tummy is happy, but not my wallet. That enzyme panel was costly, but at least it sent me in the right direction.Let me know if you have any questions...I'm not an expert, but I have researched it quite a bit. -Maxibee

hmmm, very interesting maggie and maxibee! i would really like to hear more!
maggie, you're theory really makes sense. have you been able to find any articles on the topic, etc?
thanks ladies!

Atkins since 1/6/04
152/143/130

I just found Advant Edge Perfection bars (red wrapper) at my local grocery store. (Jewel in WC) They are sweetened with Erythritol and Splenda. I decided to give them a whirl. I ate a half a bar a couple of days ago in the car on the way home. Then I had the other half after dinner that same evening. I did NOT get any intestinal distress doing it that way. Then I had a WHOLE one after dinner last night. Can you say INSTANT DIAHRREA????? So while Maggie's tests on Erythritol are promising on the blood sugar front, it still affects me the same way Maltitol, Lactitol, etc do. I only had one bout of diahrrea from it and no gurgling or gas. So that was promising. I guess I have to control myself with these too. I may use them, all cracked up into little pieces as chocolate chips in my homemade icecream. For those of you who don't get intestinal distress from the bars, you should use caution. If they spiked my blood sugar levels I would avoid them like the plague. But Erythritol is supposed to have the least effect on BS levels. Moderation may have to be the key with these new bars too.

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
www.iwsgroupinc.com - website design and development

Atkins-3/14/03
174/143.6/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

On this topic...

I'm lactose intolerant so when I eat LC ice cream with sugar alcohols I'm not sure if my slight stomach discomfort is from the lactose or the sugar alcohols (I seem to have no issue with the Russel Stover candies but I eat them very rarely and try to not eat more than three at any sitting...).

But where I was going with this is that I have had stomach issues my whole life before going to LC. My doctor wrote it off as "nervous stomach" (constant loud gurguling and cramps). I have noticed that since I went LC, my stomach is 98% fine all the time.

Now the "only" time my stomach goes into that mode is if I happen to eat too many carbs during the day. If I slip up and have a biscuit (which I'm finally not doing nowadays), the whole next day my stomach makes loud noises and cramps up randomly.

Wolfman
Restarted Atkins 1-02-04
202/188/175

Wolfman, youmight also be wheat intolerant, especially wheat gluten. That seems to bother a lot of people too.

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
www.iwsgroupinc.com - website design and development

Atkins-3/14/03
174/143.6/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

Many thanks Barb!

I had done alot of thinking over the years about my issue and never thought about that (wheat gluten).

I'll take an extra step in the future to monitor that (and avoid) to see if there is a connection (eventhough I'll probably not have to worry about running into it until Maintenance)

Thanks again!

Wolfman
Restarted Atkins 1-02-04
202/188/175

Those pecan delights are good. I let myself have an occasional low carb treat. About every 6 weeks - one small chocolate bar or some low carb ice cream. It's not a bad thing if you can control it. I can control buying them, but I can't control the fact that I'll eat them the day I buy them. You've done well to have avoided them as long as you have. And as RKC said, this experience will have you avoiding them for a while.

Rob
310/228.5/180
Me, a skeptic? I trust you have proof.