My health journey: Nada
How One Clinician Found Answers in Therapeutic Carbohydrate Reduction
“Nothing I Was Told to Do Was Working”
When a nurse practitioner from the United States began experiencing unexplained blood sugar crashes in mid-2024, she had no idea that the standard medical advice she received would make things worse — or that a low-carbohydrate approach would ultimately give her back her life.
Her health journey had been long and complex. In 2021, she lost approximately 65 pounds through exercise and intermittent fasting. When her thyroid levels began fluctuating in 2023, she was started on Wegovy and a beta-blocker. The GLP-1 medication helped her lose a further 15–20 pounds — but by mid-2024, she began experiencing alarming postprandial blood sugar drops that she could not explain.
A Frightening Spiral
She found herself in the emergency department on several occasions with readings as low as 3.0 mmol/L feeling anxious, shakey and sweaty. Each time, she was instructed to consume high-carbohydrate foods — macaroni and cheese, crackers, juice — to bring her glucose up. It would rise briefly to around 6 mmol/L, and she would be discharged. By the time she arrived home, her blood sugar had crashed again.
“I was in tears, anxious, helpless, frantic and scared,” she recalls. “Nothing that I was told to do was working.”
Her endocrinologist referred her to a dietitian who specialised in diabetes management. For four consecutive months, she was advised to exercise less and eat more carbohydrates paired with protein. The result? She gained over 20 pounds and felt progressively worse. As her symptoms worsened, she became too fearful to drive in case she had a low glucose event and had to transition to working from home.She was terrified of these low glucose events that made her feel anxious, shakey and like she might pass out.
Finding a Different Path
In January 2025, she took matters into her own hands. An internet search for information on reactive hypoglycaemia led her to educational videos by an Australian Low carb GP and from there to the work of Dr Eric Westman. She located the Gp’s email address and reached out directly for guidance.
“She was incredibly supportive and simplified the approach: a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet,” she says. “With her guidance, my blood sugars stabilised, and I began feeling better.”
Since January 2025, she has followed a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet with daily intermittent fasting. She no longer has the low glucose episodes and does not need to work from home.
The Results
The transformation has been significant. Her blood sugars are now stable, and she has been able to return to the exercise she loves. The fear and anxiety that once dominated her daily life have largely resolved. As she puts it: “I will never go back to eating high carb ever again.”
A Clinician’s Perspective
As a nurse practitioner herself, her experience has given her a unique dual perspective. She has become an enthusiastic advocate for therapeutic carbohydrate reduction in her own professional circles.
“As a clinician myself, I truly believe low carb and keto is a much healthier way of life,” she says. Her advice to others considering the approach is straightforward: “Be patient and never give up — you are doing great things for your body and mind.”
From Fear to Freedom: A US Patient Finds Help from an Australian Low-Carb GP
What health condition were you managing when you started?
- Reactive hypoglycemia and obesity
How was your health tracked?
- Continuous glucose monitor (CGM), symptoms, weight, and blood tests
What had you tried before?
- In September 2024, I was diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia after experiencing frightening episodes of low blood sugar (3.0-3.3 mmol/L) 20-30 minutes after meals. I had several emergency room visits where staff insisted I consume high-carbohydrate foods—macaroni and cheese, crackers, juice—to raise my blood sugar. My levels would rise to normal in the hospital, but within minutes of returning home, they’d crash back down to 3.0-3.3 mmol/L. I was in tears, anxious, and terrified.
- My endocrinologist referred me to a diabetic dietitian who instructed me to exercise less and eat more carbohydrates paired with protein. Over four months (September 2024 – January 2025), I gained over 9 kg and felt progressively worse. As a home visiting nurse practitioner, I became too fearful to drive and had to work virtually from home.
How did you discover low-carbohydrate therapy?
- In January 2025, desperately searching online for answers, I discovered videos about managing reactive hypoglycemia with low-carbohydrate approaches. I reached out directly to an Australian low-carb GP online who specialized in this area.
What changes did you make?
- With guidance, I started a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet in January 2025. The approach was refreshingly simple compared to what I’d been told before. I also stopped wearing my CGM constantly and began intermittent fasting almost daily.
What impact did this have?
- My blood sugars stabilized! I regained the ability to exercise, which I love, and could return to driving and seeing patients in their homes. The constant fear and anxiety about dangerous blood sugar drops disappeared.
How has this changed your life?
- I now have stable blood sugars and dramatically reduced fear and anxiety. It’s still a work in progress—I’m currently working on losing about 11 kg—but I will never go back to eating high carbohydrate again.
What was most challenging?
- Initially, feeling slightly left out or pressured by family. The ongoing weight loss challenge requires patience.
Have you sustained this approach long term?
- Yes! I am very determined, and as a clinician myself, I truly believe low-carb/keto is a much healthier way of life.
Would you recommend this to others?
- Absolutely—I already am! I strongly believe low-carb/keto has many health benefits.
What would you say to someone considering this approach?
- Be patient and never give up—you are doing great things for your body and mind!
