Reversing Type 2 Diabetes

[gnc]

havent read all, few months ago i was told i was diabetic sugar level 10 ish, cut down on sugar and white bread intake, now loosing weight and sugar levels about 5 to 6.. still eat plenty of chips. im 65. on statins and them meta stuff. i think standard for my age.

[bluelightbabe]

An acquaintance of mine appeared in the Mirror today after reversing his Type 2 Diabetes:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/man...

[Kenny Powers]

When we say “reversed” there, do we just mean under control through diet and exercise, or actually reversed as in - pass a glucose load test like a normal healthy person? Having excellent control and no complications is not the same as being able to eat a loaf of white bread every day.

Just an observation. Not challenging anyone in particular. I’m type 2.

[Phil.]

My understanding from my doc is that ‘reversed’ means being able to produce normal results after a load test, such as a reasonably high carb breakfast.

[boxst]

I've just been diagnosed with type II diabetes, having a measurement of 80. Apparently it was 50 four years ago, but no-one told me

I have got a prescription for Metformin but would rather not take it and try diet etc.. first. Reading everything here has been interesting, one question though: Do you recommend some blood sugar measuring device? I would like to see if I can improve it myself before having another blood test in 3-6 months time.

Thanks for any help

[Badda]

boxst said:

I have got a prescription for Metformin but would rather not take it and try diet etc.. first.

Why not try both? Start the Metformin but also improve your diet, exercise more and see what happens.

Please do take prescribed medications, they've been prescribed for a reason. It doesn't mean you can't try other methods too.

[oldbanger]

I wouldn't want to discourage you re metformin, as it has been prescribed for a good reason, but I would suggest you invest in a couple of pair of brown trousers as a precaution.

[WinstonWolf]

boxst said:

I've just been diagnosed with type II diabetes, having a measurement of 80. Apparently it was 50 four years ago, but no-one told me

I have got a prescription for Metformin but would rather not take it and try diet etc.. first. Reading everything here has been interesting, one question though: Do you recommend some blood sugar measuring device? I would like to see if I can improve it myself before having another blood test in 3-6 months time.

Thanks for any help

I'm going to be horribly brutal with you, but it's with good intent.

If you're fat get unfat. It depends how far you've slipped but everything is reversible if you put the effort in. Get MyFitnessPal, log everything and don't cheat. Even your lattes go in (80 cals for a Tassimo one). Deal with the big sins first then work out the rest. If you stick to the numbers you WILL lose weight.

Good luck

[Phil.]

boxst said:

I've just been diagnosed with type II diabetes, having a measurement of 80. Apparently it was 50 four years ago, but no-one told me

I have got a prescription for Metformin but would rather not take it and try diet etc.. first. Reading everything here has been interesting, one question though: Do you recommend some blood sugar measuring device? I would like to see if I can improve it myself before having another blood test in 3-6 months time.

Thanks for any help

I use this monitor. It’s not the cheapest to use but is simple, quick and easy. It also produces results very close to my doctor.

http://www.boots.com/accu-chek-mobile-blood-glucos...

[Kenny Powers]

boxst said:

I've just been diagnosed with type II diabetes, having a measurement of 80. Apparently it was 50 four years ago, but no-one told me

I have got a prescription for Metformin but would rather not take it and try diet etc.. first. Reading everything here has been interesting, one question though: Do you recommend some blood sugar measuring device? I would like to see if I can improve it myself before having another blood test in 3-6 months time.

Thanks for any help

Definitely take the Metformin. It will help you get your numbers down. Take it with food to mitigate any initial gastronomic distress. You can come off it later if necessary, but the best thing you can do to your body right now is get your blood glucose under control, and Metformin helps.

Oh and welcome. You have a long and arduous journey ahead, but you will find a groove that suits you. Exercise...lots. Fibre and exercise are your allies. Processed foods and flour are your enemies.

[boxst]

Thank you for your advice. Slightly disappointed with myself to get to this stage, as I know I have a rubbish life style as I work at home or travel abroad so that generally leads to eating erratically and drinking too much.

[Kenny Powers]

No problem. I’m only just over a year into diagnosis myself, so being a diabetic noob is all still very fresh in my memory.

Happy to answer any questions or offer any advice

[MyM2006]

A hb1ac of 80 is quite high, not as bad as the 114 I had when diagnosed a couple of years ago!

I would have told the doctor that you wanted to try controlling it by diet before they prescribed, if you could show a positive change in 3 months then they most likely would have let you continue that way.
The metformin takes a bit of getting used to in my opinion, it caused me a lot of problems at the start but it was fine after a few weeks.

Personally I'd use both diet and metformin, get it under control, lose some weight if you need to and make sure that your doctor is aware you want to come off them as soon as possible.

Codefree do a meter that you can get cheap strips for, helps know what sort of foods affect you the most.

[boxst]

I bought the Accuvue monitor in the end and have been playing. Dropped the beer and carbs and now have a waking reading of 6.8 mmol/l without medication and it doesn't go much higher than 8.0 mmol/l during the day.

I have to say I'm hungry quite a lot and it is a bit of torture to cook roast dinner for everyone and just have a piece of chicken and some carrots.

[paul_y3k]

Stumbled on this thread and so thought i'd pop my head over the parapet too, two years ago as part of being 40, my GP invited me in for a health check, part of which was a blood test. Few days later I get a call telling me i need to come in ASAP. Turns out that I'm type2.

My HbA1c level was at 99. I didn't really understand too much of what I was being told but given a blood test kit, and prescribed 2X Metformin (morning and evening) and 1XGliclazide (morning) and 2X gliclazide (evening). Then told to come back in a 6months.

Those first 6 months I tried to take care of my diet, by cutting sugar as that was what i 'thought' I needed to do and i also upped my cycling to around 30 miles a week. When I retested my H1 level was down to 58. However since then my 6 monthly test the level has been increasing ....

Feb 2018 : 91
Jun 2017 : 82
Dec 2016 : 84
Mar 2016: 58
Oct 2015: 99

My last result, prompted an immediate call be to the surgery and another session with the Diabetic nurse. After lots of 'hmmmming' at me, I have now been prescribed Piaglitazane (1 per day) as she believed I'm an insulin blocker? I now have to go back in 6 weeks with the threat of insulin injections being a possibility, which is something that scares me. (Lots of aunts / Uncles on my mothers size are all type 1)

So I know I need to reverse this, and have taken a long look at the last year or so. My job changed and I'm now commuting daily, its' been easier to eat crap and exercise has virtually stopped other than walking the dog. along with the mental attitude of the pills are protecting me and allowing me to get away with the bad diet (chocolate made a big return)

So what have I done so far in the last week or so, along with the new pill... Fitness for weight loss ..Circuit training on Tuesdays, Spin class on Wednesday, cutting carbs and lowing sugar in the diet and trying to get over my biggest commuting induced bad habit of snacking in the car with the grab bag bags of crisps from the services. (never because hungry, just bored). One thing I have started to do as well is to bake my own wholemeal bread to get away from processed loafs. Im now keeping a food diary and returning to daily testing before and after meals to monitor my levels and see if do start to lower.

Not sure why i posted this really, perhaps the act of writing it down might get me to address this rather than deny it ?

[zygalski]

Work out what your BMR is, eat less, exercise more, quit the booze.

[boxst]

paul_y3k said:

Stumbled on this thread and so thought i'd pop my head over the parapet too, two years ago as part of being 40, my GP invited me in for a health check, part of which was a blood test. Few days later I get a call telling me i need to come in ASAP. Turns out that I'm type2.

My HbA1c level was at 99. I didn't really understand too much of what I was being told but given a blood test kit, and prescribed 2X Metformin (morning and evening) and 1XGliclazide (morning) and 2X gliclazide (evening). Then told to come back in a 6months.

Those first 6 months I tried to take care of my diet, by cutting sugar as that was what i 'thought' I needed to do and i also upped my cycling to around 30 miles a week. When I retested my H1 level was down to 58. However since then my 6 monthly test the level has been increasing ....

Feb 2018 : 91
Jun 2017 : 82
Dec 2016 : 84
Mar 2016: 58
Oct 2015: 99

My last result, prompted an immediate call be to the surgery and another session with the Diabetic nurse. After lots of 'hmmmming' at me, I have now been prescribed Piaglitazane (1 per day) as she believed I'm an insulin blocker? I now have to go back in 6 weeks with the threat of insulin injections being a possibility, which is something that scares me. (Lots of aunts / Uncles on my mothers size are all type 1)

So I know I need to reverse this, and have taken a long look at the last year or so. My job changed and I'm now commuting daily, its' been easier to eat crap and exercise has virtually stopped other than walking the dog. along with the mental attitude of the pills are protecting me and allowing me to get away with the bad diet (chocolate made a big return)

So what have I done so far in the last week or so, along with the new pill... Fitness for weight loss ..Circuit training on Tuesdays, Spin class on Wednesday, cutting carbs and lowing sugar in the diet and trying to get over my biggest commuting induced bad habit of snacking in the car with the grab bag bags of crisps from the services. (never because hungry, just bored). One thing I have started to do as well is to bake my own wholemeal bread to get away from processed loafs. Im now keeping a food diary and returning to daily testing before and after meals to monitor my levels and see if do start to lower.

Not sure why i posted this really, perhaps the act of writing it down might get me to address this rather than deny it ?

From what I understand from all the above posts and the internet, really cutting all carbs is a good starting point: So absolutely no crisps, potatoes, bread, rice, pasta etc.. Before all this 'carbs' were something that I ignored and I'm amazed how much is in certain food and drink. Have a read here: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb

That combined with the fitness routine you have (which is great, I would like to be motivated enough to do that) should help immensely.

[paul_y3k]

zygalski said:

Work out what your BMR is, eat less, exercise more, quit the booze.

Didn't even know what BMR was until I've just googled it. Apparently it's 1,824
I've not drank in ages and exercise Is covered.

[Kenny Powers]

Next time you eye that bag of crisps on the shelf, ask yourself if it’s worth going blind for.

Sorry to appear melodramatic, but that’s how serious this disease gets. If you don’t take it seriously it’ll take care of you. Snacking on crisps isn’t taking it very seriously.

Harsh reality I’m afraid

[Mark300zx]

Watching this thread with interest as T2D runs in the family, I am 52 and carrying too much timber, for anyone interested 5 types of diabetes has been discovered http://time.com/5183350/diabetes-five-types/