Reversing Type 2 Diabetes

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes

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Discussion

Pieman68

Original Poster:

4,264 posts

233 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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Does anybody have any additional info or has anybody on here achieved it?

Currently a diagnosed type 2 diabetic, medicated using 1 x 800Mg Metformin tablet a day

6 months ago the HBAC1 was running around 85Mmol. Through a change of diet I have recently lost 1.5 stone and my latest reading is down to 51Mmol

As I understand it below 42 is normal reading - question is how much of this is the diet and how much the medication? What reading would you think would be desirable before stopping medication and trying to manage through diet alone? And from that point at what point are you considered to have reversed the condition

I'm 42 now and if I can control this to the point where I don't have to take medication (and cost the NHS money) for the 25-30 years then I would love to achieve this

NorthDave

2,355 posts

231 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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Michael Mosley did just this on a Panorama program a while ago and I've just found he has a website which looks helpful.

It certainly looks possible to me - looks like you are on the right track too. Hope your success continues!

carinatauk

1,408 posts

251 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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It is possible however whether the doctor takes you off the metformin is another matter.

I have lost c 27Kg by no alcohol and practically minimal carbs. My HBA1C was 84 and it is currently 39 [target being 48]; the doctor needs me to remain at this for quite sometime before he reduces the amount [I'm on 2000mg/day].

I am hoping that I will remain under the target for the next year and maybe he will reduce the dose or stop it all together.

Well done for getting to where you are

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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I know a lass who did it by simply going from obese to normal weight. smile

LordGrover

33,531 posts

211 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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An old(ish) article which may be of interest: Dr McDougall.
He and many others claim to have reversed/cured type 2 diabetes using diet alone.

I have no experience of diabetes but find this approach very helpful and satisfying.

Sparkyhd

1,792 posts

94 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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carinatauk said:
It is possible however whether the doctor takes you off the metformin is another matter.
Surely it's up to you?

I've discussed results with my doctor, suggested a plan/dosage to see how it goes and the doctor's always agreed

Phil.

4,753 posts

249 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Pieman68 said:
Does anybody have any additional info or has anybody on here achieved it?

I'm 42 now and if I can control this to the point where I don't have to take medication (and cost the NHS money) for the 25-30 years then I would love to achieve this
Highly commendable Op.

My Doctor diagnosed me with Type 2 diabetes in April this year after several years monitoring my ever worsening glucose intolerance. This was despite me exercising more and losing weight using a ‘normal’ approach to dieting. He offered me Metformin and access to a NHS diet planner.

I strongly feared what Type 2 would do to me in the longer term having seen the impact on others including my father. So much to his surprise I kindly declined the Doctor’s offer and decided to research alternative approaches to managing Type 2.

I quickly came across Prof Roy Taylor at Newcastle University who has been working on reversing Type 2 or at least managing it through diet for some time. There is a link to his work below and to the notes he has produced to advise NHS Doctors who in my experience only resort to medication as the solution. This paper answers some of the questions from above about when to come off medication. It may be a good idea to share this information with your Doctor.

I followed the principles of Prof Taylor’s diet (C. 800 calories per day and less than 50mg of carbs) and within days my BS levels were normal. It’s not an easy diet to follow but it’s only for a few weeks and the results are immediate and lasting. I was tested 3 months later and my highly sceptical Doctor was overjoyed with the results and has reversed his diagnosis of Type 2, although it’s work in progress to completely reverse my glucose intolerance. I believe I will always have to be careful with the overall level of carbs in my diet meaning diet maintenance will be key to long term success.

I found the free Cronometer App invaluable for assessing and managing a low carb intake. The other thing I found to help glucose intolerance is building muscle and exercise. This doesn’t have to mean loads of gym work, mine was mainly walking and cycling. It’s important to excise whilst on the low calorie carb diet to prevent muscle wastage which can cause other complications.

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reve...

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/media/wwwnclacuk/newcastlemag...

What I find the most difficult to understand is that the NHS don’t appear to know or accept that there is very low cost alternative to managing Type 2 other than prescribing expensive medication. Why is the Government forever telling us about the massive growth in Type 2, its negative health effects and the enormous cost to society, when this doesn’t need to be the case?


Ascayman

12,732 posts

215 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Im afraid i cant help, however well done you, as said above very commendable i wish you all the best.

Oh and change your username laugh

SlidingSideways

1,345 posts

231 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Phil. said:
I followed the principles of Prof Taylor’s diet (C. 800 calories per day and less than 50mg of carbs) and within days my BS levels were normal.
There was a lass on this weeks episode of the BBC program "How to stay young" who did this using this app: https://www.changinghealth.com/patient.html
I'm sure her diet was in the region of 800 cals/day so probably based on the same research?

Phil.

4,753 posts

249 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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SlidingSideways said:
There was a lass on this weeks episode of the BBC program "How to stay young" who did this using this app: https://www.changinghealth.com/patient.html
I'm sure her diet was in the region of 800 cals/day so probably based on the same research?
Thanks and quite probably.

The Prof Taylor diet is basically the same as that used by Doctors to quickly reduce fat levels in obese people before an operation. They noticed as a side effect of the diet the positive impact in BS levels and so the research began in to how the diet could also help reverse Type 2.

Edited to add, that the changing health programme linked above is definitely based on the same research I referred to earlier. It seems to be free by referral from your GP. What an excellent development.



Edited by Phil. on Tuesday 3rd October 16:02

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

238 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Get MyFitnessPal, log everything you eat religiously (you're only cheating yourself if you don't) and watch the weight fall off.

Oh, and eat salmon...

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Hoofy said:
I know a lass who did it by simply going from obese to normal weight. smile
One of our neighbours did the same. Took him 2 years of exercise, but he's done it.

He also quit booze, but I'd never condone that hehe

TartanPaint

2,981 posts

138 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Lots of (anecdotal) info at reddit.com/r/keto

HappyMidget

6,788 posts

114 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Also maybe look into supplementing with cinnamon. My dad swears by it. https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/cinnam...

King Herald

23,501 posts

215 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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English friend of mine in the Philippines used to need 2 injections a day to keep him going, then his wife got cancer and long story short, he put her on a strict and healthy diet: No processed food of any sort. No tinned foods, only fresh stuff.

Of course he had to follow that diet himself, and he lost 1/3 of his rather excessive body weight and got down to no injections and maybe one tablet a day. Plus he felt a million times healthier.

Unfortunately he died last year, in Bangkok. Nobody knows exactly what the cause of death was, they are rather casual about that in Thailand.


Broccers

3,236 posts

252 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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The trouble is the NHS have targets to get you on these tablets and no avenue to remove them from your life, ever. Good business for someone.

You also get statins thrown in for good measure.

Having been down this route myself and then realising I didnt need these tablets I now don't take them. My new Dr is extremely good.

A watch of this is probably a good start https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a2Fsfa8e4I

Oh and 5 -2 fasting, get a book like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152562077655 and Fung's book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Se...

Good luck. Get off those meds as they make you miserable when your bs is lower.

Edited by Broccers on Tuesday 3rd October 19:02

JimPD

104 posts

120 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Very interested in this, having been diagnosed Type2 last week.
HBAC over 100
One week on, Metformin now up to 2000mg / day and also having cut carbs to a fraction of previous levels (although not entirely) I seem to have reached target Blood Glucose levels reliably - at less than half of what they were pre-medication.
Have already seen that a very low carb meal gives almost no post-meal increase in BG but adding a piece of fruit has more effect.
Target now is to maintain the BG levels and then see if maintaining a very low carb intake alone can allow me to reduce the Metformin dose. Looking to get some weight off first though.

Pieman68

Original Poster:

4,264 posts

233 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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Ascayman said:
Im afraid i cant help, however well done you, as said above very commendable i wish you all the best.

Oh and change your username laugh
Bit to go before I can do that one. Plus I will have to get a full new range of rugby kit as I have Pieman emblazoned across the back of it all

Although it is all starting to get a bit loose wink

garythesign

2,055 posts

87 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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OP. Well down with the weight loss.

According to my diabetic nurse, even if you reduce to under 40Mmol, you are a diabetic in remission.

Type 2 gets worse as we age, so its always creeping up on us.

I have reduced mine down to 42Mmol (from 63) but still on one Metformin a day.

Have you been on the XPERT course? I found this very useful


Broccers

3,236 posts

252 months

Wednesday 4th October 2017
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garythesign said:
According to my diabetic nurse, even if you reduce to under 40Mmol, you are a diabetic in remission.
What a lot of crap.