Is retinopathy & progression to Insulin inevitable for Type 2 diabetics?

[SunnyExpat]

I'm determined not to let it beat me, if the complications do not arrive for 20 years I'll be 90 and probably won't care. I'm still a bit annoyed that I was immediately put on Metformin without the chance of changing my diet. I have suffered for many years with cysts which is a pointer to diabetes so I have had far too many tests over the last 40 years and it's taken this long to arrive. Just a last word, my OH has seen my weight drop since going LCHF and he is now joining me, looks like my son will be getting a bit of food from the freezer.

I was pleased I was put on Metformin.

The way I see it, it's the diabetes that gives the complications, not the tablets.
So the sooner I get the diabetes under control, the longer it takes for any complications to manifest themselves.
So, day 1, diagnosis, get the HBA1C down, by drugs if that works.

Then get the diet sorted, and kick the drugs into touch, or at least greatly reduced.
The jury's out on whether Metforin is good or bad.

But it beats spending months with high BS trying to get the diet to work, and increasing the chance of complications.
Unless you have a reason why drugs will actually make your diabetes worse that you can share?

 

[Celeriac]

My first HbA1c was 13% - off the chart and yet I didn't have the tiredness, weight loss, blurred vision, frothy pee etc. I was put on Metformin immediately, and I was peeved but now I can see why my GP did that though.

I developed retinopathy then maculopathy and was told that I needed laser treatment. I freaked, asked for time to think about it. In the meantime I had gone organic and 6 months later my maculopathy had almost completely gone. Consultant showed me the dramatic photos.

It is hard work. I was the worst case GP had ever seen, he wasn't convinced about LCHF and worried about me. But knowing that I've improved my health dramatically is worth it.

LCHF is not a cure for diabetes of any type, but it can really help.

 

[Lamont D]

Lchf may not be called a cure, but it reverses the onset of complications of diabetes!

For myself, it has made me healthy again.
All my life signs are in the normal range and I'm fit and healthy.
Without lchf I could be dead or heading that way!

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I'm determined to avoid complications by keeping my BGs under 7.8 as much of the time as possible, with lower carb and full fat foods. So far it's going really well, I feel heaps better than when I was eating a lot of carbs. More energy, better mood etc. I can't imagine how sick I would be if I ate the way the NHS and other health systems recommend.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I was pleased I was put on Metformin.

The way I see it, it's the diabetes that gives the complications, not the tablets.
So the sooner I get the diabetes under control, the longer it takes for any complications to manifest themselves.
So, day 1, diagnosis, get the HBA1C down, by drugs if that works.

Then get the diet sorted, and kick the drugs into touch, or at least greatly reduced.
The jury's out on whether Metforin is good or bad.

But it beats spending months with high BS trying to get the diet to work, and increasing the chance of complications.
Unless you have a reason why drugs will actually make your diabetes worse that you can share?

For me the jury is not out... there's good research evidence of the many benefits of metformin, and the side effects and risks are minimal for most people (we just hear about stomach and bowel issues a lot here). In contrast, I think every other diabetes drug except insulin has unacceptable side effects and risks. I base this on what I have read at Blood Sugar 101, which is based on extensive research.

I think if a person with T2 can get their BGs down quickly with diet and exercise, and they are not overweight or a woman with PCOS, then they probably don't need metformin. It does have cancer protective effects though.

 

[SunnyExpat]

For me the jury is not out... there's good research evidence of the many benefits of metformin, and the side effects and risks are minimal for most people (we just hear about stomach and bowel issues a lot here). In contrast, I think every other diabetes drug except insulin has unacceptable side effects and risks. I base this on what I have read at Blood Sugar 101, which is based on extensive research.

I think if a person with T2 can get their BGs down quickly with diet and exercise, and they are not overweight or a woman with PCOS, then they probably don't need metformin. It does have cancer protective effects though.

I (think) I prefer to be on it still.
But I was overweight, diet and exercise take a while to have an effect, so it was the right decision at diagnosis.
I've reduced the dose after some work though.

 

[Sirmione]

The fact is we don't know the real facts because the official line of the medical mafia occupies such an entrenched position there is not a snowballs chance in hell that reliable statistics will come out.
My personal outlook is if my average BGL as measured on my meter ( incliding any obviously false high readings) stays very close to our below 6 I am doing OK.

 

[SunnyExpat]

The fact is we don't know the real facts because the official line of the medical mafia occupies such an entrenched position there is not a snowballs chance in hell that reliable statistics will come out.
My personal outlook is if my average BGL as measured on my meter ( incliding any obviously false high readings) stays very close to our below 6 I am doing OK.

I have no reason to doubt the facts published, I don't buy into the conspiracy theory that the NHS is out to do me harm.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I have no reason to doubt the facts published, I don't buy into the conspiracy theory that the NHS is out to do me harm.

I agree, if given the choice between stuff-up and conspiracy, it's usually a stuff-up. I think the NHS advice is incorrect because there has not been enough momentum to consider the latest research yet, and old habits die hard.

 

[hankjam]

I receive the "Type 2 and you" newsletter from The Independent Diabetes Trust. Today, the September, issue 24, landed on my doormat. Having just read it, I am distressed & disturbed by what has been written. And I quote: "On average, people with Type 2 diabetes will need to start taking insulin seven years after diagnosis." I had NO idea that this is my future with this **** disease. It's frightening.

The article on Diabetic Retinopathy States "After 20 years of Diabetes, nearly all patients with Type 1 diabetes and >60% of patients with Type 2 diabetes will have some degree of retinopathy." Again, this frightens & saddens me. Of course, I know about diabetic complications. I made it my business to educate & inform myself, via this forum and other resources, when I was diagnosed earlier this year. Am I really so naive not to be aware of this prognosis. I'm angry! Rightly or wrongly so.

The Independent Diabetes Trust is a competent, trustworthy & reliable organisation with a good reputation, who educate and support those with this disease. I've no reason not to believe their statistics. I'm gutted to be honest.

All advice, views, personal experience & opinions will be gratefully received. Oh, and here's a link to the newsletter.
http://iddt.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Type2andYou-Sep2015.pdf

Timely posting for me as this is my elephant in the room I've really not gone anywhere near yet. Just trying to get my stuff together and see where I am over the next couple of years following diagnosis and adjustments.
Like other, not too surprised with the stats as I suspect a lot DB's are not that active in dealing with the situation.

Fight the good fight.
Hj

 

[eddie1968]

After four years of oral meds I was put onto insulin and have not looked back - less side effects, more responsive and better blood results with injecting. I have diabetic nephropathy now and worried about retinopathy in the future but all I can do is improve my odds of not developing it.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

I would guess that if diabetes is left uncontrolled then those stats are probably pretty accurate but if you are complication free at diagnosis and if T2 manage to reduce your insulin resistance and keep good control of your bg levels then there is a very good chance of living a long healthy life with few, if any, diabetic complications.

I am in my 7th year living with T2 and have no signs of neuropathy or retinopathy yet but did manage to lose a lot of my insulin resistance along with substantial weight loss soon after diagnosis and have kept good control too with HbA1c's all in the mid 5%'s since I was diagnosed with an Hba1c of 12.6%.

I know I was lucky that I was diagnosed before any diabetic complications had set in and I would like to think that because of that and the fact that I have kept good control since diagnosis that I should have a good chance of remaining one of the lucky ones.

But I also believe that to a certain degree I have made my own luck by losing weight and reducing my insulin resistance.

 

[13lizanne]

I don't believe anything is inevitable.

We must have the opportunity to change the outcome, to some degree at least.

We are all empowered by what we read, the support and experiences of others on a similar road to ourselves. I'm going to fight to make sure I do everything I can to take control of this disease, as will you and many others.

The only thing that is inevitable, is the outcome if you do nothing to change it.

If we were in church I'd shout "Amen " to that

 

[Cathn61may]

I have my Diabetic Retinopathy check up yearly and my optician is also a specialist and I have been told that my eyes have no signs of me having any problems. It is hard to believe I have had Type 1 Diabetes for 48 years. Just look after yourselves.

 

[jeanniez]

my husband has been diabetic for twenty years now, and until two years ago was taking 2 x 80 mg Gliclazide twice a day, then had a hypo and it was reduced to just mornings, then changed to metformin and for last six months nothing at all. Whats made the difference? For most of that time he's been around 20 stone, but over last two years lost five stone - his eye tests have always been perfect, and he just needs glasses for reading, his BP excellent, everything else fine though he has had nerve damage in his ankles for a number of years. So progression towards even more issues isn't inevitable, and even after all that while changes for the good can come.

 

[britishpub]

Thanks @jeanniez

With all forums like this, you are far more likely to read about bad outcomes and problems, and can easily accept that as the norm.

It's great when someone with real positive experience takes the trouble to post.

 

[Celeriac]

Diabetes is not an easy thing to accept. But instead of having the mindset of 'getting away with' higher carbs and treats, we have to think of it as a wake-up call to make big efforts to improve our health.

I know that if I didn't put the work in, I would be having laser treatment. Maybe I would have lost a toe, and I'd be on insulin.

We deserve good health not bad, we should take care of our bodies so we get it. You wouldn't expect a great crop of vegetables if you fed them on ground up junk food. So why do we expect to be healthy on a very high carb, very processed diet ?

End of the day, whether you low carb or not, we weren't designed to eat junk food.

The biggest change you can do for your health is to eat real food. Just by eating real food, your ingested sugars and carbs will come down.

 

[xgasman]

Type 1 for 50 years. No retinopathy. So not inevitable.

 

[Robbity]

Not a type 2, but Dr Bernstein is a shining example to us all of how you can turn even serious complications around.

Robbity

 

[Lamont D]

Another point that gets overlooked, health technology and certainly pharmaceutical advances have greatly improved General health, so a lot of the population expect that a pill will either cure or control the condition!
Where that is definitely not the case!