Kenny's "In Remission" thread

KennyA

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As of today, I am in remission. I’ve not had an HbA1c in diabetic levels since January 2020 and have now had a clear full year with normal range readings. Today’s was 36 mmol/mol.


I’ve had “diabetic” problems since at least 2010 – oedema, kidney problems (producing no urine) , burning/tingling feet, cuts not healing, blistering, gout, and more. I was told that because my HbA1c readings were in the normal or pre-diabetic range, these problems were not caused by diabetes, and I was not diabetic. At the time I was exercising a lot, and eating “healthily” (that is, unhealthily, with lots of carbs and fruit), and my blood glucose kept rising.


Diagnosis in December 2019 was something of a relief and I switched to a low carb/high fat diet straight away. I’d had good results from Atkins in the past so I knew it worked for me. I’ve kept to around 20g carbs/day, and have been in ketosis for most of the time. Discovered some odd things – such as alcohol lowering my blood glucose, and some symptoms (eg night sweats) appearing only after my BG came back to normal levels. Looks like I don’t tolerate raised glucose well at all.


All the worst symptoms have gone and I only have a mild tingling in my toes sometimes, the last remnants of the burning feet. Still have episodes of acute dawn phenomenon.


This has been achieved entirely by diet and during the lockdowns. I haven’t exercised much at all, and I haven’t ever been hungry. I’m also steadily losing weight – about four kilos every six months. My waist is down about 5 inches and I’ve even lost an inch or so off my wrist circumference.


Am I pleased? You bet I am. I could not and would not have done it without the support, advice and example of this forum and the people using it. My thanks to everyone.
 

EllieM

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Discovered some odd things – such as alcohol lowering my blood glucose,

That's probably because it inhibits the liver's glycogen production which is a response to the glucagon produced by your pancreas when your bg is low. Does it actually make you hypo though? It's not supposed to.... :)

Edited to add. And yes that hba1c reduction is a totally awesome result.
 
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Ronancastled

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Great story & great to hear.
I get it when you point out many of your issues may have been diabetes related even with a pre-diabetic A1c.
I too had background retinopathy & neuropathy with an A1c of 52 at diagnosis, comparable to your 50.
Mine have resolved too although the neuropathy took over a year in the end.
 
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blanchas

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Congrats on your success. Keeping down to 20g of carbs is impressive. Something I’ve not achieved often. I Have had a diagnosis since 2010. Have avoided medication and have dieted into remission(ish) 4 times previously but spent long periods hyperglycaemic with readings in the mid twenties at times. Have the burning feet but otherwise I've been very lucky not to have much worse problems given the periods I have just ignored my health.
Went low carb last September via Michael Moseley 800 (more like 1200 really) but found it very effective. Have tried to go Ketogenic with some intermittent fasting now for about 10 weeks. I have not lost weight faster (I lost 3 stone in the first three months) but since Xmas I've lost nearly as much again but my blood sugars are high normal and my BP has dropped to normal where as before they stayed stubbornly lower but not low enough. It is crazy it is not the standard treatment for type 2. We are putting people on Drugs and diets to kill them more slowly rather than help them be well.
Enough about me. You should be held up as a great example as to what you can do when you apply your brain and do the right things.
 
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KennyA

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That's probably because it inhibits the liver's glycogen production which is a response to the glucagon produced by your pancreas when your bg is low. Does it actually make you hypo though? It's not supposed to.... :)

Edited to add. And yes that hba1c reduction is a totally awesome result.
No, it doesn't. I have had (only) one or two opportunities to test what a lot of alcohol does - I seem at worst to drop to the low fours and stay there. The main impact has been not seeing expected rises from carbs if a few glasses of Amarone go along with it. We have (maybe had) an excellent local osteria and every so often they do/did a set menu special night. First time I took a carb holiday and ate everything. Tested extensively, and came out after two hours with a BG at 5.1, lower than pre-meal. It does make me wonder about the mediterranean diet, which invariably combines wine with food.
 
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PenguinMum

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As of today, I am in remission. I’ve not had an HbA1c in diabetic levels since January 2020 and have now had a clear full year with normal range readings. Today’s was 36 mmol/mol.


I’ve had “diabetic” problems since at least 2010 – oedema, kidney problems (producing no urine) , burning/tingling feet, cuts not healing, blistering, gout, and more. I was told that because my HbA1c readings were in the normal or pre-diabetic range, these problems were not caused by diabetes, and I was not diabetic. At the time I was exercising a lot, and eating “healthily” (that is, unhealthily, with lots of carbs and fruit), and my blood glucose kept rising.


Diagnosis in December 2019 was something of a relief and I switched to a low carb/high fat diet straight away. I’d had good results from Atkins in the past so I knew it worked for me. I’ve kept to around 20g carbs/day, and have been in ketosis for most of the time. Discovered some odd things – such as alcohol lowering my blood glucose, and some symptoms (eg night sweats) appearing only after my BG came back to normal levels. Looks like I don’t tolerate raised glucose well at all.


All the worst symptoms have gone and I only have a mild tingling in my toes sometimes, the last remnants of the burning feet. Still have episodes of acute dawn phenomenon.


This has been achieved entirely by diet and during the lockdowns. I haven’t exercised much at all, and I haven’t ever been hungry. I’m also steadily losing weight – about four kilos every six months. My waist is down about 5 inches and I’ve even lost an inch or so off my wrist circumference.


Am I pleased? You bet I am. I could not and would not have done it without the support, advice and example of this forum and the people using it. My thanks to everyone.
Congratulations Kenny. I agree with you that the info, advice and support of folknon this forum has transformed all our lives but you did all the hard work. Brilliant,
 
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Mbaker

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Keep going, I used to have the tingling, nerve endings take a while to resolve. Well done.
 
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KK123

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Hi @KennyA , the 'winner' rating doesn't seem nearly enough but I gave you one anyway! Fabulous achievement, well done. x
 
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muzza3

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Hi @KennyA

Congratulations on a great result. Everyone on here appreciates the work and determination that you have had to put in. Well done.
 
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@KennyA Nice to hear you are out of this, congratulations! Do you still have tingling in your toes? I also have it and wonder how long it might take to disappear.
 

Mbaker

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@KennyA Nice to hear you are out of this, congratulations! Do you still have tingling in your toes? I also have it and wonder how long it might take to disappear.
There is definitely hope of a potential reversal. I have had 2 issues in life with nerve endings. The first was a freak accident where I severed my ulna nerve in my wrist. This took a few years to get full range of motion and for the shooting pains (growth and repair) to resolve. The second issue was with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, both in fingers and toes (I additionally had shooting pains in the legs).

Out of desperation I walked and walked, which was against the guidance for looking after feet with diabetes, along with static cycling and dumb bell use. Getting the blood sugar down has banished the issues permanently for me. I am aware of others who have reversed their Type 2 and obtained the same results.
 

KennyA

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@KennyA Nice to hear you are out of this, congratulations! Do you still have tingling in your toes? I also have it and wonder how long it might take to disappear.
Hi, welcome to the forum. The tingling has almost entirely gone now - I am conscious of it sometimes, but it's not painful and is more of a warm feeling, if that makes any sense. It started around 2014/5, well before "official diagnosis" and the pain was severe enough to prevent sleep etc. I will have been low carbing for two years in December, and I saw a reduction in pain etc very quickly - within weeks, if I remember correctly. The only points I'd make are that:
1. Experiences may vary - we're all different
2. I had/have neuropathy (and some other diabetic symptoms) with "normal" and "prediabetic" BG levels, so I may not be typical
 
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KennyA

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Update: two years since my initial "normal" HbA1c. Current situation is HbA1c reading steady at 37; another 5kg vanished; BP at 125/80 - so that'll do. Unfortunately low-carb seems to have no effect on a torn achilles....
 
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