% of reversals?

[Foxy in Cyprus]

I know it's a hard question, but does anyone know what percentage of diagnosed type 2's have reversed their condition?

 

[dawnmc]

You can't reverse it, you can only control it. So if you have been diagnosed I suggest you read on the forum about testing with a meter and reducing your carbs.

 

[SunnyExpat]

The Newcastle Diet has allegedly led to 'reversals', where the patient doesn't need to maintain a low carb diet to control BG, but it is predicted that if weight increases again to a point, diabetes will return.

 

[JSG207]

I did follow the Newcastle diet, dropped 40 lbs in three months, blood sugars plateaued at 6.9, had amazing energy, but found it too difficult to keep for eating that way for ever.

 

[SunnyExpat]

I did follow the Newcastle diet, dropped 40 lbs in three months, blood sugars plateaued at 6.9, had amazing energy, but found it too difficult to keep for eating that way for ever.

I'm not surprised, it's only supposed to be for 8 weeks!
No one could live on the Newcastle Diet forever.

 

[martsnow]

I know it's a hard question, but does anyone know what percentage of diagnosed type 2's have reversed their condition?

I am afraid that in spite of all the claims diabetes cannot be cured it can just be managed and controlled. The fact of the matter is that it will be a life long commitment to its management

 

[2131tom]

I know it's a hard question, but does anyone know what percentage of diagnosed type 2's have reversed their condition?

As I understand it (and it's been my experience in the 2 years since my diagnosis), as others have said, there's no hard evidence that it can be 'reversed'. By keeping your weight down, not over-eating on high carb foods and (in my case) exercising quite a bit more, most people find they can improve their condition, but it has to be sustained.

Once you're predisposed to diabetes, that's it, and if you adopt the wrong lifestyle it'll 'come back' or, if you already have elevated BG levels they'll just get worse. Again, that's what I've found whenever I've fallen off the waggon.

 

[A1c8]

to the posters saying diabetes cannot be reversed, I disagre. With the right lifestyle cages you can get to the point of not needing medications and keep your glucose in the normal range.
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/20/5-steps-to-reversing-type-2-diabetes-and-insulin-resistance/

When you see the pop up to subscribe just hit "no thanks" underneath the box to read the article.

 

[Brunneria]

to the posters saying diabetes cannot be reversed, I disagre. With the right lifestyle cages you can get to the point of not needing medications and keep your glucose in the normal range.

That isn't reversing.

You are describing a great and healthy way of living with T2, but it is controlling, not reversing.

 

[ladybird64]

to the posters saying diabetes cannot be reversed, I disagre. With the right lifestyle cages you can get to the point of not needing medications and keep your glucose in the normal range.
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/20/5-steps-to-reversing-type-2-diabetes-and-insulin-resistance/

When you see the pop up to subscribe just hit "no thanks" underneath the box to read the article.

You disagree - but you're not diabetic yourself so where does your expertise come from?

I don't take medication. I have had blood glucose levels in normal range for over three years - I am still diabetic and always will be. But I control it, without supplements, minerals, vitamins or anything else that some "doctor" would try and sell to me. So do plenty of others. So..the wisdom of the "doc" isn't needed.

 

[SunnyExpat]

I guess it depends on what you mean by reversed then.

If you successfully complete the newcastle diet for example, and lose enough weight to be able to eat high carb foods, without corresponding high BG readings, I would class that as reversed.
You can argue if you over eat again, and put weight on, you will show symptoms of diabetes, but that's simply starting the process again.

A bit like falling over and breaking your leg. You can do it, get a plaster cast on, it'll heal, and be un-broken eventually, but if you fall over again, you can still re-break it.

 

[Hiitsme]

I don't know where I would stand in this. HbA1c from 95 to 33 in 6 months. Still trying to be careful but trying things out now which in the past would have spiked my blood sugars. I wouldn't yet say reversed but managed or controlled.

 

[Hiitsme]

I don't know where I would stand in this. HbA1c from 95 to 33 in 6 months. Still trying to be careful but trying things out now which in the past would have spiked my blood sugars. I wouldn't yet say reversed but managed or controlled.

 

[sally and james]

I would say that you can reverse T2 diabetes, but, sadly, according to NHS statistics, most people choose not to ("I couldn't possibly give up chips" etc) or don't realise that they can reverse it, accepting the "progressive" prognosis.
If a T2 starts out with a range of symptoms (high blood sugars, thirst, blurry vision etc), but then stops eating the food which is making them ill and the signs, symptoms and evidence of diabetes all go away and they have new found energy and zest for life, they have reversed diabetes. They will still be carb intolerant, but many people have low tolerance of carbs, it's not an illness, just something that doesn't suit you, like banging your head against a brick wall.
To attempt to answer the OP's question, I would say less than 10%, probably much less.
Sally

 

[britishpub]

There appears to be a lot of confusion between controlling and reversing.

You haven't reversed your diabetes if you cannot eat a lot of Carbs without losing control of your BG.

It's very easy to devise a diet that allows you to control the disease, but unless you can eat anything and everything you cannot possibly claim to have reversed the disease.

 

[SunnyExpat]

There appears to be a lot of confusion between controlling and reversing.

You haven't reversed your diabetes if you cannot eat a lot of Carbs without losing control of your BG.

It's very easy to devise a diet that allows you to control the disease, but unless you can eat anything and everything you cannot possibly claim to have reversed the disease.

Agreed, reversing means having regained the ability to eat any food, not simply working out a system to avoid food you are intolerant to.

 

[sally and james]

Doesn't "reversing" mean going backwards, going in the opposite direction? If you stop the progression of diabetes, recover from the symptoms, show no signs of the disease, surely you have reversed it. Your challenge is then to remain in that place, not to engage forward gear. Not eating carbs is hardly difficult. If I were allergic to shell fish, I wouldn't eat them, I wouldn't claim to be constantly suffering from nausea, when I clearly wasn't, just because a chance encounter with a prawn might put me out of circulation for couple of days.
To me, denying the concept of reversal is negative thinking, depressing for newbies. Sure, yes, you have to change a few things in your life, but so what, life is like that. Get a grip of the new circumstances, feel better than you have for months and get on with life.
Sally

 

[SunnyExpat]

Doesn't "reversing" mean going backwards, going in the opposite direction? If you stop the progression of diabetes, recover from the symptoms, show no signs of the disease, surely you have reversed it. Your challenge is then to remain in that place, not to engage forward gear. Not eating carbs is hardly difficult. If I were allergic to shell fish, I wouldn't eat them, I wouldn't claim to be constantly suffering from nausea, when I clearly wasn't, just because a chance encounter with a prawn might put me out of circulation for couple of days.
To me, denying the concept of reversal is negative thinking, depressing for newbies. Sure, yes, you have to change a few things in your life, but so what, life is like that. Get a grip of the new circumstances, feel better than you have for months and get on with life.
Sally

You couldn't claim you weren't allergic to shellfish, simply because you didn't eat them. As you say, an accidental encounter would still put you out of circulation for days.

 

[andcol]

I can eat those high carb foods without losing control of my bg. So yes some of us can reverse/cure/whatever you want to call it. I expect it depends on many factors: how much function your pancreas has when you return to normality, how far you have driven off your insulin resistance, how much repair your body can do, etc,...

I suppose I am one of the lucky ones. Personally I think more have reversed it but live a low carb diet and do not realise because they don't need to as low carb is a great way to eat. Interestingly I spend periods living low carb and periods living on high carb and my body complains during the transition every time.

 

[Klangley]

I would say that you can reverse T2 diabetes, but, sadly, according to NHS statistics, most people choose not to ("I couldn't possibly give up chips" etc) or don't realise that they can reverse it, accepting the "progressive" prognosis.
If a T2 starts out with a range of symptoms (high blood sugars, thirst, blurry vision etc), but then stops eating the food which is making them ill and the signs, symptoms and evidence of diabetes all go away and they have new found energy and zest for life, they have reversed diabetes. They will still be carb intolerant, but many people have low tolerance of carbs, it's not an illness, just something that doesn't suit you, like banging your head against a brick wall.
To attempt to answer the OP's question, I would say less than 10%, probably much less.
Sally

From what I have read this is absolutely spot on. Diabetes can be reversed, what cannot be reversed is the intolerance to carbohydrates. That is something for sure that is life-long and probably genetic. Reversing to me doesn't mean the ability to eat high carb foods again, then again I can live comfortably without them. I haven't felt this good in years.