It's been a long struggle but I think I have reversed T2 after 12 years

[PCS1949]

Well my doctor was cautious and has recommended only a reduction in Metformin in stages with an HBa1C blood test once every three months instead of the usual six. Lisinopril is protecting the kidneys. Stopping statins and aspirin not a wise option apparently. I am encouraged by AtkinsMo's assertion that the LCHF diet can in time improve the GERD as I am on the maximum dose of the Lansopazole and Ranitadine. I have tried reducing but the reflux returns. But hopefully in time then it may improve, I'll keep trying. I found the text of some of Richard Bernstein's words of wisdom. A snippet I picked up is that increasing the blood flow to your feet can help repair the peripheral neuropathy and reduce the numbness especially at night when is worst. This can be achieved by raising the head end of the bed by up to 6 inches which allows gravity to assist the process. Has anyone tried this?

 

[JohnEGreen]

The worst that could happen is you get your heartburn back (unpleasant but not life threatening).

Not according to my grandsons ex girl friend's father's death certificate GERD or GORD can cause serious consequences one of which being Barrett's syndrome if not taken seriously.

We must be careful of the advice we give.

 

[hankjam]

My last doctor lost me a bit when he saw my HbA1c was 39, up from 37, and said maybe my control was too good.... it's only my control that is keeping it there.
@PCS1949 good work, always good to hear about folks getting it back and you've been through a bit!

 

[AtkinsMo]

Yes, but you can always re-start the PPIs that day, and the side effects related to the long term use of these drugs are horrendous, worth stopping them briefly in case the problem has resolved itself in my opinion. Sadly for @PCS1949 not the case, but it might have been!

 

[Trescoe1975]

Delighted to read this success story. I also thought the low carbs was a bit of a myth, but gave it a try and stayed on it for just over six months. Other methods had failed for years. My HBa1C dropped from 58 to 36 and I lost 10kgs and was told by the nurse in early December ” technically you don’t have diabetes”

Over a month of the holiday period I was encouraged by my wife that “well it is Christmas” into relaxing the low carbs diet. It has put up my weight, blood sugars up, sleep pattern dreadful, feeling yuck etc. etc. As far as I am concerned low carb diet has been proved to me and I have been strictly back on it for the last three days and will continue. I slept last night and feeling better.

Thanks for posting your messages and the replies of the others who have contributed to a much better insight into my own problems which is most helpful.

 

[positivediabetic]

That's brilliant news and fantastic that you've been able to succeed after 12 years on medication! I'm a relatively new Type 2 Diabetic, having been diagnosed in 2016 and my GP wanted to put me immediately on Metformin. However, I was fortunate to immediately read about the Newcastle University Study and potential benefit of going low carb and instead of the medication, I immediately started on a low carb diet (not quite as strict as the regime they used but still very low). Within 3 months, my readings had gone from 60 to 48 and I'd lost a stone in weight (now nearly 2 stone). I'm delighted to have avoided medication and hold the belief that this is down to the low carb diet I'm sticking to. I thought it would be really hard but it's been much easier than I expected.

 

[AtkinsMo]

An interesting and plausible account of how a high carb diet, particularly one high in complex carbs, causes GERD.

https://proteinpower.com/drmike/2013/09/23/gerd-treat-low-high-carb-diet/

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Congratulations PCS1949 and welcome to the club of well controlled T2 diabetics, as for reversal I think its all about a tag or a name, I consider myself as a well controlled T2 even though I have had non diabetic HbA1c's for almost 7 years now. The other day I ate a hot cross bun with butter and a couple of hours later I tested and found I was 8.9 mmol/L so yes I am still diabetic and if I returned to teh days when i would have had 2 or 3 tea cakes and a couple of bags of crisps too then there would be no talk of reversal would there, its all about control, at least for me.

 

[douglas99]

I used to find being overweight, and high fat food gave me chronic reflux.

You'll have to play with your diet to find out if anything helps for you.

 

[GSP*]

As a school teacher all my life, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes in 2005 at the age of 55. At 6'1" I was 14 stone which was slightly over weight but I have been that weight pretty consistently all my life. I followed the NHS dietary recommendations but my HBa1C got worse, and I was put on Metformin, 2 tabs a day. I continued with recommended diet but HBa1C continued to rise so I was increased to 4 Metformin a day which slowed the decline but but I remained on the slippery slope with a gradual deterioration over the the years. I'd suffered frozen shoulders, both sides at the same time, began to have symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and in 2012 had two heart attacks, although I had never had high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Emergency angoplasty ensued and a stent stent was fitted. I've been living since then with considerably reduced capacity and various problems such as muscle pain and severe reflux. Not sure if this has been due the the heart damage or the medications I was put on. I was told I had the beginnings of retinopathy in 2013. Having been originally informed by my doctor (who has since retired) that this is the norm for Type 2 diabetics and that the disease will inevitably progress and lead to more and more complications, I was resigned to this until a couple of years ago when I read something about the how the science behind the dietary recommendations, by the British and American governments, for everybody and diabetics in particular had never been properly proven and blaming the food and drug companies for perpetuating the myths. I dismissed this at first as another conspiracy theory. But it sowed a seed and I started read a bit more and when Michael Mosley lent some respectability to the emerging theories, I did some more research and about a year ago I discovered DCUK and embarked on their low carb programme. Over 2016 I gradually decreased my carbohydrate intake and was encouraged when my HBa1C dropped to 53. In March with it having dropped to 48 and I fully accepted a LCHF life style which I have have had no difficulty in following and have stuck to from then on. In the summer I was told that there was no longer any sign of the retinopathy, then just before Christmas I had the blood and urine tests for my annual diabetic review which was carried out today by the practice nurse. I was thrilled to discover that my HBa1C was down to 43 (diabetes reversed effectively) and a healthy 12½ stone (perfect BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure and kidney function were also perfect). She was fascinated by what had caused the turn around. I explained about Diabetes.co.uk and she wrote it down, She was very receptive to the whole idea and said it made a lot of sense to her. I have the follow up telephone consultation with my doctor on Monday when I am hoping at least to ditch the Metformin. I expect losing the statins, lisinopril and the asprin will be a step too far but I am ever hopeful!

Well Done. You may find your reflux will go when you stop Metformin. What statin are you on? If its symvastatin it could be causing the muscle pain so maybe ask to be changed to atorvastatin if you still need the statin. It's an incredible program, so informative, better than any information or courses I've been on through GP's. My HbA1c had gone up to 65 last July even tho I'd been on Metformin for a few months as HbA1c went up to 70 in Dec 2015. (I had to come off Metformin as I suffered depression, anxiety, heartburn, 3 nightmares a night, etc 2 days after stopping the tablets there was a dramatic change, a week later all reactions gone). In Sept my Dr wanted me to start Gliclazide so I seen the nurse for monitor to test blood 4 times a day and she said I had to also go No Carbs, No Sugar, No Cheese. It all seemed like a lot of changes at once so I did the dietary changes and left the Gliclazide due to the fear of similar reactions as the Metformin, I wanted to see what would happen with dietary changes. I have mobility issues due to Chronic Fatigue from Chronic Pain due to severe multiple arthritis so can't exercise and have found loosing weight, which was gained from years of amitriptyline for Intercostal Neuralgia difficult (stopped it a few years ago when I no longer had the condition). So my husband and I did the dietary changes, and did some research, amazing the carb levels in some unexpected foods i.e. some fruit is as bad as bread etc. In 3 weeks I'd started loosing weight (I'd read that results will start when you loose 13% of body weight, so that was my aim) and my readings were starting to reduce. I then found the Low Carb Program and signed up, the first 3 weeks is information which was invaluable background, I was still following my own regime and had lost 10lbs. I found the program and further personal research into transfats and aspartame brought further results, i.e. I stopped drinking diet coke and stopped using sugar free chewing gum. By the time I went for my 3mth review on 16/12 I had lost 14.3kg = 2st 3lbs, I've lost 5 inches from my waist, my HbA1c was down from 65 to 59, still high but nurse was so excited, my cholesterol was down from 4.9 to 3.4 (she was going to stop my atorvastatin but we decided to leave it till the next test just to be sure). The nurse was beside herself and wanted to know whatI had been doing and was really interested in the DCUK Low Carb Prog and ideas as she is vegetarian and struggles with no carbs. She has said I'm reversing my diabetes which I've had for 10yrs. She's going to re-run the tests again end of March. I try to stick to 1000 cals and 50-80g carbs a day, which is a huge help. I also think the mental attitude goes a long way to being successful, having reasons, goals, making the food changes exciting rather than a drudge makes it easier too. I'm so excited I just want to shout out from the roof tops and let people know so they can feel all the benefits too. The other results for me is that my fatigue is loads better and I look forward to going out more now, I still only get out once or twice a week, but it's more pleasurable. I try to eat before going out as it's tough, even in hospital food establishments to find No Carb, No Sugar food.
Here’s to continuing to go from strength to strength.

 

[GSP*]

Brilliant, well done.

It's such a pity that we have to ignore the official "advice" and plow our own furrow, it takes courage and determination.

Amazing. And inspirational. It can be done.

 

[logindetails]

Congratulations on getting your blood sugars down to normal levels, this will certainly impede the progress of your diabetes and the related damage it can do. Unfortunately and sorry to be a party pooper, this is in no way a reversal of the condition, you have that for life and will need to keep to a low carb diet for life if you want to maintain normal (healthy) BG levels.
Once someone can say they can randomly eat a couple of Mars bars and two hours later, without the aid of medication, their BG level hasn't rocketed past the 8.00mmol/L point, then it could be argued their diabetes is in remission.

 

[AtkinsMo]

It's all semantics. Think of it how ever you want to think of it, remission, control, reversal, cure! Whatever makes you feel happy. Many people say you can only consider yourself 'cured' if you can go back to eating garbage. Who wants to? Surely I'm not the only one who has found a new, luscious, wonderful way of eating, twice as delicious and twice as satisfying as my previous diet, who wants to go back? Not me!

For dinner I have just eaten garlic and onion fried rabbit loins, gorgeous, with shredded cabbage, fried in butter, olive oil, onion and garlic and cauliflower cheese. A glorious, tasty, satisfying, delicious meal. So in order to remain healthy I will need to keep eating like this, what a hardship!

 

[douglas99]

I had couscous, with a lamb tagine, (with honey, apricots and raisins).
Very luscious, and no hardship either.

Hopefully a lot more to come next month.

 

[AtkinsMo]

Chase the carbs with medication or choose to exclude, it's all down to the individual! A raisin, apricot or spoon of honey will never cross my lips again, no problem, and hopefully no diabetic meds ever!

 

[douglas99]

Chase the carbs with medication or choose to exclude, it's all down to the individual! A raisin, apricot or spoon of honey will never cross my lips again, no problem, and hopefully no diabetic meds ever!

Sorry mate, reversed diabetes doesn't need meds.
Although I do admit I'm still on minimum metformin by choice for the other benefits it seems to have.

Diet control works for many though, but only for those focused solely on diabetes.
Each to his own eh?

 

[Dr Snoddy]

Congratulations. I am a recently retired teacher and was diagnosed with Type 2 two and a half years ago. My HbA1c was 104. I was put on 2g metformin per day, given a half hour appointment with a dietician and a fairly rapid place on a DESMOND course. I also discovered this site! I reduced my carb intake to 30-40:-/meal, upped my exercise and lost weight. Within two months my HbA1c was 78 and 36 shortly after that. I reduced the metformin dose to 1g per day and have maintained an HbA1c of 35-37 since then. However, I saw a new GP last week who was astounded at my results and reclaimed that they virtually get anyone back to normal from such a high initial reading. She asked me what I had done. I told her about the low carb approach which incidentally the young dietician I had seen had suggested. I did not say, and probably should have, that the official NHS advice e.g. pasta, baked potato etc does not make sense at all! Hopefully the advice given will change soon!