Type 2 with zero meds: My Story

Hayden_McCall

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Back at the end of March, I was going through a stretch where I was constantly thirsty. I could drink 32 oz. of water and 10 seconds later felt like I'd dragged my tongue across Death Valley. I couldn't quench my thirst. As a result of drinking so much, I was in the bathroom constantly. 2-3 times an hour. Additionally, I was constantly tired. I'd sleep 8 hours, wake up, and be so exhausted I could go right back to sleep. I eventually called 911 because I wasn't even comfortable with the idea of driving.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I was told I was experiencing ketoacidosis. My blood sugar was literally off the chart. I spent days in the hospital on an insulin drip and an IV before I could even be put on food. Once on food my blood sugar sky rocketed and they had to take me off again. When they finally released me, my blood sugar was still at 365.

I was prescribed Lantus and Humalog. But with no insurance the meds ran in the THOUSANDS per month. I applied for assistance through both drug manufacturers. My doctor filled out the paperwork and all I had to do was send it in. But I didn't. I'd been reading about how people combatted diabetes with a low carb diet. So I dove in head first.

I came back to my primary two weeks later. I'd gotten my blood sugar to the 200's. My doctor was ecstatic. He said "So the meds are working. That's great." Then I told him I didn't send in the documentation. I'd lost 12 lbs and lowered my blood sugar significantly by drastically reducing carbs and exercising on my Peloton bike for 45-60 minutes a day. He thought it was great, but said I really needed insulin. He prescribed me a 70/30 that they sell OTC at Walmart and wanted me to take 35 units every morning. He said if I could get my blood sugar to 125-225, he'd take me off insulin and prescribe me Metformin. We set an appointment for two weeks later. When I returned to visit, I informed him I was within range for Metformin. He was ecstatic that the 70/30 had helped. Then I told him I hadn't taken it. He didn't understand. I told him I'd continued the low carb diet and exercise. I'd lost another 8 lbs. He really wanted me to up my carbs. He wanted me eating more carbs per meal than I was eating in a day. So he prescribed the Metformin, which I've bought but never used.

I have an appointment with him on may 30th. I'm now routinely at 130 or less, and have even hit double digits for my morning reading after an overnight fast. I'm now down nearly 30 lbs since April 1st. I'm eating well, getting great exercise, sleeping like a champ, and have outstanding energy. My mood is as upbeat as it's ever been. I'm not sure I'd have gotten here without my diagnosis. I knew I didn't want to be taking injections the rest of my life or experiencing other complications.

I'm the last few weeks I've read Grain Brain, The Big Fat Surprise, and Good Calories Bad Calories. All have been a huge revelation. I recommend all of them be read.

I know everyone is different, but I hope if anyone else is in a similar position, that this serves as hope that with some steadfast dedication, it may be possible to tackle this condition without medication.
 

Hayden_McCall

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
And this is what my dietician prescribed at discharge...

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zand

Master
Messages
10,784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
:)Well done! I am glad low carb has worked so well for you. :)
 
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Mr_Pot

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,573
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Extraordinary care indeed! Don't these people ever question why they are advising such an illogical treatment? Surely your excellent results must have at least made them think about it?
 

Hayden_McCall

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Extraordinary care indeed! Don't these people ever question why they are advising such an illogical treatment? Surely your excellent results must have at least made them think about it?

It's an awkward situation. My own primary physician, whom I've seen exclusively since I was 14 back in 1992 is a type 1 diabetic and is on an insulin pump. How do you tell someone of that level of expertise that they're wrong. Especially when they have the condition? How does he not know that carbs are the work of the f'ing devil???? lol It drives me nuts.
 

CherryAA

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,171
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It's an awkward situation. My own primary physician, whom I've seen exclusively since I was 14 back in 1992 is a type 1 diabetic and is on an insulin pump. How do you tell someone of that level of expertise that they're wrong. Especially when they have the condition? How does he not know that carbs are the work of the f'ing devil???? lol It drives me nuts.

It is quite astonishing isn't it?. One is brought up to believe in " experts" and sometimes those experts really do have no clothes.

Great story - well done.
 

CherryAA

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,171
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
And this is what my dietician prescribed at discharge...

bb922b3a2afc47fca492bddc6dbd70ae.jpg

299d149ae428bf3feb1c32d1da3b4d59.jpg

b6143807081b8f7e36dff48c45b2492f.jpg
One could be polite and suggest that what they are actually trying to do is make sure that people REDUCE carbs to these levels. Its probably beyond the sphere of human cognition that these figures would seem like a LOT to those of us who follow LCHF
 

Hayden_McCall

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
One could be polite and suggest that what they are actually trying to do is make sure that people REDUCE carbs to these levels. Its probably beyond the sphere of human cognition that these figures would seem like a LOT to those of us who follow LCHF

Man. Reduce to those levels? My blood sugar was 365 at discharge. I have no idea how I'd have reduced that with that kind of carb intake.
 

dbr10

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,237
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Extraordinary care indeed! Don't these people ever question why they are advising such an illogical treatment? Surely your excellent results must have at least made them think about it?
I doubt it. It's all mind twistingly idiotic and irrational. Tell a five year old eating something makes you sick. The response would be not to eat it.
 
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dbr10

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,237
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thank you. I just can't believe that every medical authority I've seen has told me that I need to eat so many carbs.
I haven't for two years, evetyvdimce I bought a meter against doctors advice and found out that the diet recommendations were insane.
 
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Hayden_McCall

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I don't engage in what I am eating with my Dr .. his mind is closed .. and my life is to short to try to open it for him

There truly does seem to be a divide between old school doctors and their trains of thought and the new wave of physicians.
 
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kokhongw

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,394
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
How does he not know that carbs are the work of the f'ing devil???? lol It drives me nuts.

Congratulation on your discovery that carbs reduction is the key to glucose/insulin control. That realisation and the obvious simplicity of it is troubling...that highly trained, well intentioned medical professionals are unable/unwilling to see the connection.

But I attribute it to this
elephant-chained.jpg


They have exactly been trained by big pharma and food industry to the point where they are unable to see the obvious. Tied by the pegs of twisted arguments about the dangers and lack of evidence for long term carbs reduction...

That is why we remain the very fortunate few out the the hundred of millions of T2D that made it back to normal levels without medication...

The few good men out their like Dr Jason Fung, Dr Bernstein and the rest of the low carb community had spent years trying to right the wrongs...
https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/my-journey/
"Then came the inescapable, horrifying conclusion. We, as doctors, had been treating T2D exactly wrong. And that is why I have started this journey. Because with the proper treatment, T2D is a curable disease. T2D is a disease of too much insulin, just as obesity results from too much insulin. The treatment is to lower insulin, not raise it. We weren’t just not treating T2D, we were making it worse.
 
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AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,322
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
There truly does seem to be a divide between old school doctors and their trains of thought and the new wave of physicians.

I have no idea what is covered in the curriculum in medical schools in the US, or to what depth, but the reality is that, in the UK at least, at undergraduate level the teaching of T2 is pretty limited. I won't write down what the quoted hours is, but it isn't a big number. That's not because nobody cares about T2, but because there are just so many other conditions to be covered, and many of those are conditions considered to be at epidemic levels too. Once our doctors get into general practice their time is pretty much swallowed up in trying to juggle their caseloads.

Of course, that's not palatable information. I understand that.

Hayden, the other thing to consider is that your Doc is T1, using a pump. For t1s, diet is very important, because they are striving to balance their blood glucose by dosing with insulin. It does mean, however, that many find it less necessary to really cut the carbs, provided they count them accurately and have worked out how their insulin works for them. Many are able to "eat normally", without issue.

In UK at least, it'll take a while for the system to change direction, wholesale, but I am hopeful it'll happen. The US may differ.

Keep up the good work with your diabetes. You certainly seem motivated.
 
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MauzaM

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Non-insulin injectable medication (incretin mimetics)
Back at the end of March, I was going through a stretch where I was constantly thirsty. I could drink 32 oz. of water and 10 seconds later felt like I'd dragged my tongue across Death Valley. I couldn't quench my thirst. As a result of drinking so much, I was in the bathroom constantly. 2-3 times an hour. Additionally, I was constantly tired. I'd sleep 8 hours, wake up, and be so exhausted I could go right back to sleep. I eventually called 911 because I wasn't even comfortable with the idea of driving.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I was told I was experiencing ketoacidosis. My blood sugar was literally off the chart. I spent days in the hospital on an insulin drip and an IV before I could even be put on food. Once on food my blood sugar sky rocketed and they had to take me off again. When they finally released me, my blood sugar was still at 365.

I was prescribed Lantus and Humalog. But with no insurance the meds ran in the THOUSANDS per month. I applied for assistance through both drug manufacturers. My doctor filled out the paperwork and all I had to do was send it in. But I didn't. I'd been reading about how people combatted diabetes with a low carb diet. So I dove in head first.

I came back to my primary two weeks later. I'd gotten my blood sugar to the 200's. My doctor was ecstatic. He said "So the meds are working. That's great." Then I told him I didn't send in the documentation. I'd lost 12 lbs and lowered my blood sugar significantly by drastically reducing carbs and exercising on my Peloton bike for 45-60 minutes a day. He thought it was great, but said I really needed insulin. He prescribed me a 70/30 that they sell OTC at Walmart and wanted me to take 35 units every morning. He said if I could get my blood sugar to 125-225, he'd take me off insulin and prescribe me Metformin. We set an appointment for two weeks later. When I returned to visit, I informed him I was within range for Metformin. He was ecstatic that the 70/30 had helped. Then I told him I hadn't taken it. He didn't understand. I told him I'd continued the low carb diet and exercise. I'd lost another 8 lbs. He really wanted me to up my carbs. He wanted me eating more carbs per meal than I was eating in a day. So he prescribed the Metformin, which I've bought but never used.

I have an appointment with him on may 30th. I'm now routinely at 130 or less, and have even hit double digits for my morning reading after an overnight fast. I'm now down nearly 30 lbs since April 1st. I'm eating well, getting great exercise, sleeping like a champ, and have outstanding energy. My mood is as upbeat as it's ever been. I'm not sure I'd have gotten here without my diagnosis. I knew I didn't want to be taking injections the rest of my life or experiencing other complications.

I'm the last few weeks I've read Grain Brain, The Big Fat Surprise, and Good Calories Bad Calories. All have been a huge revelation. I recommend all of them be read.

I know everyone is different, but I hope if anyone else is in a similar position, that this serves as hope that with some steadfast dedication, it may be possible to tackle this condition without medication.

Your story is great. I reduced my carbs because I was having to stop Metformin and relying on my Insulin to control my BS. I'm now taking another drug instead of Metformin but have now been able to half my Insulin. I decided to stick with low carbs diet and feel so well and BS readings are steadily improving.
 

CHIET1

Well-Known Member
Messages
55
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Hyperglycemia, hpyos, fake food!
Well done!

It is a great feeling when you find the truth and then also put it into practice and realise that it works! After you get over the anger from being fed a pack of lies of course! :)
 

Hayden_McCall

Member
Messages
14
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Well..I'm still routinely in the low 100's and hit the upper 90's after fasts and exercise. I
Haven't taken any meds yet. Still trying to see if I can get lower without meds, or I've hit the limit of what I can do.
 

hooha

Well-Known Member
Messages
205
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
long queues.
And this is what my dietician prescribed at discharge...

HI HAYDEN It's great that you are publicising this bad advice - the sooner the message gets around to cut carbs the better




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