Type 2 Stopping Insulin Injections?

[Keith Evans]

Would just like to say "Thank You" to everyone who took the time to help out with my query. I have the new Atkins Book arriving from Amazon today, so when we have perused that for a while its off to the supermarket and a stock up of low carb foodstuffs, veggies etc.. I will keep this updated with how things go, and appreciate the help folks. Cheers...

 

[Keith Evans]

Good Morning... Thought i would update this thread.

I decided after reading a lot here, that as suggested, it would be better that my sugars were a little higher rather than too low....so i decided to actually stop the injections and tablets completely, and give the low carb regime a decent shot. Started eating the recommended low carb way, and it seems to agree with me..Maybe not the wisest thing to do, but its what i wanted to try out, and see what my B/S results could be without medication.

When i started this post 5/6 days ago, i weighed 18st 5lbs. This morning I weighed 17st 9lbs.. very happy with that. My test results this morning at 06:30 were 7.9. Yes, too high, but they are coming down, and that is with no Diabetes medicines at all. I have actually had many higher B/S days when i was using the Insulin and Metaformin.

The Diabetes nurse rang me yesterday for my latest test results, and I gave them to her, and she asked me to watch my diet or increase the Humilim, as they seemed to have gone up a little, but nothing too bad to worry about. Thats when i informed her that I had cut out the Insulin etc. completely 5 days ago, to see if i can actually change this by changing my lifestyle.

Have to say that she was quite surprised that someone would just stop taking the medicines off their own back, but I explained to her that as i was piling weight on from the Insulin, I didn't see that getting heavier would help my diabetes in any way at all, in fact the opposite, and had read a whole lot about Low Carb for diabetics i owed it to myself to give it a shot. I was asked to go back on a lower dose of insulin, but that is not something i am going to do at the moment.

After a little discussion, she said that they would have to discharge me from their service and refer me back to the Doctor. We agreed to disagree..and I an an Ex-Patient...shame as she was very nice to chat to.

Anyway, thats the state of play at the moment. I have to say that so far, i am quite happy with the way things are going. Weight loss of 10 lbs, and no medication at all, so i am happy about that. Yes my B/S results were sitting at 7.9 today, but they are coming down with no help from drugs at all, and that suits me, and i will get them lower as this goes on.

Thank you for the help and advice. It is something I thought about for quite some time, and decided that the only way to see what happened was to give it a shot, as i could always re-start insulin etc. if i needed to. So far though, I don't think I will have to, as although its very early days yet, it is heading in the right direction for me. Cheers for now..

 

[bulkbiker]

Good Morning... Thought i would update this thread.

I decided after reading a lot here, that as suggested, it would be better that my sugars were a little higher rather than too low....so i decided to actually stop the injections and tablets completely, and give the low carb regime a decent shot. Started eating the recommended low carb way, and it seems to agree with me..Maybe not the wisest thing to do, but its what i wanted to try out, and see what my B/S results could be without medication.

When i started this post 5/6 days ago, i weighed 18st 5lbs. This morning I weighed 17st 9lbs.. very happy with that. My test results this morning at 06:30 were 7.9. Yes, too high, but they are coming down, and that is with no Diabetes medicines at all. I have actually had many higher B/S days when i was using the Insulin and Metaformin.

The Diabetes nurse rang me yesterday for my latest test results, and I gave them to her, and she asked me to watch my diet or increase the Humilim, as they seemed to have gone up a little, but nothing too bad to worry about. Thats when i informed her that I had cut out the Insulin etc. completely 5 days ago, to see if i can actually change this by changing my lifestyle.

Have to say that she was quite surprised that someone would just stop taking the medicines off their own back, but I explained to her that as i was piling weight on from the Insulin, I didn't see that getting heavier would help my diabetes in any way at all, in fact the opposite, and had read a whole lot about Low Carb for diabetics i owed it to myself to give it a shot. I was asked to go back on a lower dose of insulin, but that is not something i am going to do at the moment.

After a little discussion, she said that they would have to discharge me from their service and refer me back to the Doctor. We agreed to disagree..and I an an Ex-Patient...shame as she was very nice to chat to.

Anyway, thats the state of play at the moment. I have to say that so far, i am quite happy with the way things are going. Weight loss of 10 lbs, and no medication at all, so i am happy about that. Yes my B/S results were sitting at 7.9 today, but they are coming down with no help from drugs at all, and that suits me, and i will get them lower as this goes on.

Thank you for the help and advice. It is something I thought about for quite some time, and decided that the only way to see what happened was to give it a shot, as i could always re-start insulin etc. if i needed to. So far though, I don't think I will have to, as although its very early days yet, it is heading in the right direction for me. Cheers for now..

Brilliant results well done.. I'm very disappointed in the DN's reaction although not totally surprised. I hope your GP is more accommodating.
How many meals a day are you eating? You may find after a while you aren't so hungry so could try skipping a meal (I found breakfast the easiest to avoid). An intermittent fasting regime can also help to get sugars lower quickly especially along with a ketogenic way of eating from my own personal experience. Good luck and well done for following through.

 

[Keith Evans]

Thank for for your kind encouragement... its appreciated. At the moment I am actually eating 3 times a day, but lunch is probably a small (2inch square) slice of low carb flan or something like that. I actually decided last night that i wanted to try a semi- fasting regime, so have not had any breakfast, and will wait for lunch before i eat anything. I figured that as i am in effect mini fasting overnight, i may as well try and extend that to lunchtime, like you suggested. Hope i can manage that. I do find this diet very easy to follow, and no i don't get hungry at all..

Now i just need to go a little further and drop my BS levels a tad, as they are too high at 7.9. But that will come. But have to say that i am chuffed that this has worked so well for me so far, and has at last got rid of the Insulin etc..I feel better just not having to stick needles in me!

Will keep this updated as I go further into this, and if anyone has any advice, please just shout out. Cheers folks.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank for for your kind encouragement... its appreciated. At the moment I am actually eating 3 times a day, but lunch is probably a small (2inch square) slice of low carb flan or something like that. I actually decided last night that i wanted to try a semi- fasting regime, so have not had any breakfast, and will wait for lunch before i eat anything. I figured that as i am in effect mini fasting overnight, i may as well try and extend that to lunchtime, like you suggested. Hope i can manage that. I do find this diet very easy to follow, and no i don't get hungry at all..

Now i just need to go a little further and drop my BS levels a tad, as they are too high at 7.9. But that will come. But have to say that i am chuffed that this has worked so well for me so far, and has at last got rid of the Insulin etc..I feel better just not having to stick needles in me!

Will keep this updated as I go further into this, and if anyone has any advice, please just shout out. Cheers folks.

I usually have a coffee with cream or tea with lactofree milk in the morning (or multiples of those!) seems to have little to no effect on my levels.. Sounds like you are well prepared and researched so good luck! If I can help in any way please don't hesitate..
M

 

[Keith Evans]

Thank you mate, i certainly will...as for research, i just spent literally weeks going through all the low carb diet/fasting style videos on YT, to see what would possibly help. And of course now i have found this place, and there is some super information and helpful people on here, so thats a big bonus. Thank you..

 

[Keith Evans]

Hi Folks, back again with an update on how things are going for me in this battle!!

Still just low-carb eating but have now changed over to a one meal a day regime, so i fast from my last evening meal to the next one....My blood sugars are now showing up at between 6.4 and 8 in the mornings...and range anywhere between 6.2 and 7.5 during the 24 hours daily. Still too high i know, but i have a lot of excess baggage to get rid of and they will come down. Still no insulin and on the whole they are better now than they were when i was taking the insulin injections twice daily...so very happy about that.. I have had a few days where i have fasted the 24 hours, and rather enjoyed it...( must be something wrong with me!!) I have been thinking of extending the fasting to maybe 36 or even 48 hours once a week, as it seems to be working ok so far.

Weight wise, i have dropped 13 lbs since i started this just two weeks ago, so its going in the right direction now i think. Can't wait for that last stubborn pound to disappear and get to the one stone gone mark! Weight loss has slowed down now, but its still going in the right direction at least.. Many more to go though... and still working on the extra weight the insulin injections added to me. Have to say that I think the regime i am on now seems to suit me..no hunger and i feel a whole lot better about myself now i am finally doing something positive about sorting myself out. Wish i had done this years ago, before i became an old gimmer!!

Will keep this updated and any help, advice or comments would be very welcome, and thank you for the help so far, its appreciated.

Cheers for now!

 

[Keith Evans]

The fasting combined with the diet seems to be getting better now, as my blood sugar this morning before breakfast was 5.2..not too shabby, considering what they were two weeks or so ago....

 

[bulkbiker]

The fasting combined with the diet seems to be getting better now, as my blood sugar this morning before breakfast was 5.2..not too shabby, considering what they were two weeks or so ago....

Wow that's a completely brilliant result. well done indeed sir.. keep going onwards and downwards both weight and blood sugars! Genius..

 

[JoKalsbeek]

The fasting combined with the diet seems to be getting better now, as my blood sugar this morning before breakfast was 5.2..not too shabby, considering what they were two weeks or so ago....

You're doing brilliantly. I'm sorry your nurse didn't decide to follow your experiment, as it could've helped others in the practice. (I'm my GP's guinea pig). Ah well... Win some, lose some... Your current numbers look excellent to me. Be proud, you're kicking *ss!

 

[Keith Evans]

Really chuffed with the way things are going at the moment. Tested my sugars at just before our evening meal and they were again at 5.2 .. and have just tested them, 3 hours after that meal and now they are at 5.8.. I wanted to check... if i am not taking any medication, insulin and metaformin, i should not be liable to get any hypos.... is that correct? as i dont want them going too low at night if thats not the case..but i think i read that no meds no hypos...anyway, really happy with those numbers for today, will see what tomorrow brings now, hopefully something similar..By the way, decided yesterday to do a 24 hours fast every other day, so today i got to eat!! and thanks for the encouragement and the help folks.

 

[kokhongw]

if i am not taking any medication, insulin and metaformin, i should not be liable to get any hypos.... is that correct? as i dont want them going too low at night if thats not the case..but i think i read that no meds no hypos..

Generally that is true. But as you restore some insulin sensitivity, you may need to watch out for large carby meals that may trigger a reactive hypoglycemia. The huge secondary insulin response that follows a high carb meal can drive glucose very low...

 

[Keith Evans]

Thank you for the reply to my query...will watch out for that when i get back to a more normal eating pattern, if i indeed do, as i like this way of eating, and am very comfortable with it.. Thank you mate..

 

[bulkbiker]

Really chuffed with the way things are going at the moment. Tested my sugars at just before our evening meal and they were again at 5.2 .. and have just tested them, 3 hours after that meal and now they are at 5.8.. I wanted to check... if i am not taking any medication, insulin and metaformin, i should not be liable to get any hypos.... is that correct? as i dont want them going too low at night if thats not the case..but i think i read that no meds no hypos...anyway, really happy with those numbers for today, will see what tomorrow brings now, hopefully something similar..By the way, decided yesterday to do a 24 hours fast every other day, so today i got to eat!! and thanks for the encouragement and the help folks.

You really shouldn't get hypos (at least certainly not life threatening ones if you're completely unmedicated).. you may get a few instances of feeling a bit off when your sugars are lower than you are used to but I've been down in the mid-low 3's when fasting and after the first couple of times I can't tell... although I know its quite likely to happen because I'm fasting..

 

[Keith Evans]

That's excellent then mate . Thank you.. Something else not to worry about then...just editing to say that my sugars seem to have jumped up this morning to 7.8 which i am not happy about! but on the other hand I have dropped 15 lbs now, since the 22/Nov when i started this, so happy about that! Wondering why the sugars have gone back up...wonder if the Blackcurrant Fruit tea i had earlier could have something to do with it, but which is supposed to be 0 carbs and sugars..

 

[bulkbiker]

That's excellent then mate . Thank you.. Something else not to worry about then...just editing to say that my sugars seem to have jumped up this morning to 7.8 which i am not happy about! but on the other hand I have dropped 15 lbs now, since the 22/Nov when i started this, so happy about that! Wondering why the sugars have gone back up...wonder if the Blackcurrant Fruit tea i had earlier could have something to do with it, but which is supposed to be 0 carbs and sugars..

Did the tea taste sweet has it got any artificial sweeteners in it? sometimes those can have an effect on blood sugars even without there being carbs..

 

[Keith Evans]

Thanks mate..Not sure about that, its zero carbs and sugars, but will stop drinking that and stick to black coffee... i did wonder if it could be the dawn Effect, which i have heard about but will have to read up on before i know how it all works...Will try again tomorrow without the tea and see how it is then...anyway fast day today... so will see how it goes..

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks mate..Not sure about that, its zero carbs and sugars, but will stop drinking that and stick to black coffee... i did wonder if it could be the dawn Effect, which i have heard about but will have to read up on before i know how it all works...Will try again tomorrow without the tea and see how it is then...anyway fast day today... so will see how it goes..

Good luck sir and enjoy.. could be DE but if you don't usually get it..Still a worthwhile experiment to ditch the tea for a couple of days and see what happens.

 

[Keith Evans]

I certainly will mate. Thank you... Anyway today the mornings blood sugars at about 10.30 came out at 5.9 and we had no lunch today, but this evening after we ate dinner 4 hours earlier, at bed time...12.30 am they were 5.8 so back to about where i want to try and keep them, under 6 if i can. And yesterday was a fasting day from last nights dinner until tonights, so about 24 hours... so am going to bed happy as I can eat breakfast and dinner later today..Yay!! Thanks again for the help..

 

[Geoffno6]

Good Morning... Thought i would update this thread.

I decided after reading a lot here, that as suggested, it would be better that my sugars were a little higher rather than too low....so i decided to actually stop the injections and tablets completely, and give the low carb regime a decent shot. Started eating the recommended low carb way, and it seems to agree with me..Maybe not the wisest thing to do, but its what i wanted to try out, and see what my B/S results could be without medication.

When i started this post 5/6 days ago, i weighed 18st 5lbs. This morning I weighed 17st 9lbs.. very happy with that. My test results this morning at 06:30 were 7.9. Yes, too high, but they are coming down, and that is with no Diabetes medicines at all. I have actually had many higher B/S days when i was using the Insulin and Metaformin.

The Diabetes nurse rang me yesterday for my latest test results, and I gave them to her, and she asked me to watch my diet or increase the Humilim, as they seemed to have gone up a little, but nothing too bad to worry about. Thats when i informed her that I had cut out the Insulin etc. completely 5 days ago, to see if i can actually change this by changing my lifestyle.

Have to say that she was quite surprised that someone would just stop taking the medicines off their own back, but I explained to her that as i was piling weight on from the Insulin, I didn't see that getting heavier would help my diabetes in any way at all, in fact the opposite, and had read a whole lot about Low Carb for diabetics i owed it to myself to give it a shot. I was asked to go back on a lower dose of insulin, but that is not something i am going to do at the moment.

After a little discussion, she said that they would have to discharge me from their service and refer me back to the Doctor. We agreed to disagree..and I an an Ex-Patient...shame as she was very nice to chat to.

Anyway, thats the state of play at the moment. I have to say that so far, i am quite happy with the way things are going. Weight loss of 10 lbs, and no medication at all, so i am happy about that. Yes my B/S results were sitting at 7.9 today, but they are coming down with no help from drugs at all, and that suits me, and i will get them lower as this goes on.

Thank you for the help and advice. It is something I thought about for quite some time, and decided that the only way to see what happened was to give it a shot, as i could always re-start insulin etc. if i needed to. So far though, I don't think I will have to, as although its very early days yet, it is heading in the right direction for me. Cheers for now..

Well done Keith, I would have done exactly the same as you,I think many of us would have recommended the same but like me wouldn’t feel they could suggest it as it’s a medical recommendation from somebody who is not professional, medically.
Is that 7.9 a FBG, do you do tests before and after food later in the day. It’d be interesting to see the results. Good luck, with or without the medical professionals!