Fasting success stories

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We are gathering stories of type 2 diabetes remission with fasting stories for a petition to the ADA to publicise that fasting is a reasonable and 100% natural treatment.

We're looking to hear from people who have used therapeutic fasting to help manage their health conditions - and the benefits people have seen. If you have used fasting and have reduced your weight, medication dependency or anything else - please share your story for others to see.

If you could share before and after details on weight, and medication that would be ideal - and optionally a before/after photo if you also have one!

Thank you!
 

bulkbiker

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Well you can count me in of course..!

What do you need to know?
 

britishpub

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Well, my weight has remained pretty constant since I started "therapeutic" fasting, I wasn't taking any medication when I started so that's not changed, and my HbA1c was already in the 20's when I started.

I'll get me coat.........:banghead:
 

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If you could share before and after details on weight, and medication that would be ideal - and optionally a before/after photo if you also have one! We are gathering stories of type 2 diabetes remission with fasting stories for a petition to the ADA to publicise that fasting is a reasonable and 100% natural treatment. :)
 

Goonergal

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Count me in too. Jason Fung has asked for similar on Twitter today, is this related?

Diagnosed Type 2 in December 2016 with an HbA1c of 108 - or as my doctor put it, “extremely diabetic”. I was close to being morbidly obese with a BMI of 38.4. Blood pressure was sky high (158/102). I now (as of March 2019) have an HbA1c of 30, have lost almost 43% of my body weight, dropping from 101.1 kg to 57.8 kg, for a BMI of 22.1. Blood pressure is normal (100/67).

A totally unexpected bonus has been the complete disappearance of my lifelong - and for the past 20 odd years, chronic - migraines. From a point of treating 6-8 migraines a month at diagnosis, it is now over 18 months since I had one and I have been discharged from the specialist hospital I had attended for many a year.

Fasting- initially skipping breakfast and then sustained OMAD - was the big turning point for both weight loss and BG reduction.

No diabetes meds but all migraine meds now dropped.

Pics attached.
 

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Debandez

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Count me in too. Jason Fung has asked for similar on Twitter today, is this related?

Diagnosed Type 2 in December 2016 with an HbA1c of 108 - or as my doctor put it, “extremely diabetic”. I was close to being morbidly obese with a BMI of 38.4. Blood pressure was sky high (158/102). I now (as of March 2019) have an HbA1c of 30, have lost almost 43% of my body weight, dropping from 101.1 kg to 57.8 kg, for a BMI of 22.1. Blood pressure is normal (100/67).

A totally unexpected bonus has been the complete disappearance of my lifelong - and for the past 20 odd years, chronic - migraines. From a point of treating 6-8 migraines a month at diagnosis, it is now over 18 months since I had one and I have been discharged from the specialist hospital I had attended for many a year.

Fasting- initially skipping breakfast and then sustained OMAD - was the big turning point for both weight loss and BG reduction.

No diabetes meds but all migraine meds now dropped.

Pics attached.
You are amazing!!!
 

bulkbiker

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OK here goes

Weight on diagnosis 23 stone 322 pounds 146 kg
Weight today 14st 10.8lb 206.8 pounds 93.8 kg

HbA1c on diagnosis 87 mmol/m
HbA1c Oct 2018 26.8 mmol/m

Medication 3 weeks of metformin November 2015 and nothing after that

Fasting protocol:
Intermittent fast daily - no breakfast, sometimes lunch, always dinner
Restricted eating window 18:6
Occasional extended fasts of up to 7 days


Month before diagnosis
IMG_3386.jpeg


This morning

IMG_2215.jpeg



Waist from 44 inches to 34 inches

No more acid reflux, no more sleep apnea, no more breathlessness when walking.

Still got some weight to lose but getting there
 

jpscloud

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Tablets (oral)
Ah too early days for me yet! I'm experimenting with intermittent fasting, so far I've lost around a stone since beginning LCHF with intermittent fasting. I'm starting a 3 day fast tomorrow and hope to do a 5 day fast soon. I will do a five day fast this week if 3 days goes well, I think.

Unfortunately my tendency to lapse with carbs when eating is slowing my progress, so I may not be a good candidate for this.

Edit: Currently I weigh around 265lbs. I currently take metformin, januvia and trulicity. I do not stop taking them when fasting at the moment, though I did experiment with stopping metformin for a week and januvia for a different week. Numbers went up slightly, so I restarted in both cases. So far I haven't had lower than 3.9 mmol/L on extended fasts and feel fine, so will continue with meds until advised to stop by HCPs.

Another edit: When I'm fasting I feel great. As a relative newcomer to it, and being very overweight with T2, it seems my entire system, physiological and psychological, is very happy when I'm fasting.

Sorry for all the edits. Maybe if I'm successful in improving insulin sensitivity and losing weight, this can count as my "before"!
 
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DCUKMod

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As someone who fasts overnight or on a long haul, I'm not the poster child for this thread, but I can bump it up the lists. :)
 

toryroo

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Wow thanks both for sharing pictures and stories! I lost 15kg between last June and the end of the year. Been a bit rubbish with keeping my carbs down (where I know they should be but still not eating 'normal person' carbs) since then - but never great with the cold / grey. I dont' think it is a bad thing just letting my body get used to the current size before loosing more. I'm not intentionally (well actually maybe I am after reading about being able to fast in the day rather than FOR days) fasting but generally don't eat until 12 and have dinner at 8ish. I'm trying not to stress myself with it all as this needs to be forever for me so just soing my best with eating low carb and semi daily fasting.
 

mentat

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I know this isn't really something you can use, but...

I have type 1 and a few weeks ago I decided to bite the bullet and do a 5-day complete fast. (Eating nothing - just tea.)

It was utterly fantastic!! I felt energised and motivated, and was slightly surprised that my mental functions did not seem to be reduced.

BG levels were literally straight lines (I have a CGM). Sometimes they were sloped a little upwards or downwards, which was simply a sign that I needed a basal adjustment. At one point my BG was between 5.5 and 7 for eight hours straight. Usually I fluctuate between 7 and 14 every day.

I had to cut my basal roughly by half, and split it between morning and evening (instead of just evening). I'm keen to do it again soon.

People doing this type of fast say that the fast itself helps them feel energised and sharp—but undoubtedly my stable sugars were also great for my mood and mind. And not having to worry about calculating dosages and watching out for hypos!
 

Wizbang

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Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Diagnosed with Type 2 2011 and went on Metformin. Weight 160lbs. HBA1c=48.
Stopped Metformin in 2017 as I was fed up with "moments"
Last June (wt 160lbs HbA1c=42: I know -not that bad!). Put myself on low carb/Newcastle diet. By September my weight was down to 137 lbs; HbA1c=38 and regular fasting bg=5.8. My annual check is due April so will be really hoping that all is well and I am in "remission".
Have cut all simple carbs (white pasta, rice, potatoes most bread). Bread is now a "treat" - good sourdough or multigrain.
I have also been going to a Pilates class and a body toning class so doing 2 hours quite intense exercise a week.
It works for me. I put some back on over Christmas but have kept at least 22 lbs off. Have really changed my diet and have to say the combination of Diabetes UK low carb and Micheal Mosley works for me.
My blood pressure also came down so no longer take BP medication :)!.
Not on Diabetes Medication.
 
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Tsang33

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We are gathering stories of type 2 diabetes remission with fasting stories for a petition to the ADA to publicise that fasting is a reasonable and 100% natural treatment.

We're looking to hear from people who have used therapeutic fasting to help manage their health conditions - and the benefits people have seen. If you have used fasting and have reduced your weight, medication dependency or anything else - please share your story for others to see.

If you could share before and after details on weight, and medication that would be ideal - and optionally a before/after photo if you also have one!

Thank you!
I started on a very low-carb / zero processed food & drink / zero added sugar / moderate fat and protein diet on 1Feb ‘19, just after the diabetes diagnosis - tallying a good continuous 7 weeks by now. I mainly eat twice daily that includes a very light breakfast and a small-ish dinner, with about 12 hours in between meals. I eat mixed nuts for snack when hungry in the daytime. The calorie in-take would be low .... but I don’t know how to measure it scientifically. While not sure if mine can be considered fasting, I’d like to tell my story .... an interesting on I think. I walk up- down- hill for at least 1 hour daily which is little change than before.

About the meals -
1. Breakfast : 1 avocado, 1 - 1.5 piece pre-sliced Kraft cheddar cheese, 1 - 2 boiled eggs, 1 medium sized bitter melon, 1 glass of Veges/carrot juice with ginger.
2. Dinner : Mainly cooked green vegetables, some lean red - white meat and / or fish (like salmon) ; occasionally adding tofu & meatballs. Very little refined carb of about 4 tablespoons of rice or a tiny bit of noodle / pasta.
3. Snack : Mainly mixed nuts max quantity is a handful.

And the result (blood test results taken 3.5 weeks after new diet) is :
1. Weight loss - ~ 7 kg, now @ ~ 73 kg; lost 5 kg after ~4 weeks; my height is 5’ 10”. I even fit back into trousers bought some 15 years ago (50 y.o. then) now with a reduced waist-line.
2. Blood pressure is now overall very normal, but @ early morning it is marginal for probably 2-3 hours I think; btw, my blood pressure had been bugging me for at least 15 years prior.
3. Cholesterols - all normal now except non-HDL is 0.3 mmol too high (doctor not unhappy) - they had been bugging me for a long time (~ 10 years) .... always a little too high.
4. Some liver enzymes - GGT, Bilirubin are now within the normal ranges Vs a little too high before for ~ 10 years. ALT had been a little out-of-range twice in 10 years and fortunately it is now very normal.
5. Blood glucose - still early days .... anyway doctor and diabetes educator are happy with it. A re-test of A1c in 7 weeks’ should be more indicative of progress, I think.
6. Energy level - more energetic compared to 2018 .... I don’t fall asleep during daytime now.

I’d suggest that :
For those with or without diabetes who want to lose some weight especially around the belly, improve their a little out-of-range liver enzymes, they could consider switching to a diet of very low-carb with no processed food & drinks, no added sugar, no alcohol.

My wishes :
1. I hope I’m doing the right thing switching to my new diet plan. (Comments from participants will be very welcomed. I’m not getting any professional advice from doctor or nutritionist.)
2. I really really wish the gov’ts around the world, the doctors, nutritionists, other health carers put more efforts immediately to genuinely improving health of the general public by changing the current dietary recommendations of low-fat and seemingly no-limit-carb represented by that ‘killer’ food pyramid. Change to something else that works urgently.

And btw, I’d say that ‘food pyramid’ is the cause of the syndrome-X / obesity / diabetes epidemic that’s hurting ‘00 of millions of us today.
 

Prem51

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I started fasting after being diagnosed Type 2 after a HbA1c test in September 2015. I ate one small meal a day after 7pm, I wasn't counting carbs but probably between 30 - 100g carbs a day. I didn't drink any alcohol for first 3 months.
At start on 7/9/2015 I was 173 lbs, BMI 28.4 (overweight), HbA1c 49 (diabetic).
At 3 month retest on 5/11/2015 I was 150 lbs, BMI 23.5 (overweight), HbA1c 44 (pre-diabetic).
At 12 month retest on 1/9/2016 I was 135 lbs BMI 21.4 (healthy weight), HbA1c (non-diabetic).

Since then as I wasn't fasting my weight, BMI and HbA1c have crept up.

I started fasting again this year on 14/1/2019, again just eating one meal, though not as small as before, after 7pm, probably 100 - 120 g carbs a day.
At start on 14/1/19 I was 156.6 lbs, Visceral Fat 11, BMI 25 (overweight).
Today 23/3/19 I am 144.2 lbs, Visceral Fat 8, BMI 21.4 (healthy weight).

I intend to continue with the fast until Easter (I've also given up alcohol for Lent), and hope to get below 140 lbs.
I have not had to take any diabetic meds.
I don't have any 'before and after' pics - I'm not photogenic! :bag:
 
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DCUKMod

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I reversed my Type 2
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OK here goes

Weight on diagnosis 23 stone 322 pounds 146 kg
Weight today 14st 10.8lb 206.8 pounds 93.8 kg

HbA1c on diagnosis 87 mmol/m
HbA1c Oct 2018 26.8 mmol/m

Medication 3 weeks of metformin November 2015 and nothing after that

Fasting protocol:
Intermittent fast daily - no breakfast, sometimes lunch, always dinner
Restricted eating window 18:6
Occasional extended fasts of up to 7 days


Month before diagnosis
View attachment 31861

This morning

View attachment 31862


Waist from 44 inches to 34 inches

No more acid reflux, no more sleep apnea, no more breathlessness when walking.

Still got some weight to lose but getting there

In my considered, knee-jerk, unscientific opinion, there is zero way, your visceral fat score is in double figures, if I recall? You look like you've lost more weight. Demand a recount!