Diabetes Type 2 for 20 years

brooker

Member
Messages
18
Hi,
I'm 73 and male and I've had Diabetes Type 2 for 20 years.
I watched a video, years ago which suggested eating a coleslaw type of diet with meat would reduce my readings to 4.7 and I thought, well, I'd give it a go.
Long story short, I was obese, I've shed weight to 99kg with 97kg my target weight.
My diet is shredded cooked Beef from my local Deli in a large supermarket and Brussel Sprouts, Celery, Broccoli, Spinach, Kale and 1 x Apple daily, although I do occasionally enjoy Grapes.
Some of the above greens are not available fresh, so I buy frozen greens and cook them on high in my microwave for a few minutes to defrost them and then put them in my liquidizer and with water, reduced them to liquid, which I then drink with a few shaved slices (easier to eat) of Beef, 3 times a day.
I am a lazy sod, I don't walk much at all and I have found the above food has kept me fit, healthy and within my Diabetes blood sugar readings.
I prefer a range of around 4.1 to 4.5 as I have sufficient energy to do whatever I retired, must, without feeling groggy or passing out.
It is easy to drift out of this regime and when I do, my blood sugar readings go up.
I take one Metformin day and night, although I have been told I can increase that to 2 day and night and in fact my last doctor had me on 2 day and night for some years.
Take whatever medication is prescribed to you, however.
On my diet, tough though it might be, you will have your food needs met and you will lose weight without much trouble - drink lots of water, like lots...I flavour mine with sugar free cordial to taste and that helps with taste and regular easy motions, several each day, however given how much I eat (lol) and how much I excrete out, I'm simply amazed. Really???

I have Poriasis on my hands and under my feet and Specialists prescribed Enstilar which is prescription only medicine and comes in a foam spray.
I just spray some on a hand and then rub it over the Psoriasis on my hands and under my feet and it has pretty much melted most of my Psoriasis away.
Another specialist, a few days ago prescribed Neotigason capsules, which kick in after a few weeks, apparently, so I'm giving those a whirl too.

Best Wishes

Mod edited for language
 
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jjraak

Expert
Messages
7,441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi @brooker

Well done getting so far, from back then... bravo

Not sure if your reason for joining was to share.. Nice
Or to find more info... Also nice.

Your diet, as you say looks tough.
For many on here, the low carb, as you did, works
But I found the LCHF..(and really better fats) give me a diet I enjoy, that satisfies and then fills me up and does away with the hunger I used to feel.

I normally have just two meals a day, occasionally just one, but not often, and rarely snack between meals.

I would disagree with the "take the meds" approach, personally

I've found, particularly with this disease, I seem to be more aware of the ins and outs then many HCP... Which makes sense. After all for me it's personal and I do the research AND I live it 24/7. So any mistakes in advice hurt me not those offering the advice.

They are called a GP's practice for a reason, as I was once told.

I'd caution anyone to look up the meds and do due diligence before just downing whatever is prescribed... But each to their own.

Cheers for sharing your journey.
Long may it last.
 
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Tophat1900

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,407
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Uncooked bacon
Hello, I agree with @jjraak in regards to the "Take whatever meds you are prescribed" comment, I have learned the hard way to do the research and ask a lot of questions before taking something anymore and have been on the receiving end of some terrible decisions by doctors with regards to prescribed meds. So I wouldn't blindly just take whatever is prescribed personally.

However, congrats on the amazing results and weightloss. A lot of people here do the low carb approach and the success stories just keep mounting with this approach. You've certainly achieved a great outcome for yourself. And that's what it's about imo, finding out what works for the individual.

Welcome to the forum.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I really really tried with the Metformin and Atorvastatin, became really ill and it took years to recover myself again.
Well - my memory really is not what it was, but that could be old age - but it dates from shortly after I started the tablets, like a couple of weeks. At least I can sing some of my songs from memory now, not the book.
 
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brooker

Member
Messages
18
I posted the first entry here - so continuation:
I was prescribed Neotigason (Acitretin) tablets for my Psoriasis, which I've had for about 20 years, due to stress and my Diabetes Type 2 went up like a lift and was totally uncontrollable, so that if I had a blood test for Diabetes, I would have automatically qualified for Type 1 Diabetes and the injection into my liver on a weekly basis?
I took myself off the tablets, against the wishes of my doctor and the specialist, because I feel much happier keeping my Type 2 Diabetes under control and putting off Type 1 Diabetes for as long as possible and injections.
Presently reading between 6.9 and 7.3, which is a bit high, but well within 8.0 and a good level to not feel faint or pass out.
It is my body and I occupy it and I never go along with any medication, until I am sure it is not going to conflict with my Type 2 Diabetes and especially make me Type 1.
I also have a spray on cream Enstilar which works extremely well and has no effect on my Type 2 Diabetes, since its an external cream and if you have a choice, Enstilar might be the way to go.
On the other hand, presumably with Type 2 and injections I can eat and drink a much better diet than my present horrid one for these past few years, with more Carbohydrates, presumably.
Any thoughts on that appreciated?
 

Brunneria

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
21,889
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome @brooker

one thing I can set your mind at rest on - if you are type 2, then going onto insulin will NOT make you type 1.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, where the cells that produce insulin are killed off by the person’s own immune system.
Type 2 is a metabolic condition where the person’s cells become resistant to the (usually) plentiful insulin.
So Type 2’s metabolic issues will never turn into Type 1’s autoimmune issues.

however, what can happen is that Type 2 progresses to the point that they can no longer produce enough insulin to overcome their own body’s insulin resistance. That is when they start needing insulin injections.

it looks like your current way of eating is low enough in carbs that you have managed to prevent your Type 2 from progressing to the point of needing insulin injections. That is a great achievement. :)
 

Antje77

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
19,284
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
my Diabetes Type 2 went up like a lift and was totally uncontrollable, so that if I had a blood test for Diabetes, I would have automatically qualified for Type 1 Diabetes and the injection into my liver on a weekly basis?
What Brunneria said, insulin doesn't make you T1.
But what is that injection in your liver you mention? I've never heard of that.
 

brooker

Member
Messages
18
Hi,
Thanks for the explanation of Type 2 and Type 1.
It is what the doctors have said here on which I based my comments above.
I continued with my regular Diabetes medication without Neotigason and my Diabetes levels went back to roughly 7.5, but I was not happy with that, so tried another approach.
I was taking 1000mg tablet of Janumet XR (Sitaglip - Metformin XRj) in the morning and 1000mg Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin - metformin HCl) in the evening and had been doing so for years.
On the basis that my body had become used to my medication and it was not so effective, as a result, I reversed the tablets to Xigduo XR in the morning and 2000mg Janumet XR in the evening and got my morning, after fasting reading down to 6.8.
Once my Diabetes type 2 has stabilized, I will go back to 1000mg morning and night, in this new configuration.
I'm in Aussie, so different to you lot in the UK, I expect.
We are out of date to whatever treatments you get, by anything from 6 months to years, so unless some other form of new medication comes up to assist with the reduction of Type 2 Diabetes, or better yet, get rid of it altogether, so that a constant reading of 4.9 or thereabouts is the new forever, I will make do as best as I can.
Best Wishes
 
D

Deleted member 308541

Guest
'm in Aussie, so different to you lot in the UK, I expect.
We are out of date to whatever treatments you get, by anything from 6 months to years, so unless some other form of new medication comes up to assist with the reduction of Type 2 Diabetes, or better yet, get rid of it altogether, so that a constant reading of 4.9 or thereabouts is the new forever, I will make do as best as I can.
I live in Australia and I eat moderate LCHF foods, with plenty of meat, bacon, poultry, dairy etc. veggies.

I have my T2 under very good control (in recovery) as according to Diabetes Queensland that there is no such thing as remission or reversed with T2 diabetes in Queensland, I stopped taking Metformin a year ago.

A graph of my hba1c levels over the past few years until last December.

SdELGUe.jpg
 

brooker

Member
Messages
18
Um, I forgot to mention - drink lots of water.
The water here tastes foul, so I flavor it with sugar free cordial to taste.
Best Wishes