I think I may have reversed my Type 2 diabetes !!!!!!

[johnlfitz]

Also started taking R-Alpha Lipoid in the last 3 days ..... and this has given me a noticeable mood lift and definite energy boost.

Anyone else taking these?

 

[janeecee]

My enforced inability to exercise as a consequence of being severely affected with ME/CFS is the root of my problem, I'm certain. I'm increasing my activity levels to the best of my abilities but it's not enough to make an impact on my blood sugar levels. It's very depressing actually. I want to exercise but my body won't let me. So if you have the ability to exercise, then do so.


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[johnlfitz]

Anybody know how best to argue about my GP not giving me blood glucose test strips on prescription?

They point blank refuse ?!?! :x :evil: :thumbdown:

But, if I happened to live in another postcode, I could well get them !!!

How is it fair? And how do I get someone in the NHS to see this ?

 

[Picci]

Your BG Must be 5 mmol to drive, surely the gp knows the DVLA's new regulations......


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[Kat100]

There are a lot of us that can't get gp,s to prescribe them......seems so wrong

 

[stuffedolive]

you MUST test before driving and be at least 5 mmol, DVLA's law.


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You only need to test if your diabetes is treated by insulin.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 120413.pdf

 

[charon]

Is it reversed or controlled? Does the difference matter?

If you have changed your diet and exercising a lot then I guess you will be putting less sugar into the bloodstream and removing it more quickly. The readings will be low but I would call that controlled rather than reversed - from a health point of view I don't think the difference matters - and a fasting test and HbA1c would show normal levels?
The only thing that would show that it was controlled rather than reversed is a glucose tolerance test to see if your sugar/insulin is balanced and that cells are taking it up.

I think I am controlled but then I don't know how things were when I was younger - I haven't had a reading over 7.5 for a while but then I'm not eating anything that will send it up and am not going to test that in the near future. I suspect if I had a high carbohydrate meal I would be well over 7.8.

I don't really believe this idea that type 2 diabetes can't be reversed but suspect it depends on the cause. Cells not taking up sugar due to fat should be reversable. Liver/pancreas feedback might be reversable if the body isn't overloaded, pancreas not producing enough insulin might be problematic but depends on why it happened.

I think in general the body is pretty good at repairing itself and so given a chance it will get a bit better even if not completely cured.

Although promising that Newcastle study only included 11 carefully chosen subjects all with a BMI around 33 (so considered obese).
I guess in that situation losing a lot of weight quickly would be good anyway and might well correct the situation depending on the cause - is the speed of weight loss relevant?
On the plus side it showed positive results for all those that completed the study with a 15% weight loss.
A concern is the statement that 50% of those diagnosed need insulin within 10 years.
Be nice to have a wider test with more varied subjects - but seems like a good idea to try anyway. Benefits were shown in a week so...

Anyway - well done.

 

[Sketcher]

Hello stuffedolive. You need to test before driving if you are on any medication that can cause hypos, so that includes sulphonylureas, such as Gliclazide, not just insulin.


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[stuffedolive]

Hello stuffedolive. You need to test before driving if you are on any medication that can cause hypos, so that includes sulphonylureas, such as Gliclazide, not just insulin.


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Sketcher,
Could you reference your source for this please. I can see that this is a 'recommendation' from diabetes organisations but I cannot see that it is a government 'requirement'. The guidance is here:

https://www.gov.uk/diabetes-driving

Ta

 

[Sketcher]

Hello stuffedolive. I'm trying to remember - it all came out last year sometime. You don't need to inform DVLA, but some guidance was issued to the effect that sulphonylurea users should test before driving. It makes sense: if you have a risk of hypos, you should test before driving. If you caused an accident due to a hypo, and you hadn't tested, you would rightly be in trouble.


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[Anonymous]

Although promising that Newcastle study only included 11 carefully chosen subjects all with a BMI around 33 (so considered obese).
I guess in that situation losing a lot of weight quickly would be good anyway and might well correct the situation depending on the cause - is the speed of weight loss relevant?
On the plus side it showed positive results for all those that completed the study with a 15% weight loss.
A concern is the statement that 50% of those diagnosed need insulin within 10 years.
Be nice to have a wider test with more varied subjects - but seems like a good idea to try anyway. Benefits were shown in a week so...

Anyway - well done.

I agree. Whilst I hope that people on the diet do benefit from it, I noted the last two paragraphs from the follow-up report which I have itemised as they didn't stand out (for me anyway)... I find point (5), in particular, surprising for a clinical study. I'm also intrigued as to why the study was conducted by the Magnetic Resonance Centre at Newcastle, rather than, say, Loughborough's Sports Sciences people (no bias except that my son went there)

However, the limitations inherent to this study design must be acknowledged.

1. Firstly, there will have been self-referral bias, with the observations demonstrating proof of principle rather than any
estimate of likely reversal rates.
2. The precision of the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes is uncertain.
3. The inclusion of individuals with maturity-onset diabetes of youth or slow-onset Type 1 diabetes would result in an
underestimation of rates of diabetes reversal using a very low energy diet.
4. The signicant degree of heterogeneity in the intervention must also be acknowledged, including the degree of energy
restriction (particularly in those who did not use a meal replacement product) and the length of diet period undertaken.
5. Finally, diabetes reversal was mostly based on self-reported, unverified measurements of glycaemic control in the form of
capillary blood glucose results, fasting plasma glucose results, HbA1c or oral glucose tolerance tests.

These data demonstrate that intentional weight loss achieved at home by health-motivated individuals can reverse Type 2 diabetes.

• Diabetes reversal should be a goal in the management of Type 2 diabetes in these individuals.
• The durability of the effect on glucose metabolism requires further study.
• Long-term avoidance of weight gain must be the top priority after reversal of diabetes, and the dietary regimen best able to
achieve this must now be established.

 

[MCMLXXIII]

I thought I had "reversed" mine too. But a recent knee problem put me on strong anti inflammatory tablets- which were fine, but the gastric "protection" pill which were designed to protect me from the former sent me up to a permanent inexplicable 12.
I'm back to normal range now but its a stark reminder that it still lurks in there waiting for a screw up. Then it comes back like an uninvited guest.
Good luck to anyone giving it a go though.

 

[Anonymous]

I thought I had "reversed" mine too. But a recent knee problem put me on strong anti inflammatory tablets- which were fine, but the gastric "protection" pill which were designed to protect me from the former sent me up to a permanent inexplicable 12.
I'm back to normal range now but its a stark reminder that it still lurks in there waiting for a screw up. Then it comes back like an uninvited guest.
Good luck to anyone giving it a go though.

Blimey! That must have been a shock and very disheartening. Maybe the drugs upset your liver or something for a while?

 

[charon]

Not sure if the difference between control or reversal really matters.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all the complications arise due to high bg. If you keep the bg below 7.8 then everything should be fine.

If you are overweight then following the Newcastle procedure is probably a good idea to quickly lose weight and enable you to do more exercise.
Once there continue with a maintenance diet regularly testing so you know what to avoid.
If you're not overweight then taking care of yourself is still a good idea.

I think if that allows you to keep bg levels down then you should be ok.
It's said that it is progressive - but is that if it is not diet controlled?

Anyway I think this would be a good thing for anyone diagnosed to try if they are able.
Anything that keeps you off or reduces long term medication must be a good thing.
I've feel better now than I have for a decade. Almost grateful for the diagnosis.

Key is to change the diet and keep testing regularly - both of which my nurse says not to do, next time I'll ask why not.
Glad I found this site early on.

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure if the difference between control or reversal really matters.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all the complications arise due to high bg. If you keep the bg below 7.8 then everything should be fine.

If you are overweight then following the Newcastle procedure is probably a good idea to quickly lose weight and enable you to do more exercise.
Once there continue with a maintenance diet regularly testing so you know what to avoid.
If you're not overweight then taking care of yourself is still a good idea.

I think if that allows you to keep bg levels down then you should be ok.
It's said that it is progressive - but is that if it is not diet controlled?

Anyway I think this would be a good thing for anyone diagnosed to try if they are able.
Anything that keeps you off or reduces long term medication must be a good thing.
I've feel better now than I have for a decade. Almost grateful for the diagnosis.

Key is to change the diet and keep testing regularly - both of which my nurse says not to do, next time I'll ask why not.
Glad I found this site early on.

I think reducing carbs does work. I have reduced from over 300g per day to approx 250g by reducing portions of the same meals I have ever eaten and it works for me.

 

[johnlfitz]

Not sure if the difference between control or reversal really matters.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all the complications arise due to high bg. If you keep the bg below 7.8 then everything should be fine.

If you are overweight then following the Newcastle procedure is probably a good idea to quickly lose weight and enable you to do more exercise.
Once there continue with a maintenance diet regularly testing so you know what to avoid.
If you're not overweight then taking care of yourself is still a good idea.

I think if that allows you to keep bg levels down then you should be ok.
It's said that it is progressive - but is that if it is not diet controlled?

Anyway I think this would be a good thing for anyone diagnosed to try if they are able.
Anything that keeps you off or reduces long term medication must be a good thing.
I've feel better now than I have for a decade. Almost grateful for the diagnosis.

Key is to change the diet and keep testing regularly - both of which my nurse says not to do, next time I'll ask why not.
Glad I found this site early on.

This is exactly how I see it ..... weight loss via low carbs has been the most helpful

10/11 weeks down the line I see this as a sort of personal challenge (reducing BG) ..... and the reward is better health and less complications long term.

When I was first diagnosed, it hit me like a train. Hit the food reduction far too hard, exercised too much, and essentially it made me really ill for about 6 weeks. Feeling ill, aches and pains all over including chest and stomach etc, produced anxiety and I genuinely thought that there was something life threatening ..... so I had lots of bloods for cancers taken, plus chest ultrasound and stomach ultrasound - all clear. So Doc put my on Citalopram in the meantime and this helped. Just reducing from 20mg to 10mg now as I don't want to be on any drugs unless I have to be.

I am trying R-Alpha-Lipoic acid (600mg a day - 3 x 200mg one at each meal time) and I think this has given me more energy.

45 mins fast walking on a 5 degree incline on home electric treadmill a day is getting me fitter ..... but weight loss now slowing so might have to increase this.

To me though .... low carb diet and regular daily exercise seems to be the 2 things that are working. Regularly waking up to 4.4mmol tp 5.2mmol BG in the morning so something must be working.

 

[charon]

My expert opinion - panic attacks/stress. Unfortunately my expertise isn't in medicine.

If the high bg is due to converting carbs to sugar then not eating carbs must reduce it. Then you just have to train the liver to play ball.
I guess depleting the liver would be dangerous.
I'm not keen on keeping to a diet as low carb as I am on now but I've tested small amounts and that's ok for me.
Would like to be able to have a sandwich during the day as that's easy - only tried once and it was very bad but that was in the early days.

 

[Sketcher]

I'm sure low carb is the way to go, if we want avoid meds (assuming we're lucky enough to be sufficiently early in the degenerative process). It really is no problem until lunch at work: sandwiches are really convenient, but even so-called wholemeal bread sends the BG skywards; I try and get something like a tuna or egg salad, depending on what's available. I'd rather go without than eat bread, but I have been known to extract the filling from an appropriate sandwich and give the birds the benefit of the bread (hoping none of them is diabetic!)


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[charon]

Maybe this should be another post but - this thing about type 2 diabetes being progressive:
Is that the case if you always keep your BG lowish?
If you keep it between 4 and 7 for instance (without medication) will it gradually get worse or is it the high BG that causes the degradation?

 

[Lone Ranger]

Are we talking about the strips that go in a blood sugar monitor?

If yes I get mine on prescription. I received the test kit from the Diabetes Nurse , who visits the local health centre ,mafter Metformin, gliclizade and Sitgliptin failed to bring my blood sugar to single figures and i went onto insulin at night as well as the pills and had to test every other day. However as my blood sugar now begins to rise during the day from single figure to double I am currently doing tests twice a day to see if a morning injection of insulin will keep the figures low.

As I am also on thyroxine I qualified for free prescription




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