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10 year Update

AndBreathe

Master
Retired Moderator
Messages
11,582
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
As my signature suggests, I was diagnosed in 2013 with an A1c of 73 or 8.8%.

In the intervening period, my A1cs have all been 37 (4 months after diagnosis) or less - mainly toggling 31<>33.

I had bloods done on Tuesday for an Endo appointment next week. They're not all back yet, but my A1c was in this morning at 33. Bearing in mind I have been eating much more fruit this year, I'm happy enough.

At diagnosis, when I told my GP I wanted to try to live well, without medication, I was given 3 months to try, but a parting remark of "You'll never do it." My bloods were 4 months later, just because I was overseas for the intervening period. I have never taken any diabetes related meds.

So, Friends, Romans and Countrymen, remission can be achieved and maintained. Of course, not everyone is fortunate enough to have a decent level of repair and recovery from their T2, but it's worth a decent shot.

Just do your best. That's always enough, no matter the outcomes.
 
Paul_ said:
Really impressive, @AndBreathe! Truly inspiring to read. I hope your success with managing diabetes continues for a very long time to come. Thanks for all your input into this place, it's been so helpful to me.
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With time, it becomes a bit of a way of life.

I seem to have a fair amount of wiggle room, in terms of amounts of carbs I can eat these days, but generally, they don't float my boat too much any more. The exception is fruit, but hey ho, if life were perfect, we'd have nothing to moan about.

Just do your best and if some days best aren't that great, then tomorrow's a new day to have another go.

We're so lucky to have been diagnosed in times when improvements and remission are no longer shunned as diabetes unicorns.
 
That is great!

I'm just over the 5 year mark and there were times in the first months when I did it 'one day at a time' to cope. Now it is just what I eat, although I do get cravings for old comfort foods sometimes when I'm ill. As I don't have those foods in the house anymore it's easy to ignore them.

I did think it would have been nice for my GPs to acknowledge this milestone, as I was their first patient to go low carb and get into remission. But I gave myself a metaphorical medal instead.
 
Gonna check up on my diagnosis date. It seems more than a decade!

However, you are another shining star. Another example of what this forum is here for.
Congratulations and keep up the good work. You are a credit to how we do things here!
 
Congrats @AndBreathe what an inspiration to anyone joining the forum for the first time. It really is all about the carbs and I shake my head when I see new T2 posters persisting about cals. I have so far managed nearly 6 years with A1cs in the 36/37 region on circa 30g carbs daily and thats with the added complication of an incomplete pancreas. Anyway today is ALL about you not me!
 
Tricia, I doubt he would notice it's been 5 years.

Perhaps I'm being unkind.
 
Lamont D said:
Gonna check up on my diagnosis date. It seems more than a decade!

However, you are another shining star. Another example of what this forum is here for.
Congratulations and keep up the good work. You are a credit to how we do things here!
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Lamont, don't look too hard for my halo, because I don't have one. I just think we need to celebrate a little bit with people who "know", and with people we hope will "know" in the future.

I have so much to be thankful for, from this forum, it's members along the way, and of course, to @Administrator kicking it all off in the diabetes dark ages. On that basis, I know I owe it to those who helped me to try to help others along the way. It's how humanity works.
 
MrsA2 said:
And @AndBreathe you modestly forgot to mention the vast help you have been on here
Thank you, thank you, thank you
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MrsA2, whilst I hope I have helped folks along the way, what I have to remember and acknowledge are those who helped me. The period around, and moreso just after my diagnosis was the beginning of hope that remission could be achieved by other means than bariatric surgery.

Some of the arguments, surrounding diet were brutal, and I mean,.... brutal!

Without those who lived it then, I wouldn't be living it now.

Or the shorter version: What goes around, comes around.
 
You underestimate your value and your worth!
It has been reported that you are doing yourself a disservice. Please stop!

Congrats again!
 
Inspirational @AndBreathe - well done. I'm now 6 years in and often worry that maybe as time goes on I may creep up so it's inspirational to see someone still doing well who's ahead of you on the low carb management road.
As my DN said on my diagnosis that I'd probably need insulin soon it's truly miraculous that I'm still on no meds just low carb. You're an inspiration thank you for all you do and the support you give.
 
Reading this out to the husband who was diagnosed in 2008, still diet controlled but not in remission.
 
fumanchu said:
Reading this out to the husband who was diagnosed in 2008, still diet controlled but not in remission.
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Fumanchu, every one of us who has achieved this has worked for it, but we also got lucky to be able to heal enough to get to remission.

If your husband is still managing by lifestyle, after 15 years, he's obviously doing something right, and undoubtedly you share in that too.

Keep on doing that you're doing.
 
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