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Diabetes Reversal

carina62

Well-Known Member
Messages
349
Location
Leicestershire
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
miserable weather, rude and bad mannered people
Is it still possible to be able to try and 'reverse' diabetes after 7 years? I am T2 and not on Metformin (twice daily) but I've now come to the conclusion (yes, it's taken me 7 years!) that I now want to try and beat this dreaded D. I have a lot of weight to lose (ie about 4 or 5 stones with a lot of belly fat to get rid of) and I am going to speak to my GP tomorrow about going on The Blood Sugar Diet recommended by Dr Michael Moseley which is doing the 5:2. I haven't yet had the time to read up on the positive stories just yet but I know there are plenty of you out there who have tried and succeeded in reversal or whatever you want to call it (not cure, I know).

I just hope it is not too late for me, by that I mean that my pancreas is beyond help in terms of the beta cells dying off.

Would love to hear your opinions and feedback on this.

I will keep you posted how I get on.
 
sorry, meant to say I am on Metformin, twice daily
 
Honestly I do not know so hoping someone with more knowledge will come along and give you some answers - but I also have a lot of weight to lose - I have opted for the low carb high fat option as I am unable to stomach the Metformin on an empty stomach - makes me feel very sick for many hours - so I did not want to go down the fasting route. I take 4 Metformin a day 500mg per tablet.
I have increased my exercise recently and have noticed how much effect this has on my blood sugar readings.
Hope this is of use to you.
 
It's never too late to try.

Whatever happens your health and well being will improve if you lose weight and improve your diet.

Wishing you the best of luck.


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I am confident you can achieve significant success.

How much will be down to you and the uniqueness of your body.

I'm different in the sense that I am newly diagnosed and yet my turn around has been nothing less than DRAMATIC

So you have nothing to lose and everything to gain...so let me encourage you in the strongest possible way.

I think the 8 Week Blood Sugar is a great place to start, but be aware you need to work with your doc to potentially lower meds carefully.

Also check out www.dietdoctor.com, it helped me so much

Congratulations on making this life changing decision







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Well, reversing is a loaded word. I'm quite far down the line, having been diagnosed 6 years ago and it getting steadily worse with Metformin working less each year. Since Mar, I've been on a LCHF diet, starting off with the Blood Sugar Diet and then just finding my own happy path. My HbA1c has come down from 66 to 38 in that time, I've cut the Metformin down to a minimum stopped statins, my BP is low, as is my resting pulse - as well as some incidental weight loss (12kg)

In some ways, as long as I stick to the LCHF diet, I should be able to maintain this level indefinitely - so in effect not having any of the symptoms of diabetes, you could say I have 'reversed' it - but if I do have that one type of food that is bad for me, my blood sugar goes up. So while I wouldn't say 'it's reversed' I would say 'not so much of a problem' and 'under my control' which is as good as.

It's not so bad giving up carbs and eating full fat, cream, cheese and butter to your hearts content.
 
Hi @carina62
I have been trying to follow your progress on other threads where you have asked questions.
In response to your question here, I had been diagnosed T2 six years before I found out about Newcastle diet. Followed the programme, and within days of starting blood glucose returned to non-diabetic levels. Stayed that way for five years.
Just recently had HbA1c at 43, so back to pre-diabetes level. So, suggests can be done, even though the Newcastle research was based on those with two years or less T2. Depends on lots of things, such as beta cells, and eating after the calorie restriction phase.
Please letlet us know, and respond to other threads too. Good luck.
 

Have you researched the Newcastle Diet?
 
Yes I emailed the university and you can find the information on their website. I would give it a go but I have 10 weeks to go before I go on my holiday and thought it might be best to start with The Blood Sugar Diet and see how that goes first.

I will keep you posted tomorrow on what my GP thinks about it (I won't be put off if he tries to put me off).
 

Not entirely sure about this LCHF diet although a lot of diabetics seem to be getting on OK with it. How does the HF side affect cholesterol? I take one 40mg Atorvastatin daily and have been for years.
 

I'm really pleased to see your bracketed caveat and I totally support your position....DO NOT be put off by the doc


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carina62 said:
How does the HF side affect cholesterol? .
Click to expand...

It will depend on the types of Fats you eat.

Don't get too hung up on the high fat part. The focus of the diet is 100% about Low Carb. You have to eat something else, and it can't all be protein so you will eat more fat as a consequence. Choose as much unsaturated (healthier) fats as possible and you may find your Cholesterol improves. Mine certainly has.

It would be more helpful if the Diet/Lifestyle was referred to as Low Carb not Low Fat, as very often using the term High Fat seems to scare people.


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Well I saw my GP this morning and all very positive and encouraging. He said to 'go for it' and lose the weight I need to lose and to try the Blood Sugar Diet (I've purchased the book and waiting for it to arrive). He said it's never too late to make the changes but he said that it is not a 'cure' which I knew already, basically I will always have to watch what I eat and that if I had something like a mcdonalds or a pizza, then I would expect to have increase in BS levels. I asked if the beta cells in my pancreas would have 'died off' by now after all these years but he said that in Type 2 linked with obesity (that's me) then with a huge weight loss, I should 're-awaken' my pancreas and it should 're-set' itself (I do hope he's right). He said that diabetes is in all of us and if anyone becomes overweight or obese then it can start off diabetes although some people can still get diabetes even if they are slim. I do have a genetic factor as well as my mother had diabetes and a lot of family members on my mother's side have or had it too. All in all, it does sound positive and encouraging so I will continue as I mean to go on and will report regularly on how I am managing I will also take the time to read all the success stories on here for encouragement and motivation. I don't know why I have waited this long to do something about it, it think it's hit me really since I went onto medication as I thought I would have been able to get away with it, I don't think I was in 'denial' as such but always aware I had a lot of weight to lose but going to clubs like Slimming World and Weightwatchers (I've tried them both) it was just so frustrating for me to lose a pound one week and put a pound on the following week, my weight just wouldn't come off. I need to lose 5 stones to get to my goal weight!
 

Carina, you can do it. I have lost almost 6.5 stone over 4 years, and yes I now have a bit of saggy skin around my tum, but even with this level of weight loss, it's only small.

Certainly, the easiest part for me has been the last two stones since changing to an LCHF diet, exercise and intermittent fasting.

The satiety has been upped and I'm generally not hungry.

So I wish you every success and look forward to reading your periodic reports so that we can all celebrate with you


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Interesting what you say about WeightWatchers and Slimmingworld. They get very varied reports on here. Some people find them amazing and have great success, and others (like you and I) don't, and find them a tortuous waste of time.

I think it comes down to insulin resistance and carb tolerance. Those people who do well on the slimming club diets can tolerate a lot more carb than the ppl who don't. Nothing wrong with that, just different physical reactions to carbs.

But if you are carb intolerant enough that they didn't work for you, then it suggests that serious carb control would benefit you most - whether that is the Blood Sugar Diet or Low Carbing. You can also limit your carbs when doing the Newcastle Diet, if you want - but you have to be careful selecting the type of diet shake. Some of them are surprisingly high in carb/sugar, making for a blood glucose rollercoaster on a daily basis.
 
I wouldn't get hung up on the 'carbs' in a replacement meal plan shake.
If you have three shakes a day, that's 600 calories, by definition it's low carb.
Prof Taylor has addressed this concern, he has stated your bg will reduce after a day or two, and it does seem to happen for those who have done the diet.
The other supposed benefit is that there should be a rapid weight loss, which is encouraging, if you do seem to get stuck in a rut on other diets.
 

Thanks for your encouraging words Kevin
 
I have already started to see a slight drop in my FBS level. Up until now, it has been in the 8's but this morning I was so pleased to see a FBS level of 7.9 - I know it's still high for FBS but it is very good if it is already dropping
 
Well done. We all like to read good news. Have you started a toning exercise programme? It helps if the muscles throughout the body are working, it also means less saggy skin as the weight comes off at a steady rate. I found a series of online walking based programmes that I could do at home, so no gym fees, and I could start with 5 minutes and work up to 45 min.
I was the daft person who did not realise I was losing weight until someone at work commented on my weight loss! Now I watch the scales more closely and am slowly approaching my target weight. Be patient and think of the lovely new wardrobe you will have for Christmas.
 
You REALLY can do this. I made the decision on 12th Feb this year. Went on a low carb diet very little fat but with the help of this forum and trial and error I very quickly arrived at a low carb diet that suits me .Gave up all meds after 3 weeks (was on 2 metformin 4 Gliclazide 1 statin 1 Lisnaprill) Went from doing 9s 10s and 12s to now doing 6s I am 66 been T2 for 10 years. I also lost 3 stone 3 pounds .Believe me if I can do it you can .Get your GP on side and ask plenty of questions on this forum they really are a clever lot .Best wishes and good luck.
 
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