@star22 that level of significant blood level increase, with drugs doesn’t sound right at all. We cannot diagnose but meds not working unless you are eating incredibly bad foods would make me go to doctor and ask about tests for other forms of diabetes. My nurse at those levels would have me on insulin I suspect, they would have intervened as those levels sustained are very dangerous in my opinion
So, over a decade my levels and number of drugs I had increased. But mostly on drugs they were not huge, so for me it’s possible I reversed so well because of that
At the start of the pandemic my hba1c was 78 and I was on 2000mg metformin, bydureon and daplaflaglozin. I was very small step away from insulin
Covid scared me so I started with upping my exercise, walking and getting an exercise bike. 30 mins minimum a day
I then looked at carb/calorie counting. I know many say don’t count calories on LCHF but I did so anyway. Aiming for <130g a day carbs and I used online calculators to reduce calories to what they say would be 1kg a week. Note this latter step many don’t do on the forums, so carb counting may well be all you need
my weight dropped roughly 1kg a week and I liaised with the doctor for regular (3 monthly) blood tests and I dropped to the 40s (at which point with doctor support) came off the dapa. Then my levels dropped again so with doctor support again came off the bydureon, month or so ago I halved my metformin as my levels were 38 (i.e. non diabetic). I Am currently therefore on 1000mg metformin only
I have blood work up again next week so rather than 3 months if I am still in the non diabetic range will reduce or go off metformin altogether . A supportive doctor has been key though, the results show for themselves and when I say low carb, I don’t get pushback
my aim was to come off drugs in 3 monthly intervals in reverse order of being prescribed them
I test my bloods to see how they were going, I regularly get 4.5 to 5.5 fasting but my hba1c is higher, so I take that as a bit of advice but don’t expect the levels to be on par (I do test occasionally pre and post meals but not that often now)
I have lost 31kg. For me the weight loss seems to have supported my body and I can tolerate higher carbs than some on the forums. But I do spike, so am aware this is a life long change