From T2 to barely pre-diabetic, my 9 weeks journey

cloudreader

Active Member
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26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed with type 2 some 3 years ago and put on metformin, adviced to eat wholemeal stuff, fruits, vegetables, avoid fat (the usual approach)

1 year ago my glucose readings had got so bad (despite increased doses of metformin and other T2 drugs) my doctor said it was time to get on insulin and that it was a pitty because it would probably lead to some weight gain. Since I was 29 stones that sounded like a dead sentence.

My morning sugar readings ranged between 220 on a good day to 380 on a bad day.
Fortunately I stumbled upon the Newcastle University 8 weeks T2 reversal diet.
I thought I have nothing to loose so I followed it religiously. Lost 3 stone in the process.
4 weeks into the Newcastle diet had such low sugar readings (once 72) that I stopped metformin and the other T2 drugs.

Then 2 days eating LCHF (with stable blood sugar readings between 105 and 115 throughout the day) and today I dared an experiment. Went to the best Italian pizzeria (hey a treat after 8 weeks of strict dieting!) and had a large pizza all for myself. Really ate up to my eye balls to try to do a fair test. 1 hour after this copious and carbohydrate loaded meal my glucose level was 148, almost normal (less than 140 would have been perfectly normal)

I plan on following LCHF strictly and may be have 1 or 2 cheat days a month so it is sustainable as a new lifestyle and leads to gradual weight loose.
 
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andcol

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3,176
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I reversed my Type 2
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I do not have diabetes
congratulations. Just one question if I may; why stop at the 8 weeks? I did it for many months until I got to my target weight.
 

cloudreader

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks! Good question, and I have 2 answers for it...
1) My doctor told me it was OK to do it for 2 months but he would not advise it to continue for a longer period as the shakes lack certain nutrients
2) I found it at times hard to follow and the way I managed to continue was by thinking ´Come on, only X weeks left!´

I am now trying LCHF, if it works then great, it is easier to sustain. If it doesn´t then will try something else and if needed I can go back to another 8 weeks of Newcastle Diet in a couple of months...
 
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andcol

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ahh ok - I didnt use shakes I used real food so could vary it and add a little more for each exercise period I did. I know the shakes make it easier as there is little thought. I actually found it quite hard to stop fasting as my body was quite happy to run on very little... In fact even now it is the same.
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
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25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Diet only
Another question.
After your pizza binge you tested at 1 hour, but did you keep testing for the next 3 or 4 hours? You can find information on what is known as the "pizza effect" on Google. It often behaves in a strange way by not spiking to a peak for quite a long time. Just a thought, and I don't want to rain on your parade, you have done so well up to now. :)
 
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NoCrbs4Me

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Other
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Vegetables
Another question.
After your pizza binge you tested at 1 hour, but did you keep testing for the next 3 or 4 hours? You can find information on what is known as the "pizza effect" on Google. It often behaves in a strange way by not spiking to a peak for quite a long time. Just a thought, and I don't want to rain on your parade, you have done so well up to now. :)
Even so, 148 is pretty good an hour after eating a large pizza.
 

cloudreader

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
ok, too late to test 3 or 4 hours, but I just tested (I ate the large pizza a little less than 6 hours ago and haven´t eaten anything else since then as I am still not hungry) and the result was ... 104
 
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cloudreader

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Thanks, makes me feel like the 8 weeks of Newcastle diet (shake based) was worth the effort!
 

andcol

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I reversed my Type 2
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Always is even if it only helped you lose 2lbs ;) So now that you are low carbing why not consider doing intermittent fasting alongside the low carb. So for 2 days a week say do 800 calories and the rest eat the low carb food you are planning. You do not have to do shakes just do it with real food
 

cloudreader

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Yes, I will do either 16:8 fasting or 5:2, whatever works best. The thing is that I still have some 20 shakes left (I miscalculated when shopping) so I could use them a few at a time doing 5:2
 

andcol

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I reversed my Type 2
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why not they make it easy - good luck and keep us informed of progress
 

muzza3

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1,789
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Hi @cloudreader

Congratulations on amazing results. They almost duplicate mine on the ND also using shakes and Veg. I have been on LCHF into my third week after ND. Its been good to date with a pound and a half off in each of the first two weeks and weigh in for week three tomorrow. And I agree I don't think I could have stood another week or four on the shakes. I still have 20 lbs to lose but I am confident that I can achieve that on LCHF. Haven't been game to try the carb dump tom the extent you did with the pizza but they are great results
 
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cloudreader

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello again, today I tried again the carbs dump test. The pizza had 240gr of carbs, preceded by a mixed salad with grissini. Some 300gr of carbs all together. BS before the meal 90. 1 hour after the meal 143, 2 hours after the meal 148, 3 hours after the meal 132, 4 hours after the meal 140, 5 hours after the meal 92. This is not quite normal as it took 5 hours to return to normal sugar levels but there wasn´t an abnormal peak either. How should I read these results?
 
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andcol

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I reversed my Type 2
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It is a pizza so it is normal.
 

cloudreader

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
would you say based on those results I at least partially reversed my Type 2 ( Before Newcastle diet I used to get readings around 300 after a pizza, took 2 to 3 days to go down to less than 180. After ND I have been on LCHF for close to 2 months)
 

andcol

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I reversed my Type 2
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Because of all the fat from the cheese and the bread it all gets released into your bloodstream over many hours. It is known as the pizza effect. It just digests slowly
 

cloudreader

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
So what would be a reasonable test instead? A canadian muffin?
 

Brunneria

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21,889
Type of diabetes
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WELL DONE!!!
This reversal business is always a bit of a lottery, but it looks like you have won the jackpot!

Congratulations.

- the standard test in the UK is the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, which is (I think) 75 g glucose in water, drunk quickly. Some places use a measured amount of Lucozade to provide the same no of carbs. Maybe have a look online for the exact test criteria?

Not saying you should do it exactly like that, but there are a number of reasons the test is set up that way - no fats or proteins to slow digestion, drunk quickly (the nurse timed me and said I have to drink the lot in 3 mins), so they can get the timing right... that sort of thing.

Maybe you could go about doing a home version of it?

Probably worth mentioning that as a full blown T2 I would NOT do a home OGTT test on myself. The last one I had made me feel very ill indeed, and I wouldn't want to be 'home alone' feeling like that at all. But in your situation, with such excellent pizza-test results, you probably wouldn't have any issues at all. :)
 
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