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Have I reversed my Diabetes?

GeminiMum

Active Member
Messages
34
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I had the results of my HbA1c today which was 40, am I correct in thinking that this is in the "normal" range?

I was diagnosed 2 days before Xmas 2017 with a HbA1c count of 55, I have gone very low carb but didn't expect a result of 40 in just 3 months.

So am I still classed as diabetic or non-diabetic?

Thank you in advance as always.
 
well done you1
 
rom35 said:
According to number you are "non-diabetic" near the limit (42).
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I'm going to see if I can get number lower, but I do struggle with Endometriosis medication which causes weight gain, I'm desperate to lose more weight as I think my diet is pretty spot on, it's the frustration of not seeing the lbs go that get's me.
 
Lots of T2s find that weight loss helps them cope with more carbs, so if you lose more, you may find that your HbA1c drops too, or it becomes easier to maintain. So WELL DONE and KEEP GOING!
You are to be congratulated.

There are quite a few different meds that either cause weight gain, or muck up blood glucose, or increase appetite, or affect mood and encourage comfort eating. So knowing what is going on, and continuing regardless, is a real achievement.
 
Hey GeminiMum, excellent work to get your numbers down so quickly! Are you a non-diabetic now? Some would say yes, others will say no - that you could be called 'in remission', as diabetes will always be with you. As long as you continue with your current regimen, you should stay in that range of numbers, but get slack about your eating and you could well see those numbers start to creep up.....diligence with diet and exercise are still necessary.....

The weight loss aspect is very annoying and frustrating to be sure....I am lucky if I lose 2 or 3 pounds a month due to a messed up metabolism from chemotherapy, so know what you are feeling! However, look for non-number positives......do you feel better "inside" your body, do you feel more confident because of the control you now have over your body, are your clothes fitting differently, like your body shape is changing, do you have more energy, do you feel happier with yourself, is your outlook on life better? These are all as important or maybe more so than a number on the scale.

You have done extremely well and kudos to you! I hope that your find your endometriosis improves as well. Keep up the good fight! Blessings/L
 

Thank you for your kind words, for me I've spent approx 22yrs battling with hormone treatment and had to accept weight gain with quality of life. However I'm hoping to address the hormone treatment asap
 

Thank you too, and you are right. I have dropped two jean sizes and can pull my current jeans down without undoing the zip/button. I've fought Endo for most of my life and as I'm 50 this year I'm willing the menopause and to be rid of the source that causes so much pain.

It's so nice to hear of others battles too, you never know who's fighting what and the reason we struggle with weight/food.

Thank you for your support, I intend to keep doing what I'm doing, my diet before was pretty good, I've dropped potatoes (but have the occasional new potato), crisps (don't miss them), mocha's (which I think I needed as sugars were messed up and was so tired before diagnosis).

What I love the most is the support on this forum, I'd have been lost without it x
 
Non- diabetic is below 42, pre-diabetic is 42-47, diabetic is 48 and above.
So you are now in the non-diabetic range. Well done on reducing your blood sugar level so quickly. but you will have to maintain your new way of eating to stay in the non-diabetic range.
If you stick with the low carb eating you should also start to lose weight too.
 
GeminiMum said:
Thank you for your kind words, for me I've spent approx 22yrs battling with hormone treatment and had to accept weight gain with quality of life. However I'm hoping to address the hormone treatment asap
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Yes. I really do get it. I've been taking a medication for 20+ years to reduce a hormone imbalance. The problem is that both the hormone imbalance andthe medication cause insulin resistance, with a knock on blood glucose impact.
Rock. Hard place. Here I am.
lol.

Hope things continue to improve for you!
 
Well done @GeminiMum .
When I dropped my blood glucose levels to below the diabetic range my GP wanted so see a year's worth of non-diabetes HbA1c tests (i.e 3 x3 monthly tests) before agreeing I had 'reversed' my T2. It helps me to keep in mind that the reversal is not necessarily permanent, and I have come close to the tipping point a few times. If you can keep weight down, and stick with your low carb regime, there is no reason why you shouldn't remain 'reversed' or in remission as some call it.
 

I'm planning on continuing to see if I can reduce it further, I've always been pretty careful about what I ate due to Edno flare ups if I ate wheat or cheese, and I'm happy being low carb as it's working. As mentioned if I could quit these hormone tablets then that would help as they are known to cause blood sugar issues. However without the Endometriosis hormone treatment life is very hard, the pain is immense (I'd rather give birth) and has left me passed out with a broken nose. Walking hurts, driving isn't possible, looking after my family and business a struggle. I used to spend about a week before a period in pain, even walking hurt internally, then a 7-9 days of agony, then pain eased off and I'd have about a week of being ok before the whole cycle started again. Endo may not kill you but the treatment causes issues. One treatment caused a DVT, I can't have a hyst as the Endo is to embedded into the bowel. So I kinda got my head round being overweight with a quality of life, but now it's time to try to find a solution to the Endometriosis, might have to try and ride it out until menopause, which in my eyes can't come soon enough (I'm 49). x
 
Believe me, I do know and understand the hormonal and endometriosis problems. For me it really did get better post menopause. Hope you continue to do well.
 
Hi GeminiMum, well done on joining us “very well controlled” diabetics! That’s the way me and my GP describe me! On here I’ve chosen “In Remission” as that was the closest description to how I feel. My non diabetic numbers will only continue if I keep low carb, self monitoring and Metformin, though I’m looking to reduce that at my next review. It’s a great way to lose weight and I too have dropped 2/3 sizes. I love getting my old belt out every so often and seeing where I used to fasten it and seeing that now there’s not a tight enough hole to use!
 
Well done @GeminiMum that is a tremendous achievement in such a short time, especially with the obstacles you have. Keep up the good work - and consider a new pair of jeans before those ones fall down when you least expect it!
 

Hi Gemini - As you are not too far away from a likely menopause, would you gynae consider chemically inducing it?
 
Well done! That's brilliant! It's amazing how quickly the change can happen if you go low carb and stick to it. I understand the complications you have, and it could be you are doing the best you can given those issues, but sometimes even small changes in diet can make quite a bit difference. I found for example that limiting pulses helped. I have the occasional portion of peas - maybe once a week, and a dish with chicken and black eyed beans (which is delicious!) about once every three weeks, but not much else (I used to do lovely spicy lentil soups, but I've stopped having those as I've got closer to target weight (I've lost almost 4 stone since last September, and Hba1c down from 68 to 35). If you eat quite a lot of fruit (even "good" fruit) it might be worth cutting down a bit. As I say, it may be that these things don't apply to you, so you need to look at your own diet and see if you think you can make further changes that might just make a difference.
 

I've come to see that the idea of becoming "Non-Type 2 Diabetic" is a paradox.

As in, the main reason why I would like to become non-diabetic is so that I can eat the types, and quantities, of food that I was brought up on and am most instinctively drawn to. But science tells me that that will make me diabetic again very quickly indeed.

So, well done, keep it up, and don't stop keeping it up!
 
Maybe I’m “strange” but the main reason I want to be non-diabetic is so that my feet don’t fall off.

Food is the least of my worries.

Well done @GeminiMum
 
britishpub said:
Maybe I’m “strange” but the main reason I want to be non-diabetic is so that my feet don’t fall off.

Food is the least of my worries.

Well done @GeminiMum
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Well yes, same here. That's what I mean. I'd like to be able to eat the food I was brought up on and am instinctively drawn to without my feet falling off as a consequence.

Current science points to the possibility of reversing Type 2, therefore enabling one to eat more carbs safely. But carbs seem to be a good route to developing Type 2. That's a paradox. Given my upbringing and taste in food, it's a particularly difficult paradox for me!
 
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