how long the switch from tablets to insulin?

Always go with the positives. If you stay on the wagon why would your diabetes progress? Doctors and nurses so rarely see their T2 patients improve. Mostly they see patients who do not take care of themselves and deteriorate, or who follow the NHS dietary guidelines and deteriorate (and we all know why this happens). It is quite rare for them to see such big improvements and are suspicious the efforts won't last.

I have no intention of needing insulin, nor indeed any other diabetes medication, and providing I continue to maintain my current weight and normal BS levels, there is no reason why I should.

I have been type 2 for just over 2 years. I have my next blood test december/January.
The diabetic nurse did say that if the result is lower then I will be taken off the victoza. Then I will aim to come of the metformin.
I d feel that type2 can be controlled without meds

I believe insulin is inevitable if you follow the doctors orders! My meds steadily increased over 9 years and next step would have been insulin. Decided to go low carb even though the doctor never mentioned it and have halved my meds and best blood results ever. I intend to continue with my diet and hope to avoid insulin. If you can find a positive, helpful doctor stick with them.

No insulin is probably not inevitable for most people if they stick to a low carb lifestyle. My A1C has gone from 10.4 to 5.8 and still improving. There is no reason why I can't maintain this provided I don't backslide.

T2 doesn't have to progress to insulin - and with the proper diet and lifestyle, it can often improve or even reverse.

But it is important to realise that this isn't true of all cases of T2 - because T2 is caused by many different things. It is often genetic, or caused by drugs such as statins or steroids. Age is a huge factor (all our body systems get less efficient with age), while diet and lifestyle will affect each of these.

So yes, I agree with everyone who is posting to say that they have held off insulin and intend to continue to do so. But no one should feel like a failure if they DO progress to insulin. It may happen for many reasons (the obvious one being if someone has other health issues that prevent them from following a LC diet, or if they are unable to exercise through injury or health issues).

Beta cells can get blocked by a fatty liver, or they can die. Once they are dead, they are dead. Last time I looked, the studies showing regeneration of beta cells have shown it is possible in young and foetal rats, which doesn't give me much hope for a middle aged human.

Anyone who 'Reverses' their diabetes soon after diagnosis and thinks that they have 'won' is deluding themselves. This is a lifetime battle.

Sorry if this sounds negative. I actually view it as an important and useful motivation for me to stay on track with my LCHF way of eating, and to take care of myself every day. Which may prevent me ever needing insulin.

carina62 said:

Is it inevitable that we have to end up on insulin? I've been diabetic for 7 years and take 2 tablets metformin daily. I managed to get my Hbaic from 8.1 to 6.9 with low carbing and weight loss and my doctor said he would be pleased if I can keep to this figure over the next 2 years. He seems to think that insulin will be inevitable. I intend to carry on losing weight and getting my Hbaic even lower if I can but some doctors keep saying it's progressive while others say it can be reversed. I've found the doctors I've seen have been conflicting on their views about diabetes. Do I go with the positives or the negatives?

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Carina - My view is some people may progress to insulin, for a million reasons, but many don't appear to.

Bottom line is there simply are no certainties with T2 Diabetes. If there were lots of certainties, this site would probably be much quieter. The certainties would be published and we'd all just get on with it.

I have no idea what the official statistics are for T2, in terms of progress of the condition, and for now, I have no interest in looking them up. That's not burying my head in the sand, that's simply because even if the progression to insulin were 90% (and I stress that is a figure plucked from my brain, without reference to anything), there would be the other 10%, and that's the side I would choose to aim for. Your Doctor can't know what will happen to you, any more than you know.

If I aim for the best outcome, I stand half a chance of getting there. If I blindly accept someone's speculative gloom and doom, there is a chance I will lapse into their accepting state and just go along, probably making a less determined effort at control.

Obviously, we're all different, in terms of our body's ability to cope with the big D, it's ability to heal a bit, any other health issues we might have along the way, and our own ability to take some control over the longer term.

Personally? I'd be taking the Doc's assertion as a personal challenge to prove him wring, but I can be a cussed old girl.

carina62 said:

Is it inevitable that we have to end up on insulin? I've been diabetic for 7 years and take 2 tablets metformin daily. I managed to get my Hbaic from 8.1 to 6.9 with low carbing and weight loss and my doctor said he would be pleased if I can keep to this figure over the next 2 years. He seems to think that insulin will be inevitable. I intend to carry on losing weight and getting my Hbaic even lower if I can but some doctors keep saying it's progressive while others say it can be reversed. I've found the doctors I've seen have been conflicting on their views about diabetes. Do I go with the positives or the negatives?

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I sincerely hope not although I was given the same spiel by the Diabetes nurse on my second appointment. I'm guessing that most people who follow the advice they are given to follow the Eatwell plate will probably end up with a progressive condition as it is almost designed to make your diabetes worse. I have found by following a very low carb diet with some fasting that my blood sugar levels have dropped dramatically. I hope this means that I can keep this condition under control. I have no expectation to be "cured" but if I eat properly then I am pretty convinced I can be symptom free. I must admit I used my anger at the nurse's defeatist attitude to fuel my desire to prove her wrong.

Hi. As others have said it is not inevitable. As long as you are a T2 with insulin resistance and now have a reduced carb diet and seeing a reduction in weight you will probably never need insulin. Those who follow the pre-existing NHS carby food diet guidelines may well need insulin and so will the many mis-diagnosed T1s.