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Inspiration Needed - Type 2 - How did you manage to reverse your Diabetes?

laurag2905

Member
Messages
16
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi all

I'm new to the forums. I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2, 3 years ago I'm now 45 and although I've managed to get my levels down to HBA1c reading of 60, this is mainly through medication (4 x Metformin, 1 x Gliclazide, 1 x Candesartan, 1 x Avrostatin).

I really don't like taking medication and now find myself taking more than my parents! (My Dad is 82 and is on 5 tablets a day!)

I've struggled with my weight, currently 16 stone 7lbs and I've been trying to lose weight for the past 10 years using various options, slimming world, shakes, keto, exercise, low carb, counselling, hypnotherapy etc. etc. My problem is the weight loss is so slow, that I find 6 weeks down the line I've lost 3lb and then I end up having one bad day and the 3lbs are back! Its just very demotivating, because it takes me so long to lose it and I find low carb/keto works best for me but I can't seem to maintain it as I end up be it a week, 3 or 6 weeks down the line having major carb cravings and the weight quickly goes back on. Don't get me wrong, when I say carb cravings, I'm not eating as badly as I use to, no where near, but I could for example on a 'carb carving day', have 6 slices of brown toast, over the course of the day, 2 packets of crisps and a portion of shepherds pie. Which in the overall scheme of my history of eating, doesn't feel that bad, but still that kind of eating now ends with me quickly putting weight back on. I feel like I would need to eat like a mouse for the rest of my life to change things forever .

Its frustrating, because I understand that the science of it all 'is easy'. Its all to to do with how many calories you burn and how many you eat! Its not rocket science, but some how my head doesn't see it that way.

I've been reading up about this 800 calorie diet which states it can reverse things within 8-12 weeks and I'm wondering if I could get myself through that and if it really would reverse things or would I just go back again?

Has anyone here managed to reverse their diabetes? How did they reverse it and How much weight did you have to lose to achieve it? and have you manage to keep it off for any length of time?

I could do with some real inspiration

Take care

Laura
 
I could not see the lady I loved without putting on my glasses, now when I wake I can see her without trouble.
I want to snowboard in my old age and walk up mountains with the lad.

Which ever route you take, keep the faith and believe in yourself. the changes you make have to be sustainable, they can be and still give you wonderful food.

Let us know how you get on

Ross
 
laurag2905 said:
Its frustrating, because I understand that the science of it all 'is easy'. Its all to to do with how many calories you burn and how many you eat! Its not rocket science, but some how my head doesn't see it that way.
Click to expand...

Except that it isn't that easy it is far more to do with insulin and insulin responses from eating. If it were just calories in against calories burnt I'm sure we would all be stick thin models. The science has changed .. you say you feel better with keto/low carb. I would suggest you go back to that but try not to get distracted. Maybe try skipping breakfast .. extending your overnight fast a bit might help with lowering your insulin thus allowing your body to get out of fat storage mode and into fat burning mode. That's what worked well for me. Check out Dr Jason Fung on youtube and see if his ideas get you motivated.
has worked well for lots of s here bringing our HbA1c back to "normal" levels without being starving hungry all the time.
 
Hi Laura,
Welcome, hopefully my story so far will motivate you and help you see that you can achieve success, it takes time and dedication but isn’t impossible as you will see from the people here.

I was diagnosed completely out of the blue in October last year. My first HbA1c was 95 (10.8) 2nd test result 87 (10.1) booked to see the diabetes nurse end of November and she did a finger prick test for me reading 76 (9.1) advised to eat well balanced diet, do some exercise and no need to test!

After the shock and some tears I did my own research and found this forum and the Diet Doctor website. Needless to say what I read made some sense and I decided to ignore the NHS advice and swapped to low carb diet in the new year.

Had my first check up 6th February, HbA1c now 45 (6.3) pre diabetic range, I test my blood myself and am averaging 37 (5.5) I’ve now lost 3 and a half srtone to date, cholesterol was good at time of diagnosis 4.1 and has come down a little bit to 4, blood pressure was good and again has come down to lower than the recommended maximum level. Exercise wise I started with 20 minutes swimming 4 times a week until new year, then I introduced 15 minute HiiT sessions for a change and now I have just returned to 30 minute swims, 5 minute HiiT sessions and a daily walk during lunch breaks of 15 to 20 minutes (weather permitting). I am hoping that when I go for my second check up my HbA1c will reflect the averages I get now, I would love to see it around 32 to 34, still have some weight to loose but have a holiday booked for May that is acting as an additional motivation.

Good luck, you can do it but you have to want it.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. You have learned one thing already, counting calories does nothing for the waistline or the T2 Diabetes.

There are a number of dietary methods which will aid both. I will put them in my personal preference but look them up on the forum and see what you would choose.

LCHF (Low Carb High Fats) very popular here on the forum.
ND (Newcastle Diet) Being developed by an expert team and showing promising results so far.
Mediterranean or Pioppi Diet. The Blood Sugar Diet comes along with this one.

Have a read around the forum and ask as many questions as you like. Tagging @daisy1 for the newbie info post for you.
 
I could never lose weight on a calorie controlled diet - the doctors reduced and reduced the amount I should be eating until I was deathly pale and in a state of collapse - I could have died as I did not have the strength to walk to the shops on the Friday, and that night fell asleep on the settee - luckily an icecream van came around on Saturday and I went out and bought two large ones, just managed to get to the shops before 5 o'clock and filled my trolley.
I don't think that losing weight is all that important - you need to keep your blood glucose from going up too much.
I manage that by eating a low carb diet, about 40gm of carbs a day at the moment. I was eating more, but once I got my BG down I realized that I was losing weight bit by bit, but now I am trying to build muscle and burn fat. Getting your blood glucose right seems to be where to start - it gets the metabolism back in balance, increases energy and activity which is always a good thing.
 


In 2014 I went on a vegan diet and was excercising. I managed to lose several stone in weight. They said to me later that they would have taken me off the diabetic register as I went into remission. However I have severe depression and so the eating returned, the not leaving the house etc. I have a kidney issue developed 15 years before I became diabetic. I was diagnosed with maculopathy in January and will have further testing next week to determine what’s happening. It was enough to shake me into action. I went on a protein diet. Some veg in the late morning. I am on zero sugar that even includes fake sugar. I am on zero carbs. Since about the second week of January to date I have lost just over 2 stone. It’s been hard as my kidney problem makes me have muscle weakness if I do activity I also am in the most excruciating pain but I’m pushing through the pain as I’d rather have that then go blind. My sugar levels are below 7. It’ll be 3 months from the 2nd week of January before they are properly stable. So it is achievable. One of the other things that will help is having supportive people around you. I didn’t have a soul. Until I was so frightened in January I reached out to my family. They have made every bit of a difference. I know I can beat this ghastly disease that has robbed me of so very much.
 
@laurag2905

Hello Laura and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will help.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why

  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 
Hi Laura, may I suggest one more thing which might help you? Go onto YouTube and type in Sugar Addiction there you will find videos which might help you to understand why you experience carbohydrate cravings after a week or 3 or 6wks. I think that you need that information along with the lchf/keto diet info. I hope it helps Laura. Good luck xx
 
WOW!! Thanks so much for all of your help! It is incredible to receive such support and advice!!

Ross Walker - your post gave me real inspriration! I have always had fantastic eye sight and this last year
they have started to deteriorate but quite rapidly and I thought I would never be able to reverse that
so to believe that is even a possibility has filled me with hope.

Bulkbiker - Yes you are right, I know, I just remember my doctor would always repeat to me, its
all about calories in and calories out, but it really isn't that simple is it? I certainly do
feel better with keto/low carb, and I am actually starting to think I've become gluten intolerant
over this past few months as I know get upper adominal pain when I eat carbohydrates. I will
check out Dr Jason Fung. I am on day two of the 800 calorie program and I'm going to try really
hard to stick with this for the 8 weeks, because I think I need to prove to myself now that things
can change.

Jayney27 - That is fantastic news that you were able to turn things around so quickly. When you receive a
diagnosis it really feels like a life sentence and even though I know to some degree it is, because
the changes I make are going to be forever. I am swimming but only once or twice a week. I'm hoping that
by following this 800 calorie diet for 8 weeks, it will help me turn things around but I know once
I reach that goal, I have to somehow find a more 'realistic' way of living day to day and using keto/low
carb and sticking to it sounds the way to go. There is so much conflicting advice and I did start
with the diet doctor website, but then when I got the diagnosis of 'fatty liver' as well I started worrying
that the high fat content of the foods would go against me, so I ended up giving up. Do I need to worry
about high fat having a fatty liver?? Anywyay thanks so much for the welcome, I really appreciate it and
I feel really happy to have found a group of people who finally understand what I'm dealing with and hopefully
I can learn from you guys and start to get on top of this, rather than letting it beat me, which is how it has
felt lately.

Guzzler - LCHF I think is definitely my long term plan, but I'm trying the ND to start with to see if it
can kick start things for me, as I think quite honestly that having a break from eating in a 'regular' way
is no bad thing. I know I'm only on day 2, but have to say the porridge in the mornings certainly seems to be
filling me up for the day. Thanks again

Resurgam - It seems that low carb really does seem the way to go. Am I right in thinking that if I can
follow this 8 week diet of 800 calories, that when I go back to low carb regular eating, I won't just
put it all back on again because I'll still be keeping my carbs down?

Ziggyzog - Wow 2 stone in two months is fantastic. I'm on day 2 of the 800 calorie diet and every diet
I have tried over the past few years has only ever led to me losing 1 or 2lbs in the first week, so I'm
really interested to see how this one goes. It sounds as if you have had some real struggles, but
that you are turning things around. I keep thinking I just have to take one day at a time, I have ended
up feeling so despondent in the past, I just give up, and I really don't want that to happen this time round,
because like you I am fed up with letting diabetes rule my life. I've even noticed recently that on a weekend
especially when I have eat a few carbs in the morning, I end up sleeping in the afternoon! I took my parents
out for a meal two weekends ago for lunch and when I got home I slept for 4 hours! This has happened
to me several times now and I'm sure it is the carbs that cause it.

Daisy1 - Thanks so much for all the info, I'm going to study it through and try to get to grips with things, one
thing I do struggle with is I don't ever test at home. People seem to talk about their levels at 4 to 8 mmol
is that figure related to the HBA1c level? As all I've ever been told is my HBA1c level which has peaked at
70 but is now back to 60. Do you think it would help me to buy a testing kit and would this help me or
if I just stop eating carbs, will that resolve the need for tasting?

13lizanne - I will type in the sugar addiction and have a watch. I have at times felt like an addict lol,
it just seems to overtake me. I could really do with understanding what I can do to stop them from happening
as quite honestly when the need overtakes me, nothing I can say to myself will stop me eating them, as
at that point I just don't care any more!! Very frustrating.

Anyway thanks for all your help and I am feeling very welcomed right now! :-D

Take care

Laura
xx
 
Hi Laura

I was diagnosed last September. I wieghed 14 st 2lb, had an Hba1c of 68 and fasting glucose of 8.6. I thought I was eating a fairly healthy diet (no ready meals, we cook everything from scratch, my 5 a day, wholemeal, pulses etc) so GP suggested Metformin, but I had vaguely heard about reversing Type 2, so started to look things up, and found Dr Michael Moselely's 8 week Blood Sugar Diet (thebloodsugardiet.com). I'd seen a couple of his BBC Tv programmes (Trust me, I'm a doctor) and so I got his Blood Sugar book (about £5 on Amazon) and what he said made total sense. So I started on the 8 week, 800 calorie diet (told my GP that I was going to stop the meds - I'd taken about 4 - and do the diet instead). I thought it would be really hard, but it was a great deal easier than I thought. By Christmas I weighed 11 stone (loss of over 3 stone) and my Hba1c was 32. In addition, my cholesterol and triglycerides were down (my triglycerides had been really high - around 7 - for about 30 years, despite the meds I was on. It was down to 1.6 and I have stopped all the meds for those too). Since Christmas I have increased my calories to about 1400/1500 a day, but still eat low carb (NO bread, pasta, rice, sugar, potatoes), and I am now down to 10 stone 5 lbs. My sister, with whom I share a house, but who isn't diabetic, started to eat the same way - mainly because it was easier than cooking two different meals - and she too has lots over 2 stone. We have both gone down 3 dress sizes (I bought a new size 16 wardrobe in December as the old size 20's were huge, but am now having to buy 12/14!). We have discovered some fabulous new recipes, and eat a far wider range of meals than we ever did before, and have no intention of ever returning to the way we ate before. It's a revelation! There's so much wonderful stuff you CAN eat - full fat yogurt, bacon and eggs, steak...fish, loads of different veg, nuts, seeds, cream (I used to have espresso coffee with sugar, but now have it with double cream instead). It IS a different way of eating - but we love it! AND I don't have to worry about the nasty complications of advancing Type 2, because to all intents and purposes I don't have it any more. My glucose levels are those of a non-diabetic, and so long as I eat the way I do now, there is no reason they will ever become a problem. So, YES, you CAN do it - and it will be the best thing you ever do!
 
I can't advise on going back - I have never tried limiting calories again, I just keep my BG in the normal range by eating low carb and that seems to fix me - I don't want to go back to a doctor ordered diet.
 
Sorry one thing I forgot to add is I’ve been drinking apple cider vinegar every morning on an empty stomach then throughout the day. I was like you totally despondent at the edge. My sister told me nothing will happen quickly. 3 months things will begin to stabilise. I have other metabolic disorders and pcos. So the odds have always been stacked against me. I’m fortunate that sugar, carbs and fried food make me ill. I’d still shovel it in but now I decided nope not worth it. Also stress can raise your sugar levels I coped by saying 3 months you’ll be fine. Can’t change the past but I’ll sure as hell take my future!
 
Hi Eliza, I hate to say it but I actually have that book sat on my bookshelf in my bedroom! My daughter bought it for me two christmases ago and I never read it. I don't know if I was in denial or if I was just convinced by 'whatever fad diet I was following' at that time, but I will revisit it, have a read. Your post just reiterates to me that I need a long term plan and that cutting out carbs long term is the best way forward. I think I would find it easier to cut out bread, pasta, rice, sugar and potatoes, rather than have small amounts. I can't believe you lost 3 stone in 3 months, I'm finding it hard to believe that by following this diet I could do the same, because honestly this weight I have gathered over the years just seems to stick to me now and although my weight now is exactly the same as it was 3 months ago, I have tried various diets and dropped 2lb, gained 2lb, and just always seem to end up back where I started, I think probably because the carb cravings take over. How did you deal with that? Did you get carb cravings? I must admit I'm at the end of day 2 of the 800 calorie diet and I have found it fine so far, I'm not hungry or having any cravings, but I'm aware it is just day 2. So I'm kind of just waiting for the cravings to kick in!! What kinds of food do you eat on an average day? and how do you find lunch times, as the last two days is fine, I have prepared things etc, but every now and then with the best will in the world, with me and my partner working full time, things will slip and I will find myself at work, with no lunch and hungry! What sort of things would you suggest getting in that would 'cover me' on any unplanned days! And well done by the way, it sounds as if you have really got things under control, I can only hope that 3 months from now, I will be in the same place as you!
 
Ziggyzog - I have PCOS as well and my Doctor always advised me it was highly likely I would develop
diabetes in my 40's, but what she never told me was all of this advice! All she ever said was its
all about calories in and calories out! Its frustrating that more advice isn't given out. No wonder
we have an increasing problem with people being diagnosed with type 2. Why did you drink the
apple cider vinegar? Was there a reason for it? Carbs give me a tight feeling in my upper
abdomen now which can last for several days, but like you it hasn't been enough to stop me eating
them... until now! I realise things have to change. When you think of it as 3 months, it really
doesn't seem that long a time does it. Especially when I've had it for 3 years lol. Fingers crossed
 
Diet is a good resource ... but so is a LOT of gentle exercise ... walking and build up to a decent work out over a km or two. And the carb cravings? You will NOT miss them once you kick 'em

I now hate snacks as the taste and smell makes me ill
 
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Believe me, Laura! I had been overweight my entire life - baby, toddler, teen, young adult. Dieted on and off - VERY occasionally got somewhere near "normal" but straight away went back up again! But this way of eating is SO much easier than any other "diet"...because there is so much really tasty food (partly because you are eating fats, that leave you satisfied, and taste indulgent) you don't NEED to have the things you used to have. We both wish we'd done this thirty years ago. I've added a before and after photo - the after was at Christmas, so I've lost more since that was taken.
 

Hi Laurag - It seems like you're getting you head into the right sort of space to make a sustained change, which would obviously be great.

I'll make a couple of observations if I may. Firstly, there are many, many on here who have trimmed up a bit, or a lot, by cutting back their carb intake. Of course, there are some for whom that approach hasn't worked so well for weight loss, but it has worked for blood glucose levels, and all points in between. Dr Moseley's approach has worked for several, but probably more have chosen to just learn a bit more about carbs and trim them back, rather than follow any form of meal plan. That's very much a personal thing.

Relating to your troubles losing weight, have you had your bloods done at the lab recently (as opposed to any finger prick testing you might do), to check there's nothing off-kilter there, like thyroid levels on Vit D?

Should you decide to trim back on the carbs again, please do make sure you are testing your bloods very regularly, as numbers can fall quite quickly and your Gliclazide is encouraging your body to ramp up it's insulin production and I'd hate you to be surprised by landing up hypo.
 
The other thing I meant to say was, I just try and view carbs as postively dangerous - which for a Type 2, they are! They're not "treats"...things I now regard as treats are things like keto crackers (have the recipe if you want) smothered in blue cheese (ok, so you may not like blue cheese, so substitute your own cheese - or pate - or smoked salmon...). You do have to completely forget about some of the thing you used to eat - but enjoy the ones you can - cos they are FABULOUS!
 

You’re lucky. I’ve not been told anything. I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2008. I’ve never seen a dietician. All they’ve done is up the meds etc. In jan when I was diagnosed with maculopathy that’s when I looked at my medical notes. Everything my consultant recommended has been ignored by my gp. Yesterday something hit me. I’m hypokaelemic. I was in hospital for a week. That was 2014. One of the days they forgot to give me breakfast. The nurse asked me what I wanted and said is a croissant ok. I said yes. However she came back with an apple. The kitchen staff said I’m not allowed a croissant as I’m diabetic. So why are they telling us that we eat that **** ordinarily it doesn’t make sense. Regarding the Apple Cider Vinegar. My ex boyfriend mentioned it. I started taking it immediately he knows his stuff. I then read about it as I was really shocked that I went from 8 heavy duty painkillers to just 2 every now and then. I also noticed it helped drop my sugar reading if you take it before bed. I’ve read it’s had the same effect on other diabetics. Another benefit I immediately lost my desire for drinking diet cola. I used to down a couple a day to zero. I use Braggs. It’s important to have the Apple cider vinegar with the mother. Just dilute it in water and gulp it down. I’ve only started to lose weight and feel better when I took control of the situation myself. I gave my eye test at the hospital next week to see what damage is done. I have neurology the day after then endocrinology on the 27th. Try to take control of it. This site is good I wish I discovered it years ago. My sister sent me this video it helped me understand. I hope it helps you or anyone else
 
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