managing without medication

StormyDog said:

I want to continue to work on diet and exercise but I expect to be offered a statin for my BP ( due to BMI ) and probably Metfornin(sp) for my fasting Bloods (5.4-6.4)

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I'm not aware of statins helping with blood pressure, whatever your BMI. Fasting bloods, well this is what Diabetes.co.uk say :-

• Normal: 3.9 to 5.5 mmols/l (70 to 100 mg/dl)
• Prediabetes or Impaired Glucose Tolerance: 5.6 to 7.0 mmol/l (101 to 126 mg/dl)
• Diagnosis of diabetes: more than 7.0 mmol/l (126 mg/dl)

So, you're just above normal and just within what is now called pre-diabetic. Weight loss will obviously help long term but in the short term cutting back on carbs will make a huge difference. Exercise will also help, walking is fine, but if you're a little bit heavy, running is for people who want arthritic knees when they reach 50, trust me, that why my knees are knackered. You're certainly not being naive. Drugs are not to be seen as a panacea if they can be avoided, you're in a position to turn thing around.

What is your total cholesterol by the way, no harm in taking statins if you can tolerate them and you think lowering cholesterol is a good thing. My GP has just told me that she wants to see my cholesterol below 4, a number that has dropped from 7 in 1997 when I first was diagnosed diabetic. On the other hand the British Heart Foundation did some research that found cardio vascular events increase when cholesterol goes over 5.4 and also increases below 5.4, so maybe 5.4 is the optimum.

Be prepared for GP and medical advice in general to differ from the low carb advice that you'll get on diabetes forums. I think I know who I trust.

Many on here are managing their T2 with diet and exercise and no medication. Your fasting BGs don't seem too bad (what is your HbA1c?) and your current BMI is what mine was at diagnosis.

It won't be easy and it's probably a lifetime commitment (as it is for all of us who go this route) but it can be done. You are the one who has to be focussed and disciplined about it, but you know what the alternatives are if you don't.

Plenty of encouragement and support on here.

If you are newly diagnosed type 2, this may well be possible. Your pancreas still produces insulin, but you have most likely become very resistant to it. Many type 2s at diagnosis are producing way more insulin than a non diabetic, but they have become so resistant to it that it can't be used effectively. The aim of some medication for type 2s is to lower your resistance to insulin, so your pancreas stops getting so overworked, and this preserves it's ability to produce insulin. The good news is that there are other ways to lower insulin resistance, and this will have a positive knock on effect with weight, hunger and general well being. Regular exercise is a fantastic way of reducing insulin resistance. Also, a growing number of diabetics are also following low carbohydrate diets, although not everyone supports this. Less carbs means less insulin requirement. Less insulin in the system means you will become less resistant to it over time. This does not mean you should starve yourself, but instead get your energy from protein and fat (eggs, meat, cheese etc). Plenty of vegetables are also always a good idea.
Hope that helps, feel free to post if you need any clarification.

I should also say it is perfectly possible for type 2s that are not newly diagnosed. However, as a type 1 I am probably not qualified to give too much insight into being a long term type 2.

My signature shows my blood scores since diagnosis, without the aid of medication. Like you, I sort of knew if I accepted any medication I wouldn't try as hard.

As an aside, my cholesterol levels also dropped, post diagnosis.

Its 100% possible to never need insulin or any diabetic medication for type 2 people, but its not common - My mom has been a T2 all my life (she's now 80) and is 100% diet controlled and always has been, she's never been on any drugs for it or taken insulin in her entire life (not even when in hospital). So yes its possible, its not easy but its possible. My mom is a vegetarian and has been since 2006 and she has 173 grams of carbs almost every day for the past 5 years of her life (because its the right amount for her). Her last a1c was in the normal non diabetic range and her daily numbers all are in and around mmol 5.2.

Very well done. Prescribing statins needs your approval as well - it's still your choice.