Potential cure

[type1newbie]

Hello again everybody
I posted ealier asking if anybody had heard of a cure for Diabetes ( before I checked out the site for existing info ), I have now looked through the sight on this subject and looked at the info others have provided, my reason for asking the question is that for the past 6 weeks I have not needed my Insulin, each time I check my sugar levels now, they are normal ( I was diagnosed with type 1 in June 2010 ) yet I have had no Insulin at all for the past 6 weeks and drastically reduced my Insulin use 3 weeks previously to that, I am keeping an eye on my blood sugar levels in case this is a some sort of fluke, but I am convinced that I no longer have the condition. I feel absolutely fine in myself and alot fitter and healthier. After much research I made big changes to my lifestyle and diet to achieve this, but totally worth it. I am really hoping that this is a permenant fix, has anybody heard of this sort of thing happening to anybody else and did it last, or return after a while ???
I am really excited about this and am in the process of documenting all the changes I have made to get here and maybe it could be of benefit to others.
Would love to hear your thoughts about this, thanks

 

[slimtony]

Hi,

A "honeymoon period" is fairly common in most newly-diagnosed type 1s and LADAs. As a general rule, the older you are at diagnosis, the longer your honeymoon period tends to be. LADAs (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adults) tend to have longer honemoon periods than "standard" type 1s.

http://www.isletsofhope.com/diabetes/pr ... ing_1.html

There are 3 main reasons why stopping insulin completely during the honeymoon period isn't normally advised. Firstly, injected insulin can take the strain off of your body's own insulin production, potentially helping it to last that bit longer. Secondly, there's an increased risk of an immune reaction when insulin is eventually restarted. And thirdly, unless you're keeping a very careful eye on your levels, there's the risk of developing DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis), which can be a "Showstopper", if you catch my drift.

All the best.

 

[smidge]

Hiya Type1newbie and welcome!

Unfortunately there is currently no cure for diabetes. Having said that, there are lifestyle changes that really help reduce the symptoms - mainly low-carb food in-take. However, if you went back to eating normally, your symptoms would return almost immediately - so not a cure.

I am really pleased for you that you are having such a success with your lifestyle changes. A couple of things that might be going on with you:

1. You were never Type 1 - just a misdiagnosed Type 2. Honestly, this is a very common situation. Personally, I was misdiagnosed as Type 2 when I'm actually Type 1. If you are actually Type 2 and make big changes to your diet, exercise regime and weight, you could minimise or even stop needing the medication. This could be permanent although any regression to your old ways would bring it back very quickly!

2. You have a similar condition to me. I have LADA (sometimes referred to as Type 1.5). LADA is a form of Type 1 diabetes, but it hasn't progressed to the full Type 1 yet. I still produce my own basal insulin at varying amounts on different days. When first diagnosed as diabetic, I cut the carbs right back and this gave my pancreas enough of a break to kickstart it again for a while. The same thing happened when I first went onto insulin. They often call this period the 'honeymoon period', but it does end eventually apparently! All LADA patients eventually end up on insulin.

Anyway, they are the only things I can think of to explain your situation, but you would be best to see your diabetes team and get them to run some tests to make sure you really are Type 1!

All the best

Smidge

 

[OneOfMany]

Please inform us more of your situation, age of onset, weight, HbA1C on diagnosis, treatment and dosage, later HbA1C and BG levels after discontinuing insulin.