Proof In The pudding Is No Doubt In The Eating

[henrik7]

Wee Update was a bit worried reducing my meds from 6 Tablets a day to 2 One Metformin in Morning and One Glixozade without speaking to DOC anyway last HBA1C on 10 the August was 8.2 lost 26 KGS in 18 weeks since started regime on 13th July & HBA1C today is 5.3 Cholesterol overall is now 4.1 Triglycerides 1.05 whatever that means Nurse reckons that's decent URIC acid down from 519 to 443 Normal range she tells me is 200-430 wasn't really quite sure what it was or meant in grand scheme of things , my dilemma now is I'm tempted to stop the meds altogether now ? but truth is I'm not quite sure which one does what and don't think my nurse or doc knows either , anyway I've been on my own version of Michael Mosley's Blood Sugar diet with some drastic fasting thrown in and it seems to be working along with the exercise last thing at night meter check is generally in the high 5's but still struggling with the morning fasting reading usually mid to high 6's - maybe our old friend Dawn ???

Seems opinion is split on remission / reversal with everyone on here especially on a long term type 2 like me ( 10 years ) whilst understanding it is a life long condition I genuinely believe it can be reversed but it takes some serious effort & dedication and has seriously affected my mental health at times and not in a good way regardless of how much better I feel physically

Onwards & Upwards

 

[Energize]

Hi Henrik7

Well done for reducing your HbA1c. You've done really well. Regarding reducing your medication, it would really be best if you had advice from either the GP or the Diabetes nurse, particularly as you are obviously not familiar with how the medications work.

Basically, the Metformin helps the insulin to be more effective so is unlikely to affect your every day blood glucose results. The Gliclazide stimulates your pancreas to put out more insulin to deal with the glucose into your system.

I believe your GP/Diabetic nurse will want to know what your HbA1c was before you stopped one of your tablets and will then, likely advise you to reduce the Gliclazide slowly, perhaps by only one tablet, maybe two, then have an HbA1c again in 3 months to see what your Glucose levels are with, maybe a view to reducing your Gliclazide further. I would imagine you will be advised to continue with Metformin for sometime after reducing the Gliclazide to none, and with having HbA1c testing to be sure your glucose isn't rising too much again.

So, please, please, please, do go to see your Diabetic nurse, come clean as to what meds you are currently taking and ask her advise and support etc. You really shouldn't be doing this on your own.

I presume you have a glucometer and are testing regularly? Are/were you having hypo's at all? If not, I would suggest stopping your meds was not a good idea, I'm afraid, but only the professionals can advise you here.

Good luck

 

[henrik7]

Hi Henrik7

Well done for reducing your HbA1c. You've done really well. Regarding reducing your medication, it would really be best if you had advice from either the GP or the Diabetes nurse, particularly as you are obviously not familiar with how the medications work.

Basically, the Metformin helps the insulin to be more effective so is unlikely to affect your every day blood glucose results. The Gliclazide stimulates your pancreas to put out more insulin to deal with the glucose into your system.

I believe your GP/Diabetic nurse will want to know what your HbA1c was before you stopped one of your tablets and will then, likely advise you to reduce the Gliclazide slowly, perhaps by only one tablet, maybe two, then have an HbA1c again in 3 months to see what your Glucose levels are with, maybe a view to reducing your Gliclazide further. I would imagine you will be advised to continue with Metformin for sometime after reducing the Gliclazide to none, and with having HbA1c testing to be sure your glucose isn't rising too much again.

So, please, please, please, do go to see your Diabetic nurse, come clean as to what meds you are currently taking and ask her advise and support etc. You really shouldn't be doing this on your own.

I presume you have a glucometer and are testing regularly? Are/were you having hypo's at all? If not, I would suggest stopping your meds was not a good idea, I'm afraid, but only the professionals can advise you here.

Good luck

Hi Energize , thanks for detailed response , my HBA1C was 8.6 in August this year when I was taking 4 metformin and 2 gliclazide a day , I explained to the nurse when she gave me the 5.3 result last week that I had reduced my meds to one of each in the morning only and she never really commented apart from to say that I was in the normal non diabetic range for the 1st time in many years , truth is the surgery I go to have no diabetic experts among the staff even more strange considering type 2 seems to be an epidemic getting much more recognition with the pressure on the NHS , all I really want to know is how much affect do the meds have , you have explained more in one mail than I have been told in 10 years , actually my doctor told me testing twice a day with my meter is a waste of time and I should test once a week and be happy if I am below 10 ??? over the last 5 months I am gutted if I'm above 7 even slightly , funny thing is at my work I tested everyone last week and the all ranged from 7.5 right up to 13 and none are diabetics I had the lowest reading of 5.6 and I'm the only diabetic here !!!! yeah I have the omnitest 3 meter - not sure how good it is ??? or what the best one is to get , maybe there is something in what the doc is saying after all as I know lack of sleep stress and lot's of other factors come in to the equation and not just food and no matter what I do unless I really starve myself my early morning reading around 7am is always mid sixes and my going to bed reading is always mid to high fives , anyway thanks for your reply it's very much appreciated

 

[bulkbiker]

The morning reading is usually the last one to come down (unless of course you eat a carb heavy meal). It took about 6 months before mine started to be in the "normal" range so don't despair. Also as you say you have had Type 2 for a long time so it may well take a bit longer. You say you are fasting too? How long do you usually go for? I'm currently on day 4 of a 7 day (I hope) fast.

 

[henrik7]

The morning reading is usually the last one to come down (unless of course you eat a carb heavy meal). It took about 6 months before mine started to be in the "normal" range so don't despair. Also as you say you have had Type 2 for a long time so it may well take a bit longer. You say you are fasting too? How long do you usually go for? I'm currently on day 4 of a 7 day (I hope) fast.

Hi Bulkbiker , thanks for reply I try to fat twicw a week with no food at all and stay around 800 calories the other 5 days I've lost the craving for all the rubbish I used to eat now - managed to get another 6 pounds off at weight watchers this morning , try to walk at least 2 miles a day do some weights and cycle as much as I can , did you stop the meds yourself with docs approval or just never start on them ? is your 4 days fasting with no food at all ?

 

[bulkbiker]

Hi Bulkbiker , thanks for reply I try to fat twicw a week with no food at all and stay around 800 calories the other 5 days I've lost the craving for all the rubbish I used to eat now - managed to get another 6 pounds off at weight watchers this morning , try to walk at least 2 miles a day do some weights and cycle as much as I can , did you stop the meds yourself with docs approval or just never start on them ? is your 4 days fasting with no food at all ?

I took metformin for 3 weeks of toilet bound hell and decided to stop. Didn't mention it to HCP until a month later by which time my bloods were much better due to low carb and missing breakfast - so fasting 16 hours a day.
For this fast I was trying a water, black tea and black coffee only fast but after 3 days I had milk in my tea this morning and will have cream in my coffee in a minute. I don't eat anything solid for the seven day period. I walk the dog most days but haven't really upped my exercise apart from some swimming in the summer, but I was a bit lacklustre with that as well.