Remission

[Mrs.sw21]

I was diagnosed with type 2.
My Hb1Ac was 58 mmol
My weight was 73kg
After being on a low carb diet for 12 weeks, my weight is 64kg and my Hb1Ac is 40 mmol
I have had absolutely no help from any health professionals I just searched for low carb meals
My GP now says I am classed as in remission
My questions are
1. Am I still a diabetic?
2. Do I continue on the low carb diet?
3. Are there any dieticians that can help me? The NHS say I do not fit the criteria
Any help appreciated

 

[Oldvatr]

Well done with the reduction in the HbA1c. Since you are a recent member of the diabetes clan, you stand a good chance of the remission being longlasting, but you should still consider yourself as being prone to relapse. Going back to the diet you were using when you became diabetic will strike again if you let it sneak in too manuy carbs. You should be able to relax the LC diet back to medium carb intake and eat sensible foods, but there is always the danger of carb creep. Most of us on LCHF diet keep it up, and manage well on it. It becomes a way of eating (WOE) rather than a diet, but I find I can enjoy nice meals. I start the day with a bacon egg fryup with mush, tomatoes, cucmber, lettuce, beetroot, radish, and evn a slice of toast and butter.

 

[Goonergal]

Firstly congratulations on reducing your HbA1c.

1. Am I still a diabetic?

To all intents and purposes, I’d say yes. It’s likely that if you reverted to prior eating habits your numbers would rise again and while 40 is in the non-diabetic range, it is only just below the pre-diabetes threshold of 42.

2. Do I continue on the low carb diet?

Yes, almost certainly (see above).

3. Are there any dieticians that can help me? The NHS say I do not fit the criteria.
Any help appreciated

It’s likely that an NHS dietician wouldn’t be terribly helpful anyway as most of them push the ‘eatwell’ plate.

There are a couple of places you could look for support:

1) The Public Health Collaboration list of professionals using a low carb/real foods approach: https://phcuk.org/map/
2) The PHC Ambassador programme - it may be that an Ambassador in your area offers something either via a GP or privately: https://phcuk.org/ambassadors/

However, you can likely get what you need from this site and from other sites such as dietdoctor: https://www.dietdoctor.com/

 

[sue512]

I was diagnosed with type 2.
My Hb1Ac was 58 mmol
My weight was 73kg
After being on a low carb diet for 12 weeks, my weight is 64kg and my Hb1Ac is 40 mmol
I have had absolutely no help from any health professionals I just searched for low carb meals
My GP now says I am classed as in remission
My questions are
1. Am I still a diabetic?
2. Do I continue on the low carb diet?
3. Are there any dieticians that can help me? The NHS say I do not fit the criteria
Any help appreciated

We’re you on any medications? I’m interested as I’m trying to follow the same path but am only about 7 weeks in of low carbing. I assumed I’ll always be diabetic even if I hit remission and would need to control carb intake perhaps to a lesser extent. My diabetic nurse advised balanced diet mind if I get that far and like you I’ve not been able to access a dietician. In fact same diabetic nurse suggested they would only confuse issues as will discuss a different path.

 

[KennyA]

I was diagnosed with type 2.
My Hb1Ac was 58 mmol
My weight was 73kg
After being on a low carb diet for 12 weeks, my weight is 64kg and my Hb1Ac is 40 mmol
I have had absolutely no help from any health professionals I just searched for low carb meals
My GP now says I am classed as in remission
My questions are
1. Am I still a diabetic?
2. Do I continue on the low carb diet?
3. Are there any dieticians that can help me? The NHS say I do not fit the criteria
Any help appreciated

Well done on the BG reduction. As I understand it, there is no set definition of remission from T2. Partly this is because the official line still insists tht T2 is a progressive illness and T2 diabetics will steadily deteriorate etc. My practice used a definition which was one year in normal range: other people have reported "remission" as being judged on anything from a single "non-diabetic" - ie sub 48 - reading up.

As far as I'm concerned, I am still diabetic. If I ate the "eatwell plate" my numbers would go back up and my symptoms would return. While most have gone and the rest have lessened, I still have some classic diabetic symptoms even after 2+ years at "normal" BGs. The damage is done. So, for me, the answers are still on low carb, still a diabetic.

Just after diagnosis, I had the benefit of a NHS dietitian who understood and promoted low carb. Not everyone will be so lucky.

Keep going!