Reverse diabetes

[Pan123]

Hi

I have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with the h1bc1 test as 105 mmol. I have never been prediabetic. And I think I have not been diabetic for long ... maybe the last 3-4 months without knowing.. during lockdown . The doctor has put me on metformin and atorvastatin. I was taking the statin for about 3 weeks but my hair started to fall out.. so I told the doctor I was going to stop it.. but they have not yet given me a replacement.

I am 40 and I lost about a stone during lockdown so really quite shocked that I have this.. it has been a month and I have completely changed my lifestyle.. well I started work which means I am doing more brisk walking, I use a cross trainer at home for at least 5 times a week for 30mins. I have also reduced my carb levels and I am following the exante vcld diet but I mainly do this diet over the week when I am working and have lower carbs over the weekend with a cheat day..

I took metformin to lower my blood sugar and now I have decided to stop as I have less that 70g of carbs a day. And whilst my blood sugar varies between 5-8. I do take it over the weekend as I am more idle. I am also obese and I suppose have 3 stones to loose.

I have a lot of questions

1. My blood sugar has lowered to 5 during the day and maybe is about 7/8 when I get up.. is that normal? What should it be?

2. How realistically can I reverse diabetes? Is it even possible? I mentioned that to my doctor.. they did not even want to hear about it!!

3. I heard that if the blood sugar spikes it’s not good? Does anyone know the ranges?

4. how much weight must I loose to reverse diabetes?
I am trying to loose weight as well and have drop another half a stone..

my lifestyle has completely changed and I have been using the Micheal Mosely fast 800 diet and recipe book as well..

Pan

 

[Goonergal]

Hi there @Pan123 and welcome

A lot of questions in there. I’ll do my best to answer them.

1. My blood sugar has lowered to 5 during the day and maybe is about 7/8 when I get up.. is that normal? What should it be?

Those numbers don’t seem at all bad given an HbA1c of 105 as a starting point. Everyone has their own targets, but broadly as a type 2 on metformin or no meds, sticking between 4 and 7 is a decent range.

2. How realistically can I reverse diabetes? Is it even possible? I mentioned that to my doctor.. they did not even want to hear about it!!

Yes it’s possible - although you’ll find debate on here about terminology. I prefer to say well controlled. Many of us have achieved non-diabetic numbers from a starting point similar to you (my own HbA1c on diagnosis was 108. Non diabetic numbers for 3 years now). The key is reducing carbs by as much as you need to keep your blood sugars in check.

3. I heard that if the blood sugar spikes it’s not good? Does anyone know the ranges?

See above - keeping levels as stable as possible is important. There’s a chart somewhere on this website, but I’m not having much luck finding it at the moment.

4. how much weight must I loose to reverse diabetes?
I am trying to loose weight as well and have drop another half a stone.

Weight loss may come, but keeping your blood sugars under control is the most important thing. Many people lose weight as a consequence of dropping carbs, but others don’t. If you’d like inspiration/food ideas take a look at dietdoctor.com

Finally on the metformin, it doesn’t work in the way you’re using it - it takes time to build up in the body and just using it at weekends will likely have no impact. In itself it doesn’t do a lot to directly reduce blood sugars, rather it increases the body’s insulin sensitivity and stops the liver dumping out so much glucose.

Good luck with all of this and keep posting!

 

[Pan123]

Thanks for your help with these questions..

so does that mean that you cannot reverse it even if I lose weight and keep the blood sugar down .. my goal is to at least come off the drug and kick start the insulin..

 

[Pan123]

Also .. I have decided to take the metformin once a day.. mainly in the evening ..

Another question.. how do I know if my body kicks my pancreas to produce insulin? Does that mean I should come off the drug at some point to check?

 

[VashtiB]

I f you are a type 2 that usually means that you are producing insulin but your body is resistant to insulin.

My personal belief is that I am carb intolerant. While I can keep my blood sugar levels in the n normal range this will only continue while I restrict my carb intake. I hope one day that I will be able to increase my carb intake to maybe 50 grams a day while still having normal blood sugar levels and maybe come off the metformin I firmly believe that were I to go back to a 'normal' intake of carbs my levels would go back to being diabetic levels.

I really like carbs- my body does not. My asthma has disappeared with keto, I have lost weight and my levels are normal. I crave carbs much less when not eating them, I feel much less hungry- so many benefits. I do miss carbs but I am convinced this is for life.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Resurgam]

To reverse diabetes you just need to control your blood glucose levels.
As I am a very ordinary type two I eat low carb foods. My numbers are normal and I have been marked as 'in remission' for some time now. It took 6 months to get down to normal Hba1c.
Exercise, weightloss, working out at the gym might all help but I got a meter to check my blood glucose and ate low carb so I could get normal blood glucose levels, all the rest are things which might help, but they don't seem to be essential for everyone.