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T2 - a tale of diagnosis 'remission'....and hope!

Debandez said:
Brilliant news. Well done. I feel very much the same, blessing in disguise. It made me stop and take stock too. No mers for me either thank you. Were you offered an alternative or did you find it yourself?
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@Debandez The doc offered Metformin at diagnosis but also said he didn't think I needed it *IF* I got serious with myself. It was a bit of a punch to the stomach but I took some time researching best ways to get it down and saw the low carb high fat diet. I tried that and didn't like the high fat element, although I know it works for some. I tried a form of keto and restricted myself to under 30g of carbs a day, and absolutely hated that one! Then I experimented doing my own plan - I got a BG monitor of my own and tested my carb and sugar food tolerance. I settled on keeping to under 100g of carbs a day and restricting all sugar - no 'sweets', no 'bad' snack food. I replaced everything with a high protein, lower carb, moderate fat option. I checked the nutrition of *everything* in supermarkets and stick with the premise that if a food is higher in carbs it MUST be low in sugar. I don't eat anything high sugar anymore really - if I get a sweet urge, I stay with protein bars, they've been a life saver to be honest - high protein and low carbs and sugar. I don't eat fruit so much because it slams the carbs AND sugar, and I don't like it's effect on my BG - if I have an apple it does raise my BG, so I'd rather eating something more substantial like a pile of vegetables or delicious salad stuff. Vegetables are my go to for snacks, too. Before diagnosis I used to easily eat 2-3 apples a day, maybe mango and grapes too, then I realised the carb and sugar content in them, eek! I'm not silly with this, life is life, so there's been a few times in the past 3mths when I've been out and had something sweet (like a dessert) but it's rocketed my BG reading and I didn't like that, so I went straight back on plan and did a workout too. Also, the workouts - I work long hours and travel often and didn't do anything fancy, when I couldn't get to my gym I used YouTube for home fitness videos. What I did find is that if my BG was higher on some days, if I did a 10-20+ minute home workout after dinner/eating, it REALLY helped bring down the BG reading. I looked mad as after food sometimes I'd be walking on the spot in my living room, or doing squats, haha! But it does seem that consistent workouts helps this keep at bay. I've now got to a point where it feels like a manageable lifestyle, I don't feel deprived and I don't 'crave' or mourn foods, I look at them differently now. I want to stay out of diagnosis zone for as long as I can, I don't want it 'back' and will do whatever to not let that happen. I don't want this T2 to define my life or what happens to me.
 

That is a perfect description I reckon. x
 

I love this post. A perfect example of finding a way that works for YOU whilst still incorporating the benefits of lower carb, exercise and food that works for you and that you can live with. As just about everybody on this site says, it's all about sustainability and test, test, test.
 
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@jjraak I can totally relate, the changes kind of crept up on me too, I notice them most when out shopping or out having dinner, because I say no, or decline/don't choose to carb heavy or high sugar foods. The thing that's got me is that I honestly went to pieces a bit at diagnosis, but as the weeks went on I thought to myself I need to work out something that will work for *me*, that's realistic. The weigh has dropped off too, I've lost 3st 11lb since Oct and that's not going too mad on workouts, but the food and fitness are working together now. And they're consistent. I've got another 2 or 3stone to go before I think will be a sustainable weight and put me hopefully out of pre diabetic zone - that's my big goal now. I think the initial diagnosis can shock and then it's overwhelming, but, it's definitely not as bad as initially thought. Just need to do one day at a time
 
@Listlad ooh 36, nice!!! Well done!! That inspires me so much, I really want to get mine down some more in the next 3mths. Excellent work!
 
@JimLahey I can appreciate your thoughts Jim, for sure. I think for me, it works better that I think of this as something that can be managed, definitely not "oh woe is me", and I'd like to reject that I have diabetes but alas it is what it is, a medical condition that can get pretty rough and nasty if I don't control it. I hate that it's always going to be on my med records. I got caught up on the wording at diagnosis because my doc said that it can be "reversed", so I asked outright "you mean I won't have it anymore" - he of course said no, it's for life, but you can put it into remission of sorts. The wording can be confusing because the negative elements still hold high risk, it's just a case of reducing the risk by getting the readings down. It's the health risks that scare the heck out of me. I do agree with the notion that it's better to basically 'reject' the diabetes diagnosis and actually do something about it. It makes it more powerful that way, more ownership.
 
@KK123 thanks I was just determined that I wasn't going down the metformin route, so I revamped my whole life, got real with myself too, and the tested really helped and helps me do much. I even took it with my little BG monitor with me on holiday!
 
Lower carbs higher fat. With just a smidging of smaller portions.
 


Well done! I truly believe this is both doable and sustainable. I have been a type 2 diabetic since 2004. I have been on the full range of meds of varying and increasing types and doses since. At age 51 early last year I had a diagnosis of diabetic maculopathy in one eye and an hba1c of 80 ish. This was the last straw...I spent a month carb counting to learn how to actually keep my levels down to a reasonable level. I seem to be very sensitive to beige carbs and initially needed very large doses ( one unit to 3/4 grams of carbs to make it work). Then I joined slimming world last July weighing 16 stone 8. I have adapted the diet to incorporate a low carb approach with the blessing of my diabetic nurse. At the start I tried to keep it to 30 ish grams a day and veggie carbs mostly. This was challenging as I was not a fan of salad or veg and my faves were crisps and cheese. My weight decreased, my numbers improved, my doses of insulin went down and I started exercising. I now enjoy the green stuff, and I feel amazing. Thirty six weeks later I weigh over five stone less, I now wear a size 16 rather than a 26/28, I have had to stop my insulin as I went down to hba1c of 32 and the doc would like it up please. I am waiting to go for another test to see if I can stay on just my metformin (which I have to take anyway for PCOS). Generally they think I have reversed it. I am now on week four of the couch to 5k running app...the last time I ran was round a hockey field at age 16!
 
fantastic tale, @flumpy66
and can so relate to the 'running'....

i found my way to C25K, but now the gym tread mill gets my running time...(but come the warmer days..who knows )

A brilliant effort, and god willing the nerve damage stays away.for a long, long time..

good luck.
 

Congratulations to the OP on their progress I disagree with the man Jim on this post though (Sorry Jim!) I'm T2 diabetic and that's not going to change. Before I was a T2 diabetic i could eat to my preference and my BG would be fine and in non-diabetic range. I can't do that anymore, this is a fundamental change and is a condition recognised as T2 diabetes. I can mange the symptoms but can't stop being T2. If I follow the same 'traditional' diet as a non-diabetic friend or family member I will encounter health issues that they won't.
 

Well certainly we are all encouraged to hold our own views. Personally I feel that if a doctor cannot make a clinical diagnosis of diabetes then I don’t have diabetes. Carbohydrate intolerance is not diabetes. Diabetes (T2) is caused by hyperinsulinemia and is diagnosed by hyperglycaemia. If I have neither then I fail to see how I have diabetes. It’s raining outside but I’m not wet because I’m indoors. If I follow the same “traditional” diet as my friends, then yes my diabetes will probably come back, but it’ll only be the same diet I ate my whole life. Does that mean I’ve always had diabetes? Before I was diabetic I was slowly becoming diabetic by eating a “traditional” diet. Was I born with it? Perhaps a matter of perspective, but if I’d always eaten what I do now then it would never have happened...would I always have been diabetic even if I hadn’t got it?

Each to their own, and whatever gets us through the day
 
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It's an interesting point you make. If I walked into a new GP practice and had my HbA1c checked it would be about 36 so non diabetic. I know if I start eating carbs it would change but as you say, it is undetectable at the moment. I consider myself in remission.
 

Exactly my view, yes. And since there’s no need for you to start eating carbs if you choose not to, then the whole thing is largely moot
 
Interesting perspective, so if asked on a say a medical or insurance form whether you have any medical conditions would you list Diabetes?
 
Congratulations on your success. I can confirm everything you say because over the past 18 months I have brought my BG numbers into manageable remission too. I have gone from steady double figures to well below the target range for type 2 diabetes. My last HbA1c was 42 which resulted in my doctor taking me off the Gliclazide for fear of me going into hypo - which I had been very close to a couple of times. My weight has dropped from 13 stone 11 pounds to 10 stone 12 pounds in 18 months of serious management regarding food intake and what I eat. Also like you, I don't listen to all the hype about curing type 2 with this, that, or the other, but this dreadful disease can certainly be put in its place by good, careful, management. That's the key. It's no good stuffing cakes and lots of carbs, expecting that BGs to be okay and to take care of themselves. They won't be. It's going to always be a two way condition, - self management and medication. However, it can also be self management and diet. I am now working towards that end after the last 14 odd years popping pills. Keep up the good work. I wish I had done it after diagnoses instead of relying totally on pills. A thumbs up from me.
 
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MikeyJ said:
Interesting perspective, so if asked on a say a medical or insurance form whether you have any medical conditions would you list Diabetes?
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Interesting question. I’ve never been given any all clear by my doctor, but honestly they’re not interested anyway, as they know I’m doing well. I have rock solid blood glucose, no dawn phenomenon, very low fasting insulin levels and a 0.3 HOMA-IR insulin resistance index, so most definitely not diagnosable as diabetic. I’m pretty certain that I’ll be having a review this summer, so I will discuss being taken off the register. Trouble is I will then have to pay for my own eye tests

EDIT: come to think of it, my next HbA1c test, which will be markedly lower than the one in my signature, will be my second consecutive result in the non-diabetic range, so I would think an official revoking of my diabetic status will be forthcoming. Either way it’s gone and it’s most assuredly never coming back, because I won’t let it
 
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I believe this is "situational". It is like trying to get clean when the water coming out of the shower is sewage. The default situation in a modern context is to eat to the centre isles of the supermarket, or if you are in the UK and at a petrol station, the so called foods near the checkout are 100% sugar options - this is the new normal that appeals to our sweet sensors. Imagine if we got transported back 200 years and were traveling by horse and cart from London to Watford, what foods would be available by default at the Inns along the route? The modern "stuff" is the problem, it has been a backward step in my opinion.

When I was in the Maldives this "situation" was perfect for me, everything fresh and naturally low carb, grilled fish straight from the sea and fresh local vegetables. Type 2 diabetes in the main is a carbohydrate / sugar overload.

Your non-diabetic friends have not had their blood glucose necessarily tested pre-and post-meals, or had their insulin response to the "foods" tested. What I have noticed is that when there are random checks of non-diabetics for a trial, often diabetes is found in the cohort, like in the test of corn flakes:

"...Furthermore, 23% of this group saw blood sugar levels exceeding 200 mg/dl (diabetic levels) after cornflakes and milk."

This link emcompasses several studies I have researched:
https://lilynicholsrdn.com/cgm-experiment-non-diabetic-continuous-glucose-monitor/
 
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