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T2D recent diagnosis and effectiveness of meds?

M

MBuzzer

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I am not a big fan of taking medications especially for the long term. Recently diagnosed with T2D (6 weeks) based on routine blood test with an A1C of 11% (A1C of 98 mmol/mol). Insulin was suggested but I opted for an alternative - combination Sitagliptin/Metformin. I reduced carbs to 50g/day and continue to lead a sedentary lifestyle at the moment. Experiencing bouts of denial and not overly motivated. How effective is medication and low carb diet in reducing A1C levels? What could I expect in 6 weeks? 3 months?
 
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MBuzzer said:
I am not a big fan of taking medications especially for the long term. Recently diagnosed with T2D (6 weeks) based on routine blood test with an A1C of 11. Insulin was suggested but I opted for an alternative - combination Sitagliptin/Metformin. I reduced carbs to 50g/day and continue to lead a sedentary lifestyle at the moment. Experiencing bouts of denial and not overly motivated. How effective is medication and low carb diet in reducing A1C levels? What could I expect in 6 weeks? 3 months?
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I just had to give up of tablets, they affected me very badly.
When I stopped taking them - to save my life, I found that 50gm a day max is really effective in getting back to normal numbers.
I now do less than 40gm a day and have done a few tests recently. It seems that my BG stays under 7mmol/l all the time now. It is coming up to 6 years from diagnosis, and I am still noticing weightloss from time to time. Each time I change my clothes rail when the season changes I find I need to alter things to be smaller either replacing or making/remaking.
 
Ending up eating far too many carbs was in part the trigger for my T2, but within a few months of diagnosis, by cutting right back down on my carbs consumption I was seeing pre-diabetic levels, and also lost a fair bit of surplus weight. I've kept my HbA1c figures to mainly low end pre-diabetic for nearly ten years, with mainly just normal activity in the way of exercise, but very little of that now due to arthritis.

For me diabetic medication (metformin) made little or no difference. I had no adverse issues with it but when my GP finally decided it was OK for me to stop taking it after several years , I saw no significant change in HbA1c results either.

I grew up eating a nomal/full fat , moderate carb type of diet. and I believe that reverting to a stricter version (less than 50g carbs a day) has been the best way to control my diabetes.
 
MBuzzer said:
I am not a big fan of taking medications especially for the long term. Recently diagnosed with T2D (6 weeks) based on routine blood test with an A1C of 11% (A1C of 98 mmol/mol). Insulin was suggested but I opted for an alternative - combination Sitagliptin/Metformin. I reduced carbs to 50g/day and continue to lead a sedentary lifestyle at the moment. Experiencing bouts of denial and not overly motivated. How effective is medication and low carb diet in reducing A1C levels? What could I expect in 6 weeks? 3 months?
Click to expand...
I think you'll find the change in diet'll work veritable and measurable miracles. Get yourself a meter, see the difference it makes: seeing the change happen can be a massive motivator. I think at 50 grams a day, your blood sugar levels'll be probably halved if not even better, three months in. If you stick with it, prediabetic or non-diabetic numbers are in your immediate future.

Yes, that's quite the statement. And yes, I believe it, because I did it myself, too. ;)
 
Good morning and welcome.
By adopting a low carb lifestyle and a bit of exercise (although not essential I’ve heard, but helps reduce the numbers quicker), it‘s possible to put your T2D into remission.
For some reason and I haven’t been able to fathom this out even though my carb consumption is below 20g a day, my BG is around the 10mmol/l mark when I only take metforming. I was on Sitagliptin for a few weeks but it didn‘t work well for me. I’m now on Forxiga and my BG was 4.7 this morning and it’s only once been that low before. So although I’d love to be medication free it looks like I need them.
Do lots of research, there are lots of resources on this website and wonderful supportive members.
 
I was diagnosed in late March with an hb1ac of 106. My next hb1ac was about 2.5 months later and was down to 53 through a combination of things:
- going low carb (which I expect was the biggest factor) - typically sticking to under 100g of carbs per day, and sometimes a lot less
- losing some weight (my BMI has gone from 28.4 at time of the test to 22.8 now
- Metformin - 1 x 500mg for the first couple of weeks and 2x500mg since

Most likely the low-carb has had the biggest impact.
 
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