T2D with no meds, hi all

LawrenceTelfer · Friday at 2:45 PM

Hi
I'm new here, found out on 1st Nov I had T2D... HbA1c of 80, BMI 32, 14st 6lb.

Had a bit of a journey, as of this morning I'm down to 12st 11lbs, BMI 28...had another HbA1c last week which came back 64.

All I've done is change my diet and walked more (around 12k steps per day) and a bit faster. Diet is about 1300-1500 cals, 45% protein, 30% fat, 25% carbs. Not a crash diet at all and I rarely feel hungry.

In fact I feel great and expect to be in remission in about 2-3 months if all goes well.

Drs initially put me on Glicazide, it caused a hypo every day because of my new diet...there just wasn't enough sugar going in to be able to take it safely. After a week I stopped, agreed with them that I'll carry as I am, despite them trying to get me on Metformin. Thankfully, it seems I've no other Diabetes related issues, caught early I hope.

Just wondered if anybody else is in this position, what your experience has been. I feel like I've read masses on this and been a bit obsessed!

Anyway, nice to meet you all
Lawrence

grantg · Friday at 3:28 PM

welcome to the forum
lots of useful info contained within the forum

for the question you asked might get some more responses posting it in: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/type-2-diabetes.25/ or the ask-a-question section

best wishes to the future

Mark Rawlinson · Friday at 3:33 PM

Well done on your successful results, how come you don't want Metformin I am just curious

LawrenceTelfer · Friday at 3:43 PM

Mark Rawlinson said:
Well done on your successful results, how come you don't want Metformin I am just curious

Thanks Mark

Given what Metformin does, it don't see what benefit it has beyond what I'm doing already. Coupled with fact there aren't any other complications, I don't really want to take meds if they're not necessary. Also, the other benefit of my diet is that cholesterol, which was quite high to start with, is now at the lower end of normal.

Hope that helps, I don't want to advocate not taking it. This regime works for me and has agreement from my GP, but it may not be suitable for everyone. I just found through my reading that at the end of the day the problem is too much sugar so the solution (baring other issues) must be to reduce the sugar intake and carefully use up what was festering inside me. So far it's working.

Mark Rawlinson · Friday at 3:52 PM

LawrenceTelfer said:
Thanks Mark

Given what Metformin does, it don't see what benefit it has beyond what I'm doing already. Coupled with fact there aren't any other complications, I don't really want to take meds if they're not necessary. Also, the other benefit of my diet is that cholesterol, which was quite high to start with, is now at the lower end of normal.

Hope that helps, I don't want to advocate not taking it. This regime works for me and has agreement from my GP, but it may not be suitable for everyone. I just found through my reading that at the end of the day the problem is too much sugar so the solution (baring other issues) must be to reduce the sugar intake and carefully use up what was festering inside me. So far it's working.

I started with MF from 1 a day up to 4 a day the well known side effect was so bad I asked to use insulin and come off the MF, my Hba1c was 129 to start with I (so you understand why the concern) Now Hba1c is 45 last test (and on one MF ) 2 Insulins ( I have stopped taking the MF) with such good results
well done again I used to be the same all diet exercise control (worked in a gym I became so obsessed with exercise) then getting older I gave up

LawrenceTelfer · Friday at 3:55 PM

Mark Rawlinson said:
I started with MF from 1 a day up to 4 a day the well known side effect was so bad I asked to use insulin and come off the MF, my Hba1c was 129 to start with I (so you understand why the concern) Now Hba1c is 45 last test (and on one MF ) 2 Insulins ( I have stopped taking the MF) with such good results
well done again I used to be the same all diet exercise control (worked in a gym I became so obsessed with exercise) then getting older I gave up

Well done to you too, down to 45 is fantastic...it's definitely a marathon rather than a sprint! Long may it continue

Resurgam · Friday at 10:08 PM

LawrenceTelfer said:
Thanks Mark

Given what Metformin does, it don't see what benefit it has beyond what I'm doing already. Coupled with fact there aren't any other complications, I don't really want to take meds if they're not necessary. Also, the other benefit of my diet is that cholesterol, which was quite high to start with, is now at the lower end of normal.

Hope that helps, I don't want to advocate not taking it. This regime works for me and has agreement from my GP, but it may not be suitable for everyone. I just found through my reading that at the end of the day the problem is too much sugar so the solution (baring other issues) must be to reduce the sugar intake and carefully use up what was festering inside me. So far it's working.

Unfortunately the problem is not sugar intake, it is carbohydrates, starches and sugars combined, as they all end up as sugar in the blood when digested.
Reducing sugar intake can help if the diet is high in them - but problems can arise if 'healthy' starchy foods are predominant and are pushing blood glucose levels high.

LawrenceTelfer · Saturday at 9:28 AM

Resurgam said:
Unfortunately the problem is not sugar intake, it is carbohydrates, starches and sugars combined, as they all end up as sugar in the blood when digested.
Reducing sugar intake can help if the diet is high in them - but problems can arise if 'healthy' starchy foods are predominant and are pushing blood glucose levels high.

You're absolutely right, I should have been more specific about sugar types, because starch (chains of glucose molecules) and carbs (mostly glucose and fructose) are sugar types I just lumped them in together.

Although, important to note that all food from plants is carbohydrate (the results of photosynthesis) and while most of it is sugar, it isn't all sugar. Moderation is the key generally and restriction to lose weight.

Cheers

Resurgam · Sunday at 2:15 PM

LawrenceTelfer said:
You're absolutely right, I should have been more specific about sugar types, because starch (chains of glucose molecules) and carbs (mostly glucose and fructose) are sugar types I just lumped them in together.

Although, important to note that all food from plants is carbohydrate (the results of photosynthesis) and while most of it is sugar, it isn't all sugar. Moderation is the key generally and restriction to lose weight.

Cheers

I restrict food choices to those of 10% carbs or under - it means, for instance, that strawberries are OK but rice is not - it seems to work wonderfully.

I have found that restricting calories doesn't work for weightloss as calories are not a fixed factor - I can eat more calories if the food is low carb - there seem to be negative calories, as Dr Atkins pointed out. I tried to lose eight counting the calories for decades, being screamed at and insulted when it didn't work, but as soon as I cut carbs the weight starts to drop off - even if I eat more. It shouldn't work according to accepted dogma, but I'm not the only one to have found that they have nothing to wear with any confidence due to a rapidly reducing waistline.

Outlier · 2025-12-22T09:02:16+0000

I found low carb worked where low calorie didn't as well. Thing is, I got ravenous on low calorie whereas low carb meant I could eat to hunger levels, which meant it was easy to stick to.

lovinglife · 2025-12-22T11:25:12+0000

I’m one of those that has to do both I’m afraid, keto & count calories or my weight piles back on. Fat from dairy like cream, cheese & butter also affects my weight even when calorie counted. I don’t know if it’s because of the amount of weight I’ve lost but I have to be vigilant in all areas. Find it very doable though 1300 calories a day seems to be my sweet spot

T2D with no meds, hi all

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