Daddy's, I have never taken meds, and the desire not to was one of my big motivators, to be honest.
Post-diagnosis, I started testing perhaps a week or so after diagnosis, once I concluded the Diastix I had been given to test my urine were the chocolate teapot of the diabetes control world. So, I guess, I may have had spikes I never saw, as I started watching my diet pretty immediately. To be fair, I didn't get the whole carb versus sugar bit at that time. I was concentrating on sugars.
In total, I had 11 readings, over a span of 15 days, recording scores of greater than 7.8. Without going into ad nauseaum detail, I was only testing three times a day. I was overseas and had pre-defines supply of strips I was unable to supplement there, so I am confident there will have been a (probably significant) number of similar scores I didn't ever see. Sorry if that's not as helpful as you might have been asking for, but it's as good as my reality was. (I'm an anally pedantic record keeper.)
There are no formal protocols for dealing with T2s who achieve a number of sets of non-diabetic level blood panels, so it's pretty much up to each practise how they deal with those individuals. I now eat a very varied, and mixed diet, but I haven't had any (and I mean any) chocolate or sugary sweets (desserts or confectionery) since diagnosis. I was never a great sugar hound, and my taste buds are certainly more sensitive to sweetness, so I'm actually supremely un-fussed by that. I also haven't devoured a pack of Kettle Chips (Salsa and Mesquite by preference) either, but I have had the odd one. Generally, I don't actually want to eat as much as I did before; generally.
I did lose weight, and I have ended up very slight; even skinny. My BMI is 19 (5ft 3in and scratching to reach 49kg), so I can't afford to go any lower, for sure. I have some clever sclare which calculate my fat/muscle ratios etc., so I have to ensure if I gain weight, it's muscle, not fat. But mainly these days the benefit of that detail is to reassure myself I am not losing muscle tissue. I have a teenie, tiny waist, but my limbs are very bony, unfortunately. I like being very slim, but I am borderline unattractive at this level of skinniness, to be honest.
For me, I am sure my issue was insulin resistance, related to fat storage around my organs; rather than a failing pancreas, although I will never be really sure of that. So, for me, I am very motivated to remain slim and keep a close eye on my numbers.
Totally reversed? That's a whole, huge debate I won't enter. My reason for wanting my place on the diabetic register to be considered was I hate labels. I hate how labels classify people. And I hated the thought of rocking up to see my Doc at some point with a perfectly decent sore toe, to be told it was probably diabetic neuropathy, without enough (in my view) consideration of the more holistic picture.
I'm not stupid enough to think my problems are guaranteed to be over, forever. I will always be at a higher risk than Jo Public of teetering back towards the diabetes diagnostic line, but to use one of my hackneyed old sayings, "knowledge is power". It's up to me to ensure I don't thrust my head under the sand to that potential or to the real, and permanent need to look after myself.
Finally, I didn't answer your query about the Newcastle Diet. No, I didn't do it, but by virtue of carb cutting, and an associated calorie reduction, I guess I followed a sort of AndBreathe version on it - aiming to reduce my blood scores as my only primary goal, then as those began to moderate, and trimming up for me was easy, I decided I'd finish the job by trimming right up. Again, due to where I was at the time, I didn't weight myself for over 3 months after diagnosis, so by then I knew I had got trim, but I had no idea what that meant in numbers. To be hoest, that was probably helpful to me, because I so often see people chasing weight loss almost as a primary objective, rather than focusing on blood scores, and accepting that a decent diet and carb restriction regime is likely to result in weight loss anyway. Clearly some people find that bit harder than others.
I consider myself extremely luck in this. I haven't had the struggles so many appear to have experienced. I'm not saying it's been a breeze. It hasn't, but without doubt, my OH's unstinting support and acceptance of my sometimes food-nuttery has been so valuable.
I'll keep counting my blessings, with an eye to my meter, and hope I can stay this side of the line. If I can't, I guess I'll end up back on the register, but it won't have been without a good old fight!
