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What Regime Did You Use To Achieve Remission? (excl. Lchf And Nd)

Hi @zand, what a good idea this thread is. I have been in remission for 4 years . I did this by switching to 4 meals a day and no snacking. I do structured exercise sessions 3 times a week (gym & circuits).I've never been overweight so LCHF was a no-no for me. If I eat less than 150g of carbs a day I lose weight very quickly so this is the amount I aim for each day, though some days it as little as 100g. I did a lot of BG testing in the early days to find which meals were good for me and cut out those that weren't.
I eat porridge, oily fish and extra virgin olive oil on salad daily (not for health reasons, because I like them). I avoid the usual suspects such as potatoes, bread and pasta, I have found I can still eat chocolate (proper chocolate, not that cardboardy high cocoa stuff) without spiking as long as I keep it in moderation i.e. less that 30g of carbs. My biggest sacrifice has been giving up tiger bread!
 
Great results, but would help us all if you'd give us a bit more detail about the strategies you used to get to this point.

Well done!
 
Great thread.
Some years ago I followed the Dukan plan - and lost a lot of weight in 3 months. My bloods were "normal" and my cholesterol too. My DN was confused and wanted to repeat the tests as 3 months earlier they had been bad and she couldn't understand the sudden drop. The Dukan was ok, but like a few of these things it took thought and (to me) was tedious - but it worked so carry on 'eh? Well no, I didn't, I went back to eating the stuff I enjoyed and gradually my BG's went back up - although not as high.

I then tried the 5:2, Blood Sugar Diet and LC - all of which worked to a degree but didn't hold my attention for long enough. I have just joined Slimming World for 3 months to give myself some structure. As people probably know, some of the the "free" foods on SW are pasta, rice & potatoes - I couldn't possibly eat those in unlimited amounts, but I can adapt it and enjoy a little - portion control is my enemy...has been for 30 years. I've also spoken to other group members that are T2 and do eat quite a bit of the pasta & rice, and have seen great results in BG - one who said she was now med free. I do believe weight loss is key. After my 3 months I will re evaluate things and probably try and fly solo as by then hopefully I will have re educated myself and learned to eat less etc. and keep the carbs down. So primarily I'm focusing on weight loss, which in turn should pay off re the BG's

Watch this space, and I will let you know if it worked!

S
 
Indy51 said:
Great results, but would help us all if you'd give us a bit more detail about the strategies you used to get to this point.

Well done!
Click to expand...

Thanks.

As I said in my initial post, it's mainly down to cutting down on the amount I eat (usually just one meal a day with occasional extended fasts) and getting more exercise (walking six miles a day most days). I've also totally cut out bread and have significantly reduced the amount of potato that I eat.
 
Anyone have more retail on Tom Watson?
The papers say he gave up sugar and took more exercise but I suspect that the lifestyle change was far more radical than that.
 
LittleGreyCat said:
Anyone have more retail on Tom Watson?
The papers say he gave up sugar and took more exercise but I suspect that the lifestyle change was far more radical than that.
Click to expand...
I read he had butter in his coffee to keep the hunger pangs away, so there's a hint of HF there, don't know any other details though.
 
I am a nerd, I looked at my activities for the day and ate only what I needed, I cut out everything that was manufactured and white. lower carbs than most but not down the ultra low route. I drank water, lots of water. I set my limits for a high result lower than the nhs standards, 7 after dinner was too high. I did not punish myself if I got a 9, I learned. Lots of veg, 80% veg. thai green veg is great.

Exercise is key, cycling, walking, climbing, swimming even an evening in the workshop playing with tools is better than the sofa.

Really it is a case of knowing my foods and eating them to stay in the race for the long term.
 
zand said:
for the purposes of this thread if someone achieves remission whilst still using drugs that's fine.
Click to expand...
My HCP still believes I'm T2, and who knows, she might be right, so I'll chip in. My experience might even be useful for newbies, especially when misdiagnosed, although I hope most of them achieve remission with easier methods than mine.

After diagnosis I was started on Gliclazide and cut back a lot of carbs. And I tested like a maniac. Bg went lower, but still hardly ever below 8 or 10. Enough reason for me to push HCP for insulin pretty fast.
Achieved 'remission' on standard T1 basal/bolus insulin regime within 2 months. Now below pre-diabetic with a combination of insulin, low to moderate carb eating and eating to my meter (Freestyle Libre in my case, which makes things a lot easier).
 
I y this thread is a great idea ,I would like more thought on how someone like me a type 2 under weight can have other options than lchf which is working ,but there may be other ways that I don't know about
Carol
 
Thank you Interesting - moderate carb with exercise works for you then. I'm a little envious but I do like my high cocoa chocolate lol.
 
Yes I tried the Dukan too, it was great for weight loss for me ( I wasn't diabetic back then) , but I had a few problems with it so didn't stick to it for long. I have done the other things you tried as well and maybe for me the key is to keep changing what I am doing to confuse my body into submission lol.

I too am focusing on weight loss at the moment (keto, but I have banned myself from talking about that on this thread lol), hoping that ultimately that will help my BGs too, so I get where you're coming from in that respect.

Don't forget to let us know how you got on at SW. Do you have a lot of weight to lose?
 
Brilliant! Your system certainly works, but I don't agree that you're a nerd lol. You're just interested in your health and in tune with what your body needs. Thanks for sharing
 
Thank you, yes this is very relevant to anyone who appears to struggle with controlling T2 in any of the 'usual' ways. It must be very frustrating to do what succeeds for most other people but doesn't work for you. I have seen a few people on here struggle and then find out that they were LADA all along....
 
LittleGreyCat said:
Anyone have more retail on Tom Watson?
The papers say he gave up sugar and took more exercise but I suspect that the lifestyle change was far more radical than that.
Click to expand...
Tom Watson credits Dr Aseem Malhotra’s Pioppi Diet, which is a variation on LCHF Mediterranean diet.
 
I was given a sheet at diagnosis suggesting working on diet, weight loss and exercise. This is what worked for me.

Diet - I was given a meter (and 200 test strips at a time) and told to test. Very quickly I learnt that Weetabix did not work for me and even nurse agreed looking at my records. I wrote down everything I ate and quantities. I did need to cut out a lot of carbs but some I could manage. Even GP agreed as I showed him the evidence.

Weight loss - I was at the top end of normal weight so didn't need to lose lots. Nurse told me it wouldn't help as according to her my diet was too good! Being told I couldn't do the Newcastle Diet I went for 500 calories less that I was burning a day. Everything was weighed and recorded. I did lose too much weight (2 and a half stone) and did agree that I needed to put some back on. Probably now put on more than I should have.

Exercise - I started walking. At first trying to do about half an hour a day. Gradually I built the walking up and now often walk about 8 to 10 miles a day. This also meant I could eat more calories. Went from about 900 cals when trying to lose weight to about 2000 now though I don't count either calories or cabs now.

HbA1c 95 at diagnosis then 50 after 3 months. It had probably taken me 6 weeks to start to understand what I could eat. Then down to 33 (my lowest) after another 3 months. This was when I was told to put some weight on. My latest HbA1c is 37 higher but still in normal range.
 
Under the guidance of my wife I undertook a fairly extreme exercise regime. Started walking, then, static cycling at 90 rpm for 30 - 45 minutes, followed directly by a general compound weights session twice a day with 3 sets - as much walking as I could then do. My meals were home made soda bread, fish meats, sweet potatoes, carrots, I would say close to Paleo, but with diary. This got me 42 / 41.

I am not being picky (just observational), but I haven't seen above, a CICO diet in the sense of eating maybe 2 or 3 meals (with or without snacks), with the "usual" carbs at normal'ish calories (around 2200 - 2500 for men and around 1700 - 2000 for women) with or without exercise.
 
I have never had any meds.

I started off on my own "bluetit diet", without a meter as I dug my heels in and refused to get one. This was basically eat anything you like except the obvious sweet things, but calorie controlled at about 1,200 a day, plenty of protein, and low fat. No additional exercise (dog walks and housework, which I had always done). It worked for weight loss - after 3 months a stone and a half lost, but HbA1c barely improved.

Then I got a meter and began eating to it, although I was still low fat, plenty of protein, less carbs but still around 80g. No additional exercise. After 2 months (5 in all) I had lost another stone and my HbA1c was 46. So, in remission according to the criteria on this thread.

Then I dropped my carbs to around 50g and ditched all low fat products. My weight continued to reduce and my HbA1c results dropped again, but still in the 40s.

After a total of 10 months from diagnosis I had lost 4 and a half stones (33% of my starting weight) which brought me to a BMI of 21. I started a weight maintenance diet and at the same time reduced my carbs to about 30g. added cheese, more eggs, more butter, more mayo to my meals. That was nearly 4 years ago.

I then did some intermittent fasting for about a year or so, skipping breakfast apart from a coffee and cream, and eating only in a 6 hour window....... now back to a soft boiled egg instead of the coffee and cream. I now eat more carbs, and continue to eat plenty of protein. Still no additional exercise. I haven't counted a thing for about 3 years. I still eat to my meter, and test regularly every day, and use a Libre part time. My BMI is still 21 and I am still in "remission".
 
After diagnosis (FBG 14, HbA1c 72) I began walking 30 minutes twice a day and modified my diet. Basically, I cut out cake, sweets, biscuits etc and cut right down on bread, potatoes, rice, pasta etc. (I still ate them but small portions).
After a month when I had lost about a stone and my FBG was about 7 most days I began counting calories and carbs using cronometer.com (it is a free app) and gradually increasing walking to an hour twice a day (about 8 miles/day).
I stuck to 1600 to 1800 calories a day and 120 to 130g carbs a day for 6 months losing a stone a month and getting a HbA1c reading of 32.
At this stage I had reached 11 stones and didn't want to lose more so gradually increased to 1800 to 2000 calories and 170 to 180g carbs/day, measuring BG all the time. I have maintained this for the last year, cutting walking slightly but using a rowing machine in its place some days. Last 2 HbA1c were 31 (12 months) and 32 (18 months), and FBG averages 4.1.
I now eat exactly what I want though carefully measure if not sure what effect may be. I still keep to under 200g carbs on all but very exceptional days, eat no processed food at all (except an occasional sausage) and naturally eat quite low saturated fat (about 70g / day total fat, but 15g/day sat fat). I don't eat any specifically low fat foods, but prefer fish, game & poultry over red meat so sat fat tends to be quite low without trying.
I still test 4 or 5 times a week and am still careful with food, but take no meds at all and if a year plus with HbA1c of 32 (whilst eating normally) is not cured than I don't know what is.
Occasionally I have a large bowl of pasta, or paella, or even white bread straight from the oven (rarely) and BG is always 5 or less after 2 hours.

It has worked for me, a little exercise and a pretty ordinary ( if small portions of carbs) diet. I hope that it could work for other folks too.
 
Despite having found this excellent forum within a few days of being diagnosed I didn't get a meter to eat to. or go strict lchf. Though I am lower carb and higher fat than before. I avoid sugar as much as possible, and I eat less now.

On diagnosis I was so terrified of the possible complications and perhaps having to eventually inject (I have a serious injection phobia) that I immediately went onto a quite spartan fast. I only ate one small meal a day, after 7pm, which was something like a wholemeal bread tinned salmon or hard boiled egg with mayo sandwich, a bowl of soup, or a couple of hard boiled eggs or onion bhajis. I would have a mug of coffee with double cream and sweetener for breakfast, and sometimes a mug of tea with a couple of low carb peanut butter cookies or Rich Tea biscuits mid afternoon.
I only had one glass of wine in the first 3 months - though increased again over Xmas period and after.
I drank a lot of water, probably 4-5 litres a day to fill me up.
I walked a lot, probably 20-30,000 steps most days.

As you can see from my signature below I lost about 3 stone in 4 months, and my HbA1c went down from 48 to 44 at my 3 month retest, and then to 39 at my next 12 month test. I got a meter after the 12 month retest as I realised I wouldn't know how I was doing until my next 12 month retest.

I have relaxed a bit since then and my weight crept up again, and my HbA1c increased to 42 at the next test, but still less than the 47s I got in the two years before diagnosis. Now I eat most of the same things I ate before diagnosis, but in smaller quantities.
I will be having my next HbA1c around the end of this month. My weight is now about 155 lbs, and I expect to still be in remission, between 42-47. I will be delighted if I am below 42, and disappointed if I am over 47, but what will be will be.
 
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Yes, Dukan is a bit tedious after a while too. Changing it up is always good. I'm weighing in officially tomorrow evening, but a sneak peak shows a 3lb loss since Wednesday. I am struggling a little at times with the whole carbs thing on SW... after doing the LC thing I find I get scared at the sight of potatoes, rice or pasta on my plate lol. But, I'm eating small amounts of them and it's ok. I've set myself a 2 stone target by Christmas. I'll then re evaluate the whole SW thing and decide if it's for me. Personally I don't find the "Image Therapy" much of a therapy - it's just people being told how much they lost that week...or didn't. But for some that my be great. For me it's sitting there for 1.5hrs (big group) hearing the same things over & over. But, there's free coffee so I'll hang in for a while
 
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