Which has better chance for long term good health?

The earlier one is diagnosed and the earlier one makes changes then the better the outcomes.

I have come to the conclusion that the earlier you catch it and deal with it, the better.

Hi,
The earlier the better it's so important to have good control.

I would just add that with all things Diabetes we cannot compare ourselves to each other. There are just too many variables involved. It is also a waste of energy to worry about what has been in the past, concentrate on the now and on the future.
It all starts here.

Caprock94 said:

Agreed. I guess my question is whether getting down to a non-diabetic level early and changing your lifestyle means you are better off than those lucky enough to eat what they want but stay in the pre-diabetic range. In other words, just because we have been told we have diabetes, are we as healthy as a non-diabetic when our blood sugars are under tight control?

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Sorry but I do not think of myself as unlucky because I can't "eat what I (they) like". Eating whatever I chose had a hand in my developement of Type 2 Diabetes so making the changes to my diet has actually just changed what I like to eat. I do not feel in any way restricted in my choices because my choice now is to eat good, wholesome, nutritious food.

Caprock94 said:

I don't disagree. That's just not what I am asking. I don't want to go back to eating like I used to!

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That's great. So concentrate on the future instead of trying to work out where you were at before your diagnosis We cannot change the risk we unknowingly put ourselves at in the past but we can make a huge difference to our risk in the future.

I’m of the opinion that a well informed and well controlled type 2 is likely to be healthier than a “non-diabetic” wandering through life with little knowledge of the impact that their food choices have on their wellbeing and longevity.

Caprock94 said:

are we as healthy as a non-diabetic when our blood sugars are under tight control?

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I'd say healthier as we have taken control and monitor unlike someone who has never been diagnosed and has no idea of what food is doing to their blood sugars. Agree with @Jim Lahey above.

bulkbiker said:

I'd say healthier as we have taken control and monitor unlike someone who has never been diagnosed and has no idea of what food is doing to their blood sugars. Agree with @Jim Lahey above.

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I was actually referring to proper nutrition across the board rather than just glucose control per se, but both aspects are valid. Folk would do well to remember that T2DM is just one symptom of metabolic syndrome. I think we all know at least someone with hypertension and/or heart disease etc. and just because a person doesn’t have “diabetes” doesn’t mean they are healthy or will live any longer than someone who does.

Guzzler said:

Sorry but I do not think of myself as unlucky because I can't "eat what I (they) like". Eating whatever I chose had a hand in my developement of Type 2 Diabetes so making the changes to my diet has actually just changed what I like to eat. I do not feel in any way restricted in my choices because my choice now is to eat good, wholesome, nutritious food.

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Oh, hear, hear!

Caprock94 said:

I don't disagree. That's just not what I am asking. I don't want to go back to eating like I used to!

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As I understand it being able to eat what you want does not preclude you from having a problem with type 2. Anyone who is pre diabetic or diabetic is essentially diabetic in that their blood sugars are abnormal and the process of damage starts 12-15 years before your insulin resistance and pancreatic response or lack of it results in a diagnosis of type 2. Having high insulin levels is problematic for the metabolism (the stage before diagnosis) but if you add in high blood sugars you will add potential damage to the eyes, kidney and lower limbs too. Both situations need resolving and diabetes drugs only lower blood sugars but not the root cause of both problems.

Caprock94 said:

I'm still new to being diabetic. Trying to understand the long term impact. If you control your diabetes going forward, do you have a chance to be as healthy as a non-diabetic?

Let's say one person is overweight and has prediabetes for several years. The second person has prediabetes, crosses over briefly to Type 2 diabetic levels, but then gets levels down to non-diabetic range and keeps them there. Which one will have the better long term health outlook?

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The simplistic answer based on statistical research is that with a diabetes diagnosis the risk of developing some seriously unwelcome complications increases compared to a non diabetic, irrespective of the level of glycolic control of the diabetic. The risk, though still increased, reduces with improvement in glucose level control.

These are only statistics and percentages, probabilities that an average diabetic will go on to develop condition x etc. And statistics are often skewed by the many diabetics who are not well controlled etc.

Try to concentrate on what is within your control, managing your levels, as there is clear evidence that doing so reduces the risk of complications.

I just thought I'd inject a little hope at this point. Here is the analogy king himself Dr. Jason Fung. In this 42 minute lecture he covers known causes, treatment dogma and hope for all of us if only we focus on the culprit instead of chasing symptoms.

I look around at my "non-diabetic" friends and acquaintances and I think how lucky I am that I got the Type 2 diagnosis because it has given me the chance to learn about insulin resistance and turn it around. I am currently doing keto and for once in my life I feel I have at least some control of my health. Instead of fearing Alzheimer's, heart disease, stroke, . . . . I can at least say that I am doing my best to reduce my chances of developing these conditions. Most of my peer group are gaining substantial weight around the middle and they do not understand that they might not be following a healthy lifestyle. So, in terms of answering your question, I would say that I have been given the chance to be more healthy than the 3/4 of my non-diabetic friends who probably have undiagnosed fatty liver and raised insulin levels.

Caprock94 said:

Agreed. I guess my question is whether getting down to a non-diabetic level early and changing your lifestyle means you are better off than those lucky enough to eat what they want but stay in the pre-diabetic range. In other words, just because we have been told we have diabetes, are we as healthy as a non-diabetic when our blood sugars are under tight control?

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I enjoy my low carb diet because it's closer to what I used to, and chose to, eat than the high carb stuff that I ended up eating when husband took over shopping and cooking. I count myself lucky that I can eat what I enjoy again and stay back down at pre-diabetic levels.

Apart from ending up diabetic most of my health issues over the years have been unrelated to this, so my diabetes has had little detrimental impact on my overall health. However an LCHF/ketogenic diet has resolved some long term health issues, e.g. migraine and hayfever, that my previous moderate carb full fat diet never did, so in a way I'm somewhat better off now than I was in those pre T2 days!

Robbity

I wish I had known about this forum many years ago because relying on the usual drug focused treatments just meant things got gradually worse from 'pre-diabetic' (what does that mean?), through full T2 (what is that?) to 68 units of insulin per day (I know what that meant!). Not until I heard about low carb here did I have significant and continuing improvement in my bg levels. Yesterday my doctor (the 4th in 6 years) congratulated me on my success and asked me which medication did I want to drop. So no more linagliptin. I wanted to keep the Metformin level as I hope it is keeping my Dawn Phenomenon lower that it could be but it is the next to go.
The downside is that after 12+ years of bad diet information and no support to have personal bg control I have what seems to be fairly bad DPN - from tingling around my knees to major burning in my feet. This is my next target and my doctor did not try and stop me going to see a naturopathic doctor to see if that can help (It works for the Queen) along with the suggestions I have received here that are also helping. My new doctor wanted a full set of blood test to get a baseline and all results were in the normal range
So I pass my doctor's congratulations to everyone on this forum who are helping to improve my condition, to prevent potential complications from a worsening condition and hopefully and to reverse the DPN. You are all part of the solution for me.
I will pass on anything of use that the naturopath suggests.