Bath Newbie

[BathCharles]

New to this website. Type 2 since 2004. Used locked down to reverse diabetes through diet. Now taken off all insulin from 60 units a day. I had to use 111 and 999 to manage hypos in past 12 weeks so glad I (now) have this forum. Avid cyclist and planning a cycle ride from Trowbridge to Paris in 2021. What i am calling T2PT2B. I have had amazing support from NHS, GP, diabetic nurse and consultant.

 

[rebrascora]

WOW! Many congratulations. That is fantastic!

I hope your story will help to inspire others, particularly those who have had the condition a long time and perhaps think there is no hope for them.
What type of diet did you follow? Just wondering if you followed the Newcastle 800 or if you went for a less radical approach?
Did you lose much weight?
Were you a keen cyclist before this big push to reverse your diabetes and if so, how much more did you have to do to see an effect?
Curious as to what motivated you to change things after quite a long time being Type 2?

Hope you don't mind me asking so many questions, but I am sure the answers will be helpful to many people.

 

[Toucan]

Hello @BathCharles and welcome to the forum.
As @rebrascora says, I am sure your success story will be a great inspiration to many of us. - and also shows that although lock-down had many down sides, there are folks like you that turned it into a positive.

There are some other keen cyclist amongst our members, with whom you may be able to share experiences.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @BathCharles

What an amazing story! It‘s really interesting to me the different ways that lockdown has affected people. For some the change of routine, and being ‘cooped up’ have been a real challenge, and they have completely gone off the rails... others have adapted and pottered along more or less as normal... while for others it has been an unique opportunity, with none if the usual distractions and busyness, to really focus on their diabetes management and make big changes to their strategies and aporoaches.

Congratulations! and long may your BGs behave 🙂

 

[BathCharles]

I was self isolating as diabetic so only one food delivery per week from neighbour. Agreed with GP before, started Dr Mosley blood sugar diet (BSD). HbA1C was 64. Insulin Novomix and Lantus 60 units, metformin 4 x 500 a day. Weight 100kg no exercise, ate in front of TV. Ave mmol/L 8.6. Exercised every day first 2 now average 15 miles a day, made food from scratch, ate at table. Lost 12 kg, off both insulin's, HbA1c now 46, mmol/L 5.6 (now told to low). Amazing support from GP & NHS diabetes teams, 111 & 999! throughout. Never felt cheated or missing out.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Welcome to the forum BathCharles from a fellow T2

 

[ianf0ster]

...... started Dr Mosley blood sugar diet (BSD). HbA1C was 64. Insulin Novomix and Lantus 60 units, metformin 4 x 500 a day. Weight 100kg no exercise, ate in front of TV. Ave mmol/L 8.6. Exercised every day first 2 now average 15 miles a day, made food from scratch, ate at table. Lost 12 kg, off both insulin's, HbA1c now 46, mmol/L 5.6 (now told to low). Amazing support from GP & NHS diabetes teams, 111 & 999! throughout. Never felt cheated or missing out.

Congratulations, in the forums we hear more about T2's falling off the wagon than of people like you who take it as an opportunity to get healthy.
Back when I was diagnosed in May last year I immediately searched for 'reversing diabetes' . I found Fasting (Dr Jason Fung), Newcastle diet - shakes (DIRECT study), Michael Moseley's Blood Sugar Diet (real food version of Newcastle) and Low Carb ( Dr David Unwin in the UK, Virta in the USA).
SInce I didn't consider myself more than a couple of lbs overweight I rejected the Fasting. Didn't fancy the shakes and so asked my GP for an opinion on the other 2.
He suggested the BSD, so I chose Low Carb, because that GP had contributed to me becoming T2D by always saying I should eat more (more than 7 per day) fruit & Veg and more whole grains.

At my first appointment after 3 months Low Carb, I discovered I was the first patient at my GP practice to achieve remission. So I asked why they didn't suggest the know methods to their patients. I was told that they would never comply so there was no point!
So unlike you I'm in remission despite the best efforts (initially) of my GP and DN to ensure that T2D was progressive for me. I think it's crazy that they don't tell people what is possible - thus making it unlikely that they will even try!