Hello! New to this forum, not not new to diabetes. My Story!

[phonic2k]

Here's my story!

I had a UTI( I've always been prone to UTI since a child so nothing special) but about 3 years I started to put weight on and in October 2015 I went to the doctor with a bad UTI, checked by water and showed a very small trace of glucose( due(I thought) to me eating a full Christmas cakes since October with icing, but as a good doctor he knew better and checking my weight he said let's check your blood sugar and came back 6.5 fasting and hba1c 6.9%, he said we need to do it again after Christmas in 3 months as the infection may have affected the hba1c. I think he way trying to be kind, as my blood should never go that high, and I was clearly worried thinking my life is at an end.

So, I had 3 months to sort my life out. It was not easy, searching all night to find answers how to fix it. I searched research papers on doctors of all kinds on reversing diabetes, even the Newcastle research. I first sorted by getting a glucose meter(Accu-chek mobile) to find out what was happening, and was shocked by fasting in the 6s, and after meal 11s and even some 12s after breakfast. I was about 140kg. a big guy you may say.

Anyway, after my research I noted one thing that was important and used in recommend ways to help insulin resistance and that was exercise, not just walking but HIIT( High Intensity Interval Training) like running on the spot slow and fast, squats, and press-ups. I started with just one, and walking outside after and before meals, as It was very stressful and I can't not do more due to pain in my legs, but I did not give up, and pushed through the pain no matter... I had a goal to achieve. On the food side, I cut all processed foods, and white flour products as they don't contain any nutritional value anyway. In order to stop myself from being lazy, I got myself an Apple Watch to ensure I hit no less than 30 minutes of exercise per day.

The result, blood glucose came down, and weight quickly came off, to a point I lost over 40kg. My next hba1c came back as 5.6% normal. The doctor was very shocked and expected me to be 6.3% as best and diagnose me as pre-diabetic, but had nothing to say but "well done, keep up the good work."

These days I can stay in bed, and have breakfast and 2 hours after, it's 4.8 or low 5s.
I just come back from holiday 5 weeks all inclusive yes, eating all the things I should not like pizza and cakes, so testing when I got back was a worry, but was 4.8mmol/l and next morning 4.6mmol/l. I'm now a healthy 86kgs, and fitter than I've ever been in my life. My latest hba1c is now even lower at 5.2% with eating a normal unrestricted diet.

Type 2 diabetes is in most cases a life style disease, and requires a complete life style change.

I just want to give others hope in that all things are possible, but takes lots of dedication, and sacrifice( and pain in my case) to achieve, but it can be done.

 

[Ljc]

Hi Phonic2k. Welcome.

 

[Northerner]

Hi phonic2k, welcome to the forum 🙂 Great that you have managed to turn things around - well done! Excess weight can certainly cause greater insulin resistance so losing it will help, plus exercise also makes your body's cells more sensitive to the insulin it is producing, another 'win' 🙂

However, diabetes is a complex condition and there are many other potential factors at play, so care is needed in calling it a 'lifestyle' disease. The implication is that those people who are unable to improve their levels by diet and exercise changes are somehow 'failing' or not doing enough, and that they 'brought it on themselves'. In many cases that may be true, but around a fifth of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are not overweight, and may in fact already lead healthy lifestyles - genetics also play a part, sometimes a very strong part e.g. close family history. Also, some people develop diabetes due to other health issues, like having to use high doses of steroids, or physical disability meaning exercise is not possible. Certainly, people who do not have other factors affecting their ability to make changes should do their best and will always benefit from being fitter and eating healthier, even if they may still need assistance from medication to keep their levels under good control 🙂

 

[phonic2k]

Hi phonic2k, welcome to the forum 🙂 Great that you have managed to turn things around - well done! Excess weight can certainly cause greater insulin resistance so losing it will help, plus exercise also makes your body's cells more sensitive to the insulin it is producing, another 'win' 🙂

However, diabetes is a complex condition and there are many other potential factors at play, so care is needed in calling it a 'lifestyle' disease. The implication is that those people who are unable to improve their levels by diet and exercise changes are somehow 'failing' or not doing enough, and that they 'brought it on themselves'. In many cases that may be true, but around a fifth of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are not overweight, and may in fact already lead healthy lifestyles - genetics also play a part, sometimes a very strong part e.g. close family history. Also, some people develop diabetes due to other health issues, like having to use high doses of steroids, or physical disability meaning exercise is not possible. Certainly, people who do not have other factors affecting their ability to make changes should do their best and will always benefit from being fitter and eating healthier, even if they may still need assistance from medication to keep their levels under good control 🙂

Very correct for pointing that out. We are all different, and get diabetes for different reasons.

I did don't mean to offend anyone, it's not what I would call type 2 or pre-diabetes, as we are not in the same boat. My reason was 100% because of my bad lifestyle for sure. My doctor called it a lifestyle issue, meaning he hopes you can turn it around with a lifestyle change. Not the same if you are type 1, or have type 2 because of some other condition, or even genetics. I guess he wanted to give me a kick in the ass, and for me it worked. A big wake up call!

My mother has been type 2 for over 20 years and never could get her hba1c below 6.9%, and her sister died from diabetic complications, very sad story. So it was a worry, and did not want to follow the family tradition, and the reason I went mad with exercise... maybe too much, as my doctor was thinking I had caner because of the extreme weight loss in such a short time, but thankfully it paid off in the end.

 

[MikeTurin]

have type 2 because of some other condition, or even genetics.

Type 2 IS genetics. Because some people if they are eating a lot of carbohydrates don't get the condition, and are simply fat. If you look the statistics you can see that the sharp rise on obesity has made a less sharp rise on diabetes.

Now it's true that you can control both obesity and diabetes with lifestyle changes but unfortunately the information one receives is normally misleading.
You could find good advices on this sites, but I think it's really useful to read some books bearing in mind that even on these books the informations given could be misleading. Older books were saying that margarine was better than butter, when hydrogenated fats and trans fat seems now to be the most unhealthy, or that skimmed milk is better than whole milk for instance.

 

[phonic2k]

Type 2 IS genetics. Because some people if they are eating a lot of carbohydrates don't get the condition, and are simply fat. If you look the statistics you can see that the sharp rise on obesity has made a less sharp rise on diabetes.

Now it's true that you can control both obesity and diabetes with lifestyle changes but unfortunately the information one receives is normally misleading.
You could find good advices on this sites, but I think it's really useful to read some books bearing in mind that even on these books the informations given could be misleading. Older books were saying that margarine was better than butter, when hydrogenated fats and trans fat seems now to be the most unhealthy, or that skimmed milk is better than whole milk for instance.

From my health seminars I've attended they say only 10% is form genetics, and maybe the reason I could fully reverse my condition via exercise and rapid weight loss. I was very skeptical that I was just controlling via diet and not changed anything, so I tested myself by over Christmas eating a full Christmas dinner and trifle, and only getting 5.7 after 2 hours, after breakfast 4.8, I tested again eating higher carb meals over 5 weeks all-inclusive holiday, and got 4.8 when I got back home, and the next morning fasting was 4.6.

It's been 2 years, and nothing has progressed, but got even better. I now eat normally, but continue to exercise, check my weight(and fat/muscle percentage) and blood from time to time to ensure I can spot if anything starts to go wrong, but it does show it can be done.

I think there are many reasons, and even research like the newcastle university is pointing to blocked pancreas as a reason for some, and after the fat was removed via rapid weight loss, functionality was returned. I can't say for sure that is what helped me, but I did drop over 40kg very quick, and I have got detailed logs of what I did, so I will have to maybe put all this data together and do write it up at some point.

 

[MikeTurin]

@phonic2k: sorry to have to insist but diabetes is always genetic, you could put it in remission and slow down the process. What you have done, I think, that having an healthy lifestyle and losing weight normally means to get rid of excess fat that in turn will increase insulin sensitivity: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-in...at-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance

 

[phonic2k]

@phonic2k: sorry to have to insist but diabetes is always genetic, you could put it in remission and slow down the process. What you have done, I think, that having an healthy lifestyle and losing weight normally means to get rid of excess fat that in turn will increase insulin sensitivity: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-in...at-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance

You may be right, but from my research it does seem people can reverse pre-diabetes and type 2 not just control it:
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal/#overview

"...Our work has shown that type 2 diabetes is not inevitably progressive and life-long. We have demonstrated that in many people who have had type 2 diabetes for up to 10 years, major weight loss returns insulin secretion to normal..."


After breakfast I now get 4s not 11s or 12s. I've seen many success stories. The problem (as noted in the research too) is weight gain, and the reason I still monitor my fat, and exercise to prevent any fat gain. I'm two years on and things have not changed, so nothing has progressed for me. Fasting is always in the 4s not 6s or 7s like before.

Even a 5 week holiday all-inclussive eating cake, and pizza, made no difference, I still had 4s when I returned home, and next morning. Not that I normally eat that stuff, and would not recommend it, but I wanted to test myself.

You seen to be more sceptical than me, but I think it's wise to be, and the reason I will continue to monitor myself for life.

 

[Martin Canty]

but I think it's wise to be, and the reason I will continue to monitor myself for life.

Sage advice, us well controlled D's may have a bit of latitude sometimes but we do need to monitor for the rest of our lives or we will be back in the same position as we were before.

BTW, congratulations on the fantastic turn around, part of what I try to tell people is a "can do" positive mental attitude is equally important as Diet & Exercise..

 

[Ditto]

Hello Phonic2k, welcome to the forum. 🙂 Well done on getting a handle on this dastardly condition.