New to the t2 club, finally accepting it

[Moortt]

4 months ago I got a call from the doctor to inform me I had type 2 diabetes.

My Hb1ac level was 51
Although cholesterol was fine my triglyceride levels were up at 8.74

I was prescribed 500mg of Metformin and 20mg Atorvastatin to be taken daily.

Emotionally I'm not in a good place; I think a large part of me is in denial but realisation is slowly seeping in (evidenced by me signing up and posting on this forum along with another) and I have this overwhelming sense of sadness (and probably some level of depression) - I really don't know what the future will hold for me or how to cope with this condition long term. I've felt like life has fallen away from me.

I've lost 30 kg in these 4 months but am still 10-12 kg over where I need to be so a way to go yet and then I've got to keep it off. I had my 3 months blood taken last week and have had the results come through, some positives there:

My Hb1ac level is down to 41 and the triglycerides to 0.94, both in what is considered normal ranges.

I spoke with the doctor today who congratulated me on longer being Diabetic which seemed strange. I didn't think it worked like that, it's not reversible / curable right but can be put into remission. At least that's how I understand it.

Anyway after a discussion with the doctor we've agreed to trial the next three months medication free. I'm really hoping I can keep my levels under control. I'll be making some additional posts in this forum to ask for some advice on this but I just wanted to introduce myself first 🙂

 

[janw]

Hi and welcome - and congrats on your diabetes reversal. There are others here who reversed theirs some years ago, so I'm sure they will pop in and say hi to you and offer you encouragement and any advice you will find useful.
You have much to be proud of, but yes, it can be daunting and depressing, a complete change of lifestyle, the loss of our comfort foods, always having to think before we pop something into our mouths, it can feel tiring and unfair when we see others, even those "heavier" than ourselves, carrying on without a care in the world. We ae the lucky ones though, we have the chance to make things better for ourselves, to become healthier, treat our bodies with the respect they deserve. Changing our mindset is not easy, but we can do it - together - here - we can do it. I would be lost without this site and knowing people understand. We are all different, but we fight the same battle in our own way and are there to support and encourage - or be a shoulder to cry on. Don't be too hard on yourself, you are human and you are in good company here.

 

[Drummer]

@Moortt you might find that your mood improves without the medication. I am usually a happy little soul even under trying circumstances, but 5 weeks of Metformin and Atorvastatin and I was suicidal - I did have rather drastic reactions to the tablets though.
Now I am coming up to 5 years from diagnosis. I am still happily eating low carb and have not put on weight - in fact my waistline continues to shrink so I need to make myself new clothes for the winter, again.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Moortt

Thanks for sharing your story with us - sounds like you have done amazingly well to reduce your trigs, and to reduce your HbA1c to below the threshold for a diabetes diagnosis.

In terms of diabetes and remission, Diabetes UK put this together fairly recently

Type 2 diabetes remission

Type 2 diabetes remission is when your blood sugar levels return to a safe, non-diabetes level long-term, without the need for glucose-lowering medication. It stops diabetes in its tracks and boosts your chances of a healthy future. When you are in remission, you reduce the risk of diabetes...

www.diabetes.org.uk

Hope you find the forum to be an encouraging and helpful source of hints, tips and shared experiences.