Reversing diabetes

Yes people have reversed diabetes by weight loss, by changing diet composition and other approaches. Even some bariatric surgery procedures have an instant effect on diabetes.

Yep! Lost a bit of weight with diet and exercise. I followed my doctors advice, low carb, high protein and fat and also was on medications to help control it. It took about 13 months but I went from having a A1C in the upper 7's to now in the low to mid 4's. I get checked once a year now but it's been 4 yrs being diabetic and medication free.

CroneStar wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone has been able to reverse their type 2 diabetes by losing weight?
I'm not officially diabetic yet but my hgA1C is elevated. I'm trying very hard to lose weight so this doesn't go any higher. I went to see my doctor today for another issue and he keeps going on and on about the labs values. Meanwhile I'm trying to tell him I've lost 5 pounds since I saw him in December and I'm trying everything I can to improve those numbers. Finally he says, well even if you lose weight you'll probably still be diabetic. That just totally deflated me and I felt like just pigging out when I left there. I mean, according to him I'm doomed. It really makes me want to just give up. Has anyone had their A1C elevated and been able to bring it down with diet and exercise?

I have T2 diabetes... It can be reversed but your still always at risk. My cousin lost 160lbs(he was 450) and he is off all his meds and is considered "self controlled" but he still has to maintain his eating and exercise to stay off his meds. I am trying to do the same thing.... It's hard!

CroneStar wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone has been able to reverse their type 2 diabetes by losing weight?
I'm not officially diabetic yet but my hgA1C is elevated. I'm trying very hard to lose weight so this doesn't go any higher. I went to see my doctor today for another issue and he keeps going on and on about the labs values. Meanwhile I'm trying to tell him I've lost 5 pounds since I saw him in December and I'm trying everything I can to improve those numbers. Finally he says, well even if you lose weight you'll probably still be diabetic. That just totally deflated me and I felt like just pigging out when I left there. I mean, according to him I'm doomed. It really makes me want to just give up. Has anyone had their A1C elevated and been able to bring it down with diet and exercise?

Did he say those exact words? Or did he say, as others did, that you would still be at risk, would still have to monitor, etc.?

If he said the former, than he's misinformed and/or he's one of those doctors who just like to prescribe meds to fix everything without considering other avenues. If he said the latter, he's right, but maybe needs to work on his delivery and be more encouraging.

Yes, you can reverse or be a self managed diabetic if you lose weight. I've lost 70lbs so far and am off all diabetic medication going from A1C of 10.3 to 4.8. I lowered my carbs (but not low carbs by any means). I will technically be diabetic forever as I'll have to watch my carbs and exercise and keep the weight off. And as I age the blood sugar may creep back up even if I'm well controlled with diet and exercise. But if my blood sugar was tested right now there would be no indication of diabetes... just historical information to say I was diabetic. So long answer short..... you most certainly can control diabetes (usually) with significant change to diet and exercise and weight control. My doctor is a little bit of a downer as well.... and I get that the majority of people don't maintain this way. Also, if your diabetes has progress for a long time and done damage to organs, etc... you may need medication and/or insulin to manage even if you lose weight and control diet... just depends on how the disease has progressed. It's well worth losing weight and gaining muscle because they both significantly help control the diabetes. Always consider getting a new Dr. if his bedside manner is destructive to your progress... it's your life.

CroneStar wrote: »

earlnabby wrote: »

CroneStar wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone has been able to reverse their type 2 diabetes by losing weight?
I'm not officially diabetic yet but my hgA1C is elevated. I'm trying very hard to lose weight so this doesn't go any higher. I went to see my doctor today for another issue and he keeps going on and on about the labs values. Meanwhile I'm trying to tell him I've lost 5 pounds since I saw him in December and I'm trying everything I can to improve those numbers. Finally he says, well even if you lose weight you'll probably still be diabetic. That just totally deflated me and I felt like just pigging out when I left there. I mean, according to him I'm doomed. It really makes me want to just give up. Has anyone had their A1C elevated and been able to bring it down with diet and exercise?

I reduced my A1C from 7.3 to 5.5 in 9 months. During that same time period, I lost somewhere around 60-70 lb. I also moderated my carbs (did not go low carb) to make sure I ate a maximum of 180 g per day. 2 years after diagnosis, my A1C is now at 5.0 and I am 125 lb lighter than I was (25 more to go).

Good job everyone that has been able to get your A1C down with lifestyle changes. He wants me to come back in only 2 months and I know even if the numbers look better, even if I'm still losing weight he will try to prescribe Metformin. My last reading was 5.9-the highest it's ever been. After that reading I got my butt in gear and have been working hard to make changes. I just feel like if i'm heading in the right direction I should try with diet and exercise before resorting to meds.

I think that is a good idea, considering your numbers. If they were actually in the diabetic range, you might want to consider the meds but 5.9 is either pre-diabetic or normal, depending on the scale the doctor uses (some say 6.0 and above is pre and some say 5.7 and above is pre). All meds have side effects. I took metformin at the beginning and my kidneys did not like it. My EGFR dropped 20 points in 3 weeks so I was switched to glipizide, which can affect the liver. I was willing to take it because I WAS diabetic but I was happy when I could stop it.

Is your doctor a GP (or internist or whatever general practice kind of doctor?) Can you get a second opinion from a Certified Diabetic Specialist? Many health care groups have one or more on staff. Often they are Nurse Practitioners who have an advanced practice in diabetes management. look for someone with APNP after their name (Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner)

KristieJC wrote: »

I don't know if my brother's is cured, but when he was diagnosed pre-diabetic, he starting strictly managing his carbs. He takes no medication for it but with managing his carbs he lost 70 pounds in about a year and keeps his blood sugar under control. He has cheat days, such as on holidays, but other than that, he's very strict about the carbs and it works great for him. Good luck!

One thing about T2Dm, managing it by diet and exercise means an average over time. There is no such thing as a "cheat day" as long as high carb days are balanced with lower carb days. The A1C takes the average blood glucose level over a 2-3 month period (depending on the life span of your particular red blood cells) so any one point in time does not really matter. Testing blood sugar in the morning helps give an idea and can give you a warning if you have several higher numbers in a row, but one high number in the middle of normal ones isn't an issue.

Reversing diabetes may be a little bit of a misnomer. If you were diagnosed with diabetes, that means you will always have it because diabetes means that your body doesn't respond well (over a long length of time) to blood sugar. This has to do with your production of insulin and your response to it (the problem can stem from either of those two "prongs). If you are prediabetic (I am), where your A1C was higher than the norm and higher than what is acceptable with fasting BG higher than what it should be, then you can reverse this but you are still at risk of getting it.

If you have been diagnosed diabetic, your organ that produces insulin has been damaged or your body does not respond to the high levels anymore. If you go low carb and lose weight, the available blood sugars aren't there anymore for your body to respond to, so your diabetes come under control. Prediabetics will have the same effect if we go low carb. Your hormones come back into line and your insulin levels drop because it just isn't needed. To avoid being diagnosed as a diabetic, the carbs should be cut in moderation, and just eat well balanced. Losing weight helps both groups.

So in essence, you can't get rid of diabetes (the doctor was right, however badly his delivery was), I'd call it "just in remission". So if you gain weight again, the meds will come back and you will go back to being a full blown diabetic, and a pre-diabetic will become diabetic.

Diabetes can be controlled through diet, exercise and weight loss for many. Effectiveness does vary.

I lost 40lbs, which was about 27% of my body weight, and I still Am insulin resistant. My blood glucose is controlled through diet. If I eàt moderate carbs my blood glucose is high. I eat to my monitor and keep BG low so no meds are needed, but if I increase carbs so does my BG.

I found Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution to be a tremendously helpful dietary plan. Good luck.

watch this...VERY eye-opening! These people were able to come off all insulin and all medications, and their A1Cs were below 6...technically "cured"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAwgdX5VxGc

CroneStar wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone has been able to reverse their type 2 diabetes by losing weight?
I'm not officially diabetic yet but my hgA1C is elevated. I'm trying very hard to lose weight so this doesn't go any higher. I went to see my doctor today for another issue and he keeps going on and on about the labs values. Meanwhile I'm trying to tell him I've lost 5 pounds since I saw him in December and I'm trying everything I can to improve those numbers. Finally he says, well even if you lose weight you'll probably still be diabetic. That just totally deflated me and I felt like just pigging out when I left there. I mean, according to him I'm doomed. It really makes me want to just give up. Has anyone had their A1C elevated and been able to bring it down with diet and exercise?

Hi
I believe You can do it as others here have said.

I went from being .1 under being called diabetic to having a A1C in the Normal range with Diet and losing weight. I could see a significant difference shortly after starting the Diet.

Do not let that Doctor discourage You. I would think about is this the best doctor for me if I were You. A supportive doctor is very important.

Good Luck
Roger