Yes …. still in remission after 3 months drug free!

I have just seen my Diabetes nurse and the results are back and the news is all good. My HbA1c has fallen again and is now 29 (4.8) without any drugs at all. In fact she was slightly concerned and wondered if I was having any hypo symptoms. I don’t even know what they are! My weight is up marginally but nothing is to speak of so I guess it’s the low carbing that’s keeping my blood sugar in the ‘normal’ range. She asked about a normal day’s eating and she mentioned fasting, which I think can bring down your BG. It’s made me think that maybe doing 16:8 is possibly not the best way if you have diabetes.

My cholesterol is up slightly from 4.5 to 5.2, my old ‘normal’ level, BUT, my good cholesterol has gone higher and my bad lower, so again good news. My average is 2 which apparently is good.

Anyway, as so many people have said , and do say, this WORKS!

Would be interested to know if there are other people who have managed to stay in remission, drug free, for any length of time.

Congrats Verano!! You must be feeling very proud right now and you definitely deserve it. Nice to have that affirmation that what you have been doing has had such a profound impact on your health. Just proves if you hang in there, you can achieve great things – and you have!

Thanks SunnyB. Yes knowing it works makes it far more do-able. Long may it last. This WOE has just become part of my life now, so hopefully I really do have my diabetes under control.

WoooHooo V., that’s fantastic news. Well done you, you must be walking on air😄

So very thrilled for you😙

Congratulations, Verano, that’s brilliant news. I’m so pleased for you.
Marie

Thanks! Yes all feeling good here!

Verano, what thrilling news! You’ve accomplished what others dream
of. So happy for you!!! 🙂 Three backflips coming up. Maybe a few
cartwheels for good measure, too. Congratulations for all your
hard work.

Love,

Allie

Pompoms for you Verano. My grandmother used to tell me when I was young and had no appreciation for it at the time….was that your most precious gift is good health health. Its hard to enjoy anything else if you don’t have that. You have given yourself a most precious gift. Well done you,

Thank you Allie and Luvtcook, and your grandmother was right! I have a ‘big’ birthday coming up one month today and my goal was to reach that and be drug free. Apart from a calcium supplement, because of my impaired mobility, I don’t take any other medication. So, yes, I’m feeling pretty proud of myself despite still needing to lose weight. But hey nobody is perfect. I’m just delighted to have reversed my diabetes.

I have just been reading this article and I think it’s time for anyone with type 2 to rejoice at the fact that the condition really can be reversed with a little perseverance and some hard work http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/news/2017/09/type2diabetesisreversible/. Just waiting for the full results of the current research to be published.

I agree, Verano.

I was diagnosed with Type II in August. Of course, I’d prefer not to have diabetes, but from the beginning I’ve considered myself lucky to have been diagnosed at this point when there is this big shift in thinking and people like Roy Taylor, Jason Fung and Michael Mosley and others are providing accessible, evidence-based strategies for its reversal, or at the very least great control.

And, you do right to be proud of yourself. It’s richly deserved.

Marie x

Marie I saw my Dr this morning and she really does think my diabetes is in remission. She asked how I’d done it and told her that in the middle of 2016 the practice nurse started talking about adding another drug to my metformin, a friend lost a toe to badly managed diabetes and at the same time I found the Blood Sugar Diet and Michael Mosely. I told her that basically I’d given up simple carbs which was hard at first but is now second nature. She actually seemed quite surprised but very pleased at the same time. I’m sure that this way of life will eventually filter down to all GP’s surgeries.

Marie it does work and you will get there. I just wish there were more people still here who have reversed their diabetes, who are willing to speak up and add weight to my experiences.

My OH has been pre-diabetic for many years but I really didn’t understand the implications of that. Anyway, he was given metformin about 5 months ago but it didn’t agree with him so he stopped it 3 months ago. His latest HbA1c shows he’s in the diabetic range so has been given glycosides??? Anyway, with the diabetic nurses permission, I’m going to try and get his BS down with BSD. Don’t know how easy it will be because he loves bread etc. but he’s prepared to give it a shot and I will do my best for him. It may just help me as well to get back into full on BSD, who knows!

Hi V, good on ya girl, hope the nurse passes it on to the doctor. My new chiropodist said on Tuesday, are you eating plenty of carbs to keep your BG stable. I soon put her right, that is the second one who has said that. My normal girl is on maternity leave and it will be someone different next time (January apt) so I will probably have to preach it all over again. Hey ho, we are the winners in this.

S-g saw a he doctor this morning and yes she was both surprised and pleased. She kept checking the computer to find my medication but there isn’t any!! They will all get the message in the end. I’m really looking forward to the next batch of results from the current research. Have a good w/e.

Verano – well done – your results are so good. You must be so pleased that your diabetes is in remission – hopefully your OH will follow your excellent example.

For over 4 years I injected fast acting insulin after absolutely every meal and snack I ate because my pancreas was so worn out (probably clapped-out is a better description of my poor pancreas). For a whole year I haven’t had to – and it has been a wonderful year.

OK – I do have to keep even the good carbs quite low – but the freedom to eat lovely food without having to work out just how much insulin to inject with each meal is wonderful. They call it fast acting insulin – but it isn’t really because carbs release glucose into your blood stream much faster than the injections of ‘fast acting insulin’ can deal with it.

So you can have massive spikes – and massive lows. It was so easy to miscalculated how many carbs you have eaten and how much insulin to inject. All very stressful.

My Hba1c may never be as low as yours because it is quite likely that I have had undiagnosed diabetes for many many years – but I am really happy with how well I feel and that I will keep my eyesight and my feet for the foreseeable future.

So it is not surprising I stick with BSD friendly foods – to go back to eating bad carbs would send me back into a nightmare scenario. How lucky we are that we have the tools to keep ourselves healthy – the BSD and this forum work so well together.

Thanks Krysia and yes it is a really good feeling. I know how well you have done and where you have come from to get to your present healthy state, but I hadn’t realised you were taking insulin as well. So doubly, doubly well done you certainly do need to congratulate yourself. You deserve all the health you have now and I can understand how you wouldn’t want to lose all of that.

I guess my journey has been much simpler because I didn’t have any health issues, apart from my metformin controlled diabetes which wasn’t causing any problems. I suppose with the set of circumstances at the time I decided it was just time to lose weight and get control of my health without drugs. I am now part way there. Diabetes under control without drugs and some, well lots of weight lost, but more to go. However, having reached my first, and main, goal it’s proving more difficult to ‘just’ lose weight for the sake of it. I will persevere though.

Seems Krysia that you and I could be the only diabetes success stories still posting. I hope that between us we can give hope to anyone tackling their diabetes with BSD at the moment. It may take a lifetime of BSD vigilance to remain healthy BUT we know it works and it’s worth it!!

Hi Verano – Sunshine girl has also been hugely successful. She was on very high doses of meds and insulin and has cut them dramatically. She is now only on half the doses she was on initially and is still steadily reducing both her meds and insulin.

Yes of course she has …. I was hoping she might post her story too. I think it’s good for us to remind each other, and ourselves, every so often, of just how far we have come with our health. We need to be proud of our achievements because we have done ourselves really proud and we are still …. keeping on …..

Hi Verano
Have been thinking about the BSD as we had a lovely – but bitterly cold walk around the parkland at Oxburgh Hall. It’s not just coming off diabetes drugs – there are many many posters on this forum who have avoided going onto the drugs and insulin in the future because they have followed the BSD and sorted out their blood sugar issues. They will never get diabetes – which is a real success story also.

In the National Trust Cafe they only had filled bagettes or Jacket potatoes. The new thing I have been doing is to say that I am managing diabetes without insulin and please could I have some extra salad leaves with the sandwich filling – but no bread. This always results in a lovely salad.

KrysiaD, your are more honest than I am. I am pre diabetic and rather than go into a big explanation….I just tell them I am diabetic.

But your are right. Servers are much more accomodating when they understand you have a reason for your special request rather than just being “high maintenance”.

Maybe some day when the world begins to understand that all the sandwiches and the starchy sides that come with every meal are not really good for us, lighter options will be offered as a matter of course. It is rather discouraging to open a menu that says “no substitutions” and offer fries/chips as the only option. My favorite Thai please is now used to my telling them “no rice” and pulling out my little container of cauli rice to replace it.

There you are, luvtcook! It’s very nice to know that you look for me each
day….I look for you, too 🙂 I have very high hopes for you because I recognize
your desire for knowledge as well as success. I wish I had found this forum
before I reached maintenance, so you are well ahead of the game in that
regard. I’ve just printed out your recipe for cauliflower and roasted red
pepper soup. Time to leave my summer eating plan behind and focus on
winter fare. Are you on day 3 of your full out fast? I definitely believe in
trying this once a month, but I’ve got to get my weight stabilized first. It’s
interesting to me that we are of similar age, and also packed on the weight
over a similar time period, 17 years. Who would have ever believed that
could be reversed in a mere 10 months? Jackie has expressed the thought
that there might be a book in all of these success stories. I’ve been trying
to gently push Esnecca in this direction. Her food is inspired, even for
an accomplished cook like me (I’d hope so, after 48 years of entertaining
family, friends and business associates!). It’s great to have another BSD
foodie in our ranks. Do you know what drives me crazy? The USDA is still
recommending a food pyramid that includes 8-10 servings of whole grain
products at the base. My cynical self sees this as the work of the grain
and sugar lobbyists. Today’s grains are 80% genetically modified on top
of that. Our ancestors never ate a contemporary diet, why would we want
to? RUBBISH. Even the American Heart Assoc., although recommending
a mediterranean diet, suggests 6-8 servings of starch ea. day. Have I
missed what your weight loss goals are? Do you have the 100 club in
your sights? You will get here, I believe in you!

Allie

Krysia you are absolutely right. I just wish more people would post just to give encouragement to those just starting on their BSD journey. We know it can be done and whilst the medical fraternity are, in the main, still promoting outdated ideas, I guess it’s up to us to help spread the word.

Allie, touching base with you and a handful of other regulars has truely become a bit of sunshine in my day that I look forward to. You are right, it becomes a sisterhood of support and encouagement.

I am no where close to hitting 100lbs down (not unless you count all the weight of I have lost, then regained, over the last 10 years, then yes, I am a full member).

Currently am down 33 lbs with 67 to go, but have re-lost 15 of those 33 in under a month on BSD which far exceeds anything I have done before since hitting age 50. I am now 2 lbs away from the lightest I have been Oct 2007. I have been tracking every diet I have been on since 2007 on an excel spreadsheet (new set of columns for each year, each new diet). It is practically a case study in the failure of the traditional calorie restriction diet….because each new diet is successful…but stops a little short of the prior low point, and the next diet starts a little higher than the last. It looks like a staircase when viewed in toto….but unfortunatley the staircase is going up not down.

Hopeing this will be the last “biggie” and that after this I will be operating within a normal and manageable 5 lb gain/loss range.

I am very hopeful about this WoE. It makes absolute scientific sense and the success stories of you and other who have done it complete the loop. It works in real people, and really, the toughest of the tough who are insulin resistant, T2 or pre-diabetic, whose metabolisms have been damaged by years and years of dieting.

The good news for me is that, unlike you, I found this forum at the beginning of my journey and not at the end.

Wouldn’t it be lovely to celebrate BSD losses with a low carb 3 day cruise annually….a supportive reunion with 1, 5 & 10 year pins awarded for KEEPING IT OFF. We should do it virtually if unable to in reality. I take that back. I vote for reality. How wonderful to have everyone that has kicked T2 diabetes and/or lost over 50 lbs on BSD to all get together for a meet up with Michael Mosely and Roy Taylor & other T2 BSD and therapeutic fasting advocates (Jason Fung) …and have a photo of a sea of people fist raised in success…none of whom are are blind, none missing toes or feet. There should be a big banner overhead estimating the total $$$ saved on medication for the lot. I’d happily pay to fly to Great Britain to do that. I think the euphoria from the water fast may be kicking in….but I truely believe this is a revolution in the understanding of obesity and of T2 diabetes. Finally. Its about time.

PS Allie: even more weird is that I also have two cats (not classy Siamese….mine rescues). Yes, our stories sound very similar.

My ex-husband (and still good friend) also a college professor. He was in town last week for a national neuroscience seminar and after having dinner at my place together with our son, had a fainting episode later in the middle of the night in his hotel room on the way to the bathroom and fell. Called me in a lot of pain (thought he had cracked some ribs), so I fetched him and spent the next 3 hrs with him in the ER doing EKGs, X-rays, blood work, the lot, to try to figure out what happened. Yep…..our stories sounding all too much alike. Note: he is fine and on the mend, hospital still not sure what caused it, suspects maybe dehydration and blood pressure change standing up too quickly from bed.

I like the way you think, Luvtcook – A BSD cruise would be wonderful, be it
virtual or otherwise! Failing that, we could meet up in NYC 🙂 Maybe I
will add it to my “goals left to achieve” which thus far consists of stabilizing
my weight and 1 year in maintenance. With 33lbs down and 67 left to go,
a nice 100lb. number has the ring of symmetry to it. When you achieve
your birthday goal, we are just going to have to put our heads together and
come up with a few other mini goals to propel you forward. Keep the 100
club in your sights!
Sorry to hear about your ex, though I’m glad it didn’t turn out to be life
threatening. A stressful night, for sure!
I’m off to put together an ingredient list for the long holiday weekend.
I’ll be hanging out in the kitchen while o/h watches college football,
working on Mary’s (JoesNonna) recipe for kimchi as well as yours for
cauliflower/red pepper soup. I’ll let you know how they turn out. I need
to get this done tomorrow. You know that it will be “crazy town” on
weds at the grocery store. I bet your brother will be in for a big change
in your appearance when he comes in from Pittsburgh for the holiday 🙂
It gives me enormous pleasure to be able to say “talk to you later!”

Love,

Allie

Luvtcook – I have definitely found servers are much more accommodating when they realise I am not just being ‘high maintenance’. It would be lovely to think that the world will catch up with us and realise that all the starchy carbs are bad for us. So we are actually ‘trail blazers’ until then.

You are right that this is a revolution in obesity and T2 diabetes.

We are so lucky as we will not go blind or lose our toes or feet. For me that is a major incentive to keep going on this forum and the BSD.

Verano – I do agree that the medical profession is lagging behind us and are still promoting out of date ideas. It is absolutely up to us to spread the word. I carry on posting on this forum because it helps me so much. Maybe people who stop posting don’t need that support and carry on effortlessly with the BSD.

Allie – your cruise idea would be awesome.

Three months on and my OH has just had his HbA1c results. It’s official it has fallen from 55 to 45. I know this is still pre-diabetic but he has reduced his blood sugar without medication just by following BSD very loosely. He was not really overweight but has lost 9lb. He has stopped eating bread, potatoes, biscuits and sweets but has replaced them with nuts and two pieces of fruit a day. He hates pasta but has a small portion of rice once every week to 10 days. He insists you can’t eat Indian or Thai food without rice, I can! I have never calculated how many carbs he has a day but it’s probably between 50 and 100g, so medium rather than low carb.

He’s delighted, his diabetic nurse is delighted, and the word is being spread. I don’t know if his level will drop further as he continues this WOE, and he may need to reduce his carbs more drastically for that to happen. I’m not sure he’s prepared to do that. Anyway, I guess the message is that blood sugar can maybe be reduced, by reducing simple carbs moderately. So for those with T2 who are finding it very difficult to stick with very low carbs, don’t give up, maybe just increase good carbs slightly. Never give up trying, as sunshine-girl would say ,just keep on keeping on……

Congratulations to you on your continued success and good for your husband too. It is nice to think we can help keeping them alive, although my hubby has gone the other way. On his annual full bloods check up everything was really good and he seems to think he can now eat and drink whatever he likes. Shock, last test he showed high triglycerides, cholesterol up and fasting blood sugars (not HbA1c) slightly up. Each on its own so small as not to be a concern but all three together set bells ringing with the doctor so he is being retested next month. He has started having porridge instead of toast and marmalade but he also adds a banana. After lunch he has a plain Greek yoghurt but adds another banana. His thinking is if bananas are good for you then 2 bananas are better. I have also noticed he is more and more having potatoes with dinner which he had cut out almost completely. Anyway, his test will tell if he is doing the right things. We cant force feed them.

It is isn’t it s-g! I agree no we can’t force feed them but we can maybe hint now and again at how carby some things are. Without wanting to seem like a tyrant I keep reminding him how many carbs are in an innocent apple! But you know, also as you get older I think maybe you can’t take all the pleasures of eating away. I know lots of people won’t agree with that but hey he has a pretty goood diet overall.

We can only do our best, my hubby has no serious health problems as yet, just a warning from the doctor to watch what he eats. In fact, when he got his results the doctor said ‘you know what you have to do – just ask your wife’. If I nag he rebels but slowly comes around on his own. He still likes his 2 individual cakes each week but now gets something like a fruit tart instead of something stodgy and at weekends he likes a croissant but has cut that down to half of what he used to have.

S-g I think we can only make aware and then it’s down to the individual to make their own choices. I certainly hadn’t realised how serious taking a glicide is. I had assumed it was similar to metformin so I will certainly pass on that information. That should frighten him into keeping on they straight and narrow!

Wa-hey V – great news. Many congratulations on the fruits of your hard work and commitment.