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Anybody on here having to deal with Type II diagnosis for diabetes? What to expect? If you start on medication are you ever able to come off if you get it under control with diet and weight loss and more exercise?

Not a diabetic but to answer your question yes. It is possible to manage it with diet/weight loss/and exercise. I have no
Idea what your A1C is but depending on you number and willingness do actually change your diet will depend on your success.
If you need the meds to get it down then do yourself a favor and get it down. You will be better in the long run.


Edit to say I actually do this for a living and am more than happy to answer any questions via pm
If you wish.

But can you ever come off the meds once you start them? Once it is under control? I can and will change my diet starting right now. No more pasta, potatoes, rice or white bread. No more sweets like cakes, pies, cookies, honey buns, etc. Smaller portions too. Also WILL lose 25 pounds for a start. I really don't want to take another medication for the rest of my life, what I have of it being 69 years old. Doc has prescribed Metformin.

Your A1C should drop with the pounds. Get your eating (weight) under control and I'm willing to bet your A1C will drop with it. What is your A1C now? Once it's down, you should be able to come off the meds as long as you maintain a healthy diet/weight.

Take Dixie boy's offer. He will get you straight!

A1C was 9.1 last week. 69 years old, 6'1, 225 lbs.

Type 2 diabetes ain’t no joke and nothing to play with. Kinda like playing with a rattlesnake. You never know when it’s gonna bite you and kill you.

My sugar was over 500 in the middle of February. Could not get a dr appointment till the end of April. Had to do something, so I did what any reasonable person would do. Searched the internet. By the time I went to my dr, I had my a1c down to 6.6, fasting glucose in the 110 range, and he said keep doing what you’re doing. I only eat 2 meals a day, at 1200 and 1800. Less than 30 carbs a day. Lots of fiber and healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, almonds). Fat will help you not get hungry, and it’s the only macronutrient that doesn’t spike glucose/insulin. PM me if I can help you.

Been fighting it for 3yrs.
A lot will depend on wether your diabetes is hereditary or not, mine is and my A1c was at 7.5. Changed diet drastically and exercised, lost 25#, no change. 3 different meds later and it has gotten down to 6.1. I will probably not ever get off some sort of meds.
Diabetics is not curable only controllable. Lifestyle change is the hardest part!

By decreasing fat cells your body will be more sensitive to your natural insulin.
9.1 is high but can most certainly be managed. Yes if you can get your a1c down you can come off little at a time if you can keep your sugar down. Eventually coming off the meds.
Carbs are the enemy as they turn to sugar. Pasta, potatoes, bread all bad.

Cut carbs ,sugar and lower calorie intake. Also exercise regularly whether by walking briskly for 2 miles every other day or treadmill etc. My medication works for a while but eventually i have to have more or a different kind. Most likely you will be started on metformin. It is possible to come off meds if you are extremely dedicated and have great self control. My mom was type 2 for 25 years and on meds. She has been off all meds for over 3 years now and a1c in the 6.5 range. Without diet modification and exercise meds will not keep being effective over the long run. Diabetes can cause all kinds of issues with nerves and your nervous system. Dont play with it and take it seriously. My feet are semi numb from it now. Nerve damage is permanent

Did you ask your Dr. this question? At what did he say?

Last thing I will say…. You are 69. Your Goals are not the goals of a 30 or even 50 year old. If you can keep
Your a1c below 6.5 great but that isn’t your goal just to be honest. The older you get the more ept you are for sudden drops which could cause other problems.

Talk to your doc.

My doc retired, unannounced, a couple of months ago and we still have not been notified by the office. Dealing with a CRNP and have not been impressed at all so far. Looking for a family doc now.

Others here have had great advice. Take care of your toes no joke as well as get a regular eye exam. You need to be proactive about this as it’s not a death sentence but it’s no joke. Diet and exercise can and will help turn it around. Medications as well. I see patients of all different a1cs and it’s not too late to turn it around. You have got this!

Talk to your Dr. about getting a prescription for a Freestyle Libre 2 or Dexcom setup. Even if your insurance doesn't cover it. This is a total gamechanger when it comes to monitoring your blood glucose. You can essentially eliminate finger sticks and can check your glucose every 5 minutes if you so desire. I've helped numerous patients implement it over the last few years and all saw an amazing turnaround in their A1C because they were better able to monitor how different foods were affecting their glucose levels.

I'm no doctor, but if you are really willing to make those lifestyle changes, at your age and that A1c, I would tell them you want to give it a try for 6 months with diet and exercise before putting you on metformin. Won't go into my personal experience more than to say, had a Dr. throw me on metformin a few years ago and I just went along with it. My current and new Dr. is looking to take me back off of it now.

This is great advice. These devices allow you to track your blood sugar without finger sticks. This allows you to see how whatever interventions you're doing are effecting your sugars. It is truly a gamechanger for most. Unfortunately, insurances do not usually cover unless you're on insulin therapy.
All DM -II is totally curable with diet/exercise/weight loss. However, most of the time people need meds to assist them in getting their BS under control. Once on meds, I tell my patients that they will always be on meds -- until they do those things that they need to do to control their BS. Meds don't cure the disease they help you manage your BS. Unless you change your behaviors, as soon as you stop your meds - your BS will return to pre treatment levels. We have lots of meds in our toolbox to help manage BS. Every organization that makes treatment algorithms for the treatment of DM II recommends metformin as first line treatment but there are other options depending on your situation. Diabetes education is critical and you can get lots of info. online. Get in with a doctor and allow yourself 3-6 month of working on diet/exercise as long as you can monitor your BS. If you're not heading in the right direction, get on meds with a goal of working yourself off of them.

My Dr gave me a booklet on using the Glycemic Index for foods. Those that are saying total diet change are y’all talking about keto being the only option or does it vary depending on patient.

Trulicity is of the devil. Is rough on you

You can possibly come off of the medicine once you change your diet and have heard of some that were able to come off of it by simply losing some weight. I just turned 32 and have been a diabetic since I was 15 and to begin with I had a very odd case from what doctors told me because I had characteristics of both type 1 and type 2. With age I slowly transitioned over to just type 1 and if I get any insulin it is through a needle.

Foods high in fiber are great. Even beans which have a lot of carbs but high fiber. You dont want to eat foods that dump sugars quickly into your system. Carbs turn into sugars but when high fiber is present it slows the digestive dystem from rapidly converting it into sugar and dumping it in your system. Im on ozempic and segluromet. The combo is working well