A New Journey In Type II Diabetes

I have been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes for about 8 years now. When I was first diagnosed, my hemoglobin A1c was just barely over 6. My doctor started me on Metformin, 500 mg, twice daily. He suggested to me to try the Atkins diet. The reasons I went to him to begin with was I had gained about 60lbs in 3 months, and by chance had done a home glucose test while someone else was. That test revealed a 246 blood sugar.

I took his advice, and myself and my husband went on Atkins Induction, and remained there for the most part, religiously, for 6 years. He could cheat occasionally then return to the diet with no problems. Me, not so much. Once I tasted those delicious banned carbs, especially breads and pastas, I had the hardest time going back.

Not to mention, every time I ate sugar or carbs, I got ill. They were toxic to me. It made resisting a bit easier, because I knew there would be a price to pay.

Later, after 3 years, after my hemoglobin A1c getting to 3.5, my cholesterol total to 175, my lipids to 75, my labs were amazing, I got a phone call. Your iron is critically HIGH. You need to cut back on green, leafy vegetables. Hum. Well, ok.

Then, soon after, other things began to change. I started to not tolerate the Metformin. I was feeling ill to my stomach, diarrhea, I had to be by a bathroom when I ate. I could not make it through a meal without rushing to the bathroom at least once, if not twice. It made going out, visiting friends or family, eating meals at work, impossible.

Suddenly, other things drastically changed. My vitamin B12 plummeted to critically low levels, as did other minerals, my vitamin D2 and vitamin D 3 were so low they were unmeasureable. The Metformin was making me so ill, I was unable to absord my vitamins from my foods. I could eat, and before my meal was over, it was already in the toilet.

I was told it was time to start eating bread., time to come off the Atkins diet. Time to go onto vitamin D2 at 50 thousand units a week, vitamin b12 replacement, folic acid replacement, and was told these are all nutrients added to processed flour that I was no longer eating, therefore, not eating bread was the cause.

I was told to take metformin long acting, 1000 mg twice daily. My hemoglobin A1c climbed to nearly 8..

I got sicker. I could no longer take the metformin, I was becomming dehydrated, and almost critically ill. I was labeled "non-compliant".

I was then placed on Onglyza, 5mg once daily. I experienced severe abdominal pain, but now was having bouts of diarrhea and constipation so severe I had to use Milk of Mag. My hemoglobin A1c was now nearly 10. My blood sugars were out of control. I lost 28 lbs in 3 months, because I started having severe pancreatic pain every time I ate.

I felt like I was getting ulcers. I was only able to eat a tiny bit, and sometimes I could only eat once every couple of days. When the PA wanted to put me on the Onglyza, I argued fervently, as I have a history of pancreatitis. I was afraid to take it, but she belittled me, and made me feel I didn't know what I was talking about. The longer I took the Onglyza, the worse I got, where at the end of 3 months, I was maybe eating one meal, spread over a WEEK. I was weak and shaky, and had to resort to eating a spoonful of honey to prevent fainting.

I have made the decision that I am going back on Atkins as my doctor originally recommended. I am also going to go diabetes med free.

I got my labs done yesterday, and I am starting over, as of today. I am refusing any diabetes drugs, and the PA I saw yesterday put Onglyza on my allergy list.

She also put me on name brand Synthroid, as opposed to the generic. She said it is very hard to stabalize patients on the generic, levithyroxine, because the differing fillers affect the drug.

Incidentally, all of the changes in my meds, diet, and all, have not been made by my doctor, but his PA's that told me he made a mistake putting me on Atkins. Well, it worked for ME, and I should have listened to him and no one else.

I have not been "allowed" to see my doctor for at least 3 years. He also is no longer a preferred provider for my HMO which I am on until January, and my co-pay went from 30$ to 55$ a visit.

Needless to say, I am shopping for a new doctor.

I am going back to basics, back to Atkins which made me feel better than I had since I was a child.

I am going to post my labs when I get them next week, and then all of my follow up labs from then on.

Disclaimer: I do NOT recommend anyone else do this, or that anyone else stop taking your diabetes medications. What may work for one person may not work for another.

Aside from being on a roller coaster of weight gain and weight loss due to unstable thyroid and diabetes, my labs and other functions have been affected. I am just seeking the stability that I had before. With a hemoglobin A1c of 3.5, I should not need diabetes meds as long as I eat the diet that is right for me.

ETA: I was urged at one point to post some diabetic low carb recipes, and what are called "Frankenfood" recipes by someone, and that was right about the time they changed my diet. I will do that if anyone is interested. I learned a lot about cooking low carb over 6 years!

i have type 2 as well . this is what i do:

take methyl b-12 and alpha lipoic acid for the neuropathy, which in turn, lowers incidences of sickness and simple cuts turning into massive infections. it also increases blood flow to my extremities

take chromium picolinate to balance blood sugar. if it's particularly bad, i take cinnamon as well.

take co-enzyme Q-10 for my kidneys, and occassionally, vitamin b-1

i eat a high protein diet during the day and evening, punctuated by v-8, and start my day with bran flakes to keep the cheese from slowing my digestion.

if i have problems of any kind with my digestive tract, i take lacto bacillus acidophilus. also called pro-biotics and eat an extra helping of bran flakes.

when consuming liquids, i don't guzzle or drink quickly. i sip. this keeps the pressure off kidneys.

if i have a headache or start retaining fluids, i drink a v-8, avoid salt, and take hawthorne berry to lower blood pressure and increase oxygen flow. might nibble on a piece of banana and/or drink something with barley grass in it.

as far as proteins -- mostly cheese and fish.

i don't take and have never taken, diabetic meds. been nearly 7 years now.

I was Type II as well, thanks for sharing your story. I've never met anyone who got better by taking diabetes drugs. I was taking metformin/glyburide and it helped for a couple of months. Then I started having pain, swelling and weight gain (diet soda?). I stopped taking all meds (and diet soda) and turned to a modified Gerson therapy.

I don't know my latest A1C, havent been back to the Doc, but my blood sugars have normalized, I've lost 30 ilbs, have no symptoms of Type II, and feel like a million bucks. So I applaud you getting off your meds and taking control! I think this is how we defeat this condition.

reply to post by undo


Congrats.

THX THX.

Will share with my diabetic friends.

I'm a bit surprised you don't take the cinnamon/chromium from Sam's daily.

Sounds like what you do works so why fix what's not broken. LOL.

BO XIAN
reply to post by undo

 

Congrats.

THX THX.

Will share with my diabetic friends.

I'm a bit surprised you don't take the cinnamon/chromium from Sam's daily.

Sounds like what you do works so why fix what's not broken. LOL.

well i'm no doctor . that's just what i do. lol
best thing i discovered for my diabetes, was methyl b-12 and alpha lipoic acid, because so many complications arise from the nerves dying in the extremities. apparently diabetics, elderly people and autisic people, have a low or entirely absent enzyme that your body requires to convert normal b-12 into its methyl b-12 form, which your body uses to repair nerves. so this brilliant doctor who was treating children with autism, got the b-12 in its methyl form where it was already converted and started administering it to the kids intravenously. soon they were starting to do better and better, could focus, go to school and other activities without melting down, and in some cases, he noted, the parents of children who were also diabetic, were recovering from the neuropathy as well. nice side effect.

reply to post by undo


Great info.

What form do you take that type of B-12 in, now?

Any favorite brand? Do you get it at the local health food store or on the net or?

THX THX.

I personally would have saved all the trouble and simply went back to a basic diet of whole foods and nothing too processed.

I have heard stories and doctors talk of people reversing their diabetes completely.

Basically Diabetes is mainly caused by eating too much sugar in processed foods.
these include white bread, lollies, cakes, sauces, soft drinks, and lots of other foods.
Unless you have some sort of genetic disease that effects the insulin production than too much sugar (glucose) is your cause.

these foods release sugar too quickly into the bloodstream and cause the sugar levels to spike, making the body release insulin to stop the sugar doing damage, which for some reason high sugar levels causes damage in the body. overtime the body gets sick of having to release insulin all the time so it gives up and fails to release more properly which results in TYPE 1 diabetes.
TYPE 2 diabetes is caused by the same problem, too much sugar all the time, the body releases insulin but this time the body wears out and cant utilize that insulin properly making sugar levels rise causing damage.

Both of these arise from having sugar all the time in the bloodstream, eating foods that release sugar slowly into the body like normal healthy food stops the body from having to release insulin all the time which is where the problem starts.

just eat food that releases sugars slowly into the body like a whole piece of fruit, brown bread, nuts,seeds, vegetables, basically just healthy food like we should be eating naturally. They call these foods LowGI foods because of the slow release of sugar. some people drink fresh made juice for health but this is high GI, to fix this dilute this juice in half with water and add some psyllium husk to swell up and add fibre back.

Avoid food in boxes, pre made crap. make you meals from scratch.

If you tried this before any medication it possibly could have gone away because you have gone back to the food the body has evolved to eat over millions of years.

here is a simple meal plan example:

breakfast: egg on multi grain toast and a banana

snack: fruit or some mixed nuts and seeds.

lunch: sandwich with some protein and salad.

snack: low sugar yoghurt.

dinner: protein and vegetables or salad. or some pasta and something like some seafood in a creamy sauce and mushrooms. oils and butter and creams are ok if low in sugar and in moderation.

Eat something similar to this everyday and everyone with diabetes should be back to normal unless they have a genetic diabetic problem needing medication to fix the broken genes failings.

My parents eat lollies and cakes and ice creams almost everyday and i believe a lot of adults treat themselves like this with treats and cakes discounted at the supermarket all the time, and now they have early forms of diabetes. its hard to get them off that sugar addiction that they are in denial about but i keep trying everyday.

i myself sometimes get off track and binge on the bad stuff, no one is perfect.

cheers.

I have type 1, so I'm glad for all of you that are doing better or are on your way there. I wish big-pharma would just decide to cure type 1 already, but that's a whole different topic.

L-Carnosine is a powerful antioxidant. I have taken it for a few years now, especially when I get a high blood sugar. I take 1000mg morning/night and 1000mg if I get a high blood sugar. Just research any of the super-antioxidants. Ubiquinol, Co-Q10, b-complex, the best multi-vitamin I can find and a few other things as well.

There is one product that I use every day. If you cannot handle something a little spicy, than don't bother because it does have cayenne in it. I will list the ingredients:

Wildcrafted Cedar Berry, Uva Ursi Leaf, Organic Licorice Root, Wildcrafted Mullein Leaf, Cayenne Pepper 40 MHU, and Wildcrafted Golden Seal.

Those are the ingredients, and I can say that tea works very well for my diabetes and I've read it works for type 2 people as well. The doctor that made it when he was still alive figured out by accident that cedar berry has a blood-sugar lowering effect. The tea is called Dr. Christopher's Panc Tea Powder. I can tell you that it's pretty cheap, since some of those ingredients can be hard to find all in one spot. Just look it up and see what people say about it.

I will say that in my opinion that the L-Carnosine is one of the most important items to take if you want to keep your vision. I have had diabetes type 1 for 30 years (since I was a baby). I can still see, and no neuropathy in my feet, kidneys working 100%. All of the above things I listed I use frequently, but I feel the L-Carnosine and the tea were the best in my case.

You can get the ingredients to make the tea at some health food stores, but in my case it is just cheaper to buy the tea powder. We only have 3 very small health food stores in town here.

Big-pharma needs to allow a cure for type 1, and Big-food needs to quit putting so much sugar, salt, and artificial poisons in everything. I don't personally believe that all the chemicals in food are an accident. At least the FDA banned hydrogenated fats finally!

As you all may already know diabetes can be associated with other autoimmune co-morbidities. For my own learning may I ask- have you ever looked into or been investigated for celiac disease?

If this is a problem for you, it may be one reason why the atkins diet provided you with some relief.

I'm by no means an expert so please don't be offended by the suggestion, just trying to help.

reply to post by undo

I will check out your other suggestions. I have heard about the cinnamon, but I had read it has to be a certain type, not just cinnamon off the grocery shelf. Should I try looking at my local health food store? I am really trying to be budget conscious, so I don't want to make costly mistakes, or use the wrong type of cinnamon, basically spending good money after bad. What is the name of the proper cinnamon to use?

I also have extensive nerve damage from back problems, so I have neuropathy from that and possibly the diabetes. Will this other supplement you mentioned possibly help my back?

I don't have any circulation issues from diabetes that I know of, though I do have neuroclaudication in my legs, and neurogenic bladder from nerve damage in my spine. I sure don't want any false hopes, but I am willing to try something else, as long as it is safe. I will be looking into that, thanks!

reply to post by thenaturalist


Thanks for the reply. When I got diagnosed with typeII, we actually ate all homecooked meals, and ate very little prepackaged goods. I did a lot of baking, and made breads with white processed flours, and not whole wheat. We also used white sugar, and I baked homemade goodies, but not daily, by far. My meals were always balanced, a meat, a yellow vegetable, a green vegetable, a starch, and fruit or salad. Usually, we had white pastas, too. I used a lot of potatoes, pasta, white flour, etc.

At this point, I was also undiagnosed hypothyroid. My low thyroid was not discovered until years later in a pre-op blood panel I had done. No doctor had ever checked it. I know now that I was low thyroid a long, long time because I had developed "Queen's Sign". This is where someone with low thyroid is undiagnosed so long, they lose the outter third of the eyebrows.

Anyway, it was not until my accident when I hurt my back that everything caught up to me. I was normally very active, exercised daily, had a full time job in security where all I did was walk for 12 hours, lifted weights, and had busy kids.

After my accident, I became disabled by back pain, my job changed to a sedentary job, and my thyroid got worse. All together, even the good meals I made were not the right foods. The diabetes literally developed overnight.

I discarded almost all canned foods, all processed foods, no prepackaged foods, and the only white foods allowed in my home were cauliflower and cheeses! Lol


I gained in total, almost 100 lbs in less than a year, and have lost and regained that weight, the first time was with Atkin's. I still eat hardly any salt, still do not eat prepackaged or processed foods, but simply adding in breads and pastas is enough.

The most wonderful treat to me is fresh strawberries. With a no sugar lifestyle, foods taste really different, and fruits to me are my candy. I do however, rarely eat an apple or banana. At 35 carbs each, both shoot my gi ovet the moon and can spike me to nearly 300 blood glucose. White rice is the same for me.

I just found for me, my body, I need 25 carbs or less per day, and I can live happily and healthily with it. If I go over my carb limit, it is almost always tomatoes, fruit, or a veggie I allow myself to rarely eat, like corn or peas.

My idea of pig out heaven is cornbread with corn in the batter, fresh from the oven, smothered in homemade, unsalted butter! But, it is a surefire shot to 250 blood sugar, too!

reply to post by InFriNiTee

Thanks! The tea looks interesting! I am definitely going to look into that. You also got me interested in the L carnisone. My vision is getting blurry, especially reading, and it had me concerened, so I appreciate the suggestion!

Threegirls
As you all may already know diabetes can be associated with other autoimmune co-morbidities. For my own learning may I ask- have you ever looked into or been investigated for celiac disease?

If this is a problem for you, it may be one reason why the atkins diet provided you with some relief.

I'm by no means an expert so please don't be offended by the suggestion, just trying to help.

I have not, and appreciate the suggestion. I have considered it a possibility myself.

I obviously have some sort of autoimmune disorder taking place, because I lost my gall bladder to inflamatory disease, not stones or cholesterol or poor diet. The doctor said my body was attacking it, but no one knew why.

Now, they said I likely have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, another inflamatory immune disorder.

I have bilateral sacroillitis, which is the hallmark of Ankolysing Spondyliitis, an inflamatory genetic arthritis disease that often has accompanying forms of other diseases with it. I have just begun to develop Reynaud's Phenomenon this year, where I respond hyepersensitively to cold. My fingers and toes get blue and ice cold.

So yes, there is something deeper going on, but right now, all that is being done is treating all of the symptoms. No one seems to be trying to find the cause.

I would not know what type of doctor to start with, besides a rheumatologist? Where should I start?

I did have an AIDS/HIV test, because I recognized this long ago. But, that is the extent of it. Meanwhile, my body is at war with itself.

The largest benefit from Atkin's was relief from chronic pancreatitis, btw. That all came back with bread and Onglyza.



ETA: wow. I just went and read up a bit on celiac disease, and you may have struck gold with that! I was diagnosed with IBS prior to the gall bladder surgery. Also, all of the deficiencies are exactly the ones I had! I went from them telling me my iron was too high, to literally being 2 points above critically low within just a few months. All the symptoms and deficiencies match exactly. It had been a while since I had read about Celiac, and reading it again and looking at my symptoms, that is just astounding.

Thank you SO much for giving me at least a starting point! I really think this needs more investigating. You are a blessing!

I was on metformin for a short time for fertility purposes...it was *horrible*...so, congrats to you OP in saying no and going natural.

Something in the news recently is the fact that most prescribed drugs are the generic form whether your doctor or you request it or not...often the insurance determines it. Anyways, apparently generics can have slightly different side effects but companies are not required to list them as the indications/warnings only need to match the name brand version.

Is it possible your drugs were generic?

libertygal

you can get cinnamon in capsules at a health food store. just not good to take it every day. so i only use it when i have spikes in blood sugar because i've done something silly like eat a huge chipolte burrito or a few too many sticks of gum (then once the blood sugar is elevated, even a teeny tiny piece of it, skyrockets the blood sugar and i can't have any at all lol) . the lament of the former key lime pie addict.

i found the thing that lowered blood sugar the most for me, was just to eat cottage cheese and nothing else but that's not healthy to eat only that every day, so i've had to skip around to various things that raise it a bit more but not as badly as some of the other things. even a bowl of corn cereal with no sugar or fruit, jumps it up over the 120 mark.

i also take grape seed extract. that combined with the alpha lipoic, are some powerful antioxidants.
i haven't tried the L-carnosine. i just might, cause i've come to appreciate the benefits of antioxidants

BO XIAN
reply to post by undo

 

Great info.

What form do you take that type of B-12 in, now?

Any favorite brand? Do you get it at the local health food store or on the net or?

THX THX.

i take methyl b-12, NOW brand, 5000 mcg capsules. i take one and then another one 3 days later (in other words, 1 every 3 days). the body doesn't utilize it any faster than that, particularly when in capsule form. for more specifics, i'd suggest contacting dr. neubrander www.drneubrander.com... as he has been very conscientious about dosages and what complications are involved. like some people have damaged intestines and so absorption is slow or non existent. in their case, it's preferable to get injections of it. it can't be normal b-12, however, as the diabetic body will just use part of it, and ignore the rest. has to be the methyl form. its pharmaceutical name is methylcobalamin

reply to post by Libertygal


Thanks for this thread - it's important. ...I'm wondering if you can see a dietician/nutritionist? The Atkins diet lacks some essential nutrients and can throw a lot out of whack in the long term. Maybe the Mediterranean diet might be better? ...along with vitamins and herbals to bring your systems back into alignment...

...I have type 2 diabetes, likely related to radiation exposure. I started out with a blood vessel disease (incurable) called fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD), apparently caused by anaphylactic shock reaction to penicillin when I was about 5 years-old - it has an auto-immune component and also tends to kill the kidneys. ...Have had several angiograms (heavy radiation) - to diagnose and monitor the FMD. Was told people with FMD usually develop diabetes but was NOT told radiation exposure commonly causes diabetes. lol

...I'm now 61 and in FAR better health than most people with my conditions. Have been eating whole foods all my life and avoiding processed stuff - and staying active physically, socially, intellectually. My specialists say I'd be on my back if I didn't have such a good lifestyle.

I DO take metformin [500mg x2 daily] plus Candesartan, Metroprolol, diuretic for kidney/heart complications - plus D3 & aspirin. I generally avoid meds and interventions but these definitely benefit my health and quality of life. If things get bad I take about 1200mg aspirin for 5-7 days - kicks the inflammation and gets me back on track. ...Use psyllium, oat bran, cinnamon, turmeric, cranberry, blueberry, yogurt, regularly if not daily.

I sometimes take herbals and supplements, but follow Chinese medicine principles - basically, once you fix the problem, stop treating it, or else you create a new symptom/condition.

Take care all,
sofi

reply to post by soficrow


i had never been diagnosed with it, till i had to take chemo for breast cancer. soon as my last chemo treatment was administered, i started developing vision problems and horrible neuropathy in just about every extremity. docs told me i was somatic due to depression and tried to put me on an anti-depressant. the diabetes wasn't found until i had a big high carb lunch at a chinese buffet, right before going in for a physical.

p.s. i'm also looking into vanadyl sulfate. it shows promise. will let you know if i do take it

reply to post by undo

...docs told me i was somatic due to depression and tried to put me on an anti-depressant. it wasn't found until i had a big high carb lunch at a chinese buffet, right before going in for a physical.

You're obviously female. lol ...Related - FMD routinely hits the right kidney, can cause kidney infarction - speaking from experience I can tell you the pain level is the same as a heart attack, maybe worse because it lasts much longer. Stats show men are diagnosed with FMD within 12 hours after their first 'attack' - while it usually takes about 30 years to diagnose women with FMD. more lol ...and similarly, too many women are misdiagnosed with depression. Go figure.