ED'S STORY

 Hi, to all here. I was diagnosed several years ago, and swept it under a rug as if it didn't exist. I was on Metformin, Lisonipril, Metoprolol, and Effexor. Obviously some of these drugs go hand in hand. For every effect theirs a side effect right. .? Yes it's true. I thought it was now time to do something about it. The pills weren't working, so here's what I did. I did a ton of research on natural cures for diabetes, yes I said cure, it is very possible to reverse type 2 diabetes by using natural herbs and serious lifestyle changes. So do yourself a favor and don't eat anything with bleached flour, or for that matter anything white, like salt, sugar, all these things bare bleached with alloxan, which causes diabetes. I used herbs such as Gymnastics Sylvestre, Bitter Melon, Prickly Pear, Chromium, Cinnamon, Bilberry, Turmeric, Cabbage, Onion, Ginger, and their are more. I changed everything I done, the way I prepared and ate, not mention what I ate, and the amount. I cut the size of my plate size and portion control. Cold water, water water....Walking and daily excerise. I also took Glocomannan, which is fiber about 20 to 30 minutes before I ate. Fiber, fiber, fiber. At least 25 grams but up to 50 grams. Not only did I quit meds, lost 250 lbs. Diabetes is reversible....hope this will help you as well. I'm not a doctor, so consult with your doctor, but more than likely they would want you to stay on meds, cause they get their cut of the scripts. It's true. Have fun and be healthy.

Ed is a member of the type 2diabetes support group

DWAYNE'S STORY

I was diagnosed in May 2010.
My diagnosis level was 566 and my A1C was 14.8 as well my cholesterol
level was 1530.

All the warning signs were there but I was the typical man, I either
paid no attention to it or explained it all away.
The warning signs were there.
I can EASILY name 10 people in my immediate family who are diabetic
and only cover two generations.
My father, his 7 siblings, my sister, his grandmother and great
grandmother, 5 of my first cousins, my mother's 3 brothers, her
mother, both her grandparents.

The main warning sign, for me, was there, but it couldn't come home to
roost in my hair.

I had been laid off in Oct 2009 and had no prospects.
The government kept playing their party politics games and cutting my
unemployment benefits off so I had dealt with it as I only knew how.
I cut back on my eating so my wife and daughter could have more.
At a family gathering my wife's uncle remarked on how much weight I'd lost.
I reasoned it away chalking it up to not having much to eat.

Then my vision started acting weird.
Some days it was good, some days I woke up and had like a fog in my
eyes and I couldn't blink it away.  I had just turned 41 so I chalked
it up to the falling apart forties.

I came down with an insatiable thirst and craving for sweets.
We had decided that life was tough enough, so we bought season passes
to an amusement park for some stress relief.  It's a challenging place
as it's built around a couple of ridges and it's uphill all the way.
We had spent a lot of time in the park and the weather had been warmer
than usual, so I explained this one away as well.

Then came THE weekend.
I had spent the entire weekend on the couch asleep.
I couldn't stay awake no matter what I did or tried to do.
My wife called two of her best friends, one's daughter is diabetic and
the other is the child of a diabetic, and they urged her to test my
sugar.
We did and the shock of the reality began setting in.
A trip to the emergency room confirmed it.

The dr ordered me a treatment with insulin and told me that I wasn't
just sleepy, I had actually been slipping into and out of a diabetic
coma.

My first "counsellor" was my mother.
Now, I love my mother, such a heart of gold you'll not find in any
other person, BUT she doesn't have much tact.  Her first words to me
were "son, just how long do you want to live?"
Here I sat, scared to death, almost blind, and now this?
I'll have to admit to two things.
It pissed me off and I cried.
Her next words explained WHY she started off like she did but I could
have done without the first sentence!!  She rubbed my shoulders as I
sobbed and crying herself said,"because how you eat from now on will
determine how long AND how well you live."

I've never forgotten those words, and have made them part of my diabetic creeds.

I eventually went totally blind from the glucose crystals in my eyes.
Due to the government playing their games, I had state sponsored
insurance for one month and it "just happened" to be the month of my
diagnosis.
I saw an optometrist who told me I was legally blind, but that my
vision would return in time as my body absorbed the excess glucose.
While I was blind, I could see.
It was like looking through a frosted pane of glass.  I couldn't make
anything out.
Not even my daughter's face though we were nose to nose.
He told me to get a strong pair of reading glasses and wait for my
vision to clear up a bit.
With the glasses I could see but still not enough to read or watch tv.

I also saw a podiatrist and had my feet tested and some ingrown
toenails removed.

When I could begin to see with the glasses, I began walking on our driveway.
4 round trips is a mile, so I walked it 4 times, twice daily.
When I could see better, I began walking the roads around our home.
12 miles a week, up and down some pretty good sized ridges.

I took my medication EXACTLY as prescribed.
Did my exercise, EVERYDAY
Adhered RIGIDLY to my diet my CDE gave me.
and the numbers responded.  They began dropping, and getting closer to
that normal range.

I finally found a job in April 2011 and it's very physical so I don't
exercise as I did, but exercise will drop my numbers when I have an
occasional high number.

I educated myself on the disease through books and the internet.
Learned more about it than most doctors know, because I live with it everyday.

Little by little my glucose kept behaving well.
My dr cut my metformin dosage from 2000 mg daily to 1000, then to 500.
I saw it happening and was so relieved that I tolerated the stomach
issues it caused for almost 3 and a half years, I was afraid they'd
put me on something new and it wouldn't work so I kept my mouth shut
about the cramps and the potty house trips.

In october 2013, I came down with a stomach flu.
It lasted a week.  A trip to the emergency room, some pills and I
seemed to be better.
A week later, it returned, and I stopped taking my medication and
cranked down on my food intake AND my glucose checks.

I was pleasantly surprised that the numbers remained level.
I saw my regular physician two weeks later and told him the story and
what I'd done.
He wasn't enthusiastic about my stopping the medication AND I DO NOT
RECOMMEND IT, however, he said we would try managing it with just
dietary control and exercise.
He wrote me an emergency script to keep at home and turn in if my
numbers rose again.
I never turned it in and I've not taken any medication since.

Today, my levels remain in the normal range for those without diabetes, 80-130.
My A1C at my last check up was 5.9
and my logbook app estimates my current level as 5.2.

My first low spell led to another motto.
I saw their faces as I shook like a leaf in a hurricane.
I saw them whispering and gawking at me.
I saw myself saying things to the ones I love most that broke their hearts.

The next day, my wife wanted to return to finish our shopping, but I was afraid.
I didn't want to risk becoming a spectacle again.
But then it dawned on me, I couldn't let that hold me back.
John Wayne said about his battle with cancer, Courage is being scared
to death, but saddling up anyway.  I saddled up that day and
determined that I would not surrender one aspect of my life to
diabetes.
Not my home, not my body, not my family, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!
I may have diabetes, but diabetes doesn't have me!
I came into this world in a screaming tear and I intend of living
life, long and loud!!

While I was laid off I researched my family history and found that I
have a long history in Scotland through Clan Armstrong.
Their clan motto is Invictus Maneo, I remain unconquered.

Today, I have adopted their motto as my warcry against diabetes.
Whatever works!!
Whatever it takes!!
I am and intend to remain UNCONQUERED!!!

This is my wish for you
I hope you see in my story that you must fight for your life against
this scourge.
That if you do, you may see and I pray you do, the same results I've seen.
That we must never back down and surrender one bit of our lives to diabetes.
that it IS possible for diabetes to be well maintained and controlled
without medication.

But you must do your part!!
You must decide to do whatever works and whatever it takes!
Some folk have trouble taking their medication.  It's just a pill or a
shot, but if that's what it takes to live a "normal" life, so be it!
I'd rather not have to, but whatever works, whatever it takes is what
I've decided to do!!

Shoulder to shoulder
Hand in hand
One day, one battle at a time, we'll get through this and we will remain
UNCONQUERED!!!      

Dwayne is a member of the type 2 diabetes support group

JERRY'S STORY

• Hi, to all here. I was diagnosed several years ago, and swept it under a rug as if it didn't exist. I was on Metformin, Lisonipril, Metoprolol, and Effexor. Obviously some of these drugs go hand in hand. For every effect theirs a side effect right. .? Yes it's true. I thought it was now time to do something about it. The pills weren't working, so here's what I did. I did a ton of research on natural cures for diabetes, yes I said cure, it is very possible to reverse type 2 diabetes by using natural herbs and serious lifestyle changes. So do yourself a favor and don't eat anything with bleached flour, or for that matter anything white, like salt, sugar, all these things bare bleached with alloxan, which causes diabetes. I used herbs such as Gymnastics Sylvestre, Bitter Melon, Prickly Pear, Chromium, Cinnamon, Bilberry, Turmeric, Cabbage, Onion, Ginger, and their are more. I changed everything I done, the way I prepared and ate, not mention what I ate, and the amount. I cut the size of my plate size and portion control. Cold water, water water....Walking and daily excerise. I also took Glocomannan, which is fiber about 20 to 30 minutes before I ate. Fiber, fiber, fiber. At least 25 grams but up to 50 grams. Not only did I quit meds, lost 250 lbs. Diabetes is reversible....hope this will help you as well. I'm not a doctor, so consult with your doctor, but more than likely they would want you to stay on meds, cause they get their cut of the scripts. It's true. Have fun and be healthy.

         Jerry is a member of the Type 2 diabetes weight loss group

MICHAEL'S STORY

My diabetes journey ...

Many of you have been sharing your story. Most of you know that I share pictures of diabetic complications from time to time to help wake people up to the reality of this disease. Today, I thought I would do both. This collage is from a staph (MRSA) infection that I had in 2010. I didn't know I was diabetic until I hit the ER that week. I ended up spending 10 days in the hospital. My blood sugar (fasting) upon admission was 380. My A1C was 12.1%. Scary? Yes, it is. But this is the truth about what uncontrolled diabetes can do. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
After my diagnosis, I was gung-ho about changing my lifestyle and took my meds daily. It wasn't long, however, that depression set it. Combined with financial stress and being unable to pay for Dr visits, labs, and meds, I basically gave up. Yes, even after the picture above took place, I gave up. For some, this may be hard to understand. For others, you understand exactly what I was going through. So I spend the next three years doing nothing about my diabetes and eating whatever I wanted. I began to notice pain in my feet. First it was a tingling sensation or pins and needles, like when your feet fall asleep. Then it began to be painful, like my feet would ache or be on fire, despite the fact that I really had not been on them much at all. Then there were stabbing pains. I can't even begin to explain how much this hurts. I knew then it was time to take this disease serious again.
The real turning point for me was last Thanksgiving when I spent some time with a friend who had recently lost both legs below the knees to diabetes complications. It all starts with an infection. It runs rampant with high blood sugar (turns out bacteria feed on sugar). Uncontrolled, it leads to an amputation. If the infection spreads to the bone, more amputation. It was really sad and eye-opening for me to see, especially considering he is younger than me - in his 30s. He had lost over 200 lbs during his time with this disease. He was in good control for a long time. But when he fell off the wagon, he fell hard.
So I went back to the doctor in December to get my head extracted from my rear. My A1C at that time was 12.1% (again). Triglycerides were at 712. Cholesterol was at 250. Fasting blood sugar was 285. Today, my A1C (last month) is 5.4%, triglycerides are down to 180, my cholesterol is at 207, and my fasting blood sugar is normally between 70-99. My numbers rarely go above 140 at any time. I've done this through diet and exercise, along with glimeperide and metformin. Slowly, I am now coming off of glimeperide, with the directions of my Dr. I'm losing weight and looking forward to the day when I can control this disease with just diet and exercise alone. I know I can do it.
This group has helped save my life. It's my hope that I can help do the same for at least one person here. Look at the recipes. Check out the LCHF lifestyle, that is what has worked for me. You don't have to deprive yourself. You don't have to feel like you can't eat good tasting food anymore. If I can do this, trust me, you can too. It's time to get serious about diabetes, because I promise you, it won't go away and you will get complications from this disease. Own it. Change your lifestyle. You won't regret it, and that's a promise. To be continued in the future! ...

 Michael is a member of the type 2 diabetes support group and the type 2 diabetes weight loss group

SCOTT'S STORY

 My Story

As a story, this isn’t the most entertaining, but it is real.  As in “real life”.  I’m a 45 year old white male living in a small Midwestern town.  (I’ve always wanted to write that)  When I was a wee lad, I was rail skinny and wrestled in high school at the 119 pound weight class.  But since that time, I’ve put on a few pounds.  Well, it was actually more than a few.  Over the course of my life, I’ve put on a lot of pounds.  My maximum density was 268 pounds, weighed at the doctor’s office for a visit for strep throat in October 2013.  Now, I do have to tell you that I’m only 5’7” tall, so that helps put it into perspective. 

Shortly after that appointment, I started losing weight, seemingly without trying.  Yes, I was kind of watching my food intake, but not religiously.  I was always thirsty and urinated super frequently.  But I thought that was a function of the drinking.  I didn’t associate the thirst with anything.  I made it through the holiday season without any major issues and I was still losing weight.  Lots of it.  But I was not sleeping through the night because of the urination and my vision had started to change.  My prescription glasses were no longer effective.  So, I called up my doctor and made an appointment in January.

January 14, 2014 – my day that will live in infamy.  I went to the doctor and had blood drawn.  At that time, she didn’t say anything about diabetes.  It wasn’t until three days later that I was called back to the office and told my a1c was 13.2 and that I needed to start Metformin and testing.  Well, actually, I didn’t hear the part about the testing until we were back in the room.  And that scared the bejeezus out of me because I hate needles.  But I did a couple of tests and the results showed 282.  When they told me I should be shooting for 120, I knew it wasn’t good.

So, I took the prescription and testing stuff and left for home with my fiancé.  We are a team and were going to beat this together.  I didn’t spend a lot of time lamenting the fact I had diabetes.  I wanted it gone.  I wanted off the meds and rid of the testing needles, so I was going to do everything I could to get things back under control.  We read articles on food.  We tested countless recipes using low carb ideas.  I began using MyFItnessPal program on my computer and phone to track my food.  I kept a diary of food and testing numbers.  I’m a scientist by nature, so having a couple of spreadsheets of data was actually a good thing for me.  I tested frequently to see how certain foods would change my blood sugars.  I drank more water.  I exercised a lot more.  I restricted my calories because portion control has always been a problem for me.  I reduced my carb intake to around 100 grams per day.  My calories were set by MyFitnessPal based on the amount of weight I wanted to lose per week, so all I had to do was log my foods and stay within that range. 

I would recommend that program to anyone with diabetes because you can see the calories and carbs (among other things) for just about any food.  And, it also has foods from a huge number of restaurants.  This made it easy to eat out when I wanted.  But you have to do the work.  Log everything you eat.  Measure everything you eat.  That way, you own what is going into your body.  It makes it real.  I know it has kept me from overeating.  And changing some of the foods I eat has also helped.  I do eat more vegetables now.  I use spaghetti squash instead of pasta for my Italian fix.  But I don’t eliminate my carbs.  I just know through my testing what works and doesn’t.  For example, lasagna doesn’t spike me, but macaroni does.  Don’t know why, but it just does.  So I don’t have macaroni.  And lasagna is a special treat. 

At my follow up test in April, my a1c had dropped to 6.3.  My weight is down to 202.8 at my last check this week.  My doctor has been very happy with the results.  I’m not fully happy because I’m still testing and on meds, but it is my goal to be done with at least the meds by the end of the year.  How did I get to this point?  By being diligent and owning the disease.  And that’s what it takes to win.

Scott is a member of the type 2 diabetes support group