I control T2 with diet and exercise only. How many reley upon medications to control. .is that by choice or necessity?
I have many T2 friends, and I think only 1 of them is diet control. The rest are well medicated minimal carb exercise junkies
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My mom has been T2 for over 30 years, now in late 80s. She has always been average or underweight, and very active. She has gone through many iterations of different T2 meds, and achieved good control. I believe it is necessity.
I am T1 since age 5, and grew up with healthy eating habits, along with my whole family.
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I rely on diet, exercise and low dose medication to control my T2. We do have members here who take no medication and use just diet and exercise to control their diabetes.
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I use medication only. I found diet had no effect and exercise only made things worse.
I do try to exercise for overall health but not at all for the diabetes.
Regarding diet I think it is pretty obvious it won’t help no matter what once you progress to needing lots of basal insulin even if fasting.
I can see diet and exercise working great for someone just starting out who doesn’t have much wrong yet or is lucky enough to have a mild case. I doubt this is a big percentage of diabetics.
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I like those low carb exercise junkies!
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It has been found that type 2 and type 1 diabetes are more alike than previously suspected, and autoimmune processes in type 2 diabetes over time push those patients as well towards needing insulin.
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If one maintains low body weight, low carb diet, exercises (moderate to vigorous) and keep low stress work, one has a good chance to continue T2B without medication for n years. In my case, n=10 years. I am pretty sure there are T2B with n>10 years. As one ages, the pancreas insulin production decreases and body cell resistance increases, it is likely that oral T2B medication and/or external insulin may be required.
I was diagnosed T2B in my late 30s after losing 30 lbs in 1988. I immediately started low carb diet, routine daily exercise and daily BG monitoring. Occasionally, I took hourly BG monitoring before and after meal to understand my body’s BG utilization after eating different food. I increased my exercise intensity or alternating exercise type (walking to jogging to running) to keep my BGs in normal range. After three months, my BGs returned to normal range and I took no medication in the next 10 years. I thought that I was “normal”(Dr.’s wrong advice) and actively engages in non-profit activities. My body weight slightly increased and I was put on medications for another 10 years. Thereafter, I was dispatched to project sites in foreign countries by my company in 2010. With long working hours and good food at the campsite canteen, I gained weight and started short release insulin injection. Where am I heading?
I was diagnosed T2 34 years ago and I was at the normal weight for my height, in fact a bit low, and I was exercising regularly, but I needed medication immediately, and was on insulin within 5 years. I’m now on an insulin pump. I don’t do extremely low-carb, but I do try to keep it under 125/day (otherwise I keep going low.)
My best friend, who has been extremely thin all her life and who is an exercise freak, was diagnosed pre-diabetic about five years ago and just recently had to start on metformin, despite eating a very healthy diet.
There is no one description that fits all T2’s. It runs in my family, as it runs in my friend’s family, and none of our parents were at all overweight.
Just a suggestion, if low carb, weight loss and exercise worked before, Maybe that is is future for better control?
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Thanks. I am working on weight loss.
T2 here. Diabetes does not “run” in the family. Only myself and my paternal grandfather. Who was diagnosed at the same age as I was (early 60’s). But not even anyone considered to be pre diabetic.
10 years ago at age of 63 I was diagnosed as a T2 or possible LADA, BG 325 first A1c 12.0. I was offered insulin but the doctor wanted me to try diet and exercise and recommended a great education program, where I learned all the good stuff about counting carbs and eating to my meter. Which I still do. For several years I tested before and after meals, recorded the food and my reaction.
I was also started me on Metformin. Which later I stopped because it over corrected my liver.
Now at 73 my A1c is usually in the mid 5’s, bg this morning 91. Diet and exercise only no diabetes medication.
A few years ago as an experiment I ate half of a bagel (dumb idea). BG soared to over 300 and it took me a week to get it back down. So no magic I am still a diabetic.
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I was diagnosed with T2 in 2003. Metformin and diet controlled it fine for 8 years and then I became pregnant in 2011 and had to go on insulin to maintain control. Postpartum I returned to metformin but it wasn’t as effective even at increased dosages even with good diet control and my A1C shot up to 12. In 2016 I returned to taking insulin, first a once daily dose of Tresiba which brought it down a little and then adding Humalog for bolus and my A1C went back into the 6.5-7.0 range. I had a formulary change this year so I had to swap Tresiba for Toujeo and while we were fine tuning that my A1C rose up to 8.0 but the last two months have been great so I think my next labs should be better. I also eat fairly low carb and track everything religiously in the mySugr app.
My mother also had T2 and wasn’t at all compliant with diet, exercise, or medication dosing. Sadly she had a lot of complications and passed away from a heart attack last year at 61. I am determined to take much better care of myself and be here for the long haul.
I have been able to manage my diabetes for over 3 years with diet and exercise. I believe that there are many type 2’s that could but I also believe there are many that have enough beta cell damage at diagnosis that they will always require medications to help. I don’t understand why Drs don’t send patient to the dietitian as soon as they are diagnosed and I don’t understand why any patient would put off seeing a dietitian or taking healthy eating classes. Type 1’s and 2’s both need to be eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight. I eat carbs, I use plate method eating and it is what has worked best for me.
@Cindy_Lou your points are very valid. I personally think that many insurance companies don’t push the nutritional aspects because it’s cheaper to push metformin. Also, many people are on employer plans, and will most likely be another insurers problem in a few years. Seems shortsighted, because the problems just keep getting redistributed instead of managed.
Just my opinion… (and $2 will get you a. Small 
)
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Type 2 is I think more challenging to manage than type 1. And there are so many ways to try and manage it. I have meet many who diet and exercise are all they need. And many who have done well with this approach but over the years need medications to help with blood sugar control. And than those that need insulin to get that control.
There is no right or wrong approach.it is whatever you need to manage your diabetes. And if you progress to medications or insulin, that does not mean there was failure on anyone’s handling of it. It can be a progressive disease that may lead one to insulin. All I can say is you need whatever you need to try and control your blood sugars.
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Just a note T2 is not always progressive, especially when you control your carb intake.
And as a T2, T1 is by far a more difficult situation.
I am not happy talking about T2 as if it was one disease. I understand there are lots of different forms of T2 which are not properly diagnosed because the treatment is the same for all. Therefore it stands to reason that not everyone can control their diabetes with just diet and exercise, however hard they try.
There is such a high blame rate attached to T2 that it is not kind to insist people are not doing enough to control their disease.
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T2 here for over a decade, diet and exercise only so far. I don’t agree with your statement at all. Both types have their unique challenges. Both will kill you if you don’t learn how to take care of yourself.
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