AIBU to keep type 2 diabetes secret to reverse it?

[MoFro]

Got blood test results back today and I have type 2 diabetes 😩
I’ve put on weight over last few months and eating more junk, exercising less.

I am embarrassed about the diagnosis.

It runs in our family so knew it was a strong possibility that id get it at some stage but I’ve been too lazy/burying head in sand to do anything about it.

I don’t want to tell DH or kids - I feel ashamed as type 2 is diet related so it’s my fault. I just need the willpower and motivation to do something about it which has always been my biggest challenge!

I’m almost 50 and not very active, WFH and watch far too much TV, eat too much junk so am entirely to blame! I need to make changes but never stick to the good stuff! Diabetic nurse will contact me in 2 weeks apparently but I know I need to start ASAP I have the Michael moseley boood sugar book but couldn’t stick to it so that’s probably my starting point?

Anyone else reversed their diagnosis? Any tips please?

Thank you x

I'd ignored my type 2 diagnosis for several years but when a small cut in my foot turned into a major infection I gave myself a shake and did the fasting 800. Successfully reversed it!! I put weight back on because the diet itself is pretty drastic but my diabetes remains in remission, I haven't went back to all the bad habits I have but do enjoy normal food. It's hard but worth it

DH reversed his by stopping alcohol, cutting out the biscuits, crisps and not eating so much bread-lowering his carbs really. All this helped him lose the weight & reverse it. He still has annual blood tests but his results have been normal for a few years now. He did put more weight back on over lock down but has reigned his eating in again so they are pleased with him & his results are still good.
I do think it would be an idea to tell your DH though, he could help you by being supportive?
www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/type-2-reverse

Isn’t T2D permanent? It can go into remission but once you have it youlll have it indefinitely?

Yes, weight loss is key. Portion control, low cal diet and reducing alcohol if you drink it.
In term of carbs, see below.
What was your HbA1c and are you on medication? You need to be very careful cutting out carbs if you are certain drugs.
Mediterranean diet is ideal, consider blood sugar diet if not on meds.

Get a referral to the Diabetic education course---it can be useful.

And Google Glycaemic Index (GI) foods-- it lists all foods by GI content and what is best for diabetics.

documents.hants.gov.uk/hms/HealthyEatingontheRun-LowGlycemicIndexFoodList.pdf

I have T2D - had it for about three years. Was 49 when diagnosed. Not overweight, fairly active, healthy diet. It happens. I didn’t tell people for a long while because of this belief that it’s diet related/being overweight. I low carbed and got my bloods down initially but after the lockdown they’d increased - and unlike many people I hadn’t gained lockdown pounds and had been more active as I hadn’t had the commute. I just try and take control and if I veer off my low carb diet periodically, I don’t stress about it. I do think it’s all about your attitude towards it. There’s very many people out there who will have worse diets and who will be more overweight who don’t have it. Just the luck of the draw in many ways.

if you think they will be supportive of changes in your diet and lifestyle and encourage you to make progress then I would tell them.
If you think they will nag, judge and humiliate you I wouldn't necessarily tell them especially if you think it would make your mood go down and result in comfort eating and further weight gain. You don't have to share your confidential medical information with family if you don't want to. Why you would be with people so unsupportive would be a different matter though. Just don't lie or miss things out on thing like insurance forms.

@user1471447924

Isn’t T2D permanent? It can go into remission but once you have it youlll have it indefinitely?

Yes, technically. Saying 'reverse' is a bit of a misnomer. It is T2DM in Remission and the patient will need yearly checks still as will remain at risk of it coming back if uncontrolled with diet and exercise and/or meds.

I wouldn't keep it secret from your DH no, it may be the difference between getting the correct medical treatment quickly or not.

My mum is a type 2 diabetic “in remission”. If she turned up at a doctor’s surgery and they did her blood tests her numbers are such that she would not be diagnosed as T2.

She lost over 3 stone (BMI from 28 to 22). No special diet - just very motivated to “eat less, move more”.

Her view was that if being diagnosed with T2 wasn’t enough to make her lose weight then nothing would be. And she didn’t want to die fat. And she really didn’t want to die early because she was fat.

Thank you all ❤️

No meds yet, just a text from Drs after blood test results, nurse will contact me in 2 weeks so have time to get started.

I don’t drink or smoke, so that’s something!

It’s the food I need to sort out, and start walking again - I’m prob only doing 2000 steps a day. Way too many carbs and sweet stuff.

I’ll check out the links and get shopping tomorrow xx

@Mumoftwoinprimary

My mum is a type 2 diabetic “in remission”. If she turned up at a doctor’s surgery and they did her blood tests her numbers are such that she would not be diagnosed as T2.

She lost over 3 stone (BMI from 28 to 22). No special diet - just very motivated to “eat less, move more”.

Her view was that if being diagnosed with T2 wasn’t enough to make her lose weight then nothing would be. And she didn’t want to die fat. And she really didn’t want to die early because she was fat.

❤️❤️ well done to your mum! I do feel this is self inflicted and I’m potentially killing myself by being lazy so need to sort it, like your mum did 👍🏽

Good point. Hoping I can get tested again in a few weeks and not need to even start any medication.

If they are going to keep you on the straight and narrow you should tell your family. Better to be open and get through the embarrassment than hide it and struggle

I’ve been type 2 for over 2 years and mine is in remission. I used my fitness pal to log all food and drink and kept my carbs to 100g per day. As a result I lost 7st and am a new women. My diagnosis was the kick up the arse I needed. My husband has been a great support and has helped by finding me low carb alternative recipes and has incorporated these into our everyday diet.

I'm 59 and was in your position. I told my dh as I needed his support but no one else.

I followed Michael Mosley Fast 800 for eight weeks. I bought 3 of his books for as much choice as possible over food because I'm vegetarian. I lost 26 lbs and reversed my diagnosis.

I had a 300 ish calorie lunch, a mid afternoon latte and a 400 ish calorie evening meal. Could not have done it without the latte!

I got diabetes over lockdown. I use a blood glucose monitor and I have got myself down into the normal range but don't consider I've reversed it yet.

I got the abridged version of Prof Roy Taylors book. It's a very quick read.
To reverse it, you need to lose weight.
You can lose it any way you like.
You can lose it fast or you can lose it slowly. It won't make any difference to the reversal if you lose it slowly, it will just take longer. His research showed that those who lost weight faster, stayed more motivated.
If you go onto medication, you need to be regularly monitored because as you lose weight and your blood glucose drops, your medication will need adjusting. (Not from his book - many nhs doctors are not on board or up to date with what he's saying and therefore won't do regular monitoring because they don't believe diabetes can be reversed.)

I got his book from amazon, 4.99 I think. I'm not a relative. Hehe. Other books about this are mainly based on his research. There are no recipes in it I don't think. Many NHS GPS and diabetes nurses are not up to date over the current research

It's your business who you do or don't tell. Just say you're on a diet. No need to say why.

@ITakeCharge

if you think they will be supportive of changes in your diet and lifestyle and encourage you to make progress then I would tell them. If you think they will nag, judge and humiliate you I wouldn't necessarily tell them especially if you think it would make your mood go down and result in comfort eating and further weight gain. You don't have to share your confidential medical information with family if you don't want to. Why you would be with people so unsupportive would be a different matter though. Just don't lie or miss things out on thing like insurance forms.

DH and kids will be very supportive - I just feel embarrassed! We keep talking about eating better and exercising more but don’t do it regularly so maybe I do tell him and it’ll get us both losing weight and getting fitter together - DH is a couple of stone over weight but generally walks a lot at work and eats less junk food than me. He cooks a lot and does do more fresh food and veg than me 😬

We go through good weeks and bad weeks with food so need to really pay attention and stick to it.
I know it’s not rocket science but I just make it into a bigger deal than it needs to be 😩

Weather and lighter days will help with getting out for walks

@MoFro

Thank you all ❤️

No meds yet, just a text from Drs after blood test results, nurse will contact me in 2 weeks so have time to get started.

I don’t drink or smoke, so that’s something!

It’s the food I need to sort out, and start walking again - I’m prob only doing 2000 steps a day. Way too many carbs and sweet stuff.

I’ll check out the links and get shopping tomorrow xx

You are not alone, OP.

Not all type 2 diabetes is diet related. I'm sick of the stigma associated with it. You say it's in the family, so it genetic and you probably won't be able to reverse it.

I was diagnosed type 2 when I was super fit, super healthy and 30. All wrong indicators.

I get pissed off when people tell me I can reverse - how? Stop listening to the crap you read in the papers and tell everyone you have it.

Stop eating refined sugar - eat fruit 2/3 times a day. Keep carbs down to 50 - 60g per meal, keep hard fats low and eat high, good quality proteins.

Diabetes is a really dangerous condition, manage it well and you'll still end up on insulin with impacts to your nerves, brain, kidneys, eyes and liver. When you're ill you consume insulin like its going out of fashion which makes the bodys response to illness less effective. You will need flu have, pneumonia jabs etc to give you protection from potential death.

Thankfully there will be a cure soon - cures are focused on type 1, but understanding why cells of type 2 diabetics reject insulin is ongoing research. If they learn how to prevent this, thry will reverse type 2 for all of us not just those who can reverse it through diet!

I’d really recommend ‘The Obesity Code’ by Jason Fung. It’s a bit sciencey, but it’s what MM’s work draws on. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get all the science, because it will help you feel better about how T2D develops and how it isn’t your fault, and then you won’t feel so ashamed. It will also help you to make changes. I guarantee it will dramatically change how you feel about your diagnosis.

@moonbedazzled

I got diabetes over lockdown. I use a blood glucose monitor and I have got myself down into the normal range but don't consider I've reversed it yet.

I got the abridged version of Prof Roy Taylors book. It's a very quick read.
To reverse it, you need to lose weight.
You can lose it any way you like.
You can lose it fast or you can lose it slowly. It won't make any difference to the reversal if you lose it slowly, it will just take longer. His research showed that those who lost weight faster, stayed more motivated.
If you go onto medication, you need to be regularly monitored because as you lose weight and your blood glucose drops, your medication will need adjusting. (Not from his book - many nhs doctors are not on board or up to date with what he's saying and therefore won't do regular monitoring because they don't believe diabetes can be reversed.)

I got his book from amazon, 4.99 I think. I'm not a relative. Hehe. Other books about this are mainly based on his research. There are no recipes in it I don't think. Many NHS GPS and diabetes nurses are not up to date over the current research

It's your business who you do or don't tell. Just say you're on a diet. No need to say why.

As I said it won't work for all type 2s. I was on his radio show and he said I was unlucky! Around 20%of type 2s can't reverse it.

OP good luck

Well said @Booboobagins