I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in 2008 and the age of 28. At the time I was around 230lbs and my doctor wanted to give me the opportunity to try and lose weight and manage my blood glucose with diet and exercise.
I have been successful with managing my diabetes in this way since and have lost over 50lbs. I'm wondering if anyone else is also managing their diabetes in this way without medication.
Also, is it inevitable that I will end up on meds as I get older? Or will I be able to keep it in control for the rest of my life if I'm careful. I really want to avoid medication if at all possible, but people have told me that once I hit 50+ it will be fairly certain that I will be stuck on meds, and diet and exercise won't be effective anymore.
I truly don't believe that. I have been type II for over 15 years and about 100# overweight, taking two kinds of insulin. Since dieting (MRC) in Jan and losing over 30#, one insulin has been deleted and the second cut down to a minimal dosage. I will soon get to the stage where my doctor says I won't have to take any. My blood sugar is stable and within the guidelines. I eat a sensible, healthy diet but don't get a lot of exercise.
I feel sure you can prevent any further problems with the continuation of your healty lifestyle and excercise. Why should your age make any difference.
BTW, i'm 75 and loving' it.
The first time I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 maybe 20 yrs ago, my doctor told me I was one of the lucky ones who could control it with diet and exercise. I didn't have it again for years.
However about 3 years ago I stopped my low carb diet and I started gaining weight again and was diagnosed with it again last month. As a result I'm on meds trying to get it back down. I'm blessed that my numbers are not extremely high. My problem is getting back on the low carb plan. I know that is the answer for me.
I can't promise you will never have to take meds, but I would say don't gain weight like I did. If you low carb or whatever your plan is that works for you, stick with it. Just maybe you won't have to take meds. What does your doc say? My Daddy is 87 years old. He has never been on meds for diabetes. Never came close to being diabetic until a few years ago. If his blood tests come back and the doctor tells him that it is up a little bit, he gets right back his on low carb diet faithfully and his numbers go right back down. So who knows, just maybe you could be blessed the same way. I wish I had stayed on mine and never gained this weight back.
I had forgotten that my sister was also told she showed signs of diabetes when she was a teenager and put on a special diet. She is 63 yrs old and never had a problem with her blood sugar ever again even though she has had a weight problem in the past..
I was diagnosed with Type 2 about 20 years ago, and was put on meds. Then I lost weight, over 60 lbs. and was able to get off the meds totally.
Then I got sick, had pneumonia, and had to go back on the meds. I had maintained my weight loss, but I still had to go back on the medications.
Now my numbers are beginning to bounce around again, so the next time I see my doctor I may have to up the medications, we'll see.
As we age, the pancreas also ages.
Like I said, we are all different.
My advice, get yourself as healthy as you can for as long as you can. Hopefuly the diabetes will not be a problem for you. Also great advances are being made in the care and treatment of Type 2 that may be a big help for you.
I haven't been to the doctor in ages because I've been checking my blood sugars off and on and they are normal, sometimes even on the low end.
I suppose I am concerned because I thought that once your pancreas is damaged by the original diagnosis, no matter what you do over time it will required meds, but from the sounds of your replies...I have hope.
I must confess that some days (being a carb addict), I think "what the ****, I might as well eat what i want because I'll wind up on meds anyway". I recognize that to be a destructive and poor attitude and really I have control over whether I take care of myself or not.
I also sometimes play the "why me" card, how come I couldn't have better genes like some people...why did I have to have a parent and grandparent pass this disease down to me? Realistically I created my own problem and ate my way into diabetes. It's really my due that I now have to restrict and monitor my diet for the rest of my life.
Sigh...
I have to get used to the idea of not being able to enjoy the foods that made me gain weight and get sick. But to be honest, I am really starting to appreciate healthy foods and how they make me feel.
I hope that I can make it to 75 or 80 with no medication.
My SIL is approaching 50 and she has recently committed to fitness and diet and lost all her extra weight and got taken off her insulin and other stuff.
Managing Diabetes with diet & exercise
