Can Type II Diabetes Be Reversed?

[Daffy]

Hello. I'm a new member and scrolled thru posts to see if this question has been asked before. I apologize in advance if it has.

I have been told that type 2 diabetes CAN be reversed and others have stated that it CANNOT be reversed.

Are you a diabetic for life even if one is able to reverse it, have constant normal glucose levels?

Is there proof, a web link, showing that diabetes can be reversed?

Thanks for all your help.

[princesslinda]

Hi Daffy, welcome. Unfortunately, once you have diabetes, you get to keep it FOREVER. The GOOD NEWS is that you can, however, greatly lower your risks for problems/complications by keeping your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible, whether you do this by diet/exercise/medications/insulin.

There are many who make radical lifestyle changes and through these changes are able to have "non-diabetic" blood sugar levels, but even these people can't just eat anything they want and have good numbers.

If someone has managed to normalize their blood sugars, if they go back to their "old ways" of eating, their blood sugars would certainly go back to diabetic levels.

[Kim_in_TN]

Unfortunately PrincessLinda is correct! I remember when my doctor 1st told me that I had Diabetes. I found every way possible to get her to say that it wasn't true or wasn't permanent. By the time it was over, I had her giggling at my efforts to downplay the diagnosis. She clearly told me that you either do or do not have it, and I do!

[buddy7]

Hi --Daffy !!

I have been told that type 2 diabetes CAN be reversed and others have stated that it CANNOT be reversed.

Sorry to say DAF! most posters will tell you this, once a diabetic, you'll always be a diabetic, no chance of it being reversed, a similar story as Kim-in-Tn,fellow poster, was told to me, by my Doctor when i was first diagnose, you will now have diabetes for the rest of your life.

My advice to you, it can be controlled, 1st, your Medication, diets, exercise etc, etc, I'm sure fellow posters will be more than happy to give you all the good advice, on this forum, I can only say you've come to the right place, you won't regret it, good evening and welcome to the forum.

B/7 ESSEXUK.

[Harold]

Depends on why you have diabetes. Reversal has been documented in the morbidly obese post gastric surgery. Also a study was done on those with glucose intolerance that showed with diet, exercise, and oral medications the intolerance could be reversed. However they were not dx'd with full blown diabetes. Diabetes or secondary diabetes may disappear when the overlying cause has been taken care of. General speaking though type 2 is not reversible.

[volleyball]

When you read the fine print for all those cures, you read that blood sugars have normalized enough to not require medication.

This is not a cure, more like remission.

I consider myself a person with diabetes. My BS goes high but I do not take meds. Only for an initial period of less than 2 months. They did not cure me

[gelchick]

If you have bariatric surgery and you regain the weight ( which many people do), the diabetes comes right back. Anybody can enjoy normal blood sugar levels if they eat six to eight 4-ounce meals a day. And since so little food can be eaten, bariatric patients are told to eat protein and fat first, carbs last.

[Daffy]

Thank you all for replying so quickly to my post. My wife posted on the MedHelp forum and got this reply by Dr Ramsetty;

by Anita Ramsetty, MD

Hi,
I think some of the problem is in terminology and not necessarily the mechanics of the diagnosis. For example, heart disease: once you have that diagnosis, you always have it even after a stent, or even bypass. Some people think of diabetes this way. I am of the other camp: I do not always label people with diabetes if they now have normal blood sugars when off all medications. That does not fit the diagnostic guideline. What I do say is that there is a HISTORY of diabetes, and this is important to include because even if blood sugars become normal again, you will be at higher risk than normal for going back towards high glucoses in the future.
Hope this answers your question.
take care.

[pdxdennisj]

Washington Post:

"The study involves 10,251 type 2 diabetes patients ages 40 to 82 at 77 sites in the United States and Canada at high risk for heart disease for any reason, such as having high blood pressure, high cholesterol or being obese. About half the patients were placed on a regimen combining diet and exercise with drugs designed to lower their blood sugar levels to that of the average person with diabetes, while the other half was put on a more intensive regimen designed to drive it closer to that of someone without diabetes. The patients were also divided further into those who also received blood pressure-lowering medication or drugs to improve their cholesterol levels.

After about four years, about half of the participants in the intensive treatment group achieved blood sugar levels close to normal and about half the patients in the standard treatment group achieved levels close to the average diabetic's. "

[Alice]

My personal (non scientific belief) is that there are many causes of Type 2 (metabolic) ...more than Type 1 (autoimmune).

I also think that some "symptoms" can be reversed...more than the actual disease.

[REDLAN]

I think the question is better posed as....

can the blood sugars of people with type 2 diabetes be normalised?

and the answer to this question is an emphatic yes. It can be.

gastric bypass surgery will normalise blood sugars for around 80% of those treated (I believe it is claimed to be of this order) - however this treatment involves a permanent and some (including me) would say extreme change in lifestyle.

the study quoted by pdxdennis, all you need to note are the words "

more intensive regimen

people without type 2 do not need to adopt lifestyles where they restrict calories, exercise regularly, have stomach surgery or take medications in order to maintain normal blood sugars.

it's not cure, it's treatment - stop the treatment and insulin resistance will return.

[artlizard]

Once you have it, you got it for life! The good news is there is a chance to not have to take meds etc. A friend was on insulin and oral meds and thru weight loss, diet, and plenty of exercising is now off all meds and insulin and "controls" her D.

However even off all drugs she is D and has to watch her diet.

[marcia87]

I just read that those who have lap band surgery are no longer diabetic. Unfortunately (or not) for me, I weigh 115 lbs.

Marcia

[artlizard]

I guess the bad thing is that even if you are "no longer diabetic", there is always the chance that damage was done to your liver, kidneys, eyes, nerves, etc while you were diabetic and you still have to deal with those issues.

[mike9876]

One day in the far distant future diabetes will be reversed, who knows what will be developed in the next 100 years or so.

The best thing to do is eat a health diet watch how much carbs you eat and get plenty of exercise. When I say exercise a couple of hours a day, which isn't always easy to fit in with all other demands in a busy day.

I try and go to the gym at least 4 times per week to tone muscles and walk most days at least 2 to 3 miles but try to average 5 miles a day. Well that is when a injury I have heals.