by Shakti
(Philadelphia, PA)
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
By Shakti, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at age 26 and am now 52. Diabetes runs in my family. My father lived with it for 45 years and followed a disciplined plan of measured meals, walking, medication and regular glucose checks, but he later developed gangrene and required a leg amputation. I have also tried to stay active, eat carefully and take my medicine, although I have not always maintained his strict routine. I have used foods and herbs such as bitter melon, okra, cinnamon, ginger and green tea, but I believe lifestyle and medical treatment mattered more than the herbs. After 26 years, I now need insulin. My message is that type 2 diabetes requires long-term management of glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and other risks so that people can remain active and reduce complications.
Quick Answer
Shakti’s central message is valuable: living well with type 2 diabetes depends on sustainable habits, appropriate medication, regular medical follow-up and complication screening. However, needing insulin is not a failure, herbs have not been proven to prevent progression, and everyone does not need to check glucose every morning. Some people with type 2 diabetes can achieve remission, particularly after substantial sustained weight loss, but remission is not guaranteed and requires continued monitoring.
Response by Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc
Hello Shakti,
Thank you for sharing more than two decades of experience. Diabetes care is not about perfection, but returning to a safe plan, finding problems early and using appropriate treatment at each stage.
Type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance and gradual beta-cell loss. Over time, the pancreas may no longer make enough insulin even with a healthy lifestyle. Illness, aging and other conditions can also change treatment needs.
Insulin is one of several effective treatments. Starting it after many years does not mean that diet, exercise or earlier medicines failed. It means the treatment plan has been adjusted to the body’s current needs. Our insulin treatment guide explains how insulin can be used safely in type 2 diabetes.
It is more accurate to use the word remission rather than cure. Some people can maintain an HbA1c below the diabetes range for at least three months without glucose-lowering medicine, often after substantial and sustained weight loss. Remission is more likely earlier in the course of type 2 diabetes and may not be possible for everyone.
Glucose can rise again, so people in remission still need follow-up and screening for previous or ongoing complications. Someone who needs insulin after 26 years should not stop it in an attempt to achieve remission. Review the broader treatment options in our type 2 diabetes treatment guide.
Urine glucose testing was once common, but it cannot show the current blood glucose accurately and does not detect low glucose. Blood glucose meters, HbA1c and continuous glucose monitors provide more useful information.
People using insulin often benefit from frequent testing or a continuous glucose monitor. Those not using insulin may need less frequent checks unless treatment changes, glucose is unstable or illness occurs. Ask how often to test and what action each result requires.
Do not change medication doses from one isolated reading unless a clinician has provided a written adjustment plan. Our guide to blood sugar levels by time of day explains how fasting, before-meal and after-meal readings differ.
Bitter melon, okra, cinnamon, ginger and green tea can fit a meal plan, but none cures type 2 diabetes or prevents all complications. Supplements may vary in strength and interact with medicines.
Use a balanced, sustainable eating pattern with vegetables, legumes, minimally processed foods, suitable carbohydrate portions, protein and healthier fats. Limit sugary drinks and heavily processed foods rather than depending on one special ingredient.
Important: Never reduce insulin or another prescribed medicine because an herb appears to improve a few readings. Repeated low glucose or a consistent change in the glucose pattern should be reviewed by the prescribing clinician.
Your father’s amputation is a reminder that nerve damage, reduced circulation, pressure and infection can combine to produce a limb-threatening wound. Many amputations can be prevented through early recognition and coordinated foot care.
A wound that becomes black, infected, foul-smelling or increasingly swollen requires urgent assessment. See our page on diabetic foot ulcers and warning signs.
Long-term care also includes blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney health, smoking, weight, sleep and cardiovascular risk. Some newer medicines provide heart or kidney benefits in suitable patients.
Regular screening should include:
Our overview of diabetes complications and prevention explains why these checks remain important even when glucose appears controlled.
A realistic routine is better than an unsustainable rigid plan. Walking, resistance exercise, yoga or other activity can help when matched to health and fitness. Many adults aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly plus strength exercise, but shorter sessions still help.
Use your father’s discipline as inspiration without blaming yourself for needing different treatment. Modern care offers better monitoring, more medication choices and stronger complication prevention. See how to control diabetes safely.
This educational response does not replace individualized diabetes, insulin or complication-prevention advice.
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