by Ec
VISITOR EXPERIENCE:
By E.C.
Soon after my father died, my glucose rose to almost 800 mg/dL and I was hospitalized. I left hospital on insulin twice daily but later chose Gymnema sylvestre instead. My readings reportedly fell into the 80s and 90s and later rose to about 350 mg/dL during a heart attack.
I restarted Gymnema and added bitter melon, then encouraged others to avoid insulin and diabetes pills.
Medical Perspective
Do not use this experience as instructions to stop insulin. Glucose near 800 mg/dL suggests a life-threatening hyperglycemic crisis. Some people with type 2 diabetes can later reduce insulin, but only after reviewing diabetes type, insulin production, HbA1c and glucose patterns. Gymnema and bitter melon cannot replace insulin in severe insulin deficiency.
Answer by Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc
Glucose near 800 mg/dL may occur with HHS, DKA or a mixed crisis and can cause dehydration, coma or death.
Hospital insulin and fluids were standard emergency treatment. Bereavement may worsen glucose through stress hormones, but it does not establish diabetes type or make insulin unnecessary.
Seek emergency care for very high glucose with vomiting, inability to drink, deep breathing, severe dehydration, confusion, unusual drowsiness, fainting or moderate-to-large ketones. Do not attempt to treat a hyperglycemic crisis with herbs.
Insulin is commonly started for extreme glucose, severe symptoms, ketones, weight loss or uncertain diabetes type. It rapidly corrects glucose toxicity.
Some people with type 2 diabetes later need less insulin. Others have type 1, LADA, ketosis-prone diabetes or severe insulin deficiency and must continue it.
ADA guidance recommends C-peptide before insulin discontinuation when diabetes classification is uncertain; islet autoantibodies may also help. Normal home readings alone are insufficient.
Review our insulin treatment guide.
Readings of 86–99 mg/dL are encouraging but do not show the full pattern. HbA1c and fasting and post-meal readings are more informative.
Type 2 remission generally means HbA1c below 6.5% for at least three months without glucose-lowering medicine. Monitoring must continue.
A heart attack can sharply raise glucose. A value around 350 mg/dL requires medical management and does not prove Gymnema is effective.
Some small Gymnema studies reported lower glucose or HbA1c, but samples were small, follow-up short and extracts inconsistent.
This does not establish Gymnema as an insulin replacement. Products vary in strength and purity, and long-term safety is uncertain.
Gymnema may add to insulin or tablet effects and increase hypoglycemia risk. Tell the clinician and monitor glucose. See our Gymnema discussion.
A 2024 review of randomized bitter-melon trials found no significant benefit over placebo for fasting glucose or HbA1c; studies were small and short.
Eating bitter melon as food differs from concentrated extracts. Supplement doses are not standardized and may interact with treatment.
Do not combine Gymnema, bitter melon, insulin and tablets without professional review.
Insulin is a natural human hormone. Manufactured insulin has predictable dose and purity, while herbal supplements may vary between products.
Judge treatment by evidence and safety, not the word “natural.” Diet, exercise, sleep and smoking cessation complement rather than automatically replace medicine.
Review our diabetes control guide and exercise guide.
After a heart attack, care must reduce glucose and cardiovascular risk. Treatment may include glucose-lowering, cholesterol, blood-pressure and antiplatelet medicines.
Supplements must not replace secondary-prevention medicines and may affect glucose, bleeding or cardiac treatment.
If insulin is reduced, monitor more often and set clear thresholds for contacting the care team.
Do not advise others to avoid insulin. The same symptom or glucose reading may represent type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, LADA, ketosis-prone diabetes or another condition. A decision that appeared safe for one person could cause DKA, HHS, coma or death in another.
This discussion does not support stopping insulin or heart medicine without supervised replacement.
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