Finding Out I Can't Cure My Type 2 Diabetes

It wasn't until recently that I discovered I couldn't completely cure my type 2 diabetes with medicine or eating right. I was honestly shocked. Finding out I can't reverse or cure type 2 diabetes has changed how I feel about my approach to managing it.¹

My doctor didn't educate me about diabetes

I'm somewhat new to having type 2 diabetes. I was diagnosed just a few years ago. And honestly, I have to say that my previous doctor wasn't supportive. She'd simply tell me, "You're diabetic," then prescribe medicine. Of course, I researched but never learned that diabetes is not reversible.

I thought type 2 diabetes would go away

I can't totally blame my doctor for her lackadaisical approach to my diabetes diagnosis. Likewise, I have to take responsibility for myself. But after taking medication to lower my A1C and losing a lot of weight, I thought I was in the clear with diabetes once my A1C was back to normal.

Sure, I knew that I would have to continue maintaining a healthy A1C, but I thought that my health in terms of my diabetes diagnosis was back to "normal."

Seeing an advertisement that sparked my interest

Some advertisements get annoying, especially when you're watching your favorite TV show. But one particular advertisement really changed how I see type 2 diabetes.

One day I saw an ad on television about a specific treatment. I don't remember the medicine it was for, but the purpose of the medication was to lower your A1C.

In the ad, it mentioned that people with type 2 diabetes are still at risk for several health conditions, even after a lower A1C. That was the part that really caught my attention.

Learning that diabetes requires constant management

All this time, I was under the impression that losing weight, getting some exercise, and lowering my A1C were the things that would keep me healthy. And while all those things are imperative to your health, that doesn't mean I don't have type 2 diabetes anymore or that I can't have some of the health risks associated with the condition.

I struggle with healthy eating

One of my biggest challenges is eating healthily. It was easy for me to say, "My A1C is normal, and I've lost weight. Now I can eat whatever I want." It doesn't work that way.

I still struggle with eating nutritious meals that will keep my diabetes in check. I eat less, of course, and that's a good thing. But eating sweets and lots of fried foods isn't good for me, no matter what the numbers say. But like anything good for you, it takes work.

Remission is possible, but not reversal

If you do an online search about reversing type 2 diabetes, you'll see many ads that claim to do just that. But in medical journals and research studies, type 2 diabetes is considered an ongoing condition.

This is, you can mitigate some of the risks by properly managing the condition through lifestyle habits and medication, but it's not something that will just go away. Knowing that now means focusing more on what I eat, even if it's difficult.

Diabetes can be properly managed to reduce the risk of developing complications, yet it is still a chronic medical condition. Don't let the product ads fool you: you won't reverse diabetes, but you can better control it and even get into remission.