Can lifestyle changes help manage type 2 diabetes at 60?

Question

Hi doctor,

My mother is 60 years old and has been living with type 2 diabetes. Although there have not been any obvious indications that she is becoming worse as she ages, I am very concerned because she does not live the healthiest lifestyle in terms of her diet and weight. I make every effort I can to avoid bothering her and to stop her from getting angry frequently, which would cause her blood pressure to rise. Do you have any suggestions for how we should treat it? She has been consulting a doctor and does not use insulin but does take Dulaglutide for her appetite. Is there a plan I could assist her stick to, such as a particular diet or exercises she can perform at home? Is it possible to entirely eliminate type 2 diabetes?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for your query.

I need more details about her diabetes. Please answer the questions that follow:

1. For how long has she had diabetes?

2. What is the status of her diabetes normally?

3. What is her hemoglobin A1c (glycated hemoglobin) or the average sugar over the last two or three months?

4. Has she already experienced any diabetes-related complications, such as issues with her eyes, kidneys, heart, or feet?

5. Is she taking any other anti-diabetic medications? How are her blood pressure and lipids?

6. Have you done any recent blood tests?

If diabetes is not for a very long time and there are no complications, there are some patients who can reverse their diabetes with lifestyle modifications. However, if the condition has been present for a while and complications have developed, it is usually controlled with lifestyle modifications and drugs. Dulaglutide is a good drug, but mostly it needs to be given with some other drugs as well. It is not just to treat the sugar numbers, but most important is to prevent and treat diabetes complications. Treatment involves short-term and long-term goals, patient education, and motivation. There is no one diet to control or reverse diabetes. I suggest she takes a balanced diet with an emphasis on low carbohydrate portions and do physical activity. Simple walking can be beneficial if done routinely.

Please follow up for further assistance.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your query.

Just a spike of high sugar will not do anything unless it stays for a long time. The important thing is to keep sugars in a range. It is not advised to bring down sugar quickly with insulin in one shot. Fluctuating sugars, sometimes high, then low, then again high, are not good. So try to follow what I said in the previous message to keep sugars in a range. Getting high sugar once in a while is fine and should not be brought down with an insulin shot.

Hope this helps.

Thank you.