As is well known, after getting diabetes, most diabetic friends have to deal with various types of blood sugar-lowering drugs and insulin all the time.
However, some diabetic friends can maintain stable blood sugar without medication or injections. Can some diabetics really manage without medication? What’s going on?
Endocrinologists say: there is indeed a portion of diabetic friends who can control blood sugar well without medication or injections, mainly under the following circumstances:
First, gestational diabetes postpartum
For most gestational diabetes patients, blood sugar can return to normal range after delivery, usually around 6 weeks postpartum, a glucose tolerance test can be performed. These individuals do not need to continue insulin therapy to control blood sugar postpartum.
However, it is important to note that women who had gestational diabetes are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those without gestational diabetes.
So, don’t assume that your blood sugar is normal after giving birth and you can skip injections – lifestyle adjustments are still necessary.
Furthermore, it is recommended to undergo an oral glucose tolerance test every 3 years or so to assess blood sugar levels on a lifelong basis.
Second, newly diagnosed with mild condition
For those newly diagnosed with diabetes, but with a mild condition, after a period of lifestyle intervention, it is possible to manage blood sugar well without medication.
Usually, these patients have a less severe condition, with not too much decline in pancreatic β-cell function. Under medical and professional guidance, dietary and exercise modifications can help regulate blood sugar.
However, these individuals must monitor blood sugar diligently, including fasting blood sugar, 2-hour postprandial blood sugar, and undergo hemoglobin A1c testing every 3 months.
If blood sugar or hemoglobin A1c levels exceed the target, medication therapy under medical guidance is necessary.
Third, secondary diabetes
Secondary diabetes refers to diabetes caused by known factors leading to inadequate endocrine function in the pancreas, such as inflammation, tumors, surgery, or other injuries, as well as certain endocrine disorders (acromegaly, Cushing’s syndrome, hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytoma, and syndromes mimicking cancer, etc.
After resolving the secondary factors, such as discontinuing medication, curing or alleviating related diseases, blood sugar can return to normal in some diabetic patients, eliminating the need for medication.
Fourth, diabetes “honeymoon period”
Some diabetic friends experience symptom relief and blood sugar normalization after treatment, and can control blood sugar through diet and exercise under medical supervision for a period, known as the honeymoon period.
The honeymoon period can occur in both type 1 and type 2 diabetics, and the earlier the diabetes is detected and treated, the more likely the honeymoon period is to occur. The duration of the honeymoon period varies, from a few weeks to several years.
However, even during the honeymoon period, blood sugar must be strictly monitored. If diet and exercise alone no longer control blood sugar, medication or insulin therapy should be resumed promptly under medical guidance.
Except for these cases, most diabetic individuals still need to use medication. In addition to medication and insulin, comprehensive lifestyle interventions are also essential, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, proper blood sugar monitoring, ideally developing a suitable treatment plan under a doctor’s guidance according to individual conditions.
