by Jerry, on Virta for 7 months
When I first received the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, I felt pretty upset with myself. I had been warned by my doctor about the risk of developing type 2 diabetes when my A1c was in the prediabetic range (between 5.7% and 6.4%), but I hadn't taken it seriously. I was only in my early 30s, so I thought, “How could this have happened to me?”
At first, I was in denial. My doctor prescribed metformin to control my blood sugar. While taking metformin, I experienced terrible GI side effects. I continued the same horrible diet, which caused my blood sugar numbers to keep going up, even with the medicine. The doctor had to increase my dosage, which just gave me even more GI troubles.
Diabetes also really messed with my energy. I felt sluggish all the time and had a constant fuzzy feeling mentally. I struggled to sleep and would wake up sweating in the middle of the night.
When I started feeling tingling in my legs and feet, I was terrified. I knew something was really wrong, and I worried about the possibility of losing my eyesight and my limbs. People would always say, "It's a progressive disease that gets worse as you get older." If I’m only in my 30s now, the thought of my 40s and 50s did not seem too promising. I knew many people who had passed away due to diabetes complications, and I was afraid that I might have the same fate if I didn't address it.
I first tried making some serious lifestyle changes, such as high intensity workouts and enrolling in personal training, but this made me hungrier, so I ate more carbs. I’ve also tried paleo and keto diets on my own, but nothing stuck.
Then I found out about Virta through the "Keto for Diabetics" Facebook group as a possible treatment that could help you stay in nutritional ketosis. I decided to join Virta in March 2019, three years after my type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Since starting Virta, my A1c has decreased from 8.3% to 5.5%, and I am now off metformin, as well as losartan! My blood pressure is now within the normal range, and my weight is down 61 pounds, from 275 to 214. We celebrated the day that my Virta provider said that I didn’t need the diabetes meds anymore. My wife was in tears and so happy, and my parents were also excited about the news.
My confidence has gone up a lot since joining Virta. I have more energy than I’ve felt in years! I wake up with a much more positive attitude and am ready for any challenge, any day. There is now less pressure on my knees and feet so I can enjoy trying new sports. I'm also back to doing karate after 20+ years. Just a few weekends ago, I won the gold medal in the Men’s Advance Division at the 2019 Nikkei Games in Long Beach! It really feels like I’m turning back the clock, and my energy levels are like what I had in my 20s. It feels great!
For me, the key to reversing diabetes has been the Virta treatment. My amazing Virta health coaches are the best, and the mobile app helps me stay accountable. The moment I wake up, I put in my biomarkers and start my day. The coaches and doctors are there to keep me on track!
The communication between my primary care provider and the physicians at Virta are unparalleled. They are a diabetes reversal dream team that has become instrumental to my progress.
My take home message for anyone who has diabetes, newly onset or chronic, is this: the Virta treatment is the way to go. It worked for me. I feel better than I have ever felt before now that my diabetes is reversed without the use of medications. The Virta treatment is where you start down the path to a long and healthy life.
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