By Casey, a Virta patient
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2007. I had previously known that I was predisposed to getting it, as it's hereditary on my dad's side of the family, but it was still depressing as I was also dealing with early-onset menopause as the result of a hysterectomy.
I started dieting and taking medication. The medication worked, but I had to take four different types just for diabetes—glipizide, januvia, invokana, and metformin. I constantly gained weight and had no energy. I couldn’t even exercise! I was frustrated because I couldn’t find a healthy and sustainable way to keep my diabetes in check.
Once, I thought that I could control my diabetes with fads like skipping meals and eating smaller portions, and I quit taking my meds. It was a huge mistake. In the end, I gave up and I stopped making my diabetes a priority and tried to ignore it. But it just kept getting worse. I wasn’t being the person or living the life I wanted.
I first heard about the Virta treatment from my employer, US Foods, where I’ve worked for 21 years as a Bid Sales Manager. They offered to cover the full cost of Virta, so I signed up in August of 2018. Since joining, I’ve seen my hemoglobin A1c go down to 5.3 and I’ve lost 30 pounds. At the direction of my Virta doctor, I’ve also stopped taking three diabetes medications and now only take metformin. It feels great!
Since starting the treatment, my entire sense of well-being has changed: I was so unhappy with myself physically, and it caused me to lose self-confidence in just about every area. Overall, I’m a much happier person. I feel like a new woman! I can exercise! My self-confidence is back and stronger than ever. This program is giving me my self-worth back, and I enjoy day-to-day living.
For me, I think the heart of the program is its customization to every individual and how their body responds. I also know it will be easy to sustain the changes for a lifetime because of the support offered by Virta. I think if someone is considering joining, I would tell them not to wait and to join now. Virta’s a real lifestyle change. While the weight loss is excellent, the overall impact on your life is priceless.
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