Does any one know about T2 Diabetes and if fasting will help with B Thal Minor?

Hi Everyone!

My name is Anna and I am so happy to have found this community.  All my life I have struggled with fatigue and being accused of just being lazy etc. I found out I was Beta Thal minor when we had some infertility issues and they said I have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome as well.
Despite my best efforts I am now obese, suffering from Type 2 Diabetes and my body seems worn out after my second pregnancy. Both pregnancies I suffered from Gestational diabetes but after my second child, my diabetes has just gotten worse and worse and I seem to stay swollen. I mean, I look about 8 months pregnant and don't feel like I have fully recovered.

One of my sons, almost 5 yrs old is confirmed Beta Thal Minor. Here in Sweden they do not consider Thalassemia minor anything special : not a disease or a condition that requires any consideration in our health care. The Drs said that my 2nd son (2 yrs old) will not be tested to see if he is Beta Thal minor.

I am constantly met dismissive attitudes or people who have never heard of it (my midwife and dentist, my diabetes nurse).

Many of the things I have been trying to do to improve my T2 Diabetes don't seem to be working. The metformin makes me feel like I have a really bad flu :(pain everywhere and constant digestive issues, dizzyness, nausea, feeling like my heart will explode.
I am desperate to get off the metformin and try to beat this naturally. Does anyone have any tips?

I read that T2 Diabetes can occur when a person is anemic and that lead me to find other articles which say that thalassemia can affect blood sugar and insulin resistance is quite common but nothing much in how to help it. Not sure what I can do to make sure my children have the correct supplements and diet which may help make sure my children don't get T2 diabetes.

Also I was wondering if fasting, like the Dr Michael Moseley 2 days fasting per week would help or be detrimental to thalassemia minors?

Sorry it is so long and there are som many questions but I just keep confusing myself when I read the litterature on the net. It is frustrating that most studies and results may not have the same desired results for thals. 

Thanks in advance for any help.

There is no direct connection between thal minor and diabetes. Your weight problem is the culprit in regards to diabetes. I want to make sure that the thyroid has been checked out, as a low thyroid can add to weight gain.

Thal minor does deplete various nutrients and this can add to your health problems. Please review the post at
http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php/topic,4890.msg46774.html#msg46774
Pay special attention to the advice about vitamin D. I think testing for D should be a first step (thyroid testing is also warranted if not already done). Getting your D level into a normal range above 35 can help with weight loss.

The fasting diet can help if you are disciplined. I am not a big fan of diets, as what is truly needed are permanent changes that lead to a healthier diet and lifestyle, and diets always have that "temporary" connotation about them. However, if one can become determined through a diet, that determination can remain after the course of the diet is over, and the diet should be approached with the attitude that permanent changes should be made.

Than you so much Andy! Your help is immensely appreciated.
I am going to buy the supplements you suggested and try to adjust the family's diet and lifestyle for the better. I would love to sort out the T2 diabetes without the help of metformin if possible. It's a challenge to try and cure things naturally since some things could be detrimental to thalassemia or just plain not work.

I will bring up the thyroid question with my Dr as soon as I get an appointment. I to have other symptoms that could indicate thyroid issues (depending on which website you read) like the dry brittle hair, hair shedding, dry patches of skin like in my wrist creases, abdominal obesity that also seems to feel like I carry alot of fluid in my abdominal cavity while my legs and arms are skinnier,...

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and for giving me the link. It is awesome what you do for this community!

Now off to read up more in the forums...

Some of the symptoms mentioned do support possible thyroid disease but are also characteristic of low vitamin D. Get tested. I personally found weight loss easier when my D level was corrected. Have the thyroid checked also. I empathize with your desire to rid yourself of the diabetes med. A dietary and nutritional approach can be of much help. I would also suggest that drinking tea become a daily habit, as the antioxidants in tea are of great value.

Andy, I want to thank you and wanted to update because I have had huge success in reducing my high blood glucose levels since taking the supplements you recommended for Beta thal minor.

I got my Folic Acid, Zinc, Vit E, magnesium and Vit D3 2 days after your response. I also started drinking tea - black and green. That weekend my body felt like how I imagine a car engine would feel after getting brand new oil after not being serviced in a long time. Less aches,  pains and stiffness, more energy, less angst... Then during the following week my fasting glucose levels dropped to 9.7 mmol/dl (Before starting the Metformin again). I used to average 10-12 mmol/dl. 10 being the lowest I could get my levels not matter what I tried even on Metformin.

This week my fasting glucose levels are averaging 8.5 mmol/dl. I am in no way cured but this gives me great hope that I will soon be able to get off the Metformin as long as I keep my diet healthy and continue to exercise.

I think having children depleted my reserves of certain vitamins and mineral and the supplements have enabled my body to concentrate on healing and dealing with my diabetes. I am giving my son, who is also beta minor, smaller amounts of my supplement but wanted to go and find more exact amounts that would fit a  5 year old. He has started saying that he feels tired.

Thank you so much for all the help, I am sure it has and will continue to change my health for the better. I will continue to read and learn from this site.

 What a wonderful legacy Lisa Csmmilleri has left for us all, what an exceptional person. You are all exceptional for doing so much everyone! THANK YOU !!!

Quick update: at the time of my last post my HbA1c value had slowly crept up to 7.2 mmol/l and the Dr wanted to put me on another medication with Metformin. I begged him to let me wait a little longer before starting the new medication to retest my HbA1c and see if I could just try the metformin in again on it's own. He reluctantly agreed.

So I got retested yesterday and my HbA1c test was 5.2 mmol/l  I am pretty sure they (my Dr, nurse and the lab tech) were completely baffled that my numbers had fallen so quickly. They were in the lab for quite awhile. I was told that I should go home and continue doing what I was doing and keep taking metformin 3 x a day.

I just knew that with the help of the supplements recommended here, I could kick this and maybe even get off the metformin in the future. The aim is for me to have an HbA1c value of around 4.2mmol/l  I am pretty sure I will reach that by the time I go back for a check up in the fall.

So once again, thank you Andy. You and this forum have given me a better outcome for my and my son's health but especially in making the beta thalassemia minor symptoms bearable.

You should be aware that HbA1c tests are virtually useless in thal minors unless diabetes is already diagnosed. The test often comes out high in minors because of variant hemoglobin being measured and is not any indication that diabetes is present. Glucose tests should be relied on instead.

Glad to hear you're have some improvements.