I started this blog six years ago to document my journey with Type 2 diabetes and fasting. I took a bit of a break from the blogging since 2019 when my fasting doctor told me that despite doing “everything right” on that program, that my case of diabetes was likely too advanced to solve with fasting alone. I wanted to update readers with this post just to provide an update on how everything has been going.
For other health reasons (e.g., mitochondrial function), I am still a fan of fasting, but the fasting itself didn’t really halt the progression of my disease. For context, my Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure have progressed to the level where I now have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and gout. To stem further progression, I have been on a more advanced drug program for the past several years.
Unlike my previous attempts with drugs, my A1C has been stable (between 6.3 and 6.6) since then. My whole drug program for the diabetes, CKD, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and gout are:
- Ozempic 1mg (for diabetes – $788.46 / mo)
- Jardiance 25mg (for CKD and diabetes – $417.34 / mo)
- Rosuvastatin Calcium 25mg (for high cholesterol – $0 copay / mo)
- Losartan Potassium 100mg (for high blood pressure – $2.00 / mo)
- Allipurinol 100mg (for gout – $10.85 / mo)
The Ozempic really did prove to be a miracle drug in that it was the first drug for me that had the efficacy of sufficiently lowering A1C without the resultant lethargy, tiredness, and weakness. Of course, I also didn’t really get the benefit that Hollywood actors and fashion models get with the weight loss on Ozempic, but its impact on lowering my A1C and keeping my blood glucose under control have seemed to slow the progression of the disease.
My drug program now is significantly higher in cost than when Healthline covered my case in 2018. With my insurance out-of-pocket maximum at $7,500, I now regularly hit the out-of-pocket maximum on drugs alone, so the doctor visits are now effectively “free.” Instead of about $200 / month as cited six years ago, my monthly cost is now $625 per month ($7500 / 12) on top of the insurance premiums I would pay anyway. My insurance also covers the costs of all the diabetes test strips thanks to Livongo.
I remain a fan of natural health, but in my case, there has also been room for Western Medicine. The one question I have in my mind is whether Ozempic has an impact on mental health. Overall, I’ve found that I have lost some motivation overall, and in this case to write blogs!
Are any of you on a similar program now?
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