Diabetics have normal blood sugar, can I stop taking the medicine?

A friend in the reader club asked Dr. Sugar:

Hello Doctor Sugar! Three months ago, the physical examination found that my fasting blood sugar was 6.9, and the glycated hemoglobin test was 8.3%. I started taking hypoglycemic drugs under the guidance of the doctor. At the same time, I also strengthened my exercise, and lost 6 kg in three months. , The blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin have all reached the standard. I want to ask, can I stop the drug in this situation?

This problem is very representative, let's analyze it together:

Does this blood sugar level count as diabetes?

Let’s first look at the fasting blood sugar of 6.9. This value has not reached the diagnostic standard of diabetes exceeding 7.0, which can be regarded as the pre-diabetes stage. But judging from his glycated hemoglobin of 8.3%, it is relatively high.

We know that glycated hemoglobin usually reflects the overall blood sugar level for three months, which should be below 6.0% under normal circumstances, and now it has reached a level of 8.3%.

This sugar friend did not provide me with the specific value of postprandial blood sugar, but through calculation, the average blood sugar value corresponding to this glycated hemoglobin level is as high as 11.6mmol/L, and then comparing the fasting blood sugar level, we can infer that his The postprandial blood glucose level must be relatively high and must exceed the diabetes diagnostic level of 11.1.

What should I do if I have diabetes?

Through the analysis just now, this sugar friend can be diagnosed with diabetes. So what should you do if you are diagnosed with diabetes? Of course, it is necessary to actively control diabetes. Whether it is taking hypoglycemic drugs, strengthening physical exercise, or carrying out diet management, it is an important means to strengthen blood sugar control. Remember not to just take medicine, let alone give yourself to the doctor! People with diabetes who are newly ill should quickly make a series of life changes.

This sugar friend is very good. After three months of hard work, he lost 6 kg in weight, and his blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin returned to normal. This is a very gratifying result, which shows that the blood sugar control measures he took are effective. Good blood sugar control was achieved.

After 3 months of medication + exercise, blood sugar returns to normal, can I stop the medication?

The sugar friend's blood sugar has returned to normal, and he wants to know if he can stop the drug? This requires careful analysis.

First of all, we must make it clear that through the efforts of medication, diet, and exercise, the blood sugar has been lowered, but this does not mean that diabetes has been "cured".

why? Because the reason why people with diabetes have high blood sugar problems is because the body's ability to regulate blood sugar has a problem, and this ability to regulate is usually not fully repaired. Therefore, when it comes to diabetes, experts usually only talk about "regulation", not "cure". Here's why! By taking medicine, the blood sugar of diabetes is controlled to a completely normal range, but this does not mean "cure".

Does that mean that hypoglycemic drugs must not be stopped? Of course not.

The blood sugar control of diabetic patients, especially the blood sugar control of type 2 diabetes patients, is by no means as simple as taking hypoglycemic drugs. Diet, exercise, work and rest are also important ways of blood sugar control.

For this newly diagnosed diabetic, the blood sugar is currently controlled to a completely normal range, and the dose of hypoglycemic drugs he himself is taking is low, so he can try to stop the drugs.

Under the multi-means intervention of continuing to strengthen exercise, diet adjustment, and regular work and rest, find your own problems - normal fasting, poor postprandial blood sugar regulation.

In response to the problem of postprandial blood sugar, appropriately reduce the intake of three meals, moderately reduce the intake of carbohydrates with high glycemic index such as polished rice and white noodles, and at the same time, for some foods with high sugar and high calorie, such as various sweets and high-fat foods , but also pay attention to eat less.

If after stopping the drug, the blood sugar level can be kept within the normal range by regular review, and at least the level of glycosylated hemoglobin can be kept below 6.5%, then the drug can be stopped. However, the conditioning of diet and exercise and regular blood sugar monitoring are indispensable. We must adopt a healthy lifestyle of strict self-discipline to improve the regulation and improvement of blood sugar metabolism and keep blood sugar stable and reach the standard, so as to reduce the health caused by high blood sugar. risk and incidence of diabetic complications.

In another situation, if various lifestyles have been done well, but after a period of drug withdrawal, blood sugar has further increased and cannot reach the target level that needs to be controlled. For example, fasting blood sugar exceeds 7, and postprandial blood sugar exceeds 7. 10. It shows that our ability to regulate blood sugar is poor. Once the drug is stopped, the blood sugar will be out of control again. In this case, it is necessary to insist on taking hypoglycemic drugs.

In short, it is a good thing to keep blood sugar under control through maintaining good living habits and rational drug use. Whether or not the drug can be stopped does not depend on the fact that the blood sugar drops to normal, but whether we can still control the blood sugar continuously and stably to reach the standard through reasonable life conditioning interventions after the drug is stopped. You can stop the drug. If the blood sugar cannot be lowered or the blood sugar spikes again by simply relying on life conditioning, it is necessary to strengthen the blood sugar control with long-term medication. Did you get it?