response 82 of 82:

Jul 14 20:23 UTC 2002

Actually, you're behind the times with diabetes research.

For years doctors noted the tendency for people to gain weight for several
years before being diagnosed with diabetes.  Because the symptom was that
immoral change of shape, they assumed that the weight gain caused the diabetes.
 

More recent, more impartial research, however, has shown that early stage
diabetes causes weight gain, because the cells are't able to get the glucose
from the blood, so it's stored as fat.

I'm glad that Jim's diabetes is currently controlled, but rest assured: it's
not gone.  Type II diabetes is a genetically based degenerative disease.  It
can be controlled through reducing the stress on the pancreas, but that control
is temporary.  Eventually, depending on how far gone his pancreas was when he
was diagnosed and how successful he is at controlling the glucose levels in his
blood, thus protecting his pancreas from strain, if he lives long enough
medicines will be required to control the glucose levels in his blood.  Period.
 

Weight loss was not the cause of the better control of his diabetes, it was a
symptom of the steps he took to control the diabetes.