Q: My husband is 38 years of age, his weight is 68 kg and height 5' 6". His diabetes was detected 3-1/2 months ago, and he was put on Huminsin 30/70 15U morning and 10U evening. His sugar levels became normal within 4 days and are generally 85-105mg/dl. As he felt dizzy, the doctor recommended 12U insulin in morning and Zomet TH 1000mg tablet in the evening. About 3 weeks back, the insulin was stopped and his dose was changed to Zomet TH 1000 before dinner. Since last week, his dose has been further reduced to Zomet SR 500. His sugar levels continue to be in same range of 85-105mg/dl. His TMT & ECG tests are normal. Now, the HbA1c is 7.2. His lipid profile is normal. He is on full diet control and jogs/walks for about 40 minutes in morning. He also does yoga (pranayam). 1. Can the sugar levels be controlled by diet & exercise alone and can he manage without any medication? 2. He also gets a feeling of swelling/stretching in the upper portion of his cheeks. Sometimes, he feels dizzy/listless too. Sugar levels at those times are generally less than 100. What could this condition be indicative of?

A:It is possible that your huband may be able to control diabetes without medications. However, this depends on his blood glucose control and A1c. If these remain close to the normal range, the medicine can be slowly decreased further. However, a word of caution. The usual course of diabetes is that blood glucose does tend to increase with increasing duration of illness and in most intances increasing amounts of medicines are required as time passes. The best results are in those who keep good control of diet and exercise. The cause for swelling is unclear. A test for kidney function (urine albumin) should be performed. A normal glucose i.e. more than 70 mg% does not lead to drowsiness.