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The neurologist was the third specialist I'd seen. They'd ruled out everything else they could think of—tests, examinations, more tests. The numbness and tingling in my feet, the balance problems—they finally concluded it was Neuropathy. "But your diabetes is well controlled," they said, almost apologetically.
(Note: "well controlled" for a diabetic still means blood sugar levels far above what a healthy person maintains—because almost no diabetic achieves non-diabetic levels following standard treatment.)
Meanwhile, my burnout had gotten so severe that conversations with the Danish health and welfare system had shifted. Instead of pushing me back to work, they were gently mentioning disability pension or early retirement. The implication was clear: they didn't expect me to work again.
I'd been prescribed venlafaxin for what had become PTSD-like symptoms. My stress had gotten my system stuck in permanent fight-or-flight mode. We were still in the ramping-up phase—my doctor wanted to increase the dose further. But I felt strange on it, like I was watching my life from inside a bubble, not quite myself.
I'd also developed asthma and was on daily medication for that.
At 30-something years into Type 1 diabetes, I was managing my blood sugar as well as the system expected. But everything else was falling apart.
Taking It Into My Own Hands
I wasn't ready to accept either prognosis—not the "you'll probably never work again," and not the "you'll need to keep increasing this medication."
I started researching. Not wellness blogs or miracle cures—actual research. What I found about fasting wasn't some health fad. Yoshinori Ohsumi won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2016 for discovering Autophagy—the process by which our bodies break down and recycle damaged cellular components. Fasting triggers this. Studies showed it also increases BDNF, a protein crucial for brain health and cognitive function.
There was real science here.
I talked to my doctor about trying Fasting. He was cautious but not opposed—he actually did one-day fasts himself monthly for health benefits. His main concern was my blood sugar, which made sense. His advice: monitor constantly, and stop immediately if glucose drops too low.
So I started experimenting. Carefully.
Learning What My Body Needed
The first attempts didn't work. My blood sugar would drop, I'd have to eat, the fast would end. I learned I needed to reduce my basal insulin significantly the day before starting a fast, not just during it. I also discovered my insulin sensitivity roughly doubled while fasting—correction doses had to be cut in half or they'd crash my blood sugar.
It took several attempts to figure out the right approach. I kept a detailed log of what happend, my blod sugar, how much insulin I took etc. (using an early version of the Glysimi App). But once I understood how my body responded, I could fast for 2-4 days at a time with nothing but water, salt, and black coffee—while keeping my blood sugar stable.
At the same time, I'd started eating very Low-Carb. It was still early days, but I could sense this was working better than the medication. I was tired of the side effects, tired of feeling disconnected from myself. I told my doctor I wanted to reduce the venlafaxin, not increase it.
He was skeptical. I insisted.
The Way Back
The changes didn't happen overnight. They came gradually, over weeks and months.
My ability to focus came back first. One day I worked for three hours straight without my brain feeling like it was swimming through fog. Then longer. Then a full morning without breaks. Over about six months, my cognitive function returned.
Sleep improved significantly—though it's still not perfect. I fall asleep easier than I did, and I'm not constantly exhausted. It's better, even if it's not fully restored.
One day I realized I hadn't used my asthma inhaler in weeks. Then months. I just didn't need it anymore.
The numbness in my feet improved. The tingling stopped. My balance came back.
Within a few months, I was off the venlafaxin completely. The constant hypervigilance faded. I could relax again.
I started taking small software development contracts—part-time, working from home. My own one-man company, no pressure, no rush. The burnout had taught me that taking care of myself mattered more than money. I slowly worked my way up to full-time consulting work.
That was five years ago. I'm still working full-time as an independent developer. I built this website. I'm developing the Glysimi App. My diabetes control improved dramatically, but that's only part of the story.
The Danish health and wellfare system that was quietly preparing me for permanent disability? I proved them wrong. Not through heroic willpower, but by finding an approach that actually worked for my body.
What Actually Saved Me
Looking back, I think the mindset mattered as much as the specific approach—keto, fasting, careful monitoring. Both were essential.
Three things got me through:
1. Acknowledge reality. Don't pretend problems aren't there or will disappear on their own. I was in a bad situation. I needed to face that clearly.
2. Maintain unrelenting faith. Even when I couldn't see the way forward, I refused to accept that there wasn't one. Keep searching until you find something that works.
3. Stay critical. There's a whole industry thriving on desperate people willing to try anything. Check the science. What do we actually have reason to believe would work? And be willing to ignore official guidelines if they demonstrably aren't working for you. New scientific discoveries have always taken a long time to become standard practice.
Sometimes the medical system gives up before you should.
Why This Matters—And What It Doesn't Mean
This is my story. Just mine. And that's important to understand.
In science terms, this is an anecdote—a single case study. It's not evidence that this approach will work for you. What worked for me might not work for someone else. Individual variation is real.
So why share it?
Because personal stories make abstract research tangible. They show what it's like to live with these conditions and make these changes in normal life—something scientific papers never address. When you start exploring keto and fasting, you'll find forums, YouTube channels, and communities full of people sharing their journeys. These stories can be valuable.
But here's the critical distinction: Use personal stories for inspiration on HOW to implement changes in your life. Use scientific research to decide WHAT to do.
Never base your decisions on anecdotes alone—not mine, not anyone else's. Check the research. Look at the studies. Understand the mechanisms. Then, if you decide to try something, personal stories can show you practical ways to make it work in daily life.
When I talk to people with Type 1 or Type 2, I notice something: Complications worry tends to come later. It's not the first thing doctors tell newly diagnosed patients. Many don't talk about it much—perhaps not wanting to overwhelm people who are just learning to manage daily blood sugar. So many people with diabetes only gradually realize how serious complications can be.
By then, they may have already developed some. Like I had.
If you're reading this and facing similar challenges—whether it's diabetes complications, burnout, or other chronic health issues—I hope my story shows that dead-ends aren't always dead-ends. Sometimes there's another path, even when the system has given up.
But find that path through science first, and personal experience second.
That's why I built Glysimi. Because the knowledge I found in research papers and through careful experimentation changed my life. And that knowledge should be accessible to everyone.
Important Safety Note: Fasting with Type 1 diabetes requires extreme caution and medical supervision. What worked for me after over 30 years of experience managing my diabetes may not be safe for everyone. I monitored my blood sugar constantly and had extensive experience adjusting insulin before attempting extended fasts. Never try extended fasting without consulting your healthcare team and having a solid plan for monitoring and adjusting insulin. Always stop immediately if blood sugar drops too low.