WOW…nice!!!
Real hard $$$$ impact of LCHF/IF
Wkshank
(Wendy Shank)
#22
We who pay full premiums yet (thank God) hardly ever need to use any of our insurance money THANK YOU for taking control of your health!! These costs affect everyone, as others have said. If your insurance is paying for your meds, of course it’s OTHER PEOPE who are paying for your meds.
We have been LCHF in our house since June 2017. Husband down 25 pounds, I’m down 10. Neither of us had any blood sugar issues (yet), but hubs had just started a bp med that his doctor said “almost everyone could & should be on.” What?? Of course hubs was off it within months. Grocery bills don’t bother me at all (though I am in the kitchen a lot more, cooking up the good foods). Yes grain-free diet, organic meats, fresh veggies, and generally Real Food is a little pricier than cereal and rice mixes and frozen pizzas. But not in the long run, if you count the cost of future medical costs. Eat to live!
Elle79
(Ellen)
#23
Yikes! As a Brit both of those costs scare me but bloody good going sir, keep it up and I bet you’ll be off all the BP meds soon!
FatMan
(Richard Hanson)
#24
Mrs. Hanson made an extra trip to the grocer this week as I was running out of coffee and butter, staples of my life. She was complaining that she had spent fifty dollars but then noted how this was not much compared to what she used to spend at the Rx counter for my T2D meds.
Keto for Life!
Best Regards,
Richard
Capnbob
(Rob)
#25
As a Brit too (living in the US)… this is eyeopening from a personal payer perspective but even more so from a system POV. Given the state of the NHS and successive governments’ general unwillingness to fund it better, the benefits from vastly reduced drug and hospital spending would radically reshape social healthcare funding if passed back to the system.
It would seem to be just as big a priority for social medicine as private insurance payers (US) if not more so. Can you imagine an NHS and local social care without T2 diabetics, radically reduced CVD, strokes and dementia. Doctors wouldn’t know what to do with themselves… but would have ample time to read nutrition research.
Then we just have to worry about population growth with greater longevity… problems problems 
Cilantromee
#26
That drop in medical bills is jaw-dropping. Your story is truly encouraging, Chris. Keep it up!
I have gained weight slowly over the last 20 years, 2 - 3 lbs every year, and tried to fight them off in vain through the usual remedies - regular diets and exercise. I kept certain favourite outfits in smaller sizes hoping one day to fit into them. Now I wish I had kept more. I have to really dial back my shopping impulse because I know in a few months, these new purchases will not fit either. I keep telling myself - all I need is a good belt 
where I currently fit into the largest extension because in time I know I will shrink into the smallest.
OldDoug
(Doug)
#27
Super post, Chris. 
Scary amount of money - thank goodness the trend is going the right way. The cost of health care for many people = ugh!
Good point as well on the grocery bill. I’ve noticed it bigtime. Keeping calm and ketoing on really adds up in many ways.
LouiseReynolds
(Louise )
#29
Wow! Have you made a decision what the extra savings will be put towards? You really need to celebrate!
cwstnsko
(Chris W)
#30
Most of the savings is hopefully contributing to my employer getting a better group rate on our health insurance, but I suspect, given the trend across the population that the collective data is not going in the same direction as my numbers.
So far the portion that I save myself is being used to justify traveling to Low-Carb events to meet and thank, in person, many of the doctors that are getting the message out that enabled me to transform my life.
Low Carb Breckinridge last year was my reward for the 1st 60 lbs lost. I got to meet and thank many LCHF champions that I had only seen/heard on the internet, and I met several more people who opened my eyes to even greater potential.
Low Carb USA in San Diego was similarly rewarding and I am looking forward to Breckinridge again this year. I hope to meet some Keto Forum members in person while I am there!
Chris W
richard
(Richard Morris)
#31
Wow Chris that is truly outstanding.
| Year | Pharmaceutical cost |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $15,946.90 |
| 2017 | $1,852.04 |
T2D under the standard of care only progresses, needs more expensive drugs, and more of them. So imagine instead of that 2016 number shrinking to nothing, instead growing every year for the rest of your life. And then the population of people in this same position are growing exponentially. It doesn’t bear thinking about what type 2 Diabetes will do to our society if we don’t arrest it’s progress.
Even better. I’ll get to make another table then 
We’re very grateful to the @podcast_patreons who support us financially to help us keep this forum open, so it can be a resource to help people change their lives.
Melanie
(Melanie Armistead)
#32
I’m not saving a huge amount on medication as I have a health care card, but coming off Humira just over a year ago has saved the federal government over $23,000… you’re welcome Australia 
LouiseReynolds
(Louise )
#35
Will be great to see you at Low Carb Breck this year! There will be a gaggle of Forum admins, along with @richard and @carl of course, so please make sure you say hello (gidday to us Aussies)!
katyq02
#36
Caution! Long Post! I have spent a LOT of money on weight loss – probably USD$10,000+! Starting with an appetite-suppressant candy (unfortunately) called Ayds in the 1970s, followed shortly by Weight Watchers for many of my teen years. These efforts were followed by decades of various other failed attempts: Optifast, MORE Weight Watchers, nutritional counseling, supplements, teas, and even those magazines at the grocery store checkout promising 20lbs in 2 weeks!! The desperate dollars added up to failures, shame and guilt – and of course, more weight and more obesity associated medical problems.
Yet here I am gaining more health, losing more weight than ever before, and feeling FANTASTIC – and my grocery bill has actually gone down because I can zero in on the meat sales – for free! The cost of my journey and support-system in this adventure: $0. KKB Facebook + the Ketogenic Forum + Keto Woman + 2KetoDudes, and Obesity Code Podcasts = $0!
To be completely transparent: The purchase of several pairs of Size 10 jeans (WTF! Did I just type that??) IS an additional expense that I am LOVING!
All this to say that I find myself able to give back, even if just a nominal amount, through Patreon for support of Keto Woman and 2KetoDudes podcasts. I can pledge whatever amount is comfortable for me and it just gets paid though my PayPal account. Even on a very limited budget it makes me feel like I can somehow support myself and my healing, while also helping others who may be coming along with me at a time in the future.
So, just so in case you may want to as well, here are the links to Keto Woman’s and 2KetoDudes’ Patreon pages (you can become a patron on the right side of the page!):
Deepest thanks to Richard, Carl, Daisy and all the moderators and forum members for helping me on my journey to health and wellness!
Magsymaybe
(mags)
#40
OMG as a Brit I am so shocked at the cost of health care. What happens to diabetic folk if they don’t have insurance? How do people fund their meds?