Will I ever be healthy enough to come off some of my medication?

In short…Yes, I would expect there is be scope to reduce the medications you are currently taking. However, by the sounds of it you will require to modify your lifestyle moving forward and then maintain this.

Holistically, your GP should coordinae an appropriate approach to assist you with this. For example: to improve your acitivity levels and for rehab post surgery (given your medical history) you best consult an exercise physiologist.

Also, getting a professional look at your diet would be useful.

Once you have made some longstadning changes an assessment on your medication intake can be evaluated by your GP.

Regards,

www.elitexercise.com.au

There is very good research that shows changes to your lifestyle ( diet and exercise) can help reduce your medication use. You may still require medication but you may not need to take as much. You are 42 and very young to have T2 diabetes and heart disease ( unless you have a very strong family history ) . However this is not uncommon today. If you truly want to change your long term healthy you can but it will require you to make changes to your diet, exercise and lifestyle and you will be rewarded with better blood glucose levels and blood lipid levels. Research shows even small changes in weight with the right dietary advice can make significant changes to your blood levels. It is not just about choosing healthy food . The Dietitian can also help you choose foods that reduce your LDL cholesterol and help you know the right amount of foods to eat , the best way to eat through the day and show you how food affects your blood glucose levels. Since you are having a stent put in I think this is a good time to think about your own personal health and make a difference. Seek the help from a Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist or Physiotherapist if you have concerns about your RA. They can help you.

The DASH diet is an effective strategy to lower blood pressure, it is an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Increasing your ‘good’ fats would be beneficial in all of your conditions.  Food items such as: Walnuts, Chia seeds, fish (or fish oil), extra virgin olive oil, linseeds, leafy greens and legumes are some suitable options.

It sounds like you have had several health problems over the years.
I agree that if you have regular exercise and reduce your BMI (Body Mass Index - Weight/Height2), you may well be able to reduce your medication for Diabetes and Blood Pessure. Low salt diet and DASH or Medeteranian diet is also important. As you have Cholesterol Narrowing in your Coronary Arteries, I recommend you continue on high-dose anti-cholesterol medication.
Because you had Coarctation, it will be important to make sure your blood pressure is not too high when you exercise, which can be checked with EST (Exercise Stress Testing). The Cardiologist can arrange this for you.
In general, these medications help to maintain the kidney function by controlling the Blod Pressure. They only cause problems if you become dehydrated, such as with Gastro-enteritis etc.

Im sure such a big shock is a great platform to turn your life around and make the changes you need to get healthy again - Which is achievable!

There is an astounding amount of evidence that heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure can be reversed by a great diet.  I reccoment a few websites worth a read from reliable, qualified practiitioners.

www.nutritionfacts.org
www.diseaseproof.com
http://www.pcrm.org

These websites all explain how by significantly reducing the meat, eggs and dairy you eat and swapping over to vegetables, legumes and other plant foods you can reverse a lifetime of damaged caused by poor diet and (probably) familial risk factors.

While it is all a bit scary at first, set some easy goals to start your journey.  No dietary change has to be all or nothing.

Some things you add into your diet to help you on your way include:

drinking iced hibiscus tea to help lower blood pressure (1)
sprinkle some dried amla powder (cheap indian food ) on your meals - this helps cholesterol AND blood sugar (2)
start some gentle exercise after meals - even 10-15 minutes of walking helps. 

Best of luck with your new diet and I wish you many happy years!

(1) http://www.nature.com/jhh/journal/v23/n1/abs/jhh2008100a.html
(2) http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09637486.2011.560565