Lost 21 lbs yet my HbA1c blood count has gone up?

Oswas99

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
I was told I was pre-diabetic 6 months ago and to diet. I lost 21 lbs. My HbA1c test figure was given 42 which was in the pre-diabetic range 42-47. Yet I lost all that weight, but my HbA1C blood test says I am now 44!

How comes my blood rate went up?

How can I lower this to normal since dieting does not seem to work for me.

The nurse at my surgery said I need to lose about another 14 lbs.

Any advice or explanation would be most appreciated.

Thank you.
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
What are you eating?
42-44 is probably within the margin of error on an HbA1c so you could well say both results were 43 weight loss will not necessarily lower your HbA1c (although it can help) diet however (in the sense of what you eat) can do this. Hece my question.
 
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Biggles2

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324
Welcome to this site! You will find wonderful support and encouragement here:).

Now, in order to help address your query it would be useful for us to know the answers to the following questions:
How did you lose the weight? Were you restricting calories or low-carbing?

I ask because low carbing (approx. 30grams/day) is what worked for me in terms of dropping my HbA1c. The added benefit of this approach has been that the weight fell off (although it was not my primary goal) and I have maintained my current weight for over 2.5 years.
It is not a short-term fix. It is the way I plan to eat for life, and thus far it has been very sustainable for me. My HbA1c is currently 29 and my BMI is currently 20, down from 37.
Check out the Low Carb Programme on this site as well as the great information @daisy1 sends all new members:).
 
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Oswas99

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Welcome to this site! You will find wonderful support and encouragement here:).

Now, in order to help address your query it would be useful for us to know the answers to the following questions:
How did you lose the weight? Were you restricting calories or low-carbing?

I ask because low carbing (approx. 30grams/day) is what worked for me in terms of dropping my HbA1c. The added benefit of this approach has been that the weight fell off (although it was not my primary goal) and I have maintained my current weight for over 2.5 years.
It is not a short-term fix. It is the way I plan to eat for life, and thus far it has been very sustainable for me. My HbA1c is currently 29 and my BMI is currently 20, down from 37.
Check out the Low Carb Programme on this site as well as the great information @daisy1 sends all new members:).
I tend to eat a lot of wholemeal stuff and try and stick loosely to weight washers. I have porridge for breakfast with skim milk or diet cheese and toast. I eat a lot of fish and roast skinless chicken and vegetables and some fruit. This is helping me lose weight. I was not calorie counting, just trying to eat healthy food and use a side plate rather than a dinner plate to eat on.
 

Oswas99

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
What are you eating?
42-44 is probably within the margin of error on an HbA1c so you could well say both results were 43 weight loss will not necessarily lower your HbA1c (although it can help) diet however (in the sense of what you eat) can do this. Hece my question.
I had a panic. I presume I did not have to fast before taking such a blood test, as one does for cholesterol as I did not do this?
 

Alison Campbell

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,443
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
You are correct, you do not need to fast for a HBA1C, it's a good idea to fast for cholesterol.
 
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Biggles2

Well-Known Member
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324
I tend to eat a lot of wholemeal stuff and try and stick loosely to weight washers. I have porridge for breakfast with skim milk or diet cheese and toast. I eat a lot of fish and roast skinless chicken and vegetables and some fruit. This is helping me lose weight. I was not calorie counting, just trying to eat healthy food and use a side plate rather than a dinner plate to eat on.

Pre-diabetes and diabetes exist on a continuum with the same root cause: an intolerance to carbohydrates. So, the best way to tame diabetes anywhere along the continuum is to cut back on carbohydrate intake. Here is a link to Dr. Jason Fung's site where he explains this concept nicely:
https://idmprogram.com/reverse-type-2-diabetes-the-quick-start-guide/

Also, be sure to check out the Diet Doctor website for some great information on the sort of choices you have on a Low Carb High/Healthy Fat (LCHF) way of eating:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/

You may also want to consider buying a blood glucose meter. Many of us have done so and we test our blood glucose immediately before a meal, then 2 hours after the first bite to see the effect of everything we eat on our blood glucose. Your diet (although ostensibly healthy per the Eatwell plate guidance) has a lot of carbohydrate which is generally not a healthy diet for those of us on the diabetes continuum.

A word about skimmed milk and low fat cheese: whenever fat is removed from a food it is replaced with carbohydrate. I know from testing my blood glucose that the skimmed milk, the bread, the porridge, the low-fat cheese would all raise my blood sugar to unacceptable levels for me. It really is eye-opening when you see what certain foods do to your blood glucose. We are all different, so the advice is always to test, that way you will know which foods spike you, and thus which foods to avoid.
 

daisy1

Legend
Messages
26,457
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Cruelty towards animals.
@Oswas99

Hello and welcome to the Forum :) Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you want and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 259,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding.
  • Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  • Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
 

Mbaker

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,339
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Available fast foods in Supermarkets
I tend to eat a lot of wholemeal stuff and try and stick loosely to weight washers. I have porridge for breakfast with skim milk or diet cheese and toast. I eat a lot of fish and roast skinless chicken and vegetables and some fruit. This is helping me lose weight. I was not calorie counting, just trying to eat healthy food and use a side plate rather than a dinner plate to eat on.
Hi @Oswas99 your current diet (way of eating) appears to follow the general guidelines of grains and low fat, but the carbs you are choosing look like they are not compatible with your physiology - both wholemeal and porridge can raise in some high blood sugar.

You might want to try an alternative approach. Here’s what I would do in your shoes as I did soda bread, porridge and low fat yogurt to start with. Replace I assume wholemeal bread with either bacon / high meat sausages, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms or nuts (cashews in moderation as they are higher carb), berries and full fat Greek yogurt. Fish is great especially oily types, as are above ground vegetables such as spinach, greens, cauliflower, broccoli etc. The foods I have mentioned have a much lower glycemic index and glycemic load which should go towards what you are looking for. If you are able to walk after eating this will also improve matters.
 
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Oswas99

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Hi @Oswas99 your current diet (way of eating) appears to follow the general guidelines of grains and low fat, but the carbs you are choosing look like they are not compatible with your physiology - both wholemeal and porridge can raise in some high blood sugar.

You might want to try an alternative approach. Here’s what I would do in your shoes as I did soda bread, porridge and low fat yogurt to start with. Replace I assume wholemeal bread with either bacon / high meat sausages, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms or nuts (cashews in moderation as they are higher carb), berries and full fat Greek yogurt. Fish is great especially oily types, as are above ground vegetables such as spinach, greens, cauliflower, broccoli etc. The foods I have mentioned have a much lower glycemic index and glycemic load which should go towards what you are looking for. If you are able to walk after eating this will also improve matters.
Thank you all for your replies. I have to say that I feel somewhat confused. I have basically been using weight watchers to lower my cholesterol but if I change my diet to a low carb, will it mess up lowering my cholesterol? I use Heart UK's chart to help me with my cholesterol losing diet. I cannot eat bacon or nuts or some yogurt, as they disagree with me (I also have Irritable Bowel Syndrom), but have always been eating salmon and mackerel and vegetables. I eat strawberries, blueberries, satsumas and some other fruit. I will have to rethink what I am doing. I also wonder that despite losing a lot of weight, what happens if my blood sugar stays the same. I presume I will still be at risk and stay pre-diabetic?
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have basically been using weight watchers to lower my cholesterol
Do you think your cholesterol needs lowering?
I cannot eat bacon or nuts or some yogurt, as they disagree with me (I also have Irritable Bowel Syndrom), but have always been eating salmon and mackerel and vegetables
Sounds ok depending on the veg ...are they green and not starchy
?
satsumas and some other fruit
A lot of us have found that while berries are ok other fruits cause blood sugar to spike.
If you haven't got one already I would strongly suggest getting a blood glucose meter and measuring before and 2 hours after eating to check and see what your blood sugar levels are doing. That's the best way of figuring out what is better to eat.
 

Oswas99

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Do you think your cholesterol needs lowering?

Sounds ok depending on the veg ...are they green and not starchy
?
A lot of us have found that while berries are ok other fruits cause blood sugar to spike.
If you haven't got one already I would strongly suggest getting a blood glucose meter and measuring before and 2 hours after eating to check and see what your blood sugar levels are doing. That's the best way of figuring out what is better to eat.

I only eat strawberries and blueberries and also satsumas and nectarines and very little other fruit. I do not just eat fruit and veg, but I eat wholemeal bread, salmon, mackerel, skinless roast chicken, diet cheese and diet cottage cheese, eggs, porridge, some wholemeal pasta, etc. I have high cholesterol and are on statins to lower this, thus the above diet.

I am told statins, plus other health problems may keep my blood sugar count high and I have had a lot of poor health this year. I suppose I have concentrated on a diet that has reduced my cholesterol and weight, but must now learn to adapt my diet as a pre-diabetic. I have been in touch with www.diabetes.org.uk and they suggest I do not go on a low carb diet unless I see my doctor about this. As I saw my surgery nurse yesterday who runs the diabetic clinic for the surgery, she did not mention changing to a low carb diet. She was ok with my weight loss (but wants me to lose another stone). About my blood reading, she said I was still in the same range and did not seem unduly concerned about this increase from 42 to 44, but I am sure as hell concerned about this not going down, like my BMI reading. Meanwhile I await the info from diabetes.org.uk being posted to me to see what it suggests.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I have been in touch with www.diabetes.org.uk and they suggest I do not go on a low carb diet unless I see my doctor about this.

Did they explain why? Did you ask?

The NHS push the Eatwell PLate, which is definitely not low carb. It is OK for the general public, but not OK for lowering blood glucose levels. There are too many carbs and too much fruit in it for that. As all carbs convert to glucose once inside the system, and as we already have too much glucose circulating round our bodies, it doesn't make sense to put too much more of it in.
 
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Oswas99

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Did they explain why? Did you ask?

The NHS push the Eatwell PLate, which is definitely not low carb. It is OK for the general public, but not OK for lowering blood glucose levels. There are too many carbs and too much fruit in it for that. As all carbs convert to glucose once inside the system, and as we already have too much glucose circulating round our bodies, it doesn't make sense to put too much more of it in.
I certainly do not eat too much fruit, as some I find too acidity to eat and having a partial denture does not help either. I await some info in the post from the Diabetic charity I contacted today to see what their literature says. Meanwhile, I will carry on losing weight and try and watch my carbs as well.

It seems that I am not the only person who has lost weight and has increased blood sugar though. As previously mentioned, I take statins, which could be the reason and have other health conditions, which also could be the reason for this. I just hope that if I have another test in six months and the results are the same, my local surgery has a Plan B in mind for me.
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I only eat strawberries and blueberries and also satsumas and nectarines and very little other fruit. I do not just eat fruit and veg, but I eat wholemeal bread, salmon, mackerel, skinless roast chicken, diet cheese and diet cottage cheese, eggs, porridge, some wholemeal pasta, etc. I have high cholesterol and are on statins to lower this, thus the above diet.

All the above in bold are high carb items which will likely cause elevated blood glucose levels. I would not eat any of them.
The rest of your list is fine. You are also taking statins which have been known to raise blood glucose levels in some.
So if you want to get your blood glucose levels lower then cut out the carbs and get yourself a meter so you can see what eating high carb foods does to your blood sugar. In your shoes I would do that before worrying about cholesterol levels which are probably benign anyway as you are female and higher cholesterol levels are associated with lower all cause mortality (maybe depending on your age). But that is simply my opinion. Depending on which Diabetes charity you have contacted you may get very different advice. For me what I suggest has worked very well so you will need to make your own decisions.
Fat is what keeps me feeling full and satiated so I don't avoid it - it also has very little impact on your cholesterol levels.
 

Oswas99

Member
Messages
9
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
All the above in bold are high carb items which will likely cause elevated blood glucose levels. I would not eat any of them.
The rest of your list is fine. You are also taking statins which have been known to raise blood glucose levels in some.
So if you want to get your blood glucose levels lower then cut out the carbs and get yourself a meter so you can see what eating high carb foods does to your blood sugar. In your shoes I would do that before worrying about cholesterol levels which are probably benign anyway as you are female and higher cholesterol levels are associated with lower all cause mortality (maybe depending on your age). But that is simply my opinion. Depending on which Diabetes charity you have contacted you may get very different advice. For me what I suggest has worked very well so you will need to make your own decisions.
Fat is what keeps me feeling full and satiated so I don't avoid it - it also has very little impact on your cholesterol levels.
Thanks for outlining what is low carb and what is not. You know I just have thought about another reason my blood sugar did not go down, but my weight did. I had a very bad Irritable Bowel Syndrome attack and ended up having hot sugared water over a few days. This was about the time I had my blood test, so this perhaps could be the cause of my problem, besides being on statins. I completely forgot that I had this to help with the severe stomach pains I had.
 

Kentoldlady1

Well-Known Member
Messages
733
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thanks for outlining what is low carb and what is not. You know I just have thought about another reason my blood sugar did not go down, but my weight did. I had a very bad Irritable Bowel Syndrome attack and ended up having hot sugared water over a few days. This was about the time I had my blood test, so this perhaps could be the cause of my problem, besides being on statins. I completely forgot that I had this to help with the severe stomach pains I had.

The sugar will not have helped, but an hbalc is an average of blood glucose over the last 3 months, so it will not have made a huge difference.

I have to agree with everyone else. You diet is high in carbs. This will drive up your blood glucose. I have no idea why duk told you not to go on a low carb diet. Do you have other serious health issues? Or take any medications which lower blood glucose?