I won't go on about the many flaws of HbA1c results as I gather other people on this forum are already doing a very good job of that!
After spending a year reading around the subject of diabetes, I'd already got the impression that HbA1cs are not a great indicator, but yesterday it just got personal.
I saw my GP yesterday to get my latest blood test results. He was very happy indeed with me. The weight loss, the complete abstention from alcohol (I can't begin to describe how hard that was), and everything in the blood results looked great. Cholesterol was never particularly bad but now it's great. There was a question mark about my liver but now that looks great also.
Most of all he was blown away by my HbA1c being reduced from 92 to 40, when I told him I'd stopped taking the Metformin 3 months ago.
Now don't get me wrong: going from red to green on the HbA1c chart *has* to be a good thing, and I was happy with that, and most of all I was happy that the doctor was happy, and agreed to cancel the repeat prescription for Metformin.
But here's the thing: on that same day I'd also given myself a carb tolerance test (just a coincidence, not because I was going to be getting my HbA1c results). I got *exactly* the same 2hr postprandial rise as I had 3 months ago. The measurements are fairly accurate - I take 3 at each end.
So I am *precisely* as diabetic as I was 3 months ago. The only thing I've noticed that may have changed, is that my body is getting better at dealing with a spike if I exercise during it. I'm not even sure about that - as I'm sure many people here will recognise, you can spend weeks thinking you know what's going to happen with your body, then the rules change!
I'm one of those people, as I expect many are on this forum, who is, deep down, hoping they may be able to go into remission via lifestyle changes.
Based on the rules set out in the recent DiRECT study, it looks like I'll be classed as "in remission" if I keep things up. But I'm not. I'm clearly not. I am diabetic. I have a metabolic disorder. My body is poisoned by carbohydrates, and that doesn't seem to be changing.
There are far, far worse positions to be in regarding health. For me at the moment, all this means is that I may never be able to safely eat the foods that I like. I'll need to go low carb and adjust my tastebuds. Big deal. But, you know, it would be really nice not to have a metabolic disorder, and it seems that some people can indeed put theirs into remission.
I hope it will happen one day, and I'm going to keep trying. If it ever does, the news will come from my glucose meter, not my doctor.
After spending a year reading around the subject of diabetes, I'd already got the impression that HbA1cs are not a great indicator, but yesterday it just got personal.
I saw my GP yesterday to get my latest blood test results. He was very happy indeed with me. The weight loss, the complete abstention from alcohol (I can't begin to describe how hard that was), and everything in the blood results looked great. Cholesterol was never particularly bad but now it's great. There was a question mark about my liver but now that looks great also.
Most of all he was blown away by my HbA1c being reduced from 92 to 40, when I told him I'd stopped taking the Metformin 3 months ago.
Now don't get me wrong: going from red to green on the HbA1c chart *has* to be a good thing, and I was happy with that, and most of all I was happy that the doctor was happy, and agreed to cancel the repeat prescription for Metformin.
But here's the thing: on that same day I'd also given myself a carb tolerance test (just a coincidence, not because I was going to be getting my HbA1c results). I got *exactly* the same 2hr postprandial rise as I had 3 months ago. The measurements are fairly accurate - I take 3 at each end.
So I am *precisely* as diabetic as I was 3 months ago. The only thing I've noticed that may have changed, is that my body is getting better at dealing with a spike if I exercise during it. I'm not even sure about that - as I'm sure many people here will recognise, you can spend weeks thinking you know what's going to happen with your body, then the rules change!
I'm one of those people, as I expect many are on this forum, who is, deep down, hoping they may be able to go into remission via lifestyle changes.
Based on the rules set out in the recent DiRECT study, it looks like I'll be classed as "in remission" if I keep things up. But I'm not. I'm clearly not. I am diabetic. I have a metabolic disorder. My body is poisoned by carbohydrates, and that doesn't seem to be changing.
There are far, far worse positions to be in regarding health. For me at the moment, all this means is that I may never be able to safely eat the foods that I like. I'll need to go low carb and adjust my tastebuds. Big deal. But, you know, it would be really nice not to have a metabolic disorder, and it seems that some people can indeed put theirs into remission.
I hope it will happen one day, and I'm going to keep trying. If it ever does, the news will come from my glucose meter, not my doctor.