HBA1C normal when on low carb diet, insulin response not normal

[IssyH]

My HNA1C came up as 35 or 46 - but I was on a no-=sugar low-carb healthy diet at those times.

I did a 6 hour GTT, and that showed an abnormal, but not yet diabetic response.

I have hypothyroidism (hashimotos) and am finding many symptoms from blood sugar issues - headaches, cravings etc.
I can lose weight when on a stupidly strict diet - but the slightest deviation stops me losing weight. I have three stone to lose.

Any advice welcome please?

 

[Brunneria]

Hi,

I'm going to throw a few things into the pot - they may resonate with you... All based on my personal experience.

When on a low carb eating regime (which lowers the hba1c test result), the pancreas gets 'lazy' (because it doesnt need to be producing much insulin). Then, when we reintroduce carbs, there are a few days when blood glucose levels are all over the place, because the pancreas is waking up again, and a bit slow to respond. This can cause a few issues with oral glucose tolerance tests. Ideally, we should all eat 150g carbs minimum for several days before taking an oral glucose tolerance (2hr) test, so that the pancreas is back up to speed for it. Otherwise, the test results are likely to be a bit exaggerated, due to slow pancreas response time. So sticking to a low carb diet and not eating carbs before an OGTT test can produce some contradictory results - unless we know, and prepare for, the lazy pancreas effect.

I get ridiculous carb cravings at the drop of a hat. My symptoms of blood sugar issues disappear when I do 2 things - reduce my carbs further (the cravings only appear when my carbs are too high) and increase fat levels (that seems to stop the cravings dead )

Since making these changes, I have started to lose weight (very slowly) without trying. After years of trying and losing and regaining the same weight over and over again. It is only 1/3 lb a week, but it is steady and effortless. NB I don't have hashimotos, but I do have PCOS, prolactinoma and obscene levels of insulin resistence. So while our situations are different, we have a messed-up-hormone common ground .

Hope some of that was of use to you.

 

[Bluetit1802]

@Brunneria Are you confusing the HbA1c test with a 2 hour glucose test? Increasing carbs for 3 days prior to an HbA1c won't have a great deal of effect, and if anything will make the result worse.

 

[Brunneria]

@Brunneria Are you confusing the HbA1c test with a 2 hour glucose test? Increasing carbs for 3 days prior to an HbA1c won't have a great deal of effect, and if anything will make the result worse.

Yes. Oh for goodness sake. I know exactly what I'm talking about, yet I type the wrong bloomin thing. Will go back up and correct it, so as not to spread the senile confusion that I experience!

Thank you, @Bluetit1802

Edit made!

 

[Bluetit1802]

Yes. Oh for goodness sake. I know exactly what I'm talking about, yet I type the wrong bloomin thing. Will go back up and correct it, so as not to spread the senile confusion that I experience!

Thank you, @Bluetit1802

Blame it on the weather, or the Government, or the NHS.

 

[Brunneria]

Blame it on the weather, or the Government, or the NHS.

Or holiday brain!

Back to work on Monday after 10 days off. There is a small black cloud over the B household, spreading doom and gloom and blocking the sunlight.

 

[jack412]

this is what helped me
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Food-Cravings.htm
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

 

[Harpar]

Hi IssyH. First of all are you on thyroid meds, if so what are your current readings of TSH, (T4, T3 - if known), if your thyroid meds are not bringing your TSH down to an acceptable level then your meds will need tweeking and that could be the cause of the non-existant weight loss.

Thing to remember is Hashi is an auto-immune disease, often aggravated by gluten and/or other gut absorption problems, if your thyroid isn't working right that can adversely affect the way you respond to carbs, the whole metabolic system goes a bit haywire. So if you haven't completely given up gluten, its well worth considering for your Hashi - also gluten = carbs = bad for diabetics too.

 

[Totto]

Have you considered trying NDT instead of Levo? Many of us do so much better on NDT and it seems much more helpful when it comes to normalising weight too. Only hard to find a Dr who will prescribe, it is only on a named patient basis.

 

[this is too difficult two]

Blame it on the weather, or the Government, or the NHS.

My HNA1C came up as 35 or 46 - but I was on a no-=sugar low-carb healthy diet at those times.

I did a 6 hour GTT, and that showed an abnormal, but not yet diabetic response.

I have hypothyroidism (hashimotos) and am finding many symptoms from blood sugar issues - headaches, cravings etc.
I can lose weight when on a stupidly strict diet - but the slightest deviation stops me losing weight. I have three stone to lose.

Any advice welcome please?

sorry if this has been mentioned, but 35 or 46 seems like a very vague result.
One is considered diabetic, the other is not.
Or is it me again?

 

[Bluetit1802]

I wondered that, too.