Got my first 3 month HBA1c results this morning

[IanR]

Well as you all can see from below I was diagnosed a week before Christmas just 3 months or so ago with an HBA1c of 91mmol/mol (10.5%) and a fasting of 9.4 mmol/L

So today I toddled down to see my DSN to get the results from a blood test I had taken on 26th March and it was hard work not to ring up at the beginning of the week to get the results. So my DSN was very pleased to see me and was really happy.

My HBA1c result has reduced to 40 mmol/mol (5.8%).

I showed her my fasting readings plotted alongside my percentage weight loss graph and she couldn't believe it either. You can see that I have lost over 20% of my body mass and managed to hit my target of being below 14 stone at the review (I am now 13st 13 lbs and 12 Oz as of this morning) . I have lost 3 stone 10 pounds (52lbs 24kgs) in the 3 months. She now doesn't want to see me until my annual review

Sorry I know it is a little bit of showing off but actually I'm quite proud. Another 2 stone to go though so will let you know when/if I ever reach it.
View attachment 3966

Yes, you have done really well but I have to tell you I have been diabetic for 35 years and my last Hba1c test was 6.1 and my specialist said I am keeping my sugar level to low, he told me diabetics do better with a range of 7-9， It would be interesting to see what everyone else is told.
Anyway, keep up the good work, it will pay dividends later on in life.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Yes, you have done really well but I have to tell you I have been diabetic for 35 years and my last Hba1c test was 6.1 and my specialist said I am keeping my sugar level to low, he told me diabetics do better with a range of 7-9， It would be interesting to see what everyone else is told.
Anyway, keep up the good work, it will pay dividends later on in life.

Are you a Type 1?

 

[Vinay123]

Andrew
Brilliant story, well done.
A word of caution though...
When I got diagnosed as T2 I had an A1c of 18, the doctors debated whether to put me on insulin immediately. They opted for Glipizide.
Similar to you I embarked on a complete lifestyle change and in 8months I lost 28kg and reduced my waist size from 40in to 32in. Within 3months I stopped the Glipizide and changed to Metformin 50mg /day and my A1c came down to an acceptable 5.9.
Here's the caution...
About 8months ago I experienced a number of life events that knocked me for 6. I stopped exercising and started eating all the wrong things, chocolate and white toast with butter and jam is very comforting.
I put on around 10kg and the noticeable tummy was back.
My A1c rose to 6.1, still acceptable but moving in the wrong direction.
I have only recently got my life back together and again started exercising and eating right.
The lesson I learnt is that any lifestyle change must be sustainable long-term, not just in the "honeymoon" period after a shock diagnosis. It takes a lots of willpower and support to keep up such a huge, but essential, change.
I'm sure you will be able to keep it up, no matter what happens and wish you all the best.

 

[Gudrun]

My unplanned (initially) panic driven approach has really boiled down to 2 things
1. Calorie restricted rapid weight loss
2. Increased exercise and also targeted exercise to ensure my BG levels are always in safe zone and that my livers glucogen stores are always depleted so it is continuously converting fat.

I do not low carb but neither do I high carb. In the beginning I did about 60g of carb/day but now I do about 150g/day. I have also introduced bread back into my diet (around beginning of march) although bergen soya and linseed and rye but I have also had the occasional crumpet. The first time this spiked me up to 10 but now I don't even see it on the meter and that is because my pancreas is "programmed" for higher carb levels than it was.

Hope that helps somebody - it is my wacky individual approach which has worked for me

A

You are an absolute inspiration to us, Andrew. I wonder whether you have indeed reversed your diabetes as Borofergie suggests. Reading about your approach to make yourself the project of investigation shows me that I could do better than I am doing now. Although I have also had good results with low carbing, I have somewhat relaxed it over the last week or two, especially when I was on holiday.

Note to self: Must do better.

 

[Bluetit1802]

You are an absolute inspiration to us, Andrew. I wonder whether you have indeed reversed your diabetes as Borofergie suggests. Reading about your approach to make yourself the project of investigation shows me that I could do better than I am doing now. Although I have also had good results with low carbing, I have somewhat relaxed it over the last week or two, especially when I was on holiday.

Note to self: Must do better.

Gudrun,

You are allowed to relax a bit on holiday!

 

[andcol]

Thanks @IanR
@Vinay123 wow you have done well too and very well done for getting yourself back in control. I have a great team behind me (my wife and 4 dogs) who are keeping me on the straight and narrow.
@Gudrun I agree with blue tit you can relax on holiday and you are doing the right thing before the big D so you will do great. Keep it up.

 

[Gudrun]

Gudrun,

You are allowed to relax a bit on holiday!

I certainly did relax on holiday.. .even had a chocolate bar and ice cream (and it was lovely).

 

[Gudrun]

Hi @Karbstruck and @borofergie

If anyone wants my abomination of a spreadsheet let me know and I will create a clean version or even a java application as I think this would be more manageable in the long run as the spreadsheet is a little fiddly at times

Andrew, I would love to create a graph similar to yours. I have relaxed somewhat with checking before/after meals and would like to get back into the habit. I have also started to put a couple of pounds back on and that also needs to change.

Could you make available for us a simple graph? Bear in mind that I have no experience with graphs (never needed them before) and it's got to be simple.

Thanks.

 

[andcol]

Have you seen the application I have written. This is what my graphs morphed into. You can find the link to the thread in my signature and another link to where it can be downloaded from. There is also a link to a short video showing a fairly old version in action.

The latest does blood glucose, weight and blood pressure measurements and several types of statistical graphs on these measurements

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks @IanR
@Vinay123 wow you have done well too and very well done for getting yourself back in control. I have a great team behind me (my wife and 4 dogs) who are keeping me on the straight and narrow.
@Gudrun I agree with blue tit you can relax on holiday and you are doing the right thing before the big D so you will do great. Keep it up.

So that'll be a dog guarding each of the fridge, freezer, pantry and beer store, and your wife confiscating your wallet?









I'd get my coat, if I remembered what one looks like.

 

[Gudrun]

Have you seen the application I have written. This is what my graphs morphed into. You can find the link to the thread in my signature and another link to where it can be downloaded from. There is also a link to a short video showing a fairly old version in action.

The latest does blood glucose, weight and blood pressure measurements and several types of statistical graphs on these measurements

Andrew, I looked at it, but don't even know how to open/save those files for me. I am not that computer literate. Perhaps I need to go back to paper and pencil

 

[andcol]

Do you use a PC? If so just double clicking the file will run the application. Then you can type your times and values in directly. It remembers everything you enter the next time you open it up

Try it. If you can't get it to work then you haven't lost anything.

 

[Gudrun]

Do you use a PC? If so just double clicking the file will run the application. Then you can type your times and values in directly. It remembers everything you enter the next time you open it up

Try it. If you can't get it to work then you haven't lost anything.

I did double click, Andrew, but all I got was being sent back to your first post with the initial graph. Got the dreaded Windows 8, but my husband changed it to run my previous Vista files. Perhaps that's why I can't download it?

 

[andcol]

Ok click the 2nd URL in my signature and click on blood.glucose.0.2.6.jar file and it will say no preview so you can download it. When you have downloaded it you can double click it from your computer

 

[Gudrun]

Ok click the 2nd URL in my signature and click on blood.glucose.0.2.6.jar file and it will say no preview so you can download it. When you have downloaded it you can double click it from your computer

Have tried, but not managed it. Will try again tomorrow morning. Thanks, Andrew.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Ok click the 2nd URL in my signature and click on blood.glucose.0.2.6.jar file and it will say no preview so you can download it. When you have downloaded it you can double click it from your computer

I have done that Andrew, but get a message saying windows cannot open this file.

 

[andcol]

Sounds like you dont have java installed - that is unusual. Do you have windows 8? See here https://www.java.com/en/download/help/windows_manual_download.xml for instructions on installing java

 

[Bluetit1802]

@Andrew Colvin Thanks for that. It is working now, but on the weight page it shows a BMI that isn't mine!

 

[andcol]

@Andrew Colvin Thanks for that. It is working now, but on the weight page it shows a BMI that isn't mine!

You need to set your height in the options menu (it assumes 170cm if nothing is set)

 

[Bluetit1802]

You need to set your height in the options menu (it assumes 170cm if nothing is set)

Thanks Andrew.