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.
Why don't you try to pop in doing the following especially now off Metformin, well done and that's the wonderful news.
Now let your body work naturally, and when the next A1C is done, you now its a real result not false for fact taken Metformin.
Start a low carb eating plan, I eat low carb 20 30 or up 6o a day depending, but the carbs that may be eaten within any of the brackets are NOT I repeat NOT BREAD, POTATOES, PASTA OR RICE, I substitute these items with wonderful new exciting foods and recipes, Bread I make seed crackers in stead, potatoes, I eat Pumpkin instead, pasta, I make pasta from zuchinni lasagne also, and finally rice I simply grate Cauliflour its wonderful.....
Eat Keto eating plan look on dietdoctor website, its an amazing website.
Follow the wonderful Dr. Jason Fung. Intermittent Fasting. I fast two days 18 hrs and 1 day 24 hours i.e. sample being
'I eat dinner evening 8pm, next day don't eat breakfast only coffee or tea no milk or sugar. Next meal lunch. You don't feel hungry and don't realize its 18 hr fast, why, you sleep for approx. 8 hours during this period. Regards the 24 hour fast period, its the same basically last meal 8pm Coffee tea for breakfast, tea for lunch, next meal 8pm Evening. The wonderful thing about intermittent fasting, there is no schedule, you DO IT when YOU WANT, no set day, you pick and chose depending on your agenda and life style. It has dropped the weight off myself, and this, combined with Keto eating plan and very low carbs I dropped my A1C in 4 months by 23% NO MEDIATION! and my finger testing, random, 2 hr and fasting all in the 80 mg/dl region, I only test every 4 months, and give and take one number up or down, the results are the same.
so its not as my Doc stated, a low number means a lucky good day, what a load of ...........consistent levels for one year each four months is NOT just a good day, for goodness sake.....Doctors state, not worth testing fingers they all now push the A1C as been the gold queen, its not the case, there are discrepancies, irregularities as I have found in the A1C Tests, why tell people nt to test fingers, when they are pushing with the other cheek get a monitor, strips and other, it does not make medical sense.
So, continue the finger testing, I trust this more than anything at the end of the day......
For sure, I am living example of change of life, low carb, keto eating and intermittent fasting.....that's the way to deal with a dietary complaint as Diabetes as that is all it is in my personal opinion and also the medical system are going down the wrong route, they are treating the symptom the high sugars and not the cause, WHICH IS INSULIN RESISTANCE. The high sugars are the result of the CAUSE.........
I am taking care of my own body, as I feel I am the best person to do this taking everything into consideration as my method since I put the Metformin down the toilet has got the wonderful results and continued results over one year by just adjusting lifestyle, and walking approx. 5 to 8 klm a day depending. Walking not for one hour daily, but spacing it out, after each meal do 10 mins on the tread, if you have one at home, the best investment ever, walk brisk 10 15 mins, basically try to do
10,000 steps a day approx.8 klm a day, its a breeze when you do it is smaller portions....
Hope this assists, and good luck.
Mallorca