Sky High hba1C - Hopes & Fears

[LeftPeg]

Hi all,

The hospital called this morning with my recent blood test results, and I was alarmed to discover that my hba1c is 103. I think it's fair to say immediate action is required.

I eat & drink fairly poorly and I'm overweight and do no exercise (having once been a competitive cyclist), so I'm hopeful that I can achieve some fairly swift results by changing my lifestyle.

I'm also scared that I might be at risk of immediate health problems, as from what I can gather, 103 is right at the upper end of the scale, and this was from a blood test taken 2 months ago, so chances are it's worsened since then (I'm going for another tomorrow).

Any advice or reassurance welcome.

Chris

 

[britishpub]

@LeftPeg It's a high result, but not necessarily un-reversable.

Mine was 88 at diagnosis, and dropped to 32 within 3 months, and then further still.

All I did was cut out the obvious carbs such as Bread, Potatoes, Pasta, Rice, Cakes and Biscuits and the weight fell off, and my BG dropped rapidly.

Getting on top of it, and gaining control isn't impossible, and for most people not hard.

I will tag @daisy1 who likes posting her welcome info pack.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hey LeftPeg,

Re-assurance... Well, I wasn't so far off from where you're starting from, and I'm med- and complication free at the moment... And have high hopes of staying that way. Diabetes, to me, is the only condition I have which I can successfully manage. Considering you were a competitative cyclist, I have a feeling you may have some inherent dicipline if you set your mind to it. So yeah... You can and will be okay, if you tackle this.

I'm assuming for a moment you're a T2? Because if you're a T1, you can ignore me completely. But seeing you mention lifestyle, T2 is a pretty good bet. You might want to put that stuff in your profile though, as it means getting relevant answers quicker whenever you have a question to ask.

In any case: T2 can be treated with medication, but usually if you only do that, without additional changes in lifestyle, T2 is a progressive disease. It can, however, be put into remission through a lifestyle change. Going Low Carb/High Fat (LCHF for short) or keto (ketogenic diet, with or without Intermittent Fasting), could get your bloodsugars under control and help you lose weight. Basically, the things that spike your bloodsugars are bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, corn and cereal. Fruit too, save for berries. And the obvious; sugar. Your friends on this journey are meat, fish, above ground veggies/leafy greens, olives, avocado, full fat yoghurt, cheese, butter, nuts, what have you... Check dietdoctor.com for meal ideas if you're stumped. But the best way to start your day may be some eggs'n'bacon, believe it or not.

You can't outrun a bad diet, so the change in diet'll do a lot to improve your weight and over all health. Maybe you'll feel like moving around more. I know I could walk longer distances without collapsing into a weeping heap once the weight came off. I enjoy walking more now. Still too scared of my muscles giving out on me due to other issues to get onto a bicycle anymore (a dutch woman who's not been on 2 wheels in 5 years or so... Unheard of!), but I like the walks.

I do have to mention, if you decide to go LCHF or even Keto (which means 20 grams or less of carbs a day), with your HbA1c being so high, you'll probably go into withdrawal a bit, called carb- or keto-flu. It can last a few days up to a few weeks, but it's worth it, honest. (And a bone broth will usually help with the aches, pains and headaches.). In the beginning you'll also urinate more than usual, as carbs make your body hold on to a lot of water weight.

You can do this. Whatever way you choose to tackle this condition, and the choice IS up to you... You'll make it through it.
Jo

 

[LeftPeg]

@LeftPeg It's a high result, but not necessarily un-reversable.

Mine was 88 at diagnosis, and dropped to 32 within 3 months, and then further still.

All I did was cut out the obvious carbs such as Bread, Potatoes, Pasta, Rice, Cakes and Biscuits and the weight fell off, and my BG dropped rapidly.

Getting on top of it, and gaining control isn't impossible, and for most people not hard.

I will tag @daisy1 who likes posting her welcome info pack.

Thank you very much - that's reassuring.

I've started making changes immediately. Had my normal white toast for breakfast, which was prior to receiving the diagnosis. For lunch I've just had salad, chicken breast and a handful of nuts.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi all,

The hospital called this morning with my recent blood test results, and I was alarmed to discover that my hba1c is 103. I think it's fair to say immediate action is required.

I eat & drink fairly poorly and I'm overweight and do no exercise (having once been a competitive cyclist), so I'm hopeful that I can achieve some fairly swift results by changing my lifestyle.

I'm also scared that I might be at risk of immediate health problems, as from what I can gather, 103 is right at the upper end of the scale, and this was from a blood test taken 2 months ago, so chances are it's worsened since then (I'm going for another tomorrow).

Any advice or reassurance welcome.

Chris

PS:
Do yourself a favour and get a meter. That way you can see what foods spike you and which don't. A spike is a rise of more than 2 mmol/l. So you test before a meal and 2 hours after first bite. That difference will tell you whether a meal was too carby or worth repeating.

Edited to turn froods into foods. Been reading too much Hitchhikers Guide, I guess.

 

[LeftPeg]

Thank you Jo. More great advice.

I've just told my girlfriend - who is a nurse - that it was 103, and she suggested I should be admitted to hospital. This has freaked me out a bit. Am I in immediate danger of complications?

 

[Prem51]

Welcome to the forum @LeftPeg. 103 mmol/L is quite high, but there are people on here who have had higher readings and brought them down.
Unless you have been having high readings for a prolonged period, ie months and years, you probably will not have immediate complications. You shouldn't stress about this. If the hospital thought you needed to be admitted they would have told you when they rang you.

 

[Kittycat_7_]

Hi,
Sorry about your HbA1c, you've had some great advice already.
We'll be here to support you when your struggling.
Take care

 

[Guzzler]

Just a ray of hope here, my A1c was 98 on diagnosis and four months later, after lifestyle changes plus Metformin, it came in as 43. No hospitalisation, no insulin, no known complications.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Thank you Jo. More great advice.

I've just told my girlfriend - who is a nurse - that it was 103, and she suggested I should be admitted to hospital. This has freaked me out a bit. Am I in immediate danger of complications?

If you were a T1, you'd be in danger maybe of DKA: Diabetic Keto Acidosis. But as a T2, that's extremely rare, and if you had it, you'd know it. So relax.

Complications take a whole lot of time to build up. See it as sugar sandpapering the walls of your veins, kidneys, eyes etc... It doesn't happen overnight. And it's your HbA1c that's high, you don't know what your current reading is. (HbA1c is the average of 3 months past, not your current BG level). I hit 18 after luch, and that was a lower carb lunch than I was used to, and that was without my usual 5-spoonfulls-of-sugar latte's.... No idea just how high I would've been on my regular lunch, but that one reading put me off bread forever. I was just put onto metformin and that was it. Doc never even saw me, as mine was on holidays and the replacement didn't have time for me. Like I said, get a meter, keep an eye on things at home. If you start feeling really ill, just get in touch with your doc again. But you're not about to lose kidneyfunction, eyesight or toes in the coming few days. Just start lowering carbs and go from there.

Docs don't usually give out meters to T2's, so many of us here self-fund. Many excuses are given, from "it'll just stress you" to "you don't need it", when what it really comes down to is NHS won't fund it. But it's truly an invaluable tool to know what's going on in your body. And it's quite a re-assuring one when you're attempting to lower things as well. My meter is my safety blanket. As it is for many people here. Get one, reduce carbs, and see what it does for your bloodsugar levels. Breathe. You'll be okay.

 

[LeftPeg]

Really appreciate you all taking the time to reassure me. Was panicking earlier, but now I feel more positive.

 

[DCUKMod]

Hi all,

The hospital called this morning with my recent blood test results, and I was alarmed to discover that my hba1c is 103. I think it's fair to say immediate action is required.

I eat & drink fairly poorly and I'm overweight and do no exercise (having once been a competitive cyclist), so I'm hopeful that I can achieve some fairly swift results by changing my lifestyle.

I'm also scared that I might be at risk of immediate health problems, as from what I can gather, 103 is right at the upper end of the scale, and this was from a blood test taken 2 months ago, so chances are it's worsened since then (I'm going for another tomorrow).

Any advice or reassurance welcome.

Chris

Hi LeftPeg - I'll tag my colleague @daisy1 for you, as she has a really convenient information post which give you some basics in simple language.

Could I ask whilst I am here if you know why you're just getting your result and diagnosis, bearing in mind your bloods were drawn a couple of months ago?

 

[LeftPeg]

Hi LeftPeg - I'll tag my colleague @daisy1 for you, as she has a really convenient information post which give you some basics in simple language.

Could I ask whilst I am here if you know why you're just getting your result and diagnosis, bearing in mind your bloods were drawn a couple of months ago?

Hi,

Yes, my doctor didn't realise the results were in. I thought the lack of contact must've meant my results were fine, but how wrong I was! I rang today just to check, and got the bad news. I'm getting tested again tomorrow for an up-to-date reading.

Kind regards,

Chris

 

[Circuspony]

I was 147 on my first test but as an undiagnosed T1 I also had severe weight loss due to DKA - & it's that which can kill you. If you're not dropping weight, drinking obsessively and visiting the toilet like it's going out of fashion then you're unlikely to have sky high ketones and need admitting.

Pretty remiss of your GP to leave it 2 months before telling you.

 

[LeftPeg]

I was 147 on my first test but as an undiagnosed T1 I also had severe weight loss due to DKA - & it's that which can kill you. If you're not dropping weight, drinking obsessively and visiting the toilet like it's going out of fashion then you're unlikely to have sky high ketones and need admitting.

Pretty remiss of your GP to leave it 2 months before telling you.

Thanks.

I've been dropping weight, but not hugely. Not experienced the urination problem either.

It wasn't the GP who requested the tests, it was my doctor at the lipid clinic (I have Familial Hypercholesterolaemia). But yes, definitely remiss!

 

[Chronicle_Cat]

I'm assuming you are Type 2 because of your comments about being overweight.

My best friend was diagnosed with a much higher hba1c than you (more than double than you, she was 26% in the old British system, the chart I saw only goes up to 13.5% - 124) due to the negligence of a previous doctor ( 1 1/2 yrs ago). She was given meds immediately and began eating the standard way ("Eatwell plate") but could not get her numbers below 9% - 75. She then switched to eating low carb and her numbers dropped (fairly quickly) and the doctor decreased and then discontinued all her meds except for 20 units of insulin at bedtime for dawn phenomena (it is now being decreased). Her numbers has been normal now for about a year now. Her last hba1c was 5% .BTW she also lost 100 lbs eating this way.

Her family doctor is also my doctor who is now recommending low carb eating to all Type 2s now. It certainly can be done.

 

[Resurgam]

I got a diagnosis of Hba1c 91, and dropped to 47 in 80 days, down to normal in 6 months and 3 stone lighter too.
Having been preparing doing and now recovering from a bit knitting machine exhibition the shopping went to pot, so my sustenance has been a large pot of broth made from the odds and ends I found in the freezer - beef, lamb and bags of frozen mixed veges. I make my own bread now - full of fibre and seeds to lower the carb count, which I seem to be able to cope with as I am 2 years from diagnosis. I did need to let my metabolism recover, turn rubber side down and become more balanced, which does seem to have happened fairly well - though increased sensitivity to insulin seems to mean that I have regained the ability to put on weight at a great rate.
I just went straight to low carb - I do a lot of similar things - but you can just as easily do things more slowly - check the foods you eat for carbs and halve the portion sizes for the first two weeks, then halve them again for a month, half again for two months - though if you have a meter and check for foods which spike you - for me it is any legume, peas and beans which punch above their weight - it might be easier to remove them rather than struggle to cope with them.
If you do get 'the wobblies' - false hypos which can happen after long exposure to high blood glucose a tiny amount of something sugary can help - I had a drink of water and then chewed three or four grapes and felt better almost at once.
I did take tablets for a few weeks but they made me terribly ill, so I threw them away. As it turns out that I don't seem to need them I was not best pleased to have had such a miserable time with them.

 

[kokhongw]

You have come to the right place...

 

[Goonergal]

Hi @LeftPeg and welcome.

As others have said, there is definitely hope. I was diagnosed with HbA1c of 108 and have been able to get it down to non diabetic levels using diet and exercise. Many others on here have done similarly.

Have a good read of the info that daisy1 will send and ask as many questions as you like. This is a fabulous place for advice and support.

 

[micra21]

I was 128 at diagnosis, after three months and eating LCHF and doing some intermittent fasting, I was 53. I was slim to start with, now I'm even slimmer but it's a way of life that seems to work on high blood sugar, as others on the thread have shown. Good luck, there's no reason why you shouldn't be successful.