HBA1C dropped massively, uncertain?

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Hi, I was diagnosed in April with suspected type 2 diabetes although they were unsure if I was type 1. As I am 22 and I am not overweight. My HBA1C has dropped from 118 from April to now it is 49. Does this mean I am more likely type 2? I am on gliclazide and metformin twice a day and cut down on my diet massively but I have not started exercising regularly.
 

Muneeb

Well-Known Member
Messages
428
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Doesn't mean for sure that you are type 2, you could be in honeymoon phase.
 

ert

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,588
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
diabetes
fasting
Hi, I was diagnosed in April with suspected type 2 diabetes although they were unsure if I was type 1. As I am 22 and I am not overweight. My HBA1C has dropped from 118 from April to now it is 49. Does this mean I am more likely type 2? I am on gliclazide and metformin twice a day and cut down on my diet massively but I have not started exercising regularly.
Well done on the progress you have made. It must have been a lot of hard work. I'd still be asking for a referral to a specialist, based on your BMI and age and really high starting HbA1c.
 

HSSS

Expert
Messages
7,465
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Did they do antibodies and c peptide to establish which type you are? I’d not be convinced either way yet if I were you.

Exercise though good for health has less effect that diet and medications. The gliclazide as I understand it will have made your body produce more insulin so it could be wringing the last from a failing pancreas (t1) or boosting an insulin resistant system. (T2)

What sort of changes have you made to diet? If it’s dropping carbs then again boosting your own insulin and reducing demand might mean that you’re coping - for now (t1 or LADA) or it might mean you’re addressing the issue.(t2)
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Well done on the progress you have made. It must have been a lot of hard work. I'd still be asking for a referral to a specialist, based on your BMI and age and really high starting HbA1c.

Thank you! It has been really difficult I had a lot of fruit and chocolate in my diet before. I have cut out a lot. The doctors are now saying they might be classing me more as type 2 since they view it as the medication working? Should I still be asking for a referral?
 

ert

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,588
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
diabetes
fasting
Thank you! It has been really difficult I had a lot of fruit and chocolate in my diet before. I have cut out a lot. The doctors are now saying they might be classing me more as type 2 since they view it as the medication working? Should I still be asking for a referral?
Definitely. Keep asking for the referral. If you're T1 you could be still producing some insulin for on average 6 months, which makes the doctors think that the medication alone is working. They need to be sure and not guess. You don't want to be on gliclazide is you're T1 as it will quickly kill off your remaining beta cells and make insulin more difficult to manage.

Here is the referral pathway you can discuss with them:
'Diagnostic criteria for Type 1 diabetes • Diagnose Type 1 diabetes on clinical grounds in adults presenting with hyperglycaemia (random plasma glucose more than 11 mmol/L), bearing in mind that adults with type 1 diabetes typically (but not always) have one or more of the following: ⁻ Ketosis ⁻ Rapid weight loss ⁻ Age of onset < 50 years. / BMI <25 kg/m2. ⁻ Personal and/or family history of autoimmune disease'
Take this pdf along:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/rightcar...40/2018/07/nhs-rightcare-pathway-diabetes.pdf
 
Last edited:

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Did they do antibodies and c peptide to establish which type you are? I’d not be convinced either way yet if I were you.

Exercise though good for health has less effect that diet and medications. The gliclazide as I understand it will have made your body produce more insulin so it could be wringing the last from a failing pancreas (t1) or boosting an insulin resistant system. (T2)

What sort of changes have you made to diet? If it’s dropping carbs then again boosting your own insulin and reducing demand might mean that you’re coping - for now (t1 or LADA) or it might mean you’re addressing the issue.(t2)

Hi, no still no c peptide test just the HBA1C test. When I had my GAD test in April they said I had no antibodies. I have drastically cut on my diet barely any carbs and I have cut on fruit and sugary treats.

Oh so still not out of the woods yet? I just want to find out which one it is.
 

Courts_12

Well-Known Member
Messages
47
Definitely. Keep asking for the referral. If you're T1 you could be still producing some insulin for on average 6 months, which makes the doctors think that the medication alone is working. They need to be sure and not guess. You don't want to be on gliclazide is you're T1 as it will quickly kill off your remaining beta cells and make insulin more difficult to manage.

Here is the referral pathway you can discuss with them:
'Diagnostic criteria for Type 1 diabetes • Diagnose Type 1 diabetes on clinical grounds in adults presenting with hyperglycaemia (random plasma glucose more than 11 mmol/L), bearing in mind that adults with type 1 diabetes typically (but not always) have one or more of the following: ⁻ Ketosis ⁻ Rapid weight loss ⁻ Age of onset < 50 years. / BMI <25 kg/m2. ⁻ Personal and/or family history of autoimmune disease'
Take this pdf along:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/rightcar...40/2018/07/nhs-rightcare-pathway-diabetes.pdf

Thank you I will keep asking for the referral. I think they are just refusing to listen at the moment and going with whatever they see is ‘working’. I am going to ask them to still do the c peptide because then I will know for definite. It just feels like I am drained constantly and tend to have hypos at least once a week. It is really useful thank you, hopefully it will get them to do more tests without just settling on a diagnosis