• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

HBA1c levels 46

J

JLM2020

Newbie
Messages
4
Hello, I'm new to forum and would like to introduce myself and ask advice, if possible, from experienced members.

I suffered a stroke last year and spent a week in hospital. During that time as you can imagine they took more blood than I thought possible and carried out test after test.

Anyway, my HBA1c levels came back as 46 and they told me I was pre-diabetic. This is where my confusion starts.

At the time I was on a Ketogenic diet, which basically means no carbs whatsoever. Before that over the summer I was on my normal diet of minimal carbs, no bread, rice, potatoes etc, very little sugar at all (the occasional ice-cream once a week). None in tea, coffee, cereal and drink very little fizzy drinks. I go to the gym (or did before my stroke), at least 4 times a week, and. My gym routine is roughly an hour or more of vigorous weights followed by around 20 minutes high intensity cardio. I was in the army for quite a long time when younger so know a little about keeping fit.

Here's the bad bit -- I smoke around 20/25 cigarettes a day (again I did pre-stroke). I'm now taking smoking aids to give up completely.

What else can I do to improve a diet where I was on minimal sugar and no carbs as it is?
 
JLM2020 said:
Hello, I'm new to forum and would like to introduce myself and ask advice, if possible, from experienced members.

I suffered a stroke last year and spent a week in hospital. During that time as you can imagine they took more blood than I thought possible and carried out test after test.

Anyway, my HBA1c levels came back as 46 and they told me I was pre-diabetic. This is where my confusion starts.

At the time I was on a Ketogenic diet, which basically means no carbs whatsoever. Before that over the summer I was on my normal diet of minimal carbs, no bread, rice, potatoes etc, very little sugar at all (the occasional ice-cream once a week). None in tea, coffee, cereal and drink very little fizzy drinks. I go to the gym (or did before my stroke), at least 4 times a week, and. My gym routine is roughly an hour or more of vigorous weights followed by around 20 minutes high intensity cardio. I was in the army for quite a long time when younger so know a little about keeping fit.

Here's the bad bit -- I smoke around 20/25 cigarettes a day (again I did pre-stroke). I'm now taking smoking aids to give up completely.

What else can I do to improve a diet where I was on minimal sugar and no carbs as it is?
Click to expand...

JML - It could be helpful if you described your last day, or a typical day's eating and drinking, as we quite often find there can be a bit of confusion on terminology.

It'd also be useful what medications you are taking, as some meds, whilst great at doing the job they are designed to, can impact other aspects of our living patterns.

To be clear, I'm not suggesting you are doing anything wrong, just making sure we have as robust a starting point as we can, before folks start chipping in ideas for you.
 
DCUKMod said:
JML - It could be helpful if you described your last day, or a typical day's eating and drinking, as we quite often find there can be a bit of confusion on terminology.

It'd also be useful what medications you are taking, as some meds, whilst great at doing the job they are designed to, can impact other aspects of our living patterns.

To be clear, I'm not suggesting you are doing anything wrong, just making sure we have as robust a starting point as we can, before folks start chipping in ideas for you.
Click to expand...

Hi - thanks for the reply.

A typical day eating would be:
Breakfast - All Bran or avocado and poached egg.
Lunch - Chicken or Turkey Breast with a salad. Or humus and cucumber. Lentils etc. A full garlic bulb in soup is common also - at least 3 times a week.
Dinner - Something like meat and veg would be normal.
Drinks: only green tea and water throughout the day.

Takeaway around once a month.
Eating out around twice a month.

Medication:
Clopidogrel x 1 in the morning 75mg.
Folic acid 1 a day.
Vitamin with cod liver oil.
Atorvastatin 1 in the evening 40mg.
Aspirin 1 in the evening.

Homocysteine level 15.7 at last check in November.
Heart okay.
Lungs okay.
Cholesterol slightly over at last check in November.
Blood pressure high when I went into hospital (150/90) and 107/70 when I left. Average of 120-130/80-90 now.

History of heart problems in the family with brother dying young of long QT syndrome and father dying at 58 of heart attack.
 
Lots of veg can be quite high in carbs too. Carrots, peas, parsnips etc. They have a habit of sneaking up blood sugar.
Soups are often thickened with potatoes or rice if they aren't homemade.

I know my carbs have been going up without me noticing. I'm reining it in this week!
 
If your hba1c was 46 when on a ketogenic diet, you should also consider the fact that you may be T1/LADA rather than T2. (Though if that diet included allbran/cereals it wasn't keto).

Many doctors assume T2 because of age, even though many people of your age and older actually have LADA, which is slow presenting T1 (basically your body gradually stops making insulin). Antibody GAD tests and a c-peptide test would probably clear up any confusion, though your doctor maty not be willing to do them until/unless your levels go higher.
 
@JLM2020 Hiw long have you been on statins as these have been known to increase BS levels? I started taking statins when first diagnosed with an hba1c of 48 but it increased to 54 within 6 months. When I came off statins, with my GPs consent, because of other side effects my hba1c reduced and has been at non diabetic levels for approx 7 years.
 
EllieM said:
If your hba1c was 46 when on a ketogenic diet, you should also consider the fact that you may be T1/LADA rather than T2. (Though if that diet included allbran/cereals it wasn't keto).

Many doctors assume T2 because of age, even though many people of your age and older actually have LADA, which is slow presenting T1 (basically your body gradually stops making insulin). Antibody GAD tests and a c-peptide test would probably clear up any confusion, though your doctor maty not be willing to do them until/unless your levels go higher.
Click to expand...

That's post stroke - pre-stroke didn't include the carbs element.

Thanks to all for the replies. I've got a lot to think about.
 
Daphne917 said:
@JLM2020 Hiw long have you been on statins as these have been known to increase BS levels? I started taking statins when first diagnosed with an hba1c of 48 but it increased to 54 within 6 months. When I came off statins, with my GPs consent, because of other side effects my hba1c reduced and has been at non diabetic levels for approx 7 years.
Click to expand...

Just since the stroke in November. My cholesterol levels weren't too high but apparently statins can also prevent strokes after having one.
 
Back
Top