Feeling a bit downhearted ...

[Yellredder]

My hba1c has come back at 50. Am eating no differently than I was when I was at pre-d levels (low carb). They're going to offer me meds aren't they? Really not sure where to go from here.

 

[zand]

They may offer Metformin which is an old well tested drug that I was happy to take, but I don't think they will be that concerned about an HbA1c of 50.

 

[xfieldok]

What are you actually eating in a typical day?

 

[Yellredder]

Thanks for replying. Breakfast is usually low carb toast or Greek yoghurt, pecans and cinnamon. Lunch is cucumber with a combo of ham/tuna/chicken/egg/cheese and I sometimes make cheese scones with almond flour and have one of those. Tonight's tea is fairly typical, tuna steak, mashed celeriac, bit of coleslaw and some sprouts.

 

[Ryhia]

My initial HbA1c was 54 then I was given a second blood test to confirm the D diagnosis this was 52 so an average of 53. I wasn't offered meds just to go and sort it by diet, so they may not necessarily offer medication.

 

[NicoleC1971]

My hba1c has come back at 50. Am eating no differently than I was when I was at pre-d levels (low carb). They're going to offer me meds aren't they? Really not sure where to go from here.

Your diet sounds good based on your later post but you still have insulin resistance and this may persist. Who knows what that hba1c might have been had you not done low carb!
You may find metformin helps if you can tolerate it so I would not see it as a failure.
At 50 they may be happy to let you carry on until your next review and there are a few things to consider:
Sleep/stress - physiologically you will struggle to reduce insulin resistance if you are very stressed emotionally or physically
Exercise - you don't have to burn lots of carbs as you aren't eating much but can you add some muscle by using weights ? This would help you get more insulin sensitive.
Try and focus on things other than that hba1c . Its important but how are the other markers e.g. blood pressue, triglycerides/hdl? energy levels? weight?

 

[Yellredder]

@NicoleC1971 your post resonates. I have been, and remain, under an enormous amount of stress with my work. During lockdown I developed insomnia and as I’ve managed to sort that out my msk issues have significantly worsened and are now waking me up multiple times through the night. I walk a lot and I have a second job which is active (but currently on hold during this pretence of a lockdown). I normally swim, but haven’t been able to since March.

My weight remains ok and stable. I didn’t have my cholesterol done. I managed to get my HBA1C done as I had to urgently have blood tests for another condition - which I thankfully don’t have (sibling been diagnosed with a genetic condition and so I’ve had to be tested too!)

@Ryhia thank you for your reply. I was initially diagnosed two years ago with 48. Three months later it was 42, which I had managed to reduce by eating the way I am currently. So this 50 has come as a bit of a shock!!

 

[Ryhia]

@NicoleC1971 your post resonates. I have been, and remain, under an enormous amount of stress with my work. During lockdown I developed insomnia and as I’ve managed to sort that out my msk issues have significantly worsened and are now waking me up multiple times through the night. I walk a lot and I have a second job which is active (but currently on hold during this pretence of a lockdown). I normally swim, but haven’t been able to since March.

My weight remains ok and stable. I didn’t have my cholesterol done. I managed to get my HBA1C done as I had to urgently have blood tests for another condition - which I thankfully don’t have (sibling been diagnosed with a genetic condition and so I’ve had to be tested too!)

@Ryhia thank you for your reply. I was initially diagnosed two years ago with 48. Three months later it was 42, which I had managed to reduce by eating the way I am currently. So this 50 has come as a bit of a shock!!

I am pretty sure that stress was a key factor that helped push me over the diabetes threshold. If it was in your case, that would explain your bloods lifting. I think lockdown has affected a lot of people not least because they are unable to get out and about as they once did.

 

[shelley262]

@NicoleC1971 your post resonates. I have been, and remain, under an enormous amount of stress with my work. During lockdown I developed insomnia and as I’ve managed to sort that out my msk issues have significantly worsened and are now waking me up multiple times through the night. I walk a lot and I have a second job which is active (but currently on hold during this pretence of a lockdown). I normally swim, but haven’t been able to since March.

My weight remains ok and stable. I didn’t have my cholesterol done. I managed to get my HBA1C done as I had to urgently have blood tests for another condition - which I thankfully don’t have (sibling been diagnosed with a genetic condition and so I’ve had to be tested too!)

@Ryhia thank you for your reply. I was initially diagnosed two years ago with 48. Three months later it was 42, which I had managed to reduce by eating the way I am currently. So this 50 has come as a bit of a shock!!

Stress can have a huge impact on numbers and things like swimming which we sadly can’t do now really helps to manage stress I’ve found. Missing sleep also has a huge impact. What you eat is important and a big part of bringing your numbers down but so is management of stress and improving sleep. Notice you do walking have you thought of adding in some exercise that helps with breathing and calming the mind such as Pilates or yoga? I do daily meditation I use Headspace which includes some walking and meditation combined sessions which I love and I try to walk and do exercise and if I find time it makes a big difference to me.
Important bit is not to let this blip put you off but carry on eating carefully and look at how you can improve your general mental and physical wellbeing take care and keep going it’s been a very difficult year for us all but you will get through this difficult spell.

 

[JenniferW]

I went above 50 and medication was 'suggested'. I asked them to give me 3 months, was really careful on carb counting (I used the MFP app), managing to average around 100 / day, and I got the HbA1c down to 41, the lowest since they started to test me almost 20 years ago. I then got a repeat test 3 months after that, saying I was likely to slide back into too many carbs (I'm a disaster zone of a lifetime of yoyo dieting), and I did, but the results only went up to 43. We then agreed on the next test being 6 months later, and I suspect it'll be a bit higher because I'm not good at this! But I've still managed to stay off medication for another year, and am slowly learning it's possible, although some of us struggle with this sort of change more than others!

 

[VashtiB]

I'm another whose levels have gone up doing very low carb. I also have a hugely stressful job which has got a ,lot more stressful this year- I also have sleepless night etc. I keep my carb levels. very low- alway less than 20 grams a day. I try to control what I can. I really feel your pain. The additional stress of this year has been huge. In one way I am grateful I was diagnosed before this year as I'd already made my changes to my diet before all the additional stress I think I would find it harder now. I am now drinking more than before this year but less than before my diagnosis. I just don't like what I can drink as much as I like what I use to drink. I used to say my alcohol consumption was m mostly about the sugar before my diagnosis and I was right!.