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urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Today my HBA1C result came and it’s 6.6.. is it bad ? How do I reduce it

Hi @Remap

Here in the UK, a diagnosis of diabetes is made with an hbA1c of 6.5% (I assume you are using percentage).

So 6.6% isn't very bad - it could be worse but I see from your profile page, it looks like your A1c numbers have been getting worse since 2019 even on a low carb diet.

What are you eating?
 

Reemap

Well-Known Member
Messages
261
I am eating three time’s food .. I am having vegetables for lunch and dinner and sometimes one bowl of white rice .. breakfast I am eating South Indian dishes like dosa and idli. These things are use to eat before too. And the HBA1c was still in control.
 

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
The usual method to reduce Hba1c is eating fewer carbohydrate, the starches and sugars.
 

nutribolt

Well-Known Member
Messages
523
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I am eating three time’s food .. I am having vegetables for lunch and dinner and sometimes one bowl of white rice .. breakfast I am eating South Indian dishes like dosa and idli. These things are use to eat before too. And the HBA1c was still in control.
Your initial better luck at BG readings with same diet perhaps is down to the progressive worsening of your insulin resistance that is causing poor HbA1c results... while everyone is different most people in this forum have seen that they were able to control their BG better by opting for low carb food... If I were you, I'd stop rice, dosa and idli which are pretty high in carbs.
 

urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
I am eating three time’s food .. I am having vegetables for lunch and dinner and sometimes one bowl of white rice .. breakfast I am eating South Indian dishes like dosa and idli. These things are use to eat before too. And the HBA1c was still in control.

Hi again @Reemap

I am a T1 and I inject insulin but even for me a dosa is a problem, it sends my blood sugars sky high.

I realise that in Asia, rice is a staple part of your diet but I feel you are going to run into problems if you are eating dosa and idli every day.
 
Last edited:

Reemap

Well-Known Member
Messages
261
Though I don’t eat dosa and idli every day.. will try to control my diet .. hope I will come on track soon. But 6.6% for HBA1c is it bad ?
 

urbanracer

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
5,186
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Not being able to eat as many chocolate digestives as I used to.
Though I don’t eat dosa and idli every day.. will try to control my diet .. hope I will come on track soon. But 6.6% for HBA1c is it bad ?

It depends on your point of view. Mine was 7.5% but I'm a T1 on insulin and the doctors like (T1's) being at this kind of level. But as I indicated in my earlier post, here in the UK and with an A1c of 6.5% or higher, your doctor would tell you. 'You're diabetic'.

So anything you can do to get it down would be really good.
 

CathytheChef

Active Member
Messages
33
Type 2 diabetes is a degenerative condition - it gets worse over time. Your HbA1c going up doesn't neccessarily mean you're doing anything wrong, in fact if it wasn't for all your efforts things could be a lot worse. Keep working on your diet and don't feel disheartened by this result - sometimes this disease just progresses at its own rate.
 

Andydragon

Well-Known Member
Retired Moderator
Messages
3,324
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Type 2 diabetes is a degenerative condition - it gets worse over time. Your HbA1c going up doesn't neccessarily mean you're doing anything wrong, in fact if it wasn't for all your efforts things could be a lot worse. Keep working on your diet and don't feel disheartened by this result - sometimes this disease just progresses at its own rate.
Sorry, disagree. It can do but with control it can be managed and the loss of control mitigated via changes such as LCHF.

It can get worse but it's an interesting condition in that you can reverse a lot of it, like I did, over a decade in and I went from 78 to 38 and drug free.

The medical profession often will tell you it will get worse until.insulin, but that's cause many they see don't get better or follow the bad advice such as Eatwell
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,214
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Though I don’t eat dosa and idli every day.. will try to control my diet .. hope I will come on track soon. But 6.6% for HBA1c is it bad ?

Hi,

Looking at your last topic back in November 2020. (6.7?) It hasn't got any worse... https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/sad-☹️.178084/

Sounds to me from your comments your diet could be Indian? Can you eat chicken?
There maybe some vegitarian members that can help with the day to day diet if meat is not for you..
 

Jaylee

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
18,214
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Type 2 diabetes is a degenerative condition - it gets worse over time. Your HbA1c going up doesn't neccessarily mean you're doing anything wrong, in fact if it wasn't for all your efforts things could be a lot worse. Keep working on your diet and don't feel disheartened by this result - sometimes this disease just progresses at its own rate.

It doesn't have to be thusly so.. ;)
My T2 dad came off meds with a respectable A1c after a bespoke change to his carb intake..
Lucky for him formerly on metformin, he was prescribed a flashier meter at the time than I was...
 
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VashtiB

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
2,283
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Type 2 diabetes is a degenerative condition - it gets worse over time. Your HbA1c going up doesn't neccessarily mean you're doing anything wrong, in fact if it wasn't for all your efforts things could be a lot worse. Keep working on your diet and don't feel disheartened by this result - sometimes this disease just progresses at its own rate.

Another who disagreed. mine has got a lot better since low carb. My levels are now in the normal range and in about mid-normal range. I don't believe it needs to be progressive.

I assume from your profile that you are a type 1 diabetic. The two are quite different. I suggest that you may want to read around the type 2 posts prior to making such generalisations. I very very rarely post in response to type 1s post unless to give a hug or congratulations as I don't have that experience. I do read some of the type 1 posts as I want to learn more- this site is a great resource for learning. I think that it is important not to be too negative unless you are confident that is correct. This site has saved my life as a type 2 and a big part of that was having people tell me that it doesn't need to be progressive.
 

Reemap

Well-Known Member
Messages
261
Thanks a lot everyone for your replies .. for a moment when I saw the post that it’s progressive and I will get in worst situation later in time was scary. I am planning to leave having breakfast or only might have egg for breakfast. That would surely help I believe .