Newly diagnosed, 82 HbA1c 82 MMOL/MOL

[wozey]

Familial hypercholesterolemia is an excellent reason for statins. There's nothing else for it, really... Well, maybe red rice yeast, but that's technically the same as a statin. But when it doesn't run in the family, if there aren't extreme numbers present, then a low carb diet can actually get cholesterol levels down. (Case in point, me, and many others here. And I do love my bacon.). That's why it's always a good thing to know why something's happening, to get a once over with a doc regularly and whatnot... Is it a condition, or is it something caused by external factors? Then act on the information you have and see what it gets you.

I’m not arguing against it I’m just saying find out what you’re dealing with first, I don’t see why you would argue that point. Most seem to say they are useless and you’ve just backed up what I’ve said in that it’s not always the case for everyone

 

[Antje77]

I’m not arguing against it I’m just saying find out what you’re dealing with first, I don’t see why you would argue that point. Most seem to say they are useless and you’ve just backed up what I’ve said in that it’s not always the case for everyone

It didn't look like arguing to me, I thought she completely agreed with you?

 

[wozey]

It didn't look like arguing to me, I thought she completely agreed with you?

I never said a low carb diet couldn’t work for someone that didn’t suffer from this condition but she spoke as if I was saying that it wasn’t possible for it to work, I never said that, and technically it could skip a generation so the statement could put someone at risk and that’s the issue I have. We are not doctors as you’ve told me in the past

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I never said a low carb diet couldn’t work for someone that didn’t suffer from this condition but she spoke as if I was saying that it wasn’t possible for it to work, I never said that, and technically it could skip a generation so the statement could put someone at risk and that’s the issue I have. We are not doctors as you’ve told me in the past

...I was agreeing with you... I'll bow out now.

 

[Antje77]

I never said a low carb diet couldn’t work for someone that didn’t suffer from this condition but she spoke as if I was saying that it wasn’t possible for it to work, I never said that, and technically it could skip a generation so the statement could put someone at risk and that’s the issue I have. We are not doctors as you’ve told me in the past

...I was agreeing with you... I'll bow out now.

It's very easy to misunderstand the written word.
It's always better to ask for clarification.

 

[wozey]

...I was agreeing with you... I'll bow out now.

Please accept my apologies, it’s a difficult subject for me as I’m sure you’d understand but I clearly read it incorrectly

 

[Pipp]

Please accept my apologies, it’s a difficult subject for me as I’m sure you’d understand but I clearly read it incorrectly

I think you have made a very good point. Familial hypercholesterolaemia is often overlooked as a valid cause for taking statin medication. I know, because of my own extended family what devastation that condition can cause. So also understand how important the issue is for you.

I also think it commendable that you have apologised for the misunderstanding in the thread.
Makes mod life much easier when folks do this. Thank you.

 

[KennyA]

I would like to adopt your stance but with my cholesterol being at 6.2 with an LDL contribution of 5.3 I’m more than a little sceptical about just going low-carb and (therefore) increasing fats.

My cholesterol has also fallen to its lowest ever level since low carb/high fat. No medication, no statins.

I have doubts about the cholesterol hypothesis - around 80% of cholesterol is manufactured by your body and I struggle to see how something essential can be such a problem.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Please accept my apologies, it’s a difficult subject for me as I’m sure you’d understand but I clearly read it incorrectly

Apologies accepted. And yes, I do understand. My mom had her first string of cardiac events at 55, starting with heart attacks due to two blocked arteries. I did get to keep her for 17 more years, but they were difficult, and riddled with painful, scary, debilitating conditions. Finally, I lost her two weeks ago. So, if there's anything I thoroughly understand, especially now, then it is the difficulty of certain subjects.

Bottom line, I do completely get it, and we're all good. Hang in there, eh.
Hugs,
Jo

 

[Diggler]

January 2022 my HbA1C was 99, it's currently about 40 and I am currently drug-free.

My doctor put me on Metformin, which didn't agree with me—I won't go into the messy details—I was able to drop it by early July.

I changed my diet by cutting down almost completely on carbohydrates. So the usual suspects of bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and most sweet things are no longer part of my diet. I occasionally, consciously allow myself a treat but on a day to day basis none of the above. Initially I spent a lot of time looking for the carbohydrate content of everything I ate and still do with new things, although, after a while, I got pretty good at guessing the carbs in food. Celeriac has become my go to substitute for potatoes, roasted, fried or mashed I really like it and cauliflower rice does for rice. I do miss proper bread though.

Then a started taking a brisk walk of about 30 minutes every day

If you can afford it, I recommend occassionally buying and using a blood glucose monitor, I use the FreeStyle Libre2, about £50 for 2 weeks worth of monitoring. Using this I discovered some weird anomalies in how my blood sugar reacts. So, for example, I can eat a chocolate Magnum ice cream and it barely moves my blood sugar, the same is true of Tunnocks Wafer biscuits. Don't ask me why because I only need look at a digestive and my blood sugar is through the roof. Also, beer, which is high in carbs pushes my blood sugar levels down, something to do with the alcohol. Note that I'm not suggesting a diet of beer and ice cream!

One other thing I have noticed is that my average blood sugar is very closely related to my waist size. I wasn't overweight with a BMI of about 24 but the fat that I did carry was all around my midriff, So, I have gone from a 36" waist down to a 32" waist, let it drift back up to 33" or 34" and up goes my blood sugar average. I think it was Dr Roy Taylor who said if you can get back into the jeans you wore when you were 21 your diabetes will go ino remission. For me that seems to be true.

I hope the above helps.

 

[0110]

Revitalise this thread - how is everyone doing? I am continuing on a low carb regime, probbaly have another two months before I can do a HBAC1 again. So the cells renew every 3 months, or will i start seeing improvements after around 1.5- 2 months? Concentration levels are better, eye sight seems sharper, lost 1 stone in 3 weeks but trying to get those numbers down on the daily sugar meter.

 

[ajbod]

Every gradual drop on the daily numbers, has a bigger impact on the Hba1c, than you realise. If a test is done even after 1 month it WILL show an improvement. as the oldest months higher sugar loaded cells will have been replaced with new much lower loaded cells. At 3 months you will obviously get the true picture, but that first month shows the highest improvement.

 

[0110]

Ajbod thank you for the advice, I may try to push for bloods on the half way mark maybe 3 weeks from now so 6 weeks after diagnose. A question i know Carbs can be detrimental, i was on my old life heavy on carbs and chocloates, daily. Whats worser chocloates or carbs on the levels?

 

[HSSS]

Ajbod thank you for the advice, I may try to push for bloods on the half way mark maybe 3 weeks from now so 6 weeks after diagnose. A question i know Carbs can be detrimental, i was on my old life heavy on carbs and chocloates, daily. Whats worser chocloates or carbs on the levels?

Chocolate has carbs so it’s a trick question.

If you switch to dark chocolate, and the higher the % the better, chocolate can still be a treat. Look at the carbs figure on the back of the packet.

Cheap and cheerful or flavoured dark chocolate is about 40-50% cocoa and more than 50g/100g carbs.
Go to 85% cocoa and you’re down to 20-25% carbs.

As many bars are around 100g that’s a whole bar for 20 ish carbs. And as it’s dark you don’t tend to scoff a whole bar the way you do milk chocolate so that can last you a week a square at a time.

 

[0110]

Chocolate has carbs so it’s a trick question.

If you switch to dark chocolate, and the higher the % the better, chocolate can still be a treat. Look at the carbs figure on the back of the packet.

Cheap and cheerful or flavoured dark chocolate is about 40-50% cocoa and more than 50g/100g carbs.
Go to 85% cocoa and you’re down to 20-25% carbs.

As many bars are around 100g that’s a whole bar for 20 ish carbs. And as it’s dark you don’t tend to scoff a whole bar the way you do milk chocolate so that can last you a week a square at a time.

white chappati spikes my blood levels big time, two brown toast seems managble

 

[KennyA]

revitalise this thread how is everyone doing? I am continuing on a low carb regime, probbaly have another two months before I can do a HBAC1 again. So the cells renew every 3 months, or will i start seeing improvements after around 1.5- 2 months? Concentration levels are better, eye sight seems sharper, lost 1 stone in 3 weeks but trying to get those numbers down on the daily sugar meter.

If my experience is anything to go by there should be a positive impact from the point you reduce your carbs. Initially there will be a bigger proportion of high-carb versus low-carb in the "going back three months" period, but as time rolls on the balance shifts. There's a bit of a skew towards the most recent month, so some positive change should certainly be detectable at about four weeks in - again, based on my experience and an estimated "countback".

One note of caution about asking for an A1c too quickly: you'll get an interim reading, sure, but you'll also want to know where your A1c stabilises once you've had a RBC changeover, as it were. That figure might be a bit more significant. So you'll want/need not one but two tests - I guess it depends how disposed your GP is to repeat testing.

 

[0110]

Guys anyone use Huel? as meal replacement, we have these at work, it states 100% nutitionally complete meal, 20g protein, 26 vitamins and mnerals and low sugar, Crab count seems to be 36 for the bottle, that seems high?

 

[ajbod]

Certainly NOT low carb in my eyes. packed lunch i would go for would be the low carb bread i make, as a sandwich, cooked bacon, lettuce and sliced hard boiled egg, with lashings of mayo. Total carbs approx' 7 max.

 

[0110]

Certainly NOT low carb in my eyes. packed lunch i would go for would be the low carb bread i make, as a sandwich, cooked bacon, lettuce and sliced hard boiled egg, with lashings of mayo. Total carbs approx' 7 max.

Yup I get it, hence why i wont have it, just wondering if anyone else uses Huel

One last silly question, I used to have a flat white semi skimmed milk daily from Costa coffee, its going to be once a week treat now. Best to have with Oat Milk/Dairy or Almond to minimise any spikes?

 

[HSSS]

Yup I get it, hence why i wont have it, just wondering if anyone else uses Huel

One last silly question, I used to have a flat white semi skimmed milk daily from Costa coffee, its going to be once a week treat now. Best to have with Oat Milk/Dairy or Almond to minimise any spikes?

Not the oat as that’s usually high in carbs. The almond depends if it’s sweetened or not as it makes a big difference.

I don’t do coffee shops but is there an option of a dash real (not squirty fake) cream?