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HbA1c levels

katieeeb

katieeeb

Active Member
Messages
32
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hey guys my current HABC1 level is 104 how long will it take to go down to 40 if I do my insulin and control my diabetes as well as I possibly can ?? Thanks in advance for your help xx
 
The HbA1c measures an average of approximately the last 3 months but is also slightly weighted to the last 2-6 weeks, because it is measured based on glucose 'sticking' to red blood cells and red blood cells are constantly being replaced by the time 3 months are up they are all replaced.

However it can be hard to drop your A1c that quickly and may not even be recommended as to get from 104 which is an average BG of 16.0 to 40 which is an average of 6.6 is a big drop. It is certainly possible to have a big improvement but has your doctor given you a certain goal? I know my A1c has been that high before but it has taken a lot of effort and making sustainable changes to get it going down, so it would be more realistic to expect it to take several months to get it down.
 
You should probably bring it down over a period of months, not days or even weeks. If you bring it down too fast, you run the risk of getting bleeds in your eyes and damaging your sight permanently. Discuss your targets with your doctor.
 
I think when I first got diagnosed I was 96 and in 2 and a half months it went down to 39, I literally changed every single thing though. You can do it quick but I'd recommend just not trying to rush it...chances are you'll feel like you're hypo-img at a slightly higher range so could feel a lot worse about yourself.
 
Well my doctors are just telling me to get it as low as possible ...... I want to start planning a baby so I'm trying my hardest to get them down

That is true with the rushing though !!! I constantly feel like I'm throwing a low and My bloods are always normal

Really strange :(

Thanks for your help though xx
 
Try not to bring it down too fast, my hba1c was very high when I was first diagnosed, while it is fine now It took me a long time to bring it down. Don't try to rush it though, It will make you feel bad and is not safe!
 
It would possible to drop it down within 3-4 months IF you have a very strict diet and keep your sugars as low as possible for as long as possible.

I went from 13% at diagnosis to around 5.5% 3 months later, and stuck around there every since. So it is very possible, you just have to treat every hour on its own with the goal to keep that hour around in the 5-6.5 mmol/l range.. Sum that all up after 3 months and you would have a very nice HBA1c!

Break it into small sections, like days... make sure each day is as low as possible and go from there. If each day is low, your total will be low :D Thats how I approach it, a lot of small battles to win lol
 
@katieeeb Mine was 120 on 4th May 2015, September it was 43.

It is possible but be careful and watch out for hypos as you dont wasnt HbA1C low and it being because of having constant hypos.
 
RuthW said:
You should probably bring it down over a period of months, not days or even weeks. If you bring it down too fast, you run the risk of getting bleeds in your eyes and damaging your sight permanently. Discuss your targets with your doctor.
Click to expand...
This happened to me - definitely agree with bringing it down slowly.
 
@RuthW
Yeh I thought it needed bringing down gradually but my diabetes nurse is telling me it's needs to come below 50 on my next blood test :/
Mine in July was 134 in September it was 100 soo it's coming down step by step which I thought was good
I've have my insulin changed arround 5 times in the past two years of me being diagnosed ... Feel hopeless with it all
 
katieeeb said:
Well my doctors are just telling me to get it as low as possible ...... I want to start planning a baby so I'm trying my hardest to get them down

That is true with the rushing though !!! I constantly feel like I'm throwing a low and My bloods are always normal

Really strange :(

Thanks for your help though xx
Click to expand...
In the same boat as you! Now at a preconception clinic. My last levels 8 months ago were 10.5. Have just decided with my partner we would like a baby together. Been put on high strength folic acid and given extra prescriptions (it takes about 40 units each meal to bring it to normal) I want to reduce my averages as fast as I can. And now they are normal I feel constantly shakey it's awful!
 
@livbo90
Wow !! This is exactly the same we are trying for a baby they have put me on folic acid ... But didn't even want to give it me !! They said it needs to be in my system for 3 months but wouldn't give it me to start I ended up going to my doctor and he gave it me my diabetic team said no to me planning a family !!

My levels are normalish but I'm shaking most days and I'm constantly sweating like I'm having a hypo but sugars are normal ! What extra prescriptions have you been put on ? What insulin are you using ?
 
My doctor got pretty uptight about folic acid but as soon as I mentioned the clinic they changed their mind lol. I know its such an awful feeling feeling like you need permission to have a baby :( my levels are okay at the moment but I feel like I'm having a constant hypo it's horrible. Nearly passed out earlier. Nothing except high strength folic acid and extra prescriptions for insulin. I'm currently using NovaRapid for meal times and levimer at night time.
 
What clinic you been too ?
I've only ever been the diabetic clinic and my own doctors
Yeh that's how I feel like I'm not allowed to have a child :(
I'm on levemer for night and on apidra between meals like
Only need to do a few units of apidra I think I'm in the honeymoon period where I'm still making my own insulin it's really weird Aswell cause some meals I can have loads of carbs and I don't need insulin for them ! It's soo strange :(
 
It's called a preconception clinic. Apparantly a clinic within the diabetic clinic here. I'm currently needing about 40 per meal and 30 of my night time insulin.
 
That's really weird they have never even mentioned a clinic like that !
I swear they don't like telling me stuff so they don't have to help me with things :((
 
If you Google it and your area yay find something comes up? That's how I found it as my doctor was rubbish :(
 
It's mad though isn't it there suppose to be here to help you but in theory they don't really offer the support we need !
My doctors are hopeless Aswell I went to my doctors for 9 months with problems until I was actually diagnosed type 1 and even then they didn't want to give me insulin until my referral to the doctors was done ... 2 month waiting list !!

They were happy to let me walk arround diabetic for 2 months with out medication ! Was only because I kicked off they sent me to hospital x
 
They made you wait for insulin? It's a basic need for your body to function properly. Such idiots.
 
Yep I was soo ill Aswell I have constant water infections and I had habc1 as 124 !

They also tried to give me drugs for colestrol when I don't have it ... And I found out from the diabetic team that they can stop fertility and that people shouldn't take them unless there over 40
 
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