Latest hb1c

[Doireallyneedanams]

Hi all

I had suspected borderline gestational diabetes when I was pregnant, hba1c taken at 37 weeks was 33. Diabetic team ruled out diabetes based on this. I read many studies suggesting hba1c in pregnancy is falsely low but concluded that it’s unlikely my hba1c would have been higher than 37.

I immediately switched my diet around and my postpartum hba1c 6 months later was 30.

I’ve just had another and my result is 31. I should have prefaced this by saying I have health anxiety, but I am worried that it’s gone from 30 to 31 in 7 months. I have to say when I had the result of 30 I was eating 2 slices of low carb bread for breakfast and a salad for dinner, whereas the last few months I’ve been scoffing a few too many biscuits after dinner and having the occasional take away - not as strict as I used to be. Still, if my body was able to process these things then wouldn’t my hba1c have remained at 30?

I’m nervous that my diet is masking diabetes and if I was to revert back to my extremely high carb diet I’d be seeing very different results. Am I just being paranoid?

 

[Andydragon]

Hi all

I had suspected borderline gestational diabetes when I was pregnant, hba1c taken at 37 weeks was 33. Diabetic team ruled out diabetes based on this. I read many studies suggesting hba1c in pregnancy is falsely low but concluded that it’s unlikely my hba1c would have been higher than 37.

I immediately switched my diet around and my postpartum hba1c 6 months later was 30.

I’ve just had another and my result is 31. I should have prefaced this by saying I have health anxiety, but I am worried that it’s gone from 30 to 31 in 7 months. I have to say when I had the result of 30 I was eating 2 slices of low carb bread for breakfast and a salad for dinner, whereas the last few months I’ve been scoffing a few too many biscuits after dinner and having the occasional take away - not as strict as I used to be. Still, if my body was able to process these things then wouldn’t my hba1c have remained at 30?

I’m nervous that my diet is masking diabetes and if I was to revert back to my extremely high carb diet I’d be seeing very different results. Am I just being paranoid?

30 to 31 is a tiny increase and both results well within the non-diabetic range. Given how close those levels are it could easily be within margin of error that they are pretty much identical

It seems your diet is working fine as far as blood results go, but that going on previous results you aren't in the diabetic range. it's possible higher carbs would be a problem but your previous 37 is still well within normal range

You seem very worried about diabetes when your results aren't pointing to that being an issue. Is there some other symptoms or concerns you have?

 

[Doireallyneedanams]

30 to 31 is a tiny increase and both results well within the non-diabetic range. Given how close those levels are it could easily be within margin of error that they are pretty much identical

It seems your diet is working fine as far as blood results go, but that going on previous results you aren't in the diabetic range. it's possible higher carbs would be a problem but your previous 37 is still well within normal range

You seem very worried about diabetes when your results aren't pointing to that being an issue. Is there some other symptoms or concerns you have?

Thanks for the reply. I think it’s the uncertainty that drives me mad! When things are less crazy with Covid I’m going to try and push for a GTT so I can determine once and for all where I stand. I think I’m going to struggle to convince them though

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. Those HBA1c numbers are extremely good and non-diabetic. The results will vary from test to test. It's never bad to keep the carbs down but you needn't worry. Have enough fats and proteins, veg etc to go with the carbs in your meals which will help control weight anyway. As you may know GD can disappear 'for ever' or return as T2. With your numbers there is no need to worry currently.

 

[Mike d]

30 to 31 in 7 months? You're worrying about absolutely nothing ....

 

[Doireallyneedanams]

30 to 31 in 7 months? You're worrying about absolutely nothing ....

I hope so. It’s just that I didn’t get that result by eating a normal Western diet - I still eat low carb. I saw one woman on a pregnancy group with an hba1c of 24 (!!) though I did wonder if something else was going on with her that resulted in a falsely low result.

 

[Doireallyneedanams]

30 to 31 is a tiny increase and both results well within the non-diabetic range. Given how close those levels are it could easily be within margin of error that they are pretty much identical

It seems your diet is working fine as far as blood results go, but that going on previous results you aren't in the diabetic range. it's possible higher carbs would be a problem but your previous 37 is still well within normal range

You seem very worried about diabetes when your results aren't pointing to that being an issue. Is there some other symptoms or concerns you have?

No symptoms really, although I could convince myself that I do! I just had two siblings diagnosed and as I had to monitor my glucose during pregnancy it became a little bit obsessive. I only stopped testing around 6 months postpartum when I realised how unhealthy it was for me to be doing so without having a diagnosis.

I did get some questionable numbers after huge carb heavy take aways (in the 8’s) but it does seem this is common in non diabetics after such meals. The line of “a non diabetic will NEVER go above 7.8” didn’t help my anxiety.

 

[Andydragon]

The line of “a non diabetic will NEVER go above 7.8” didn’t help my anxiety.

Not sure the latter is true, I have seen something about it should be lower than this 2 hour after food but never I wonder if true

Where did you see that?

 

[Doireallyneedanams]

Not sure the latter is true. Where did you see that?

there’s lots of threads online showing various doctors and medics who have tested their own glucose, many have spiked to 11 after porridge/McDonalds then quickly back down.

My non diabetic partner hit 8.3 after a Red Bull but was back to 5.3 at 2 hours.

 

[jaywak]

there’s lots of threads online showing various doctors and medics who have tested their own glucose, many have spiked to 11 after porridge/McDonalds then quickly back down.

My non diabetic partner hit 8.3 after a Red Bull but was back to 5.3 at 2 hours.

It does suggest though that that is not a good food to be eating then ! Diabetic or not !

 

[Mike d]

The line of “a non diabetic will NEVER go above 7.8” didn’t help my anxiety.

Completely and totally wrong.

 

[Doireallyneedanams]

Completely and totally wrong.

I am realising that now. I believe this 7.8 that is quoted everywhere stems from the OGTT, which obviously doesn’t take into account factors involved in the breakdown of actual foods with fats etc. It seems stupid to use the same figure for an entirely different dietary intake.

Despite this, my gestational diabetes diagnosis was based on having had 3 reads in 1 week over 7.8 at the 1 hour mark. I had 7.8, 7.9 & 8.4 at one hour all after carb heavy meals and whilst heavily pregnant, which is known to increase insulin resistance in healthy pregnancies with no complications.

This is why I still have concerns!

 

[Mike d]

It has little to do with the one hour reading, but everything to do with the fall back at the two hour mark..

 

[MrsA2]

I didn’t get that result by eating a normal Western diet - I

Who says what the majority of people in the West eat is 'normal?
There are many many people now realising that what we have been told for the past 50 years is 'normal' is actually wrong and dangerous. Nearly 60% of Americans are diabetic or prediabetic already.
Just eat enough good real foods that keep your weight reasonable, avoid snacking , keep active and thats it. Simples

 

[jaywak]

Who says what the majority of people in the West eat is 'normal?
There are many many people now realising that what we have been told for the past 50 years is 'normal' is actually wrong and dangerous. Nearly 60% of Americans are diabetic or prediabetic already.
Just eat enough good real foods that keep your weight reasonable, avoid snacking , keep active and thats it. Simples

Well said Mrs A ! If we just learnt not to mess with our food we don't have to boil it , freeze , pulverise it which our body does very well anyway , perhaps there would be less problems to cope with , We can't stop this western lifestyle completely I know but we could do a bit less and reap the benefits maybe in a few years time !