2nd Hba1c Result...should I Be Pleased?

[andrew.oliver25]

Hi All, New to all this...had my first test 2 months ago and was 124mmol/mol (horrendous i know!) second test this week came in at 66...almost halved. I realise there is still much more to do to get it down to the normal range but I'm unsure whether to feel pleased with what I've done so far or angry with myself that I haven't got it down more. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[bulkbiker]

After 2 months that is a completely brilliant result!
Well done that man indeed.

 

[Guzzler]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Tagging @daisy1 for the info pack offered to all newcomers.

Pleased? You should be shouting from the rooftops! What a great job you've done. Have a trophy on me.

 

[EllieM]

Hi All, New to all this...had my first test 2 months ago and was 124mmol/mol (horrendous i know!) second test this week came in at 66...almost halved. I realise there is still much more to do to get it down to the normal range but I'm unsure whether to feel pleased with what I've done so far or angry with myself that I haven't got it down more. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Remember that your HbA1C covers the last 3 months, so your 66 includes one month when your blood sugar was running at the 124 levels. I think you've done brilliantly. Keep up the good work.

 

[andrew.oliver25]

Thanks everyone...feel much better now!!!

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks everyone...feel much better now!!!

Are you taking any medication?

 

[xfieldok]

You are doing brilliantly, it took me 6 months to go from 122 to 35. Time to throw a party. Sugar free of course.

 

[SockFiddler]

Hi @andrew.oliver25 and welcome to the forum!

And, by golly, that's an AMAZING result! What an incredible start you've made. Now comes the really interesting part of your journey!

Can I ask a few questions that might seem a bit invasive but are quite commonplace around here? Are you self-testing between Hba tests? What have you done to bring that down so dramatically? Are you taking any medications?

I won't brow-beat you about diet or carbs (at least not until you ask me to!), but I will say this: shouting at yourself is never going to make anything better. Happily, there was no need to on this occasion. But, in the future, you might find there's a disappointing result or a bump in the road, and self-shaming is no way to get past that stuff.

We've all fallen off the band wagon here. The lovely thing is everyone offers you their hands to pull you back up onto it when you've dusted yourself off.

Looking forward to learning more about you - and what your secret is!

Sock x

 

[Smallbrit]

That is an amazing result. Well done!

Yes, absolutely you should be pleased. You are well on your way! Not sure what you did to get there so I have no advice, but whatever it was it’s obviously doing something

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Get a celebratory steak dinner or something. Really. You've done brilliantly!

 

[andrew.oliver25]

Are you taking any medication?

Yes on gliclazide and metformin. have cut down carbs, sugary drinks & alcohol and started exercising daily. Weight is down 3kg to 85kg. At the Doctors next week to discuss the new result.

 

[bulkbiker]

Yes on gliclazide and metformin. have cut down carbs, sugary drinks & alcohol and started exercising daily. Weight is down 3kg to 85kg. At the Doctors next week to discuss the new result.

I'm assuming you are measuring blood sugar levels regularly too? Gliclazide can cause blood sugars to go too low and when taken along with a lower carb diet this might be more likely. Might be worth mentioning to your Doc to reduce or get off it.

 

[andrew.oliver25]

Hi @andrew.oliver25 and welcome to the forum!

And, by golly, that's an AMAZING result! What an incredible start you've made. Now comes the really interesting part of your journey!

Can I ask a few questions that might seem a bit invasive but are quite commonplace around here? Are you self-testing between Hba tests? What have you done to bring that down so dramatically? Are you taking any medications?

I won't brow-beat you about diet or carbs (at least not until you ask me to!), but I will say this: shouting at yourself is never going to make anything better. Happily, there was no need to on this occasion. But, in the future, you might find there's a disappointing result or a bump in the road, and self-shaming is no way to get past that stuff.

We've all fallen off the band wagon here. The lovely thing is everyone offers you their hands to pull you back up onto it when you've dusted yourself off.

Looking forward to learning more about you - and what your secret is!

Sock x

I was testing regularly initially but have cut right back to the point where i'll only test if I've eaten something different from normal just to see the impact. The metformin and glicazide will be have a big impact i'm sure but i think the biggest thing is diet. I would have been eating pasta, rice or potatoes everyday on top of cereal for breakfast and bread for lunch, also I used to eat barely any vegetables. Always had a massive sweet tooth so cutting out the cakes and desserts has been the hardest part!

 

[andrew.oliver25]

I'm assuming you are measuring blood sugar levels regularly too? Gliclazide can cause blood sugars to go too low and when taken along with a lower carb diet this might be more likely. Might be worth mentioning to your Doc to reduce or get off it.

Thanks will mention it when I see her next week. I'm testing less now as they seemed to get to pretty consistent levels, always slightly higher in the morning.

 

[SockFiddler]

Dude, you've got this. Totally nailed it.

Good for you

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks will mention it when I see her next week. I'm testing less now as they seemed to get to pretty consistent levels, always slightly higher in the morning.

I may caution against that for the time being. As your bloods come down through diet the likelihood of too low bloods becomes a bit greater when on your medication. I would urge maintaining testing for the time being.
If you don't mind sharing what are your bloods usually?

 

[andrew.oliver25]

I may caution against that for the time being. As your bloods come down through diet the likelihood of too low bloods becomes a bit greater when on your medication. I would urge maintaining testing for the time being.
If you don't mind sharing what are your bloods usually?

range between 5 & 7.5 generally, have only gone below 5 a couple of times in 2 months and never below 4.5. above 8 a few times but usually when i know i've slipped.

 

[NewTD2]

Hi All, New to all this...had my first test 2 months ago and was 124mmol/mol (horrendous i know!) second test this week came in at 66...almost halved. I realise there is still much more to do to get it down to the normal range but I'm unsure whether to feel pleased with what I've done so far or angry with myself that I haven't got it down more. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Hi mate,

Well done and congratulations on lowering your HBA1c.

Mine was at 85 on diagnosis and after just two months, it went down to 46 and another two months later it went down again to 38.

It can be done by having tight control and by not slipping back to old habits.

Andrew

 

[bulkbiker]

range between 5 & 7.5 generally, have only gone below 5 a couple of times in 2 months and never below 4.5. above 8 a few times but usually when i know i've slipped.

Cool.. just wanted you to know that it can be a side effect. Great work though still very well done. I'd be surprised if your doc has seen many people get that sort of drop. Might be worth asking...

 

[NewTD2]

I was testing regularly initially but have cut right back to the point where i'll only test if I've eaten something different from normal just to see the impact. The metformin and glicazide will be have a big impact i'm sure but i think the biggest thing is diet. I would have been eating pasta, rice or potatoes everyday on top of cereal for breakfast and bread for lunch, also I used to eat barely any vegetables. Always had a massive sweet tooth so cutting out the cakes and desserts has been the hardest part!

There are m healthier alternatives mate.

Cavalier chocolates (sweetened with Stevia) are available at Waitrose or Ocado.com. Also Lindt 85%-99% dark chocolates are safe.

There are also lots of “Keto” cake and dessert recipes on YouTube!