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8 years off the meds.

Justa_swim_coach

Active Member
Messages
29
Hi all, new to the site.
I was taken off all meds back in 2013 after losing 10 stone and I have been able to maintain my weight ever since.
I had my yearly check up a couple of weeks ago and my hba1c sadly came back at 64. My gp has put me on empagliflozin 10mg daily. I'm a bit gutted but I do remember my diabetic doctor saying I will one day be back on medication. Maybe it's the kick up the bum I needed to try and lose a few more stone. I look forward to chatting to some of you as I work my way around the forum.
 
Hello and welcome,

Well done on maintaining your weight loss for so long. How did you lose your weight and keep it off?

I've lost 30 kg but more to lose. I did it by going low carb. more recently I've had some carb creep so back to being a bit more strict again.

Welcome and good luck.
 
Hi I hope you are well ? Seeing comments like this makes me hopeless and sad.
 
I used My Fitness Pal. It allowed me to set my goal weight taking into account my height, curren weight, activity level and what my weekly loss wants to be.
I logged every thing that went into my mouth and logged all exercise. It was all on me. I cheat I pay the price. I'm now back on it again and 2lb down in 5 days.
 
Hi @Justa_swim_coach and welcome!

A couple of questions. Are you focusing just on weight? Are you calculating calories?

Reason I ask is maintaining a 10 stone weight loss is phenomenal and I wonder whether it’s your carb intake that’s the culprit for the increase in blood sugars? With the medication you’ve been prescribed you’d need to tread a little carefully with drastically cutting carbs, but looking at that aspect would be my first suggestion.
 
It has been a calorie controlled diet. Carbs are my weakness but I'm working hard on lowering what my intake is. I have not actually been told how many I should be having each day. I am still using the same diet that saw me come off of my medication before in the hope it could get me back on track.
 
bulkbiker said:
No worries..

Cutting back on carbs will likely have an amazing impact on your blood sugar levels and help to get off the meds again.

The flozins are not nice medications to be on.
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I am limited to what I can take. Some clash with other meds I'm on and metformin put me in A&E. The original medication I was on before when I lost all the weight can't be given to me as my bmi is to low. I have done some research on my current meds and the big thing that keeps popping up is stay well hydrated. I do that anyway so that's fairly easy.
 

All the more reason to cut down drastically on carbs and get off all meds?

https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-upda...d-advice-on-the-risk-of-diabetic-ketoacidosis
 
Justa_swim_coach said:
I have not actually been told how many I should be having each day.
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This website would be a good starting point: https://www.dietdoctor.com/

However, you’ll need a blood glucose meter to keep track of progress and also, given the medication you’re on, to ensure you’re not going hypo. Ideally some medical input to help with the adjustments too.

For what it’s worth, many of us here started with higher HbA1c numbers (mine was 108) and have used low carb to come down to non-diabetic numbers, so it’s very possible.
 
I'm a complicated case lol I have other health issues that limit certain foods already lol. I think I need to find out exactly how many carbs I am allowed/recommend per day.
 
Justa_swim_coach said:
I'm a complicated case lol I have other health issues that limit certain foods already lol. I think I need to find out exactly how many carbs I am allowed/recommend per day.
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Its hard for us to help without knowing what your other problems are but if you are happy to share.. ?
If not I'll butt out now.
 
bulkbiker said:
Its hard for us to help without knowing what your other problems are but if you are happy to share.. ?
If not I'll butt out now.
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I have server Acid reflux hence lots of food I can't eat. I suffer from really bad gout, I'm on warfarin for life after a dvt brought on by being immobile during a 4 month gout attack. I had renal failure in 2003 brought on by the mixture of prescribed medication. In 2019 I had 5 stents fitted. Told you I'm complicated lol.
 
Justa_swim_coach said:
I had renal failure in 2003 brought on by the mixture of prescribed medication
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Acid reflux for me disappeared on low carb
Gout anecdotally does the same
Renal failure should surely be a huge red light for flozins as they can stress the kidneys
Stents mean hopefully you're fixed.

In your shoes I'd be looking at an ultra low carb diet with no meds for T2.

Flozins work by stopping re-absorbtion of glucose by excreting it through the kidneys.
By not taking in any glucose in the first place you won't need the flozin to stop the re-absorbtion so you won;t stress the kidneys.

I'm amazed that your doctor has prescribed a flozin for you.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-medication/sglt2-inhibitors.html
 
Just a point of interest, my severe acid reflux, chronic indigestion and bloating has almost entirely gone these days, unless I am really stressed. A combination of weight loss and very low carb, I think.
 
Justa_swim_coach said:
Hi all, new to the site.
I was taken off all meds back in 2013 after losing 10 stone and I have been able to maintain my weight ever since.
I had my yearly check up a couple of weeks ago and my hba1c sadly came back at 64.
Click to expand...

First of all congrats on amazing weight loss & the following 8 years of remission.
A few questions if I may be rude enough to poke you.
What was your HbA1c at diagnosis prior to 2013 ?
How well did you maintain a <48 HbA1c in the preceeding years ?
Has it just shot up to 64 all of a sudden or has there being creep over the years ?

I see similarities between our cases so I'm very curious.
 
Well done for the large weight loss. What is your BMI currently? I would focus on the Carbs and not Calories as the latter don't track food group content but convenient for diet companies to use for marketing.
 
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