A six-month update

[Carpetsalesman]

For anyone who has read my slightly self-obsessed journey on here:

Discovered a 6.4 FBG after being curious about some classic symptoms. Went low carb and in the first few weeks plunged the numbers down into the 4's and lost 20lbs (BMI 22), but this lasted just a few weeks until FBG slowly tracked up again.

Got HbA1C of 37 and passed oral glucose. GP not interested. Fair enough.

Carried on with low carb (around 100g). Graphed all the results and after 6months of daily fingerpricking my 20-day average FBG is... 5.8. 50-test rolling average of all tests including those during the day, after meals etc., is... 5.8. And the trend is very very slowly ticking upwards and I don't seem to be able to do much to stop it.

Does this indicate anything to anyone? It's occurred to me to get a c-peptide but I already feel like a total headcase and that I've had the tests come back clear and have no reason to pursue more. But the fingerpricks are telling some kind of story surely?

*edit* I do get that I’m asking the same question I’ve been asking since June, and the answer is probably that these things takes a lot of time and to stick at it, but I can’t stop myself asking!

 

[MrsA2]

I don't keep as good records as you do, but I too think my underlying trend is upwards, and just when I get to despair it suddenly went down for a while.
My personal theory is our bodies get used to things and try to get keep reverting, so I think mini shocks help. Either a few fasts or a few days of carnivore, or a week without alcohol for example. Each of those works for me for a while, then it starts slowly building again. I'm hoping more weight loss will help, or that by continually mixing things round, my average will stay down.Diabetes seems a right pain that you just think you've got things right when it all changes again

 

[DanW13]

I found the same thing with the Libre, readings started to creep a bit higher as time went on, so whereas at the start I was regularly in the 4’s during the day & at night, by the end of the month getting into the 4’s during the day became rarer. My average weekly score rose from 5.2 to 5.8 by the end of the month.

Trying not to worry too much about it, as stress raises BG for sure. Not doing any daily testing but will see what my Hba1c score is next Feb and if it’s up from 37 (my last score), then I’ll obviously need to take further steps, probably binning my 1 breakfast weetabix I still have.

 

[Carpetsalesman]

Very timely interjection bud I was getting a bit down about the whole thing today and smashed a load of chocolate digestives at lunchtime which didn't help. It's always good hearing that other people have similar experiences (and also thanks to you MrsA2), this place is very useful and supportive in all sorts of ways. Anyway, I've walked off the spike up a big hill, and hopefully I'll remember next time that it's easier to do the right things than fix the wrong things.

Weird how when you're in target it's easy to continue being virtuous, but when you're high for no explainable reason you can feel all "well if biology won't follow the rules then I won't either - pass the hobnobs."

It's a marathon not a sprint, if we keep doing good things then good things will happen. Onwards to the next HbA1C!

 

[Rocinante]

For anyone who has read my slightly self-obsessed journey on here:

Discovered a 6.4 FBG after being curious about some classic symptoms. Went low carb and in the first few weeks plunged the numbers down into the 4's and lost 20lbs (BMI 22), but this lasted just a few weeks until FBG slowly tracked up again.

Got HbA1C of 37 and passed oral glucose. GP not interested. Fair enough.

Carried on with low carb (around 100g). Graphed all the results and after 6months of daily fingerpricking my 20-day average FBG is... 5.8. 50-test rolling average of all tests including those during the day, after meals etc., is... 5.8. And the trend is very very slowly ticking upwards and I don't seem to be able to do much to stop it.

Does this indicate anything to anyone? It's occurred to me to get a c-peptide but I already feel like a total headcase and that I've had the tests come back clear and have no reason to pursue more. But the fingerpricks are telling some kind of story surely?

*edit* I do get that I’m asking the same question I’ve been asking since June, and the answer is probably that these things takes a lot of time and to stick at it, but I can’t stop myself asking!

When you say 100g carbs, do you mean 100grams per day? If so, this is not low carb. Low carb is under 20-30 grams per day.

 

[bulkbiker]

When you say 100g carbs, do you mean 100grams per day? If so, this is not low carb. Low carb is under 20-30 grams per day.

Not really.. low carb is considered sub 130g per day.
If you want ketosis (and i agree that would be more effective) then sub 30g should work.

 

[KK123]

When you say 100g carbs, do you mean 100grams per day? If so, this is not low carb. Low carb is under 20-30 grams per day.

As already pointed out, you are wrong. The information is also on this very site. Obviously the amount of carbs a person requires to keep them in check or achieve whatever their goals are may be different to the definition of low carb but 20 to 30g a day would be classed as very low carb, ie, keto.

 

[Carpetsalesman]

When you say 100g carbs, do you mean 100grams per day? If so, this is not low carb. Low carb is under 20-30 grams per day.

Well yeah we're all in a different place and we all interpret things differently, sounds like your version of low carb is pretty militant compared to most.

I have to eat sub-20g to get in the normal zone... well that's basically a serving of broccoli and a serving of greek yoghurt and boom you're completely done for the day. If I get to that point and I'm still not officially diagnosed, at that stage I'll know I've gone nuts.*

*21g carbs/100g

 

[DanW13]

Well yeah we're all in a different place and we all interpret things differently, sounds like your version of low carb is pretty militant compared to most.

I have to eat sub-20g to get in the normal zone... well that's basically a serving of broccoli and a serving of greek yoghurt and boom you're completely done for the day. If I get to that point and I'm still not officially diagnosed, at that stage I'll know I've gone nuts.*

*21g carbs/100g

Same here mate, I couldn’t manage as low a carbs as that. Think I’m averaging 50-100g a day currently, which is a bit more than I had when I started the new diet back in September, but I’m trying to stop the weight loss as I’m now below my target weight! I’ve lost 20lb now, 10st 9lb, not been that weight since ?????? pre Uni days I think!

If my Hba1c slips back over 40 despite the weight loss not sure what I’ll do. Trying to add more fat & not too much carb. For breakfast now mixing my 1 weetabix with full fat yoghurt, flax seeds, chia & a small number of berries. Weetabix softened & heated in a bit of warm soya milk first! All mixed together - delicious!!

 

[Carpetsalesman]

Same here mate, I couldn’t manage as low a carbs as that. Think I’m averaging 50-100g a day currently, which is a bit more than I had when I started the new diet back in September, but I’m trying to stop the weight loss as I’m now below my target weight! I’ve lost 20lb now, 10st 9lb, not been that weight since ?????? pre Uni days I think!

If my Hba1c slips back over 40 despite the weight loss not sure what I’ll do. Trying to add more fat & not too much carb. For breakfast now mixing my 1 weetabix with full fat yoghurt, flax seeds, chia & a small number of berries. Weetabix softened & heated in a bit of warm soya milk first! All mixed together - delicious!!

If your (and mine I suppose) HbA1C keeps going up despite the lifestyle changes, I guess we have to take it to the next level and try intermittent fasting, OMAD, keto, all that stuff. And then if that doesn't work it ends with medication. If that's where it goes it's still bearable and there are many worse things that can and do happen to people every day.

I'm going to get another HbA1C in the new year, and consider a couple of weeks of libre like you did to see what is happening under the bonnet in real time. The current fingerprick tests don't bode well but who knows.

The weight loss thing is surreal. I am a middle aged man who has always been fond of a beer and not done much exercise, and suddenly I have a 31" waist. All I needed to do was stop eating bread, crisps and cereal and go for a walk every day. Literally that's it. Cut the carbs and it flips from how do I stop getting fat to how to I stop getting too thin.

 

[DanW13]

If your (and mine I suppose) HbA1C keeps going up despite the lifestyle changes, I guess we have to take it to the next level and try intermittent fasting, OMAD, keto, all that stuff. And then if that doesn't work it ends with medication. If that's where it goes it's still bearable and there are many worse things that can and do happen to people every day.

I'm going to get another HbA1C in the new year, and consider a couple of weeks of libre like you did to see what is happening under the bonnet in real time. The current fingerprick tests don't bode well but who knows.

The weight loss thing is surreal. I am a middle aged man who has always been fond of a beer and not done much exercise, and suddenly I have a 31" waist. All I needed to do was stop eating bread, crisps and cereal and go for a walk every day. Literally that's it. Cut the carbs and it flips from how do I stop getting fat to how to I stop getting too thin.

Same here, losing weight seems to be the easy bit, stopping myself wasting away seems to be far harder, my wife’s already calling me ‘Mr Muscle’!

I’ve also had quite bad hunger pain issues the past week, waking up hungry in the night or a couple of hours after eating. It’s been better today, probably as I had an omelette in addition to my usual breakfast, but clearly my body wants more calories than I’m giving it currently.

I’d hope to stay clear of T2 & meds for many years yet, though guess it may end up at that point eventually, just due to genetics. Hopefully by that point medical advances will mean treatment will be even better, though I don’t expect a cure.

Think a Libre would be a good idea for you definitely, would certainly recommend it. I may get another sensor in the New Year, just to get an idea how things are going compared to Sept/Oct.

 

[Donought]

Very timely interjection bud I was getting a bit down about the whole thing today and smashed a load of chocolate digestives at lunchtime which didn't help. It's always good hearing that other people have similar experiences (and also thanks to you MrsA2), this place is very useful and supportive in all sorts of ways. Anyway, I've walked off the spike up a big hill, and hopefully I'll remember next time that it's easier to do the right things than fix the wrong things.

Weird how when you're in target it's easy to continue being virtuous, but when you're high for no explainable reason you can feel all "well if biology won't follow the rules then I won't either - pass the hobnobs."

It's a marathon not a sprint, if we keep doing good things then good things will happen. Onwards to the next HbA1C!

Loved reading your post especially as I opened the chocolate orange I'd planned to put in my OH stocking - it's now hiding under the bed

I know exactly what you mean about biology not following the rules. I've loved seeing the weight come off, feeling better, no hunger pangs etc on the low carb but when the BS still goes about 10 it's like, we'll let me just eat chocolate!

 

[MrsA2]

Loved reading your post especially as I opened the chocolate orange I'd planned to put in my OH stocking - it's now hiding under the bed

You mean there's some of it left???!!!

 

[Donought]

You mean there's some of it left???!!!

Ummmmm....