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A1c increase puzzling

Worrierfrog

Well-Known Member
Messages
48
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi
I did A1c yesterday and was hoping it would be lower than my June one of 6.4. Instead it was 7.2. A year ago it was 7.0. It's been 6.8 , 7.0 then 6.4 and I was so happy in June. I eat only low carb. Hardly eat much at all. Exercise. A lot. I do have Dp. And have tried so much to help it but the 7s keep rearing their heads. This summer was much stress..family cancer dx. Etc..but I still hoped I'd made a dent. I want to manage this with no meds. But I've tried so hard for a year to no avail it seems. Sorry for the pity party
Sniff.
Is 7.2 really awful? Or can I take it as blip and carry on?
Any thoughts would be appreciated ..
 
Hardly eating at all and exercising a lot can be counter productive. Raising cortisol and adrenaline which both can do raise bs.

I had to back down on the intensity of exercise and eat small meals regularily.

Just my experience, we are different so test test test
 
Worrierfrog said:
Hi This summer was much stress..family cancer dx. Etc.
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Stress is a significant plays a significant role in my daily ups and downs (I fired my first cancer team because they made me furious 2-3 times a week, and it was not making my BG happy).

Personally, I find Metform relatively innocuous (as long as you don't have GI side effects). I wouldn't jump to anything other med, but I probably wouldn't fight it too hard.
 
Thanks.
 
Thank you. I couldn't understand when I'd been eating less and walking more. And doing country heat! However the stress Tears often. And pain
I had no pain all spring and then pain (knee) all summer.so now I wonder is stress pain contributed since it was absent from March to June .
 
Try small meals and a few small snacks and try slow to moderate paced walks. About 15-20 min. Once we raise our heart rate we start kicking in cortisol and adrenaline. Keep your heart rate on the low side and don't skip meals. Just test it to see if you do better?
 

My stats are in my signature, and you will see I've managed to get to a very decent HbA1c consistently since diagnosis almost exactly 3 years ago. Last year from the summer through to after Christmas I had a somewhat stressful time. The two HbA1cs of 33 were my pre-surgical test and my routine test in December. I attributed the minuscule rise to the stress and my hypothesis was it would trim back again once the stress reduced.

The only HbA1c I've had since then was done on Tuesday, and as you can see the score has gone back to 31.

I wholly appreciate that my rise was very modest, and whilst I would have preferred it not to have risen, we do all have marginal fluctuations from time to time, just as life is sometimes ideal and at other times there are many bumps in our life road.

If the family stress has eased, another HbA1c in a few months may show a reversion to your previous levels, all other factors being equal. I wouldn't like to advise you on meds, and nore can anyone else, but I think it would seem wise to go move forward with an open mind.

Good luck with it all.
 
What are your glucometer readings like? Are they often high or mostly normal?
 
NoCrbs4Me said:
What are your glucometer readings like? Are they often high or mostly normal?
Click to expand...
Hi Alberta...
Normal. All normal. Between 5 and 7ish. Except wakeup now between 6.8 and 7.4
Probably best ever. I've gone thru my records past 2 years. It's not food I'm sure. Swimming bit less in summer than winter. But started beach body stuff. I was expecting it lower!! Freaked. Trying to remain calm...the street is only variable and it will resolve by November. ..I remember once you said no cheating. Only thing I've not cut out is red wine
 
Hi and thank you for reply. I do eat small meals. Incredibly small. I have dp. I can go to bed at 5.4 and wake up at 7.4. Have tried every suggestion under sun or moon. Typically morning reading will be highest. RHR is in 60s and wakeup heart rate is 55ish. So pulse not high. I read something I think maybe in Fungs Obesity Code about metabolism slowing and hr slow etc..but when A1c was lower in June my BP was also good 116/75. Now it's high too...150/90. Or worse.
I eat 1 slice bacon and 1 egg. Daily. Lunch tbsp of tuna on lettuce. Dinner chicken breastfeeding and vegetable. And red wine.

I'm like how low can I go? I did lose weight at first but seems stalled now. A year of this with little reward
is wearing me down ..
 

Are you actively trying to lose weight, and secondly, can you eat fat?

We see much about fasting on the forum these days, but some time ago there were a number of folks undertaking fat fasts. I know some utilised it to try to go really very low carb, but others, like @zand used it pretty successfully to kick start some weight loss, if I recall correctly.
 
Yes and yes. BTW little typo above. Breast.
I have this book butter and bacon. Read about fat fasting. Back in Atkins days. Always been dieting.. well skinny in 20s ...then it became seesaw. Clothes in closet now from size 10 to 16. Presently in 12 . Dr once suggested maybe I was a closet eater? Hahaha...wanted to kill him. Hubs said come along honey. Now.
Dunno. I'll keep on. TX for listening and sorry to go on. Just frustrating. I'm sure everyone gets that!
 

There a several fat fast threads on here. It could be worth a go for a couple of days, and see how it goes.
 
Then I wouldn't worry about your HbA1c.
 
I have to eat or I keep rising. I eat avocado or nuts between meals so like Andbreath said, fat. If I do t eat o keep rising so I eat a little far between meals I have been known to have a bite of butter too. I need a small far/ ptotein snack before bed or I will rise. A small bite of celery with almond butter works or a bit of protein with mayo like hot dog or tuna.
 
Sometimes you have to throw in a high calorie day to shake things up. It's like the body says oh shes feeding us we can relax and don't have to clutch each calorie. Sometimes I just have a day where I am constantly grazing, still low carb, and the next day I will have dropped a pound or two.
 
I agree. About once a month I need a hormesis. Fri night I had half a burger with fried egg and bacon and a large ( compared to normal) salad with Caesar dressing. Tasted great. Sometimes I just need a bit of a gorge but still keep it low carb.
 
Kristin251 said:
I agree. About once a month I need a hormesis. Fri night I had half a burger with fried egg and bacon and a large ( compared to normal) salad with Caesar dressing. Tasted great. Sometimes I just need a bit of a gorge but still keep it low carb.
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Hi
Good advice. I think maybe body is in conservation mode. " You are starving yourself says Hubby. And look where it got you. Nowhere!"
So tonight we are having planked salmon on barbie with salad and cauliflower. Yippee. Soon I will be back to America where I have a lovely doctor who listens.
Was rereading some of Jenny Ruhl today who claims that while exercise is lovely it matters little. I had colleague dx 10 years ago. She was agst med. Went to Dr Bernstein clinic lost 60 pounds. No exercise. No gym. No time. She was my principal. Me vp. We were busy. She has kept off weight. No diabetes. It is though very expensive program. My point is Bernstein said exercise not it.
So thought I'd take a bit of breather. Check back in awhile. Thanks everyone!
 
Glad it helps. Love salmon and salad. I don t think I'm starving but sometimes need to 'shake it up'. Adding additional carbs never helps me. A tad more protein and fat work great.

Walking helps sometimes but high energy only makes it worse for ME. Others will differ but walking and yoga ar my best and most physically rewarding exercise. Strenuous only raises me. Just a little here and there is great.


Not just Jenny and Bernstein but Rosedale too. Chronic cardio is a thing of the past. I love the Rosedale diet. He too says don't exercise too hard or it will raise you. It did lower me as a T1 but only spikes me now. It has been said to keep heart rate low and it will lower you. Slow to moderate. That works for me. Any resistance and I'm sky high.
 
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