Hi, sorry, I’ve only just seen this, as I didn’t get any notifications.
I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2001, and have kept my glucose controlled by diet and exercise ever since, apart from one blip, when I was put on metformin for a couple of months - it didn’t agree with me and I had stomach cramps and diarrhoea. This was years ago. Due to other health issues, the only exercise I can do now is walking, so I’m not sure how else I can improve my readings. I’ve been to my diabetes clinic for my annual review, but I get the impression nobody is interested (I spoke to another doctor at my practice recently, by phone, who told me not to worry and my own doctor would be ringing me after my diabetes review, but she hasn’t). My thyroid (for which I take medication) is out of range too, and that’s also been ignored. My diabetes nurse has had enough and is retiring, it feels like the who NHS has had it soul knocked out by the pandemic. Nobody’s interested, nobody cares. I feel like changing doctor’s, but will it make a difference?
Hi there, do you use a glucometer at all, or do you rely on the hb1ac to show you how you are doing? If the latter, I would say definitely get yourself a glucometer & some strips. That way you can start a record of your daily glucose levels, first thing in the morning, then before meals and two hours after to see what levels you are reaching. Your hb1ac indicates your glucose average is around 9 which is too high on a long term basis. Do this for a few weeks and you will have the 'evidence' to show your Health care provider. The hb1ac on its own tells them not much really because it is an average and will not show whether you hit the teens at some point. I think most of us have found that keeping your own records and being extremely proactive is the best way to manage your health. Also I see you have been managing it up to now with diet which is great and of course when that no longer works you need more, but can you tell us a typical day's food as people may be able to help you improve it further. x
Hi, yes, I have a glucose meter and I do check my readings regularly, this is what has got me worried, because I’ve had high readings - particularly in the summer, when we had a bit of a heat wave, and I was trying to drink lots of water to try and bring the readings down and even missing meals, or delaying them until I felt they were at a fairly reasonable level.
Although I did not get a rise as high as yours, a while back I had a raised Hba1c level - I was contacted and pushed to take a statin again. My Hba1c was never mentioned and I only learned about it recently, by which time I was back at the top of normal again.
At the moment I am getting appointments for all sorts of things, but the strain is showing. I am due to have a blood test, but there are no vials available. I needed to contact the surgery and could not get through by phone even after trying for over a week.
Hi. Just out of interest how did you work out the glucose average from the a1c? Thank you. XHi there, do you use a glucometer at all, or do you rely on the hb1ac to show you how you are doing? If the latter, I would say definitely get yourself a glucometer & some strips. That way you can start a record of your daily glucose levels, first thing in the morning, then before meals and two hours after to see what levels you are reaching. Your hb1ac indicates your glucose average is around 9 which is too high on a long term basis. Do this for a few weeks and you will have the 'evidence' to show your Health care provider. The hb1ac on its own tells them not much really because it is an average and will not show whether you hit the teens at some point. I think most of us have found that keeping your own records and being extremely proactive is the best way to manage your health. Also I see you have been managing it up to now with diet which is great and of course when that no longer works you need more, but can you tell us a typical day's food as people may be able to help you improve it further. x
Thanks for replying, would you mind sharing those readings with us, I'm not trying to be nosy but it would help people to comment and maybe explain their own possibly similar experiences.
Hi. Just out of interest how did you work out the glucose average from the a1c? Thank you. X
how did you work out the glucose average from the a1c?
Yeah I think that is equal to a % of 7.5. X.They seemed to have changed how it is presented in my notes, the HbA1C was 58 mmol/ml. This is how it appears on my on-line doctor’s notes.
Today I noticed on my surgery’s records that my HBA1C says “abnormal” followed by “no further action taken”. At what level should I be getting medication? I have managed my diabetes for many years by diet and exercise alone, but recently I’ve had other health issues and I don’t get out for walks as much as I’d like now (long story). My reading was 58 mmol/mol.
Has your diet changed? Has more carby and starchy foods crept in? Have you had covid? All of these as well as reduced exercise can have an effect. A lot of people have struggled during the pandemic. Many diagnosed at higher levels aren’t given medication straight away and are able with low carbing and loss of any extra weight to reduce them back down again.
Is that still a good level?Yeah I think that is equal to a % of 7.5. X.
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