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Chuffed with HbA1c

Coopsman1

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Location
Bristol, UK
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Six months after diagnosis and have managed to reduce my HbA1c from 158 down to 49

Absolutely over the moon, but I have been advised cholesterol is slightly high at 5.5 so I will work on that before my next consultant review in October.
 
Coopsman1 said:
Six months after diagnosis and have managed to reduce my HbA1c from 158 down to 49

Absolutely over the moon, but I have been advised cholesterol is slightly high at 5.5 so I will work on that before my next consultant review in October.
Click to expand...

You have absolutely done brilliantly. You have taken over 100 off your score in six month it is tremendous.
Any tips for us who want to do so well?
 
Thanks Fleegle. If I am honest I have paid Close attention to everything I have been told by the consultant and DSNs, who have been fantastic. Unfortunately I am starting to realise it's not always this way for others as It depends where you are.

I have cut out pasta and rice as they were my worst offenders. Other than that I have taken up an allotment and the physical work keeps me active.
 
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Well done you! That is a fantastic result, it gives those of us with high numbers hope for the future keep up the good work.

(Monty Don once said 'If you want to stay healthy give up your gym membership and get yourself a compost heap on an allotment.)
 
Well done Coopsman.

Your story is pretty much exactly the same as mine. Diagnosed with T1 last September and I've had my HbA1c in the high forties since January. Thankfully not taken much of a change for me as my diet was fine. I've just had to had to stop grazing and take insulin. I'd expects he changes to help with T2 would be more onerous....

I still eat rice and pasta in moderation and have daily treat, just have to match the insulin. Having said said that it's not all plan sailing as I seem to suffer insulin resistance in the mornings so my levels often still go very high temporarily, but I get the feeling that's not too much of an issue. The varying levels can make make me feel a bit off though. I probably should look at reducing my carb intake, but I struggle with alternatives.

I too suffer high cholesterol, common in diabetics, even on a good diet. I've been prescribed a statin which had brought my levels right down (2.74 from memory), so might be worth a go.

Good look and regards,

Andy
 
Good result mate, if I can give you a little tip regarding cholesterol given to me by my diabetic nurse only this week,
She has a patient with a similar problem as me with equal HDL/LDL levels, to get her cholesterol down she bought
100% oat bran from Sainsburys for about a quid, she sprinkles some on most meals and her cholesterol has reduced dramatically.
Worth a try !
 
Well done thats great!

I thought mine was booting it at 141 on diagnosis, fair play mate you've put the work in & done a fine job!
 
Whilst I was diagnosed (T2) years ago, I never really took it seriously until my doctor got a bit angry with me in March after some horrible figures in January's test. I've been using the Freestyle Libre and have almost completely changed my eating/exercise regime (was too much/too little and now very careful and more than I thought I could ever manage!). So I went for my latest set of bloods today and am for the first time really excited with teh anticipation of what they will be.

I'm hoping for something similar to you on the basis of the Libre readings. I noticed that about four weeks into upping my exercise and being much more careful about my food, something seems to change in my body - I became suddenly full of energy, able to get up in the morning without four alarms and a mainline shot of espresso or two, and could actually run all the way round the local park without having to break into a walk.

I've never before felt that I could actually make a difference by doing such simple, and, I now find, enjoyable, little things. Well done you though! It's a fantastic result. I too find that many "diabetes doctors" are reading from a play book here and not really "specialising" other than in how to deal with a rather intractable group of usually curmudgeonly patients that the partners in the practice don't want to have to deal with!
 
Coopsman1 said:
Six months after diagnosis and have managed to reduce my HbA1c from 158 down to 49

Absolutely over the moon, but I have been advised cholesterol is slightly high at 5.5 so I will work on that before my next consultant review in October.
Click to expand...
You have done brilliantly well and in a short space of time. Keep up the good work and your cholesterol will come down too.
If you work hard with your diabetes you WILL reap the benefits.
 
Wish I could make myself take T2 seriously, been diet controlled for six years but last August had HBA1C of 60, doctor wanted to put me on meds but I said I would get it down with diet. Didn't go back for blood test in December but know I will get called soon and have no doubt it's going to be even higher.
 

You can make a difference is a few days - sometimes it feels like the goal is so far way that its not worth even trying - but changing your food habits and your body responds very quickly . If you don't feel up to actually dieting, how about cutting the carbs and binging on fat instead - at least hat way you will start to respond and over time the inclination to eat will reduce .
 

If you don't have BG meter buy yourself one, being able to see the effect of each meal and get quick feedback is a great motivator. (Test before meal, 1hr and 2hr after meal, challenged yourself to get the smallest increase in BG you can while feeling like you have had a complete meal.)
 

If you have difficulties with diet/lifestyle control. Don't hesitate to opt for medications that may help.
 
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