Doctor said my Hba1c is too low!!!

sugarshy

Active Member
Messages
41
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Walking past cake shops
Over three years I have managed to reduce my Hba1c from 88 to 34. After my last visit to the doctor I was told that my Metformin dose was being reduced from 2 x 500mg a day to just one. The reason given and I quote "We don't like people with type 2 diabetes going to low with their Hba1c" is this really true? And why??
 

Tophat1900

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,407
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Other
Dislikes
Uncooked bacon
Your HBA1C is simply brilliant!

And not too low at all. Reducing medication is a good idea given how well you are doing.
 

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
You are bucking (your doctor's) trend. An HbA1c of 34 is a winner, great job there well done.
 
M

Member496333

Guest
Well done! Ignore your doctor on this. He/she is talking complete claptrap. As is tradition.

“We don’t like...” :rolleyes:
 

xfieldok

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,182
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
You are to be congratulated. A change in doctor might be in order.
 

LittleGreyCat

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,233
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Diet drinks - the artificial sweeteners taste vile.
Having to forswear foods I have loved all my life.
Trying to find low carb meals when eating out.
A better approach might have been "You are doing so well that I think we could reduce your medication.".

Metformin for general health and wellbeing is a contentious subject but I would be tempted to stay on at least one tablet a day however stellar your HbA1c results.

Anyway, well done!:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjraak

Dr Snoddy

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,325
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Trolls
Congratulations of your great progress. Only one metformin a day will reduce the work your kidneys need to do to excrete any surplus drug. The comment your doctor made shows that s/he has low expectations of most Type 2 diabetics. These will, of course, be fulfilled by patients who stick to the standard NHS dietary advice!
 
  • Like
Reactions: mike@work

ziggy_w

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,019
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi @sugarshy,

This might be an artifact of the Accord trial.

On this trial, they put people with diabetes on intensive treatment attempting very tight blood sugar control by upping medication (more insulin, more sulfonylureas -- probably leading to more swings and more hypos). The outcome was that people did worse on intensive treatment.

Consequently, this was interpreted as diabetics doing worse on tight blood sugar control and communicated to HCPs.

However, I believe normal blood sugars achieved on lchf/keto are very different from those achieved by intensifying medication. So, in my mind nothing to worry about.

By the way, congrats on your HbA1c -- great result and well done.
 

mike@work

Well-Known Member
Messages
296
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Agree with all above here. Those results are very good. Did you get any kind of explanation, why your results NOT was something to cheer over?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjraak
M

Member496333

Guest
Hi @sugarshy,

This might be an artifact of the Accord trial.

On this trial, they put people with diabetes on intensive treatment attempting very tight blood sugar control by upping medication (more insulin, more sulfonylureas -- probably leading to more swings and more hypos). The outcome was that people did worse on intensive treatment.

Consequently, this was interpreted as diabetics doing worse on tight blood sugar control and communicated to HCPs.

However, I believe normal blood sugars achieved on lchf/keto are very different from those achieved by intensifying medication. So, in my mind nothing to worry about.

By the way, congrats on your HbA1c -- great result and well done.

Indeed, although proponents of the overflow hypothesis posit that this is because heavy duty hypoglycaemics forcibly push glucose from the blood into the tissues where it does most of its damage. Not a factor with Metformin of course. But yes you’re right, this probably explains where the misplaced concern comes from.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ziggy_w

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Well done on your number of 34!
I have maintained my HbA1c mid 30s for the last two years whilst continuing on Metformin x 3 per day along with a low carb diet!
My GP is happy for me to continue on it as am I. Have you considered that Metformin has other benefits, so you might like to reconsider once you are aware of them. Here’s an article about it:
https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2001/9/report_metformin/Page-01
 

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Indeed, although proponents of the overflow hypothesis posit that this is because heavy duty hypoglycaemics forcibly push glucose from the blood into the tissues where it does most of its damage. Not a factor with Metformin of course. But yes you’re right, this probably explains where the misplaced concern comes from.
As I understand it taking hypoglacemic agents such as insulin or sulphonureas is taking the glucose out of the blood and into the micro and macro vessels whereas low blood glucose achieved through diet and lifestyle means you have turned off the overflow tap of glucose and not merely widened the drain.
It is possible that the OPs GP is thinking of type 1 diabetics where such a low HBA1c would indicate periods of hypos with those attendant dangers...I can't think of any other reason for it to be a problem when just taking metformin.
 
M

Member496333

Guest
It is possible that the OPs GP is thinking of type 1 diabetics where such a low HBA1c would indicate periods of hypos with those attendant dangers...

Yeah for sure. That is another possible explanation. Although if that is the case then OP definitely needs a new doctor :nurse:
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjraak

sugarshy

Active Member
Messages
41
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Walking past cake shops
Thanks for all your replies, a lot to ponder on. I need to ask her (the doctor) for an explanation. A factor that might be relevant is that she changed my blood pressure pills from Ramipril to Losartan, perhaps they are more expensive? And the practice is going over budget?
 

sugarshy

Active Member
Messages
41
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Walking past cake shops
Agree with all above here. Those results are very good. Did you get any kind of explanation, why your results NOT was something to cheer over?

No, she seemed shocked at the 34 to the point that it seemed she was annoyed!
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
No, she seemed shocked at the 34 to the point that it seemed she was annoyed!
Have you had your blood pressure checked with a 24 hour monitor rather than just at the surgery?
You may be able to come off those meds too... my hypertension normalised after a few months of keto and fasting.
 

mike@work

Well-Known Member
Messages
296
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
No, she seemed shocked at the 34 to the point that it seemed she was annoyed!

@sugarshy
Strange. With only Metformin, you should namely not be able to have too much of hypos, which means a good all-time BSL (Blood Sugar Level).

Edited to insert tag
 
M

Member496333

Guest
Have you had your blood pressure checked with a 24 hour monitor rather than just at the surgery?

This times a hundred. My doctor tried her best to diagnose me with hypertension three years ago, but the 24h monitor revealed completely normal blood pressure. The funny thing is that to this day, the DN takes my blood pressure in the surgery and records high results on the system, despite acknowledging the existence of white coat syndrome, despite knowing that I exhibit it, and despite seeing the data from my own machine taken once per week every week.

My annual reviews are like paint-by-numbers. Godda tick those boxes! The only blood tests I'm interested in, they don't even do (and don't understand). It all just feels like a potential sales opportunity for pharmaceuticals and an excuse for getting a ticking-off because "...you know you can eat SOME sugar!!" :banghead:

Honestly it's getting increasingly pointless going. I may decline next year. Sorry for going off on a tangent, but amateur HCPs really wind me up.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Oh - the how dare you be normal tantrum.
Sometimes there are things beyond explanation or reason.