Dramatic fall in HbA1c

[Peter5145]

When I was first diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in March this year, my HbA1c figure was 108.

I've been a good boy and have made modifications to my diet and taken all my medications, particularly Metformin.

Another blood test has just come up with a figure of 36

Is such a dramatic fall in a short period of time credible?

And, not that I'm going to start any backsliding, but what are the implications?

 

[ringi]

I expect the implications is lower profits for some carb sellers......

 

[Nicksu]

Certainly possible

You mention other medications apart from Metformin - which ones?

 

[Leamill]

what was your second number for a W.H.O. diagnosis,you must have two in a couople of weeks apart

 

[ringi]

what was your second number for a W.H.O. diagnosis,you must have two in a couople of weeks apart

Not with a number like 108! Unless the doctor has some reasons to think it is not diabetes.

 

[Leamill]

so who are the people that have two to diagnosis, because I got one of 50th only and the next three 39 36 34 in one year and not diabetic

 

[Fleegle]

Your results are amazing - well done - regardless of what anyone else has done your number are superb.
You should be rightfully proud of yourself.

 

[Peter5145]

Certainly possible

You mention other medications apart from Metformin - which ones?

I've been taking 4x500mg of Metformin per day, 2x80mg of Gliclazide, and also Amias (Candesartan) for blood pressure.

To be honest, while I've been careful about what I eat, I haven't been specifically aiming for a low-carb diet, mainly just cutting out sugar and chocolate, eating more fruit and drinking less alcohol.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I've been taking 4x500mg of Metformin per day, 2x80mg of Gliclazide, and also Amias (Candesartan) for blood pressure.

To be honest, while I've been careful about what I eat, I haven't been specifically aiming for a low-carb diet, mainly just cutting out sugar and chocolate, eating more fruit and drinking less alcohol.

Well done, that is brilliant. Is your doctor going to reduce your Gliclazide? I would have thought so.

 

[Peter5145]

Well done, that is brilliant. Is your doctor going to reduce your Gliclazide? I would have thought so.

Actually just after I made the post, the diabetes nurse at the GP practice rang me up to say I could now drop the Gliclazide. In any case, I'd generally only been taking one a day in the mornings, as it's easy to forget before an evening meal and not practical to take if eating out.

 

[CherryAA]

When I was first diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in March this year, my HbA1c figure was 108.

I've been a good boy and have made modifications to my diet and taken all my medications, particularly Metformin.

Another blood test has just come up with a figure of 36

Is such a dramatic fall in a short period of time credible?

And, not that I'm going to start any backsliding, but what are the implications?

There is research that show that if you have a very high initial reading and you are responsive to dietary changes, then your hba1C will fall linearly and depending on overweight you were to begin with, then that fall may well be very dramatic
So for example if you had a very high reading but were maybe only say 10kg overweight and you lost that 10kg quickly then you hba1C would respond in the same way .

My guess is that the true correlation is actually with underlying visceral fat as opposed to total fat, but the point remains the same.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/correlation-of-weight-loss-and-hba1c.116065/


read this thread which now includes the relevant research . it would be interesting to know how much wegth you have lost and what is your current BMI to see how this all correlates to the research.

 

[Peter5145]

it would be interesting to know how much wegth you have lost and what is your current BMI to see how this all correlates to the research.

I haven't actually lost more than about 3 or 4 pounds. My current BMI is 26.

I have been consciously eating less and doing more exercise, but for reasons that have been explained to me, but which I don't really understand, it is possible in this situation to alter the calorie input/output ratio without any corresponding weight loss.

 

[CherryAA]

I haven't actually lost more than about 3 or 4 pounds. My current BMI is 26.

I have been consciously eating less and doing more exercise, but for reasons that have been explained to me, but which I don't really understand, it is possible in this situation to alter the calorie input/output ratio without any corresponding weight loss.

The research suggests that the more out of kilter your blood sugar is comparative to the change in weight the more dramatic the improvement will be.
Its possible that what has happened is that your drained your fatty liver fast and at the same ime put on some muscle as a result of the exercise - net effect no real change in weight but dramatic reduction in the proportion of visceral fat you care carrying.
One way to understand that would be t consider your waist size - has your shape changed ? the visceral fat that causes the damage sits on your stomach - so if this is the explanation then you should find your figure changed even if your weight didn't ?

 

[Sam50]

so who are the people that have two to diagnosis, because I got one of 50th only and the next three 39 36 34 in one year and not diabetic

I think people who have two HBA1C blood tests a couple of weeks apart are generally those who have a marginal reading. ie very close to being non-diabetic, maybe just a few points in it-just to make sure that it wasn't a lab error or anomaly. That's my understanding anyway. With a number of 108 it would be pretty clear that the person was diabetic

 

[Mbaker]

Well done @Peter5145, phenomenal result...take that diabetes. The drop seems optimum, I note that those who really go for it and have the right constitution can drop 60 - 70 % of the initial HbA1c within 6 to 9 months of initial diagnosis. I think it is really good that you are now off Gliclazide; I think for well controlled diabetics this is dangerous.

Another implication is, do you need / stick with Metformin - you might want to perform some searches on the forum to gauge opinion. I believe a major implication is can you turn your regime into a permanent lifestyle, judging by your commitment to your non-diabetic numbers, I can't see where you are going to have an issue.

 

[ringi]

I would say stick with Metformin unless you get the **** side effects, as Metformin reduces the risk of diabetes related death by about 40% and most importantly also helps to reduce insulin resistance and helps with weight lose. (Unlike Gliclazide that often results in weight gain and increased insulin resistance.)

 

[Goonergal]

Great results @Peter5145 - that's an amazing turnaround

 

[Prem51]

Yes, well done @Peter5145, that's an impressive reduction in a relatively short time.

 

[hca]

Wow, excellent results. Just off to get my latest hba1c result today x

 

[Brunneria]

Fantastic results! Well done.

I expect you are feeling much, much better too.

Can I ask, are you intending to continue testing your blood glucose.
People on gliclazide are required to test their blood glucose, including before driving.
But now you are off it, the surgery may withdraw the test strips.
If that happens, you may find it useful to pay for your own test strips in order to monitor how things are going between HbA1c tests. A lot of us T2s self fund our testing, because it gives us so much information on what foods are good for our blood glucose, and what foods give us high blood glucose.