First test results since diagnosis

Yesterday I had the first blood tests done since my diagnosis in late March. Just been to collect the results, a little apprehensive as I suppose we all are (what if it hasn't worked?) and too impatient to wait for the GP to tell me.

Anyway, here we go:

BONG, HbA1c was 65 (8.1%) on 18 March, now 45 (6.3%)

BONG, Total cholesterol was 6.9, now 6.0

BONG, Liver function (ALT) was 51 iu/L, now a normal 17

Some detail and comment behind the headlines (thank you Mr Bosanquet, that's enough now - Ed)

There was no fasting blood level on the report sheet for some reason, but frankly I don't care - I'll ask the GP when I see him.

On the lipids, HDL was 1.22, now 1.62; triglycerides was 5.66, now normal at 1.97; LDL now 3.48 (they couldn't calculate it before because the trigs were too high). Total:HDL ratio now normal at 3.7 (was 5.7) and trigs:HDL ratio now 1.22 (was 4.64).

So all the numbers are going in the right direction. I'm pleased that the total cholesterol has come down, having understood that it could initially go up with LCHF. As far as I am concerned I'm now at the top end of normal for cholesterol so if the GP mentions statins again he'll get an earful. I think it was @Indy51 who I first saw referring to Trigs:HDL as a useful marker but I can't remember what the criterion was supposed to be!

On liver function, last time they also did Gamma GT which was way high at 217 (should be below 60), but that's not on the sheet either - maybe they only do that if ALT is above normal (>41)?

Along with this my weight has gone down from 90 kg to 76.1 kg, which is a 15.4% reduction, with a BMI drop from 31.1 to 26.2; and blood pressure from a spot reading in March of 160/90 to a steady 125/70 or thereabouts now.

As a British male I'm not given to expressions of exuberance, so I'll just say I'm quite pleased!

Without going Gwyneth Paltrow Oscar speech-ish on you, I would like to thank all my friends and all members on here, which I found on the day I was diagnosed. I couldn't have done this without your support, encouragement and experiences. And laughs.

And finally (Reggie I told you before, get out!) to all you new and recently diagnosed T2s, you can make a difference with a bit of discipline and application. If I can do it so can you!

Thanks all - off to make the dinner now, there's a nice bottle of Languedoc I can see on the counter ...

Thanks for that Indy - the video also reaffirms that fasting for lipid tests is really required just for the triglycerides.

So my next target is HbA1c less than 40 and trigs:HDL less than 1 for starters.

Bluetit1802 said:

You will do it. My trigs/HDL ratio is 0.5 - if I can do that, anyone can!

Click to expand...

Race you to 40 lol

Just spoken to my proper GP (not the apprentice who I saw when diagnosed) - practice procedure is to log a call and the GP rings you back to see if you need to go in. I could almost hear him fall off his chair when he was looking at the change in HbA1c - 'wow that's amazing' etc etc. We went through the other results, weight loss, BP, lipids. He said he'd like TC to be around 5, I said so would I and I'm heading it that direction. I think I raised the S word and he then referred to today's announcement on the BBC and thought it was utterly bonkers (yay).

At the end I told him I was doing LCHF and exercise, and he just congratulated me and wished all his T2s could make such improvements (he thought I was now in prediabetic range but I didn't think so - not quite).

So next is my 6-monthly review in September. He wasn't sure if that would include lipids (I hope it does) and that he would need to check the practice protocols.