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Hba1c 86

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Luckyjade25

Member
Messages
8
Hi everyone could really do with some advice had a few high Randoms 18.9 and hba1c came back at 86 I believe it's type 2 but the doc wants me to make a routine appointment does anyone know how many minimols that is averaging at and what the likely treatment would be I am so stressed
 
Hi @Luckyjade25 ,

Take a look at the chart at the bottom of this page. 86 equates to around 10% and one is normally diagnosed as a diabetic when above 6.5%.
Treatment depends entirely on confirmation of type.
 
Hi. Those numbers confirm diagnosis as either T1 or T2. If you have excess weight and have not lost weight unexpectedly recently then it implies you would be diagnosed as T2. If you are slim and still quite young then Late onset T1 is always a possibility. At that high HBa1C level your GP should be putting you onto medication immediately not 'routinely'. In the meantime ensure you seriously reduce the carbs in your diet, have exercise and make up with proteins and fats as needed. I would seek an urgent appointment with the GP to start medication. Most of us start on Metformin which is a safe and popular drug. It doesn't work miracles but together with diet is part of the way forward. Don't worry as there is a way forward with T1 or T2. Many will not proceed to insulin but I did 3 years ago and it's not a problem and enables you to have good blood sugar control and with no long-term worries.
 
I'm terrified of injections I wouldn't be able to take a blood sugar both my parents have type 2 and when I asked the doctor before the blood test she said its type 2 coz my blood sugar does go down I'll try and make an appointment urgently today any idea on the dosage of metformin?
 
Hi. I agree it can be difficult if you have a fear of injections but be aware that having a glucose meter is a very important thing to have as it enables you to check what foods affect you and by how much. You may only need to use it a few times a week but at least you'll know where you are. The NHS won't provide a meter to T2s so you will need to buy your own - the SD Codefree on the web is the lowest cost. You do need to use a finger-prick lancet which is a nuisance but you do get used to it. For info insulin needles which hopefully you will never need are only 4mm long. It's up to the GP what prescription he gives you and if it's Metformin most are started on one tablet a day which may be increased over a few weeks to 3 or 4 tablets.
 
Just try not to stress to much difficult I know but diabetes is a manageable illness. Wait until you see your doctor and get a definite diagnosis before you make any changes. You may or may not be put on Metformin tablets not everyone takes them and don't get stressed out because of your needle fear about testing your blood talk to your doctor and nurse about that and any other worries you have. Take it one day at a time to come to term with it and you will be just fine.
 

Don't fret. If it is type 2 you have a good chance of managing it with a carbs lite fats friendly lifestyle. This was my initial chart. Readings in mg/dl, divide the numbers by 18 to get mmols.
 
@Luckyjade25
If it's any consolation, I was 'labelled' 2 and a half months ago with a 'score' of 97 or 11%. Last week I was 'scored' again, and am now at 54 or 7.3 - happier with that, but still work to do. I have achieved it with a very strict diet, weight loss (3 and a half stone) and loads of physical exercise. By the way, by getting my score down, I've avoided medication ..... so far (fingers crossed).

I know there are many in here who's NHS staff haven't been so good - personally I can't fault mine so far, they have been brilliant and incredibly supportive. Don't panic (like I have done) and give them a chance to help you. The advice will conflict with other information and advice you may get in here. For the moment you need to do what is right for YOU.

Best of luck
 
I am a T2D on orals only (escaped insulin so far) This time last year I was running with HbA1c of 99, and seeing bgl meter readings over 33 mmol/L. I took various measures, and now I am using the LCHF diet to control my levels. i am on medication pills only, and my bgl is curently in the pre-diabetic range. So the advice to lower your carb intake is IMO a good way to bring your levels down even before any meds.

You can expect to be put on Metformin. This med is supposed to be started low (1x 500mg/day) and then built up over a few weeks. I am on 4x500 mg, and I can tolerate it at that dose. Some cannot get on with it due to gastric side effects. These effects are well documented and discussed on the forum, and for many people the bad effects fade after a while. You have to give it time to bed in, and do not expect immediate results. It is not a miracle cure, but helps protect the heart and other parts of the body, so it is a good all rounder med. The effect on sugar levels is not too brilliant, and you will probably be given a second medication for the diabetes to help control the bgl.

We all fear the needle initially, and even the fingerprick test makes us squirm at first. Actually it is relatively easy to do, and relatively painless because the device acts so quickly its all over in a jiffy. You will be advised to get a meter of your own by others here on the forum. I use one, and it certainly is essential in my life as a tool to keep my bgl in check. With this you can detect how the food you eat affects your sugar levels, and help you eliminate those meals or snacks that push your sugars up too much.
 
As Oldvatr said metformin is reasonably benign drug that has been around since the 90's - it has a good safety record. If you should go on it and have gastric problems, the SR version seems to have fewer complications.
Cheers and all the best.
Nicely put Oldvatr.
 
Hello Jade,

Try not to worry, diabetes is a condition that you can deal with. Trust me! When I was diagnosed I had a hb1ac of 122, I was packing a lot of weight and was pretty inactive. My blood pressure was an accident waiting to happen. Like you I didn't fancy the idea of pricking my fingers at all!

18 months down the line, my HB1ac is 55, I have shed a ton of weight and can even run 2km! The meter is important for keeping me on the straight and narrow and really, doing the test doesn't feel much worse than flicking the tips of your fingers with your other hand.

Diabetes told me to get my act together and start taking care of myself by thinking before I eat something, taking enough exercise and building up a good relationship with my doctor. Yes, it is a pain having to think about what I am eating and remembering to test and take my pills but it is not insurmountable.

As your levels are quite high, I bet you are probably feeling very tired without even realising it. You will be amazed how much better you feel once you get on your medication.

When I was diagnosed I burst into tears in my doctor's surgery. My doctor said to me that the surgery will now have to take extra special care of me - and they have.

Lots of us diabetics around. Hey! even the Prime Minister is a diabetic! (she has type 1).

P.
 
@Luckyjade25, on the face of things as specified in your posts, one can say that high hopes are justified. As others said, high BG can often be reversed. Other people T1 or T2 needing medical management are leading active lives.

It's common in the U.S., and in Britain, too, from what people have posted here, for doctors to assume Type 2 until proven otherwise. T2 is by far the commonest type. If the ailment does not respond well to the initial treatment, doctors will start to wonder whether it's T2 after all. Metformin, physical activity, and diet changes are typical initial treatment recommendations for high blood glucose.
 
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