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HbA1c almost halved in three months :)

LooperCat

Expert
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5,222
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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I finally got my HbA1c result, after a load of battling with my surgery since Thursday to release the result - a Doctor has to okay it before they can tell you, and the one on charge of mine wasn’t in until tomorrow...

My latest HbA1c is:




Which means I’ve reduced it by 45 from the 94 in December and smashed the target of reducing it by 27!
This means I qualify to keep my Libre under our prescribing guidelines, unless they’ve moved the goalposts...

I’m so happy right now, just hope my consultant appointment goes well this afternoon, keep your fingers crossed for me

This is all due to the constant scanning of my Libre and adopting a keto diet.​
 
FANTASTIC! Well done you - good luck at your appt - doesn't look like you'll need it though, I'm sure they'll be delighted with what you've achieved.
 
Really well done. You must tell us all your secrets of success
 

Thank you, everyone. I’m just on the cusp of “good” and “excellent” control, according to the conversion table I have. I’ve printed out a copy of the CCG guidelines for prescribing Libre to take with me too. They always tell me off for not providing enough information when I go, this time I’m armed with a lever arch file of stuff! Food diaries from MyFitnessPal, a complete set of LibreView printouts plus three months worth of MySugr readings. They’re going to be SWAMPED with information this time...
 
Very, VERY well done, @Mel dCP . And how do you feel in yourself, having made the changes you clearly have done. Is your newly adopted lifestyle sustainable?
 
DCUKMod said:
Very, VERY well done, @Mel dCP . And how do you feel in yourself, having made the changes you clearly have done. Is your newly adopted lifestyle sustainable?
Click to expand...

I feel absolutely wonderful! Not felt this well in years. I think I can sustain it, being away from home can be tricky with food, but I usually carry olives and cheese for emergencies
 
novorapidboi26 said:
Why do they want so much information.....to see if you can get the Libre?

Well done by the way....
Click to expand...

I never have blood readings, my meter or a food diary - I’ve been rubbish. I turned up at my appointments to keep on the system and that’s it. But I’ve turned over a new leaf since having Libre - this appointment is to see how I’ve been doing with it and to see if I qualify to keep it. I’m packing a lever arch file
 

I am sure you will be fine....
 
Appointment update:

Armed with my lever arch file and a bottle of wee I got to the clinic in plenty of time and watched my blood sugars and heart rate soar as I got more and more stressed. Got called into the weighing room where they did my BP (up a bit due to stress) and weight (down half a stone due to keto) and sent back out to wait for the next bit. And then I got called back in so they could do a blood glucose and ketone test because they found ketones in my urine sample and were concerned. I explained I was following a keto diet and the nurses were cool with that and tried to calm me down, because I was getting visible stressed and shaky - I have Asperger’s and it can make situations like this very difficult. My BG went up and up and up, thanks cortisol!

Went in to see my consultant who was blown away by my HbA1c of 50 and asked how I’d done it. So I just said straight that it was cutting down carbs drastically and constant scanning the Libre. And as I’ve satisfied the criteria, I get to keep it
permanently! They don’t feel too happy about the ketones, but can see how well I’m doing, not just on the blood sugar front, but in general health terms too. So as long as I keep a close eye on things, keep doing what I’m doing. I asked for a half unit pen for the small Novorapid corrections, sometimes a unit is too much and I’ve got that, plus a change from Lantus to Tresiba. We’re going to look at changing from Novorapid to FIASP in six months, after we see how these changes go.

I saw the dietician too. She’s lovely and very forward thinking. I showed her my food diary from MyFitnessPal for the last two months and she says it’s an excellent, healthy diet. Maybe to up the carbs slightly from a 40g max to 50g to lift me out of ketosis if I am getting too many ketones. She doesn’t think the current NHS guidelines are good for diabetics, but they’re mostly still recommended because it’s thought that most people couldn’t stick to a very low carb way of eating long term - the lure of starch is just too much for many and it’s too difficult. But they’ve prescribed me ketone sticks for my Libre meter, so I can keep a close eye on it.

I was so glad I printed out everything I wanted to ask, explain and tell them. Well worth doing for important appointments.

Tl;dr - it was fine. I got everything I went for - Libre long term, new basal insulin and a half unit pen Thanks so much for all the support x
 

Well done keep it up
 
Your dietician sounds awesome - interesting what she said about the NHS guidelines and why they remain the same.
 
eggs11 said:
Your dietician sounds awesome - interesting what she said about the NHS guidelines and why they remain the same.
Click to expand...
She said that new research is being taken on board all the time. But like a massive oil tanker, it takes the NHS a looooooong time to slow, stop and then change direction. But when they have patients who are informed, engaged and motivated (like me), they are happy to go off-piste.
 
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