Hba1c Increasing

mealingcg said:

hi wonder if anyone has any ideas. I was diagnosed last year as Type 2 with an HBA1c of 69, taking 500mg metformin 3x day in 6 months went to 54. I had to drop down on the metformin as I couldn't manage the side effects of it - even modified release. I now take 2 x 500mg am, gliclazide 30mg, sitagliptin 100mg. My last HBA1c has now come back as 74, I have now been put on statins numerous blood pressure meds. 1 year ago I took no medication, now I'm taking around 11 different meds a day. The GP is now referring me to the community team with a view to starting insulin. Has anyone else been in this situation?

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Hi welcome a little more info would help us to help you are you on any type of diet are you following the NHS eatwell plate do you do any type of exercise

@mealingcg Diet is the key to avoiding/reducing meds and reducing an HbA1c to normal or near normal levels for type 2 diabetics. Have you cut right down on sugars and carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, pasta, pastry, cereals) or have you been given the outdated advice to base your meals around carbs and avoid fats. Do tell us what you eat, that's where it all starts.
Sally

Many of us on low carb higher fat diets actually find our cholesterol levels actually reduce, like low carb diets the effect of cholesterol in our diets has been the subject of rather questionable dogma based on questionable research.

mealingcg said:

Has anyone else been in this situation?

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Yes.

I have been a T2 for six years and never really got grips with diabetes. I didn't enjoy the Desmond course either.

Like you, many of the tablets just didn't work or I couldn't tolerate them. I eventually went onto insulin which I thought would be the gold standard, but that to didn't work. What has worked for me is Empagliflozin (Jardiance) which is a drug that removes sugar out through your pee. It really agrees with me.

At the same time, I have moved onto the LCHF diet, try to stick to 50g of carbs which for me is pretty simple. Although I do miss bread.

My rolling mmol/L average on my meter is as follows:

90 day 11.3
60 day 10.7
28 day 10.2
21 day 10.0
14 day 9.2
7 day 8.0

So you can see a steady fall with the introduction of the new medication a couple of weeks ago. I have far more normal days now and I do not feel ill when my BG falls below 8 like it did when I had insulin. And there is no risk of a hypo either. Which is nice to know when you are paddling in the middle of a 10 mile loch!

Remember that medicine is an art, so what works for one person may not work for another. Keep seeking the answer, trying new things until you find what you are looking for.

Best wishes.

mealingcg said:

hi wonder if anyone has any ideas. I was diagnosed last year as Type 2 with an HBA1c of 69, taking 500mg metformin 3x day in 6 months went to 54. I had to drop down on the metformin as I couldn't manage the side effects of it - even modified release. I now take 2 x 500mg am, gliclazide 30mg, sitagliptin 100mg. My last HBA1c has now come back as 74, I have now been put on statins numerous blood pressure meds. 1 year ago I took no medication, now I'm taking around 11 different meds a day. The GP is now referring me to the community team with a view to starting insulin. Has anyone else been in this situation?

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Yes, I have. I couldn't manage Metformin either and I was put on Glicazide and sitagliptin, and referred to the community team for insulin. I was taken off sitagliptin as it was contraindicated. So I ended up with 1 X Forxiga, 4 X Glicazide and insulin once daily. I then went low carb and things have just got better and better. Now not on Glicazide at all. So only 18 units basal insulin, 1 X Forxiga and 1 X simv astatine daily and have felt so much better. No side effects, no tiredness, blood sugar level down to 43 and expecting to go lower next time.

Don't be scared of insulin, it can be an improve bet. Also thinking I will be able to start reducing my insulin soon.

Hi. Can you let us know about your BMI/weight? If you are slim there is always the possibility of being T1 and not T2. If you have excess weight then following a low carb diet is especially important. If you're concerned about fats and cholesterol then aim for the omega-3 type fats such as in fish but be aware that carbs are the main problem for fat storage and not fats. Be aware that stains have nothing to with diabetes. Do you know your lipids breakdown e.g. LDL, HDL and Trigs. The ratio of these is more important than the total and should define whether you need statins or not; my DN understands this fortunately. Going onto insulin with excess weight and hence insulin resistance is not an ideal approach so if you have insulin resistance do try to reduce that by diet before med changes are made.

mealingcg said:

hi wonder if anyone has any ideas. I was diagnosed last year as Type 2 with an HBA1c of 69, taking 500mg metformin 3x day in 6 months went to 54. I had to drop down on the metformin as I couldn't manage the side effects of it - even modified release. I now take 2 x 500mg am, gliclazide 30mg, sitagliptin 100mg. My last HBA1c has now come back as 74, I have now been put on statins numerous blood pressure meds. 1 year ago I took no medication, now I'm taking around 11 different meds a day. The GP is now referring me to the community team with a view to starting insulin. Has anyone else been in this situation?

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Hi @mealingcg have you recently started taking statins as they can raise BS levels - my hba1c went from 48 at diagnosis to 54 when I started taking them - after I came off them due to other side effects it gradually dropped and is now 36.