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HBA1c now 124

M

myracat

Well-Known Member
Messages
74
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi all, not posted on here recently we thought everything was under control. However OH has returned from his standard nurse appt in surgery with the news that his HBA1c is now back up to 124 despite being on 1 x Pregabalin per day. He did not want me to go with him to the appt so I have to rely on his version of events but apparently the word injection and insulin was mentioned and they want him to see someone about his cholesterol which is a bit on the high side. He is allergic to eggs except in cakes or Yorkshire pudding, that sort of thing so he struggles with getting his calorie intake up high enough for his physical job (removals and furniture making/antiques fairs). He is quite thin. Apparently at one point a nurse said pastry was fine so he has been eating the odd pie, pecan slice (nuts) and he eats the lowest carb ice-cream he has found from Lidl. Dinners are what I'm having normally, lots of vegs plus meat or goats cheese, very occasionally a burger with wholemeal roll and say 6 chips and a heap of salad and lunch is normally a sandwich and a yoghurt with a diet coke on a meal deal. possibly the odd banana. He has quite a lot of cream and full fat milk and cheese. I thought there was something up as he's been 'losing it' a fair bit lately (I am interpreting this as brain fog). Lots of screaming and jumping up and down especially around 12.45 when he is 'hangry'. I have just suggested he stops the Pringles which goes with the diet coke at 6 or 7 and substitutes with nuts. What else an I give him to give him energy, put on weight but keep his BG levels low? Any help/suggestions gratefully received. I suggested he look up some recipes on-line for almond flour cake with sweetener etc but he says he's too busy and when he finishes work he just goes to sleep on the sofa and leaves me to get the dinner.Edited to add @Their solution is to prescribe sllow release Gliclazide which didn't agree with him in the purer form, theybsuggest he takes it in the norning but he is convinced it will make him start vomiting again which is what the Metformin did in the first place 3 years ago! TIA C x
 
Hi @myracat,

So sorry to read that your OH's HbA1c has gone back to 124. This is high and something should be done. Pregabalin won't really bring blood sugars down, as I believe it is intended to deal with the symptoms of neuropathy.

Have they tested for T1 diabetes? As blood sugars are very high and he is also slim, this is a distinct possibility.

As to foods that have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels and might help him gain weight, try all types of cheeses (especially hard cheeses), fatty meats, nuts, olives, butter (perhaps on non-starchy veggies). High carb foods such as pastries, pies, bananas, chips, rolls, pringles etc. won't do his blood sugar levels any favors.

As to almond flour cake -- you might want to google keto mug cake for a quick and easy to do treat.

Please keep us updated on how things are going for you and your OH.
 
Oh dear @myracat that must be a worry for you.
Sadly he either needs to seriously modify that diet or accept further medication at those levels.
Does he accept his diagnosis?
 
124 is WAY over the top. Coke, chips (of any sort) pastries? No x 1000
 
He was going bonkers when I last saw him shouting at me that all diabetic forums and advice are for fat people so probably not!
 
Diet coke was recommended by the diabetic nurse she said it fools the body or something (I wasn't there)
 
Thanks for your quick reply; I wonder if he should push for an Endo appt?
 
Sorry he is also on Pioglitazone but not on Pregabalin that's an old packet sorry
 
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Obesity is a symptom of diabetes. He has to want to do something about his situation.

You may want to look up Prof Tim Noakes. He is a South African advocate of low carb. He is also a runner and his performance improved. Calories are not necessary for energy but fats and proteins are.

Could you self fund a Freestyle libre? Not cheap around £100 per month for the sensors.

The temper tantrums are probably due to high numbers.
 
myracat said:
Diet coke was recommended by the diabetic nurse she said it fools the body or something (I wasn't there)
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For myself I find I can drink as much Diet Coke as I want without it affecting my sugar levels, some people though do find the sweeteners in many of the diet drinks do however cause blood sugar rises, so this would require testing to find out whether it effects your OH or not, however, if he's eating a lots of carbs, that would also be causing blood sugar rises so testing for it may take some planning.
 
And lots of our members are of normal BMI. Even before they change lifestyle.
 
Diakat said:
And lots of our members are of normal BMI. Even before they change lifestyle.
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I would say his BMI is very low. He has got a blood glucose reading machine but he says it makes his fingers sore. Someone needs to give him a shake but he wont listen to me!
 
myracat said:
He was going bonkers when I last saw him shouting at me that all diabetic forums and advice are for fat people so probably not!
Click to expand...

This is not correct. Not all diabetics (not even all T2s) are overweight at diagnosis ... and many of us have moved into the normal weight category since and still spike (experience high blood sugar levels) with foods containing a significant number of carbs.

As to your other question, I agree it might be good idea to push for an appointment with an endo if your GP isn't helpful.
 
Hi he is not obese he is very skinny
 
Being slim he may need to get his c-peptide tested to see how much insulin he is making. A nurse telling him pastries are fine is ridiculously poor advice. Chips and burgers, sandwiches, if he is type 2 these are essentially junk food and the reason why he is at a hba1c of 124

Higher fat foods that have small amounts of protein, such as different cheeses, nuts, 85% cocoa chocolate and cold cuts of meat etc would benefit his blood glucose levels, but he needs to test if he values his own health.

He may well benefit from an endo appt.... if he won't even consider forums like here where many type 2's are having much success at reversing or reducing medication use and improving their overall health substantially. Good luck with getting some changes.
 
In our surgery the GP only refers to the diabetic nurse and it seems to me they just push the drugs. Apparently they told him its not diet related....? I know it's not about 'fatness' but he has some sort of thing going on in his head that because he is NOT overweight then there is nothing wrong with him. I have just had a little check on the web although I am supposed to be working, his oat cereal comes in at 17g per portion and he should be on under 130 g of carbs per day?
 
myracat said:
I would say his BMI is very low. He has got a blood glucose reading machine but he says it makes his fingers sore. Someone needs to give him a shake but he wont listen to me!
Click to expand...

If it is making his fingers sore he may be pricking in the wrong place or in the same finger too often. Prick at the side not on the tip or pad and rotate which fingers and side of the finger you use.
 

Some of us find we have to go as low as possible. I stick to under 20g pd if possible otherwise I see high readings.
 

Yes, the relaxed attitude towards T2 is what many of us experience.

At diagnosis, my GP told me that with an HbA1c as high as mine (back then it was 100), there wouldn't be a choice but to go onto insulin and that lifestyle changes in my case wouldn't work. I'm afraid that this only shows that my GP wasn't to date on the research published in recent years.

There is also some research that says that T2 isn't so much about weight itself, but about fat-storage-capacity. Some of us have loads of fat cells and can continue storing fat almost indefinitely, while others have few fat cells and become diabetic at normal weight -- some even argue that T2 is worse when you are thin or normal weight -- interesting thought anyway. On a positive note, low carb or keto also does seem to help in cases where weight is normal or low.

I wouldn't necessarily expect endos to be more on board with low carb -- depending on the endo of course. It might be worthwhile though to get a c-peptide test and a GAD test done (to test for T1) and I am not certain whether your GP can order these.
 
@myracat back in June you posted that his a1c was at the same level. Why in between did you both think things were going well?
 
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