• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

hba1c repeat test

N

Nic21

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Other
Hi I had routine bloods done a couple of weeks ago and received a letter to go in for a repeat hba1c test, which I done this morning.

I have been reading up over the weekend so was feeling quite certain it was diabetes and positive that if it was it's ok I can manage it.

Anyway the diabetic nurse looked at me as soon as I walked in and said oh my god do you know what this means? You'll need medication for life. Poor you, oh my god you're only 34. Do you have children? Oh my god.

She asked about my diet and I said I was doing weightwatchers (I am massively overweight). She then offered to refer me to slimming world for free.

She said we'll do the follow up bloods to make sure and see if there's any hope but she didn't think so.

I feel so down now. I know diabetes isn't nothing, but she just made it seem like my life is over. She kept saying you're not borderline I mean your levels are really high, I don't think there's hope. Any advice on what I can do until I get the formal diagnosis?
 
Welcome to the forum, and sorry to hear you were given the news in such a way. Do you know what your HbA1C was?

It's a bit of a shock to get the diagnosis, but it's certainly not the end of the world.

I'm assuming that you're T2? My HbA1C on diagnosis was pretty high but I got it under control by virtually eliminating carbs from my diet. 6 months on and my HbA1C is back in the normal range, I've lost 33kg and feel 20 years younger. I am also able to tolerate more carbs now (but obviously not going mad!).

That isn't to say you'll be the same as we're all different, but the most important thing I feel is to keep a positive outlook and tell yourself you won't let diabetes beat you (and mean it!) - you may well be on medication and have diabetes for the rest of your life (as I will probably be too), but if you can get it under control it shouldn't drastically affect your quality of life for many years (if at all)

Of course, all this is conjecture at the moment as you haven't had your formal diagnosis yet and if you are T1 then things will be a bit different
 
Thanks for the reply. The score was 48 and 6.5 she said and I assume it's Type 2 as she was referring to metamorfin(?) but I'm not sure.
 
Are you sure this was a highly trained diabetes nurse??? And not the cleaner?? I think it was a fantastic way to tell you, I can see it didn't put you under any stress or depress you in any way !!!! Good start , Any way welcome to you
Don't panic at all ,get your results then you will be suprized what you can do to help your self ,we on the foram will guide you the best we can and will help if you need us , you are not alone . Oh and bye the way did that cleaner measure you up for a box whilst you were there keep safe and well
 
Hi @Nic21 , if your result is 48 then that is barely into the diabetic range (I started out with 65, others much higher still).

I can't comment whether or not metformin is appropriate for you, but for T2 blood sugar management and weight loss you need to cut out sugars and carbohydrates as much as possible. Carbs are the enemy, they metabolise rapidly to sugars in the bloodstream.

Your DN should be disciplined for making such crass remarks in my view. I took my diagnosis as a positive thing to kick me up the backside and get my health in order. And when you see her next ignore anything she says about the EatWell plate and eating plenty of carbs. It's rubbish advice for diabetics and is a sure way to increasing medication and complications.

Have a good look at the items linked in my sig below. LCHF worked wonders for me.

Don't panic, read around and ask any questions. Good luck!
 
Hi Nic21 and welcome to the diabetes forum. I'm sorry to read from you posting the experience that you have had with your diabetic nurse and her attitude towards you. Unfortunately her approach to someone with this new and frightening condition is somewhat typical, and you have made what is the best move that you can ever make, by firstly joining our diabetic forum.
Having diabetes can be very frightening when someone is first told that they have it as left UNCONTROLLED it cab be a life threatening condition with many serious side effects and complications, but we've all been there, and were all surviving.
Take each day as it comes, learn a little more of what diabetes is and how best to control it with dies (the LCHF) diet is probably one of the best choices, exercise and a change in general lifestyle.
This site contains a wealth of information and don't try to take everything in all at once. I dare say @daisy1 will be along shortly with the general advice that she gives everyone new on this site. Start by reading this as it will teach you the basics of diabetes and how to control it. I would suspect that you are probably a Type 2 diabetic, but you will need your Dr to confirm this in due course.
Diabetes is a condition, it isn't a killer if you follow the rules to control and tame it, then like so many of us you will become it's master and not a slave to it. please feel free to ask any question on diabetes and we'll all try our very best to support you.
All the best - Lazybones
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you. I think I'll need all the help I can get.

I'm a single mum to three children and keep wondering who's going to look after them if anything happens. Apart from being overweight, healthwise I've always been fine but I guess this is a wake up call. Realistically even on weight watchers I wouldn't have lost as much as I need to. Now I've got a reason to eat healthier if that makes sense
 
Thanks for the prompt reply. Many diabetics on here find that the LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) diet works very well indeed tor them, so I would recommend that you at least look into this further.
There are far too many of us who have experienced the wrong advice from the NHS dieticians including myself, so unless you find a really good one through your DR's (doubtful as they all tow the party line) you will find better more practical advice here on this site.
I don't know much about Weightwatchers but many here will shout the praises of the LCHF diet particularly if you are a Type 2 diabetic and trying to loose weight. Please tell us how you get on.
All the best - Lazybones
 
You should have replied to the nurse " I know ... My life is never going to be the same again .... " sporting a big smile ..then tell her " I will prove you wrong .. "

You will find most of the DSN and Drs advice for eating is way out of date.

You are in the right place for the right advice .. I had the similar reaction when I was told I had T2 diabetes ..with the guidance and advice from the forum members here ..I have got my blood sugars well under control and have lost five and a half stone in just over a year ! If you want to try the low carb high fat way of eating, all I can say is it worked for me ...
 
That's appalling! And utter nonsense - you've been given an early wake up call not a death sentence, so you're in now an excellent position to set to and get yourself sorted out.

My Hba1c was much higher than yours (62-63) when I was diagnosed and my doctor told me to get my weight down and I'd probably be OK then - my pancreas probably wasn't able to cope very well at my far too heavy weight. Just cutting out sweets, cakes, biscuits, and most of the sugar in my drinks had made a vast difference by the time I had my 2nd checkup 3 months later, and since then going on a low carb diet has improved things even further.

Just follow in our footsteps dietwise, ask us whatever questions you need to, and you should be fine.

Robbity
 
Hi and welcome. Other posters have pointed out the stupidity of what the DN said. First if you are 'massively' overweight and have an Hba1C of only 48 then moving to a low-carb diet plus the Metformin should bring you back into the non-diabetic range. That doesn't mean you are cured but means your blood sugar should become normal. I cannot believe how stupid the DN was.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. The way the nurse broke this news to you was disgusting and she's supposed to be a proffesional:eek: you have now found a good place where you will be offered help, advice and support, it's mind blowing at first and very scary but you will come to understand things a lot better the more you read and then put that reading into practice. I found the first thing I needed to do was attack my weight, as this started to drop my BGimproved and in 3 months I lost a stone and that was just by stopping sugar in my tea, cakes, biscuits and chocolate, rice, pasta and potatoes. I then kept to low carb full fat (can't do high fat as I have genetic cholesterol) even so after 6 months I had lost another stone and my DN is happy with that even tho I need another 7lb off. Follow the advice, ask lots of questions, keep up with what's going on, you will get loads of encouragement here. There are people on this forum who have lived with Diabetes for many years, yes it's a nuisance, yes you have to think before putting stuff in your mouth :stop: but you are lucky because you had a wake up call and have the chance to improve your health. Take all the help you can and you will turn things around and remember NOTHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN everyone is here to help you:) as for there being no hope........there is always hope:D good luck
 
Hi and welcome from me too . What a horrible insensitive way to treat you, simply shocking . Now please don't think I am belittling you , I`m not for one moment, diabetes is a complex disease but as the others have said, you can improve your BS relatively easily and get a whole lot more healthy in the process . Going down a low carb route will address both your blood sugar and your weight, lots of information on here , ask away anything you need to and keep positive , you can do it :)
 
@Nic21

Hello Nic and welcome to the forum. :)
I hope the many comments from members have reassured you now that things aren't as bad as your DN says they will be. You just have to learn how to deal with it and this is the best way - to join this forum which you have done. Anything you want to know just ask and someone will be pleased to help. This is the basic information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find over 140,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to bloodglucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
Nic21 said:
Thanks for the reply. The score was 48 and 6.5 she said and I assume it's Type 2 as she was referring to metamorfin(?) but I'm not sure.
Click to expand...

Hi Nic, and welcome to the forum.

A HbA1c of 48mmol/mol isn't bad at all, in fact Id say you caught that pretty early. Mine was 101mmol/mol which I have reduced to just 41mmol/mol inside of 3 months.

As for your DN - I think some people just get a sadistical kick out of making people worry, completely unprofessional, as well as inaccurate.

Look at your diagnosis as a new healthy chapter in your life.

Al the best.
Daks
 
Nic21 said:
Thank you. I think I'll need all the help I can get.

I'm a single mum to three children and keep wondering who's going to look after them if anything happens. Apart from being overweight, healthwise I've always been fine but I guess this is a wake up call. Realistically even on weight watchers I wouldn't have lost as much as I need to. Now I've got a reason to eat healthier if that makes sense
Click to expand...

My weight crept up slowly after I stopped smoking and I kept telling myself "I'll lose it tomorrow". As soon as I was diagnosed it gave me a massive incentive to actually do something about my health and by cutting right down on carbs I improved my blood sugar levels, my weight and my general health.

Whenever I felt myself tempted to veer off my food plan I asked myself "what do you prefer - a slice of bread or your eyesight, a cream cake or your foot" and I quickly realised I didn't really fancy that "bad" food any more :)

I now consider myself a well controlled diabetic and after 6 months of being pretty obsessive about what I ate and how much weight I lost, I am able to relax a little bit, but it was that obsessive 6 months that got me to where I am now - I found taking the bull by the horns was definitely the right path for me!
 
Thank you all so much for the replies. I feel much more positive than when I left the nurse.
 
So pleased to read this Nic , onwards and upwards :)
 
Sorry to hear of your experience. The first step is to find out about what you can do and the forum is a wealth of practical helpful useful and friendly advice. I'm still finding my way (only diagnosed last month) but I am looking at this as an opportunity to change my life for the better, awful nurse at my gp's aside! I am sure weight watchers can be adapted to what you need to eat and your consultant should be able to help you. One thing to watch out for with diet or low fat options is that they often have higher sugar levels to compensate. I am sure your children will be all the motivation you need to get you into a better path. Good luck
 
I got my repeat blood test results today and it was 43. Therefore the doctor, who was much nicer and clued up than the nurse said I was classed as pre-diabetic. Since this all started I've lost nearly two stone. So I guess I just continue on in that vein.

I'm a bit confused why one test would be 48 and less than a week after the repeat test would be 43, but the doctor was happy with all my other blood results. I bought a meter but couldn't quite get the hang of testing, it took me several attempts to get the courage to actually prick my finger! I was getting readings in the 4s and 5s with one after dinner reading at 7.2,so I'll stop testing and hopefully the weight loss and exercise will help push them lower.

I have a repeat test in 6 months so hopefully that'll be back to normal levels.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top