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HbA1c Result in....Time To Be Concerned???

sshaw99

sshaw99

Active Member
Messages
34
Location
County Durham
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
HI,

I' v'e just got my HbA1c result back after being diagnosed last Monday night and it is 108.7 - I know this is way high but it is something I should be imminently concerned about?
I've changed my diet completely - eliminated crisps, chocolate, anything else high in sugar and also started monitoring my carb intake and am doing regular BG testing before meals and then 2 hours after .

I was slightly shocked when I was diagnosed but am really worried about this result being such a high number.

Thanks,
Steve
 
Hi Steve,

It is high, but some people on here have been higher. Your level equates to 16.6mmol/l, the measurement units we see on our meters. This means you have been averaging those sort of levels on your old diet. Please don't worry. You are now being proactive and getting your levels down to where they should be. This will take a while, but you can do it. Use that meter, keep a food diary and record your before and after readings alongside. Look for patterns. Try to keep your after meal rise down to 2mmol/l or less. If it goes much higher than that, look at the carbs in that meal and reduce the portions then try again another day. Keep doing this until you arrive at a portion size you can cope with.

Nothing to worry about, Steve, keep going and keep posting.
 
Wot she said.

You have already taken things in hand, and if you keep it up, you will notice huge difference in your next test!

Two other things worth mentioning:

Don't be too gung-ho to start with. I know that we all want to make all the changes NOW, but it is much kinder to the body to make a series of changes over time, in steps. And if you have been running on high blood glucose for a while, then coming down gently is even more important.

Also, please keep visiting and posting to the forum. You will continue to get a lot out of it, hopefully contribute, and it is so much easier to stay motivated when you are part of this community.
:)
 
you know with those levels you have to take your diabetes seriously, I looked at your profile, did you get the codes?

http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf it’s a long page and a video
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbliving/a/Food-Cravings.htm For me, the more carbs we eat the more carbs we want. they don’t give up easy.
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/firstweek.htm
http://www.lowcarbdietitian.com/blog/carbohydrate-restriction-an-option-for-diabetes-management

blood testing
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/14045524.php

food counting
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

Newcastle diet aims in 8+ weeks to mimic or better the rate of ~80% remission, for surgery T2
“It is now clear that Type 2 diabetes is caused by abnormal fat storage. Research on how this may be reversed is available. “ click that link on this pagehttp://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/
http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2010/mar/weight-loss-surgery-and-type-2-diabetes.html

American diabetic association ( http://www.professional.diabetes.org/)
http://www.professional.diabetes.org/admin/UserFiles/0 - Sean/dc132042 FINAL.pdf
Evidence is inconclusive for an ideal amount of total fat intake for people with diabetes;
therefore, goals should be individualized; fat quality appears to be far more important than quantity.
In people with type 2 diabetes, a Mediterranean-style, MUFA-rich eating pattern may benefit
glycemic control and CVD risk factors and can therefore be recommended as an effective alternative to a lower-fat, higher-carbohydrate eating pattern.


SD codefree meter
http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/blood_glucose_monitor_testing.htm
if you buy extra boxes of strips there is a discount code
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Hi Steve,

It is high, but some people on here have been higher. Your level equates to 16.6mmol/l, the measurement units we see on our meters. This means you have been averaging those sort of levels on your old diet. Please don't worry. You are now being proactive and getting your levels down to where they should be. This will take a while, but you can do it. Use that meter, keep a food diary and record your before and after readings alongside. Look for patterns. Try to keep your after meal rise down to 2mmol/l or less. If it goes much higher than that, look at the carbs in that meal and reduce the portions then try again another day. Keep doing this until you arrive at a portion size you can cope with.

Nothing to worry about, Steve, keep going and keep posting.
Click to expand...
no more than 2mmol rise after food?????? How do you do that???
 
HI Jack,

I am taking this seriously as I really want to manage this to prevent further problems in the future.
I have got the codes and ordered more test strips off line as I am monitoring my levels several times a day - first thing on a morning, before food then 2 hours after.
I have cut my portion size right down and am measuring food I cook and eat. I've cut out a lot of carbs and the usual sugar such as chocolate, crisps, sweets etc.
My readings are varying at the minute as I trial different foods/portion sizes but are ranging from 6.7-8.9 before improve food with a max rise of 2.3 2 hours after food. Hopefully this is on the right track and these will improve as time progresses.

Thanks,
Steve
 
sshaw99 said:
HI Jack,

I am taking this seriously as I really want to manage this to prevent further problems in the future.
I have got the codes and ordered more test strips off line as I am monitoring my levels several times a day - first thing on a morning, before food then 2 hours after.
I have cut my portion size right down and am measuring food I cook and eat. I've cut out a lot of carbs and the usual sugar such as chocolate, crisps, sweets etc.
My readings are varying at the minute as I trial different foods/portion sizes but are ranging from 6.7-8.9 before improve food with a max rise of 2.3 2 hours after food. Hopefully this is on the right track and these will improve as time progresses.

Thanks,
Steve
Click to expand...
that is a big improvement steve and by your 2 hr test your carb intake isn't too high, I hadn't realised you are already on the right path :)
 
Thanks Jack - good to know the steps I'm taking are heading me the right way.
As you can imagine with numbers like my HbA1c I haven't lived the life I probably should have done previously, but that is changing now. Hopefully losing some weight will help further as well.
 
Alasdair said:
no more than 2mmol rise after food?????? How do you do that???
Click to expand...
"If it goes much higher than that, look at the carbs in that meal and reduce the portions then try again another day. Keep doing this until you arrive at a portion size you can cope with.":meh:
 
Alasdair said:
no more than 2mmol rise after food?????? How do you do that???
Click to expand...

Type 2 diet only
By eating to my meter. My rises are higher than some folks on here because I still eat bread and spuds in portions I can cope with (although not at same meal)

Average breakfast spike 1.3
Average lunch spike 1.3
Average tea spike 1.4
 
sshaw99 said:
HI Jack,

I am taking this seriously as I really want to manage this to prevent further problems in the future.
I have got the codes and ordered more test strips off line as I am monitoring my levels several times a day - first thing on a morning, before food then 2 hours after.
I have cut my portion size right down and am measuring food I cook and eat. I've cut out a lot of carbs and the usual sugar such as chocolate, crisps, sweets etc.
My readings are varying at the minute as I trial different foods/portion sizes but are ranging from 6.7-8.9 before improve food with a max rise of 2.3 2 hours after food. Hopefully this is on the right track and these will improve as time progresses.

Thanks,
Steve
Click to expand...

Well done Steve. Those are superb numbers in such a short time.
 
well for instance today I was 5.7 before lunch and I know that my basal is correct - lunch was cucumber, chicken mayo and some pea and ham soup - no carbs yet I was 8.6 an hour later and 16.4 3hrs after that!
 
Small amount of carbs in the cucumber, mayo and a fair amount in peas. Also your protein will also be broken down into glucose!
 
Was the soup home made?

My home made pea and ham soup has enough carbs in it (just from the peas) to spike me. :( So I don't make it any more.

Bought pea and ham usually has added potato, maize or starch to thicken as well as the peas... So (for me) a bigger spike.

I never eat bought soup anymore. Just not worth it.
 
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