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Hba1c result of 41 without any medication

B

biren1973

Well-Known Member
Messages
119
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi

I was diagnosed with types 2 years back. I did all diet control and morning walk on most of days with at least 7000 steps. Today I got the result of hba1c as 41. I am not taking any medication for past one year. I m just wondering without medication and with proper low carb diet and exercise is my results 41 good? Or it should be much less than 41? Should not taking medication has any adverse effects on my sugar levels.?

Do you think I should have taken medication metaformin as recommended by doctor?

I was trying to control by diet and not by medication. But on long run just wondering if I have taken right decision.

I have appointments with my gp on next Thursday, will see what she says.

Regards
 
My last 2 readings were 41. I will be taking another test at the end of January.

It doesnt answer your question but it is useful to compare notes.
 
Listlad said:
My last 2 readings were 41. I will be taking another test at the end of January.

It doesnt answer your question but it is useful to compare notes.
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Thanks for your reply. Are you on any medication?
 
41 would be within 'normal' limits for non-diabetics. That has gotta be worth a huge pat on the back surely?
40 may be a lower figure but probably confers no additional benefit and is only worth aiming for if you can see where in your diet you might further reduce your blood sugar. If you can then you probably should do that but not because 40 would be better but because the diet would be better....if you see what I mean, and if the numbers improve then that would be great too.
I have a terrible tendency to get hooked up on numbers even when that isn't necessary so this is me not preaching what practise.
 
Without medication is preferable if you can achieve it, so I’d say you’ve done the right thing and you’re doing a great job
 


Hello there Biren. Well done on your latest result.

It could have been useful to know what your previous HbA1c was; not to comparrere, but to understand if you are fairly stable or were still on the journey to that 41.

Personally, my preference is to be meds-free, but that isn't always the best way. Some folks bodies can't recover well enough to support themselves meds free and others may prefer a bit of help along their journey - whether to get the numbers down a bit, trim up a bit, or both. It's not my, or anyone else's place to say what's right for you.

How have you felt about your journey so far? If you have felt very well, and enjoyed the journey (I don't men enjoyed your diagnosis, but maybe you're enjoying a new way of living, or being a bit more active), or if it has been a ral struggle, and maybe worry about sustaining things.

My only comment about Metformin is that for some people it dents their appetite a bit, and n that basis, it can aid trimming up, but on the other hand, it can cause tummy troubles for some taking it, and for some it appearrs to do nothing. It can help reduce the numbers a smidge, but for most folks that is a modest amount.

There's no way of knowing which camp you might be in. It's only by taking it that you'd ever know.

I'm not trying to encourage, or discourage and course of action. Only you can decide what to do.
 
Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 years back with hba1c as 7.8. Doctor advised me to take metaformin, but I didn't take but took it as a challenge to reduce it in 3 months time. With the help of low carb diets and exercise my hba1c after 3 months reduced to 5.6 and since then I kept on sale life style and diet without any medication. Now I again tested and got 41.

Initially it was hard to adjust life style with low carb diets and exercise, but now I m used to.

But all this was with just low carb diets and exercise.
 
britishpub said:
Why?

Do you get to use the express lane at the Pearly Gates for not using any?
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Imo it means that you don’t risk side effects and you aren’t constantly fighting a battle of putting a substance into your body that does harm and then needing to undo that damage with drugs. And look how well it’s working for the millions slowly deteriorating over the years getting complications building. Also if I do the best I can with diet and lifestyle and things still get worse I’ve got somewhere to go and something in reserve as it were. Medication has its place but I don’t think it should be the first port of call when there are alternatives, especially if they can bring multiple benefits - less inflammation, lower bp, better cholesterol (if you care), healthier weights, less joint stress, better mood, more energy, etc etc
 
I do completely agree with you.
 
britishpub said:
Why?

Do you get to use the express lane at the Pearly Gates for not using any?
Click to expand...

Are you being deliberately antagonistic or are you genuinely looking for an answer as to why I would hold the view that it’s not necessary to take drugs that are unnecessary? Note “...if you can achieve it.” in the quote
 
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At the end of the day week each have to decide where our risks and benefits lie. I have never taken any diabetes medication, and so far that has suited me just fine.

Will this status quo remain forever? I have absolutely no idea, and whilst it wouldn't personally be my first choice, I do have to accept that as I age, or perhaps pick up something else along the way, medication might help me balance the health books.

I started to take a medication a few months ago for something that's was impinging on my quality of life. If I am typical, I will be on this medication, or a variation on it, for the balance of my lifetime.

How do I feel about that? At the time I didn't really want it, but I can assure you that once I started to feel a bit better, then I could quite happily shout out that's quality of life trumps ego every time.

When is it time to try something? When both the Doctor and patient agree it.

That's my view.
 
@biren1973 Your HbA1c of 41 is the same as 5.9% so yours has increased since your last test.

However, it is still within the normal range for non-diabetics, albeit only just. But, it is a lot lower than it was 2 years ago.

Personally, I wouldn't take medication, and never have done, and in your shoes I would be inclined to revisit my diet and see if I have been "more relaxed" since your last test. It is so easy to relax the diet once you have an excellent HbA1c such as yours was on the test before this one. It could be worth looking at this before going down the medication route.
 
Jim Lahey said:
Are you being deliberately antagonistic or are you genuinely looking for an answer as to why I would hold the view that it’s not necessary to take drugs that are unnecessary? Note “...if you achieve it.” in the quote
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No, I genuinely would like to know why you would think it is better to achieve non diabetic BG levels without taking Metformin.

You are very opinionated, so I am sure you won't mind sharing the reasoning behind this particular opinion.

P.S. There is only one medication mentioned by the OP, so don't go off on a tangent using other medications as a reason behind the opinion.
 
HSSS said:
Iputting a substance into your body that does harm and then needing to undo that damage with drugs.
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You do realise that the only medication mentioned by the OP is Metformin, and that therefore is the only medication that is being discussed on this thread?
 

My contribution, that you apparently take issue with, was in support of the OP, who seems happy with current progress but wanted to know if there was a reason to arbitrarily take Metformin. In my view the answer is no. You are free to disagree. Good day
 

The OP's question, was "Do you think I should have taken medication metaformin as recommended by doctor?"

If you were answering a different question, it may have been a good idea to indicate that you were.

I will disagree with anyone who says that it is somehow better to achieve lower BG without taking Metformin.

To say so is absolute nonsense, and completely against the ethos of this forum.
 
one could also answer in another way; it seems mice that are also fed metformin have a much longer life...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736576/

when I take metformin I personally get around in average 1 mmol lower blood glucose... unfortunately my GP thinks I don´t need metformin .. that the indication is higher blood glucose than I have ... this means I have to everyday fight harder to get the same lower blood glucose and I many times fail..
 
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britishpub said:
You do realise that the only medication mentioned by the OP is Metformin, and that therefore is the only medication that is being discussed on this thread?
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The op actually asked about medication in general then specified he’d been recommended metformin. I replied to your somewhat sarcastic response to Jim stating his beliefs

I stand by what I said, regardless of whether it’s all diabetic meds or just metformin. (In fact with any condition I want to know the alternatives and the costs v benefits and will always choose non drug options when it’s available, effective and proportional)

Carbs are harming T2 diabetics because we can’t process them properly. Metformin, a drug, is then taken to help with this process. Without the carbs there’s less need for meds, of any kind. Some people get side effects. These are facts.

Some people choose not to go this route, their choice. Some people need to take meds as other options arent enough to manage their condition, that’s why the meds are there imo.

The question was asking for opinions. That’s what was given.
 
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