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HbA1c result today - gobsmacked!

AllieRainbow

Well-Known Member
Messages
263
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I got a call from the clinical practitioner this morning - she rang to tell me my results from the HbA1c test earlier this week.

I started making lifestyle changes in August 2025, after being diagnosed Type 2 back in 2018, having great results from low carb, and then going severely off the rails due to life being... life.

In August last year the HbA1c was 121 - very concerning, so I made a lot of changes - intermittent fasting and low carb, trying not to go over 50g carbs per day, and using a CGM to see how food and exercise was affecting me.

Around 6 weeks in another HbA1c came down to 81, and in November I got prescribed Rybelsus, the tablet form of semaglutide, to bring down the BG with medication as well, after getting onto the Ascend Plus trial and finding out I was on the placebo.

My HbA1c result today was 40!! I was cautiously hoping for something in the 60s.

I have lost around 40 pounds (19 kilos) since I started making the lifestyle changes, have got rid of the knee, heel and finger pain I had for years, and now my liver results have also come back as normal after being diagnosed with fatty liver disease earlier last year.

It is shocking to me what a difference lifestyle changes and medication can do over a relatively short period of time.

I eliminated processed carbs, and ultra processed foods, and aim for good nutrition, improving the insulin resistance and lowering the BG, and it has honestly not been hard at all - I aim for sustainable changes that I can carry on with for the rest of my life. The food has been delicious and so much better than I was eating before. I feel energised and mentally better than I have felt in years.

This forum has been absolutely crucial to making changes and learning what I needed to do to improve my health.

Thank you all for your amazing support, help, information, and lack of judgement.
 
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Congratulations what a wonderful result - well done.
Brilliant that you find that the food, that is helping you recover your health, is also delicious. For me that's the key to keeping your results in the healthy range. I've now eaten in a way that keeps me healthy for more than 8 years and find because I enjoy my food choices it's a way of life.
 
I think the problem that I had earlier on with the diagnosis was thinking about fixing things in the short term, whereas this needs to be about permanent and sustainable changes. It can also take a very long time to accept the diagnosis.

I went through a long period of denial, compounded with difficult life events and focusing on everything else except my own health, but you can't care for others if you don't make caring for yourself a big priority. i found myself running on empty so much of the time and that is not sustainable at all.

Even now, my focus is more on improving my husband's diet and lifestyle to help him deal with his health issues, and sorting myself out so he will find it easier to make healthy choices if I am making them for myself.

I have a fair way to go yet in terms of prioritising myself. I am his carer so I think about how I will manage to keep doing that as we get older.
 
Can I ask what you eat on an average day. Your HbA1c are very good. Thank you
 
very well done I was in a very similar position just over a year ago a1c of 120 last test 45 and noe it wasnt easy for me either
started on metformin and begged to go on insulin I hated the metformin and the side effect I had from it
O know how glad you must feel and once again very well done
dreading my nest test (id it ever gets done (labs on strike in this area))
 
@crownlyn take a look at:

Post in thread 'What have you eaten today? (Low carb forum)'

Yesterday had a birthday treat of a fillet steak for dinner. Today:
Breakfast currently buying Welsh goats semi skimmed milk kefir which I have 100ml of daily but instead of drinking it on its own I've started to pour it on my low carb granola instead of almond or soy milk. Works well for me. Also had slice of LC toast spread with crunchy almond butter
Lunch salad and hm hummus followed by a few garden raspberries and spoon of yoghurt.
Dinner pork medallions served with garden beans, leeks and mushrooms followed by half a LC lemon muffin.
I eat low carb and have done for the past 9 years although I was very strict keto and one meal a day at the start of my remission journey as my bg numbers were high and I was very overweight. I was diagnosed with hba1c of 97 but have had a hba1c in 30s for last 9 years while eating low carb.
The thread I've linked shows you the type of food I've been eating plus other low carbers meals. May be of interest to you.
Good luck with your own journey.
 
Thank you I will have a look.
 
You are amazing. You will inspire many people. Well done seems almost a unstated phrase, I know it's took determination, sacrifice and difficult choices. You say it's not been hard, I fully agree it's not hard once you make a decision to change. I know myself what that feels like, I only lost 27 pounds so far but you gives me encouragement to carry-on. My knee also gives me trouble so I am keeping my fingers crossed it will feel better. My wife found the diet change hard but she is coming around to it. I feel in my case it's saving my life. I also thought carry extra weight when older would be harder, so by lossing weight now I will be more able when older, the bonus less chance of injuries from carry more weight. And feeling better. Thank you for sharing and congratulations
 
Really well done. Why not start a thread in the "Success Stories" section?
 
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