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hba1c test

K

kat1994

Member
Following my diagnosis two weeks ago, I have largely improved my diet. I have another hba1c in 4 weeks time. Can I expect to see an improvement in this result? I was told it was at 138 before (not provided as a %). Thank you
 
It depends on what you were eating before and what you're eating now. The HbA1c test goes back three months (because three months is how long red blood cells live). Six weeks is about half that, so it is possible that you might see some change, if your current diet is a lot lower in carbohydrate than it was.
 
I was eating takeaways, processed food and sugary snacks previously. I have now added more fruit, veg and whole foods with very limited added sugar
 
I suspect with what you've added it will have dropped, but nowhere near as much as you're hoping. It's an improvement, but not as big as you think.
 
kat1994 said:
I was eating takeaways, processed food and sugary snacks previously. I have now added more fruit, veg and whole foods with very limited added sugar
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You've made a start by removing processed food. Thing is, glucose in the blood comes from digestion of sugars - including the sugar in fruit - and from starches. "Whole foods" eg bread, rice, pasta, potato are very high in carbohydrate.

Depends a lot on quantities, but you might see a fall.

Unfortunately a lot of what's pushed at us as "healthy" food, especially through the NHS' Eatwell Plate - is really positively damaging to anyone with T2 diabetes or insulin resistance.

I used to be one of the dedicated "carb is good" "healthy eaters" - lots of fruit, wholemeal this and that, no sugar, very few fats. Plenty of exercise. Result, I developed T2 diabetes.
 
kat1994 said:
I was eating takeaways, processed food and sugary snacks previously. I have now added more fruit, veg and whole foods with very limited added sugar
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I see that you didn't get, or didn't believe the message that what we are told is good for the general population isn't good for Type 2 diabetics!

You are taking Glic so can't cut carbohydrates as much as many are able to, but overall the same applies to you as to other Type 2 diabetics:

Lots of carbohydrates (even 'brown', 'whole' or 'complex' ones) including tropical fruit, do us no favours and many including @KennyA and myself had already been eating them for years if not decades before developing T2 Diabetes.
And just so you know, fruit juice contains more sugars than many sugary fizzy drinks that we are told to avoid!
 
KennyA said:
I used to be one of the dedicated "carb is good" "healthy eaters" - lots of fruit, wholemeal this and that, no sugar, very few fats. Plenty of exercise. Result, I developed T2 diabetes.
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Me too - I had a really healthy diet - so I thought. Now I know I have a really healthy diet!
 
kat1994 said:
What sort of diet works for you? I understand we can all react to certain foods differently!
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Definitely measure your blood glucose response to your meals, that will show you how you react. You can get a free Libre trial lasting two weeks, or buy your own glucose meter and finger prick before and (I'd say) 1 and 2 hours after a meal. Most recommended 2 hours, but if low fat and low protein, the spike may occur earlier.

Low carb works for me. When not pregnant or breastfeeding, I also like to intermittent fast.
 
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