Hbac1 40 - doctor said I'm ok and that was it

[rt567]

Hi
Saw the doc a few weeks ago. BP is usually high at docs but at home varies and best averages of 121/80 and at docs, hspts about 140/90 and at times at home very late at night about 2 am-ish when worn out.

FYI, I'm 61.5 - bmi ok not exercise until few weeks ago and watching what i'm eating and lost 4kgs in 2 weeks. I ate like a big but rarel over 12st and 5' 8" tall - had office based and community job.

Question: Doc said nothing to worry about but a routine visit to see nurse 2 weeks ago shook me up as she said I was one away from prediabetes (now like i said i jog a bit at home on walker 15 mins 6 days a week, eat fruit now ie banna and apple per day, one otabix a day, massively cut down on mash now new/baby tatoes, WeightWatchers bred 2 slices as opposed to the 4-6 daily of mother-pride white bread) -- should the doctor not advised me, given me info?

FYI I also suffer from pernicious anaemia possibly low folic acid, vit D low, have enlarged prostate and couple of year ago small growth removed from bladder - I took early retirement at 56 - though lazy, go to bed about 1 am on average up by 9am usally inc weekends - several small walks a week and we are out several times a week but not walk as by car

Summary, since the news from the nurse, cut down on cakes by 90%+ and now dont have a half a pizza at night ie after 10pm and eat light snack after 9pm, cut salt, etc

Can you please guide me as i'm worried rading lots here and other places but first question - i buy weightwatcher malt bread 2/3 slices a day, eat eggs daily, buy lower salt fish fingers and eat 3 as opposed to 6. Are there any ready-made foods that are low carb, salt, sugar and average fat, please
(found weightwatchers bread low salt/sugar and youngs gourmet fish without batter low salt and chicken breasts)

Thank you

 

[Listlad]

My HbA1c was at that figure for a couple of years. I had to do something different to get lower and that was to radically reduce carbs. Some go as far as to reduce them to zero but that may not be necessary as reduced carbs did it for me. I also had to almost eliminate most of the fruit I ate.

 

[EllieM]

FYI I also suffer from pernicious anaemia

Be aware that this can (will?) artificially raise your hba1c. I wouldn't rely on this particular test for someone with anaemia.

Have you had/are you having the pernicious anaemia treated?

 

[Mike d]

No bananas .... and potatoes of any kind will raise your sugars

 

[rt567]

Thank you LL, EM, & MD

I have a B12 injection every 12 weeks. I was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia when I was 35. Is the fast blood test more appropriate for me then? Just had a thought, ie as my B12 levels are medicated to normal levels and i have them checked every 6/9 months, the Hbca1 reading stands - please confirm if I'm right in assuming this.

Re banans, I will start having a smaller one from today.

Thanks all and those that will try and help or help again.

 

[EllieM]

Just had a thought, ie as my B12 levels are medicated to normal levels and i have them checked every 6/9 months, the Hbca1 reading stands - please confirm if I'm right in assuming this.

I believe so, (assuming your red blood cell count is normal as a consequence? ). Sorry. I'm not very clued up about pernicious anaemia so it's likely your google skills would be better than mine on that one.

 

[rt567]

Thanks again.

Anyone else help re b12 injections and hbca1 readings when B12 injections are taken? Having Googled and reading stuff on the net and another thread here they all say = when anaemic will give false highs but when medicated can give false lows, so more worried now but we shall see. May contact gp next week - all help is appreciated and will try not to worry too much as I recall the gp does write on test forum conditions i suffer from.

Goodnight

 

[Tophat1900]

As far as diet goes, try and eliminate packaged foods.... buy real whole foods, meats and veggies etc. Cook them yourself, the food industry cannot do a better job at making meals than you can. If you have to have potatoes, make that the smallest portion on the plate. Replacing carbs with fats leads to a lot of success in improving overall health. Eat eggs for breakfast or bacon and eggs, and add some veggies to that as well. Ditch the cereals (Grains are not healthy- they raise blood glucose levels a lot) Cook food in butter or ghee, coconut oil and use olive oil on salads etc, but don't use seed oils like sunflower, canola etc. The more you eat off the stove and the less out of the microwave, the better you will be imo.

I ate like you did too once, worst state of health I've ever experienced. No one can tell you what to do or eat, life is up to you and what you want to do with it. Those are just my suggestions.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Are there any ready-made foods that are low carb, salt, sugar and average fat, please

None that I'm aware of, as long ago as 1989 when I started living with HID I was warned by a hospital dietician not to eat WW ready meals because of their salt content. At least for the time being we will always have nutritional information on our packaging.

As a general rule I personally avoid all ready meals, it's just as easy to start from scratch.

 

[rt567]

Thank you all again.
Anyone re hbca1 please?

Re bacon, love it espeically the smell but too much salt and new that its bad for you put me off but i still eat susages once a week

 

[JohnEGreen]

Are there any ready-made foods that are low carb, salt, sugar and average fat,

I did come across this at Iceland the other day.

Slimming World Low & Slow Beef Casserole

Typical Values Per 100g Cooked
Energy 209 kJ
50 kcal
Fat 0.7g
(of which saturates 0.3g
Carbohydrate 3.7g
(of which sugars 0.9g
Fibre 0.9g
Protein 6.6g
Salt 0.4g

Nutritionally not too bad even for Slimming World though normally would stay well clear of their ready meals I tried it and tasted ok and didn't spike me either.

 

[rt567]

Thanks, John, I will look it up.

 

[Oldvatr]

Be aware that this can (will?) artificially raise your hba1c. I wouldn't rely on this particular test for someone with anaemia.

Have you had/are you having the pernicious anaemia treated?

bgl meters are generally sensitive to hematocrit value and a low red cell count will alter that value. There is a range over which meters are expected to meet the accuracy specs, but can go way out when outside that range.

 

[Oldvatr]

I shop mostly at Aldi, and they have a good range of cook/chill ready meals such as lasagne, carbonara, curries, that are relatively low carb and each pack can feed two peoplw with a bit of veg added around it, They also do a good range of frozen paella and fajita mixes that feed 4 or can be split. Not keto fare , but lower than most supermarket ready meals.

I think you should look for a better bread - I use a superseeded loaf that is lowish carb but which also provides me with fibre and the fortified vits. Hint: I freeze it first, then toast from frozen and this transforms the starch into reistant starch that lowers the sugar spikes. It is filling, and even my daughter who is very picky now prefers it to 'normal' bread I no longer buy white bread except when visitors are expected.
Fishfingers are a deathtrap for me. It is the breadcrumbs, and the starch paste they use to glue it to the fish. I have moved over to grilling fish steaks under tinfoil or wholegrain mustard to prevent drying out, and this way I get my essential Omega 3 oils. Eaten with the bread above with butter (= Yumm). Again Aldi has resonably priced fish in both chill and frozen aisles.

 

[Oldvatr]

https://journals.aace.com/doi/pdf/10.4158/EP161209.CO
This article mentions issues with unusual HbA1C readings - iron deficiency anemia and pernicious anemias are both mentioned.

Why do you think the OP is having abnormal HbA1c? The quoted hospital readings are in the range 90/140 which if mg/dl converts to 5 to 7.8 mmol/l, Both the HbA1c and these readings would infer someone who is starting to rise above non diabetic and possibly getting closer to diabetic but not quite there yet, which is what the HbA1c implies. This HbA1c is near the upper limit for normal (1 away according to OP) so the GP does not trigger a diabetes classification, but the nurse is providing assistance to the OP so they can take action to avoid going over the line. I am pleased to see that the OP is aware of what that could entail and is starting to adjust to this situation. The anemia does not appear to be making significant interference IMO

 

[Oldvatr]

Thought the original post was about PA and how it relates to Diabetes. Sorry if I'm wrong...........

PA is mentioned but there seems to be no question associated with that para. The main questions were
1) why was I not informed by GP
2) what foods can I use, especially ready made ones?

Edit there was a question on PA raised by OP in response to another post that queried the HbA1c result, and followed on from there.

 

[nasalu]

Hi
Are there any ready-made foods that are low carb, salt, sugar and average fat, please

I found out that you can actually buy protein bread from the supermarket. The one I buy looks like this.

100gs contains 6.5 carbs.

Tastes good and filling

 

[Oldvatr]

I found out that you can actually buy protein bread from the supermarket. The one I buy looks like this.

100gs contains 6.5 carbs.

Tastes good and filling

Apparently stocked by both Aldi and Lidl in Germany, but not available in UK. Depending on Brexit, we may not benefit from this.

 

[rt567]

Hello - just returned home, all i can think of is food.

Many thanks all, you are all very helpful but please do not fall out on my behalf as we are all here for the same reason

I worked in the community with sick people and only too aware of what diabetes can do hence my actions and hoping to avoid diabetes.

I'm going to have a whiskey, one double and one single as i have just learnt that the lager/Phils I drink has carbs but whiskey does not.

Lots of help here and useful info and tomorrow I'm going to make notes re foods and look them up

Thank you all again and enjoy your weekend.

 

[nasalu]

Apparently stocked by both Aldi and Lidl in Germany, but not available in UK. Depending on Brexit, we may not benefit from this.

We can buy these bread from almost all supermarkets in Germany. Even the smaller chains like Penny, Netto , etc.
I guess the prices are almost the same everywhere.