Help with wifes HAbcA1 reading

[rt567]

Hey
My wife surprised me today when I asked how her blood test with the doc went. She said everything was ok. She had hig cholesterol but controlled well with meds 5/6 years. She is in her early 60's took up early retirement at 58, slight over weight around the waist but pettie and people see her as mid build. Eats a lot less than me and walks about 4 times a for 20 to 30 min fast walks, also supermarket shops looks after our baby grandson when his parents are at work keeps house clean, gardens, cooks/etc so not as lazy as me

Her news from the gp that all was good and then added that her HabAc1 was 48 and had been for "many years" and doc said nothing to worry about.

Mine was 42 a few months ago and i got stressed and came down from just under 12.5st to 11 and 1/4.

Please guide/etc

Many thanks

 

[Freema]

well if one is prediabetic or close to , or if one has already gotten diabetes it is important to know how to control how many grams of carb one eat in total in a day and also at each meal... try to go lower in carbs than you are used to, the most easy way I think is to eat breakfast almost without carbs , like eggs and bacon, avocado with salsa , or ham and cheese (and no bread )

in this forum you can learn a lot of how to make delicious foods that are low carb... if only prediabetic it is many times possible to get back to a non-diabetic level and if type 2 diabetic it is also possible to control ones level of blood glucose by restricting how many grams of carbs one eat.. try initially to never eat more than 30 grams of carbs in a meal ... and keep measuring fasting blood glucose in the mornings and right before meal and 1 or 2 hours after a meal... this way you can learn how few carbs you can manage..

I´ll tag @daisy1 , so you´ll get the information every new person in here needs
you could read in this link of HbA1c :

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

 

[Freema]

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/recipes/breakfasts

 

[Fruitella]

well if one is prediabetic or close to , or if one has already gotten diabetes it is important to know how to control how many grams of carb one eat in total in a day and also at each meal... try to go lower in carbs than you are used to, the most easy way I think is to eat breakfast almost without carbs , like eggs and bacon, avocado with salsa , or ham and cheese (and no bread )

in this forum you can learn a lot of how to make delicious foods that are low carb... if only prediabetic it is many times possible to get back to a non-diabetic level and if type 2 diabetic it is also possible to control ones level of blood glucose by restricting how many grams of carbs one eat.. try initially to never eat more than 30 grams of carbs in a meal ... and keep measuring fasting blood glucose in the mornings and right before meal and 1 or 2 hours after a meal... this way you can learn how few carbs you can manage..

I´ll tag @daisy1 , so you´ll get the information every new person in here needs
you could read in this link of HbA1c :

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

Hi, I could be wrong but think maybe the OP was querying why the gp thought the 48 number was not a problem when it is normally considered prediabetic.

 

[DJC3]

Hey
My wife surprised me today when I asked how her blood test with the doc went. She said everything was ok. She had hig cholesterol but controlled well with meds 5/6 years. She is in her early 60's took up early retirement at 58, slight over weight around the waist but pettie and people see her as mid build. Eats a lot less than me and walks about 4 times a for 20 to 30 min fast walks, also supermarket shops looks after our baby grandson when his parents are at work keeps house clean, gardens, cooks/etc so not as lazy as me

Her news from the gp that all was good and then added that her HabAc1 was 48 and had been for "many years" and doc said nothing to worry about.

Mine was 42 a few months ago and i got stressed and came down from just under 12.5st to 11 and 1/4.

Please guide/etc

Many thanks

Do you and your wife see the same GP? I’m wondering whether yours advised you that you should try to bring it down?
My experience with my own GP was that he wasn’t concerned until my HbA1c went up to 66 then I was just given metformin and told to take them with very little explanation.
There seems to be quite a spectrum of knowledge and interest in prevention and treatment of diabetes amongst GPs with many ( like mine) who consider it a chronic progressive disease which will eventually require them to medicate for.
Have you had your HbA1c tested recently? If it has come down ( and well done btw for your weight loss) could you talk to her about how and why you wanted to change? Do you think your wife just doesn’t want to admit to concern about her own HbA1c for fear of you getting stressed about it again?

 

[rt567]

Thank you all for your help
Fruitella you are right, my concern is that the doc thought it was nothing.
DJC3, thanks re my wife. About me, not checked but tonight I had three eggs - 4 sususages, 3 toasts, coffee, then 2 bags of Hula Hoops and a 4 bar kitekat and now hungry again. Having said that I have cut down a lot but started to drink again weekends.
But, but to take a bit of care now rather than suffer massively later and hardly be able to eaat anthing safely

We will visit the link tomorrow.

Thanks all

 

[Tophat1900]

Thank you all for your help
Fruitella you are right, my concern is that the doc thought it was nothing.
DJC3, thanks re my wife. About me, not checked but tonight I had three eggs - 4 sususages, 3 toasts, coffee, then 2 bags of Hula Hoops and a 4 bar kitekat and now hungry again. Having said that I have cut down a lot but started to drink again weekends.
But, but to take a bit of care now rather than suffer massively later and hardly be able to eaat anthing safely

We will visit the link tomorrow.

Thanks all

The reason you are hungry is due to the huge load of carbs you ate. 3 slices of bread, have a look at how many carbs are listed on the info panel on the bread bag and see just how many carbs you are eating in just the bread alone. Not to mention the kitkat and hula hoops. Those are things you might well do without.

www.dietdoctor.com has already been mentioned and has a good number of lower carb meals etc you might want to look at if trying to lower that Hba1c and you can google keto or low carb meals, snacks too. It's popular with people.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

Please guide/etc

Here's what Diabetes.co.uk says:

HbA1c of 48 seems a bit high for someone who has not been diagnosed as diabetic. I'd suggest a second opinion. Although as a diabetic an HbA1c of 48 is not bad.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hey
My wife surprised me today when I asked how her blood test with the doc went. She said everything was ok. She had hig cholesterol but controlled well with meds 5/6 years. She is in her early 60's took up early retirement at 58, slight over weight around the waist but pettie and people see her as mid build. Eats a lot less than me and walks about 4 times a for 20 to 30 min fast walks, also supermarket shops looks after our baby grandson when his parents are at work keeps house clean, gardens, cooks/etc so not as lazy as me

Her news from the gp that all was good and then added that her HabAc1 was 48 and had been for "many years" and doc said nothing to worry about.

Mine was 42 a few months ago and i got stressed and came down from just under 12.5st to 11 and 1/4.

Please guide/etc

Many thanks

Many doctors, and I mean GP's and specialists alike, don't really mention it when someone is prediabetic. (Which your wife's HbA1c indicates). Maybe because they find people'll progress to diabetes anyway, and then it's just treat with pills and/or insulin, and good luck to 'em. I was listed as prediabetic for years in my medical file, but no-one told me. If they had, I could've figured out what the problem was sooner, and would have been able to stave off, if not completely avoid, becoming a T2. Like they're just waiting for it to be just over 48 so they can start the metformin. (Rather than telling people to cut carbs and never get to this point to begin with). It feels like I was given up upon when I still had a chance, and would have been motivated even when they thought I wouldn't be; they made the choice for me without knowing me, and I do resent that.

Basically.... She's got more info than I had at the time. She knows what her numbers are and what they have been for a while. So... Cut carbs, get the numbers down, and avoid any unpleasantness in the future, because she seems like a very active person, and it'd be a such a shame if diabetic fatigue and other complications took that away from her.

 

[JohnEGreen]

My daughter's HbA1c was 48 her GP like your wife's makes no big deal of this but has categorised it as prediabetic however on her last appointment with her dermatology specialist at the hospital the consultant said I see by your notes you have T2 diabetes and this will of course have an impact on your skin condition.

So diagnosis will vary from doctor to doctor I suggest your wife should consider her self to be in the diabetic range and act accordingly.

 

[jjraak]

Many doctors, and I mean GP's and specialists alike, don't really mention it when someone is prediabetic. (Which your wife's HbA1c indicates). Maybe because they find people'll progress to diabetes anyway, and then it's just treat with pills and/or insulin, and good luck to 'em. I was listed as prediabetic for years in my medical file, but no-one told me. If they had, I could've figured out what the problem was sooner, and would have been able to stave off, if not completely avoid, becoming a T2. Like they're just waiting for it to be just over 48 so they can start the metformin. (Rather than telling people to cut carbs and never get to this point to begin with). It feels like I was given up upon when I still had a chance, and would have been motivated even when they thought I wouldn't be; they made the choice for me without knowing me, and I do resent that.

Basically.... She's got more info than I had at the time. She knows what her numbers are and what they have been for a while. So... Cut carbs, get the numbers down, and avoid any unpleasantness in the future, because she seems like a very active person, and it'd be a such a shame if diabetic fatigue and other complications took that away from her.

Hi @JoKalsbeek

Agree wholeheartedly there.

sure i was a few years before my actual DX.

words ring VERY true.

I could've figured out what the problem was sooner, and would have been able to stave off, if not completely avoid, becoming a T2. Like they're just waiting for it to be just over 48
It feels like I was given up upon when I still had a chance, and would have been motivated even when they thought I wouldn't be;

THEY made the choice for me without knowing me, and I do resent that.

 

[Resurgam]

Hba1c of 48 is diabetic.
Yes, only just - but it implies high blood glucose, your wife ought to be having the usual checks done - particularly on her retinas - high blood sugar is a cause of blindness which can be sudden and catastrophic. Why ever is your doctor ignoring your wife's condition?
Weight and activity is far less important than controlling glucose spikes, as they cause the damage - many type twos, even those with normal Hba1cs avoid high carb foods such as bread and potatoes, sugars and starches, so as to avoid spikes in blood glucose levels.

 

[Diakat]

As it is your wife’s result, how bother Ed by it is she? Would she join the forum herself? Is she eating a similar diet to yours?