Help!

Assuming it's UK measurements, 90 is diabetes quite far into the range. The same as I was when diagnosed in December last year. The good news is, you can do something about it. Within 6 months I got down to 46 which is pre diabetic, in 9 months 37 which is not diabetic. That said, I was taking insulin boosting drugs (gliclazide) to lower my glucose too but my GP agreed I could stop that too.

Hi and welcome. I’ll tag in @daisy1 who will post loads of useful info for you. Stick around you’ll get loads of advice and support here. I did when I was diagnosed in May.

Oh, and when I say 37 is not diabetic I don't mean I'm no longer diabetic, just that my blood glucose control now puts me at a level that non-diabetics see.

Kinnek said:

Thanks both, it’s really overwhelming with the amount of information- I feel like hiding away!

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I kind of know what you mean. But don't. There's an area of the forum called success stories. Days after I was told (a week before Christmas) I was stunned and worried I couldn't cope. But reading the success stories made me realise there was something I could do, and for me at least, it has made it way easier than it ought to be.

Kinnek said:

Hi,
I have been told I have diabetes - I have an HbA1 of 90 but my GP seems more concerned about my vitamin d level being low. I have another appointment on Wednesday, can anyone confirm that a ‘score’ of 90 is indeed diabetes or pre-diabetes? Thanks, Kathryn

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Hi KinneK I believe under 42 mmol is in the normal range and over 48 mmol is classed as Diabetic I will link a site webpage below.. Take care. I presume someone will be along soon to answer your query better than I.


The HbA1c target for people with diabetes to aim for is:

• 48 mmol/mol (6.5%)

Note that this is a general target and people with diabetes should be given an individual target to aim towards by their health team.

An individual HbA1c should take into account your ability to achieve the target based on your day to day life and whether you are at risk of having regular or severe hypos.

HbA1c in diagnosis
HbA1c can indicate people with prediabetes or diabetes as follows:

HbA1c mmol/mol %
Normal Below 42 mmol/mol Below 6.0%
Prediabetes 42 to 47 mmol/mol 6.0% to 6.4%
Diabetes 48 mmol/mol or over 6.5% or over

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

Kinnek said:

Thanks both, it’s really overwhelming with the amount of information- I feel like hiding away!

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It is overwhelming to begin with but you’ll soon get the hang of it, I'm now five months from diagnosis. Once I was over the initial shock, I saw it as the proverbial kick up the bum to get healthier. I was started on Metformin and tolerate it well now after a bit of stomach upset in the early days. I wasn't advised to eat low carb by my GP or Diabetes education course, but stumbled on this forum by chance and took up a low carb life style with self monitoring (self funded). I started by eating less than 100g carbs/day and after 6 weeks reduced it to 50-70g/day. The best way to see what foods suit you is to test right before a meal and then two hours after the first bite, you’re looking for a rise of no more than 2 mmol/l and to be within these recommended ranges http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html This has worked for me, to date I've lost nearly 4 stone and got my HbA1c down to a non diabetic level, all due to the fantastic support and advise I got here. I'm sure you'll find a way to do it too!

Kinnek said:

I was going to ask if you weren’t diabetic anymore!! I’m so useless with all of this, so much info.....

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Yes, I know its all so new. Technically my numbers mean if I was tested, I wouldn't be classed as diabetic, but I am. My numbers are where they are partly because of the medication, but mostly because I learned, through advice from here, what foods it was that caused my blood glucose to be so high.

So while my control is good, if I went back to eating (and drinking) what I did before, I might be a bit better than I was because of the medication, I would certainly still be in the danger zone.

Kinnek said:

Hi,
I have been told I have diabetes - I have an HbA1 of 90 but my GP seems more concerned about my vitamin d level being low. I have another appointment on Wednesday, can anyone confirm that a ‘score’ of 90 is indeed diabetes or pre-diabetes? Thanks, Kathryn

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Sorry, just a quick question. Your profile lists you as Type 2 diabetes so I assume your doctor told you this?

Welcome to the forum. Being diagnosed with diabetes can be a big shock. We are here to help!

I was diagnosed with an Hba1c of 91 and told that it was serious - my blood glucose level on a random test in the afternoon was 17.1 mmol/l.
I changed to eating low carb and my numbers were normal in 6 months.
I don't appear to need any medication, and I feel a lot better now I am no longer eating the high carb foods which are recommended as healthy.
I think that a Hba1c of 90 is far more significant than low vitamin D - but I'm not a doctor and I don't really understand them. At least you can do something about the diabetes yourself.

Like you, I went straight into panic mode with a 98 on diagnosis. The number meant nowt to me at all but the 'threat' by my Diabetes Nurse that insulin was probably on the cards made me run around like a headless chicken. Six months later, with a lot of reading and changes to diet I have made good inroads into lowering my numbers. It can be done. Read around the forum and learn how a lot of people have gained better health and better prospects for the future.

And welcome to the forum.

Assuming that you have Type 2 diabetes, the responses you have received above give you a good idea of how some people managed their condition successfully.

My story is similar. I started from a lower number than yours at diagnosis (albeit firmly in the diabetic range). I brought my T2 down to non-diabetic levels within two-three months using only a low-carbohydrate diet. This was prescribed by my doctor, who said he wanted to try a "diet-only" option for a few months to see if we could manage the condition without drugs.

If that is something you are interested in, it is worth knowing that unfortunately, the low-carb option (with or without drugs) is considered controversial by the medical community. It is rather hit-and-miss whether you will be helped and encouraged to try it out, or instead, put on the more conventional "drugs and a balanced diet" (including substantial amounts of carbohydrates) approach.

I am in the USA. When I was diagnosed in February, my initial research seemed to show that the "low-carb" option was a fringe treatment and very unlikely to be successful. I was flabbergasted when, two months later, a new HbA1C test showed everything was under control, at non-diabetic levels. You are lucky that you have come to this forum now, so that you hear from people with a wide spectrum of experience as diabetes patients -- including many people whose experience mirrors mine.

Edited to add: Bringing diabetes "under control" in this manner does not mean you no longer have diabetes. But it does mean you have drastically reduced the risk of suffering from the complications of the disease.

Hi there, I was overwhelmed too when I was diagnosed about it six weeks ago. I thought I 'd never be able to cope with all that needed to be done. But I managed to settle in and get use to the routine. I'm sure you will too. Finding this forum and interacting with its members is probably the best thing I could have done. We're all in the same boat, and it is nice to have people to cheer our successes, and give us a pat on the back when things go not so well. There is also a ton of information here, take the time to explore the site, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I wouldn't say I happy I diabetic, but I am pleased that I have been given the opportunity to make changes and lead a much healthier lifestyle.

Kinnek said:

I was going to ask if you weren’t diabetic anymore!! I’m so useless with all of this, so much info.....

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18 months ago on being 'branded' my hba1c was 97. When I actually realised what that meant it literally scared the hell out of me!

18 months later my hba1c is now always consistently in the mid 30s .... and I don't, and have never taken ANY medication.... it can be done.

I don't see myself as having diabetes (currently) .... but understand that sword of damacles does and will hang above me and determined to keep it hanging - rather than falling!

As my title says I consider myself in 'remission'.

The best of luck with your own journey.

@Kinnek

Hello Kathryn and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask questions when you want and someone will be able to help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 250,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a free 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.

Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. They're all free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.

Heretic1 said:

18 months later my hba1c is now always consistently in the mid 30s .... and I don't, and have never taken ANY medication.... it can be done.

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Oh by the way - I prefer to use the term as 'having diabetes' .... I hate the term 'being diabetic' - which kinda defines what you are, rather than a condition. Arthritic, epileptic, spastic (apologies), are all no longer acceptable to describe people .... but diabetic is!

Semantics - maybe??? Just MHO!