How 'Good' is good control of diabetes?

EDepends on how you interpret "GOOD"!
There are target figures published by NICE and Diabetes UK. They amount to HbA1c of 6.5%
To me I'd say blood glucose similar to non-diabetics is Good Control. That is around 5mmol/l MOST of the time and HbA1c around 5% or a litttle below if you can
Hana

Hi Carina,

I would like to think I am a fairly well controlled type2 diabetic. I started my diabetes journey several years on a total of ten pills per day, not all for diabetes I hasten to add! Now I am 5 1/2 stones lighter and I don't have to take medication for diabetes. I am not cured, I am just at a weight that my bodies resources can handle without drugs, apart from the two pills I take for my blood pressure. So for me good control means keeping my weight at a level where the diabetes is kept at bay for as long as possible. I have reduced my carb intake since joining this forum, I hope that will delay things even more. I virtually eat what I want, but I have cut out completely some high carb foods such as bananas and grapes which I thought were good for me, and one particular very high carb food which I knew was bad, but I do miss them. Biscuits. Everything else is in moderation with the occasional treat. I will lose the fight against having an ice cream cone very shortly. So I will finish now and go and get one! It's not low carb but I can handle it no probs. :mrgreen:

Lee

carina62 said:

I know i shouldn't be asking this as it will probably scare me but i need to know - what is classed as a 'well controlled' diabetic? ie what is the Hbaic figure which prevents complications and are there any diabetics who have always been well controlled but still developed complications? I am trying (along with the majority of diabetics) of controlling my diabetes as best as i can (ie losing weight, plenty of excercise etc). I have been Type 2 diabetic for 4 years now.

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The risk of complications increases at around 6.0% BUT the caviat is 'persistently high readings over a period'. It is totally unclear as to whether a 'period' is the two hours postprandial three times a day OR remaining at or above 6.0% over weeks or months. I suspect it is the latter, but I may be wrong. Maybe others can help with this?

The other 'classification' is to remain within the guidelines but making sure you are getting a life as well.

I've been diabetic since either 2000 or 2004 depending on which doctor you listen to ("yes he is","no he isn't", what a pantomime!).

Since my first Hba1c in 2007 my reading has been lowest 5.9% (which prompted another "no he isn't" from the doc) through the low 6.somethings (where I got a letter saying that this was "good control, keep it up") until the recent 6.5%, to which the response was "you need to medicate".

Make what you will of this, but it certainly got me confused and a bit annoyed so I'm trying desperately to get it back under 6.0% by low-carbing, weight-loss (not that I've got much to lose) and targeted exercise. Anything above 6.0% won't be good in my book.

stuffedolive said:

I've been diabetic since either 2000 or 2004 depending on which doctor you listen to ("yes he is","no he isn't", what a pantomime!).

Since my first Hba1c in 2007 my reading has been lowest 5.9% (which prompted another "no he isn't" from the doc) through the low 6.somethings (where I got a letter saying that this was "good control, keep it up") until the recent 6.5%, to which the response was "you need to medicate".

Make what you will of this, but it certainly got me confused and a bit annoyed so I'm trying desperately to get it back under 6.0% by low-carbing, weight-loss (not that I've got much to lose) and targeted exercise. Anything above 6.0% won't be good in my book.

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Maybe your GP is noticing an upward trend? Is it the same GP? Have you got any leeway in lowering your carbs? I would imagine that anyone could reach the point where there are insufficient fat reserves to call upon. Dare I say it, but, maybe you need a bit more energy from carbs to help fuel the fat-burning? Wash my mouth out with soap!! Just thoughts ... :roll:

Gezzathorpe.
My Hba1c strongly correlates to fluctuations in my weight over the last 6 years (the graph plots show identical tracks). The last test 6.5% was post x-mas and my diet had contained too many 'treats' in the previous 6-8weeks and my exercise had been reduced due to a fall and a calf injury, consequently my weight was the highest it had been for some years (but we're only talking 3kg here!).

Anyhow before that test I had been on the NHS pro-carbo diet and been told I had good control. Since then I've been low-carbing (60-80g) and have shed more than 10% of my not-huge bodyweight. I feel much better for it and my sporting performances are improved (21min 5k parkrun ) so I don't think lack of carbs is holding me back. I'm hoping I'll be getting a good Hba1c at my next test in a few days time and thus really back in good control.

stuffedolive said:

Gezzathorpe.
My Hba1c strongly correlates to fluctuations in my weight over the last 6 years (the graph plots show identical tracks). The last test 6.5% was post x-mas and my diet had contained too many 'treats' in the previous 6-8weeks and my exercise had been reduced due to a fall and a calf injury, consequently my weight was the highest it had been for some years (but we're only talking 3kg here!).

Anyhow before that test I had been on the NHS pro-carbo diet and been told I had good control. Since then I've been low-carbing (60-80g) and have shed more than 10% of my not-huge bodyweight. I feel much better for it and my sporting performances are improved (21min 5k parkrun ) so I don't think lack of carbs is holding me back. I'm hoping I'll be getting a good Hba1c at my next test in a few days time and thus really back in good control.

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We await the good news!

To stuffedolive thanks for sharing your low carb target, I use the 'my fitness pal' app and am targeting carbs at about 120 about half the recommended level on that App, can achieve that OK but the sugar content is at or slightly above the recommended level. I had a heart by-pass in 2004. And my weight was 84 kilogram, it is now 72 kilogram and I am now in limits, but high end of the limit!

Do you not adjust your carbs up depending on your activity, on running days?


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Md.rose said:

Do you not adjust your carbs up depending on your activity, on running days?

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To some extent I do. But I only exceed my 60-or-so-g a day if I'm doing something for an extended period.

For example, I did a 27mile mega-hilly walk on Saturday so I had an extra 15g of porridge (8g carbs) for breakfast and then had 2 rounds of sandwiches (ie 4 slices of granary bread - I don't normally touch bread) and an apple (I usually only eat the skin) during the walk, and then a pint and a granary roll with a cheese ploughmans in the pub afterwards. What's that? an extra 150g of carbs?

For anything under a 90minute run I wouldn't make any changes, I stick to my 60-80g a day. Beyond that I'd have extra porridge beforehand and a ryvita crackerbread and a piece of fruit afterwards - an extra 20-30g?

I do feel fine on this regime apart from when things get stressful at work and then I just feel tired :-(

gezzathorpe said:

stuffedolive said:

Gezzathorpe.
My Hba1c strongly correlates to fluctuations in my weight over the last 6 years (the graph plots show identical tracks). The last test 6.5% was post x-mas and my diet had contained too many 'treats' in the previous 6-8weeks and my exercise had been reduced due to a fall and a calf injury, consequently my weight was the highest it had been for some years (but we're only talking 3kg here!).

Anyhow before that test I had been on the NHS pro-carbo diet and been told I had good control. Since then I've been low-carbing (60-80g) and have shed more than 10% of my not-huge bodyweight. I feel much better for it and my sporting performances are improved (21min 5k parkrun ) so I don't think lack of carbs is holding me back. I'm hoping I'll be getting a good Hba1c at my next test in a few days time and thus really back in good control.

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We await the good news!

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Well its down from 48 to 46. Down is good! and I think I can do better as this figure reflects the average over a period of change rather than where I am now. 8)