Just Delighted!

CallMeAlan said:

I was diagnosed about 4 months ago, with an HbA1C of 67, and advidsed to go low-carb straight away, and to start on Metformin. I've been working very hard with the carbs but, oh how I miss the chocolate!

I recently had another blood test, and the diabetes nurse just phoned. My HbA1C has dropped to 40. I've been testing my glucose three times a day, and have been averaging 6.9, with a single high of 9.9 some weeks ago, lows down to 3.4. I complained of feeling lightheaded, almost fainting when I stood up, from about 4pm. She asked when my lowest readings were, I said late afternoon, down to maybe 4 or so. She said, well there you go - low blood sugar. Have a biscuit.

She said I should continue with Metformin, but could cautiously introduce some bread and chips, but not sugar.

So I'm delighted with my progress, even though I've gone from 11 stone down to 9, though she said that was expected. Some bread and chips should bring it up somewhat.

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3.4 is indeed a bit low, and a biscuit may be in order. Just keep in mind that when you go low carb, you automatically ingest a lot less salt as well... So if you get up and the room goes dark, starts spinning or you see stars, it could well be low blood pressure. If it happens, check with your meter whether your blood sugars are low. If they're not, just have something salty to perk you up instead.

CallMeAlan said:

I was diagnosed about 4 months ago, with an HbA1C of 67, and advidsed to go low-carb straight away, and to start on Metformin. I've been working very hard with the carbs but, oh how I miss the chocolate!

I recently had another blood test, and the diabetes nurse just phoned. My HbA1C has dropped to 40. I've been testing my glucose three times a day, and have been averaging 6.9, with a single high of 9.9 some weeks ago, lows down to 3.4. I complained of feeling lightheaded, almost fainting when I stood up, from about 4pm. She asked when my lowest readings were, I said late afternoon, down to maybe 4 or so. She said, well there you go - low blood sugar. Have a biscuit.

She said I should continue with Metformin, but could cautiously introduce some bread and chips, but not sugar.

So I'm delighted with my progress, even though I've gone from 11 stone down to 9, though she said that was expected. Some bread and chips should bring it up somewhat.

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Congratulations on the massive drop in HbA1c. Can I just clarify, underneath your avatar it says insulin dependent but you only mention metformin. Did you need to shed that much weight so quickly?

CallMeAlan said:

but could cautiously introduce some bread and chips, but not sugar.

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And then suggests having a biscuit.. hmm idiot nurse... please ignore her both for the bread and chips and biscuit.
Do you have high blood pressure? Are you taking any medication for that?

CallMeAlan said:

I was diagnosed about 4 months ago, with an HbA1C of 67, and advidsed to go low-carb straight away, and to start on Metformin. I've been working very hard with the carbs but, oh how I miss the chocolate!

I recently had another blood test, and the diabetes nurse just phoned. My HbA1C has dropped to 40. I've been testing my glucose three times a day, and have been averaging 6.9, with a single high of 9.9 some weeks ago, lows down to 3.4. I complained of feeling lightheaded, almost fainting when I stood up, from about 4pm. She asked when my lowest readings were, I said late afternoon, down to maybe 4 or so. She said, well there you go - low blood sugar. Have a biscuit.

She said I should continue with Metformin, but could cautiously introduce some bread and chips, but not sugar.

So I'm delighted with my progress, even though I've gone from 11 stone down to 9, though she said that was expected. Some bread and chips should bring it up somewhat.

Click to expand...

For some reason I completely missed the "have chips or bread..." Uh... You've done a really good job with your HbA1c, and if you want to regain weight, you might want to up the fats and protein some, maybe eat a little more often or even snack... But not up the carbs. That's just weird.

CallMeAlan said:

I was diagnosed about 4 months ago, with an HbA1C of 67, and advidsed to go low-carb straight away, and to start on Metformin. I've been working very hard with the carbs but, oh how I miss the chocolate!

I recently had another blood test, and the diabetes nurse just phoned. My HbA1C has dropped to 40. I've been testing my glucose three times a day, and have been averaging 6.9, with a single high of 9.9 some weeks ago, lows down to 3.4. I complained of feeling lightheaded, almost fainting when I stood up, from about 4pm. She asked when my lowest readings were, I said late afternoon, down to maybe 4 or so. She said, well there you go - low blood sugar. Have a biscuit.

She said I should continue with Metformin, but could cautiously introduce some bread and chips, but not sugar.

So I'm delighted with my progress, even though I've gone from 11 stone down to 9, though she said that was expected. Some bread and chips should bring it up somewhat.

Click to expand...

Well done on your improvements, but I would find that nurse confusing! I'm hoping you still continue to think about what you eat and stick to low carb. You've done so well and you won't want to suddenly go backward! Great job though!

CallMeAlan said:

I was diagnosed about 4 months ago, with an HbA1C of 67, and advidsed to go low-carb straight away, and to start on Metformin. I've been working very hard with the carbs but, oh how I miss the chocolate!

I recently had another blood test, and the diabetes nurse just phoned. My HbA1C has dropped to 40. I've been testing my glucose three times a day, and have been averaging 6.9, with a single high of 9.9 some weeks ago, lows down to 3.4. I complained of feeling lightheaded, almost fainting when I stood up, from about 4pm. She asked when my lowest readings were, I said late afternoon, down to maybe 4 or so. She said, well there you go - low blood sugar. Have a biscuit.

She said I should continue with Metformin, but could cautiously introduce some bread and chips, but not sugar.

So I'm delighted with my progress, even though I've gone from 11 stone down to 9, though she said that was expected. Some bread and chips should bring it up somewhat.

Click to expand...

Congrats on the drop and well done for your hard work! Yeah, like the others I’d still be hmm on the carbs advice...

CallMeAlan said:

I was diagnosed about 4 months ago, with an HbA1C of 67, and advidsed to go low-carb straight away, and to start on Metformin. I've been working very hard with the carbs but, oh how I miss the chocolate!

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FWIW:
There are many no added sugar chocolates available - if you look for those sweetened with stevia you shouldn't have any issues with the sweeteners. I buy Torras bars from Amazon but there are lots out there - Sainsburys sell some Free'ist Milk Chocolate that my husband likes.

CallMeAlan said:

Many thanks to all for your kind thoughts and advice.

I must say that I thought the nurse's advice to cautiously reintroduce some bread and carbs into my diet was a little odd. I think she was concerned about my weight and was suggesting I might put some back on with a little bulk. However, I don't want to undo all my work in getting my HbA1C down to 40. So i'll take the advice under consideration. I'll keep biscuits on hand for countering the occasional low reading and lightheadedness.

Ianspurs, I can't see where it says I'm on insulin - just 2x500 Metformin per day, that must be an error.

I don't have a blood presure problem, and have cut out salt as well as sugar. I have some numbness in the feet, to be expected, but the nurse suggested that a numbness and whiteness of the fingers in colder conditions may be due to Raynaud's disease, and that I should seek an appointment with my GP on that.

We battle on!

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Hi @CallMeAlan This is what I see suggesting insulin.

Well done that’s amazing

going low carb is so beneficial for us T2D

I’m hoping to be roughly that in the next 3 months as I also reduced my numbers from 76 to 52. Not aiming to lose any more weight as I achieved that in 15 weeks

I wouldn’t add in chips etc as you’ll be back to square one with the cravings for carbs.

CallMeAlan said:

Many thanks to all for your kind thoughts and advice.

I must say that I thought the nurse's advice to cautiously reintroduce some bread and carbs into my diet was a little odd. I think she was concerned about my weight and was suggesting I might put some back on with a little bulk. However, I don't want to undo all my work in getting my HbA1C down to 40. So i'll take the advice under consideration. I'll keep biscuits on hand for countering the occasional low reading and lightheadedness.

Ianspurs, I can't see where it says I'm on insulin - just 2x500 Metformin per day, that must be an error.

I don't have a blood presure problem, and have cut out salt as well as sugar. I have some numbness in the feet, to be expected, but the nurse suggested that a numbness and whiteness of the fingers in colder conditions may be due to Raynaud's disease, and that I should seek an appointment with my GP on that.

We battle on!

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Uh, it's lack of salt that is very likely making your blood pressure drop making you lightheaded, and inhibiting your circulation some. When you cut carbs, you automatically cut out a lot of salts... I had normal blood pressure until I started a low carb diet, and I've had to be careful of going too low ever since. There's a lot of salt in processed foods, bread, etc... If you're not having that, then a lot of salt was nixed from your diet already, and if you're cutting out salt even further, your blood pressure's probably a bit low. Reynauds runs in my inlaw's family, and they were all born with it, it didn't just crop up later in life. (I mean, our little nephew Maarten's little hands and feet were positively purple-blue when he was born. Tiny icecubes!) Odds are it's more a matter of blood pressure being low. I can't give medical advice, but you might want to sprinkle some on your food again, especially since you had no blood pressure issues previously. You don't have to cut salts if you've not got high blood pressure and such to contend with; what is the point? (Really. Is there a different reason you cut salts?).

CallMeAlan said:

Ianspurs, I can't see where it says I'm on insulin - just 2x500 Metformin per day, that must be an error.

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It is an error, a very annoying bug in the forum software that seems impossible to get rid of.
The issue is that some members will see your avatar as @ianpspurs sees it, and some of us, like me, will only see "Type 2".

The solution is easy, but because you and I cannot see this particular bug, I'd like to ask ianpspurs to let you know if you've managed to solve the issue.

here's what to do:
- Hover over your name at the green arrow on a PC, or press your profile pic on the top right if you use a phone.
- Select 'Pesonal details'.
- Open the window on 'Type of diabetes'.
Now there are 2 options for type 2, marked in green and blue. One of them is simply 'Type 2', one of them is 'Type 2 on insulin'.
The problem is that I don't know which is which, because I can't see the bug so I'll see 'Type 2' either way.
So you'll have to try and ask ianpspurs if you have the right one.

I'm very sorry about the inconvenience and the confusion, but I think at least you can solve the problem.