Latest A1C

[popps]

Hello all,

Just received my latest A1C results since diagnosis - it's 5 (first results were 5.1, second 5.2). This has been achieved on exercise and diet alone.

The nurse said that if I successfully kept up with my regime I can avoid medication for another 10-15 years. At this point I argued with her whether in fact Type 2 diabetes is inevitably progressive. The official NHS line says it is, i.e. diet/exercise, metformin or other oral drug, insulin. But I've read elsewhere that the condition can be halted permanently and even regressed. Has anyone any thoughts on this?

 

[FordPrefect]

There are claims that progression for type 2 can be totally halted by very tight control of blood sugar levels but I dont see anyone who has had the disease for 50 or 60 years claim that they have done so. Sorry to all the people on here that believe it can be halted but until I see someone who has kept hba1c less than 7 for 50 or 60 years whilst type 2 I will take the claims with a pinch of salt. However if you can slow progression down for 10-15 years well thats a result in of itself.

 

[jopar]

Well done good result and long may it continual...

I can see why your nurse has said what she has..

There are any factors that are involved that effect our daily control of diabetes whether you'll T1 or T2, stress is stress, as we travel through life our body changes, our hormone levels shift...

Simple things, like can you physical maintain you present exercise regime at it's present level in 10, 15 or 20+ years time? Can you keep your stress levels, routines and enviroment to as it is now for ever more... Can you avoid every cold, flu, virus, infection etc for ever more... I doubt it

As my Consultant once said, in theory he could enable a diabetic to maintain perfect control 24/7, but every aspect of daily life would have to be identical every day, from getting up to the hours we slept etc, just like in the film 'Ground Hog Day' and it ain't gonna happen in real life..

 

[popps]

There are claims that progression for type 2 can be totally halted by very tight control of blood sugar levels but I dont see anyone who has had the disease for 50 or 60 years claim that they have done so. Sorry to all the people on here that believe it can be halted but until I see someone who has kept hba1c less than 7 for 50 or 60 years whilst type 2 I will take the claims with a pinch of salt. However if you can slow progression down for 10-15 years well thats a result in of itself.

I'm 45 so 50 or 60 years seems quite OK to me. My main aims are to see my kids (age 12 and 9) grow up and to out-live my dog (18 month Labradoodle, life expectancy 12-15 years).

 

[sugarless sue]

There are claims that progression for type 2 can be totally halted by very tight control of blood sugar levels but I dont see anyone who has had the disease for 50 or 60 years claim that they have done so. Sorry to all the people on here that believe it can be halted but until I see someone who has kept hba1c less than 7 for 50 or 60 years whilst type 2 I will take the claims with a pinch of salt. However if you can slow progression down for 10-15 years well thats a result in of itself.

As most type 2's ( but not all) are diagnosed in their later years I doubt that you will find many that have had it for 50- 60 years ! 10- 15 years for some of us will do nicely !

 

[FordPrefect]

There are claims that progression for type 2 can be totally halted by very tight control of blood sugar levels but I dont see anyone who has had the disease for 50 or 60 years claim that they have done so. Sorry to all the people on here that believe it can be halted but until I see someone who has kept hba1c less than 7 for 50 or 60 years whilst type 2 I will take the claims with a pinch of salt. However if you can slow progression down for 10-15 years well thats a result in of itself.

As most type 2's ( but not all) are diagnosed in their later years I doubt that you will find many that have had it for 50- 60 years ! 10- 15 years for some of us will do nicely !

Hehe true enough Being able to slow the disease for as long as possible is always great in itself. Just saying that claims of a total stop in progression I'll take with a pinch of salt is all.

 

[Bluenosesol]

With the current amount of US emphasis on diabetes research and their total panic at the failure of the last 15 years dietary advice (Low Fat - High carbs), then I am optimistic that if we can stay relatively healthy for the next few years, then our prognosis which is already good for the well controlled, will become even more positive.
I read an article recently from a medical organisation warning pension funds about the assumption that life expectancy for diabetics should be estimated at normal years minus 10, from which the pension funds were providing 30% payment enhancements as a result of the shortened life span. They were predicting that a more realistic figure was less than 3 years!!!, due to the progress that diabetics have made in recent years...

So my glass is definitely half full.....

PS Well Done Popps and take a look at this and click on the question asking if T2 diabetics necessarily deteriorate.
bloodsugar101.com/

Steve

 

[ShyGirl]

 

[FordPrefect]

Well progression of the illness to me doesnt nessecarily mean death. I mean progression more along the lines of not needing insulin or getting complications. Given that I am only in my 30s myself being able to live as long as possible is obviously formost in my mind! I just take purely anicdotal evidence with a pinch of salt. I mean my own gran was diagnosed in her early 40s and had her first heart attack in her early 50s but still lived well into her 80s.

 

[rluscombe]

My latest A1C is 8.7 having been on medication for two years I currently take 4x500mg metformin 1x15mg pioglitizone and 4x80mg glyclazide my trigs were 5.8 and urine sample came back abnormal for microalbumin. Going onto insulin on 23/12 so hopefully that will sort it. Not sure about the microalbumin though dont really know what that means exactly i think it showed 13mmol

 

[wallycorker]

As most type 2's ( but not all) are diagnosed in their later years I doubt that you will find many that have had it for 50- 60 years ! 10- 15 years for some of us will do nicely !

It might be wishful thinking on my behalf but in my opinion, only poorly-controlled diabetes is necessarily progressive. That's what I want to believe anyway and people will have great difficulty trying to convince me to have a less optimistic outlook.

I expect that my hero - Kentishman - will come along shortly and tell us what 40 years of good control has done for him.

I'm 66 years old - another 34 years of non-progression - or reversal even - would do me quite nicely - Thank you!

John

 

[wallycorker]

........Just received my latest A1C results since diagnosis - it's 5 (first results were 5.1, second 5.2). This has been achieved on exercise and diet alone.......

By the way, congratulations popps! A great achievement! Keep it up! 4% Club next?

Best wishes - John

 

[wallycorker]

I'm 45 so 50 or 60 years seems quite OK to me. My main aims are to see my kids (age 12 and 9) grow up and to out-live my dog (18 month Labradoodle, life expectancy 12-15 years).

Hey popps - if you enjoy watching your kids grow up - I can tell you now that it's likely that you'll enjoy watching your grandkids grow up a great deal more. That really is a great time of life when you have the time to appreciate time that you spend with the youngsters!

Because of that it's my opinion that you need to be setting your sights for much longer - at least by outliving your next two dogs after this one! Go for it!

Best wishes - John

 

[sip]

I was diagnosed T2 on 07/01/2008, when my morning reading was 25. My fasting A1C came back as 9.9%. Took Gliclazide for about 5 weeks, and was getting hypos at 3:00AM-4:00AM every morning, so got put on 2x500 Metformin.

My A1C has been reducing gradually and the lastest a month ago came back at 6%, and I jokingly said to the diabetes nurse that my next reading will be at 5.5%, and she told me not to let it go below 6%.

What works for me: a mixture of a tablespoon of pure honey and teaspoon of cinnamon mixed into a paste and taken 20 minutes before breakfast each morning.

BTW, I have a severe back condition, residual nerve-damage from surgery and permanent sciatica -- this means I am in lots of pain 24/7, with only mild/moderate pain relief from painkillers (just got given new ones this week). Also, if I ride an exercise bike for even ten minutes, my BG drops to below 3.5mmol. This makes it hard to exercise and reduce weight that way, but at least BG seems to be in control.

 

[wallycorker]

..........What works for me: a mixture of a tablespoon of pure honey and teaspoon of cinnamon mixed into a paste and taken 20 minutes before breakfast each morning............

Hi sip,

Are you suggesting that is the only change that you have made to improve your diabetic situation?

By the way, congratulations on a massive improvement in your blood glucose levels! Don't let the nurse discourage you from further improvement.

Best wishes - John

 

[sip]

Apart from the 2x500 Metformin, yes. I haven't changed my diet much, and I love (in my case, medium hot) curries and chapaties everyday.

The nurse told me that chapaties are good for slow-release carbs, so helps to control BG. Lentils are supposed to be good for you too, especially moong daal, but I do enjoy chicken and lamb.