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Latest hba1c results

Natalie1993

Natalie1993

Active Member
Messages
25
Location
Manchester
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
What is everyones latest results?

Ugh! Ive just had my latest results, my hba1c is 74. My one before that was 59. Im so fed up and just drained. Makes me feel like giving up, its so hard to manage. I have expressed concern to my local drs about seeing a specialist so hopefully they can get me sorted and i can work on getting back on track.
 
Hey @Natalie1993 being UK based, I am very surprised you are not already seeing a diabetes specialist.
My GP has very little clue about type 1 so I can imagine how little support you are getting if yours is anything like mine.
I would encourage you to push very hard.

How do you manage your diabetes?
Do you carb count?
Have you been on any courses such as the DAFNE one? It's called different things in different areas but it is a chance to spend time with fellow type 1ers and diabetes specialists to learn how to manage your diabetes.
Is there anything you feel you are struggling with? Are your BGs always high? Does diabetes stop you doing what you want? Are you stressed?

Sorry, probably way too many questions.
Answer what you want. Ignore the questions which are too personal.

But definitely push your GP to get you help from a diabetes specialist.
 
Hi @Natalie1993 It doesn't sound like you are getting much support at all so second what @helensaramay has said, you need to see a Diabetes Consultant not a General Practitioner about your type 1 for more specialist advice. What would help you hugely is getting a copy of 'think like a pancreas' for getting clued up, no time like the present to make subtle changes to your regime and the knowledge from this book will help you feel more confident about making changes - also try doing the online Bertie course: https://www.bertieonline.org.uk/ a great course again for building knowledge.

Don't get down though, it's easy to make improvements once you know how and we've all had bad HbA1c's, however this has shown you that you can make improvements :)
 
helensaramay said:
Hey @Natalie1993 being UK based, I am very surprised you are not already seeing a diabetes specialist.
My GP has very little clue about type 1 so I can imagine how little support you are getting if yours is anything like mine.
I would encourage you to push very hard.

How do you manage your diabetes?
Do you carb count?
Have you been on any courses such as the DAFNE one? It's called different things in different areas but it is a chance to spend time with fellow type 1ers and diabetes specialists to learn how to manage your diabetes.
Is there anything you feel you are struggling with? Are your BGs always high? Does diabetes stop you doing what you want? Are you stressed?

Sorry, probably way too many questions.
Answer what you want. Ignore the questions which are too personal.

But definitely push your GP to get you help from a diabetes specialist.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply, i havent been getting much help since moving up to the lake district. I feel like im getting nowhere and it will just get worse. Thanks for your questions too, they arent too personal.
I am also celiac so i have gluten free food too, i tend to stick to foods i know like rice, tuna, sweetcorn.
I did do a carb counting course back when i lived in stoke on trent but ever since moving up here i have had so much to deal with that i have just not done it so just stuck to foods i have.
I was supposed to do a dafne course in carlisle but because i live in penrith and work full time it would be difficult for me to do unless my boss understands. I think it would be beneficial for me.
I think i am just struggling in general with everything, i have bad mood swings sometimes and it all just becomes too much, i used to be such a strong person but these latest results have just knocked me down. But it also gives me a chance to start working towards something.
My blood sugars differ each day, the highest they are at night is 19. Though they have sometimes also been 24 at tea time.
I feel like my diabetes doesnt stop me from doing what i want all the time but at times it becomes overwhelming and i feel i need a break from it. Wish we all could!
I think i am quite a lot of the time stressed, thats what people have told me, they think certain things could be too much for me. It is so hard to manage but im not going to give up. Thank you for your questions :)
 
Juicyj said:
Hi @Natalie1993 It doesn't sound like you are getting much support at all so second what @helensaramay has said, you need to see a Diabetes Consultant not a General Practitioner about your type 1 for more specialist advice. What would help you hugely is getting a copy of 'think like a pancreas' for getting clued up, no time like the present to make subtle changes to your regime and the knowledge from this book will help you feel more confident about making changes - also try doing the online Bertie course: https://www.bertieonline.org.uk/ a great course again for building knowledge.

Don't get down though, it's easy to make improvements once you know how and we've all had bad HbA1c's, however this has shown you that you can make improvements :)
Click to expand...
Hi karen, thank you for the advice, i will definitely check out the link! :)
 
Natalie1993 said:
Hi karen, as long as your happy with your result that is the main thing, i hope things are going well for you :)
Click to expand...
We can all only do our best natalie and sometimes things just go out of control for no reason when that happens we pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down and start the merry go round again i hope your gp puts you in touch with a good diabetes team and coming on this forum helps i bought the carbs and cals book from w.h.smiths and that has been a godsend for me as now im trying a variety of different foods i hope all goes well for you and keep us posted x
 
Unfortunately running a bit high can make you feel physically ill and depressed, thereby making it harder to get back on track. I would agree that few gps have much clue about T1, definitely push for a proper diabetes specialist appointment. There's a lot that they can do to help that your GP has probably never heard of. Good luck, try not to get too discouraged. Unfortunately T1 is a balancing act and sometimes we all fall off the tightrope, but the trick is to get back on and keep trying.
 
My HbA1c results were always far too high. Found it impossible to control and so easy just to forget about it for the months between tests.
Then I got Libre.
Libre allows no escape, after 4 days you can get an estimated A1c every day if you wish. You can see the progress and where you need to make changes. Continual feedback. My HbA1c now down to 42. Stayed there (40-43) for last 6 tests. Two of them were because my GP did not believe the result! Too embarrassed to say what it used to be.
 
I have had Type 1 for 61 years and was told that my last HbA1c of 57 was too low and I should reduce my insulin dose. This is especially as my night blood results are low.
 
Natalie1993 said:
What is everyones latest results?

Ugh! Ive just had my latest results, my hba1c is 74. My one before that was 59. Im so fed up and just drained. Makes me feel like giving up, its so hard to manage. I have expressed concern to my local drs about seeing a specialist so hopefully they can get me sorted and i can work on getting back on track.
Click to expand...
Testing is the only way to know what is happening & to get better daily control that feeds into your Hba1C.
 
Natalie1993 said:
What is everyones latest results?

Ugh! Ive just had my latest results, my hba1c is 74. My one before that was 59. Im so fed up and just drained. Makes me feel like giving up, its so hard to manage. I have expressed concern to my local drs about seeing a specialist so hopefully they can get me sorted and i can work on getting back on track.
Click to expand...

Hi Natalie, Mine just came back as 48 and were previously 55 I am well pleased with that. although my fasting BG levels come out that it is as low as 35. If you follow the Diabetes UK Low Carb diet you will soon find them coming down wonderfully. You need to click on www.lowcarbprogram.com and log yourself in it will take you through weeks of advice on how to do it. I have found that there is a wonderful food diary so you can work out just how much you need to eat to control your BG levels and there is a great discussion group on there too that are far more help to me than my GP is. There are also U-Tube videos attached to the site that help you though other problems too. Loads of recipes and meals planned. At the end of the day the Low Carb High Fat Diet works to cure a number of disabilities as well as Diabetes, and the main thing is to not eat anything processed and keep the sugar in the supermarket not in your kitchen go back to REAL FOOD. My local surgery were dreadful with me they said I had irritable bowl syndrome and put me on a low FODMAP diet eating vegetables and fruit which was high in sugar and starch. Then they gave me statins to lower my cholesterol and I ended up nearly having heart failure. But this LCHF diet has saved my life along with the advice that comes with it. Go for it and good luck I wish you well.
 
Mine was 104 my diabetes is way out of control it has been for the last 10 years
 
Natalie1993 said:
I was supposed to do a dafne course in carlisle but because i live in penrith and work full time it would be difficult for me to do unless my boss understands. I think it would be beneficial for me.
Click to expand...

Any reasonable employer should give you payed leave for the DAFNE course. On my DAFNE course the only person who didn't have paid leave was self employed. This leave is a reasonable adjustment to accommodate your diabetes - employers are required to make reasonable adjustments.
 
I had my usual 10 month visit to my diabetic nurse at my GPs this week and I was very pleased with all my results.My Hba1c was58, the lowest it has been for many years,I had also lost 4kg and she said all the other results were perfect.I was more surprised by the weight loss as 4 days previous we had returned from a12 day cruise but I had stuck to low sugar desserts!She then turned to my husband and did not know what to do with him.He has been type 2 for 20 years but eats all the wrong foods,no veg or fruit ,his Hba1c was 110 but we had been warned it was very high before our cruise so he cut all sugar out and has to have another blood test in 3 months so hopefully it will have the right effect .He wasn't too pleased when she told him he should take more motice of his wife.I have been type 1 for over 64 years but have been very lucky not to have any complications.
 
robbo1981 said:
Mine was 104 my diabetes is way out of control it has been for the last 10 years
Click to expand...

Hi Robbo. My husband is the one in my family with diabetes, and he too has had a very high 100+ hba1c.....until recently when it was down to 84. Still way too high, I know, but much better for him. We both recently went on a DAFNE course, (I was allowed to attend it with him as he has sight and mobility issues, a direct result of DKA), and I can't recommend it enough. It gave us a much better understanding of T1, and how to adjust insulin levels to help counteract the inevitable highs and low blood sugars. Unfortunately he suffers from Dawn Phenomenon which, for us, makes control more difficult, but my point is that if he can improve, so can you. I totally agree with others that getting help and advice from a good consultant is invaluable, which we are very lucky to have at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth Uni Hospital.
Good luck.
 
wifeofaT2 said:
Hi Robbo. My husband is the one in my family with diabetes, and he too has had a very high 100+ hba1c.....until recently when it was down to 84. Still way too high, I know, but much better for him. We both recently went on a DAFNE course, (I was allowed to attend it with him as he has sight and mobility issues, a direct result of DKA), and I can't recommend it enough. It gave us a much better understanding of T1, and how to adjust insulin levels to help counteract the inevitable highs and low blood sugars. Unfortunately he suffers from Dawn Phenomenon which, for us, makes control more difficult, but my point is that if he can improve, so can you. I totally agree with others that getting help and advice from a good consultant is invaluable, which we are very lucky to have at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth Uni Hospital.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Hi thanks for the information, I'll be sure to find out more regarding the dafne course and get myself on it. Many thanks Rob
 
catapillar said:
Any reasonable employer should give you payed leave for the DAFNE course. On my DAFNE course the only person who didn't have paid leave was self employed. This leave is a reasonable adjustment to accommodate your diabetes - employers are required to make reasonable adjustments.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply, i think if i express concern to my boss he will understand, at the end of the day my health is more important. :) just wanna get nyself back on track
 
EllieM said:
Unfortunately running a bit high can make you feel physically ill and depressed, thereby making it harder to get back on track. I would agree that few gps have much clue about T1, definitely push for a proper diabetes specialist appointment. There's a lot that they can do to help that your GP has probably never heard of. Good luck, try not to get too discouraged. Unfortunately T1 is a balancing act and sometimes we all fall off the tightrope, but the trick is to get back on and keep trying.
Click to expand...
Ughh tell me about it :/ been feeling stressed lately and fed up, im struggling with motivation though my boyfriend is trying his best to help me, bless him! Im looking forward to getting myself back on track and balancing things out, thank you for your reply :) i hope you are doing well.
 
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