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My New A1c

ItalianKitten

Well-Known Member
Messages
68
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
My first A1c was 5.9. Not too bad, I thought.

However, the diabetes nurse warned me that it was artificially low because I was on Metformin for three weeks before taking the test.

The nurse also took me off Metformin completely because she wanted to see my true "baseline" A1c without medications before deciding whether I needed medications.

For the next three months I was then without any diabetes medications, but I started following the LCHF regime. The benefits were immediate, and life without starches had been blissful for me. But would it work in the long run?

This week I went to see the diabetes nurse as my second A1c results were ready.

She looked at her screen, then asked "Are you still on Metformin?" "No, I stopped as soon as you asked me to." "Are you on any other diabetes medications?" "None." "Then wow. Your A1c is 5.2. At this point in time you don't need any medications and you clearly are in full control of your diabetes. Keep doing what you are doing, and I'll see you in three months."

5.2!

I think I'll celebrate with a whole avocado, oh wild me
 
Really wild, well done you, pat on the back hun.
 
That's absolutely brilliant. Well done!
 
Awww, thank you so much for the kind words. I wouldn't have been able to do it without my three anti-diabetes weapons:

  • A support group. YOU!
  • My glucometer
  • My log book

Diabetes is a progressive condition, but I'm confident that, at whatever stage one is, the LCHF regime can aggressively help slowing down its progress. I am dismayed that low carbs nutritional advice isn't handed out to diabetic people.

I had to fight against my GP and my diabetes nurse because they were dead against my nutritional choice. Now I am feeling a little vindicated. LCHF works and can have a significant impact on one's health. From 5.9 with Metformin, to 5.2 without medications. Just a lot of beautiful, colourful, and delicious food, drenched in olive oil.

I am so happy, and I am so grateful to all of you for helping and supporting me during my "experimental phase" of LCHF. Now I have empirical proof I'm doing the right thing. And it feels good, damnit.
 
Well done, Kitten. Excellent result!

Did your nurse ask you about how you had managed to improve with diet alone? I wonder how nurses and dieticians reconcile such good lchf results with their rubbish dietary advice.
 
Avocado Sevenfold said:
Well done, Kitten. Excellent result!

Did your nurse ask you about how you had managed to improve with diet alone? I wonder how nurses and dieticians reconcile such good lchf results with their rubbish dietary advice.
Click to expand...

Avocado Sevenfold, the nurse and I have already locked horns about LCHF every single time we met.

This time we didn't approach the subject, somehow. She just glared at me, and I glared back, Cold War style.

She told me the good news, but I didn't get a smile nor any encouragement - she was quite short.

But with these results she couldn't bring herself to tell me to stop my food regime. How could she?

Never mind, she can glare all she wants, because I'm a 5.2!
 
She sounds like a horror. Your results would have spoken volumes to her hehehe
 
Wahey!! Double-Bubble! You've got a GREAT A1C level AND wound up an out of touch and ****** HCP! Nice one IK!
 
Maybe now would be a good time to ask for a meeting with her boss to share your good news.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
You know, every time I have mentioned low carbing to anyone at my doctors surgery (2 nurses and a doctor) it has been completely blanked.

Each time I have been left wondering whether they have a clue what I am talking about.

The first time was just before a nurse handed me a ridiculous diet sheet instructing me to eat huge amounts of carbs (it went in the rubbish bin outside the front door). The second time, the doctor was so busy telling me that I should lose weight, that he didn't notice me speaking. The third time was a nurse taking blood tests. I had just told her that I was sure I was diabetic, due to my BG readings on the highly illegal immoral and corrupting glucometer that she didn't want me to use. She didn't react to the low carb comment either.

Ironically, my low carb diet appears to give me sufficiently good control of my blood glucose that I have escaped an official diagnosis again! But I consider this a good thing. They've threatened me with a Desmond course, if I get a clear diagnosis, and it think they might regret my disruptive influence...
 
Most of us got the same or similar response from our 'care' team but they are just following the outdated guidelines from NICE. In these days of solicitors continually touting for clients to sue everyone for everything they are just taking the safe route to advice.

I have been having disagreements since I found enlightenment on this forum. My BS results however have been so good on LCHF that my nurse has started to,change her attitude. Am now trying to work on the GP's via my participation on their patient
group. Most practices have one and are welcoming members all the time. It's a great way of getting your views across with hopefully the support of other patients.



Type 2. Was out of control till I found this forum. Low Carb and testing saved me. Glucophage 1 per day down from 4. HBa1c down to 36
 
Great result kitten, woo hoo!! I agree brunneria I went for my fasting bloods this week, when the nurse asked me how I was doing, I told her I was low carbing. She looked sadly at me and gave me a little smile as much as to say, stupid article. It is just so disheartening to come up against this attitude every time you go for "help". I am excited to see what the result will be. Another thing was that she was most unwilling to check my cholesterol and Hba1c levels. She said these tests are expensive you know!!!. I felt like saying that so far because I've done great low carbing I haven't cost the NHS a blooming penny!. Anyway rant over, onwards and upwards.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Type 2.. New member.. Even following the dieticians advice for plenty of fruit/veg and wholemeal bread I ended up on insulin.. Eventually I decided to follow the Paleo or Cave Man low carb diet and my readings came down and continued to do so over the years.. I am off insulin and my other medication has been reduced. A word of caution though, unfortunately I have now boxed myself into this diet because I now don't have the additional medication (control) to treat any unexpected or desired changes to my diet. Due to a lack of understanding, the GP is sticking rigidly to the HbA1C results and so unless I obtain bad readings for a lengthy period and changes are then made to increase the medication control slightly, I am stuck.
 
Adam, have you tried adding carbs back into your diet, in a slow, controlled manner? Is your weight in the desired range?

I don't know what meds you're on, but, as I understand it, Metformin will only reduce your HbA1c by a very modest amount; diet and weight control (to aid insulin resistance) are the keys.

I'm at the adding back stage at the moment, and I do appreciate the challenge, believe me.
 
Well done ItalianKitten !
I've been adding more carbs back into my diet - just some fruit and the odd cake! - and my Hba1c has continued to fall, all without any medication and is now the lowest it has ever been since being diagnosed over 10 yrs ago.
So impressed is my diabetes nurse that she has been taking notes about my diet, including my natural cholesterol management, to pass onto her brother in law !
 
italian? how on earth are you able to stay away from pasta may i ask--it is my downfall each time even the wholewheat pasta, try to be lo carb --but crave pasta & spuds, please explain what LCHF means.... thank you
 
Wow - great results from ItalianKitten, and so good to hear others are experiencing the same. I'm glad my scary diabetic nurse did not bat an eyelid (metaphorically, as we were on the phone) when I told her I was starting a low carb diet. She's advised me to buy the book Carbs and Cals. I'm not sure how much use I will find it as I'm happy using MyFitnessPal, but it might be good to educate my husband.

R x
 
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