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Newly diagnosed Hba1c Prediabetes

@DaveH2
Are you sure of the reading on your meter? Can you check if it is 5.1 rather than 51.

51 seems unlikely for a home test meter. 5.1 would be a good result.
Generally it recommended that you test before eating and 2 hours after. Keep a record of these to show the impact of different foods.
 

Sorry yes, 5.1mmol/l - is that not the same as 51mmol/mol?
 
@DaveH2
Confusingly there are different scales used for different purposes.
The test at the Doctors was probably HbA1c, measured in mol/mol, where 42 is just Prediabetic. (This also can be measured as a %)
Your meter measures in mol/l which is a different scale.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
If you look at the colour diagram half way down this page, it compares HbA1c, which is an average measure of about 3 months to a meter reading at home which is a snapshot of the time you tested.

The rest of the page explains more.
 
Redshank said:
@DaveH2
Confusingly there are different scales used for different purposes.
Click to expand...

Crikey, as if I need more confusion

So, my reading of 5.1 is actually off the bottom of the scale!

I found this >>> https://www.ipag.co.uk/hba1c-conversion-chart/screen-shot-2016-07-02-at-14-51-30/ which is a HbA1c Conversion Chart % to mmol/mol

Would this be correct - the doctor said I was 42mmol/mol which is the equivalent of 6.0 on my glucometer reading? Therefore, if my glucometer reading is now 5.1, then that would be the equivalent of my doctor saying it was 32?
 


once things go pear shaped the hb1a1C can increase very very rapidly, so you were probably lucky that you caught it quickly, each extra week that passed would probably have seen a rapid rise in Hba1C. I had similar symptoms and had been going to bed each afternoon for a while, but I hadn't appreciated that it was specifically due to a illness because I was also having some trouble sleeping at night so I thought it was a result of poor sleep not illnss. My hab1C had hit 92 at the point i finally saw a doctor. I too didn't realise how ill I felt until it all stopped having given up the carbs.

and YES the changes are dramatic AND immediate. If you stick with the food list you posted, you will find you feel astonishing and it just keeps on getting better ! - your numbers will be non diabetic in no time and you too can join the chorus of individuals all astonished that something so simple is not just accepted practise everywhere, everyday for every sufferer worldwide.

My hab1c is currently 33 - and has been for months now - ( just like many others on here )
 

yes 5,1 would be the equivalent of the doctor saying 32 - your glucometer is telling you you already reversed the disease - it will take abut 3 months before what you see on your glucometer to show up in your Hba1C as it takes around 3 months for your system to clear out all the old gunk ( never to return hopefully ) . If you test about 45 mins after a meal, and when you first get up, you should catch the " high points" of your day
 

Unfortunately blending fruit into a smoothie converts them into a sugary drink with a high impact on blood glucose levels.
I do eat a small portion of frozen berries a couple of times a week, as a dessert, and with cream after dinner, to slow down absorption. Berries are probably the lowest carb fruits, so it is a good choice, but smoothies are not the best way to consume them. To work out the carbs in yours you'd need to weigh the fruit and calculate from the percentage of carbs.
 
CherryAA said:
If you test about 45 mins after a meal, and when you first get up, you should catch the " high points" of your day
Click to expand...

I have a list of occasions throughout the day when I think it'd be good to test - at least in the short term:

1) Straight after waking up
2) Straight before eating
3) 1 hour after eating
4) Before exercise
5) After exercise

Once things have settled down a bit more - another week or two, I can maybe cut out the exercise readings and if I dare, try some food that I have cut out, to see how it affects me. I'd hate to be missing out on something that I really like!
 
DaveH2 said:
... in less than 3 weeks!!

I've been struggling with this for a decade and a half!
Click to expand...
Eating low carb is a very powerful tool in lowering blood glucose - it is so simple yet many drs and nurses seem to regard it as close to lunacy.
The Hba1c test gives a number according to the average level of blood glucose during the last three months, so as soon as you go low carb your Hba1c starts to drop. Even better, you no longer have to try to cope with spikes after meals.
 

Now I have my glucometer, I'll check after eating/drinking fruit and see where my readings are.
 
Resurgam said:
many drs and nurses seem to regard it as close to lunacy.
Click to expand...

From my experience, admittedly very limited - doctors just don't have time to go into stuff in too much detail.

Mine advised me to eat wholemeal bread - I gave what was left of my white bread to a neighbour and it was 3 or 4 days before I managed to get together a new shopping list. I had the wholemeal bread (tuna sandwich) and I felt terrible afterwards - really tired again. I know they're not specialists, but I think the best advice would be not to touch bread/pasta/rice at all, at least to start with.
 
Resurgam said:
You might need to check earlier than the normal 2 hours - it is sugar, and that is digested easily and quickly, so the highest reading might be as soon as 1/2 an hour after drinking a smoothie.
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Thanks for the 30-minute advice

I really hope it doesn't spike my levels because I've discovered that fruit smoothies are really, really nice!

My new blender won't go to waste though, because I've discovered how easy it is to make soup.

2 measures of cauliflower
1 measure broccoli
as much spinach as you can fit in a big pan
1/4 measure Home boiled ham

Cook the cauli & broccoli in a big pan with an onion and a chicken stock cube and a little garlic & ground black pepper.
Drain the veg, but keep the water.
Blend the veg and add some of the cooking stock to get it to the right consistency.
Blend some ham and mix it in with the blended veg.
Add the spinach (raw) and blend.
Add some small diced ham to the mix.

It's nice fresh and is nicer after a couple of days. Freezes well, too.
 

I wouldn't worry about testing when exercising - its pretty meaningless at this stage . In practice once your system settles down, you will find exercise causes your blood glucose to go up not down - that is because your body is drawing glucose from your liver to use for the exercise - its a good thing and nothing to worry about. Exercising is good for you in any event.

In terms of foods you really like - might be worthwhil having a listen to a few of this series

https://www.peak-human.com/
it opens your mind as to what humans should actually be eating compard to the tosh we have all been taught to like by a greedy food industry!
 


You might find this gives disappointing results for your blood glucose, When you blend veg or fruit you destroy the fibre. The fibre is what allows your body to cope with the sugar in the veg. You might be lucky - many of us find we can't do this !
 
CherryAA said:
You might find this gives disappointing results for your blood glucose, When you blend veg or fruit you destroy the fibre. The fibre is what allows your body to cope with the sugar in the veg. You might be lucky - many of us find we can't do this !
Click to expand...

I quite like chunky soup, so some of the veg can be added after the rest has been blended. Also, I suppose that if you blend and blend until it is really smooth won't be as good as if you gave it a quick whizz
 
If you have pre-diabetes, it is helpful to stabilize your blood sugar and reverse your diabetes through a healthy diet. In addition, long-term healthy eating habits are also helpful for other diseases.
 
Resurgam said:
I use a Tee 2 meter - cheap strips make all the difference to how often you can test.
Click to expand...

My doctor has just flat refused to prescribe me the strips and lances. She said it was totally pointless me measuring my glucose levels because I am prediabetic.

How in the heck am I supposed to know if the steps I am taking are making a difference to my levels if I don't measure them?

Ho hum, I'll just have to buy them
 
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