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Newlyish diagnosed and still very high hba1c :(

J

Jenraven

Member
Messages
15
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Last yr in september, at the age of 23(!) i was diagnosed with type 2. It sucked, but i knew it was coming, i just didnt think it would be so soon! I have a lot of family history and i had gestational diabetes 5yrs ago and im overweight..
So im sat in the nurses office and she tells my my hba1c is (drumroll please...) 89!! This is when i burst into tears, because i know this is very high. The gestational diabetes i had meant i was tested every yr i went from not diabetic to that high in a very short space of time. I was put on metformin straight away.
When i went on the desmond course, i was the youngest by far there and also had the highest hba1c, it was literally off the chart they get you to mark it on! There was a collective, sympathetic ohh when i read out my result...
When i went to my review recently i was upset to find my hba1c is still very high, 85 to be exact. My metformin has been upped to the maximum and im on a new drug sitagliptin. The nurse also wants to see me in 8 weeks, at which point she may put me on something injectable! Very vague and ominous...
Diabetes is a progressive thing, and im only 24 now and im already this bad/this high/on this many drugs etc that i worry about the future, oh and i ******* love chocolate, and that kills me!
I had my eye screening results back too, and it said i had background retinopathy - that freaked me out, especially as there was no info about it with the letter. They just told me i had it and didnt need to see me any earlier...so im left thinking well *** is this? Is it a problem or not?
The silver lining of course is that im forced into being healthier and im losing weight, but a slip up costs me a lot more that than not being able to fit into that dress i like...
Has anyone else had an hba1c as high as mine?
X
 
I don't think mine has been that high but just wanted to welcome you to the forum and give you some encouragement. OK, you have a hill to climb but because your reading is high, it should be within your grasp to see steady progress. Sometimes in life we need to be shocked into taking action. You know what you need to do and I'm sure you can do it. Good luck !

Mo
 
mo1905 said:
I don't think mine has been that high but just wanted to welcome you to the forum and give you some encouragement. OK, you have a hill to climb but because your reading is high, it should be within your grasp to see steady progress. Sometimes in life we need to be shocked into taking action. You know what you need to do and I'm sure you can do it. Good luck !

Mo
Click to expand...
Thanks, im sure i can too. Im just worried and amazed how high they are! Food shopping is a nightmare now haha..looking at all those labels and realising theres a whole ton of sugar in everything!
X
 
Hi
Welcome

I assume they are certain it's Type 2?


I lost 3 stones and feel loads better! I still have more to go but I promise it's worth the effort. Slipped up over Xmas and feel worse so I proved it to myself,

Have you looked at the role carbohydrates play in blood sugar? It's not just about weight loss.


Can you increase your exercise?

Cara
 
I'm type 1, but I was also diagnosed at 23 last year and am 24 now.

At diagnosis my hba1c was 133 (February). So I'm far worse off than you were! Last one was in September and was 43.

You CAN reduce it. You just need to set a goal and a good structured plan to make sure you hit it! You're not on insulin, so that's a start. If you get things under control you can hopefully reduce your met one day. Or maybe even come off all together eventually!

Welcome and good luck :)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
carraway said:
Hi
Welcome

I assume they are certain it's Type 2?


I lost 3 stones and feel loads better! I still have more to go but I promise it's worth the effort. Slipped up over Xmas and feel worse so I proved it to myself,

Have you looked at the role carbohydrates play in blood sugar? It's not just about weight loss.


Can you increase your exercise?

Cara
Click to expand...
Erm..i assume they are sure its type2, they have nerver mentioned being type 1 a possibility.
I was the model diabetic paitient when i found out but i couldnt stick to it.
Yeah, ive cut back on carbs by a fair bit, id already started to, to lose weight befor i was diagnosed.
Yes i could exercise more, im planning on getting back into swimming when my tattoo has healed..ahh excuses haha
X
 
hale710 said:
I'm type 1, but I was also diagnosed at 23 last year and am 24 now.

At diagnosis my hba1c was 133 (February). So I'm far worse off than you were! Last one was in September and was 43.

You CAN reduce it. You just need to set a goal and a good structured plan to make sure you hit it! You're not on insulin, so that's a start. If you get things under control you can hopefully reduce your met one day. Or maybe even come off all together eventually!

Welcome and good luck :)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...
Wow..that is high! Type 1 gets worse quicker though untill treated im guessing as type 1 means you dont make any insulin at all right?
Id rather be on 10 medications and have control of my diabetes than not, its just, wow. Im not the best at remembering to take them either
Thanks
X
 
Hi


Have you got your own meter to test yourself?


Cara
 
carraway said:
Hi


Have you got your own meter to test yourself?


Cara
Click to expand...
No, i wanted one too, but when i asked if i could have one they said they dont give meters to people on the meds im on. I should of kept mine from when i had gestational diabetes. I was on insulin then because the control had to be so much tighter. My dad might have a spare one i can use. I wanted to test when i was diagnosed so i could get a practical idea of how certain foods affected my glucose levels. When i told i wasnt allowed one i thought it was because everything affected everyone more or less the same and that i just needed to learn what the effect was. Its only after reading on here that i know i was right to want to test as people have said different foods affect peoples glucose levels differently
 
Jenraven said:
Last yr in september, at the age of 23(!) i was diagnosed with type 2. It sucked, but i knew it was coming, i just didnt think it would be so soon! I have a lot of family history and i had gestational diabetes 5yrs ago and im overweight..
So im sat in the nurses office and she tells my my hba1c is (drumroll please...) 89!! This is when i burst into tears, because i know this is very high. The gestational diabetes i had meant i was tested every yr i went from not diabetic to that high in a very short space of time. I was put on metformin straight away.
When i went on the desmond course, i was the youngest by far there and also had the highest hba1c, it was literally off the chart they get you to mark it on! There was a collective, sympathetic ohh when i read out my result...
When i went to my review recently i was upset to find my hba1c is still very high, 85 to be exact. My metformin has been upped to the maximum and im on a new drug sitagliptin. The nurse also wants to see me in 8 weeks, at which point she may put me on something injectable! Very vague and ominous...
Diabetes is a progressive thing, and im only 24 now and im already this bad/this high/on this many drugs etc that i worry about the future, oh and i ******* love chocolate, and that kills me!
I had my eye screening results back too, and it said i had background retinopathy - that freaked me out, especially as there was no info about it with the letter. They just told me i had it and didnt need to see me any earlier...so im left thinking well *** is this? Is it a problem or not?
The silver lining of course is that im forced into being healthier and im losing weight, but a slip up costs me a lot more that than not being able to fit into that dress i like...
Has anyone else had an hba1c as high as mine?
X
Click to expand...


Hi Jenraven,

I was diagnosed with Type 2 in July 2012. My HBA1c then was 83, so similar to yours. My last HBA1c in August was 39.
I lost 3.5 stones on a lowish-carb diet and lots of exercise (walking mainly). I lost most of the weight in the first 4 months, when my HBA1c was down to 45. Thankfully, I don't have retinopathy. I refused all DB meds, and resolved to get better with diet and exercise. My BMI is now 22.

So if you are overweight, I would recommend reducing carbs and/or switching to slow-release carbs coupled with whichever exercise you can manage, as an effective way of reducing your HBA1c and your weight. If successful, you may be able to come off your DB meds.

I didn't really like chocolate before I was diagnosed, strange I know lol! But I now love 85% & 90% dark chocolate, and have a few squares as an after-dinner treat.

As others have mentioned, given your age, there is a possibility that you are in fact a Type 1 - something you should discuss with your HCP asap if things don't improve.

Best of luck!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hi, welcome, i was 116 (as i remember but that night is a bit blurry) but was 106 a week later so i go with that, im t2
 
Jenraven said:
Wow..that is high! Type 1 gets worse quicker though untill treated im guessing as type 1 means you dont make any insulin at all right?
Id rather be on 10 medications and have control of my diabetes than not, its just, wow. Im not the best at remembering to take them either
Thanks
X
Click to expand...


It took 3 months of symptoms before I went to the GP. So I'd clearly been ill for some time. No DKA or anything like that though. I didn't stay in hospital at all, met the doctor for an hour and a half, collected my insulin and left!

I don't seem to have been left with any complications for the time I was so high, but I obviously don't intend to go back there!


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi Jen and welcome to the forum:)

Although you already have some experience of diabetes, I think you may find this information useful, which we give to new members. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find well over 70,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
 
Jenraven said:
Last yr in september, at the age of 23(!) i was diagnosed with type 2. It sucked, but i knew it was coming, i just didnt think it would be so soon! I have a lot of family history and i had gestational diabetes 5yrs ago and im overweight..
So im sat in the nurses office and she tells my my hba1c is (drumroll please...) 89!! This is when i burst into tears, because i know this is very high. The gestational diabetes i had meant i was tested every yr i went from not diabetic to that high in a very short space of time. I was put on metformin straight away.
When i went on the desmond course, i was the youngest by far there and also had the highest hba1c, it was literally off the chart they get you to mark it on! There was a collective, sympathetic ohh when i read out my result...
When i went to my review recently i was upset to find my hba1c is still very high, 85 to be exact. My metformin has been upped to the maximum and im on a new drug sitagliptin. The nurse also wants to see me in 8 weeks, at which point she may put me on something injectable! Very vague and ominous...
Diabetes is a progressive thing, and im only 24 now and im already this bad/this high/on this many drugs etc that i worry about the future, oh and i ******* love chocolate, and that kills me!
I had my eye screening results back too, and it said i had background retinopathy - that freaked me out, especially as there was no info about it with the letter. They just told me i had it and didnt need to see me any earlier...so im left thinking well *** is this? Is it a problem or not?
The silver lining of course is that im forced into being healthier and im losing weight, but a slip up costs me a lot more that than not being able to fit into that dress i like...
Has anyone else had an hba1c as high as mine?
X
Click to expand...


Hi...

I was diagnosed about 4 years ago..... I think i would have taken the news better if the doctor had told me i had to have a limb chopped off ! The scary thing is that if i dont get this under control thats exactly what could happen ! I was a massive sugar fan... chocolate, cakes etc... I have diabetes because i allowed myself to get up to 26.5 stone and lived that heavy for a few years... the ironic thing is that i lost 10 stone and then got diagnosed !
I am slimmer and healthier that I have been in the last decade and have reduced my sugar intake by at least 50% but have still not been as strict as I should be ... my bloods still sit at 9- 13 ( they were in the 20's when i was diagnosed,)

I dont know about you but i really struggle to find foods that 1. fill me up, 2.take away those sugar cravings and 3. knowing healthier substitutes, or receipes that i can cook for all the family ..

I have an overweight teenager at home and i really want to get mydiet sorted this year to improve my health but also if i cook these foods for the family , by reducing carb intakes he will loose weight too ! Can anyone help us chocholics to stay on track ????


Thanks Liz :-)
 
Could you but the darker richer choc and melt and dip strawberrys in it or roll a few blueberrys then cool in fridge to give you tiny taste of choc..for me I didn't mind leaving choclate as I love fruit but I do miss steak pie and mushy peas sob
 
I buy the Atkins bars to help with my chocolate cravings. You can get them at Asda but I buy them from Amazon. Not cheap but fairly low carb.

Anything with cheese or eggs is long lasting. And I have a new found love of cauliflower - more versatile then you could imagine! You can also try making oven baked chips with swede. Again low carb!
 
Thanks For the hints .. Are the Atkins chic bars lower sugar too if they are lower carb ?

Thanks

Liz


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Weens12 said:
Hi Jenraven,

I was diagnosed with Type 2 in July 2012. My HBA1c then was 83, so similar to yours. My last HBA1c in August was 39.
I lost 3.5 stones on a lowish-carb diet and lots of exercise (walking mainly). I lost most of the weight in the first 4 months, when my HBA1c was down to 45. Thankfully, I don't have retinopathy. I refused all DB meds, and resolved to get better with diet and exercise. My BMI is now 22.

So if you are overweight, I would recommend reducing carbs and/or switching to slow-release carbs coupled with whichever exercise you can manage, as an effective way of reducing your HBA1c and your weight. If successful, you may be able to come off your DB meds.

I didn't really like chocolate before I was diagnosed, strange I know lol! But I now love 85% & 90% dark chocolate, and have a few squares as an after-dinner treat.

As others have mentioned, given your age, there is a possibility that you are in fact a Type 1 - something you should discuss with your HCP asap if things don't improve.

Best of luck!
Click to expand...
why did you refuse meds? I was put on them straight away because of my hba1c and age. im trying to eat like a good diabetic, but its hard when my bf brings home chocolate. I tried the really dark stuff and I don't like it :(

The type 1 thing...my hba1c was 89, now its 85. ive not been put on any meds that contain insulin, metformin helps with insulin resistance, it doesn't actually put more insulin into my body...so am I right in thinking that type 1's have no insulin at all? and that if I was type 1 metformin would not of helped at all and my blood sugar would of bee much higher?
x
 
daisy1 said:
Hi Jen and welcome to the forum:)

Although you already have some experience of diabetes, I think you may find this information useful, which we give to new members. Ask as many questions as you like and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you’ll find well over 70,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

  • Reduce your carbohydrate intake
  • Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

Another option is to replace ‘white carbohydrates’ (such as white bread, white rice, white flour etc) with whole grain varieties. The idea behind having whole grain varieties is that the carbohydrates get broken down slower than the white varieties –and these are said to have a lower glycaemic index.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/diabetes-and-whole-grains.html

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)
  • Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)
  • Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
  • 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

  • structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
  • self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Click to expand...
thanks :)
I asked for a meter and the nurse said no! her exact words were...'we don't give meters to people on metformin, what you gonna do if you test and its really high?' - I jut wanted one so I knew how what I ate affected me.
The type 1 thing...my hba1c was 89, now its 85. ive not been put on any meds that contain insulin, metformin helps with insulin resistance, it doesn't actually put more insulin into my body...so am I right in thinking that type 1's have no insulin at all? and that if I was type 1 metformin would not of helped at all and my blood sugar would of bee much higher?
x
 
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