Struggling to reduce Hba1c

[jfy30]

Thank you Alexandra100. I’ll follow your suggestions and try the cream instead of milk. I like the sound of the berries instead of apple too.

 

[jfy30]

Hi again, I’m wondering if any of you helpful people can offer any further advice to help me understand how I can reduce my blood sugar.

Since my first posting at the start of this thread I have been using a Freestyle Libre for around 6 days. It’s already proved to be really informative and has given me the reason why I think I got the high Hba1c results. I’ve discovered that my blood sugar levels aren’t too high during the night (they range from a low level 3 to 5) and 2 hours plus after meals they are around 5.0. However, straight after food I get a real spike around the 1 hour point. After porridge it went to 12.2 on the Libre and 10.9 on my meter (did the meter reading 10mins later as I’ve read there is a delay on the Libre). I had 2 shredded wheat with milk this morning and it shot up to 12.3 on the Libre and 9.7 on the meter. These peaks must be what has put my Hba1c into the prediabetes range at 44. Sometimes the peak isn’t as high after an hour at around 7 or 8 - usually after meals later in the day. I’m not sure what else I can do to reduce the peaks further. As I mentioned previously I’m not overweight (BMI 19). Up to the first result back in August my diet wasn’t too bad and I exercised regularly. For the past 3 months I have also been on a low carb diet and have lost weight, I’m not surprised though that it hasn’t impacted the recent repeat Hba1c result (still 44) if I’m getting these high peaks.

I’m not sure how to reduce any of the peaks further as I can’t change anything else apart from slightly tweak my diet further. Everything I read about getting out of pre-diabetes talks about losing weight, exercising and changing diet. I don’t want to lose any further weight and I exercise most days. I’ve had a few issues with very low blood sugar when I’ve cut back too much on carbs, it’s so hard to get the balance right which I’m sure many of you on these forums will be well experienced with. I’ve been trying to add cream, butter etc to some dishes but as I have high cholesterol and am on statins (which I’ve read can raise blood sugar!) I don’t want to go overboard with this. I’m wondering if there is anything else going on in my system somewhere to cause these higher peaks? After eating the same meal as me my husband’s blood sugar only ever goes up to around 5.5 so it seems clear to me that something I’m doing isn’t right. He’s slim and exercises regularly like me but currently eats a lot more sugar and carbs than I do!

Any help would be much appreciated, thank you

 

[MrsA2]

Both porridge and weetabix are high carb. Eggs are a better breakfast option, or full fat yoghurt with berries.
I'd also suggest checking the rest of what you eat as I don't think its as low carb as you think it is.
Basically no cereals or grain or rice or pasta but meat , fish, eggs, dairy and some green veg.
Your metabolism works very differently from youw husband's so don't even compare to him. Be guided by your meter. Those spikes are being caused by what you eat.

 

[Doireallyneedanams]

Hi again, I’m wondering if any of you helpful people can offer any further advice to help me understand how I can reduce my blood sugar.

Since my first posting at the start of this thread I have been using a Freestyle Libre for around 6 days. It’s already proved to be really informative and has given me the reason why I think I got the high Hba1c results. I’ve discovered that my blood sugar levels aren’t too high during the night (they range from a low level 3 to 5) and 2 hours plus after meals they are around 5.0. However, straight after food I get a real spike around the 1 hour point. After porridge it went to 12.2 on the Libre and 10.9 on my meter (did the meter reading 10mins later as I’ve read there is a delay on the Libre). I had 2 shredded wheat with milk this morning and it shot up to 12.3 on the Libre and 9.7 on the meter. These peaks must be what has put my Hba1c into the prediabetes range at 44. Sometimes the peak isn’t as high after an hour at around 7 or 8 - usually after meals later in the day. I’m not sure what else I can do to reduce the peaks further. As I mentioned previously I’m not overweight (BMI 19). Up to the first result back in August my diet wasn’t too bad and I exercised regularly. For the past 3 months I have also been on a low carb diet and have lost weight, I’m not surprised though that it hasn’t impacted the recent repeat Hba1c result (still 44) if I’m getting these high peaks.

I’m not sure how to reduce any of the peaks further as I can’t change anything else apart from slightly tweak my diet further. Everything I read about getting out of pre-diabetes talks about losing weight, exercising and changing diet. I don’t want to lose any further weight and I exercise most days. I’ve had a few issues with very low blood sugar when I’ve cut back too much on carbs, it’s so hard to get the balance right which I’m sure many of you on these forums will be well experienced with. I’ve been trying to add cream, butter etc to some dishes but as I have high cholesterol and am on statins (which I’ve read can raise blood sugar!) I don’t want to go overboard with this. I’m wondering if there is anything else going on in my system somewhere to cause these higher peaks? After eating the same meal as me my husband’s blood sugar only ever goes up to around 5.5 so it seems clear to me that something I’m doing isn’t right. He’s slim and exercises regularly like me but currently eats a lot more sugar and carbs than I do!

Any help would be much appreciated, thank you

Porridge, shredded wheat are all high carb. You don’t need to lose anymore weight you just need to reduce your carb intake.

From what I understand any read over 11 in the UK is a diabetes diagnosis, so you might want to go back to the doctor with your data.

 

[jfy30]

Thank you for your replies, I think it’s definitely yoghurt with berries or eggs for breakfast for me going forward. Breakfast is when I’ve had the biggest spikes, the other meals haven’t caused such a big rise after 1 hour (usually going up to anything from 5.5 to 7.8) and then back down to normal range by 2 hours. I’ve got a telephone consultation with my gp next week so I will certainly mention those higher readings. My gut feel is that although I’m in the pre-diabetic range, I don’t think I’m full blown diabetic. I have no symptoms or other risk factors apart from age, although my overall cholesterol is on the higher side my HDL level is 2.4 and triglycerides are 0.83. However, it’s best that I query it to be certain.

 

[DCUKMod]

Hi again, I’m wondering if any of you helpful people can offer any further advice to help me understand how I can reduce my blood sugar.

Since my first posting at the start of this thread I have been using a Freestyle Libre for around 6 days. It’s already proved to be really informative and has given me the reason why I think I got the high Hba1c results. I’ve discovered that my blood sugar levels aren’t too high during the night (they range from a low level 3 to 5) and 2 hours plus after meals they are around 5.0. However, straight after food I get a real spike around the 1 hour point. After porridge it went to 12.2 on the Libre and 10.9 on my meter (did the meter reading 10mins later as I’ve read there is a delay on the Libre). I had 2 shredded wheat with milk this morning and it shot up to 12.3 on the Libre and 9.7 on the meter. These peaks must be what has put my Hba1c into the prediabetes range at 44. Sometimes the peak isn’t as high after an hour at around 7 or 8 - usually after meals later in the day. I’m not sure what else I can do to reduce the peaks further. As I mentioned previously I’m not overweight (BMI 19). Up to the first result back in August my diet wasn’t too bad and I exercised regularly. For the past 3 months I have also been on a low carb diet and have lost weight, I’m not surprised though that it hasn’t impacted the recent repeat Hba1c result (still 44) if I’m getting these high peaks.

I’m not sure how to reduce any of the peaks further as I can’t change anything else apart from slightly tweak my diet further. Everything I read about getting out of pre-diabetes talks about losing weight, exercising and changing diet. I don’t want to lose any further weight and I exercise most days. I’ve had a few issues with very low blood sugar when I’ve cut back too much on carbs, it’s so hard to get the balance right which I’m sure many of you on these forums will be well experienced with. I’ve been trying to add cream, butter etc to some dishes but as I have high cholesterol and am on statins (which I’ve read can raise blood sugar!) I don’t want to go overboard with this. I’m wondering if there is anything else going on in my system somewhere to cause these higher peaks? After eating the same meal as me my husband’s blood sugar only ever goes up to around 5.5 so it seems clear to me that something I’m doing isn’t right. He’s slim and exercises regularly like me but currently eats a lot more sugar and carbs than I do!

Any help would be much appreciated, thank you

Jfy - Vis-a-vis comparing Libre readings with finger prick testing. The Libre lags behind the finger prick tests, as the finger prick tests blood, and the Libre interstitial fluid. it takes a few minutes for the sugars in the blood to get into the body fluids. Maybe try swapping the blood glucose and finger prick readings around - blood first, Libre after?

 

[bulkbiker]

I’m not sure what else I can do to reduce the peaks further.

Don't eat the foods that cause them?

 

[jfy30]

Thanks bulkbiker, I’ve got to get my head around the fact that I’m going to have to stick to just that! Had yoghurt and nuts for breakfast today resulting in just a small rise in blood sugar I think I wrongly assumed that things like shredded wheat would be ok. A colleague at work who is a type 2 diabetic eats shredded wheat every day as he’s been told it’s excellent for diabetics! The porridge, apple and cinnamon recipe I’ve been eating most mornings for the past couple of months came from the Blood Sugar Diet book so I also assumed that should be ok. It’s only since using the Libre that I’ve seen what that does to my blood sugar :-( I’d previously only tested at the 2 hour point so missed the spike.

DCUKMod that’s a good idea to swap round the order I do the testing, thank you.

 

[Alexandra100]

A colleague at work who is a type 2 diabetic eats shredded wheat every day as he’s been told it’s excellent for diabetics!

I think the logic goes: long-term diabetes leads on to heart failure. Fats are bad for the heart therefore to be avoided by diabetics. Long-term diabetes leads on to kidney failure. Protein is bad for damaged kidneys therefore to be avoided by diabetics. So what is left to eat? Carbs! Diabetics should eat plenty of them to make up for the protein and fat missing from their diet. And if on this high carb diet your bg rises and you end up with complications, maybe including heart and kidney failure, well, we always knew diabetes was a progressive disease. (Please don't shoot the messenger - I am only quoting the traditional message.)
How wonderful that Dr Bernstein, Dr Unwin, Virta and others have cut through this nonsense, saying that what counts is keeping the bg levels down, and for many reducing carbs in the diet will help do this, replacing them of course with calories from protein and fat. Even the ultra conservative ADA has begun to acknowledge that low carb is at least a possible approach to managing diabetes, but unfortunately many medical professionals are desperately behind the times and show no desire to catch up.

 

[MrsA2]

I’ve got a telephone consultation with my gp next week so I will certainly mention those higher readings

Don't expect your gp or any health person to know and understand low carb. Most are told to get us to follow the standard "healthy wholegrain lots of fruit and veg" diet which just does not work for us, as you have seen fro yourself. Most will tell you to stop testing as thye are petrified of being asked to pay for it

 

[jfy30]

It’s frightening MrsA2 and Alexandra100! It’s no wonder that my colleague has been struggling with his blood sugars with the kind of advice he has been given. Thank you for your support, this forum has been invaluable to me over the past few weeks. I’ve been referred to the NHS Prediabetes Programme, not sure what approach they will tell me to do but I’m not holding my breath!

 

[HSSS]

but I’m not holding my breath!

Nor would I be! But they are being run by various organisations around the country so fingers crossed you get a good one.

 

[MrsA2]

I did the Blood Sugar diet for 2 months before diagnosisand finding here too. Some of the recipes are good for low carb but not all of them.
Its quite alarming how many people are told to eat things that actually harm them by medics. Re-education is happening but slowly. Watch you tube for dr Unwin, an nhs gp who really gets it right.. he's supposed to be publishing more data soon. Very nice man

 

[jfy30]

Thanks HSSS, I hope so too!
I’ll certainly check out Dr Unwin MrsA2 as I’m keen to find out as much as I can. Thank you.

 

[KK123]

Thanks HSSS, I hope so too!
I’ll certainly check out Dr Unwin MrsA2 as I’m keen to find out as much as I can. Thank you.

Hi there, I know you read my previous response on this post. My circumstances were VERY similar to yours (including your cholesterol readings actually!). You have a low BMI (19?) and although you consume some carbs it does not seem that you are consuming them in their hundreds. Yes, you COULD go even lower carb but that will make no difference in the long term IF you are not pre diabetic or type 2, but LADA. I know it's expensive but if I was you I would ask the GP to arrange a C Peptide test and a GAD/antibody test (difficult but worth a try) and if not, I would pay for them to be done. Emphasise your lifestyle, your low BMI and your relatively speaking low carb diet. These were the very things my Consultant focused on when I was finally properly diagnosed 3 years AFTER the pre diabetic diagnosis. I think all the comments on here are very valid but the 'eat fewer carbs/don't eat anything that raises your levels' etc, etc are great but NOT enough on their own if you are in the early onset of type 1 and you won't know that unless tested in some way. I really don't mean to alarm you and NONE of us know, I can only say what happened to me. x

 

[jfy30]

Hi KK123, thank you for your reply. I had been wondering about LADA so it’s something I’m going to look into. I spoke to my GP yesterday and he said that overall my results are a little puzzling. Yes, my BMI is low, it’s now 18. He’s referring me to the practice diabetes nurse and said that I will get a 6 monthly Hba1c test. I’m just hoping that the nurse may be able to offer more insight, there’s nothing much else I can change about my lifestyle and diet apart from go even lower carb. If it was something like LADA then that may explain why my a1c test result didn’t change despite a lower carb diet. I will definitely enquire about those tests you mentioned. Thank you for your help, it’s really appreciated.

 

[Resurgam]

Hi again, I’m wondering if any of you helpful people can offer any further advice to help me understand how I can reduce my blood sugar.
After porridge it went to 12.2 on the Libre and 10.9 on my meter (did the meter reading 10mins later as I’ve read there is a delay on the Libre). I had 2 shredded wheat with milk this morning and it shot up to 12.3 on the Libre and 9.7 on the meter.

If you are as sensitive to carbs as me - then those are what you need to change - high carb foods mean high blood glucose levels.