Thirteen years ago, at the age of 39, I was diagnosed with Type 2. My fasting blood glucose was 7.8 and my HBA1c was also raised; a glucose tolerance test had a starting level of 7.1 and a two-hour level of 11.0. My doctor prescribed me Atorvastatin for slightly raised cholesterol, and I lost some weight over the next three months. At the end of the period, we repeated the GTT and this time got a starting level of 6.1 and a two-hour level of 7.7.
Over the intermediate thirteen years, my blood sugars have remained in the prediabetic range, with my HBA1c gradually decreasing from 6.4 (in June 2016) to 6.3 (June 2017) and 6.1 (June 2018 and June 2019). A few months prior to the 2018 test, I came off Atorvastatin as my cholesterol was now off the bottom end of the normal range. In June 2019, with my total cholesterol having increased from 5.12 to 5.99 (in both cases, with fairly low HDL and pretty low triglycerides), my doctor restarted me on Atorvastatin.
Three months later, I had my HBA1c checked again, to see whether restarting the statin had had any effect, and was shocked to find that it had soared to 7.0. I asked to switch to a different statin (Pravastatin, which is not associated with any increase in blood glucose) and had a fasting blood glucose test done in between the two statins. This came in at 8.2.
It looks as though Atorvastatin was not the culprit for the sudden increase, and I have simply run out of luck with diet (which involves eating only once a day), though it's a hell of a coincidence after thirteen years. I'm seeing the nurse for a diabetic check on Friday, and am wondering whether I should go straight onto Metformin or should attempt another diet, which could buy me another few years before needing medication. What does everyone on here think?
Over the intermediate thirteen years, my blood sugars have remained in the prediabetic range, with my HBA1c gradually decreasing from 6.4 (in June 2016) to 6.3 (June 2017) and 6.1 (June 2018 and June 2019). A few months prior to the 2018 test, I came off Atorvastatin as my cholesterol was now off the bottom end of the normal range. In June 2019, with my total cholesterol having increased from 5.12 to 5.99 (in both cases, with fairly low HDL and pretty low triglycerides), my doctor restarted me on Atorvastatin.
Three months later, I had my HBA1c checked again, to see whether restarting the statin had had any effect, and was shocked to find that it had soared to 7.0. I asked to switch to a different statin (Pravastatin, which is not associated with any increase in blood glucose) and had a fasting blood glucose test done in between the two statins. This came in at 8.2.
It looks as though Atorvastatin was not the culprit for the sudden increase, and I have simply run out of luck with diet (which involves eating only once a day), though it's a hell of a coincidence after thirteen years. I'm seeing the nurse for a diabetic check on Friday, and am wondering whether I should go straight onto Metformin or should attempt another diet, which could buy me another few years before needing medication. What does everyone on here think?