Thresholds to remain meds-free

I was diagnosed T2 in October, and have an appointment for my next HBA1C test in early February. I have adopted a low carbohydrate diet, and also attempting to stay low fat to help with my cholesterol.


Thus far, I have been using diet and exercise to try to get this thing under some control, and my 30 day average test scores average 5.2, with the “90 day” (I don’t quite have 90 days of results) are at 6.1, reflecting my higher readings around the time of my diagnosis.


I am absolutely committed to remain meds-free for the time being. This would be my normal standpoint, but reinforced currently, as I am traveling a lot and feel it would be tough to start on medication when mainly outside the UK for periods of up to 3 months at a time.


My question is, therefore, what sort of HBA1C score will I need to return in order to stay on the current meds-free regime (without too much of a fight!)?


Clearly I only have a limited amount of time to drive my scores lower, if needs be, but I could go a bit lower carb if I really needed to. At my current level, my partner is willing to pretty much mirror my diet, although he hasn’t joined me in banishing alcohol for the time being! His support and being able to eat the same things, together, is very helpful to me. I do have a feeling, however, that when I go away for about a month, in February, he will be mainly eating everything on the “banned” list!


Thanks in anticipation.

Thanks both.

I had some weight to lose and that's been falling off me, without trying. Obviously I am consuming fewer calories as well as reducing the carbs.

So far, I have only seen my GP who took the full 10 ,impute appointment going through stuff he "had to tell me", including my instructions to have my eyes and feet checked (both fine, thank goodness), and the practise nurse who recommended a low fat diet. I am hoping I can have my diabetic review in February, but I have managed my own expectations about how that will be.

I do realise that routine testing results do not directly correlate to the HBA1C, but was trying to illustrate where I might be in my efforts to achieve as near to non-diabetic glucose levels as I can whilst remaining a functioning member of the human race!

Kesun - I should have updated this thread after my review at the end of February, by which time, I had received and digested my latest blood profile and formulated my plan of action.

At it transpired, there was no conversation about medication of any sort, having reduced my HbA1c to 37, my cholesterol into good shape, by virtue of the good/bad ratio. My BP was high on the day, but my own monitor showed consistently healthy range readings, which were accepted without quibble. We agreed a decent White Coat Syndrome was in play. The nurse's approach was very much tick box, on the feet, weight etc, and suggested if I have a further decent profile in August, when I am next in UK, I will revert to annual reviews, unless I have concerns.

I touched on the OGTT, which was rebuffed on the basis it is no long the gold standard diagnostic tool,for T2s, but that I could self-administer it, if I chose to. Thus far, I haven't. LIke you, the prospect of carbing-up for an academic exercise didn't hold good, when I really thought it through. I mean, I never liked crisps anyway. (OK, that last sentence is a big fib.)

My current concentration is, to stop losing weight, and to reintroduce additional fruit to my diet, if I can tolerate it. Thus far, I have uneventfully reintroduce pineapple, which I am enjoying, in modest portions at breakfast, once a week, or so. I really do miss fruit, and living in a tropical paradise, with bananas and mango in the garden creates it's own temptations, trust me! It's tricky sticking to moderate levels when one finds little bs impact, but when trying to add more than one thing, I think it's critical. I'll also probably have a diabetic profile done here at the end of this month, which would be 3 months since my last, and act as a benchmark for HbA1c for the expanded diet, but also reassure me my cholesterol is not suffering due to the modest increase in fat I have been using to try to stop weight loss.

Clearly, I am gambling a bit by looking at expanding my diet, but this is for the longer haul, and as my OH has largely joined in with the eating plan, it would be good for us both to have more to eat. Obviously, the experimentation I need to do to achieve a steady weight, and increased fruit consumption may dent the numbers a little, but it should still be in the non-diabetic range, provided I don't persevere too long with anything deliciously unsuitable.

This is going to be a life-long adventure.

No problem Sanguine. I should have updated it anyway, as folks had been kind enough to respond to my original query.