• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Type 2 too low

numan43

Well-Known Member
Messages
262
Location
Glasgow
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
HbA1c: 40.0 mmol/mol (5.8%) but after seeing nurse with this result she said "we are concerned that its too low" she then went on to suggest I stop metformin altogether and once again to stop testing. She did admit the reason to stop testing was cost to the NHS.

Since taking a new look at my type 2 after having a stroke one year ago I have read and viewed umteen doctor reports on LCHF as the way to go and now feel let down by both doctors and nurses at my surgery who even after seeing my HbA1c drop with my diet are still not happy with results and want to tinker further.

I mentioned about metformin being helpful in other ways, "yes it seems so but its not licensed for those uses"

The biggest shock though was being told result was Too low, that's when I just gave up and politely made my exit
 
Firstly, numan43, a very, very big well done from me on your latest HbA1c score. I remember when you arrived here and, like so many others, had your challenges around the counter-intuitive aspects of low carbing, with the fats, and in the light of your then recent stroke, I totally applaud you for sticking with it, and reaping those rewards.

Of course, I couldn't consider telling you how to behave, and particularly not where medical matters are concerned, but sometimes the evidence and numbers are extremely hard to ignore.

Again, a BIG well done from me. I would soooooo love to tell you to ignore the unenlightened, but I'd get into trouble!
 
Hi. Great results. With those figures I would stay with it and stop the Metformin if the nurse suggests that. You can't be too low if not on meds as you won't go hypo and the lower the figure the better.
 
Another, big well done from me as well!
Your bloods and hba1c are in normal range and there is no reason why you should be alarmed by your dsn.
Now, you can have that Christmas treat!
Keep up the good work!
 
Thank you so much, if it wasn't for the encouragement, tips and great links on this forum I think I would be still going with the diet I was fed during my months stay in hospital, loads of carbs morning noon and night.
 
The thing is, as a T2, you are only at risk of being 'too low' if you have one, or more, of the following:

  • Medications that lower your bg more than your body can compensate for (in which case you would need to discuss lowering the dose with your health team)
  • and/or reactive hypoglycaemia
  • another medical condition that lowers bg

I am not familiar with all your meds, but if those things don't apply, then she is applying the usual wrong-headed Institutionalised Dogma.

So well done! and keep up the good work!!!

Edited to add: Plus, with an HbA1c of 40, you are still at the top of 'normal'. So you are a looooonnnnnggggg way from actually being too low, complared with 'normals'.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Your nurse is a moron. What would she think is not too low..............50

Well done on the HbA1c result.
 
I had result of 36 today and my consultant was really pleased and had no worries about it. He said as long as I'm not losing hypo awareness then it was in the non diabetic range and perfect.
I heard my consultant works with Steve Redgrave so I'm sure he knows what he's talking about!!!
So good effort, ignore the comment and keep up the good work!!
 
Many congratulations Numan, really pleased for you. I had exactly the same scenario when in hospital last year - I was told it was too low at a similar level to you. I put her right of course lol

But the thing that concerns me most of all, is where are they getting these figures from? They're not plucking them out of mid air so somebody, somewhere, is teaching them the wrong information..
 

I think it is a case of muddling up the info.

There IS an argument for advising some T1s to avoid living too low - because that can, for some, reduce hypo awareness. Which can be dangerous. It is also avoidable and rectifiable, but that is another thread...

But to apply that (debatable) info to a Type 2 in Numan's situation is verging on the absurd.
 
Lets all hope in the near future the medical profession will all agree and give every type diabetics the correct guidelines to deal with the illness but then again it will probably be the week before someone discovers that LCHF is the worst diet ever and high sugar levels are actually good for you.
 
We have to remember that its effectively an average. As I understand it....as a random example, you could have 5 readings of 3mmol and 5 readings of 7mmol and your average would be 5mmol. Or you could have 10 readings of 5mmol and your average would still be 5mmol. But of course the first example is not good and so meter readings are important to monitor the fluctuations.
 

But don't many of them believe that already with their constant "Eat carbs, eat carbs, eat carbs" mantra....

I'm hoping and aiming for an HBA1c level of 40, but still hovering a bit above. My doctor's pleased with results and hasn't given me any bumph about going too low... So blooming well done and a gold star for your achievement....


Robbity
 
The other thing that drives the "too low" mantra is that in T1s in the DCCT study, lower Hba1cs were strongly correlated with an increase in severe hypoglycaemia (ie requiring assistance) and this is something else that the HCPs want to avoid.
 
My recent HbA1c gave a result of 50 - which the DN warned me was 'quite low enough for someone of my age' (67). I will however continue to try and get it lower despite lack of encouragement from the surgery!
 
I had dinner with some friends yesterday, one of them diabetic. He was very pleased with his very good HbA1c of 54 and so had the diabetes nurse been. I said Are you out of your mind? That is a bad result!

We have the same nurse and I don't think she is quite right in her mind. She was very worried when my HbA1c fell below 40.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…