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Weird spike in HbA1c

M

manxman66

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I've just had my annual HbA1c check and it's come in at 7.5, which is the highest I've ever had.

I was diagnosed type 2 in 2006 and managed to keep my blood sugar in the prediabetes range for the next 15-odd years through intermittent fasting (OMAD). My blood sugar has risen since then, with a couple of odd little spikes – one to 7.2 and one to 7.0 – which reversed to about 6.0 to 6.5 after three months' 5/2 dieting.

Should I try that again? Or, given that I'm pushing 60, should I now admit defeat and start taking Metformin? I'll obviously be discussing this with my diabetic nurse next week, but any opinions in the meantime would be welcome.
 
Hi @manxman66 ,
What about using a glucose meter or one of the free trials of continuous glucose sensors to see what is happening with your blood glucose throughout the day? It's a wonderful tool to spot patterns and find out what makes your BG go higher than you like.

What are you usually eating, and are you open to see if some long term dietary adjustments could make a difference?
 
I eat in restaurants every day – usually a three-course meal in the early evening. Apart from that, I consume only water.
 
manxman66 said:
I eat in restaurants every day – usually a three-course meal in the early evening. Apart from that, I consume only water.
Click to expand...
Worth using a meter or CGM to see how different meals affect your numbers.
Do you eat all components of the meals or do you swap out the carbier bits for something else?
Do three courses include a sweet dessert?

Many of our members (me included) found a sharp rise upon getting out of bed, thanks to our helpful livers adding glucose to the bloodstream to get us going for the day. Often stopped by eating something small, a piece of cheese or a handful of nuts. But without testing you won't know what affects your BG and where you can make changes.

You might want to have a read of this, written by one of our members: https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html
One meal a day can be helpful, but a lot depends on the meal.
 
Antje77 said:
Worth using a meter or CGM to see how different meals affect your numbers.
Do you eat all components of the meals or do you swap out the carbier bits for something else?
Do three courses include a sweet dessert?
Click to expand...
Yes, always a dessert or cheese. Maybe I should indeed start monitoring my blood sugars to ascertain the effects of different foods.
 
It would also be interesting to find out how your food is cooked and what other additional carbs and sugars you may be intolerant to.
Carby vegetables, deep fried food, currys, and pastas etc, may push your spikes far higher than you should be eating, then add on a sugary dessert.....!
Every restaurant by law has its ingredients and nutritional information should be able to be viewed, if you ask.
 
Lamont D said:
Carby vegetables, deep fried food, currys, and pastas etc, may push your spikes far higher than you should be eating, then add on a sugary dessert.....!
Click to expand...
Yes, quite possibly. I do not like deep-fried or fast food, but I do like curries and pasta. Actually, I like most world cuisines.
 
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