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Coral Knight

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I have just had a blood test and my bloods were 4.4. My doctor said I am diabetic but I am yet to take medication. I am confused as to what is normal blood results and how far over I am from what is normal?

My husband has just been diagnosed with type 2 as well and we have just started a low carb eating plan. I am therefore hoping to reduce my blood glucose level by following this diet. However, I am not entirely sure how many carbs I should eat per day and therefore have cut them out completely but not sure if I am doing the right thing?
 
Is that 44 or a 4.4 as there are different scales ?
 
Welcome @Coral Knight
Results are expressed either as a percentage or in mmol/ mol, I doubt if it's 4.4 % (Normal is 4 - 5.6 )more likely to be 44 m.mol/mol ( normal is below 42) so you're only a tiny bit over, more in the pre diabetic range than diabetic.
Cutting carbs will help reduce your blood glucose levels, but by how much is an individual choice, I doubt however you are managing to cut out your carbs completely as even lettuce and veg have some carbs
 
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Martin9 said:
Is that 44 or a 4.4 as there are different scales ?
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Hi there, I’m sure the doctor said 4.4. He said I was only 2 points over but I’m not sure what he meant. This was over the phone. I have an appointment with the doctor next week.
 
Coral Knight said:
Hi there, I’m sure the doctor said 4.4. He said I was only 2 points over but I’m not sure what he meant. This was over the phone. I have an appointment with the doctor next week.
Click to expand...
You are 2 points over if he said 44 in m.mol/mol you are completely within normal range if he said 4.4 %...
 
Martin9 said:
Welcome @Coral Knight
Results are expressed either as a percentage or in mmol/ mol, I doubt if it's 4.4 % (Normal is 4 - 5.6 )more likely to be 44 m.mol/mol ( normal is below 42) so you're only a tiny bit over more in the pre diabetic range than diabetic.
Cutting carbs will help reduce your blood glucose levels, but by how much is an individual choice, I doubt however you are managing to cut out your carbs completely as even lettuce and veg have some carbs
Click to expand...
Martin9 said:
Welcome @Coral Knight
Results are expressed either as a percentage or in mmol/ mol, I doubt if it's 4.4 % (Normal is 4 - 5.6 )more likely to be 44 m.mol/mol ( normal is below 42) so you're only a tiny bit over more in the pre diabetic range than diabetic.
Cutting carbs will help reduce your blood glucose levels, but by how much is an individual choice, I doubt however you are managing to cut out your carbs completely as even lettuce and veg have some carbs
Click to expand...
Hi Martin9
Thanks for your reply. From what you say it sounds like I must be 44 as the doc said I am just two points over what is normal. I have had another blood test to confirm and have an appointment next week.
I am endeavouring to lose weight by cutting carbs and eating a low fat, low carb healthy diet. I haven’t got a sweet tooth but did enjoy dry white wine at the weekend which is something I need to stop now.
 
Hi @Coral Knight welcome to the forum, can you please confirm with your GP the number you were quoted?
 
You're allowed your wee glass of dry white wine ..small glass only 0.8 g carbs (125ml)
 
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Coral Knight said:
Hi Karnak, I have just checked and my blood is 44
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I'm surprised he's worried about 44 it's hardly significant, but cutting down on carbs and a wee bit of exercise will bring it down easily, I was at 77 on Initial diagnosis , now at 35 with losing excess weight, bit more exercise, and cutting carbs to around 50-60g per day
 
I'm no expert, but I suspect that if you're overweight, you'll get the easiest benefits to yr sugar levels at this stage by just cutting portion sizes and calories & and losing some weight, without radically cutting out any food groups/macronutrients in a way you might not be sustainable.

Gives you time to do some research & thinking for how you want to handle things in the longer term.

And continuing to pretend to know what I'm talking about - yr longer term diet changes should also address other major risk factors, not just blood glucose, and very much including cardiovascular risks, in ways depending on yr individual circumstances.
 
Thanks both for your replies. You have helped clarify certain things. I am overweight and I need to address that for many reasons which I now intend to do.
 
G
Coral Knight said:
Thanks both for your replies. You have helped clarify certain things. I am overweight and I need to address that for many reasons which I now intend to do.
Click to expand...

Good luck!
 
Good luck and get back to the forum, if you have any more questions there will be somebody here who will be able to give you guidance ..!
 
Hi there,
My G.P. practice won't do anything other than control by diet until your HbA1c goes over 60 or 7.6 because that is what the guide lines regard as a level likely to start causing problems.
I was diagnosed at 58 or 7.8 this time last year and was told to cut out all sweets, cakes, biscuits and chocolate and come back in a year.
I bought a b/g meter, tested before breakfast, before dinner, two hours afterwards and upon retiring, cut out all bread, rice,pasta and potatoes, insisted on blood tests at three and six months from diagnosis ( in line with guidelines) and my readings had dropped to 51 or 6.8 by March when I was discharged as " normal no further follow up" although I will book another blood test next month when the year will be up.
The nurse told me in March that provided the average on my meter came up at 7 or 53 or below the HbA1c should come back within the normal range as my b/g will be much lower over night when I'm not eating anything.
It's up to you to make sure your surgery sticks to the guidelines because they will try not to do the regular tests to save money.
 
Hi @JMyrtle ..these guidelines you are referring to must be your own GP policies they are not the NICE ( National Institute for Health & Care Excellence) guidelines that GP s are supposed to follow see below...

For adults with type 2 diabetes managed either by lifestyle and diet, or by lifestyle and diet combined with a single drug not associated with hypoglycaemia, support the person to aim for an HbA1c level of 48 mmol/mol (6.5%). For adults on a drug associated with hypoglycaemia, support the person to aim for an HbA1c level of 53 mmol/mol (7.0%). [new 2015]
 
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Watch out with the low fat - dietary fat has nothing to do with being diabetic, but it will help a lot with keeping your carbs down - low fat products are laced with sugar and starches, as a rule.
It will act as an energy source and keep you running around without needing glucose, so you won't get so hungry.
All that stuff dreamed up by Ancel Keyes was - unfortunately, total rubbish - so the world has wasted decades chasing low fat foods and getting fatter and sicker all the time.
For most elderly women having higher cholesterol increases their chances of a longer life.
 
Hi Martin9
Yes you are right these are unofficial guidelines "suggested" by the L.H.A down here for the management of newly disgnosed type 2 patients over 60 years of age, supposedly for patient welfare based on the theory that at that age something other than diabetes will get us first.!
But we all suspect that so many older people are now being diagnosed with type 2 they are desperate to keep the cost down.
 
JMyrtle said:
Hi Martin9
Yes you are right these are unofficial guidelines "suggested" by the L.H.A down here for the management of newly disgnosed type 2 patients over 60 years of age, supposedly for patient welfare based on the theory that at that age something other than diabetes will get us first.!
But we all suspect that so many older people are now being diagnosed with type 2 they are desperate to keep the cost down.
Click to expand...
Shocking @JMyrtle , think they should be following the NICE guidelines, as complications of uncontrolled diabetes is far more expensive than a few tablets..
 
Coral Knight said:
I have just had a blood test and my bloods were 4.4. My doctor said I am diabetic but I am yet to take medication. I am confused as to what is normal blood results and how far over I am from what is normal?

My husband has just been diagnosed with type 2 as well and we have just started a low carb eating plan. I am therefore hoping to reduce my blood glucose level by following this diet. However, I am not entirely sure how many carbs I should eat per day and therefore have cut them out completely but not sure if I am doing the right thing?
Click to expand...
If it was me I would work at keeping my bg in check. Throw the high carb stuff out the door, Keep as active as possible. Good luck & keep us informed pls. 🙂. Welcome😉i
 
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