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Concerned re increased levels

C

Colin73

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi my latest Hb1ac level showed a reading of 60 mmol/mol, a pin prick test in March showed reading of 53.08.
I am currently taking 3 x 500mg Metformin, which I tend to take all at once in the morning
I am concerned about my levels increasing, but having recenlty returned from holiday and a family wedding, its fair to say I over indulged. Could my readings be a blip?
Dont wish to take any more medication or go on to insulin
Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Not sure about you figure for a pin prick test. What was your hba1c before this one? What advice have you been given? Hba1c is over 3 months but weighted to last month. Did you have a holiday then on another occasion a wedding? Lack of exercise and poor food choices could cause a blip.
I'm on dapaglifozin and 1 metformin.
 
Colin73 said:
Hi my latest Hb1ac level showed a reading of 60 mmol/mol, a pin prick test in March showed reading of 53.08.
I am currently taking 3 x 500mg Metformin, which I tend to take all at once in the morning
I am concerned about my levels increasing, but having recenlty returned from holiday and a family wedding, its fair to say I over indulged. Could my readings be a blip?
Dont wish to take any more medication or go on to insulin
Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
You have answered my questions I asked in the other thread, it helps to keep things together otherwise it can get confusing with people replying in 2 places.
Your HbA1C is an average over 3 months so it depends on how long your holiday was but more likely it is a slippage in your diet.
Is your metformin slow release as that can be taken all at once but if not may be better to take in the morning and evening.
Not sure what the 'pin prick' would have been, if HbA1C then not usually done from that type of sample if just a glucose test the number doesn't make sense, what were the units.
I would think your best course of action would be to review your diet and many find a low carb approach works well aiming for no more than 130g carbs per day (not just sugar). This link should give you some ideas for modifying your diet to see if that helps. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
You are a long way from needing insulin as there are other oral meds if the dietary changes don't work.
If you have a home testing blood glucose monitor that would allow you to identify any foods and meals which are too high carb and they can be cut out or reduced in portion size.
A testing regime of before you eat and after 2 hours with the aim of no more than a 2-3mmol/l increase or no more than 8-8.5mmol/l will help you make better food choices.
Of course if you are doing all that then additional meds may be needed.
 
Leadinglights said:
You have answered my questions I asked in the other thread, it helps to keep things together otherwise it can get confusing with people replying in 2 places.
Your HbA1C is an average over 3 months so it depends on how long your holiday was but more likely it is a slippage in your diet.
Is your metformin slow release as that can be taken all at once but if not may be better to take in the morning and evening.
Not sure what the 'pin prick' would have been, if HbA1C then not usually done from that type of sample if just a glucose test the number doesn't make sense, what were the units.
I would think your best course of action would be to review your diet and many find a low carb approach works well aiming for no more than 130g carbs per day (not just sugar). This link should give you some ideas for modifying your diet to see if that helps. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
You are a long way from needing insulin as there are other oral meds if the dietary changes don't work.
If you have a home testing blood glucose monitor that would allow you to identify any foods and meals which are too high carb and they can be cut out or reduced in portion size.
A testing regime of before you eat and after 2 hours with the aim of no more than a 2-3mmol/l increase or no more than 8-8.5mmol/l will help you make better food choices.
Of course if you are doing all that then additional meds may be needed.
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
Leadinglights said:
Not sure what the 'pin prick' would have been, if HbA1C then not usually done from that type of sample if just a glucose test the number doesn't make sense, what were the units.
Click to expand...
Some hospital clinics (and others such as larger Boots offering HbA1c testing) have access to machines that can test HbA1c from a pinprick - I had this done a few times in the RGH in Newport, which would be around 2010, 2011.
 
It could possibly have been a fingerprick HbA1c machine - though I have yet to encounter one personally. Could not possibly have been a glucometer, anyway.
 
I agree with Leadinglights, @Colin73, diet is the key. The right diet will get your blood glucose down in days and your HbA1c down in 3 months, especially so if you can lose some weight and exercise as much as you can manage.

If you need some simple guidance on diet for starters, here are two approaches to healthy low carb eating from pioneering GPs:
- Dr David Unwin (Norwood Surgery)
- Dr Kim Andrews (Freshwell Surgery)

You will learn much more as you go along.

Good luck.
 
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