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HbA1c results

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HenryBennett

HenryBennett

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I posted last Friday (5 June) that I’d been to my GP for bloods and was hoping to see a reduction in HbA1c. I’ve lost a lot of weight and body fat since my diagnosis and was asking about coming off the Metformin. Thank you for the feedback I got re being patient etc. All good.

My GP rang me a short while ago to talk about kidney function. It’s very marginally low, possibly due to one of my heart meds. He said that I should ask for another blood test in 6 months. Nothing to worry about.

Whilst on I asked him about the HbA1c even though the surgery wasn’t expecting the result until tomorrow. My doc accessed the hospital records and after a bit of a wait was able to get the result.

In hospital 17 Feb: 57
GP bloods 6 Mar: 53
GP bloods 5 Jun: 38

Yes, that’s not a mistake - 38!

I was hoping mid 40’s, so I’m rather pleased.

Per the advice from this group I agreed with the doc that I should continue with the Metformin and have another blood test in three months. He said if I feel like it I could reduce to one a day rather than two. I’ll keep it as it is for the mo and continue with regular BG testing whenever I eat something different that I haven’t previously tested.

Thanks people!
 
Wow! Fantastic results both with your weight loss and now HbA1c! That is better than anyone with diabetes could hope for. You should be incredibly proud of yourself and I hope your GP gave you a big metaphorical pat on the back because you absolutely deserve it. Those results reflect much more on your hard work than the tablets you are taking.

If it was me, I would try dropping the Metformin to one now and see how you get on readings wise for a couple of weeks. You can always increase it again if you see things going in the wrong direction and it will not impact your next blood test in 6 months if you experiment with it now, even if you do have to increase it again. I believe some people find they have a slight rise for the first few days after cutting back on Metformin but then things settle down to what they were.
Your call of course. Depends how you feel about taking tablets that you might not need.
 
rebrascora said:
Wow! Fantastic results both with your weight loss and now HbA1c! That is better than anyone with diabetes could hope for. You should be incredibly proud of yourself and I hope your GP gave you a big metaphorical pat on the back because you absolutely deserve it. Those results reflect much more on your hard work than the tablets you are taking.

If it was me, I would try dropping the Metformin to one now and see how you get on readings wise for a couple of weeks. You can always increase it again if you see things going in the wrong direction and it will not impact your next blood test in 6 months if you experiment with it now, even if you do have to increase it again. I believe some people find they have a slight rise for the first few days after cutting back on Metformin but then things settle down to what they were.
Your call of course. Depends how you feel about taking tablets that you might not need.
Click to expand...

Thanks Barbara. I’ll mull this over for a few days. I’d love to drop one of the six meds I’m on (the other five are BP & other heart pills). From what I’ve read, been advised here and my GP taking, Metformin won’t, if it’s not needed, drop my BG too low.
 
That's correct Henry. If you do want to experiment though, better to do it in the first 3 months, cos an HBA1c test includes the previous 90 -120 days, that being the approx. lifespan of the red blood corpuscles that they measure how much glucose has adhered to, to get the HbA1c result, where the previous month to drawing the blood has the most influence (like c60+%) one before that, approx. 25% and the furthest month back, the balance.
 
trophywench said:
That's correct Henry. If you do want to experiment though, better to do it in the first 3 months, cos an HBA1c test includes the previous 90 -120 days, that being the approx. lifespan of the red blood corpuscles that they measure how much glucose has adhered to, to get the HbA1c result, where the previous month to drawing the blood has the most influence (like c60+%) one before that, approx. 25% and the furthest month back, the balance.
Click to expand...

Is the good old finger prick good enough to monitor as I go along if I reduce my Metformin? If I reduce to one a day instead of two, am I better taking in the morning or evening? Thanks.
 
HenryBennett said:
Is the good old finger prick good enough to monitor as I go along if I reduce my Metformin? If I reduce to one a day instead of two, am I better taking in the morning or evening? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Doesn't matter, but whatever is easiest to remember 🙂

Metformin isn't something which has a really immediate effect.

Finger prick fine for monitoring.
 
Eddy Edson said:
Doesn't matter, but whatever is easiest to remember 🙂

Metformin isn't something which has a really immediate effect.

Finger prick fine for monitoring.
Click to expand...

Thanks
 
What great news, that really is some achievement. Keep up the good work x
 
Great result Henry love it when a plan comes together.
 
On reflection I’m going to go down to one tablet daily with breakfast. I’ll go back to regular “finger pricking” for a couple of weeks to monitor.

I’m going to fight any complacency and don’t intend to go back to bad ways. I still need to lose another 9 lbs and don’t see this as a “cure”. As we’re advised by DUK (and all the wise people in this forum) I’ve bought myself some remission.
 
@HenryBennett - it takes metformin roughly a couple of weeks to 'saturate' the body and get going to its full potential. It therefore follows that it also takes time to stop having its full effect, so don't expect any sudden changes is all.
 
trophywench said:
@HenryBennett - it takes metformin roughly a couple of weeks to 'saturate' the body and get going to its full potential. It therefore follows that it also takes time to stop having its full effect, so don't expect any sudden changes is all.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jenny.
 
Sorry to have missed this on Monday.
Well done @HenryBennett, fantastic results.
Polish that gold star.
 
I phoned my GP’s surgery yesterday afternoon just to be certain I hadn’t misheard or dreamt it. Sure enough my HbA1c is 38. They also confirmed that I’m diarised for another blood test in 12 weeks.

I’ve gone down to one Metformin with breakfast and will, for a week or two, measure my BG before breakfast and before going to bed. I’m sticking with the low carb diet and still aim to lose another ½ stone. From my peak back in January 2019 I’ve lost 2½ stone, most of it since being hospitalised in February after a HA. My BMI is around 26 now and I’m determined to get below 25 and keep it there.
 
HenryBennett said:
I phoned my GP’s surgery yesterday afternoon just to be certain I hadn’t misheard or dreamt it. Sure enough my HbA1c is 38. They also confirmed that I’m diarised for another blood test in 12 weeks.

I’ve gone down to one Metformin with breakfast and will, for a week or two, measure my BG before breakfast and before going to bed. I’m sticking with the low carb diet and still aim to lose another ½ stone. From my peak back in January 2019 I’ve lost 2½ stone, most of it since being hospitalised in February after a HA. My BMI is around 26 now and I’m determined to get below 25 and keep it there.
Click to expand...

Excellent.

Just to note that losing 15kg, approx yr weight loss, is the general target for overweight T2D's to achieve remission/reversal/whatever in Roy Taylor's work. Worth checking out if you haven't seen this stuff: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal/

Anyway, losing weight is what's gotten me to reversal/remission/whatever. Plus there's all the other health benefits of weight loss. Plus, it's fun being skinny 🙂
 
Eddy Edson said:
Excellent.

Just to note that losing 15kg, approx yr weight loss, is the general target for overweight T2D's to achieve remission/reversal/whatever in Roy Taylor's work. Worth checking out if you haven't seen this stuff: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal/

Anyway, losing weight is what's gotten me to reversal/remission/whatever. Plus there's all the other health benefits of weight loss. Plus, it's fun being skinny 🙂
Click to expand...

Thanks Eddy. Yes I did a lot of reading after I was diagnosed. I’ve had two targets therefore: a 10% weight loss, and a BMI below 25. I’ve achieved the first and I’m not far from the second.

The advice and encouragement in this forum is great.
 
annealex1 said:
Harry may I ask about Metformin and your comment regarding it not having an immediate effect? Im just starting out on it and wondered how long it takes to kick in. Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi Annealex, that was a comment made to me by someone else so I’m not sure.
 
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