Hba1c

[Cas67]

Does having a higher reading for hba1c make any difference to how diabetes affects your body? ..for example mine is 52..

 

[Leadinglights]

Does having a higher reading for hba1c make any difference to how diabetes affects your body? ..for example mine is 52..

I'm not quite sure what you mean but the higher your HbA1C the more likely you are to have symptoms, thirst, peeing a lot, effect on your vision, poor wound healing as well as the potential of neuropathy, eye damage to mention a few.
Obviously the longer you have those higher levels the risk is greater.
52 mmol/mol is just over the diagnostic threshold but quite a way above what would be normal at below 42 so certainly high enough to take seriously and take action.

 

[Cas67]

I'm not quite sure what you mean but the higher your HbA1C the more likely you are to have symptoms, thirst, peeing a lot, effect on your vision, poor wound healing as well as the potential of neuropathy, eye damage to mention a few.
Obviously the longer you have those higher levels the risk is greater.
52 mmol/mol is just over the diagnostic threshold but quite a way above what would be normal at below 42 so certainly high enough to take seriously and take action.

Thanks, I must admit at 1st I didn't take it seriously, that was 2 years ago, idid diet and got it down to 46, but like an idiot I just put the weight back on and now it's 52..this time I am taking it very seriously, I have done some research..had I been told how serious this condition is when I was pre diabetic perhaps I wouldn't have been where I am now, the advice I was given was change your lifestyle..no information on what
effects type 2 diabetes really has on your body..perhaps I should have done more research before I became type 2

 

[Drummer]

Thanks, I must admit at 1st I didn't take it seriously, that was 2 years ago, idid diet and got it down to 46, but like an idiot I just put the weight back on and now it's 52..this time I am taking it very seriously, I have done some research..had I been told how serious this condition is when I was pre diabetic perhaps I wouldn't have been where I am now, the advice I was given was change your lifestyle..no information on what
effects type 2 diabetes really has on your body..perhaps I should have done more research before I became type 2

The NHS is really failing us and doing damage to the health of so many.
The good news is that for an ordinary type 2 the solution is just stop eating high carb foods. We don't need anything special, though a blood glucose tester helps, plus an omnivorous diet seems to make it easy to kill two birds with one stone, controlling blood glucose and enabling weight loss.
I just stopped eating high carb foods from the moment of diagnosis, but a more sensible approach is to reduce gradually, checking blood glucose levels after eating and altering menus as necessary in order to get back to normal numbers.
These days I avoid foods which are over 10% carbohydrate and I get HbA1c levels just at the top of normal - which at my age of 73 seems to be acceptable.
I am also a lot thinner. Each year when I change my clothes - particularly in the Spring, I find my waist is smaller and I need to alter trousers and skirts. I was almost spherical when diagnosed as for decades I was encouraged to eat starchy foods because they are 'healthy'.

 

[berryr99]

The NHS is really failing us and doing damage to the health of so many.
The good news is that for an ordinary type 2 the solution is just stop eating high carb foods. We don't need anything special, though a blood glucose tester helps, plus an omnivorous diet seems to make it easy to kill two birds with one stone, controlling blood glucose and enabling weight loss.
I just stopped eating high carb foods from the moment of diagnosis, but a more sensible approach is to reduce gradually, checking blood glucose levels after eating and altering menus as necessary in order to get back to normal numbers.
These days I avoid foods which are over 10% carbohydrate and I get HbA1c levels just at the top of normal - which at my age of 73 seems to be acceptable.
I am also a lot thinner. Each year when I change my clothes - particularly in the Spring, I find my waist is smaller and I need to alter trousers and skirts. I was almost spherical when diagnosed as for decades I was encouraged to eat starchy foods because they are 'healthy'.

I would like to be able to identify foods which are over 10% carbo - please could you explain how to do this ? I carb count but now want to avoid high carb foods. Thank you

 

[Deb_l]

I guess the short answer is 'yes' but the actual answer is 'yes' and 'no'.

For some people, even a short time with raised BG levels can lead to complications, while others never notice anything different even with massively high HbA1c levels.

What you have to ask yourself, is it a risk you're willing to take? Personally, not feeling chronically tired all the time has been the biggest bonus of reducing my BG levels but I have been left with eye and foot issues from having a high HbA1c for an extended time so diabetes is the gift that keeps on giving at the moment.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Does having a higher reading for hba1c make any difference to how diabetes affects your body? ..for example mine is 52..

Yes, it's known that the risks of complications increases with HbA1c. (Known since at least the 1990s, I think, with DCCT.) That's the case in Type 1. I presume it's similar in Type 2 and I imagine there have been trials showing that.

The risks don't increase linearly, so decreasing from 58 to 48 has much bigger of an effect than 48 to 38. For people taking medications that can cause hypos (like those of us with Type 1) that provides a tension, since lowering HbA1c tends to increase the risk of hypos. Those not at risk of hypos don't have that risk (though it may be that reducing HbA1c to normal levels is hard or impossible without starting such medications).

 

[lordburnside]

Hi,

I have just been given a date (May 1st) for my next blood test. I was 55 when I was diagnosed in January 2024 T2. Since then I have been a reasonably good boy and I have walked a lot (350 miles) in 12 weeks and I have two weeks to go and will be even a better boy for the next two weeks. My diet is veg and meat and a little fruit - little alcohol.
I understand it takes 3 or 4 months to replace your blood naturally so I am bound to have some sticky blood still flowing about but I am really hoping that my good eating habits and exercise have got me below the 48 but it may take another 3 months.
I have lost 22lbs so far and I want to lose another 11 as this is the loss I was advised was required to put me in remission.

The tricky bit is going to be maintaining these good habits. I bought a bottle of whisky the other day and really enjoyed it. Also had chips with my steak and I still love them after weeks of abstinence. My portion sizes are a little generous too and I think its my weakness.
I think your 52 is not too bad and you can get that under 48 eventually. If it were 60 I would be worried for you.

 

[Leadinglights]

I would like to be able to identify foods which are over 10% carbo - please could you explain how to do this ? I carb count but now want to avoid high carb foods. Thank you

Any that are over 10g carb per 100g so look at the label on (usually the back) of the packet for the nutritional information (not the traffic light system), which is useless,/ will be more than 10% carb.
Many do take a more lenient view as it can depend on the portion you are going to have and how that fits in with your overall amount of carbs you are going to have in either the meal or per day. I think @Drummer only has about 50g carbs per day which is quite a bit less than many settle on as being tolerated but generally no more than 130g per day.

 

[Drummer]

I would like to be able to identify foods which are over 10% carbo - please could you explain how to do this ? I carb count but now want to avoid high carb foods. Thank you

Anything packaged should have a list of ingredients and a breakdown of the nutritional value including carbohydrate content. I avoid anything made with grain, potato, and vegetables growing underground, fruits such as banana and pineapple, citrus other than lemons to make lemon tea once in a while.

I eat berries, sometimes melon and plums/peaches/nectarines, also the salad fruits - cucumber, tomato, sweet peppers. Most nuts are low carb, but not all of them - but they usually come packaged so can be checked. Peanuts are actually a legume like peas and beans, and I need to be aware that I can extract more than the listed value - almost double. I suspect it is a genetic thing as several others have found the same thing. I multiply the listed value by 1.8 to count it in my diet.
I made a list of foods and looked them up on the 'net. You need to be careful about US based sites as they include the fibER in the carbs, but UK ones don't, and spell it fibre.

 

[Maz2]

I would like to be able to identify foods which are over 10% carbo - please could you explain how to do this ? I carb count but now want to avoid high carb foods. Thank you

It should tell you on labels what percentage of carbs is in a food. Look for the carbs though not the sugar content.

In general meat, fish, dairy, vegetables or salad would be low carb expect for potatoes. Think you may have to watch parsnips too. Plain yoghurts would be low in carb but flavoured ones would be much higher.

 

[Deb_l]

I would like to be able to identify foods which are over 10% carbo - please could you explain how to do this ? I carb count but now want to avoid high carb foods. Thank you

It's already been said about packaged foods - low carb is considered to be anything less than 10g per 100g.

Alternatively I find google is my friend for un-packaged items but be careful as US carb levels can be different to UK. Try to find a UK nutrition page if you can. I generally just type in "how many carbs per 100g does xxxxxx have"?

 

[Martin.A]

Alternatively I find google is my friend for un-packaged items but be careful as US carb levels can be different to UK. Try to find a UK nutrition page if you can. I generally just type in "how many carbs per 100g does xxxxxx have"?

I fell into the US trap in the beginning so I now use supermarket grocery-ordering sites for unpackaged items. Search for an item, click on it and scroll down to nutrition. Once I have the 'per 100g' info it's just a case of weighing my portions and doing some arithmetic.

 

[Cas67]

Hi,

I have just been given a date (May 1st) for my next blood test. I was 55 when I was diagnosed in January 2024 T2. Since then I have been a reasonably good boy and I have walked a lot (350 miles) in 12 weeks and I have two weeks to go and will be even a better boy for the next two weeks. My diet is veg and meat and a little fruit - little alcohol.
I understand it takes 3 or 4 months to replace your blood naturally so I am bound to have some sticky blood still flowing about but I am really hoping that my good eating habits and exercise have got me below the 48 but it may take another 3 months.
I have lost 22lbs so far and I want to lose another 11 as this is the loss I was advised was required to put me in remission.

The tricky bit is going to be maintaining these good habits. I bought a bottle of whisky the other day and really enjoyed it. Also had chips with my steak and I still love them after weeks of abstinence. My portion sizes are a little generous too and I think its my weakness.
I think your 52 is not too bad and you can get that under 48 eventually. If it were 60 I would be worried for you.

I'm sure the occasional portion of chips is o.k..and a tipple occasionally

 

[Pam123]

I'm sure the occasional portion of chips is o.k..and a tipple occasionallyI

I was diagnosed 8 months ago my HbAic was 87, 6 weeks later it was 57 now its 45, we go out twice a week and i enjoy a glass or 2 of wine, and enjoy deserts i think moderation is the key to be honest.

 

[Cas67]

I was diagnosed 8 months ago my HbAic was 87, 6 weeks later it was 57 now its 45, we go out twice a week and i enjoy a glass or 2 of wine, and enjoy deserts i think moderation is the key to be honest.

I think your right

 

[Cas67]

I was diagnosed 8 months ago my HbAic was 87, 6 weeks later it was 57 now its 45, we go out twice a week and i enjoy a glass or 2 of wine, and enjoy deserts i think moderation is the key to be honest.

I think your right

 

[Cas67]

I think you may be right

 

[rebrascora]

I was diagnosed 8 months ago my HbAic was 87, 6 weeks later it was 57 now its 45, we go out twice a week and i enjoy a glass or 2 of wine, and enjoy deserts i think moderation is the key to be honest.

I think it is important to note that you are taking insulin though, so not strictly dietary controlled like many Type 2s here and therefore you have more leeway with your diet.

 

[Pam123]

I think it is important to note that you are taking insulin though, so not strictly dietary controlled like many Type 2s here and therefore you have more leeway with your diet.

Yes i didn't think to mention I am on Insulin sorry about that, however I have over time learned what i can have and what to avoid and with diet and weight loss and exercise it has obviously helped a lot, to begin with i couldn't have even a slice of bread without big spikes now i can have 2 slices without any issues.