HBAC1 not going down

P

peggy

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
At risk of diabetes
I was diagnosed as pre diabetic in March with a reading of 42.

Although I get lots of exercise, I'm a dog walker and walk about 12 miles a day and wasn't overweight but had suffered with eating disorders for years and had been binging on a daily basis for about a year having cakes/scones every day I waa 9.5 stone at diagnosis.
Being diagnosed as pre-diabetic frightened the life out of me and since March haven't binged.
I've been counting carbs having no more than 130 a day at my last blood test in September mh HBAC1 hadn't gone down at all.
I'm 5ft 4 weigh 8 stone 8lbs now.

For breakfast I either have poached egg snd avacado on sourdough or scrambled egg on toast of All Bran with natural yoghurt and fruit, lunch is either chicken or tuna salad but quite often I skip lunch as I don't have time, tea varies but I'm definitely not having anymore than 130 grams carbs.
My only downfall is having a couple of cappuccinos a week.
I never get a good night's sleep

What else can I do?
 
When you say it had not gone down, was it still 42 or had it gone up?
 
To drop my blood glucose levels down to normal I was eating 50 gm of carbs maximum, then as I could not get my HbA1c down under 40 I reduced to no more than 40 gm, but still bumped along in the low 40s for years.
Now I am experimenting at under 30 gm per day and low calorie as well as I am so resistant to losing weight.
My meals - when eating normally are highly nutritious, eggs, cheese, meat, fish - I have a little butter and a smidge of olive oil, but most of the fat comes from the meat - I keep a stock pot and collect the fat after cooking and cooling.
 
Mine took three years to go down, stayed down for 6 years but has gone back to 42 so I am trying to get it down again. It may just take a bit of time.
 
Maz2 said:
Mine took three years to go down, stayed down for 6 years but has gone back to 42 so I am trying to get it down again. It may just take a bit of time.
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3 years - I was expecting to see an improvement now. Maybe I'm just bei g impatient then.
 
peggy said:
3 years - I was expecting to see an improvement now. Maybe I'm just bei g impatient then.
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You could try reducing carbs below 130g a day to a level where you notice a difference - 130g is still a bit high for some.
 
silentsquirrel said:
You could try reducing carbs below 130g a day to a level where you notice a difference - 130g is still a bit high for some.
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I think I will try that, my next blood test is March so if I drop to 100, hopefully I should see a reduction.
 
That may just be your natural level, which can be related to how quickly or slowly your red blood cells die out and are replaced or perhaps slight anaemia which can cause elevated HbA1c levels or perhaps your pancreas is just not as efficient as it used to be. You have done all you can and the important thing is that it hasn't increased, so I would be inclined to think that this is just your natural level at your age. I am by no means saying you are "old" as you are younger than me, but our bodies don't perform as well as they did when we were younger. The important thing is that you have made some healthy changes and done really well to lose that weight and you are not in the diabetic zone. If you can maintain things in the low 40s then that is great. I can understand how you might feel really chewed off when you have tried so hard, but some of us will never get into the high 30s and we have to just try our best to maintain the levels we are at and keep our lifestyle as healthy as we can and make our peace with it.
 
rebrascora said:
That may just be your natural level, which can be related to how quickly or slowly your red blood cells die out and are replaced or perhaps slight anaemia which can cause elevated HbA1c levels or perhaps your pancreas is just not as efficient as it used to be. You have done all you can and the important thing is that it hasn't increased, so I would be inclined to think that this is just your natural level at your age. I am by no means saying you are "old" as you are younger than me, but our bodies don't perform as well as they did when we were younger. The important thing is that you have made some healthy changes and done really well to lose that weight and you are not in the diabetic zone. If you can maintain things in the low 40s then that is great. I can understand how you might feel really chewed off when you have tried so hard, but some of us will never get into the high 30s and we have to just try our best to maintain the levels we are at and keep our lifestyle as healthy as we can and make our peace with it.
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I hope that is it because I can't understand why it hasn't gone down.
When I had the first test done I wasn't anaemic but my ferritin was very low - 4. I've been taking Feroglobin since then and nothing was flagged up as needing treatment after the test is September.
 
peggy said:
I hope that is it because I can't understand why it hasn't gone down.
When I had the first test done I wasn't anaemic but my ferritin was very low - 4. I've been taking Feroglobin since then and nothing was flagged up as needing treatment after the test is September.
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Even though you were not actually anaemic low ferritin can indicate early signs of anaemia and low ferritin can give a falsely low HbA1C. So now you are having Feroglobin which presumably corrects your low ferritin the HbA1C is more likely to reflect a more accurate reading.
Until your ferritin levels are back to normal I would not put too much store on the accuracy of the HbA1C.
There is another test that can be used when people have what are termed haemoglobinopathies which is the Fructosamine blood test.
 
Drummer said:
To drop my blood glucose levels down to normal I was eating 50 gm of carbs maximum, then as I could not get my HbA1c down under 40 I reduced to no more than 40 gm, but still bumped along in the low 40s for years.
Now I am experimenting at under 30 gm per day and low calorie as well as I am so resistant to losing weight.
My meals - when eating normally are highly nutritious, eggs, cheese, meat, fish - I have a little butter and a smidge of olive oil, but most of the fat comes from the meat - I keep a stock pot and collect the fat after cooking and cooling.
Click to expand...
I don't think I could go that low, I'm going to try and drop my intake to 100g and see how I go.
I'm not vert imaginative in the kitchen so am having quite a few omelette.
 
Leadinglights said:
Even though you were not actually anaemic low ferritin can indicate early signs of anaemia and low ferritin can give a falsely low HbA1C. So now you are having Feroglobin which presumably corrects your low ferritin the HbA1C is more likely to reflect a more accurate reading.
Until your ferritin levels are back to normal I would not put too much store on the accuracy of the HbA1C.
There is another test that can be used when people have what are termed haemoglobinopathies which is the Fructosamine blood test.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for that info. I had no idea.
You would have thought my GP would have mentioned that
 
peggy said:
I don't think I could go that low, I'm going to try and drop my intake to 100g and see how I go.
I'm not vert imaginative in the kitchen so am having quite a few omelette.
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Have a look at this link for some ideas https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/
I do think (in my non medical opinion) that given your HbA1C may not be all that accurate I would stick with what you are doing and try to get your iron levels stable first before making any huge changes as even at 42mmol/mol you are right at the bottom end of prediabetes.
A good nutrition varied diet with plenty of protein, healthy fats and vegetables and fruits like berries.
When I had my diagnosis I cut carbs very substantially so many of the foods which are fortified with vitamins, iron etc I was not having and I was found to have low folate.
Sometimes there are unforeseen consequences.
 
It's great to hear you've made positive changes! To further improve your health:
  1. Regular Meals: Try not to skip meals; consistent eating helps stabilize blood sugar.
  2. Sleep Hygiene: Establish a bedtime routine and limit screen time before bed for better sleep.
  3. Hydration: Drink plenty of water; it aids metabolism and can reduce cravings.
  4. Consult a Dietitian: A professional can provide personalized guidance tailored to your needs.
Stay motivated, and keep monitoring your progress! 🙂
 
Leadinglights said:
Even though you were not actually anaemic low ferritin can indicate early signs of anaemia and low ferritin can give a falsely low HbA1C. So now you are having Feroglobin which presumably corrects your low ferritin the HbA1C is more likely to reflect a more accurate reading.
Until your ferritin levels are back to normal I would not put too much store on the accuracy of the HbA1C.
There is another test that can be used when people have what are termed haemoglobinopathies which is the Fructosamine blood test.
Click to expand...
 
The doctor never even mentioned that, I finish the Feroglobin this week.
 
peggy said:
The doctor never even mentioned that, I finish the Feroglobin this week.
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Are they going to check your ferritin levels when you finish them, worth asking and then if back to normal get your HbA1C checked again or ask for the other fructosamine test.
 
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