Hello new Type 2 HBa1C of 55....

Status
Not open for further replies.
Mrs Mimoo

Mrs Mimoo

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Got diagnosed by accident as on way to A&E with tachycardia.... ambulance did a blood test and found my resting blood sugar was 9mmol in the morning. So I read a bit and went on the Prof Roy Taylor diet and in 6 weeks have lost 6.5kg and got the HbA1c down to 49. I was heavy (101kg) and needed to lose 15kg so i am on track.

GP seemed not impressed but threw metformin at me by text message 'this test confirms you are diabetic'. in fact I believe that these tests confirms that I can lower my blood glucose by dieting?

Question: metformin pack says dont take this med if you are on a vlcd or diet of below 1000 calories a day. I am on 800 calories. What will happen if i take the metformin as instructed by GP who didn't even listen to me and wont' see me face to face.
 
I think you would be wise to ask your GP for another HbA1C test to see if your dietary changes have brought it down further. At 49mmol/mol I would hope your GP will give you the opportunity to keep on with your dietary changes which are going to be just as important as taking metformin, as metformin only helps the body use the insulin it produces more effectively.
Without knowing what your HbA1C is now (this gives an average blood glucose level over 3 months) you don't know if metformin is appropriate.
It is your decision whether to take the medication.
 
Thank you. I have asked the GP by email if I can take it with the VLCD i am (successfully) on. the drug leaflet says no.....
 
Hi @Mrs Mimoo and welcome to the forum
Most people using either major method to control Type 2 diabetes (either the 800 calorie diets or those just eating a Low Carbohydrate way of eating ) have no actual need for diabetes medications.
Metformin can in some/many cause bad cases of 'the trots'. Worse if not taken with a decent amount of food.

If you are happy with your 800 calorie diet, then I suggest you ignore the metformin for now since in any case it doesn't have a huge effect on its own - much less than modifying what you eat will do.
 
ianf0ster said:
Hi @Mrs Mimoo and welcome to the forum
Most people using either major method to control Type 2 diabetes (either the 800 calorie diets or those just eating a Low Carbohydrate way of eating ) have no actual need for diabetes medications.
Metformin can in some/many cause bad cases of 'the trots'. Worse if not taken with a decent amount of food.

If you are happy with your 800 calorie diet, then I suggest you ignore the metformin for now since in any case it doesn't have a huge effect on its own - much less than modifying what you eat will do.
Click to expand...
Thanks I have had no useful information from the GP so am now relying on these forums.
 
I am occasionally eating a 'meal' but it consists of a steamed salmon steak or a small piece of chicken, and some green veg. I don't have a meter or anything. Is it worth me getting a glucose tester meter and some lancets or just wait for next HbA1C? I find 800 calories very manageable and the weight loss is gratifying. My target is to lose 15kg

My problem is the GP does not believe in remission he says i'll always be diabetic; its like a sort of fatalism throw meformin at me and walk away. I want to beat this with diet changes and weight loss.
 
Well in a lot of ways he's right - if remission is achieved, should the person go back o their way of eating and lifestyle that pertained pre diagnosis, then the HbA1c is likely to shoot up again. That attitude doesn't cater for anyone actually adopting the 'new way' long term though!

I'd be more than happy to stay a T2 treated by diet and exercise and get all the annual checks that we get every year - eyes, weight, BP, toe tickling, blood tests for this that and the other - cos especially now, we can't just nip in and see a GP when we feel a bit 'off' can we?
 
trophywench said:
Well in a lot of ways he's right - if remission is achieved, should the person go back o their way of eating and lifestyle that pertained pre diagnosis, then the HbA1c is likely to shoot up again. That attitude doesn't cater for anyone actually adopting the 'new way' long term though!

I'd be more than happy to stay a T2 treated by diet and exercise and get all the annual checks that we get every year - eyes, weight, BP, toe tickling, blood tests for this that and the other - cos especially now, we can't just nip in and see a GP when we feel a bit 'off' can we?
Click to expand...
How is he right? he told me type 2 remission is a myth and I'll always be diabetic. But a modest weight loss of 6.2kg has brought my HbA1C down to borderline...I think it will go down more with more weight loss. Plus, I have no intention of ever eating lots of carbs, chips or pasta ever again or putting the weight back on - I'll be on a Med low carb regime for ever. I've learned my lesson the hard way. I can see clear gains from eating a low carb high protein high veg diet from now on. It is filling and healthy.

I have not seen my GP in person for two years. I have had no blood tests for two years prior to this diagnosis which is probably why I am now diabetic....I might have caught it if they'd tested me last year when I was presumably pre diabetic.

I would not describe tachycardia as feeling 'a bit off' but they would not see me face to face for that either. I had to pay to go and see a private cardiologist to obtain a diagnosis and some reassurance, and self prescribe beta blockers after two trips to Casualty. Only then a lame email from the GP to put me on some better beta blockers.... this is not medical care it's a car crash.
 
Last edited:
Sadly, many GPs and health Care Professionals in general mostly have no idea of the power of dietary changes and see diabetes very much as a progressive condition. This may well be because the NHS dietary advice has not been helpful to Type 2 diabetics and until recent years with the likes of Prof Roy Taylor and Michael Mosely shining more media attention on what can be achieved and the likes of this forum sharing positive experiences, people were unlikely to achieve any success by following clinical advice. You also have to remember that there are a lot of people who are sadly not motivated to change and because diabetes can often have no obvious symptoms, people bury their heads in the sand and assume it can't be all that bad, until the damage to their sight or their feet becomes apparent. I guess it must be quite demoralising for Health Care Professionals to regularly treat such people. Not making excuses for your doctors attitude but just trying to explain it.
I think the tide is starting to turn with the NHS attitude through individuals like Dr David Unwin but the NHS organisation and government are committed to the Low Fat advice they have been perpetuating for decades and that is unlikely to change any time soon and that is the root problem with promoting a low carb way of eating as it is calorie deficient for the long term without increasing fat intake. I think Roy Taylor's work gets around it by going very low calorie for an initial period but it is the difficulty in maintaining the weight loss which most likely means it won't work for everyone long term, particularly YoYo dieters. The Low Carb Higher Fat way of eating on the other hand is a change for life and is satisfying and prevents the cravings which often derail people. As someone who has done Low Calorie and Low GI successfully, but then put it back on, the Low Carb High Fat way of eating is sustainable for me for the rest of my life because I enjoy it, it stops the cravings, I need less food, I have control over my disordered eating, and I feel fitter and slimmer and healthier than I have for 20+ years.

If you feel that you can maintain your weight loss once you hit your target via Prof. Roy Taylor's work then that is right for you, so don't let your GP bring you down and make him eat his words.
You don't have to take the Metformin if you don't want to and at your HbA1c levels many GPs would not prescribe them and if they are contraindicated on the Patient information leaflet then I think it is perfectly reasonable not to take them unless your GP can give you a very good reason why you should.

Good luck to you and I have every faith that we will soon be celebrating a sub 48 HbA1c after your next blood test.
 
Welcome to the forum! You should definitely get yourself a BG meter and the two most recommended here for price are the Sprit Healthcare Tee2 and the Gluco Navii. That isn’t a very positive view from your GP about getting your T2 into remission.
 
Lily123 said:
Welcome to the forum! You should definitely get yourself a BG meter and the two most recommended here for price are the Sprit Healthcare Tee2 and the Gluco Navii. That isn’t a very positive view from your GP about getting your T2 into remission.
Click to expand...
They have been really bad GPs all round TBH but the awful system here in the UK means I can't change as there are no others near my house (with better ratings). I am now considering going private to find a diabetes specialist who does 'get it'. I had to do this with cardiology when my GP refused to see me or help me much with the tachycardia..... lucky for me my cousin is a GP and one of the forward thinking ones. he's said almost identical to what people on here have said = keep on dieting to see if that normalises HbA1C and retest in 3 months. He advised against the metformin given that i was making progress. I will obtain a meter and lancet kit. thanks for positivity.
 
rebrascora said:
Sadly, many GPs and health Care Professionals in general mostly have no idea of the power of dietary changes and see diabetes very much as a progressive condition. This may well be because the NHS dietary advice has not been helpful to Type 2 diabetics and until recent years with the likes of Prof Roy Taylor and Michael Mosely shining more media attention on what can be achieved and the likes of this forum sharing positive experiences, people were unlikely to achieve any success by following clinical advice. You also have to remember that there are a lot of people who are sadly not motivated to change and because diabetes can often have no obvious symptoms, people bury their heads in the sand and assume it can't be all that bad, until the damage to their sight or their feet becomes apparent. I guess it must be quite demoralising for Health Care Professionals to regularly treat such people. Not making excuses for your doctors attitude but just trying to explain it.
I think the tide is starting to turn with the NHS attitude through individuals like Dr David Unwin but the NHS organisation and government are committed to the Low Fat advice they have been perpetuating for decades and that is unlikely to change any time soon and that is the root problem with promoting a low carb way of eating as it is calorie deficient for the long term without increasing fat intake. I think Roy Taylor's work gets around it by going very low calorie for an initial period but it is the difficulty in maintaining the weight loss which most likely means it won't work for everyone long term, particularly YoYo dieters. The Low Carb Higher Fat way of eating on the other hand is a change for life and is satisfying and prevents the cravings which often derail people. As someone who has done Low Calorie and Low GI successfully, but then put it back on, the Low Carb High Fat way of eating is sustainable for me for the rest of my life because I enjoy it, it stops the cravings, I need less food, I have control over my disordered eating, and I feel fitter and slimmer and healthier than I have for 20+ years.

If you feel that you can maintain your weight loss once you hit your target via Prof. Roy Taylor's work then that is right for you, so don't let your GP bring you down and make him eat his words.
You don't have to take the Metformin if you don't want to and at your HbA1c levels many GPs would not prescribe them and if they are contraindicated on the Patient information leaflet then I think it is perfectly reasonable not to take them unless your GP can give you a very good reason why you should.

Good luck to you and I have every faith that we will soon be celebrating a sub 48 HbA1c after your next blood test.
Click to expand...
So, thank you very much for the really useful practical advice and support. I did low carb higher (good) fat in 2015 when I needed to lose weight for my life insurance application. It worked. Lost 5kg....easily. and normalised by blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and blood cholesterols went to super good.

The only reason I fell off the wagon was that I didn't realise the seriousness of my HbA1C at that time - 42.... and I had lots of distractions - work stress, moving house, lock down, death of my father and my uncle in 6 months, chronic migraines 24 days a month.....(now on Ajovy which is controlling migraines) so I passively ignored the weight gain. I won't do that again.

I am totally comitted to doing low carb high protein/good fat/green things as soon as I reach my target.

Mrs M.
 
Mrs Mimoo said:
thank you for the advice and support. I did low carb higher (good) fat in 2015 when I needed to lose weight. It worked. Lost 5kg....easily. and normalised by blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and blood lipids. The only reason I fell off the wagon was that I didn't realise the seriousness of my HbA1C at that time - 42.... and I had lots of distractions - work stress, moving house, lock down, chronic migraines 24 days a month..... so I ignored the weight gain. I won't do that again.
Click to expand...
That is unfortunate re your migraines and stress/moving house etc but can totally understand struggling to prioritize diet in that situation. I had suffered migraines for 20+ years although thankfully just averaged one or two a month but they were extremely severe including vomiting and diarrheoa and occasionally passing out. Amazingly they stopped immediately when I went low carb and not had one since and it is nearly 3 years..... and I can drink the odd glass of red wine now without any problem, which was my only known trigger. In fact there have been a number of health benefits to come from LCHF including less joint pain. Shame it didn't work out for you but it sounds like the very low calorie approach is working, so very well done with that.
 
The BG meter kits come with a lancing device and usually 10 lancets and 10 test strips but you will go through those in no time at all so do order at least 2 extra pots of 50 test strips to get you going and do tick the box to confirm you are diabetic so that the VAT is deducted. I think the Gluco Navii is currently the cheapest for test strips and found to be reliable and cost effective by members here who self fund. Many of us reuse the lancets multiple times as long as the lancing device is ONLY going to be used on ourselves, but it depends how scrupulous you want to be as they are designed to be single use. We have a standing joke about changing our lancet annually on St Swithin's day.... but I usually change mine twice a day, New years day being the other occasion.... decadent I know!! The medical advice is to change the lancet each time. You should also buy a small sharps box to dispose of the lancets safely.
 
rebrascora said:
The BG meter kits come with a lancing device and usually 10 lancets and 10 test strips but you will go through those in no time at all so do order at least 2 extra pots of 50 test strips to get you going and do tick the box to confirm you are diabetic so that the VAT is deducted. I think the Gluco Navii is currently the cheapest for test strips and found to be reliable and cost effective by members here who self fund. Many of us reuse the lancets multiple times as long as the lancing device is ONLY going to be used on ourselves, but it depends how scrupulous you want to be as they are designed to be single use. We have a standing joke about changing our lancet annually on St Swithin's day.... but I usually change mine twice a day, New years day being the other occasion.... decadent I know!! The medical advice is to change the lancet each time. You should also buy a small sharps box to dispose of the lancets safely.
Click to expand...
I just ordered a Gluconavi with extra lancet thingies and test strips. I have a sharp bin as I have to inject myself once a month with the migraine med.

I take it the point of the meter is to see what your glucose levels are before, and then 2 hours after eating> i have no GP advice. I don't know what is a good or bad glucose level but will google....

Strangely I have had fewer migraines since going on VLCD low carb, and also fewer other things like heartburn. It's a winwin. But being on Bisprolol beta blocker may also help me with the migraines.
 
Yeah that’s right. The idea of the BG meter is to see what effect certain food have on your blood glucose level.
 
There's information on blood glucose levels here if you've not googled it yet. I'm also following an 800 calorie a day diet (I've read both of Roy Taylor's books) and am on metformin. The notes inside the pill box says to "eat sufficient carbohydrates", but didn't give any more information than that! I've not had any digestive issues with the low cal diet and the metformin, so hopefully, it'll stay that way.
Glad to hear that it's going well for you @Mrs Mimoo, let us all know what happens when you have your next HbA1c done. Cheers, Sarah
 
Mrs Mimoo said:
How is he right? he told me type 2 remission is a myth and I'll always be diabetic. But a modest weight loss of 6.2kg has brought my HbA1C down to borderline...I think it will go down more with more weight loss. Plus, I have no intention of ever eating lots of carbs, chips or pasta ever again or putting the weight back on - I'll be on a Med low carb regime for ever. I've learned my lesson the hard way. I can see clear gains from eating a low carb high protein high veg diet from now on. It is filling and healthy.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you’ve had a pretty frustrating time @Mrs Mimoo

I think the concept of diabetes remission is quite new, and not all HCPs have really experienced it first hand, and still fall back into the thinking of diabetes being inevitably progressive.

Prof Taylor’s research has been quite exciting, in terms of observing ‘kick starting’ of the pancreas following weight loss, but also we have members who have successfully managed their BG levels long term (in some cases over decades) by following a moderate or lower carbohydrate way of eating.

Sadly as others have said many HCPs see lots and lots of people who don’t seem able to make significant changes to their menu, certainly for long. And society seems fixated on short term dieting ‘fixes’ then returning to old habits, rather than your determination to make a lasting change to your way of eating.

If you are concerned about metformin on your reduced calorie diet, and don’t find your GP very helpful, perhaps you could ask the qualified pharmacist in your local chemists? They should have all the latest information about drug interactions, precautions, and best practice.
 
Windy said:
There's information on blood glucose levels here if you've not googled it yet. I'm also following an 800 calorie a day diet (I've read both of Roy Taylor's books) and am on metformin. The notes inside the pill box says to "eat sufficient carbohydrates", but didn't give any more information than that! I've not had any digestive issues with the low cal diet and the metformin, so hopefully, it'll stay that way.
Glad to hear that it's going well for you @Mrs Mimoo, let us all know what happens when you have your next HbA1c done. Cheers, Sarah
Click to expand...
Hi Windy, I have looked at those pages and now I can see what I should be. I look forward to receiving my gluconavi. I am quite enjoying the 800 cal diet as it is working!
 
Last edited:
everydayupsanddowns said:
Sounds like you’ve had a pretty frustrating time @Mrs Mimoo

I think the concept of diabetes remission is quite new, and not all HCPs have really experienced it first hand, and still fall back into the thinking of diabetes being inevitably progressive.

Prof Taylor’s research has been quite exciting, in terms of observing ‘kick starting’ of the pancreas following weight loss, but also we have members who have successfully managed their BG levels long term (in some cases over decades) by following a moderate or lower carbohydrate way of eating.

Sadly as others have said many HCPs see lots and lots of people who don’t seem able to make significant changes to their menu, certainly for long. And society seems fixated on short term dieting ‘fixes’ then returning to old habits, rather than your determination to make a lasting change to your way of eating.

If you are concerned about metformin on your reduced calorie diet, and don’t find your GP very helpful, perhaps you could ask the qualified pharmacist in your local chemists? They should have all the latest information about drug interactions, precautions, and best practice.
Click to expand...
I have IBS so i'm really concerned about having been given the cheapest nastiest Metformin there is, and not a modified release version. Many drugs upset my digestion i am really concerned about this one!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top