Hi everyone

[Sheppie66]

I've just been diagnosed, my hba1c was 55 but I didn't really get much help apart from the nurse repeatedly telling me that she wanted to put me on some drug. I kept telling her I wanted to try and control it with diet and exercise and she finally relented but said if my reading wasn't down in 3 months time I would have to take drugs.

I got myself a blood sugar monitor, I've been taking readings when I get up in the morning, 1-2 hours after eating and before meals. The readings have been 5.4 - 5.5 mmol in the morning, 5.5- 6.2 after eating and 4.7 before meals but I really don't understand what those readings mean because the literature I've read tells me that those are readings for a normal non-diabetic person. Really confused, any help is gratefully received.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I got myself a blood sugar monitor, I've been taking readings when I get up in the morning, 1-2 hours after eating and before meals. The readings have been 5.4 - 5.5 mmol in the morning, 5.5- 6.2 after eating and 4.7 before meals but I really don't understand what those readings mean because the literature I've read tells me that those are readings for a normal non-diabetic person.

You're right, they are normal looking.

 

[Lucyr]

I've just been diagnosed, my hba1c was 55 but I didn't really get much help apart from the nurse repeatedly telling me that she wanted to put me on some drug. I kept telling her I wanted to try and control it with diet and exercise and she finally relented but said if my reading wasn't down in 3 months time I would have to take drugs.

I got myself a blood sugar monitor, I've been taking readings when I get up in the morning, 1-2 hours after eating and before meals. The readings have been 5.4 - 5.5 mmol in the morning, 5.5- 6.2 after eating and 4.7 before meals but I really don't understand what those readings mean because the literature I've read tells me that those are readings for a normal non-diabetic person. Really confused, any help is gratefully received.

Have you made any changes to diet, exercise, lifestyle etc? If you have they seem to be working.

 

[Sheppie66]

Have you made any changes to diet, exercise, lifestyle etc? If you have they seem to be working.

I went on a VLC diet two weeks ago after being diagnosed, pretty much cut out all carbs except veggies, 2 weeks into an 8 week plan, lost 15lbs so far. Once I've finished it I'll be just on a normal diet but low carb, oh and upped the exercise as well.

 

[Lucyr]

I went on a VLC diet two weeks ago after being diagnosed, pretty much cut out all carbs except veggies, 2 weeks into an 8 week plan, lost 15lbs so far. Once I've finished it I'll be just on a normal diet but low carb, oh and upped the exercise as well.

In that case it sounds like the changes you have made have very quickly brought your levels in the non diabetic range. That doesn’t mean you’re not diabetic any more, just that you’re being very successful at managing it at the moment. Once you start introducing more foods, keep testing and see what different foods do to your blood sugars.

 

[Sheppie66]

In that case it sounds like the changes you have made have very quickly brought your levels in the non diabetic range. That doesn’t mean you’re not diabetic any more, just that you’re being very successful at managing it at the moment. Once you start introducing more foods, keep testing and see what different foods do to your blood sugars.

I will, I was intending to keep testing anyway, at the moment 6 weeks seems like a long way away. I'll continue to stay on a low carb diet for a good while yet but after the 8 weeks is up I'll just eat a normal amount of calories, maybe the odd portion on potato now and again to see if my blood sugar spikes after eating it.

 

[Lucyr]

I will, I was intending to keep testing anyway, at the moment 6 weeks seems like a long way away. I'll continue to stay on a low carb diet for a good while yet but after the 8 weeks is up I'll just eat a normal amount of calories, maybe the odd portion on potato now and again to see if my blood sugar spikes after eating it.

Sounds like you know what you’re doing!

 

[Sheppie66]

Haha thanks but I wish, I am pretty confused to be honest. But I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing for now.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well done for the steps you have taken have allowed your metabolism to cope really well with the new menu.

Your 55 is not all that far into the diabetes range - a level of above 42 puts you ‘at risk of diabetes’ while a reading of 48 or above is a diagnosis with diabetes. We have had several members who were diagnosed in 3 figures, so you’ve perhaps not had quite so much ground to make up - which may explain why your changes seem to have already resulted in BG readings in the normal range.

Of course HbA1c measures red blood cells which may have been affected by elevated blood glucose values over the past 120 days or so, so it might take a little while for your recent changes to be fully reflected in your A1c 🙂

 

[Sheppie66]

Well done for the steps you have taken have allowed your metabolism to cope really well with the new menu.

Your 55 is not all that far into the diabetes range - a level of above 42 puts you ‘at risk of diabetes’ while a reading of 48 or above is a diagnosis with diabetes. We have had several members who were diagnosed in 3 figures, so you’ve perhaps not had quite so much ground to make up - which may explain why your changes seem to have already resulted in BG readings in the normal range.

Of course HbA1c measures red blood cells which may have been affected by elevated blood glucose values over the past 120 days or so, so it might take a little while for your recent changes to be fully reflected in your A1c 🙂

Thanks Very much for that feedback, I wondered what the 3 month thing was. I'm pleased if those readings I've been taking are in the normal range I thought they were I just didn't understand why. Hopefully once I'm finished with the 8 week diet I will be able to eat a bit more normally, but obviously staying low carb.