I was told to stop taking metformin some 6 months ago, as it was affecting my kidneys, not surprising my HbA1c has increased from 47 to 89, Help Geoff

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Geoffplatt

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Hb1Ac has gone from 47 to 89, after stopping metformin Any advice please. Geoff
 
Have a good look at the foods in your diet. Try a continuous blood glucose monitor for two weeks if you can. Two books which helped me when it came to weight maintenance were Ian Marber's Man Food and Zoe Harcombe's 3 Step Diet.

Oh, almost forgot, if I were in your position I'd download the Newcastle Diet leaflet and go onto its soups and shakes programme for 2-4 weeks to get my blood levels down to normal (*). Then I'd move on to Phase 1 of the Harcombe Diet.

* Roy Taylor explains in this video:
 
Thanks for advice, would stress at 85 years old i am 10 stone which has been similar for 65 years, have home prepared meals for 90 % of the time. How significant is weight likely for me, Geoff
 
Who was it who told you metformin was affecting your kidneys and to stop taking it?
 
My GP when my kidney filtration rate fell to 26, the decision was endorsed by a kidney specialist. Geoff
 
Geoffplatt said:
Thanks for advice, would stress at 85 years old i am 10 stone which has been similar for 65 years, have home prepared meals for 90 % of the time. How significant is weight likely for me, Geoff
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The metformin was obviously doing it's job, did they offer you an alternative medication?
If you are preparing your own meals then you need to look at the amount of carbohydrates you are having as it is those that convert to glucose. As you don't need to lose weight than you need to make sure you are having protein and healthy fats otherwise if you reduce carbs then that could happen.
Have a look at this link for some low carb recipes and menu plans which may give you some ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

What would typical meals be for you if you are willing to share as people may be able to spot some problem foods.
 
Leadinglights said:
Leadinglights said:
The metformin was obviously doing it's job, did they offer you an alternative medication?
If you are preparing your own meals then you need to look at the amount of carbohydrates you are having as it is those that convert to glucose. As you don't need to lose weight than you need to make sure you are having protein and healthy fats otherwise if you reduce carbs then that could happen.
Have a look at this link for some low carb recipes and menu plans which may give you some ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

What would typical meals be for you if you are willing to share as people may be able to spot some problem foods.
Click to expand...

The metformin was obviously doing it's job, did they offer you an alternative medication?
If you are preparing your own meals then you need to look at the amount
Leadinglights said:
The metformin was obviously doing it's job, did they offer you an alternative medication?
If you are preparing your own meals then you need to look at the amount of carbohydrates you are having as it is those that convert to glucose. As you don't need to lose weight than you need to make sure you are having protein and healthy fats otherwise if you reduce carbs then that could happen.
Have a look at this link for some low carb recipes and menu plans which may give you some ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

What would typical meals be for you if you are willing to share as people may be able to spot some problem foods.
Click to expand...

of carbohydrates you are having as it is those that convert to glucose. As you don't need to lose weight than you need to make sure you are having protein and healthy
Leadinglights said:
The metformin was obviously doing it's job, did they offer you an alternative medication?
If you are preparing your own meals then you need to look at the amount of carbohydrates you are having as it is those that convert to glucose. As you don't need to lose weight than you need to make sure you are having protein and healthy fats otherwise if you reduce carbs then that could happen.
Have a look at this link for some low carb recipes and menu plans which may give you some ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

What would typical meals be for you if you are willing to share as people may be able to spot some problem foods.
Click to expand...

fats otherwise if you reduce carbs then that could happen.
Have a look at this link for some low carb recipes and menu plans which may give you some ideas. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

What would typical meals be for you if you are willing to share as people may be able to spot some problem foods.
Click to expand...
 
My meals follow this pattern,
Homemade oat,skyr,blueberries,and drizzle of honey.-breakfast
Lunch 5/7 homemade stews with veggies.followed by a piece of cake, 2/7 ready meals.
Evening light meal eg scrambled eggs and salmon, crispbakes and beans,occasional wholemeal sandwich.
Have 3 single whiskies per week
Don’t ear between meals
 
Geoffplatt said:
My meals follow this pattern,
Homemade oat,skyr,blueberries,and drizzle of honey.-breakfast
Lunch 5/7 homemade stews with veggies.followed by a piece of cake, 2/7 ready meals.
Evening light meal eg scrambled eggs and salmon, crispbakes and beans,occasional wholemeal sandwich.
Have 3 single whiskies per week
Don’t ear between meals
Click to expand...
That doesn't sound to be too bad for carbs but there are a couple of high carb foods there, oats, honey, cake, beans, bread in the sandwich.
What do you put in your stews as if they include potatoes that could make it high carb. Whiskey is low carb so that should be ok unless you have full sugar mixers.
What drinks do you have?
It looks as if there is not much room for cutting down on carbs so I'm not sure what to suggest other than asking for an alternative medication as your HbA1C is pretty high at 89mmol/mol.
 
Were/are you on any medication as well as metformin, such as Byetta, Victoza, Ozempic, and so on? Not insulin?
The one with capital letters are now unobtainable (for the foreseeable future) so your doctor/specialist ought to be considering something like empagliflozin (but only the 10 mg strength, because of your kidney problems) or maybe the imminently-available Mounjaro = tirzepatide. This latter medication has weight-loss possibilities.
 
John Gray said:
Were/are you on any medication as well as metformin, such as Byetta, Victoza, Ozempic, and so on? Not insulin?
The one with capital letters are now unobtainable (for the foreseeable future) so your doctor/specialist ought to be considering something like empagliflozin (but only the 10 mg strength, because of your kidney problems) or maybe the imminently-available Mounjaro = tirzepatide. This latter medication has weight-loss possibilities.
Click to expand...
The OP does not need to lose weight.
 
No I have not been on any of those medications, will try for an appointment with GP to get some medication, I wasn’t sure if 89 was a significant number. Thanks for the information, will report any progress. Thanks for all your help. Geoff
 
Geoffplatt said:
No I have not been on any of those medications, will try for an appointment with GP to get some medication, I wasn’t sure if 89 was a significant number. Thanks for the information, will report any progress. Thanks for all your help. Geoff
Click to expand...
The threshold for a diabetes diagnosis is anything over 47mmol/mol so yes 89 is pretty high.
There are new guidelines that suggest that the HbA1C should be more lenient for the more elderly but certainly not as high as you are, more like low to mid 50ies but people should have a personalised plan to take into account their risk factors.
 
Geoffplatt said:
My meals follow this pattern,
Homemade oat,skyr,blueberries,and drizzle of honey.-breakfast
Lunch 5/7 homemade stews with veggies.followed by a piece of cake, 2/7 ready meals.
Evening light meal eg scrambled eggs and salmon, crispbakes and beans,occasional wholemeal sandwich.
Have 3 single whiskies per week
Don’t ear between meals
Click to expand...
I can manage my type 2 just by diet - but it means keeping to low carb foods so no oats no honey careful choice of fruit and vegs, no cake that I don't make myself, no ready meals no crispbakes and no bread, beans and peas in half portions.
The whiskies are absolutely fine though.
I will be 73 in April.
 
What are your height and waist measurements, Geoff? If your waist is more than half your height some weight loss will probably be beneficial.
 
JITR said:
What are your height and waist measurements, Geoff? If your waist is more than half your height some weight loss will probably be beneficial.
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The Retune study showed the benefit of modest weight loss on A1c for slim T2s, I think by generally reducing by around 8%. That high A1c of 89 has to have a reason. There may be some visceral fat there that needs clearing, or perhaps the beta cells have become exhausted beyond recovery. I would want to have more exploration of possible reasons before fixing on any particular remedial path. And I too would want to know that waist to height ratio as it stands now - and also the history of the poster’s weight management.
 
Height 5ft 6 inches, waist 33 inches. Have managed to arrange for a phone call with doctor today..Thanks for information. GP
 
I have never been involved in any weight control, my weight has changed by 1/2 stone over 70 years, whilst reasonably active.
 
Geoffplatt said:
I have never been involved in any weight control, my weight has changed by 1/2 stone over 70 years, whilst reasonably active.
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So you have a waist to height ratio of exactly 0.5, the threshold above which there are some recognized risks.
 
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