Is this good news?

[Gwynn]

Hi,

I normally only test twice a day. A fasting test at 6am and an evening test at 5pm before tea. Since November 2020 my readings have been in range between 5 and 6.

At the hospital, at diagnosis with an HbA1c result of 130, they diagnosed me as a type 1 diabetic, with the caveat that they did not actually know (they still gave me insulin to inject). However they did say that perhaps the incident was medication induced or lifestyle induced.

To that last comment I can relate as I have been on steroids for at least 20 years and my diet had been seriously rubbish for years too.

A couple of months later they labelled me as a type 2 diabetic although I am not sure what that was based on. Perhaps it was because I was still alive but taking no insulin!

I stopped all diabetic meds early on under the supervision of the diabetic nurse and everything settled down nicely.

This morning I decided to do an extra test 2 hours after breakfast as many people here do, looking that there is no serious spike, and the result was 6.0.

That is a very good result, but what does it mean?

Could it be that I am not diabetic at all?
Or could it be that my low carb diet has the beast in remission (for now)?
Or could it be a random odd reading?

Any thoughts?

I will get my latest HbA1c test result back next tuesday. I presume that will tell me more.

 

[mikeyB]

I think, from what you say, that you have got the beast in remission. You still have diabetes, but losing an amazing 25kg has clearly done the job. Well done. It will be interesting to hear what your next HbA1c result is. At least you’ve proved you’re not T1, for sure.

I’ve just noticed, you live in Lytham. That means there’s a 50% chance you worked as a civil servant. We live in the Ribble Valley, you live on the Ribble Estuary. You do realise that if sea levels rise more than a metre, the beach will be just outside Preston? Just putting things right - Poulton-le-Fylde was, back in the day, Lancashire’s busiest port.

 

[helli]

Great results @Gwynn.
In your boat, I would continue to keep an eye on your blood sugars. Doesn't sounds as if you are going to become complacent but, unfortunately, remission does not always mean the end.

At least you’ve proved you’re not T1, for sure.

I would not "for sure". I would say "very unlikely".
For people with Type 1, the honeymoon period can last years (mine lasted about 8 years) and during that, some people find their pancreas can reawaken for short periods. There are (rare) examples of people with Type 1 not needing insulin for over a year.

I am not suggesting Gwynn is one of these rare people but just questioning your "proof".
(And also not wanting to derail this thread or detract from the amazing turn around Gwynn has made.)

 

[Inka]

@Gwynn I think what you were told is correct - a combination of steroid-induced and Type 2. Your weight loss and improved diet clearly helped enormously.

Personally I don’t think you were ever Type 1. So, on that account, I agree with the doctors.

My advice would be to keep an eye on things occasionally, keep up your healthy diet, and get on with your life. Your other thread showed how worrying too much can take over. You were diabetic, you aren’t now. Keep alert but stop focussing on it so much.

 

[trophywench]

The good thing is Gwynn that when you are in remission, you stay on the 'diabetes register' with your GP and hence still get the same regular annual MOT and tests which PWD like me and others on medication get - retinopathy screening, HbA1c, neuropathy checks - so should it have the cheek to re-appear, it should get noticed before you have a symptom instead of months or years later when it's been causing damage for a long time.

And as we know - D has moved people up the Covid vaccination list, so what's not to like!!!!

 

[Gwynn]

MikeyB, I worked at British Aerospace for over 30 years. An amazing place. I struggled coping with a few of the old school managers, but there were an increasing number of enlightened ones in more recent times.

 

[Gwynn]

Oh, and non of it is 'proof', merely conjecture leading to the question. After all, who wouldn't want the NHS to be wrong in this instance.

Thanks for all the responses. I will continue to monitor things as I do now. Beasts have a habit of awakrning when you least expect them to.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Best of luck with your next A1c @Gwynn - look forward to hearing what light the result sheds on your situation

 

[Gwynn]

Thanks, I feel quite excited about it. Anticipation.

Trouble is if my positive expectation is dashed and diabetes can do that just to spite. Dashed expectation can be very disheartening.

However, my BG has been totally consistent for the last 3 months and even testing 2 hours after meals it never rose above 6.? (Although I only did a few of those tests), so I think it is reasonable to have expectations of improvement.

It was 130, then 46, now???

I am going to guess at 38 (is that a sensible figure/guess?)