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Nearly 4 months on

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HenryBennett

HenryBennett

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I was diagnosed Type 2 whilst in the Cardiac Care Unit after a heart attack mid-February. I had two angioplasties nine days apart - two stents on each occasion.

I had an introduction to the cardiac rehab centre (local hospital) and a rudimentary session with the diabetes nurse (GP). Then it all came to a halt with the Coronavirus and lockdown.

Using the combined resources of DUK and BHF I’ve made good progress. I don’t have the all round fitness of a gym but exercise at home, walking, gardening and housework, along with a low carb diet, have dropped my weight by 1½ stone and my body fat from 35% to 25%. Happy days.

Last week my GP called to make an appointment for a blood test, which I attended this morning. I confirmed with the nurse that this is to measure my HbA1c. I’m a bit confused because in hospital I’m almost certain I was told my HbA1c was 12.7 and this makes no sense when I read the info here. Anyway, I asked the nurse and she told me the reading in the hospital was 53, which makes sense.

My question: I’m obviously expecting my reading to have reduced, but not sure by how much. How do I manage my GP practice (like most not very proactive) towards determining if I’m moving towards remission and how do I come off the medication (2 x 500mg Metformin)?

TIA for any advice.
 
Hi Henry and good to see you are doing so well, sounds like you are being very proactive. Your HbA1c of 53 is thankfully not too bad and with the changes you have made I’m sure you are correct in saying that you should see a good reduction in your figures, though none of us can tell you what that will be. The Metformin will be helping a little in reducing your weight and they may wish to keep you on 2 a day. However if you feel you would rather not be on it and that you are managing you are well within your rights to ask to stop taking it. As you will see from my signature I am still on2 a day though my numbers are good and that is because when I stopped taking them my daily bg readings were increasing quite a bit but we are all different. The only true advice I can give about ‘managing your surgery’ is to be firm in your wishes, we often know more than they do about our diabetes but do take good note of how you feel, your weight, your daily bg levels etc so that you are sure about your wishes. Hope that helps a little. Sue
 
As far as I can see @HenryBennett (over the years observing shedloads of T2 experiences on forums) it's still very early days in your journey and Metformin, if it isn't causing your body unwanted side effects, tends to be protective generally - so whilst I understand your wish to beat it into submission and not be on unnecessary drugs, not for nothing do we say 'this is a marathon, not a sprint!'

Hence don't try to run before you've learned to walk properly. Await the result of this HbA1c with interest - and remember it's often better to travel hopefully than to arrive!
 
Hi Sue,

Thanks, yes that’s helpful. I see my cocktail of meds is not too dissimilar to yours. From what I’ve read the Metformin hasn’t many downsides and if your body doesn’t need it you don’t see a drop in BG below what’s healthy. I guess psychologically I’ll feel better if I can come off.

Henry
 
trophywench said:
As far as I can see @HenryBennett (over the years observing shedloads of T2 experiences on forums) it's still very early days in your journey and Metformin, if it isn't causing your body unwanted side effects, tends to be protective generally - so whilst I understand your wish to beat it into submission and not be on unnecessary drugs, not for nothing do we say 'this is a marathon, not a sprint!'

Hence don't try to run before you've learned to walk properly. Await the result of this HbA1c with interest - and remember it's often better to travel hopefully than to arrive!
Click to expand...

Thanks TW. As ever, good advice, worth heeding.
 
HenryBennett said:
Hi Sue,

Thanks, yes that’s helpful. I see my cocktail of meds is not too dissimilar to yours. From what I’ve read the Metformin hasn’t many downsides and if your body doesn’t need it you don’t see a drop in BG below what’s healthy. I guess psychologically I’ll feel better if I can come off.

Henry
Click to expand...
Yes but I do agree with @trophywench that if you are not getting side effects it may be best to wait a bit and see how things go. Some people hate being on medication but we do take it for a reason - it works. You say we are on pretty much the same medications and we wouldn’t stop our cardiology medication would we? Have a good think about it before making any decisions and see what your result is. Take care. Sue
 
There are two scales used for HbA1c. A newer one that gives bigger numbers (your 53 will be in this). Sometimes people still use the older scale. (Which gives smaller ones.)
48 on the newer scale = 6.5 on the older scale.
To confuse matters, the older scale gives numbers that look like what you get from a finger prick test. These are completly different measures though, and don't match up.
Though, if 12.7 had been HbA1c (in old figures), that would be a large drop to your current HbA1c of 53.
Could the 12.7 be from a finger prick test (which is completely different test)?

Try asking the nurse what your HbA1c was in February.
 
Well done on getting a handle on it, you sound very upbeat and it's inspiring. 🙂
 
Ralph-YK said:
There are two scales used for HbA1c. A newer one that gives bigger numbers (your 53 will be in this). Sometimes people still use the older scale. (Which gives smaller ones.)
48 on the newer scale = 6.5 on the older scale.
To confuse matters, the older scale gives numbers that look like what you get from a finger prick test. These are completly different measures though, and don't match up.
Though, if 12.7 had been HbA1c (in old figures), that would be a large drop to your current HbA1c of 53.
Could the 12.7 be from a finger prick test (which is completely different test)?

Try asking the nurse what your HbA1c was in February.
Click to expand...

53 was the February reading. I’ll know on Tuesday the result of today’s bloods.
 
I'll go with the 12.7 being a finger prick test then, at a guess. It can be a bit much with the different results, medical people not being clear & not sitting down and explainging everything. And 2 things at the same time makes it worse.
 
Congrats on getting to grips with everything and not letting COVID19 throw too large a spanner in the works for you.

I have to say that is a really impressive drop in body fat too, I'm a stone down in weight and my BF has barely shifted at all!
 
ColinUK said:
Congrats on getting to grips with everything and not letting COVID19 throw too large a spanner in the works for you.

I have to say that is a really impressive drop in body fat too, I'm a stone down in weight and my BF has barely shifted at all!
Click to expand...

Thanks Colin, I’m aiming for another 9 lbs but have hit a bit of a plateau at the mo.
 
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