New guy on the block

[Chappy]

Hi all. I've looked in on the site a few times in the past, and have finally decided to join in.
I'm 68 and was diagnosed type 2 back in 2003. I've never gone hypo or hyper, and when I've felt unwell put it down to viral infections or a touch of cold. I go to my local practice once a year for blood checks, and to the local hospital for eye, foot and blood tests also once a year. At my last hospital checks they found I had high HbA1c levels of 69, and my medication of 160mg Gliclazide was increased to 240mg. To be honest I didn't have clue as to what this meant but when I found out that normal was low forties it worried me.
I self test once a week and the readings have been in double figures for a while now (10 to 13), I am also overweight with a BMI of 31. I need to lose weight and try to control my blood sugars, but get totally confused by all the differing theories on what is good/bad for overweight diabetics. Anyone know of a good book that covers this problem?

 

[Katieb]

Hi Chappy. I am an old newbie (been here before!) but like you have decided to come to the forum for some help and support. All I can say is that you will find loads of that here! The links at the top of the Newbie section give you some of the information you are asking for. I test more frequently than you as I am trying to work out which foods I can tolerate without sending my BG skyrocketing! I also need to lose quite a bit of weight so am following a low GI, low sugar/fat diet! Good luck and I am looking forward to seeing how we both get on! Katie

 

[Mark Parrott]

Welcome to the forum.🙂 Normal HbA1c is below 42. 42-48 is pre diabetes & over 48 is diabetes. Yours is high but not shockingly so. Try to cut down on carbs. These raise blood sugars. I have been following a low carb diet since diagnosis & lost 4 stone & now in remission (as the GP calls it). I call it good control.🙂

 

[Flower]

Hello Chappy and welcome 🙂

The HbA1c test value relates to the amount of glucose that your red blood cells have been exposed to over the past approx 12 weeks. It's a test done at the surgery with blood taken from your arm and gives an indication of average circulating glucose levels over that time period. A value of 69 mmol/mol equates to an average blood sugar finger prick reading on your meter of 10.9 mmol/L which backs up your own readings. The HbA1c and finger prick readings are two different tests, the finger prick gives you an instant picture of where your blood sugar is at that moment, The HbA1c gives a longer term overview.

Are you able to self test more regularly over a number of days to see what happens to your blood sugar on waking, pre and post meals and at bed time. That will give you a much better picture of where the spikes in blood sugar are happening and you can then consider what you ate to cause the spikes and start to reduce some of the carbs such as bread/rice potatoes etc as well as the obviously sweet stuff. It may be that some of your readings are in range and you just need to adjust your diet at certain times of the day. Here are the guidelines for the blood glucose meter readings you should be aiming for from the Diabetes UK website

Type 2 diabetes(Diabetes UK Council of Healthcare Professionals 2015)**

• before meals: 4–7mmol/l
• two hours after meals: less than 8.5mmol/l.

With a few more tests per day you'll be able to see what the bigger picture is. Do ask your GP to refer you to a diabetes education course for a few pointers. Best Wishes.

 

[Chappy]

Thanks to all for your wise words. I have just made up a Bg diary on the PC, and starting tomorrow I will carry out more frequent testing, and logging my food intake. Thanks again and I will post results over the next few weeks.

 

[Drummer]

There is only one thing to remember - diabetics cannot cope with a modern diet full of carbohydrates.
If you eat sugar and starch it changes into glucose, and you get high numbers.
Type twos can usually lower their carb intake sufficiently to get by, if they are careful.