New T2 On one blood test

[March]

Hi I’ve been told today I’m T2 diabetic on an
H1bac of 49.
I’ve been told to repeat test in 5 weeks , is it possible to reduce the 49 to a lower level. My Dr has said highly unlikely I can which I don’t understand .
Very confusing trying to know what’s happening.

 

[Drummer]

Hi I’ve been told today I’m T2 diabetic on an
H1bac of 49.
I’ve been told to repeat test in 5 weeks , is it possible to reduce the 49 to a lower level. My Dr has said highly unlikely I can which I don’t understand .
Very confusing trying to know what’s happening.

You are only just in the diabetic range, you are really quite lucky although you might not feel it right now.
If you are an ordinary type two and not something more exotic, then by reducing the amount of carbohydrate in your diet you will lower your blood glucose levels and your Hba1c should go down.
A lot of people have done that, it was the only way to treat diabetes at one time and it is still effective, even if your GP has never come across it.
It will mean assessing your intake of carbs and cutting down or swapping the high carb ones.

 

[March]

You are only just in the diabetic range, you are really quite lucky although you might not feel it right now.
If you are an ordinary type two and not something more exotic, then by reducing the amount of carbohydrate in your diet you will lower your blood glucose levels and your Hba1c should go down.
A lot of people have done that, it was the only way to treat diabetes at one time and it is still effective, even if your GP has never come across it.
It will mean assessing your intake of carbs and cutting down or swapping the high carb ones.

Thankyou it sounds as though you’ve done very well.
I’m starting low cal diet 900 cals per day.
Trying to keep carbs at 45 percent of food steering clear of white breads potatoes white rice and pasta. I’ve no real knowledge on this so need to learn quickly

 

[Leadinglights]

Thankyou it sounds as though you’ve done very well.
I’m starting low cal diet 900 cals per day.
Trying to keep carbs at 45 percent of food steering clear of white breads potatoes white rice and pasta. I’ve no real knowledge on this so need to learn quickly

Many find a low carb way is effective though some find a low calorie works for them but 45% carbs sounds a bit high for effective reduction of blood glucose.
As you say you have no real knowledge then this link is a very straight forward explanation and some ideas for modifying your diet. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
I reduced my HbA1C from 50mmol/mol to 36mmol/mol by dietary (low carb) changes which is a way I find enjoyable and is now my new way of eating. So your doctor is being very negative. I take no notice of calories and eat normal healthy fat.
There are many here who have managed to reduce their blood glucose.

 

[Drummer]

Thankyou it sounds as though you’ve done very well.
I’m starting low cal diet 900 cals per day.
Trying to keep carbs at 45 percent of food steering clear of white breads potatoes white rice and pasta. I’ve no real knowledge on this so need to learn quickly

Oh dear - I would feel absoutely wretched on a low calorie diet - but I was pushed into trying to do them so many times my metabolism just rebelled and went into an almighty sulk. I would turn pale grey and go all faint and have to either sit or lie down for fear of falling over.
Don't be fooled into the 'brown carbs are good' blind alley - they contain almost the same amount of carbs as the white, and if anything they just extend the time you have high glucose levels.
You might find that a glucose testing meter will help with food choices. You should not need to do anything drastic as your Hba1c is not at all elevated, and you might find that only a few changes will keep your levels in the normal range. You could even be back there by the time you have a second test - I'd love to be a fly on the wall observer of your GPs expression then.

 

[March]

Many find a low carb way is effective though some find a low calorie works for them but 45% carbs sounds a bit high for effective reduction of blood glucose.
As you say you have no real knowledge then this link is a very straight forward explanation and some ideas for modifying your diet. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
I reduced my HbA1C from 50mmol/mol to 36mmol/mol by dietary (low carb) changes which is a way I find enjoyable and is now my new way of eating. So your doctor is being very negative. I take no notice of calories and eat normal healthy fat.
There are many here who have managed to reduce their blood glucose.

Thankyou for the link. I will look at this and see if I can learn what it is I need to be doing.
It might take me some time to find best way forward.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

It looks like you may have upset the low carb zealots.
In reality, in a 900 calorie diet, that's 405 calories from carbs.
At 4 calories per gram, that 101g of carbs, well below the usual 130g low carb level.
I did the 800 calorie Newcastle shake diet, it reversed my diabetes with no issue.
Very similar carbs.
Although my aim was to actually reverse my diabetes, and get it out of the way, and eat a normal diet later, not a fussy diet for life.
Although I was overweight, so I ate my way to being diabetic, so losing weight made a great change in all aspects of my life, not just focusing on BG by diet control.

 

[March]

It looks like you may have upset the low carb zealots.
In reality, in a 900 calorie diet, that's 405 calories from carbs.
At 4 calories per gram, that 101g of carbs, well below the usual 130g low carb level.
I did the 800 calorie Newcastle shake diet, it reversed my diabetes with no issue.
Very similar carbs.
Although my aim was to actually reverse my diabetes, and get it out of the way, and eat a normal diet later, not a fussy diet for life.
Although I was overweight, so I ate my way to being diabetic, so losing weight made a great change in all aspects of my life, not just focusing on BG by diet control.

I don’t really understand all this so I’m using
My fitness pal app
I put all food in for day and today I’ve had 818 calories which it show me is inclusive of 95 g of carbs. My intention was to try and do this over next 5 weeks. I won’t always be as low as this but my intention is to not be far away. It also shows me salt intake etc etc so I’m hoping it’s a sensible albeit tough way to go to try and reduce numbers and then eat carefully going forward.
I’ve enjoyed food and wine a little too much and I guess this has come home to roost.
I appreciate hugely the replies and help offered.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I don’t really understand all this so I’m using
My fitness pal app
I put all food in for day and today I’ve had 818 calories which it show me is inclusive of 95 g of carbs. My intention was to try and do this over next 5 weeks. I won’t always be as low as this but my intention is to not be far away. It also shows me salt intake etc etc so I’m hoping it’s a sensible albeit tough way to go to try and reduce numbers and then eat carefully going forward.
I’ve enjoyed food and wine a little too much and I guess this has come home to roost.
I appreciate hugely the replies and help offered.

That's low enough.
Do you need to lose weight?
That was the game changer for me.

 

[March]

That's low enough.
Do you need to lose weight?
That was the game changer for me.

5 foot 11 and 15 stone 10 so yes I do need to lose weight. My initial plan is 14 then a little more after. But I need to change figures in the 5 weeks. Hopefully Dr will see enough change to let me continue to my goal.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

5 foot 11 and 15 stone 10 so yes I do need to lose weight. My initial plan is 14 then a little more after. But I need to change figures in the 5 weeks. Hopefully Dr will see enough change to let me continue to my goal.

I went down from 16 to 11 stone, on low fat then 800 calorie restricted diet, but I was morbidly obese to start with.
I also switched my diet from junk high fat food to an NHS healthy diet, working with an NHS dietician.
I think you will see a good difference in 5 weeks with your plan.

 

[March]

I went down from 16 to 11 stone, on low fat then 800 calorie restricted diet, but I was morbidly obese to start with.
I also switched my diet from junk high fat food to an NHS healthy diet, working with an NHS dietician.
I think you will see a good difference in 5 weeks with your plan.

Wow you have done so well. Congratulations
Thanks for your help

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Wow you have done so well. Congratulations
Thanks for your help

I think you have made a great start, let us know how you get on.

 

[harbottle]

I cut out the ‘white’ carbs and junk food and lost weight and got my hba1c back into decent figures. A mix of low calorie and low carb, really, although did have a few meals out with potatoes or fries and a small portion of bread.

I concentrated on getting the weight off, and didn’t test my BG for three months after diagnosed. I just hoped that cutting the junk and losing weight would work… which is what the GP told me to do.

In five weeks I lost a lot of weight - so much so that people thought my wife had a new chap!

 

[Drummer]

I was almost spherical following the diet my GP insisted was healthy.
Just eating fewer carbs resulted in a weight loss of over 50lb - I had stopped weighing myself some time before diagnosis as I could not stop the weight gain on the amount of carbs I was to eat, and low fat too.
Simply lowering the carb intake and eating the fats which came naturally with the protein was enough to resolve my diabetes in 6 months, but I was no longer diabetic in 80 days, so you could confound your GP at the next test.

 

[March]

the problem with being new to this and not having ever taken any notice of these things is getting to grips with all the terminology etc.
Went to sleep last night wondering why people put BG

Woke up realising it’s Blood Glucose
Such a lot to learn so little time to sort it.
Here comes day 2

 

[Leadinglights]

the problem with being new to this and not having ever taken any notice of these things is getting to grips with all the terminology etc.
Went to sleep last night wondering why people put BG

Woke up realising it’s Blood Glucose
Such a lot to learn so little time to sort it.
Here comes day 2

I think confusion arises because some people refer to blood sugar (BS) when strictly speaking it is blood glucose (BG) but sometimes you see people say BM and that comes from the name of the company Boeringer Mannheim who produced the test kits used in a clinical setting.

 

[March]

I think confusion arises because some people refer to blood sugar (BS) when strictly speaking it is blood glucose (BG) but sometimes you see people say BM and that comes from the name of the company Boeringer Mannheim who produced the test kits used in a clinical setting.

Ok I’m starting to get some of it

You are all so helpful

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Ok I’m starting to get some of it

You are all so helpful

I also started exercise at the gym, not really so much to burn calories, more to improve insulin resistance by building muscle.
The other useful thing to know is carbs and proteins have 4 calories per gram, fat has 9 calories, a fairly major reason why I avoid fat on a calorie controlled diet.
As Drummer said, just focusing on controlling BG did have the benefit of losing 3.5 stone in 6 years on a low carb high fat diet.
I realised for me my issue was weight, I wanted a different option, I lost 5 stone in 2 years on a low fat calorie limited diet, and let my BG fall into place.
As you want to work on a shorter timescale, of the five weeks, the 100g carb reduced calories sounds like a good option.

 

[March]

Yes that’s what I’m going to do and by tracking food on app it makes life easier for me.
I’ve also started trying minimum of 10.000 steps per day although this is more challenging as I work and am behind a desk all day on laptop.
If I do the diet and in 5 weeks the dr was right then so be it.