Newbie about to be diagnosed

[James H]

Hi All. Just found this forum and have also spent a bit of time on this website this week. Some of you might think I am panicking over nothing at the moment but any advice you can give would be great, I am in a right panic.
I am 45 years old and last Wednesday returned a hba1c of 52. I have been rebooked in for another one at the end of July. I am struggling to get my head around this, the last hba1c I had just under 2 years ago was 40. I've maintained a 12.5 stone weight so not overweight for my age, I don't smoke and rarely drink. I admit I am not the most active. I thought I had a decent diet but looking into this more I think I have concentrated on reducing sugars and not looked at the carbs. Since the nurse rang me Monday I have been in a panic. I have tried to cut out carbs to a very low level and reduce sugars even more. I have also been walking every night for an hour. On the negative side I am sure I have been getting various pains at the bottom of my legs, my wife tells me this is in my head and a result of pounding the streets every night. I know a hba1c does class as diabetes but is it quite low for a diabetic?
I am hoping to get my reading at least down by a few for my next test.
If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated.
Apologies if anyone reads this and thinks I am going over the top, I can see there are lots of people who are in a worst position than me.
Thanks

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi All. Just found this forum and have also spent a bit of time on this website this week. Some of you might think I am panicking over nothing at the moment but any advice you can give would be great, I am in a right panic.
I am 45 years old and last Wednesday returned a hba1c of 52. I have been rebooked in for another one at the end of July. I am struggling to get my head around this, the last hba1c I had just under 2 years ago was 40. I've maintained a 12.5 stone weight so not overweight for my age, I don't smoke and rarely drink. I admit I am not the most active. I thought I had a decent diet but looking into this more I think I have concentrated on reducing sugars and not looked at the carbs. Since the nurse rang me Monday I have been in a panic. I have tried to cut out carbs to a very low level and reduce sugars even more. I have also been walking every night for an hour. On the negative side I am sure I have been getting various pains at the bottom of my legs, my wife tells me this is in my head and a result of pounding the streets every night. I know a hba1c does class as diabetes but is it quite low for a diabetic?
I am hoping to get my reading at least down by a few for my next test.
If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated.
Apologies if anyone reads this and thinks I am going over the top, I can see there are lots of people who are in a worst position than me.
Thanks

Welcome to the forum
An HbA1C of 52mmol/mol is not desperately high but does give you a diagnosis of diabetes as it is over the diagnostic threshold of 47mmol/mol. A repeat test is sometimes done but don't be surprised if there is not much difference as it takes 3 months to reflect changes in life style. Well done on increasing your exercise but if you are getting leg pains then make sure your footwear is good.
Reducing carbs in your diet is a good start and a low carb approach is one which people find successful, if you don't need to lose weight you need to make sure you include enough protein and healthy fats, low carb is not NO carb. Reducing your carbs too quickly can cause some issues with nerves and eyes which could be the problem with your leg aches.
Have a look at this link for a sensible low carb program based on no more than 130g carbs per day, it is carbs which is important rather than just sugar. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com
A diabetes diagnosis does need to be taken seriously but there is no need to panic as it can be well managed by making good choices.

 

[saffron15]

Welcome to the forum. Don't panic. All carbs turn to sugar so you need to watch them. I was diagnosed last year having asked for a test. My first test was 69. I cut lots of things out and moved more. My next test was 64 and I was disappointed i hadn't reduced more. I didn't discover this site til after second test.
I initially went lowish carb between 100 to 120. I was overweight and it started dropping off me.
You may be prediabetic on second test which is between 42 and 47. The initial drug to deal with diabetes is metformin starting with one and increasing one a week to a maximum of 4. However, if your second test is lower than your first your GP is likely to agree to you tackling with diet and exercise.
Start a food diary. Work out which carbs you could do without, which you could replace eg edamame pasta, cauliflower rice and exercise portion control on the rest. I now enjoy full fat Greek yoghurt with berries nuts or seeds. Berries are lower carb than tropical fruit. Don't push yourself too hard it will be tough on your body eg high bg can affect your eyesight but it will be ok once they are stable.
The freshwell site/app has good info.

This website has lots of info including links to various websites on lefthand side.

Diabetes & Metabolic Health | New Forest PCN

newforestpcn.co.uk

 

[Ieva DUK]

Hi there, and welcome to the forum! It’s completely understandable that you’re feeling anxious right now, but I just want to say: you are not overreacting, and you’re definitely not alone. Getting an HbA1c result that’s even slightly over the line can come as a shock, especially if you thought you were doing most things right. Your reaction is a sign you care and want to take positive action, which is a great start.
An HbA1c of 52 is indeed in the diabetes range, but it’s right at the lower end - many people are diagnosed at this stage, and with the changes you're already making, there’s a real possibility that you can bring that number down. It's also worth remembering that HbA1c reflects average blood glucose over the past 2-3 months.
Cutting carbs completely can feel like the right thing at first, but it doesn’t have to be extreme. Some people do well on a low-carb approach, but others manage just fine with moderate, balanced meals - the key is often in choosing the right thing for you, as it's always personal to folk. Some change the type of carbs they have (think whole grains, pulses, non-starchy veg) and pairing them with protein and healthy fats to keep blood glucose stable. The important thing is for your choices to be something that can be long-lasting and doesn't feel like a punishment. So don’t feel you have to eat perfectly or drastically - just steadily. Looking at what you usually eat and seeing where you can make changes is a good way to start. Some people find keeping a food diary useful too.
As for the leg aches, it’s very possible your wife is right - sudden activity increases can definitely leave you sore (especially if it's not something you were doing regularly before), and your body may just be adjusting. But if anything feels unusual or persists, it’s always fine to mention it at your next check-up.
You’ve got time before your next test in July, and it sounds like you’ve already taken some great first steps. Please don’t hesitate to keep asking questions or sharing how you’re doing - this is exactly what the forum is here for.

 

[Lucyr]

Since the nurse rang me Monday I have been in a panic. I have tried to cut out carbs to a very low level and reduce sugars even more. I have also been walking every night for an hour.

Sounds like you are going over the top a bit. Most of your upcoming blood test won’t be affected by the things you’re doing now, as it’s a 3 month average so most of the result is already decided really. Aim for something sustainable rather than going overboard.

 

[Lucyr]

An HbA1C of 52mmol/mol is not desperately high but does give you a diagnosis of diabetes as it is over the diagnostic threshold of 47mmol/mol. A repeat test is sometimes done but don't be surprised if there is not much difference as it takes 3 months to reflect changes in life style

A diagnosis of diabetes is not made based on one blood test unless there are very clear symptoms. A second hba1c test has to be done to confirm before diabetes can be diagnosed otherwise.

 

[Alan44]

Hi @James H and welcome to the forum, most of what I would have said has been said already.

Like you I was diagnosed with a hba1c of 52, but I was given 3 months to "sort" it out, before my next test.
I went on a low carb diet, increased my exercise levels and lost 2 1/2 st in weight, my next test came back as 46 so not great but in the PRE range.
I don't think you have any need to panic, just make some slight lifestyle change

Alan 😉

 

[JimG]

Hello and welcome to the forum. From your initial post I don't think that you are going over the top. You have been told that you have a high level and have done some research into finding out how you can deal with it. You are looking at ways of adjusting your life style and diet. All the things I did myself. Diabetes is not just caused by a bad diet and lifestyle - they influence and are important but not the sole cause. As regards your reaction I completely understand your position. In 2009, at the age 55 I was diagnosed type 2. I had initially gone to the GP because I was concerned that I was developing diabetes, like my mother, uncle and one aunt and a cousin. So, I was not surprised with the diagnosis. Even though I had been expecting it, the act of collecting my prescription medication, sharps safe, finger prick testing strips and bringing them home proved to be too much for me. The thought that this was me for the rest of my life was overwhelming and tears formed. Now, my diabetes is just a fact of life and, as with most others, I simply get on with it.

 

[JimmyBlue]

@James H welcome to the forum and as you have seen, people here are always happy to provide advice and support no matter what the question. Others have answered a lot of the points raised in your mail but, as someone who exercises a lot, here are my thoughts on your leg pain issues.
Your HbA1c is low enough that the issues with feet and legs that diabetes can cause are unlikely to be an issue. Moving from a relatively sedentary lifestyle to one with lots of exercise will lead to stress on your muscles as they start to get triggered to do new things or remember old things. This will likely mean that walking for an hour particularly if it is a brisk walk and involves inclines and rough ground, you will cause a little inflammation, try a cold compress or ice pack which will help them recover. You should start at a slower pace when setting off and then work up to a faster one after about 5-10 minutes as this allows the muscles to stretch out more gently. When you finish your walk do some squats or other cool down exercises for about 5 minutes just to give the muscles a change to relax a bit more slowly.
There are pains that can develop due to overdoing the walking/running such as plantar fasciitis (pain in the arch of the foot) and metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot) both can be addressed by resting and the former by doing stretching exercises. The latter is a problem I recently had after a holiday where I did a lot of walking up steep hills and that is despite the fact that I run around 14 miles a week on a regular basis.
Good luck with your next blood test, I managed a reduction of 6 between my first and second tests and that was with about two week between them, so as someone else has suggested you may end up with a pre-diabetic range result at the end of July.