Hi I have just been diagnosed with diabetes with an HbA1c of 52, was 50 on the 20th dec and 3rd dec was 51. I have a telephone appt with the diabetes nurse on the 15th feb to discuss things, I also have coeliac disease. Was just wondering what I can do before the appt as all the GP said that I would get a new diabetic appt with the nurse.
-
Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
Newly diagnosed
- Thread starter Loopswebb
- Start date
- Status
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Those HbA1C results are really all the same but does confirm you are in the diabetes zone but only just the diagnostic level being over 48mmol/mol. You have good opportunity to pull it back with some dietary changes, most importantly reducing carbohydrates in your diet.
A good start would be to make a food diary of everything you eat and drink with quantities and an estimate of the TOTAL carbohydrate amount. You can find that by looking on the back of packets or googling food X total carbs or there are various apps. There is also the book Carbs and Cals which is a good visual guide of carb values.
Having a digital scales to weigh things, particularly high carb foods to get a better idea of portion size as some things are deceiving.
Cutting out the obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks now would be a good plan.
You have to take your other condition into consideration but I suspect that some of the foods you would not have anyway would be high carb. I suppose you need to check that the gluten free products are low carb.
A good start would be to make a food diary of everything you eat and drink with quantities and an estimate of the TOTAL carbohydrate amount. You can find that by looking on the back of packets or googling food X total carbs or there are various apps. There is also the book Carbs and Cals which is a good visual guide of carb values.
Having a digital scales to weigh things, particularly high carb foods to get a better idea of portion size as some things are deceiving.
Cutting out the obvious things like cakes, biscuits, sweets and sugary drinks now would be a good plan.
You have to take your other condition into consideration but I suspect that some of the foods you would not have anyway would be high carb. I suppose you need to check that the gluten free products are low carb.
SB2015
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi @Loopswebb
I am not sure what type of diabetes you have. If you are happy to do so let us know how you are managing your condition.
If you are only treating your diabetes with insulin, the HbA1c you have is within the targets we are set. If you have been taught to carb count then you can also match your insulins to what you want to eat.
For your appointment with the nurse, having a list of any questions is really useful and ticking them off as you go. A good HCP won’t mind you doing this. With your diagnosis comes annual checks at your Practice (cholesterol, Bpm weight, foot check, BMI …) and the retinopathy clinic. It would be useful to check that these are in place.
When they give you results ask for the actual numbers, as they have done with your HbA1c. Anything that you are not sure about just ask.
I am not sure what type of diabetes you have. If you are happy to do so let us know how you are managing your condition.
If you are only treating your diabetes with insulin, the HbA1c you have is within the targets we are set. If you have been taught to carb count then you can also match your insulins to what you want to eat.
For your appointment with the nurse, having a list of any questions is really useful and ticking them off as you go. A good HCP won’t mind you doing this. With your diagnosis comes annual checks at your Practice (cholesterol, Bpm weight, foot check, BMI …) and the retinopathy clinic. It would be useful to check that these are in place.
When they give you results ask for the actual numbers, as they have done with your HbA1c. Anything that you are not sure about just ask.
Hi
to be honest they haven’t said. I had gestational diabetes 7 years ago and the levels have been going up slowly over the years, have put the recent ones below
jan 19 -44
july 19 - 43
aug 19 -42
jan 21 - 46
july 21 - 47
then the dec readings above
I've just been reading the forums for dietary info with having coeliac
many thanks to you both for replying xx
to be honest they haven’t said. I had gestational diabetes 7 years ago and the levels have been going up slowly over the years, have put the recent ones below
jan 19 -44
july 19 - 43
aug 19 -42
jan 21 - 46
july 21 - 47
then the dec readings above
I've just been reading the forums for dietary info with having coeliac
many thanks to you both for replying xx
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
You have been hovering in the prediabetes zone for some time so I suspect a few things have slipped in terms of your portion size of some of the high carb foods and maybe a bit less exercise during less good weather. Don't forget that recent HbA1C is a three month average.
You should have a good idea about diet and testing from you G D days but it was probably handled a bit differently to Type 2
probably the high carb as to be honest I never check and when I see gluten free I just nab lol. I got diagnosed at 37 weeks with GD and my little girl was born at 38+2 by being induced so didn’t really have a lot of chance lol. Follow up was to get yearly diabetic bloods as I was at risk of developing in the future
Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
A friend really struggles as he is gluten, dairy, egg and nut intolerant fortunately not diabetic. Food choices are fairly limited when eating out and even at home. He has a separate cupboard in the kitchen just for the stuff he can eat.
- Status