Question re HbA1c

[Newtothis]

I recently had my bloods taken for my 2nd HbA1c. I'm currently 7.2; DN is hoping on a 7 - I'm not predicting anything but is a 7 optomistic or a possibility. If 7 could I still stop off medication and try and bring it lower myself...

Won't know result until 7th December; I'm assuming I could find out earlier but if its not what I'm hoping for I'll just get anxious.... Also had a full kidney count but no urine test - is that usual? Cholesterol wasn't taken either....

Plus..big day tomorrow. Have I lost that 1.5lb I need to lose to get to my target of 10.1? For my height I am within my healthy BMI but got a bet on with DN who didn't think I could lost 3 stone in 5 months....they don't know everything....😉

 

[Northerner]

From following your progress since you joined I will enter the hat-eating community if you are not below 7.0% for your next result. I think it is highly unlikely that you will be put on medication given the results you have posted - diet and exercise seems to be working very well for you.

They might take urine on the day, it's surprising they didn't ask you for it, and also surprising that they haven't taken blood for a cholesterol test as it is a fairly standard thing to monitor when you have diabetes (as you have probably gathered!).

Hope you make your target weight, and the DSN joins the hat-eating community too! 🙂

 

[trophywench]

Wouldn't worry bout the urine test, it tends to be once a year once they know what kidneys are doing - and a kidney function test (blood test) should give em the picture better at the mo.

I don't think 7 is too ambitious at all really. And would certainly hope that you are given longer if you have got it down anyway. OK, it's a work in progress so let it progress for another 3 months would be my take - but I ain't your nursie LOL

 

[Newtothis]

From following your progress since you joined I will enter the hat-eating community if you are not below 7.0% for your next result. I think it is highly unlikely that you will be put on medication given the results you have posted - diet and exercise seems to be working very well for you.

They might take urine on the day, it's surprising they didn't ask you for it, and also surprising that they haven't taken blood for a cholesterol test as it is a fairly standard thing to monitor when you have diabetes (as you have probably gathered!).

Hope you make your target weight, and the DSN joins the hat-eating community too! 🙂

I did ask about taking urine and nurse said blood is sufficient; asked about cholesterol and she said she hasn't been asked to because my current 4.8 is ok...its all a confusing game isn't it....🙂

 

[Northerner]

I did ask about taking urine and nurse said blood is sufficient; asked about cholesterol and she said she hasn't been asked to because my current 4.8 is ok...its all a confusing game isn't it....🙂

Perhaps it's as TW says, it's only a few months since your diagnosis so they only take it once a year (although I have 6-monthly reviews and they test chol every time).

 

[Newtothis]

The community nurses at the surgery are lovely - always so supportive and informative. DN is like the grim-reaper; which really suprises me because she too has diabetes. She constantly goes on about heart-attack and strokes; everytime I've met her its the same old thing...so full of doom and gloom...

I am seriously thinking about changing surgery; my BP goes up everytime she says 'take a seat'.... and my hair goes greyer

 

[Northerner]

The community nurses at the surgery are lovely - always so supportive and informative. DN is like the grim-reaper; which really suprises me because she too has diabetes. She constantly goes on about heart-attack and strokes; everytime I've met her its the same old thing...so full of doom and gloom...

I am seriously thinking about changing surgery; my BP goes up everytime she says 'take a seat'.... and my hair goes greyer

You should read my poem 'The Weigh In', it sounds like she may have a sister in the profession:

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/06/weigh-in.html

 

[Newtothis]

You should read my poem 'The Weigh In', it sounds like she may have a sister in the profession:

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/06/weigh-in.html

too true lol...thank you xxx🙂

 

[Northerner]

too true lol...thank you xxx🙂

Did you read 'Nurse Ne'er Do Well' too?

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/06/nurse-neer-do-well.html

 

[Newtothis]

Did you read 'Nurse Ne'er Do Well' too?

http://diabetespoetry.blogspot.com/2010/06/nurse-neer-do-well.html

I'm going to print these out so when I come home from the dreaded DN appointment I can have a chuckle....

 

[Mark T]

The community nurses at the surgery are lovely - always so supportive and informative. DN is like the grim-reaper; which really suprises me because she too has diabetes. She constantly goes on about heart-attack and strokes; everytime I've met her its the same old thing...so full of doom and gloom...

I am seriously thinking about changing surgery; my BP goes up everytime she says 'take a seat'.... and my hair goes greyer

Maybe her control is not so good and thus she assumes no one else can do better. If the nurses follow the official advice then they are not going to get into the 6's.

That below 7% and you can come off Metformin would surprise me, I thought NICE recommended that anything about 6.5% justified treatment escalation for a Type 2.

 

[Newtothis]

Maybe her control is not so good and thus she assumes no one else can do better. If the nurses follow the official advice then they are not going to get into the 6's.

That below 7% and you can come off Metformin would surprise me, I thought NICE recommended that anything about 6.5% justified treatment escalation for a Type 2.

Hi Mark, I'm not on any medication at the moment and am really trying to keep it that way for as long as I can. I'm hoping to reduce my 1st HbA1c from 7.2 to much lower; but nurse would be happy with a 7. That was 10weeks ago...

 

[trophywench]

FWIW my surgery nurse that deals with the diabetics was also T1.

She thought she knew everything and used to get dead stroppy with me about stuff I knew was 100% true, recommended by NICE, endorsed by DUK, etc etc etc. I just happened to mention one day I'd had something sweet - ie with pure unadulterated granualated sugar in it. And shot accordingly, of course. She scrreamed at me - like one of the witches out of MacBeth that I must surely know that I could never, never, EVER have sugar or anything with sugar in it. That caught me unawares, I said Don't be daft, everyone says we can, now with dose adjustment etc. She snarled Who ARE these people? You just better tell me, because I can soon put THEM right! So I said suit yourself - and named my consultant at the hospital, my previous consultant at my previous hospital, NICE and DUK. That shut her up, but I restricted my conversation for the next several years to monosyllables.

It turns out she had awful control, multiple night-time hypos and voilent highs, never was taught to carb count so hasn't a clue what the rest of us do and also tells fibs to make herself out to be a lot cleverer than she actually is. (Not ones that would kill you I don't mean and I never argue with her, just 'mention it in passing' next time I see my diabetes designated GP, ROFL)

She's only a woman, she is not significant in my life and if you like me don't like what she tells you, make an appointment with your GP to discuss it - not her. If he fobs you off, or won't listen, change your surgery. There really are doctors and nurses out there that do care and do have some sort of bedside manner!

 

[Andy HB]

Hello there, I'm on the night watch tonight it seems! 🙄

I just wanted to say that so long as you are making progress in the right direction, I'd see no need to go on any medication.

But, of course, you do need to listen carefully to any medical advice from your GP (I feel obliged to say that!).

Andy 🙂