Very confusing medical advice.

[Chester5]

I have spent the last few months working on my diet and keeping my blood glucose down.
Medical practitioners has been trying to push statins and some other blood sugar lowering drug that work with the kidneys.
I refused to change anything without a blood test to demonstrate it was needed.
Had full blood screening, and everything came back in recommended ranges. To be precise, lower to middle of the recommended ranges.
My HbA1c came back at 38, cholesterol 4.5, but MP is still pushing to add to my regular medications.
Am I mad to question if they are needed?

 

[NotWorriedAtAll]

No absolutely not. If your bloods are fine and you are okay with keeping on like that then you don't need to have extra meds if you don't want them.
I think they push these things because they are quite pessimistic about people staying long term in good levels. But I have kept mine in the same sort of range as you for years now.
You know what you are capable of achieving better than they do because you are an expert on yourself. They are working with how things tend to go with 'most patients.'
Definitely not mad at all. Very sensible.

 

[Leadinglights]

In my personal opinion there is no reason to be taking meds for diabetes or cholesterol as long as you maintain a sensible diet.

 

[s'nic]

Congrats on getting your hba1c and cholesterol down!
I would 100% ask why them why they want to give you these drugs, when your results are in the normal range. You can then consider a decision based on their response.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I think perhaps their caution might be related to your very high initial HbA1c and temporary insulin use?

It sounds from your most recent HbA1c that your current management system is working really well for you though.

I can understand your caution about increasing medication - especially glucose-lowering medication. With your HbA1c currently being in the non-diabetes range.

In terms of statins, the current thinking seems to be that there is benefit in keeping levels low for as long as possible, as the risk effect builds (and reduces) over time. Most people can take one statin or other with no ill effect, and people with diabetes (even well managed diabetes) are at statistically higher risk of stroke and cardio-vascular events.

Good luck with your decisions, whatever you decide to do 🙂

 

[JITR]

... people with diabetes (even well managed diabetes) are at statistically higher risk of stroke and cardio-vascular events.

The link between T2D and fatty liver, established by Professor Roy Taylor in the Counterpoint study about 15 years ago, comes to mind. His DiRECT study then indicated that people who eliminated excess fat from their liver and pancreas were much less likely to suffer from serious conditions. As I recall this applied whether they achieved T2D remission or not.

P.S. I believe Diabetes UK funded both studies.