Kind of scared with my blood chemistry results

Hello, Trojan89, and welcome to our site!

Yes, diabetes can develop that fast, but no, it's not too late to put diabetes into remission. The A1c levels you've been running indicate that your non-fasting blood sugar often is higher than your fasting blood sugar. A diagnosis of two consecutive A1cs of 6.0 or higher qualifies as "diabetic" in many medical systems. I don't know if they've tossed "the D word" at you yet but your medical clinic may have a different measure to validate the diagnosis.

The good news is that you've only hit the 6.x range. With changes in activity level and what you eat, you probably (we're not doctors but we've seen this work many times) can get your blood sugar levels back to non-diabetic levels. You may need to become even more active. It will help to get back to a normal weight range if you're not already there. And (as you'll know as you've lurked here for a while) you should consider eating fewer carbohydrates (grain products, potatoes, fruit, sweets). The amount of carbohydrates most humans need is way in excess of what their bodies need and bodies which are challenged in moderating carbohydrate/glucose levels don't need to be challenged any more than they are.

Whatever metabolic breakdown in your body has led to diabetes is not likely to change, but you should be able to manage it to the level that avoids the typical complications of diabetes: the neuropathy, the eye and heart problems, etc.

I'd like to refer you to a Web site we've found provides a good understanding of what's going on in your body and how you can address it without getting on the pharmaceutical merry-go-round. We're not affiliated with the site, make no money from it, and maybe don't even agree with 100% of what's on the site, but it's been reliable for us: BloodSugar101. Please take a look; it will help you make some decisions for yourself. Beyond that, we're here, to support you and answer questions. Please keep us informed!

It can be difficult to pull this off; no lie.

That blood glucose meter is going to be a kind of friend to you (and kind of a snitch) since it will tell you what your body can handle without pushing your blood glucose levels too high. What every diabetic can eat is different. I know I can handle eating a few chunks of watermelon or muskmelon without causing myself too much trouble; other diabetics can't eat more than a sliver. You'll find the foods that really make your blood sugar jump.

(Trying not to write a novel here because it's easy for me to do that) You'll have to decide how low-carb you want to go. You may find it difficult to cut back because of work schedules, local eating preferences, etc. Cutting back some is better for you than just not even trying. You may not be able to get to ketogenic levels, but you could get low enough to stave off needing medication for some years.

Some workarounds can be easier. You may wrap sandwich fillings in nappa cabbage leaves or eat foods that are fried (but not battered with plant flour). Pork belly is rather fatty but it has pretty much zero carbs. The same for eggs. If you can find chicharrónes, they usually have no carbohydrates in them and they make a nice salty snack. Do beware of mixtures like sandwich and dumpling fillings. Pork buns (I'm more familiar with Chinese bao buns than Filipino buns) usually have a barbecue-type sauce that has a surprising amount of sugar in it. Again, you'll have to balance how much you can do with how easy it is to do it. If you can keep your carbohydrate levels low, then fat is not your enemy. You'll be able to eat it and feel satisfied. But don't mix high carbs/high fat -- that way lies a literal world of hurt.