[ElizabethL]

Hello - forgive me for being really confused. I was diagnosed 1 month ago as prediabetic, with an A1c reading of 5.8.

I've gone on a low carb, high protein diet since then and have been checking my blood every morning and sometimes after meals.

The morning readings range from 94-117, with an average of 103.

1.5-2 hours after eating, the reading is an average of 103.

I have no idea what to make of any of this, since my diet is about as perfect as it can get from what I've read (30% carbs, 30% protein, 50% fat).

Is there a way for me to test my A1c now? Does the A1 reading mean more than the daily glucose level? Am I even pre diabetic, given that the readings after eating are kind of low?

I can't see the dr. for another 2 months due to my work schedule.

Any advice is welcome and thank you so much!

 

[John.in.France]

:welcome: to the forum.

The rule book says that the HbA1c figure is a magic number. It's not. It is helpful in giving an indication of how overall your body is handling carbohydrate but all it really shows is the overall average you hit during the whole day and night. So, using the fancy statistical routines your 5.8% suggests that on average your blood sugar was around 120 mg/dL.

Now that's not a frighteningly high figure. But it is an average - so this is where your daily testing comes in. What has been found in many studies is that we start to see damage whenever our blood sugar goes over 140. So that's your first target.

So I'm going to pick on one phrase in your post

and sometimes after meals.

These are actually the most important tests. On the forum we call the protocol we use "Eating to the Meter".

In the end it's the combination of testing at important times - i.e. after meals, keeping your personal target in mind Healthy Blood Sugar Targets along with the shorthand average of the HbA1c that will show you how well your control is going.

Now the bad news. Once our pancreas starts to screw up on insulin delivery - we're diabetic. And we stay that way - for life. Sorry, there's no other way to say it. The doctors like to put us in little boxes - Pre-Diabetic, Gestational, Diabetic..... but in the end we all have the same issue. Managing carbohydrate.

And the good news. With some self discipline we can make sure that whatever little box we're in we can prefix it with "Controlled". And you've already started down the right path by changing your way of eating. I don't use the word diet - 'cause that's something you do for a few weeks. This has to be for life.

A useful site to explore on the way of eating that many of us find works is Getting started on LCHF – Part 1: Clean out day | The Science of Human Potential (but ignore the bit about "a whatever day". Diabetes doesn't take days off - neither can we".

Well, enough from me - the rest of the gang will be along with their suggestions, so I'll just say again :wlecome:

 

[VeeJay]

Welcome to the forum

You're going to be very glad you came here. We can clear up the confusion and get you started on a lifestyle that will take away all the fear of diabetes. Many come here in various states of confusion after diagnosis, but after absorbing the information and advice given, they become confident and have gained good control of their diabetes within just a few weeks.

This site Blood Sugar 101 will give you a good, comprehensive education about diabetes and how to become successful in managing it. The "eat-to-your-meter" way of testing that we advocate here comes from the section on BS101 called "How To Lower Your Blood Sugar".

You've done a good thing by going low-carb. For someone like you who is just "over the edge" into diabetes territory, this should be all you need to do. (Other than to drop the protein down to a moderate level and increase the fats.) John's link to low-carb/high-fat (LCHF) way of eating will give you the details. Many of us on this forum are able to control our blood glucose (BG) through diet alone. And the way we know this is so, is that we are testing using the "eat-to-your-meter" protocol.

As you read through the threads on this forum, you'll be encouraged when you read other members' intro threads, which allow you to follow their steps toward success. If you'd like to see what a LCHF way of eating looks like, go over to the Diet section and browse in the meal threads (What's for.... breakfast,.... lunch.... dinner) and the Recipe section for some really good low-carb substitutes for favorite carby foods (plus yummy foods that are unique to the low-carb world).

 

[MaJoie]

Hello ElizabethL. Welcome to the forum.

 

[ElizabethL]

Thank you!

Wow, I feel 100% better now, since I really couldn't figure out the mountain of information on the internet. My doctor only said "change your diet and exercise more", but I've always ate well, never ate sugar and very few carbs so she was not very helpful

I will be reading the information you suggested.

Thank you, I so appreciate your input!

 

[RCG]

Wow, I feel 100% better now, since I really couldn't figure out the mountain of information on the internet. My doctor only said "change your diet and exercise more", but I've always ate well, never ate sugar and very few carbs so she was not very helpful

I will be reading the information you suggested.

Thank you, I so appreciate your input!

You have no idea how rewarding to us a post like yours is.

 

[Judy-in-France]

Hi Elizabeth!
Here is a picture that you can print out and stick on the fridge explaining LCHF. What items you can eat entirely depends on your BG results, so you may find starchy veg like carrots ok or a total no-no.

This represents physical weight of items, not Kcals.

 

[ElizabethL]

thank you

thanks to everyone again. This is obviously a very well run site, which I appreciate. I have read the rules and so far have failed once by posting to the wrong place . I will be careful from here on out.

Judy, I apologize again for my ignorance, but cannot find the sticker you mentioned.

Thank you!

 

[ElizabethL]

I can't figure out how to edit my posts, but Judy you mentioned a picture, not a sticker.

 

[David Burke]

I can't figure out how to edit my posts, but Judy you mentioned a picture, not a sticker.

there is a time limit for editing posts, can't remember exactly how long but it's about 10-15 minutes. Anything after that and you won't be able to.

That help?

 

[Shanny]

but Judy you mentioned a picture, not a sticker.

Judy posted the picture here, and you just have to print it out to stick it up on your fridge or wherever you tack up things to remind yourself.

 

[Auntyjuju]

Wasn't that before she left? The picture was a hand out she gives to patients.