Just diagnosed diabetic: A1C 12%: what worked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate to tell you but diet alone is not bringing your 12 down to anything reasonable. So while this is all good above advice, you will need the drugs (you are starting at a high dose of metformin so hopefully it works for you!).

+1. This is serious. See an endocrinologist and dietitian.

+2. Not sure why you are asking a bunch of random Internet strangers for medication advice rather than getting recommendations from a more specialized doctor.

+3. So strange to be polling randos rather than looking for a specialist. 12 is really really high.

+1 million.

[Anonymous]

T2 is high sugar. T1 is low. Please don’t comment about things you fundamentally don’t understand. She has T2.

Ummmm, no.

Both present with high blood glucose and high A1C. Further blood tests necessary to distinguish difference.

Type 1 is insulin dependent. The body does not make enough insulin and insulin injections/pump required.

Type 2 is insulin resistant. The body is still producing insulin, but resistant to it.

Low blood glucose can happen to anyone; however, blood glucose can drop dangerously low in Type 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
T2 is high sugar. T1 is low. Please don’t comment about things you fundamentally don’t understand. She has T2.

Ummmm, no.

Both present with high blood glucose and high A1C. Further blood tests necessary to distinguish difference.

Type 1 is insulin dependent. The body does not make enough insulin and insulin injections/pump required.

Type 2 is insulin resistant. The body is still producing insulin, but resistant to it.

Low blood glucose can happen to anyone; however, blood glucose can drop dangerously low in Type 1.


NO - anyone on insulin can have dangerously low blood glucose. That's T1 or T2.

Low blood sugar, not on insulin, is not characteristic of T1 or T2. By definition both are conditions where blood glucose is abnormally high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just diagnosed this past week. A1C at 12%. I am shocked at the number. I am 5 ft tall and 122 pounds. I could lose 10 pounds, but otherwise healthy. I go to Orange Theory Fitness 6 times a week. I am sure genetics has to do with this: mom, dad, brother all diabetic. I know I can cut out bread, white rice, pasta, sugar in creamer, and sweetened yogurt. But what meds worked best? Dr. started me on Metformin ER 1000 mg per day and said to increase to 2000 mg per day in a week if I have no gastro issues. I want to get this under control. I have had no symptoms of diabetes thus far. Any advice? I know metformin is the first thing to try but not sure if that will work without anything else with my A1C so high. I am in my late 50s.

Low-carb, metformin and Ozempic worked for me. A1c came down from 9.1 to 5.7 over the course of a year.

[Anonymous]

I would call your doctor back and try to get a referral to an endocrinologist asap

Those numbers are serious! Metformin and lifestyle not enough. You should be on insulin. My opinion (not a doc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just diagnosed this past week. A1C at 12%. I am shocked at the number. I am 5 ft tall and 122 pounds. I could lose 10 pounds, but otherwise healthy. I go to Orange Theory Fitness 6 times a week. I am sure genetics has to do with this: mom, dad, brother all diabetic. I know I can cut out bread, white rice, pasta, sugar in creamer, and sweetened yogurt. But what meds worked best? Dr. started me on Metformin ER 1000 mg per day and said to increase to 2000 mg per day in a week if I have no gastro issues. I want to get this under control. I have had no symptoms of diabetes thus far. Any advice? I know metformin is the first thing to try but not sure if that will work without anything else with my A1C so high. I am in my late 50s.

Your doctor is taking this way too causally. Go to a specialist immediately. They should also do a complete bloodwork and urinalysis to make sure your kidneys are not being affected.

[Anonymous]

Keto

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate to tell you but diet alone is not bringing your 12 down to anything reasonable. So while this is all good above advice, you will need the drugs (you are starting at a high dose of metformin so hopefully it works for you!).

+1. This is serious. See an endocrinologist and dietitian.

+2. Not sure why you are asking a bunch of random Internet strangers for medication advice rather than getting recommendations from a more specialized doctor.

+3. So strange to be polling randos rather than looking for a specialist. 12 is really really high.

+1 million.

+ 2 Million

[Anonymous]

You really, really need to see an endocrinologist as soon as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even though you are not overweight by typical standards, do you carry the weight around your abdomen? Do you belong to an ethnic group that is higher risk for carrying abdominal fat, like South Asian or East Asian? If so, you may need to get visceral fat under control because it is a huge contributor to diabetes, and maybe a GLP-1 would help. But obviously this needs to be a convo with a doctor and endocrinologist. Wishing you the best.

Being not typically overweight IS actually the first clue it may not be T2D and its type 1 diabetes. Blows my mind that physicians today don't know this very obvious fact.

I know plenty of non-overweight relatives with type 2. They are not overweight by BMI standards, but look like they could stand to lose 10-15 pounds, all around the waist and thin otherwise. I belong to a higher risk ethnic group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You really, really need to see an endocrinologist as soon as possible.

I really hope OP comes back to reassure us she is okay and seeing an endocrinologist.

[Anonymous]

I think everyone missed that OP's entire family is Type 2 diabetic. This is genetic.

OP - are you South Asian? This is incredibly common in the South Asian community. If so, please come back and I can provide a great resource.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate to tell you but diet alone is not bringing your 12 down to anything reasonable. So while this is all good above advice, you will need the drugs (you are starting at a high dose of metformin so hopefully it works for you!).

+1. This is serious. See an endocrinologist and dietitian.

+2. Not sure why you are asking a bunch of random Internet strangers for medication advice rather than getting recommendations from a more specialized doctor.

+3. So strange to be polling randos rather than looking for a specialist. 12 is really really high.

Nothing wrong with seeking other peoples' experiences. It helps inform the poster and helps them know more what questions to ask their doctor(s). Clearly this isn't someone who just randomly tested their glucose and self-diagnosed. They are seeing a doctor. Responders suggesting it's more of an emergency might unnecessarily be alarming OP or they might be rightly encouraging OP to be more aggressive with their doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just diagnosed this past week. A1C at 12%. I am shocked at the number. I am 5 ft tall and 122 pounds. I could lose 10 pounds, but otherwise healthy. I go to Orange Theory Fitness 6 times a week. I am sure genetics has to do with this: mom, dad, brother all diabetic. I know I can cut out bread, white rice, pasta, sugar in creamer, and sweetened yogurt. But what meds worked best? Dr. started me on Metformin ER 1000 mg per day and said to increase to 2000 mg per day in a week if I have no gastro issues. I want to get this under control. I have had no symptoms of diabetes thus far. Any advice? I know metformin is the first thing to try but not sure if that will work without anything else with my A1C so high. I am in my late 50s.

Your doctor is taking this way too causally. Go to a specialist immediately. They should also do a complete bloodwork and urinalysis to make sure your kidneys are not being affected.

As OP stated, they have not experienced any "symptoms" of diabetes. A significant dose of metformin is a logical and typical immediate response in a non-emergency (ie, not presenting with emergency symptoms). Also, OP admits their diet consists of a lot of diabetes-unfriendly foods - pasta, white rice, sugary yogurt, etc - so there are dietary changes to be made that may also quickly address their sugar levels, especially in conjunction with the medication.
And, as another responder noted, OP indicated a strong family history of diabetes.....genetics!

I assume - hope - OP's doctor requested a follow-up in several week to see how the medication is working.

[Anonymous]

I think OP is trolling us as before.