Just diagnosed diabetic: A1C 12%: what worked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cut out alcohol and sweet drinks.

Yes needed but that would not make a 12 A1c into a normal one.

[Anonymous]

OP, look into joining Virta Health. Their program is known to reverse diabetes in 2-3 months. Your insurance might cover it.

[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.

Limit portions, cut carbs, increase protein, add fiber, quit alcohol, build muscle, work out 3-4 days a week. Walk 10 minutes after dinner.

[Anonymous]

Read the Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung. You don’t need to lose weight but you do need to drastically reduce your carb and sugar intake and fight this insulin resistance. Intermittent fasting can help greatly.

Metformin works well, but you will need a drastic dietary change if high want to reverse your numbers to pre-diabetic levels.

Virta Health is an amazing company that provides support for a ketogenic diet to reverse T2D; they have had remarkable success at actually reversing T2D in people who can follow the diet. And it may be fully covered by your insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Family members T2. Diagnosed by blood test at my physical this week. Nothing about ketones. I just bought the test strips two days ago and starting testing first thing in morning and after meals. Fasting blood sugar is about 285 - 300. I am going to make sure I cut out all sugar and simple carbs and no more bananas. I have heard of Ozempic and Mounjaro. I just don't want a lot of weight loss with any meds. I did have gestational diabetes when I had my twins decades ago, but no doctor told me that I am at risk for diabetes because I had gestational. I hadn't gone for a physical in 4 years so this is a huge wake up call.

You could microdose ozempic+take metformin

[Anonymous]

Have you talked to an experienced endocrinologist? We have t2 diabetes in my family and a genetic variant in which people get it even at relatively thin body weights. I have a relative that specializes in studying diabetes and this is a really developing field but there are now some genetic tests to test for specific variants. My brother who is very thin and fit was diagnosed with either diabetes or pre diabetes in his 60s and was able to totally beat it back with no medicine with some diet changes. I’m not against the meds — my dad was on them for decades. But I would definitely talk to an endo that specializes in this because you obviously aren’t the typical t2 case and there’s some question about whether people with these genetic variants should be treated in different ways. I’m sorry I’m not totally up on the most recent research — my dad has passed now and as I said my brother has beat it back with diet changes so we haven’t had to keep totally up to date.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure you are T2? Metformin is for T2. I doubt it will bring it down to 7 or less. What about your family members, are they T1 or T2?

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

NP here. This is just completely false information. T1 diabetics have a lack of insulin and need insulin injections (or an insulin pump). T1 patients can have very high sugar if they are not properly treated and it can be very dangerous and lead to DKA.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Update - My A1C went from 12.4% to 7.7% from December 30 to March 3rd! And I didn't even start my full dose of metformin (2000mg per day) until mid-January.

[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.

When this happened to me, my endocrinologist (and you want to see one of those, not a GP) put me on Metformin and insulin, the thinking being that I had insulin resistance. I was on the insulin for about 6 months, while I increased my exercise (basically walking 3-4 miles a day, six days a week). Unlike you, I did have weight to lose. After I lost about 40 pounds, she started me on Ozempic and eventually moved over to Mounjaro, increasing those dosages to the maximum; ironically, I lost only another four or five pounds.

I've been on 2000 mg of metformin and the Mounjaro for a while now. Also a statin. My last A1C, a week ago, was 5.6.

Get you to an endocrinologist. You don't want a family doctor managing this. It's too serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you not feel sick with an A1c that high?

Most people would not even at that level. You would never even know it if you did not test. That is why type 2 is so bad. Silent and deadly.

I was very recently diagnosed with Type 2 (possibly Type 1). I am 5' 4'' and weigh 120 lbs. I work out 5 to 6 days per week. I was supposed to have surgery and when the lab work came back, my glucose was super high and the Dr. had me come back the next day for an a1c test. I literally had not one symptom, so this was a complete surprise to me. I was put on Farxiga and a long lasting insulin shot at night. Trying to get an endo. Many do not take insurance and the others there is about a 3-5 month wait to get in. I did go to an endo that did not take insurance and paid $500 for appt. Now I am looking for one that is covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Update - My A1C went from 12.4% to 7.7% from December 30 to March 3rd! And I didn't even start my full dose of metformin (2000mg per day) until mid-January.

That's great, OP! Keep up the good work (assuming you're doing more than taking meds)!