A1C Below 6.0 without insulin or other meds? Introduce yourself!

I forgot to mention I was off the glyburide after one month.

Thanks, from reading some of the comments Iā€™m in the minority, but the DASH diet works for me but I agree with you that there are other pathways to living with diabetes.

Hello all...I'm introducing myself to the group because I'm entering 2012 as a med-free diabetic and I'm SUPER excited about it!!

I was diagnosed the after Valentines Day (2011), A1C was 12, spent 6 days in the hospital because I was on the verge of a coma (glucose was 593 AFTER some insulin).

I blog at www.AnAfricanAmericanDiabetic.blogspot.com. (Today's post is about a tea I drank that's good for diabetics)

It's a pleasure to find this group. I'm the only diabetic in my family and I feel like no one understands that sometimes I feel like screaming to people who try to shove more carbs on me..."Yes, that slice of cake will kill me." LOL

I'm here to learn and share with other med-free diabetics.

4 month ago I did a med-free project. Stop my oral medication and compensate it with run 30 minutes every morning and hit the gym on evening after working hours. I did control my intake but not too strict.

I ended up with A1C : 8.0

Now, i'm on another project. take half of my oral med (half metformin and half sitagliptin). lets see how its result.

Hi Judith, I'm going to try chamomile and mint-sounds yummy.

Hey Sigelopisan, how much did you limit your carb intake? The ADA recommends 45g-60g of carb PER MEAL. Is this what you were doing?

We all have different thresholds for carbs...
I like keeping a tight control on my bg (75-115mg/dl)...
There is no way that I could do that with 45-60g of carbs in a sitting.
I am able to do that without medication by keeping to 20-25g/meal, coupled with daily exercise.

I just got my new A1c today 6.7 but last Aug 2011, my AC1 was 11.0.

Congrats on the improvement Miss Robbie!! I guess you're also feeling better too.

I know i need to exercise and control my carbs more better but I really have to thank my bitter melon pills and green goddess smoothie that contains spirulina and Jerusalem artichoke. I can't believe in 4 months I made a dent.

Diabetic who are trying to be Med free, I would check out this book.
"Diabetes Without Drugs: The 5-Step Program to Control Blood Sugar Naturally and Prevent Diabetes Complications" Suzy Cohen

I probably shouldn't be writing this as I'm coming out of a low, but the shaking has calmed down and now my nerves to do the same.

Here's the deal, I had an assignment due by midnight, so I drank 1.5 cups of coffee between 8-12am. I didn't go to sleep until 2am and I've been up since 6am (it's 7:30am). Before going to bed I had two rice krispy treat bars (the small 90 calories, 17g of carb ones). Well, just a few minutes ago I was on my laptop and started feeling like I was having a low. Palms sweaty and shaky. I just my glucose, I'm 58. I check again it was 60 something. I immediate go into panic mode.

I eat graham crackers, yogurt, and half banana. I'm waiting for that to take affect.

Does anyone here have lows like this? I've been med-free for four months and this is the 3rd low, but the first one in the morning. I'm reminded of when I was on insulin.

Had a new A1c come back... another 5.3%
I had hoped for lower, as I thought my control had improved.

Food tips

There are 2 diabetic chef that focus on Latino and African american cooking. Chef Lala focus on how to eat healthy in Latino community and Chef Charles Mattocks focus on how to eat healthy in African American and poor communities.

http://cheflala.com/
http://www.thediabeticyou.com/

I've been diabedic for 9 months. Coming up to another A1C. I don't test as often as I use too but that really helps me stay on course. The last 3 months have been stressful and I'm afraid I'm going to be higher than last time.

Do any of you go off plan for special occasions. My blood sugard has only reached 138 a couple of times after desserts - and after a steroid shot for bursitues.

OBX, I don't go off plan for anything because for ME it's too hard to get back on it. Also, I can gain 5 pounds (the permanent kind) overnight, even though my blood sugar stays low. So I avoid sugary carbs like the plague that they are for me. That said, I don't miss them. If I could eat whatever I wanted it would probably be an unlimited amount of almonds. And fruit. I have to limit myself to one a day.

I figured that since this group applies to me, I should join. Most recent blood work came back with an A1C of 5.2. I've been hovering in the 5.2 to 5.6 range for the past 3+ years all on diet and exercise. Low carb diet, high intensity exercise 5+ days a week (weights, running, swimming). Look forward to participating!


A new group is born....Type 2 Teens!!!
Geared to teens and young adults!
It's Open House! Come and check it out :)
http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/type-2-teens

Hi my A1C is 5.6 I maintain it by eating low glycemic index foods and not a lot of carbs from suppertime on. I am currently 95% of my way to a 50 lb weight loss 11 pounds away from my goal. I walk 20 to 25 miles each week and I record all my food intake on my fitness pal. I also use a Fitbit(fitbit.com to monitor my exercise. My last blood work 2 weeks ago my fasting blood glucose was 4.8 which would be just a little over 85.

Wow, so its possible to lower your A1C if its high...
if it stays low for 2years one would still be considered a diabetic right?

Dawn, It is possible for many people to lower their A1C to non-diabetic levels. I keep mine around 5.1. But, what most people who do so find is that returning to a normal, non-diabetic lifestyle will not work. If you go back to eating a lot of carbs, you can very quickly go back to diabetic A1C levels. So, if you want to be considered "non-diabetic" for some reason, such as insurance eligibility, you could insist that you are no longer diabetic, but you would have to be very careful how you live your life.