I had dropped from 14 to 6.3 in two months.
Beside blurred vision for a couple of weeks, I had no other eye symptoms
I think retinopathy has more to do with how long you had high BG than with A1C drop (going from 9.3 to 6.0)
Hi Kim,
I was distracted by some comments from the repliers so I forgot to address your initial question.
I had dropped from A1C of 14 (at the time of T1 diagnosis six/seven months ago) to 6.2 in two months without too many lows.
So I do think my strategy works. So this is how I did it.
- First you have to say every single day to yourself that this will not break you and will not control you. You will control it (the disease).
- Then measuring is literally ALL THE TIME (being the control freak this was not hard for me but I guess can be hard for some people).
- Experimenting with number of carbs at the beginning to see how much you can handle. I am measuring it at 45 min after meal (this is supposed to be a peak of the BG absorption) and 1.30 h after. I aim to bring it lower than or equal to 8 mmo/l at the time of paek (like healthy pancreas does). If I don’t then I eat less carbs next time until I found the amount that works.
- Another key component is EXERCISE. I only inject twice a day (Novomix) so at the time of lunch I do not inject but I eat the same amount of carbs as during the breakfast (20-30) except that 1 hour after lunch I exercise for 1 h and this brings BG nicely to around 5 mmol/l. My dosings are: 14u in the morning and 0-5u in the evening (0 if in addition to the post lunch exercise I do 1h yoga in the evening and 5u if I only do a couple of push ups before going to bad)
- Eat healthy fats from walnuts, fish, pistachios etc and fibres (e.g. fenugreek),
- I also take supplements that are supposed to help pancreas (to keep insulin dosing low): black current oil (or primrose oil for women not for man because of its estrogenic properties), bilberry extract, biotin and from time to time chromium in a form of brewer’s yeast (not at the same day I take bilberry extract since this one contains chromium too).
Kim,
I’ve been following a similar path as you, trying to switch to low carb, and I’m realizing it has been almost a year since I started. I sought it out because after an ill-fated year of trying to be a vegetarian, my A1c was at an all-time high of 8.0 (and prior to that it had been slowly hovering and/or creeping up in the 7’s for as long as I can remember). I am on MDI rather than a pump (I have stubbornly resisted the pump for my whole 16 years of being a Type 1, and have always managed to be in what my docs considered “good control.” I have zero complications and my eyes are great. I have changed my ideas about what good control is in the last year.
Anyway, to let you know, my A1c has dropped significantly, as have my insulin needs. I still get frustrated sometimes with spikes in blood sugars, but if I stick to low carb I do very well (I figure no one is perfect, and I try not to beat myself up over an occasional indiscretion). I have a very social lifestyle so I am eating out a lot with friends - it can be rather strenuous to keep myself strict on an eating plan in social situations, but I have learned to be better about standing up for myself and not caring what people think. It’s my health, after all. Anyway, my A1c dropped from 8.0 (Aug of '09) to 6.9 by December, and in April it was 6.6. I am hoping for lower at my next doc appt in August…but I’m still learning.
So, I fully support you in your quest, it’s never too late, I am living evidence of that! The only residual feelings are feelings of guilt that I didn’t start all this research earlier (and also the occasional wanting a crusty slice of bread or a warm biscuit). 
However, I think I’m on the right path now…
Oh yes, and I am not strictly Bernstein - he allows no more than a slice of tomato and cautions against things like Balsamic Vinegar…these things were a little too hard for me to micromanage, and I didn’t want to let being perfect be the enemy of the good. However, I think he’s spot on with his ideas for the most part so it’s definitely worth the read, and I really respect all the people who are able to follow his lead completely.
Yeah, it was definitely due to years of uncontrolled D. Like I said, my doc was absolutely livid after my diagnosis. He didn;t do any follow-up then and there, but just told me to come back in 6 months, so I don’t really know how extensive my retinopathy was at the time of diagnosis.
Even before the follow up, I noticed that my vision had improved a lot after about a week of crappiness.
The next visit, he already had the angiogram set up and ready to go, gave the slightest hint of a smile when he saw my A1C, and calmly asked me about my control since the last visit. I’m not sure how much more damage I had, or if any of it was due to the steep drop in A1C but, like I said, my doc never seemed concerned. In the 20 years since I’ve known him, it was the first time he brought me back into his office and we had a nice, encouraging chat about my results and where to go from there.
Hi Oggy,
Great post! Dont even worry about getting side trakced. This thread and forum are awesome. All the information and support floating around is amazing. Its hard not to take over threads constantly!
Re the swift drop in A1c, Ive got moderate retinopothy and only do minimal exercise for fear of bursting a (another) blood vessel. A fast dropping A1c also concerns me for the same reason.
1.Agreed. I try to every day and for the conscious part have learned to accept it as part of my life.
2.Good of you to have understanding for others. Im lucky a desire to know what was going on came with age. I wish it would have come sooner, but Im not about to beat myself up over it. =^)
3.thats just good advice at any point in a diabetics life.
4.Yeah, dont get to do that as much anymore. I walk around 2-3 miles a day at work. I hope that covers me =^).
5.Id love to see a list of healthy fats. Although, healthy fats still add weight if I snack on them I find.
6.This is a big one. Ive looked into supplements before and even purchased some with intent to use. The issue for me is that Im never sure how they are going to effect my glucose / insulin production should there be any. The long, short is Im just not sure of the effects and I like to kiss (keep it simple stupid). Although, if you have counter information to this, Im all ears.
Awesome Sarah, thanks.
Im pretty much the same. Last night had class till 10pm, then to the bar for a diet coke / chicken strips, then met other friends at 12am at a mediterranean place the flatbreat got me. But, Im on the move. Breakfast has changed and thats the 1st step. I like the whole small steps to a large goal thing.
So social meetings and resturants and what not is the norm for me as well, so it will be interesting. Im hoping its not all bag lettuce. =^)
Sarah,
I follow Dr. Bernstein’s recommendations & eat tomatoes, marinara sauce & balsamic vinegar–love them all. I just figure them in to the carb count. I’ve been adhering to 30-35 carbs daily for two years.
@oggy: The lab doing the A1c defines the margins for the healthy person. These very narrow margins depend on the lab equipment. Thus it is very important to now what the lab expects from a healthy person (it should be stated on the lab result). The exact margins are less important for diabetics. But to get a hint whether or not a healthy person might have diabetes they are very important.
I am a little confused here. Has your child an A1c of 5.5 or 6.2?
Been diabetic 40 years from the “dark ages” and have been non symptomatic at various points. No blessed clue how it happened but it does from time to time.
I too want to know the common thread about folks who are senior to me, and also have no problems. I have none to speak of either, but believe it to be a matter of time. I have been zealous, never pretended I was not diabetic, never ignored it either, but cannot tell you why I don’t have something more…
I too walked awy from the pump a while back, but with meaningful cause and medical sanction.
Look forward to hearing the various responses…
Stuart
Hi - There are many references to Dr. Bernstein’s book. When I went to the Kindle Store I found two. I would love a bit of feedback on which one y’all prefer. Is the idea primarily low carbs? One of my longest runs with good numbers was on The Zone Diet.
I’ve been pumping for about a year and started the Dexcom recently. I have not been able to get below 7.2 and I am NOT happy.
I spike to at least 160 - 260 whenever I eat anything; I crash often in the wee hours of the night, and have yet to balance high intensity exercise w/out serious lows.
My Endo says if I’m over 160 2hrs after I eat to bolus and not to worry about what is going on during that two hours.
I find myself getting very anxious wearing the Dex because I hate seeing the wild ups and downs. I probably look at it too often and should turn off some of the alarms to reduce the stress I am feeling.
Originally diagnosed as T2 13 yrs ago and w/in 2 years was taking Lantus and using a humalog pen as well as Glucovance. Now, as I’m not producing any insulin, but still need the Metformin along with Novolog in my pump, the diagnosis is T11/2.
I’m working very hard at getting straightened out: started with a personal trainer 3 months ago and have been (for the most part) seeing her 3x/week and eating mostly from Whole Foods.
I am disappointed and discouraged because of the “promise” of more freedom of what and when to eat on the pump. My schedule is very hard to predict and doing anything at the same time everyday is what I am trying to avoid.
Whew! Didn’t mean to get into all that.
Thanks for listening.
The book you want is Diabetes Solution. His other is a recipe book & not worth the money. The recipes are boring & there aren’t that many. You can find far better ones, with carb counts included, on low carb recipe sites.
Dr, B is the low carb guru & decades ahead of most of the medical profession. His book is quite detailed & covers a range of topics. It’s changed many lives. What your endo told you is typical. Not his body. Big swings aren’t healthy.
Second what Gerri said. The book “Diabetes Solution” updated for 2007. I picked it up on PDF here. Although I dont know that Kindle supports Adobe Digital Editions.
When I started this topic last year I was coming from A1Cs of 10.2 - 7.6. My endo would tell me to go to bed at 170mg/dl then wonder why my A1c was 7.6 (avg. 172mg/dl - ish). Im doing so much better now that Im low carb its not even funny. Heres a good example of the change.
As for the Dexcom, I wear one as well. I wouldnt be able to keep as tight control without it. I make quick adjustments if need be with my MM pump and now dont really look at the Dex that much. Really its helped me get in good control and deduce when I need to dose and if my boluses are working. There was a time when I was getting major spikes from protein and the Dex was how I figured to cover it.
With the switch to low carb my trends have become longer and fluctuate less.Both which make control much easier. Additionally, the law of small numbers makes lows and highs much easier to control. Now I dose .3-.6u at a time and my superbolus is 2.5u (this doesnt happen often). its a real big difference and simply a wonderful feeling being in control for the first time in 25 years. So, read the book and ask as many questions as you can, the folks here are a great support and idea pot just waiting to share their knowledge.
I don’t know how helpful I can be. While I’m in great control NOW I have not always been. In fact, I was in horrible control for a long time. I do have a complication (retinopathy).
The big key for me in my recent great control is test, test, test. The more I can catch BGs on the rise and can correct before they go too high, the better. I correct anything over 100 to bring it back to 100. I also work a lot, and have just had to try to find times when I can quick do a check (which is hard with first graders all over the place). I don’t stick by any certain diet or food ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ so I’m not much help there.
Dont sell yourself short! Your a reliable source for me about the Ping! Plus Ive got the retinopathy as well (Its nice to know Im not alone). =^)
For control, I ended up picking up the book mentioned in this thread, “Diabetic Solution.” I read it, was massively inspired, and started cutting carbs soon there after. In August I think I got down to about 35c a day and have been riding tight since. Its taken about 6 months, but I figured out that if I bolus before meals I can stop PPs pretty well. I cook a lot more now and the only real highs I get are from bad infusion sets or random sneaky carbs.
m trying to beat the retinopathy. So, my last A1c was a either a 6.2 or 5.8 (i forget), but had some hold over from slightly higher carb times. My daily fluctuations are from 80-120 now and Im trying to hone in on that as well.
LIke you Kari, I have gotten things under control after years of no control. Its a wonderful feeling and I fully attribute it to the wonderful folks here at TuD.
I’m sure you’ll get that retinopathy beat!
Speaking of…since attaining my 5.9 A1c I’ve only had one appt with my retina specialist (yesterday, actually). But he said that even in the span of a few months my right eye has cleared up tremendously - and we’d considered it pretty good a few months ago! And my left eye continues to show no signs of the return of retinopathy, after a vitrectomy in April of '09.
Wow! Congratulations! Such good news.
Ive got some swelling from a good deal of laser which Im waiting patiently for it to pack its bags and head on out. They say a year of tight BGs and good results should be seen (your just way ahead of the curve!). Wait, pun intended!
Hey, great link…thanx!!! =)
You all just sold me on this book. I have never heard of it, but I just bought it. Thanks! I really think becoming more involved in the community is making a better and healthier!
Its a pretty amazing book. I have coffee with a D buddy once a month or so and he commented that since reading it and going on Dr. B’s way of eating, that my whole outlook became more optimistic. I was pretty stoked by that comment.
I enjoy the food I eat / cook a lot with the only downside being that there isnt a low carb drive through I can hit in a pinch (in n out has crazy sodium). Otherwise my A1C has come down and my control is great. yup, that book is pretty dang amazing.
Its funny how company (community) can have such and effect isnt it?
I’m a mother of a 15 year old, T1 (dx Dec. 09), all this talk of low carb freaks me out. We have had this A1c 5.5 since dx with precisely counting his carbs (thank you gram scale) and bolusing in regards to BS reading, type of food in meals, and activity level. We eat whole foods, hi-glycemic in moderation (say a 15 carb treat right after a meal) Breakfast ~36, Lunch ~53, Snack ~40, Dinner ~65. He has whole wheat pizza sometimes that I make very thin and its balanced with its toppings. What I am saying is - he’s a kid, as it is he is eating a quarter of carbs his non-D teen friends are. And its homecooked and healthy, I couldn’t make is life worst by restricting him more. Plus he is growing and needs those carbs besides burning around 2500 cals a week exercising. Any feedback would be appreciated.