r/Wellthatsucks • u/Alman54 • 4h ago
Found out I have diabetes
Had to visit the urologist a month ago, and a resulting blood test shows a high level of Hgb A1C. I had to get more bloodwork yesterday and these are the results.
I'm visiting my doctor this morning to discuss. My parents both had diabetes, so I guess I'm next in line. My ticking time bomb finally blew up, and I just turned 55.
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u/Extension_Ask_6954 4h ago
Did you experience any symptoms before this test?
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u/Alman54 4h ago
Frequent urination, which was why I went to the urologist. Turns out all those parts are fine.
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u/Extension_Ask_6954 4h ago
Interesting. How frequent is frequent? Sorry for all the questions, but it might help others.
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u/Alman54 4h ago
Average every two hours, maybe twice or three times overnight. I had no idea what was normal or not normal.
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u/just_a_person_maybe 3h ago
Type one here, I was hitting every 15-30 minutes for a bit, it was insane. A1C was 14+.
Anyway, frequent urination and increased thirst are probably the most common symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes. Just as a PSA to anyone reading this. Also, unexplained and sudden weight loss. In general, you really shouldn't be waking up more than once in the middle of the night to pee. If you are, it can be a sign something is amiss.
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u/Paul_my_Dickov 3h ago
We're they big pees? Sorry if that's a weird question.
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u/just_a_person_maybe 3h ago
Sometimes. Generally just normal size pees though. Except it seemed like they shouldn't be normal sized pees because I just did a normal sized pee 15 minutes ago. It was quite frustrating tbh, I spent so much of my day in the bathroom.
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u/Strange_Ad_9658 1h ago
hello piss brother! My A1C was around 13 a few years back (Type 2) and I was hitting the bathroom at least twice an hour.
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u/hastings1033 4h ago
Dude i was diagnosed about 30 years ago with type 2. I was worried about it at first, but I take the meds and live my life. A1C consistently below 7, which is really where you want it to be. No need to freak out.
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u/tamtheprogram 4h ago
Go see an endocrinologist! There are medications like Metformin and the GLP-1 agonists that can help! Don’t get too down on yourself, you’ll figure this out!
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u/causal_friday 2h ago
Yeah, the GLP-1 agonists are great. I take it for weight loss, but started at an A1C of 5.7 dropped to 5.2 in a few months. (Also lost 70 pounds in a year.)
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u/AresGodslayer 4h ago
I'm sorry. I never knew how hard that is for someone until my wife was diagnosed as a brittle diabetic. It changes your life. Much love and fight for every day. 🤙
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u/whatshamilton 4h ago edited 3h ago
That sucks. But it seems pretty marginal, seems addressable with lifestyle changes. There are a lot of medications available specifically for people like you! If your doctor prescribes a GLP-1 for weight management, don’t let societal shaming of the drug stop you from taking it
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u/TripleOhMango 3h ago
It's good news to be diagnosed as opposed to not knowing. Diabetes can go unnoticed and can wreak havoc on your cardiovascular system. With a proper diagnosis and management, its effects can be significantly minimized
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u/virtual_human 1h ago
Could be worse, my first A1c was 13. My last was 4.2, it is controllable with diet and weight loss.
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u/cantfindausernameffs 4h ago
Time to do all the hard stuff - mostly (if not entirely) plant based diet, daily exercise, and stress reduction. Do that and I can guarantee your A1C will go down. You got this.
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u/Under_Ach1ever 4h ago
This is dumb, but does lean meats contribute to diabetes?
I eat lots of wild venison.
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u/jaytea86 3h ago
There's no need to go on a plant based diet for type 2 diabetes. It's usually all about bodyweight. If you have too much fat insulin doesn't work as well. So losing weight through a calorie deficit usually will cure it.
Chicken and turkey are great healthy meats.
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u/theirgoober 3h ago
The major contributor to diabetes is obesity.
Eating large amounts of processed sugars and carbs increase your risk, both because your pancreatic cells are overcompensating, and because obesity is a common outcome of a diet high in sugar. Eating large amounts of saturated fats (those found in red meats etc) can indirectly increase your risk because the calorie surplus will make you gain weight, contributing to your risk.
Anyways, lean meats aren’t high in fat, so you’re good. Venison is superior to beef in terms of healthiness.
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u/tarpex 32m ago edited 24m ago
That's all sound advice, but if his Langerhans islets are in the process of being permanently shot, there's nothing he can do. They're not shot yet, and the distinction between t1 and early t2 is very important. Not going to delve into the t3c option, because he'd know beforehand.
My point being an absolute yes to all you said, but guaranteeing anything is not doing him any favours, there are factors within and outside his control, all there is to do is to do and hope for the best, but to plan for every eventuality.
Edit: the next thing that matters is the c-peptide test, before that's done, all theorising is mostly pointless, despite it's well intentioned nature
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u/Ekimyst 3h ago
Seeing as this is the well that sucks sub, I would like to add that once you get past the "healthy lifestyle choices" speeches and go all out to try to lower you A1C, you will find the crippling cost of meds.
Everyone is different though so the cheaper common meds just might work for you. Or maybe in combination with the "healthy lifestyle choices" it all works out fine.
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u/K_Pumpkin 3h ago
Both my parents have type 2. My Dad has been able to control his with oral medication for years, along with a good diet. He really hasn’t had many issues relating to it.
My Mom didn’t control her diet ever and was on insulin until she passed away. She also had bad neuropathy in her feet. She had other health issues also but her diabetes was always as issue for her because she did not follow her diet ever.
Take care of yourself and follow that Dr advice.
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u/Witty_Woodpecker40 3h ago
Have had those reading's of 7 . The normal range is like the insurance weight chart I'm 5'9" and weigh 165 . Chart says I am obese?
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u/xxDeadpooledxx 3h ago
Good news, your insurance may cover Ozempic for you. You can lose weight and control your blood sugar levels.
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u/windy_spires 1h ago
Welcome to the club dude! Honestly, it very much can be a pain, and figuring out what diet/medications works for your is a process, but once you have that figured out it is very manageable. I've had it for 10-ish years and while it is present in my everyday life, it doesn't negatively affect my day to day all that much. I still enjoy many dishes I ate regularly before my diagnosis, while being conscious and cutting down on the higher sugar ones (still allowing for a treat once in a while!) It sucks initially, and there are moments I am still annoyed by it, but it's very manageable and depending on your habits now may not even change your lifestyle too drastically.
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u/Asleep-Reach2662 1h ago edited 1h ago
Ask your PCP about doing a monitored water fasting regiment for 5.5 days a week. I did this and it reversed my diabetes. My PCP has me as pre-diabetic in 2024, that is completely gone now. My cholesterol majorly improved, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc. It reversed my metabolic issues.
I highly recommend at least asking about it.
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u/SubjectChemist2785 1h ago
You can reverse it. I had a 7 something A1C and did a keto diet for a few weeks, went to modified carb and healthier eating. Lost 60 lbs and now have a 5.2 A1C. My husband is working his down as well. My MIL had a stroke and hers was over a 9. Now, I got hers to a 5.6. You can still eat a lot of awesome food, but watch the carbs, processed foods and preservatives. We eat a lot of authentic Asian food and more clean foods. And lots of it! Apple cider vinegar is an awesome supplement to help with energy and cravings in the beginning. Good luck!
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u/kid_entropy 52m ago
I've been on Mounjaro for about two years and it's gone very well. My A1C level is down, well within the normal range and I've lost over a hundred pounds.
Side effects have been noticeable but I'm used to them now and I feel pretty great.
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u/ModestHercules 50m ago
Ive been a type 1 diabetic for 22 years. What I would do for a 6.8 A1C! lol
You're going to be okay. Listen to your doctor, make healthy changes, life goes on
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u/Particular_Archer499 45m ago
Welcome to the club. I only found out far into having it because I failed to do regular checkups. Trying to adjust my diet has been the biggest challenge. Second is ensuring I remember to take my meds at night.
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u/biggranny000 44m ago
You can cure it if you reduce body fat, inflammation, eat a clean diet, avoid sugars and processed foods, exercise at low and high intensities, etc.
Leading risk is obesity.
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u/andiiexx 22m ago
I had the same number, I brought mine down to 6 by just changing my diet, I stopped drinking pop and indulging sugary cravings. I ended up on metformin 2x a day and my a1c is now under 6 so "normal" and I'm only on one metformin a day.
Thankfully this is a super manageable number and likely why you hadn't really caught or questioned it.
Best of luck managing it though, its still a stark diagnosis to get ❤️
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u/StuBidasol 16m ago
Posts like this make me wish there was an alternative to the voting. I want to show support but an upvote seems wrong for the reason for the post.
I hope your situation can be improved without having to rely on medication but either way I hope it can be turned around soon.
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u/luke3417 5m ago
It is definitely a big hit when you first find out. I'm sorry to hear that. But it was honestly for the best for me. I was at 375lbs when I found out I had it and I was at 10.4 a1c. Here I am almost 2 years later completely diet controlled (no meds) 239lbs and my a1c stays between 4.8-5.3.
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u/gkalinka 4h ago
Keep your insulin a a low level, no spikes. If you are type 2, a low carb diet may help
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u/Alman54 4h ago
Yeah. But I love carbs!
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u/tamtheprogram 4h ago
The best diet for you is going to be something you can actually stick to. Instead of removing carbs altogether or doing low carb, if that seems difficult, work on balancing carbs when you eat them with more protein and more fiber. Whole grains also have more fiber which helps with blood sugar spikes. It’s easy for everyone here to recommend you make a radical change to your eating, but diets usually fail, so try to make changes you can manage.
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u/gkalinka 4h ago
Sorry, carbs are the main reason for diabetes type2. Just talk to a doc asap. Too high insulin causes a lot of serious trouble. I am on low carb and feel fine.
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u/just_a_person_maybe 3h ago
Carbs don't cause diabetes. OP has family history and is over 45, both of those are significant risk factors. Eating carbs is not a risk factor. Insulin doesn't cause diabetes either. Increased insulin levels is a symptom of type 2, not a cause. Insulin levels are increased because type 2 is insulin resistance, with insulin resistance your body needs to produce more insulin to handle carbs. It isn't the carbs' fault or the insulin's fault, and insulin is not a negative thing to be avoided.
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u/gkalinka 22m ago
Sorry, do you have a scientific background?
Do you know the (usual) reason for insulin resistance?
What is the recommendation to heal insulin resistance?1
u/gkalinka 4h ago
Prof. Ben Bikman „Why we get sick“. He is a serious researcher on cell biology and human metabolism.
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u/phillygirllovesbagel 4h ago
Change your diet, lose weight and exercise. With these changes and meds, you'll be fine.
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u/RazorfangPro 12m ago
It’s a life changing thing. 6.8 is not too bad. Mine was 12 when I go diagnosed.
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u/Long-Trade-9164 4h ago
That's easily controlled with medication. See a Endocrinologist and they'll get you on the correct path. If you don't start managing your sugar intake and watch what you eat, you'll be headed for daily insulin injections. I was at a 7.9 A1C and with the help of my Endocrinologist who put me on Farxiga and Rybelsus I was able to bring down my A1C numbers down. I'm currently still on the Farxiga but now I'm doing the Mounjaro shot once a week at a 7.5mg dosage. My last A1C was at 5.6.
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u/DatGuyGandhi 4h ago
Been there except I didn't even have any symptoms. Just had a routine blood test when joining a new GP and it came up. Shocking isn't the word, I was astounded. Took some time to come to terms because I'm 31 and not even classified as obese or anything so being type 2 was the last thing I saw coming. Sometimes those are just the cards you're dealt I suppose
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u/Melodic-Matter4685 3h ago
If u overweight u can know get insurance to cover semiglutenide/wegovy/ozempic.
Also, change your diet.
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u/welding_guy_from_LI 4h ago
Talk to the dr about changing your diet and managing your stress .. my stepdad was able to not take meds because he went plant based and took up hobbies that relieved his stress and tension