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surgery didn't notice dh about hba1c levels 3yrs ago until now, now he's diabetic

41 replies

ohreallyIsee · 15/10/2025 16:58

dh was mystified to get a letter asking him to come in for a blood test as hba1 levels indicated he was prediabetic but the last blood test he had was in 2022. He made an appointment and it seems that his levels were 41 and 42 in 2021 and 2022 but he slipped "through the net" and it wasn't noted.
He's just got his results back and it's 50 so he now has a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. If we had known about this in 21/22 he could have made changes which may have prevented or delayed the onset.

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CopperWhite · 17/10/2025 17:11

That is awful OP. Your family has been massively let down, and you should make a formal complaint in the hope that no one else’s illness get missed.

VickyEadieofThigh · 17/10/2025 17:02

FullBl00m · 17/10/2025 11:12

But she hasn’t become diabetic and maybe she would be had she not embraced a healthy living lifestyle. And that’s really the point of identifying “pre-diabetes”, to prevent, or delay, progression to diabetes. She will absolutely be benefiting from the changes
she has made.

My point was aimed at those claiming a person who is pre/diabetic can "easily" reverse the condition. Some can, others cannot - no matter how healthily (like my partner was) they were eating prior to diagnosis OR how keto (as she has) they make their diet subsequently.

FullBl00m · 17/10/2025 11:18

Ireolu · 15/10/2025 18:09

With no symptoms he needs 2 hba1c over 48 to be diabetic technically. He can still reverse it but he is clearly at high risk of diabetes.

Also 41/42 is not the same as 46/47. Most of ours will have a conversation withe nurse for change lifestyles but majority end up with diabetes. The GLP 1s are helping keep our numbers down.

Just reiterating this as the OP does not seem to have acknowledged it.

A single HbA1c of 50 in the absence of symptoms does not meet criteria for a diagnosis of T2DM. He needs a second blood sample to confirm diagnosis.

That said, diabetes or pre-diabetes, the same changes will be beneficial for both.

FullBl00m · 17/10/2025 11:12

VickyEadieofThigh · 16/10/2025 10:18

He MIGHT - but not everyone's body responds in the same way.

My partner was diagnosed 'pre-diabetic almost 2 years ago, despite having a very healthy BMI and eating an extremely healthy diet. I will add that we eat much the same diet, except I eat more carbs than she does; I am much more physically active, however as she has physical issues resulting from osteoporosis.

She has absolutely embraced every aspect of the advice she's been given (she attended the 'course' offered by the NHS and has stuck to it like a zealot) - but still is stuck in 're-diabetic range. There is type 2 diabetes in her family and it seems likely it's a genetic issue rather than lifestyle on her part.

But she hasn’t become diabetic and maybe she would be had she not embraced a healthy living lifestyle. And that’s really the point of identifying “pre-diabetes”, to prevent, or delay, progression to diabetes. She will absolutely be benefiting from the changes
she has made.

PollyBell · 17/10/2025 07:58

So it is everyone's else's fault?

popcornandpotatoes · 17/10/2025 07:44

BretonStripe · 17/10/2025 04:29

Fat with a bmi of 27? Hmmm...

A BMI of 27 is overweight though?

millymollymoomoo · 17/10/2025 07:38

You need to cut carbs right down, and start with savoury meal not cereal/porridge/toast juice etc.

cook simple whole foods and leafy green veg.

thisishowloween · 17/10/2025 07:35

CountryChristmas · 16/10/2025 10:25

He knew he was overweight, his diet wasn't great and age wasn’t on his side. It’s ridiculous to say he’d have made changes if he’d have known the results, but he didn’t think being overweight and eating rubbish was enough to think he should change anyway. Yes, the surgery should have informed him, but people need to take some personal responsibility. What did he think would happen, that he could get older, eat shit, be fat and be fine? 😬

Edited

Lots of people ARE fine though. That’s the problem - it’s not as simple as bad diet = diabetes and health issues.

3flyingducksarrive · 17/10/2025 04:43

There seems to be an urban legend prevailing at the moment that diabetes can 'easily' be reversed. That's absolute bollocks. Some people on a VLCD or a very low carb diet can put their diabetes into remission but not everyone is going to be able to do this.

I was on a very low carb diet, following the Glucose Goddess's rules and while I now test in the non-diabetic range, I'm still on metformin and ozempic. Take either of those out of the picture and I'd be straight back to diabetic ranges.

Not all diabetes is preventable, not everyone will be able to go into remission. Making every effort to achieve this is very worthwhile as any drop in your Hba1C reduces your risks but it's not a personal failing if you don't go into remission. Sometimes it just is what it is.

FeeFiFoFummy · 17/10/2025 04:37

Nearly50omg · 15/10/2025 19:15

Everyone knows if you don’t eat healthily you are at risk of diabetes 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ don’t blame someone else for your own decisions

Quite!

BretonStripe · 17/10/2025 04:29

CountryChristmas · 16/10/2025 10:25

He knew he was overweight, his diet wasn't great and age wasn’t on his side. It’s ridiculous to say he’d have made changes if he’d have known the results, but he didn’t think being overweight and eating rubbish was enough to think he should change anyway. Yes, the surgery should have informed him, but people need to take some personal responsibility. What did he think would happen, that he could get older, eat shit, be fat and be fine? 😬

Edited

Fat with a bmi of 27? Hmmm...

CountryChristmas · 16/10/2025 10:25

He knew he was overweight, his diet wasn't great and age wasn’t on his side. It’s ridiculous to say he’d have made changes if he’d have known the results, but he didn’t think being overweight and eating rubbish was enough to think he should change anyway. Yes, the surgery should have informed him, but people need to take some personal responsibility. What did he think would happen, that he could get older, eat shit, be fat and be fine? 😬

WearyAuldWumman · 16/10/2025 10:20

MultiFucktional · 15/10/2025 17:13

Many patients stay pre diabetic for several years, some don’t tip into diabetic for a long time, even with never making lifestyle changes.

If he makes the lifestyle changes now that he would have made had he known, then he can easily go back down and be classed as diabetes resolved.

Yes, this happened to an acquaintance of mine.

VickyEadieofThigh · 16/10/2025 10:18

Jellybunny56 · 15/10/2025 20:28

I wouldn’t worry too much, if he would have been prepared to make changes then all he has to do is make those same changes now and he can resolve the diabetes.

He MIGHT - but not everyone's body responds in the same way.

My partner was diagnosed 'pre-diabetic almost 2 years ago, despite having a very healthy BMI and eating an extremely healthy diet. I will add that we eat much the same diet, except I eat more carbs than she does; I am much more physically active, however as she has physical issues resulting from osteoporosis.

She has absolutely embraced every aspect of the advice she's been given (she attended the 'course' offered by the NHS and has stuck to it like a zealot) - but still is stuck in 're-diabetic range. There is type 2 diabetes in her family and it seems likely it's a genetic issue rather than lifestyle on her part.

Musicaltheatremum · 15/10/2025 22:29

AppropriateAdult · 15/10/2025 19:45

Levels up to 42 are considered normal, OP, so certainly in my practice (I’m a GP) this wouldn’t have flagged up as a result that needed action…

I'm retired now but was going to say the same!

popcornandpotatoes · 15/10/2025 21:16

Glucose Goddess is on Instagram, she also did a short series on channel 4 earlier this year where she reversed someone's diabetes through diet without extreme cutting of carbs. Might be on all 4

OwlBeThere · 15/10/2025 20:39

FuzzyWolf · 15/10/2025 19:44

So he was having annual blood tests to check and then didn’t take responsibility for booking them for three years and now it’s somebody else’s fault that his lifestyle choices have negatively impacted him?

Where did you dream this up from? Seriously I wonder what people are reading sometimes. At no point did she say he was having regular bloods.
also if he was having no symptoms and his bmi is not that high, he’s active then how on earth were they meant to know he was at risk?

lljkk · 15/10/2025 20:35

ohreallyIsee · 15/10/2025 20:24

I am trying to improve our general diet as I need to lose weight(have lost about a stone) and have also been diagnosed with silent reflux(chronic cough and catarrh). We don't keep a lot of sweet stuff or crisps now in the house now) and I'm trying to cook from scratch a lot more and meal planning.

There is a lot of advice here.
Diet is just the start of things you can do.

surgery didn't notice dh about hba1c levels 3yrs ago until now, now he's diabetic
BretonStripe · 15/10/2025 20:31

It would have been better to have been given the borderline prediabetic warning a few years ago, I agree. I had a blood test at the start of the year and my hba1c was 42, so I was put on the NHS Diabetes Prevention course (last check was 18 months ago when it was 35). My BMI is also 27 and I eat healthily and exercise regularly. But I have cut down on refined sugars and carbs more, and lost 3kgs.

I'd be a bit miffed if I was your dh, but hindsight is a wonderful thing, and at least now you can seek guidance going forward. Good luck x

Jellybunny56 · 15/10/2025 20:28

I wouldn’t worry too much, if he would have been prepared to make changes then all he has to do is make those same changes now and he can resolve the diabetes.

ohreallyIsee · 15/10/2025 20:24

I am trying to improve our general diet as I need to lose weight(have lost about a stone) and have also been diagnosed with silent reflux(chronic cough and catarrh). We don't keep a lot of sweet stuff or crisps now in the house now) and I'm trying to cook from scratch a lot more and meal planning.

OP posts:
thisishowloween · 15/10/2025 20:16

DH was diagnosed diabetic a few months ago.

I know it feels really scary but honestly it's not. He will be okay.

ohreallyIsee · 15/10/2025 20:11

The test he just had was a hba1c of 50

OP posts:
lljkk · 15/10/2025 20:11

Have you sat down together to make a list of what changes he is wiling to make and how to put them into action? Sounds like he'll need your support.

ohreallyIsee · 15/10/2025 20:11

FuzzyWolf · 15/10/2025 19:44

So he was having annual blood tests to check and then didn’t take responsibility for booking them for three years and now it’s somebody else’s fault that his lifestyle choices have negatively impacted him?

No, the first test was for an investigation then the second in 2022 was for a well man general health check offered at his age where we are, the surgery said they would get back to him if needed, that was 3 years ago but they only called him back 3 weeks ago, he should have been having the bloods annually after the second result but he wasn't informed

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