| Hi Achilles,
I think you are doing well - half the battle is paying attention to how your body reacts to food and exercise etc ...
We are all different so YMMV - what worked for me was to do as my doctor suggested ... I took one metformin 500mg every day before breakfast - for a whole year.
I also worked hard on a balanced diet (not low carb - not high carb) plenty of veggies.
I think portion control is the single best thing I can suggest you pay attention to.
Your BMI works out at 26 - you could loose 20/30 pounds and still be healthy ... or at least replace any fat with muscle - muscle uses up that glucose more efficiently.
A year after my diagnosis, with my doctors agreement, I stopped taking medication ... that was about seven months ago. So far, my control remains good.
I eat a sensible diet and exercise regularly (I like to run and am currently 'training' for my first half marathon)
Its early days for me but I think I have made and am continuing to make improvements to my lifestyle that I will maintain for the rest of my life. Slow, steady and continued progress ... so far so good!
My doctor explained to me the reason for the metformin was to aggressively attack the early signs of diabetes. It also significantly contributed to me losing about 30 pounds.(apparently metformin was originally designed as a weight loss pill!)
In answer to what constitutes good control, for me I aim for as near 'normal' numbers as possible. I don't always get them but I always aim for them. I don't accept the argument that goes "you are diabetic so you will have diabetic numbers". If my control slips at some point in the future I will consider taking meds again but I hope to use long term lifestyle changes to maintain my good control.
This is just what works for me, we all have to find our own path through the diabetes jungle.
Some must use meds, others probably don't need them but are not prepared to put the work into lifestyle changes that would remove their need for them.
Anyway this is just my 2 cents worth.
Good luck and keep testing!
__________________
Hemoglobin A1C:
October 2006, 6.3% | January 2007, 6.1% | April 2007, 5.5% | July 2007, 5.4% | October 2007, 5.4% | January 2008, 5.0% | April 2008, 5.5% | July 2008, 5.5%
First year after diagnosis: Diet, exercise and 1 x 500 MG Metformin daily.
Second year after diagnosis: Experimenting with just diet and exercise.
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