Diabetics: Your A1C Test Results

[SkyGirl]

My A1C is 4.6 When my regular PCP saw it he freaked out and acted as though I was on death's doorstep.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful Endo, who was very pleased. I'm on Januvia and insulin. My second anniversary will be in March. We've lowered my insulin to 30 units in the AM and 24 units at dinner.

I am Type 2, of course, but went into DKA when I was diagnosed, which is nearly impossible for a Type 2 to get. For nearly 6 months my pancreas wasn't working at all, but we've seen some good improvement lately. He's hoping to get me off the insulin completely, but I'm not sure that's going to happen.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Current A1C is 5.4. I took better care of myself when it was higher. It is a great motivator.

 

[Alsobrook]

5.6

 

[Lisatreasa]

Don't be afraid of medication/insulin to help lower your blood sugar. The complications form having uncontrolled blood sugar levels can be devastating. They can affect everything from your eyes to your feet and everything in between. If you are watching what you eat and are still seeing higher levels, are you exercising? Moderate excercise like riding an excercise bike for 40 minutes can work wonders with your insulin resistance which is what Type II is all about. It may take a few days to see the results but it really does.

You have to be a team with your doctor. If you have had higher than normal A1Cs for a while and the doctor is suggesting insulin you should really think about it. If you have honestly done your part by watching your diet and exercising? If you have then let the doctor do his part. If you have been lax about diet and execercise let this be your wake up call and get on it! Insulin is not the worst thing in the world. Heart disease, kidney disease, retinopathy, neuropathy, liver disease are just a few of the commplications you can get from diabetes.

Do some research. Talk to some people. Ride a bike. Take a brisk walk. By empowering yourself you can take charge of your diabete and not let it take charge of you!

 

[MIGrandma]

Are you exercising? Bumping up exercise can help lower it.

I exercise...some...not like I should, usually 30+ minutes 2-3 times a week lately. I know it should be more like 5 times weekly.

First of all a 7.1 is a blood sugar average of 157... I'd say that is pretty good on the pills. If you don't want to take insulin don't. your A1C shows that your control is decent; just work harder on your diet and exercise.

I live with 2 Type 1's and we'd be thrilled with 7.1 because actually going much lower would be too dangerous because of the constant possibility of undetected lows. So, my opinion is slightly jade by that fact.

Keeping working at it.

Thanks, I really don't want to do the insulin, especially since my A1C tests are at least "going in the right direction." From 7.8, to 7.2 and now 7.1 with another 3-1/2 weeks before I go back to the doctor and they will draw blood for another test too.

Dont be stubborn. My wife has

Retinopathy
Neuropathy
Nephropathy

and

Had has a pancreatic and kidney transplant... All because, she thought she could do better. Dont be stubborn. Someone out there loves you



She turned 51 this monday

First of all, I'm very sorry your wife has all of these problems, I really am. But so far I do not have any of those problems. I see my eye doctor twice a year, my physican twice a year too and get all the blood tests, kidney, etc. If I were to start having problems like that, then yes, I would be more willing to start insulin but since I'm not, and my A1C's are getting better and not worse I do not want to. I am determined to get it under 7 on my own with diet and exercise and the oral medication I'm already taking.

 

[tvguy]

My doctor tested me for the first time, said I am diabetic with a 6.5. Will go in to discuss possible treatments, but lots of exercise and veggies are now part of my routine.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I recommend the d-life website and "rate your plate" eating strategy.

Worked for me.

 

[kellyg403]

OP, I hope that you are able to work it out so that you are in a position to not use insulin if you prefer not to. I can only tell you my dad has taken the meds for years but finally this year his doc put him on the insulin. Honestly, he is better for it. He and my mother argue less since he can eat more of the things he likes. That was worth more than a pot of gold for those in their company. My dad just could NOT get used to watching what he ate. He was sneak eating and then acting like it was normal when his sugar numbers were over 200 Since then, he is doing much better, numbers down, he feels less tired and actually felt good enough to get a little part time job.

Not to hijack this thread but I have a question. My MIL came to visit and she is also a diabetic but still taking just meds. The kids love when she takes their sugar..weird I know. I got talked into it and my number was really low and MIL said she would take it again at 2 hours after eating. It was at a78. She said I needed to see a dr...but my dr acted like it was not a huge deal??? What is the difference between high sugar and low?


Kelly

 

[Toad_Passenger]

OP, I hope that you are able to work it out so that you are in a position to not use insulin if you prefer not to. I can only tell you my dad has taken the meds for years but finally this year his doc put him on the insulin. Honestly, he is better for it. He and my mother argue less since he can eat more of the things he likes. That was worth more than a pot of gold for those in their company. My dad just could NOT get used to watching what he ate. He was sneak eating and then acting like it was normal when his sugar numbers were over 200 Since then, he is doing much better, numbers down, he feels less tired and actually felt good enough to get a little part time job.

Not to hijack this thread but I have a question. My MIL came to visit and she is also a diabetic but still taking just meds. The kids love when she takes their sugar..weird I know. I got talked into it and my number was really low and MIL said she would take it again at 2 hours after eating. It was at a78. She said I needed to see a dr...but my dr acted like it was not a huge deal??? What is the difference between high sugar and low?

Kelly

BBM
I often wonder if there is a metabolic thing going on with how people react to their diabetes and complications.

My grandfather was the one who sent the Type I my way. In fact he was diagnosed at the same age as I was...almost to the day. (scary).

He was one of those who always said 200 was "fine" since he would feel like he was having a hypoglycemic episode if he was under 150. Yes, his Doctors constantly told him to "do better", but he NEVER ended up with any complications. He lived to just about 80 years old (55+ of those years with diabetes), with numbers routinely over 200.

As a Type I sufferer, I often think there is not enough being done to research individual reactions and what's going on "beneath the diabetes." Instead the doctors paint this wide brush of complications.

That being said, I still err on the side of caution and try to keep my numbers down.

 

[thomas998]

Are you taking any other meds for other things?

I was prescribed some prednisone by my dermatologist once and when my normal doctor checked my blood the following week it was sky high. Turns out the prednisone was the reason and after I stopped taking it the numbers dropped back down... So look at everything that you are taking and see if you might be on something that is also raising the blood sugar.... And lastly stress can also push the numbers up so try and stop worrying about it.

 

[metalis4ever]

I'm 30 and was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in February 2011...I also have Hypothyroidism ( I hit the genetic jackpot with that one )

02/17/2011 - Height -6'4 Weight - 272 lbs
A1C = 11
Doctor put me on Actos and Metformin
On 02/17/2011 my blood sugar was 540!!!!!! The Doctor said I was very lucky that something bad didn't happen.

I cut my carbs down to 200 grams a day and still ate goodies such as 1/2 cup of no sugar added Edys ice cream every night...I worked out a little and still ate pizza and the things I love just in moderation keeping to the 200 grams of carbs split throughout the day 15g = 1 serving.

05/17/2011 - 6'4 - 240 lbs
A1C = 5.6
Doctor took me off Actos but kept me on Metformin

I continued to work out here and there, lifted a little and did ZERO cardio...Kept my carbs to 200 grams and added a little more junk food back into my diet but in moderation, i.e snack size snickers bars, peanut m&m's, half a donut once a week.

08/17/2011 - 6'4 - 227 lbs
A1C = 5.1

Still on Metformin but the Doctor says if I lose 10 more pounds by November 17 that he will take me off the Metformin.

In other words in 6 months I gave Diabetes the Hogan Big Boot and Leg Drop if I continue on course in 9 Months I will be off the Medication entirely. I refuse to let anything conquer me and I kneel before nothing or no one so that was all the motivation I needed to kick the crap out of Diabetes

OP good luck with getting your numbers down You just need to find out the correct combination for your body, for me it was balance and moderation but everyone is different

 

[Kitten]

What does your doctor want your A1C levels at and what are you actively doing to get your blood sugars under control? You need to take a hard look at your lifestyle and with your doctors advice decide if your diabetes can truly be managed with what you're doing now. You say your A1C is 7.1...that translates to an average glucose in the 180's....somedays its lower but somedays its HIGHER. Nothing good is coming from having a glucose that high. You will eventually have some of the complications some of the PP's have mentioned. Why risk that??

 

[MIGrandma]

I'm 30 and was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in February 2011...I also have Hypothyroidism ( I hit the genetic jackpot with that one )

02/17/2011 - Height -6'4 Weight - 272 lbs
A1C = 11
Doctor put me on Actos and Metformin
On 02/17/2011 my blood sugar was 540!!!!!! The Doctor said I was very lucky that something bad didn't happen.

I cut my carbs down to 200 grams a day and still ate goodies such as 1/2 cup of no sugar added Edys ice cream every night...I worked out a little and still ate pizza and the things I love just in moderation keeping to the 200 grams of carbs split throughout the day 15g = 1 serving.

05/17/2011 - 6'4 - 240 lbs
A1C = 5.6
Doctor took me off Actos but kept me on Metformin

I continued to work out here and there, lifted a little and did ZERO cardio...Kept my carbs to 200 grams and added a little more junk food back into my diet but in moderation, i.e snack size snickers bars, peanut m&m's, half a donut once a week.

08/17/2011 - 6'4 - 227 lbs
A1C = 5.1

Still on Metformin but the Doctor says if I lose 10 more pounds by November 17 that he will take me off the Metformin.

In other words in 6 months I gave Diabetes the Hogan Big Boot and Leg Drop if I continue on course in 9 Months I will be off the Medication entirely. I refuse to let anything conquer me and I kneel before nothing or no one so that was all the motivation I needed to kick the crap out of Diabetes

OP good luck with getting your numbers down You just need to find out the correct combination for your body, for me it was balance and moderation but everyone is different

Thank you so much for telling me your story, I appreciate you taking the time. Congratulations on the wonderful progress you've made, that is awesome! I did well when I was first diagnosed, I dropped 40 pounds in a few short months and was walking, walking and more walking (2-5 miles per day, 4/5 times per week) but after awhile I got lazy. So my A1C number has fluctuated over the years, but has been worse than it is now and the doctor didn't say anything about insulin. In fact, the time before it was 7.8 and he didn't say a word about it. So why, at 7.2, when it's going in the right direction did he want me to start it? That is what confuses me. But as I said in my OP, this was said by one of the other doctors in the office, not the one I see so I probably shouldn't even dwell on it.

What does your doctor want your A1C levels at and what are you actively doing to get your blood sugars under control? You need to take a hard look at your lifestyle and with your doctors advice decide if your diabetes can truly be managed with what you're doing now. You say your A1C is 7.1...that translates to an average glucose in the 180's....somedays its lower but somedays its HIGHER. Nothing good is coming from having a glucose that high. You will eventually have some of the complications some of the PP's have mentioned. Why risk that??

They want it under 7.0, so at 7.1 it's almost there. I have a chart for the A1C test to translate into average blood glucose and mine said 157, not 180 as you say. Plus another poster said that too. You want to know why I would want to risk it? As long as the A1C results are going in the right direction, and I don't have any signs of problems, why start insulin just yet? If I back slide and it goes up and gets worse then yes, I would agree that I probably should. But for now I would rather get it under control with diet and exercise and not add shots.

 

[manning]

You can eat anything you want EXCEPT YOU HAVE TO WATCH YOUR INTAKE OF CARBS. It doesn't mean you have to quit eating the, just cut down on them!!

I love carbs, but now I eat very little of them. Just enough to get a taste.

I found out I was diabetic close to two years ago. My blood sugar was over 200. Now it is around 100 and A1C 5.5. The doctor took me off of meds to see how I handle it. He said lots of people like to control it with meds because it is easier, but also said to control it with diet and exercise is much better.

 

[MIGrandma]

You can eat anything you want EXCEPT YOU HAVE TO WATCH YOUR INTAKE OF CARBS. It doesn't mean you have to quit eating the, just cut down on them!!

I love carbs, but now I eat very little of them. Just enough to get a taste.

I found out I was diabetic close to two years ago. My blood sugar was over 200. Now it is around 100 and A1C 5.5. The doctor took me off of meds to see how I handle it. He said lots of people like to control it with meds because it is easier, but also said to control it with diet and exercise is much better.

Yes, I know that. You don't have to yell at me.

No, seriously when I was first diagnosed I spoke with the hospital's nutritionist and she told me that even though I'm diabetic there is NO food that I can't have. I just have to plan for it. As in, if I know I'm going out for lunch and will want dessert, then have a salad of lettuce and veggies for dinner, stuff like that. And I do try to limit my carbs, but at 7.1 I'm not limiting them enough.

I don't have much of a problem with sweets, I can leave them alone, or if I do have something it's a tiny portion or just a couple of bites to satisfy my craving for it.

Plus I'm gluten intolerant so try to avoid wheat as much as I can, so that limits my food choices even more and it gets so frustrating.

I try not to snack much in the evenings, if I do it's fresh peppers (green, yellow, orange and red) with a little hummus, or an apple or grapes, etc.

And I am drinking more decaf coffee and hot tea in the afternoons when I get that snack craving, to avoid putting more food in my mouth.

So, I'm trying...just need to work at it a wee bit harder to get that number under 7.0, I know. *sigh*

Last night before bed my blood glucose was 78, so I did have about 8 vanilla wafers. This morning at 6:45 it was 88, so was okay. I've also been checking a couple hours after I eat sometimes, to see how a certain food affects me.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I am Type 2, diagnosed ~5 years ago. I was doing really well up until about 18 months ago, when we moved and my exercise routine went kerflooey. 6 months ago my A1C was back up to 7.3. I joined the Y and got myself back on a solid exercise routine. Six weeks ago my A1C was 6.9. I go next week to my primary doc to get it measured again and am hoping for something south of 6.9.

I use oral meds (metformin and actoplus), don't eat as well as I should, and (as of now) exercise probably better than most folks my age. I know that if I tightened up my diet I would drop more weight and probably have even better control. I count myself as lucky because I don't have the highs and lows that most diabetics have. The fatigue has not caught me yet, although I know as I age and my body changes it likely could.

Also, I am diligent about having regular/annual appointments with specialists for eye and foot care.

 

[Gina]

I just wanted to say I am following this thread closely, and also wanted to say thanks for all the experiences that y'all have posted so far. I found out I am apparently diabetic last month, after having a heart attack and a stent put in at age 45. Also found out I had extremely high blood pressure & high cholesterol. I can't quite remember what the cardiologist said my A1C was... but I want to say 8? I do remember that he said it wasn't "shockingly high." Apparently not as bad as my bp was.

I'm on Metformin now, and am losing weight, and luckily no other interventions at this point. He did tell me that the blocked artery was caused by high blood sugars being uncontrolled for who knows how long, which causes the artery walls to become rough and makes the plaque stick much worse.

I go back in December for another A1C test, and I'm sure hoping I've managed to lower the number at least a bit. The diet thing is hard -- I'm a carb fanatic -- but the results are worth it. I don't want to scare my son like that again!!

Anyways, it is a big help to read about all of your perspectives and experiences!


-gina-

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I just wanted to say I am following this thread closely, and also wanted to say thanks for all the experiences that y'all have posted so far. I found out I am apparently diabetic last month, after having a heart attack and a stent put in at age 45. Also found out I had extremely high blood pressure & high cholesterol. I can't quite remember what the cardiologist said my A1C was... but I want to say 8? I do remember that he said it wasn't "shockingly high." Apparently not as bad as my bp was.

I'm on Metformin now, and am losing weight, and luckily no other interventions at this point. He did tell me that the blocked artery was caused by high blood sugars being uncontrolled for who knows how long, which causes the artery walls to become rough and makes the plaque stick much worse.

I go back in December for another A1C test, and I'm sure hoping I've managed to lower the number at least a bit. The diet thing is hard -- I'm a carb fanatic -- but the results are worth it. I don't want to scare my son like that again!!

Anyways, it is a big help to read about all of your perspectives and experiences!


-gina-

I wish you much success in your pursuit of improved health. Although I did not have a heart attack, when I was diagnosed I had the classic "metabolic syndrome" profile. My cholesterol was high, BP high, triglycerides high, etc. Those other factors all returned to surprisingly healthy levels pretty quickly when I started addressing the blood sugar. I hope you find quick results as well.

 

[Disney Doll]

I'm 30 and was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in February 2011...I also have Hypothyroidism ( I hit the genetic jackpot with that one )

02/17/2011 - Height -6'4 Weight - 272 lbs
A1C = 11
Doctor put me on Actos and Metformin
On 02/17/2011 my blood sugar was 540!!!!!! The Doctor said I was very lucky that something bad didn't happen.

I cut my carbs down to 200 grams a day and still ate goodies such as 1/2 cup of no sugar added Edys ice cream every night...I worked out a little and still ate pizza and the things I love just in moderation keeping to the 200 grams of carbs split throughout the day 15g = 1 serving.

05/17/2011 - 6'4 - 240 lbs
A1C = 5.6
Doctor took me off Actos but kept me on Metformin

I continued to work out here and there, lifted a little and did ZERO cardio...Kept my carbs to 200 grams and added a little more junk food back into my diet but in moderation, i.e snack size snickers bars, peanut m&m's, half a donut once a week.

08/17/2011 - 6'4 - 227 lbs
A1C = 5.1

Still on Metformin but the Doctor says if I lose 10 more pounds by November 17 that he will take me off the Metformin.

In other words in 6 months I gave Diabetes the Hogan Big Boot and Leg Drop if I continue on course in 9 Months I will be off the Medication entirely. I refuse to let anything conquer me and I kneel before nothing or no one so that was all the motivation I needed to kick the crap out of Diabetes

OP good luck with getting your numbers down You just need to find out the correct combination for your body, for me it was balance and moderation but everyone is different

Actually, once you are diabetic, you are always diabetic.

9 months from now you will be a diet/exercise-controlled diabetic.

Congratulations on your progress!

 

[metalis4ever]

Actually, once you are diabetic, you are always diabetic.

9 months from now you will be a diet/exercise-controlled diabetic.

Congratulations on your progress!

Thanks Way to be Debbie Downer Just kidding I realize that, what I meant by my post was that I wasn't going to let Diabetes ruin my life I took control of it right away so that way 10 years from now I am not struggling with it. If I change my lifestyle now I will have way more pancreatic cells left to help me out when I am older so I won't need to increase the metformin dosage or get to the point where I need insulin

My mother-in law passed away at age 43 from not taking care of her Diabetes so I owe it to my DW to not put her through that type of loss at the hands of Diabetes ever again. My DW appreciates my hard work and dedication to staying as healthy as possible, she also knows that I am doing it for her as much as I am myself so that knowledge and the fact that I don't like to lose is driving me to put down the box of oatmeal cream pies and get off the Metformin for good

I wish everyone the best of luck in finding how to manage Diabetes