RE: ADA A1C information

[Guest guest]

Wow!, Mark you are doing good. Things do change. When I was first

diagnosed as being a diabetic in 1987 following my first heart attack, one

was considered to be a borderline diabetic if one rand a fasting blood sugar

greater than 140 consistently. I did for around two years before my heart

attack. Six months after the heart attack it was reported in the medical

journals that a borderline diabetic should be treated aggressively with

medications and diet in order to avoid a heart attack. Well, that news came

too late for me. Today there is better information, research and technology

available, and who knows what it will be like in five or ten more years?

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Harrry:

>>>>

>>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and

>>>> Kidney

>>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6;

>>>> the

>>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C

>>>> measurement.

>>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge.

>>>> There

>>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am

>>>> not

>>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why

>>>> I

>>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>>

>>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as

>>>> much

>>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>>

>>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>>

>>>> Mike Freeman

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page.

>>>>> I

>>>>> feel

>>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>>> " normal

>>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> of

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>>> of

>>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> for

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also

>>>>> you

>>>>> will

>>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>>> that

>>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>>> metric

>>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>>> for

>>>>> a

>>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C

>>>>> of

>>>>> 5.0.

>>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>>> months

>>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>>> have

>>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>>

>>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C test

>>>>>

>>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>>> other

>>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>>> (sugar)

>>>>> at

>>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar control:

>>>>> List of 2 items

>>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>>> any

>>>>> one

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>>> that

>>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>>> gives

>>>>> you

>>>>> a

>>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>>> months.

>>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>>> plan

>>>>> is

>>>>> working.

>>>>>

>>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>>> overall

>>>>> success.

>>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>>> record

>>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>>

>>>>> How It Works

>>>>>

>>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C.

>>>>> You

>>>>> may

>>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>>> found

>>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>>> all

>>>>> the

>>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>>> such

>>>>> as glucose.

>>>>>

>>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> in

>>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>>> links

>>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>>> in

>>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>>> measure

>>>>> the

>>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>>

>>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>>> last

>>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>>> blood

>>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>>> of

>>>>> more

>>>>> A1C.

>>>>>

>>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>>> your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>>> a

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cell.

>>>>>

>>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> level is

>>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>>> range

>>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for

>>>>> a

>>>>> long

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>>> diagnosed

>>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>>> glucose

>>>>> control,

>>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>>> is

>>>>> the

>>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>>> about

>>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>>> your

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>>

>>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>>

>>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two

>>>>> examples.

>>>>>

>>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years,

>>>>> he

>>>>> and

>>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>>> diabetes

>>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>>> that

>>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>>> would

>>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>>

>>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>>> when

>>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range.

>>>>> But

>>>>> the

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>>> didn't

>>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test.

>>>>> The

>>>>> test

>>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>>> exercise program

>>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make

>>>>> a

>>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>>

>>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>>> and

>>>>> urine

>>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day

>>>>> and

>>>>> to

>>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>>

>>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the

>>>>> ideal

>>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>>> her

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>>> been

>>>>> poor

>>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>>> finger

>>>>> and putting

>>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> test

>>>>> errors.

>>>>>

>>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>>> got

>>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>>> balance.

>>>>> At

>>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results

>>>>> showed

>>>>> good

>>>>> news about her control.

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>>> List of 3 items

>>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>>> control.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> Test Limit

>>>>>

>>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>>> control. You can't

>>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>>> effective

>>>>> control.

>>>>>

>>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>>> different

>>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>>> might

>>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>>

>>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>>> been

>>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>>> on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>>> lab

>>>>> does

>>>>> the test.

>>>>>

>>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>>> change

>>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>>> " read "

>>>>> differently.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>>> But

>>>>> it

>>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>>> work

>>>>> for

>>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

[Guest guest]

You give some great advice! I look to all sources, and when I can I also

include them in

my posts here. That is if they are not too much trouble to quote. This is

a good reason to read professional refereed journals, which keeps a person

up to date for the most part. This may not have happened to you, but I have

seen erroneous information reported in college textbooks, and it is not a

rare occurrence.

It may also surprise you to know that most doctors get their information

after graduating from medical school from drug representatives. I worked

with many doctors for decades on a daily basis side by side, and I can

definitely say without a doubt that most of them did not read their medical

journals regularly. There were some who did and they also shared them with

me, but I can say for certain that practicing doctors who read their medical

journals are definitely in the minority.

Re: ADA A1C information

>I was introduced to carb counting (matching to insulin, not necessarily

> limiting carbs) in 2000. I am not sure when Atkins became popular. But the

> standards for A1c's and blood sugar levels have been steadily getting

> tighter over the years. When I was diagnosed in 1991 an A1c of 7% was

> considered excellent control and my target range for before meals was

> 4-10.

> No one knew that testing after meals was even important. Nowadays that is

> not good control. I do not think you can blame doctors for not knowing;

> they

> knew what was acceptable control back then, it's just that fifteen years

> ago

> there wasn't the research showing that tight control helped lessen

> complications like there is today, and the tools available (in my case

> insulins) were not as effective as they are today, so tighter control

> would

> have been extremely difficult. Recent studies that have shown a

> significant

> decline in the rate of diabetes complications today compared to ten or

> twenty years ago testify to the fact that obviously even today's standards

> are working, even if some people think they are still not tight enough.

>

> As for A1c's, I think that depends on which lab you go to and which

> organization you think is most credible. I did a quick Google search and

> everything I could find said 4-6% was normal. Personally I would be happy

> with an A1c of 6.0% or lower, but if you want to aim for lower, more power

> to you! I think, though, that for those trying to get in control after

> being

> out of control it's good to aim for a bit higher target temporarily. If

> you

> are starting with an A1c of 8 or 9 and the next one is 6, great! Then you

> can later aim for a 5 if you want to. If you aim for a 5 initially and

> then

> your next A1c is only a 6, that would be extremely discouraging and

> depressing if someone had put tons of effort into carb counting and

> figuring

> carb ratios and correction factors and exercised more, etc. Perhaps my

> ideas

> of things are a bit different because I haven't had complications, but I

> think there is a balancing act between striving for excellent diabetes

> control and at the same time not letting it dominate your life. Some

> people

> can achieve an A1c of 5 and still not think about diabetes a lot. Others

> might find that while they can achieve and A1c of 6, achieving one of 5

> requires so much energy and thought that they don't have a time when they

> can not think about how such-and-such a factor is affecting their blood

> sugar. For them, I would say an A1c of 6 is fine; for those who choose to

> strive for a lower one, that is fine, too. But I also think it's important

> to express this A1c goal as OPINION, and not fact, unless you back it up

> with wherever you found the information. Also, the level at which

> complications occurs depends on the individual. There are people who have

> had A1c's of 7, 8, 9, or higher for years and don't have a single

> complication. There are also people who have always had an A1c of 5 or 6

> and

> end up with multiple complications. To my knowledge no one knows why this

> happens.

>

> Just a comment on the whole internet research thing: as someone who has

> been

> immersed in academia for the past five years, I do not use online sources

> for research. In fact in many university classes students are not allowed

> to

> use online sources to back up their arguments or provide evidence, unless

> it's an online edition of a peer-reviewed journal as can be accessed

> through

> databases like EBSCOhost or Medline. The difference between something from

> a

> peer-reviewed journal, book, or even magazine or news item is that anyone,

> and I really do mean anyone, can put up a website that looks credible.

> Domain names nowadays cost sometimes less than $10 annually; web authoring

> software allows even people who don't know HTML to design very

> sophisticated

> sites, and most ISPs now include free space to host a site to the average

> customer. With internet cafés and computers at most libraries, you don't

> even need to own a computer yourself to launch a website. If I were

> inclined

> to do so, I could stick up a site promoting my ideas or my book or my

> product in no time, and any crackpot can say anything they want online

> because there is no peer reviewing or editors or publisher to refuse to

> publish it or to ask them to back up their information. Because of I'd say

> if someone is citing a website as a source, include that website in the

> e-mail so that readers can take a look and decide for themselves if it is

> credible.

>

> Anyway, just my two cents worth on the posts today.

>

> Jen

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

You give some great advice! I look to all sources, and when I can I also

include them in

my posts here. That is if they are not too much trouble to quote. This is

a good reason to read professional refereed journals, which keeps a person

up to date for the most part. This may not have happened to you, but I have

seen erroneous information reported in college textbooks, and it is not a

rare occurrence.

It may also surprise you to know that most doctors get their information

after graduating from medical school from drug representatives. I worked

with many doctors for decades on a daily basis side by side, and I can

definitely say without a doubt that most of them did not read their medical

journals regularly. There were some who did and they also shared them with

me, but I can say for certain that practicing doctors who read their medical

journals are definitely in the minority.

Re: ADA A1C information

>I was introduced to carb counting (matching to insulin, not necessarily

> limiting carbs) in 2000. I am not sure when Atkins became popular. But the

> standards for A1c's and blood sugar levels have been steadily getting

> tighter over the years. When I was diagnosed in 1991 an A1c of 7% was

> considered excellent control and my target range for before meals was

> 4-10.

> No one knew that testing after meals was even important. Nowadays that is

> not good control. I do not think you can blame doctors for not knowing;

> they

> knew what was acceptable control back then, it's just that fifteen years

> ago

> there wasn't the research showing that tight control helped lessen

> complications like there is today, and the tools available (in my case

> insulins) were not as effective as they are today, so tighter control

> would

> have been extremely difficult. Recent studies that have shown a

> significant

> decline in the rate of diabetes complications today compared to ten or

> twenty years ago testify to the fact that obviously even today's standards

> are working, even if some people think they are still not tight enough.

>

> As for A1c's, I think that depends on which lab you go to and which

> organization you think is most credible. I did a quick Google search and

> everything I could find said 4-6% was normal. Personally I would be happy

> with an A1c of 6.0% or lower, but if you want to aim for lower, more power

> to you! I think, though, that for those trying to get in control after

> being

> out of control it's good to aim for a bit higher target temporarily. If

> you

> are starting with an A1c of 8 or 9 and the next one is 6, great! Then you

> can later aim for a 5 if you want to. If you aim for a 5 initially and

> then

> your next A1c is only a 6, that would be extremely discouraging and

> depressing if someone had put tons of effort into carb counting and

> figuring

> carb ratios and correction factors and exercised more, etc. Perhaps my

> ideas

> of things are a bit different because I haven't had complications, but I

> think there is a balancing act between striving for excellent diabetes

> control and at the same time not letting it dominate your life. Some

> people

> can achieve an A1c of 5 and still not think about diabetes a lot. Others

> might find that while they can achieve and A1c of 6, achieving one of 5

> requires so much energy and thought that they don't have a time when they

> can not think about how such-and-such a factor is affecting their blood

> sugar. For them, I would say an A1c of 6 is fine; for those who choose to

> strive for a lower one, that is fine, too. But I also think it's important

> to express this A1c goal as OPINION, and not fact, unless you back it up

> with wherever you found the information. Also, the level at which

> complications occurs depends on the individual. There are people who have

> had A1c's of 7, 8, 9, or higher for years and don't have a single

> complication. There are also people who have always had an A1c of 5 or 6

> and

> end up with multiple complications. To my knowledge no one knows why this

> happens.

>

> Just a comment on the whole internet research thing: as someone who has

> been

> immersed in academia for the past five years, I do not use online sources

> for research. In fact in many university classes students are not allowed

> to

> use online sources to back up their arguments or provide evidence, unless

> it's an online edition of a peer-reviewed journal as can be accessed

> through

> databases like EBSCOhost or Medline. The difference between something from

> a

> peer-reviewed journal, book, or even magazine or news item is that anyone,

> and I really do mean anyone, can put up a website that looks credible.

> Domain names nowadays cost sometimes less than $10 annually; web authoring

> software allows even people who don't know HTML to design very

> sophisticated

> sites, and most ISPs now include free space to host a site to the average

> customer. With internet cafés and computers at most libraries, you don't

> even need to own a computer yourself to launch a website. If I were

> inclined

> to do so, I could stick up a site promoting my ideas or my book or my

> product in no time, and any crackpot can say anything they want online

> because there is no peer reviewing or editors or publisher to refuse to

> publish it or to ask them to back up their information. Because of I'd say

> if someone is citing a website as a source, include that website in the

> e-mail so that readers can take a look and decide for themselves if it is

> credible.

>

> Anyway, just my two cents worth on the posts today.

>

> Jen

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

sounds like you must have had your first heart attack in your forty's. did

it happen with out any warning signs or did you have some signs and just

wasn't aware of what they were? I ask my doctor if it could be my heart that

is elevating my muscle enzymes to all most triple what normal is. he said

that I am still under fifty and it isn't likely that it is my heart. but I

am about 300 pounds, have high blood presser and have had diabetes for three

years now. my daddy had his first heart attack when he was 56 and had by

pass operation and lived another eleven years. but he was never a diabetic.

your heart is a muscle and it seems to reason to me that if my muscles all

over my body ache from my enzymes being elevated, then it seems to me that

it would also hurt my heart. I go to see a specialist in two weeks to see if

he can figure out the problem. I have been working on a saw line for over 28

years now and they think it could be job related, but since this is the same

work I have been doing for years, they aren't really leaning that way. they

say the two drugs that they normally treat the problem with, I can't take

because I am diabetic. we all have to do our best to control this diabetes

monster, even if it is an unpredictable disease. some folks can get away

with eating lots of carbs and having a A1c of seven or eight and do ok for

years, but then some of us control it and keep it under six and have all

kinds of problems with the disease. it really doesn't seem fare, but then

again no one said life will always be fare. right now I have been cutting

out most of, coffee, pop, carbs, and exercising on my bike every day and

feeling like crap for the most part. but my A1c is coming down and my two

hour post is under 120 most of the time. so I guess my body is going through

with draws and really pissed off at me right now. they say that over half of

America will be come type two diabetics in the near future if they continue

to eat all the fast foods that are out there. you would think that our

government would figure this out and try to turn the tide. because the cost

of medical bills from diabetics will continue to rise. but I guess it is

like most things here in our country. some one or some one's are making lots

of money from diabetic medicine and supplies, so why do any thing about it?

stopping the people from eating wrong will cut in to there pockets and they

can't make as much money on our bad eating habits. but if most of us are

dead from eating wrong and be coming diabetics and cutting our life short,

then who will fill there pockets full of cash? some folks say that no matter

how healthy you try to live and take lots of vitamins and eat right, it

doesn't really make a difference. they say if your parents and grand parents

had the geans to cause bad hearts or cancer you will get it probably no

matter your life style. maybe they are right to a degree, but why not at

least try to increase your odds and be as healthy as you can be and take

your chances? besides, eating right and some exercise will cause you to

actually feel better then doing nothing for your health and throwing good

sense to the wind. I hear there are fat farms around this country where a

person who is over weight can go and live for a while until they can get

control of there weight and learn new ways to deal with it. so maybe we alt

to have diabetic farms so us diabetics can go and live and do the same

thing. but if the ADA has any thing to do with it, we may as well stay at

home and do better on our own and save our money. most folks where I work

believe if the doctor gives you a pill for diabetes, then you can continue

to eat as you please and the medicine will take care of the problem. no way

can you make them believe that the pill alone can't handle the problem. I

have told folks about carb counting and most of them say that giving up

carbs is way to hard and they just can't do it. I tell them about folks on

this list and what you guys have to say about controlling diabetes, but they

only say you guys aren't doctors and giving up carbs will kill you by it

self. even if they won't listen it is still hard to sit back and know that

if they don't listen they will slowly destroy there life and get only worse.

there is a fellow on the radio called Dave Ramcy, that is always saying.

live to day like no one else is living, so you can live like no one else is

living in twenty years from now. of course he is talking about money, but

the same can apply for us diabetics as well and it is so very true. I thank

the Lord every day for finding out about this list or I would be just like

Harry was fifteen years ago. I wouldn't have a clue about carb counting or

what a A1c was. plus I would go by what my doctor said was ok and I to would

take my pill and continue to eat the same way. eating about 500 to 1000

carbs per day and killing me as fast as I could. thanks to all of you for

being here for people like me.

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> Harrry:

>>>>>

>>>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it

>>>>> depends

>>>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and

>>>>> Kidney

>>>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6;

>>>>> the

>>>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C

>>>>> measurement.

>>>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge.

>>>>> There

>>>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet

>>>>> and

>>>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am

>>>>> not

>>>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why

>>>>> I

>>>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>>>

>>>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as

>>>>> much

>>>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>>>

>>>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>>>

>>>>> Mike Freeman

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page.

>>>>>> I

>>>>>> feel

>>>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>>>> " normal

>>>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>>>> range

>>>>>> of

>>>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>>>> of

>>>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>>>> range

>>>>>> for

>>>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also

>>>>>> you

>>>>>> will

>>>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>>>> that

>>>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>>>> metric

>>>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C

>>>>>> level

>>>>>> for

>>>>>> a

>>>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C

>>>>>> of

>>>>>> 5.0.

>>>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be

>>>>>> taken

>>>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>>>> months

>>>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>>>> have

>>>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>>>

>>>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>>>

>>>>>> A1C test

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator,

>>>>>> and

>>>>>> other

>>>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>>>> (sugar)

>>>>>> at

>>>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>>>> blood

>>>>>> sugar control:

>>>>>> List of 2 items

>>>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such

>>>>>> as

>>>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>>>> list end

>>>>>>

>>>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>>>> blood

>>>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>>>> any

>>>>>> one

>>>>>> time.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>>>> that

>>>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>>>> gives

>>>>>> you

>>>>>> a

>>>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>>>> months.

>>>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>>>> plan

>>>>>> is

>>>>>> working.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>>>> overall

>>>>>> success.

>>>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>>>> record

>>>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> How It Works

>>>>>>

>>>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C.

>>>>>> You

>>>>>> may

>>>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>>>> found

>>>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>>>> all

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with

>>>>>> sugars

>>>>>> such

>>>>>> as glucose.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>>>> sugar

>>>>>> in

>>>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>>>> links

>>>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess

>>>>>> glucose

>>>>>> in

>>>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>>>> measure

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>>>> average

>>>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>>>

>>>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was

>>>>>> high

>>>>>> last

>>>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>>>> blood

>>>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the

>>>>>> form

>>>>>> of

>>>>>> more

>>>>>> A1C.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new

>>>>>> red

>>>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C

>>>>>> in

>>>>>> your

>>>>>> blood

>>>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan

>>>>>> of

>>>>>> a

>>>>>> red

>>>>>> blood cell.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels,

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>> level is

>>>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>>>> average

>>>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>>>> range

>>>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for

>>>>>> a

>>>>>> long

>>>>>> time.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>>>> diagnosed

>>>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>>>> glucose

>>>>>> control,

>>>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>>>> is

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>>>> about

>>>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>>>> your

>>>>>> doctor

>>>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>>>

>>>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two

>>>>>> examples.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years,

>>>>>> he

>>>>>> and

>>>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet

>>>>>> and

>>>>>> diabetes

>>>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor

>>>>>> said

>>>>>> that

>>>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that

>>>>>> Bob

>>>>>> would

>>>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>>>> when

>>>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range.

>>>>>> But

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> doctor

>>>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>>>> didn't

>>>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test.

>>>>>> The

>>>>>> test

>>>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>>>> average,

>>>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>>>> exercise program

>>>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make

>>>>>> a

>>>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes.

>>>>>> Nine-year-old

>>>>>>

>>>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>>>> and

>>>>>> urine

>>>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day

>>>>>> and

>>>>>> to

>>>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the

>>>>>> ideal

>>>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and

>>>>>> found

>>>>>> her

>>>>>> blood

>>>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in

>>>>>> fact

>>>>>> been

>>>>>> poor

>>>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>>>> finger

>>>>>> and putting

>>>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and

>>>>>> her

>>>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>>>> sugar

>>>>>> test

>>>>>> errors.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>>>> got

>>>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>>>> balance.

>>>>>> At

>>>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results

>>>>>> showed

>>>>>> good

>>>>>> news about her control.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>>>> List of 3 items

>>>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>>>> control.

>>>>>> list end

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Test Limit

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your

>>>>>> day-to-day

>>>>>> control. You can't

>>>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>>>> blood

>>>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>>>> effective

>>>>>> control.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>>>> different

>>>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs,

>>>>>> you

>>>>>> might

>>>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels

>>>>>> have

>>>>>> been

>>>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>>>> on

>>>>>> average,

>>>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results

>>>>>> are

>>>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> lab

>>>>>> does

>>>>>> the test.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>>>> change

>>>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>>>> " read "

>>>>>> differently.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>>>> But

>>>>>> it

>>>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>>>> work

>>>>>> for

>>>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Yes, I had my first heart attack at age 47. Also yes, I had a warning, but

the doctor told me it was probably just indigestion after he heard what I

had for lunch: A large Pepsi, a hamburger, a hotdog and a draft beer.

After he told me this, I walked out of his office and all of a sudden I

could not move, and I fell in the hall way with my body in the hall and my

head in another person's office. I broke out in a big sweat, it felt like I

had an elephant sitting on my chest and it was difficult to breathe. A few

minutes later I was laying on the gerney in the emergency room, where the

doctor informed me that I had just given up smoking cigarettes, since I was

having a heart attack and not indigestion. The next day while I was in the

intensive care cardiac unit the doctor came up and informed me, " Oh, by the

way you also have diabetes. "

As far as I know there are only two men in the family tree including me that

has lived as long as I have so far. My father lived to be 73, but he had at

least two or three heart attacks and so many strokes, that he did not know

who I was the last four or five years of his life. It definitely appears I

have a familial predisposition for heart and circulatory problems. Most of

the men in my family tree died in their late fourties or early fifties. So

I am just happy to be trudging along at 65 presently, especially when one

considers the alternative. Like you I do enjoy life and I want to keep on

living as long as I can. Besides my wife needs the money. <smile>When I

die, two thirds of her income disappears. In the mean time I have given her

all of my property bank accounts and stocks and bonds. It should be enough

to tide her over for another 15 years or so. When I die, one can say even

considering all of my physical problems that I had a good run in life, and

the next thing they can say is I am out of here.

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Harrry:

>>>>>>

>>>>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>>>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>>>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it

>>>>>> depends

>>>>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>>>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and

>>>>>> Kidney

>>>>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6;

>>>>>> the

>>>>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>>>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C

>>>>>> measurement.

>>>>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge.

>>>>>> There

>>>>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet

>>>>>> and

>>>>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am

>>>>>> not

>>>>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's

>>>>>> why

>>>>>> I

>>>>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this

>>>>>> with

>>>>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your

>>>>>> BS

>>>>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>>>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as

>>>>>> much

>>>>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>>>>

>>>>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of

>>>>>> Crist:

>>>>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>>>>

>>>>>> Mike Freeman

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>

>>>>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page.

>>>>>>> I

>>>>>>> feel

>>>>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>>>>> " normal

>>>>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>>>>> range

>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are

>>>>>>> unaware

>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>>>>> range

>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also

>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>> will

>>>>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>>>>> that

>>>>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my

>>>>>>> ruler

>>>>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>>>>> metric

>>>>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C

>>>>>>> level

>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C

>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>> 5.0.

>>>>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be

>>>>>>> taken

>>>>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>>>>> months

>>>>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until

>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>> have

>>>>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> A1C test

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator,

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> other

>>>>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>>>>> (sugar)

>>>>>>> at

>>>>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>> sugar control:

>>>>>>> List of 2 items

>>>>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such

>>>>>>> as

>>>>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>>>>> list end

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking

>>>>>>> your

>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is

>>>>>>> at

>>>>>>> any

>>>>>>> one

>>>>>>> time.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>>>>> that

>>>>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>>>>> gives

>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>>>>> months.

>>>>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>>>>> plan

>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>> working.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season

>>>>>>> batting

>>>>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>>>>> overall

>>>>>>> success.

>>>>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's

>>>>>>> batting

>>>>>>> record

>>>>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> How It Works

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C.

>>>>>>> You

>>>>>>> may

>>>>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin

>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>> found

>>>>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>>>>> all

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with

>>>>>>> sugars

>>>>>>> such

>>>>>>> as glucose.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>>>>> sugar

>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>>>>> links

>>>>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess

>>>>>>> glucose

>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>>>>> measure

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>>>>> average

>>>>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was

>>>>>>> high

>>>>>>> last

>>>>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the

>>>>>>> form

>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>> more

>>>>>>> A1C.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new

>>>>>>> red

>>>>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C

>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>> your

>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan

>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>> red

>>>>>>> blood cell.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin

>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels,

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>>> level is

>>>>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>>>>> average

>>>>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>>>>> range

>>>>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control

>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>> long

>>>>>>> time.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>>>>> diagnosed

>>>>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>>>>> glucose

>>>>>>> control,

>>>>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year.

>>>>>>> This

>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>>>>> about

>>>>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a

>>>>>>> new

>>>>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> your

>>>>>>> doctor

>>>>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two

>>>>>>> examples.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years,

>>>>>>> he

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> diabetes

>>>>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor

>>>>>>> said

>>>>>>> that

>>>>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that

>>>>>>> Bob

>>>>>>> would

>>>>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last

>>>>>>> week,

>>>>>>> when

>>>>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range.

>>>>>>> But

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> doctor

>>>>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>>>>> didn't

>>>>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test.

>>>>>>> The

>>>>>>> test

>>>>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled,

>>>>>>> on

>>>>>>> average,

>>>>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> exercise program

>>>>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could

>>>>>>> make

>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes.

>>>>>>> Nine-year-old

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin

>>>>>>> shots

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> urine

>>>>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> to

>>>>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the

>>>>>>> ideal

>>>>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and

>>>>>>> found

>>>>>>> her

>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for

>>>>>>> an

>>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in

>>>>>>> fact

>>>>>>> been

>>>>>>> poor

>>>>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>>>>> finger

>>>>>>> and putting

>>>>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and

>>>>>>> her

>>>>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>>>>> sugar

>>>>>>> test

>>>>>>> errors.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her

>>>>>>> parents

>>>>>>> got

>>>>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>>>>> balance.

>>>>>>> At

>>>>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results

>>>>>>> showed

>>>>>>> good

>>>>>>> news about her control.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>>>>> List of 3 items

>>>>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>>>>> control.

>>>>>>> list end

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Test Limit

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your

>>>>>>> day-to-day

>>>>>>> control. You can't

>>>>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>>>>> effective

>>>>>>> control.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>>>>> different

>>>>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs,

>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>> might

>>>>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels

>>>>>>> have

>>>>>>> been

>>>>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign

>>>>>>> that,

>>>>>>> on

>>>>>>> average,

>>>>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results

>>>>>>> are

>>>>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> lab

>>>>>>> does

>>>>>>> the test.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>>>>> change

>>>>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to

>>>>>>> be

>>>>>>> " read "

>>>>>>> differently.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar

>>>>>>> control.

>>>>>>> But

>>>>>>> it

>>>>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>>>>> work

>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

[Guest guest]

well all I can say brother, is the good Lord has a special plan for you and

that is why you are still on this earth and who really knows for sure, but

this list could very well be the special reason. if the Lord is willing, you

could out live your whole family and we on list can continue to learn from

your post.

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Harrry:

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>>>>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>>>>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it

>>>>>>> depends

>>>>>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and

>>>>>>> Kidney

>>>>>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6;

>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>>>>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C

>>>>>>> measurement.

>>>>>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge.

>>>>>>> There

>>>>>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet

>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am

>>>>>>> not

>>>>>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's

>>>>>>> why

>>>>>>> I

>>>>>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this

>>>>>>> with

>>>>>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your

>>>>>>> BS

>>>>>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting

>>>>>>> my

>>>>>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as

>>>>>>> much

>>>>>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of

>>>>>>> Crist:

>>>>>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>> Mike Freeman

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home

>>>>>>>> page.

>>>>>>>> I

>>>>>>>> feel

>>>>>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> " normal

>>>>>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>>>>>> range

>>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are

>>>>>>>> unaware

>>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>>>>>> range

>>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also

>>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>>> will

>>>>>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory

>>>>>>>> to

>>>>>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>>>>>> that

>>>>>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my

>>>>>>>> ruler

>>>>>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to

>>>>>>>> any

>>>>>>>> metric

>>>>>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C

>>>>>>>> level

>>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an

>>>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>>> 5.0.

>>>>>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be

>>>>>>>> taken

>>>>>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every

>>>>>>>> three

>>>>>>>> months

>>>>>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until

>>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>>> have

>>>>>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> A1C test

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator,

>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>> other

>>>>>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>>>>>> (sugar)

>>>>>>>> at

>>>>>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>>> sugar control:

>>>>>>>> List of 2 items

>>>>>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>>>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such

>>>>>>>> as

>>>>>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>>>>>> list end

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking

>>>>>>>> your

>>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is

>>>>>>>> at

>>>>>>>> any

>>>>>>>> one

>>>>>>>> time.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a

>>>>>>>> test

>>>>>>>> that

>>>>>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>>>>>> gives

>>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>>>>>> months.

>>>>>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes

>>>>>>>> treatment

>>>>>>>> plan

>>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>>> working.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season

>>>>>>>> batting

>>>>>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>>>>>> overall

>>>>>>>> success.

>>>>>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's

>>>>>>>> batting

>>>>>>>> record

>>>>>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> How It Works

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C.

>>>>>>>> You

>>>>>>>> may

>>>>>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin

>>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>>> found

>>>>>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs

>>>>>>>> to

>>>>>>>> all

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with

>>>>>>>> sugars

>>>>>>>> such

>>>>>>>> as glucose.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>>>>>> sugar

>>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells

>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>> links

>>>>>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess

>>>>>>>> glucose

>>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>>>>>> measure

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>>>>>> average

>>>>>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was

>>>>>>>> high

>>>>>>>> last

>>>>>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>>>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>>>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your

>>>>>>>> red

>>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the

>>>>>>>> form

>>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>>> more

>>>>>>>> A1C.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new

>>>>>>>> red

>>>>>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C

>>>>>>>> in

>>>>>>>> your

>>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan

>>>>>>>> of

>>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>>> red

>>>>>>>> blood cell.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin

>>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels,

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>>>> level is

>>>>>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> average

>>>>>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels

>>>>>>>> can

>>>>>>>> range

>>>>>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control

>>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>>> long

>>>>>>>> time.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>>>>>> diagnosed

>>>>>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>>>>>> glucose

>>>>>>>> control,

>>>>>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year.

>>>>>>>> This

>>>>>>>> is

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level

>>>>>>>> tested

>>>>>>>> about

>>>>>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a

>>>>>>>> new

>>>>>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you

>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>> your

>>>>>>>> doctor

>>>>>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two

>>>>>>>> examples.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven

>>>>>>>> years,

>>>>>>>> he

>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet

>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>> diabetes

>>>>>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor

>>>>>>>> said

>>>>>>>> that

>>>>>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that

>>>>>>>> Bob

>>>>>>>> would

>>>>>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last

>>>>>>>> week,

>>>>>>>> when

>>>>>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range.

>>>>>>>> But

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> doctor

>>>>>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>>>>>> didn't

>>>>>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test.

>>>>>>>> The

>>>>>>>> test

>>>>>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled,

>>>>>>>> on

>>>>>>>> average,

>>>>>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>>>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> exercise program

>>>>>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could

>>>>>>>> make

>>>>>>>> a

>>>>>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes.

>>>>>>>> Nine-year-old

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin

>>>>>>>> shots

>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>> urine

>>>>>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day

>>>>>>>> and

>>>>>>>> to

>>>>>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the

>>>>>>>> ideal

>>>>>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and

>>>>>>>> found

>>>>>>>> her

>>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for

>>>>>>>> an

>>>>>>>> A1C

>>>>>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in

>>>>>>>> fact

>>>>>>>> been

>>>>>>>> poor

>>>>>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>>>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>>>>>> finger

>>>>>>>> and putting

>>>>>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and

>>>>>>>> her

>>>>>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the

>>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>>> sugar

>>>>>>>> test

>>>>>>>> errors.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her

>>>>>>>> parents

>>>>>>>> got

>>>>>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>>>>>> balance.

>>>>>>>> At

>>>>>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results

>>>>>>>> showed

>>>>>>>> good

>>>>>>>> news about her control.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>>>>>> List of 3 items

>>>>>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>>>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>>>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>>>>>> control.

>>>>>>>> list end

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Test Limit

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>>>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your

>>>>>>>> day-to-day

>>>>>>>> control. You can't

>>>>>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>>>>>> blood

>>>>>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>>>>>> effective

>>>>>>>> control.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>>>>>> different

>>>>>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs,

>>>>>>>> you

>>>>>>>> might

>>>>>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels

>>>>>>>> have

>>>>>>>> been

>>>>>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign

>>>>>>>> that,

>>>>>>>> on

>>>>>>>> average,

>>>>>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results

>>>>>>>> are

>>>>>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way

>>>>>>>> the

>>>>>>>> lab

>>>>>>>> does

>>>>>>>> the test.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>>>>>> change

>>>>>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to

>>>>>>>> be

>>>>>>>> " read "

>>>>>>>> differently.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar

>>>>>>>> control.

>>>>>>>> But

>>>>>>>> it

>>>>>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks,

>>>>>>>> to

>>>>>>>> work

>>>>>>>> for

>>>>>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Great thought, . You are absolutely right about the idea that

diabetes can dominate your life if you let it. Some people can diabetes

obsessive bout anything-including controlling their diabetes. I have been

diabetic 61 years this month and although I do mange the diabetes well (or I

would not still be here), I do not let it control everything I do.

Re: ADA A1C information

I was introduced to carb counting (matching to insulin, not necessarily

limiting carbs) in 2000. I am not sure when Atkins became popular. But the

standards for A1c's and blood sugar levels have been steadily getting

tighter over the years. When I was diagnosed in 1991 an A1c of 7% was

considered excellent control and my target range for before meals was 4-10.

No one knew that testing after meals was even important. Nowadays that is

not good control. I do not think you can blame doctors for not knowing; they

knew what was acceptable control back then, it's just that fifteen years ago

there wasn't the research showing that tight control helped lessen

complications like there is today, and the tools available (in my case

insulins) were not as effective as they are today, so tighter control would

have been extremely difficult. Recent studies that have shown a significant

decline in the rate of diabetes complications today compared to ten or

twenty years ago testify to the fact that obviously even today's standards

are working, even if some people think they are still not tight enough.

As for A1c's, I think that depends on which lab you go to and which

organization you think is most credible. I did a quick Google search and

everything I could find said 4-6% was normal. Personally I would be happy

with an A1c of 6.0% or lower, but if you want to aim for lower, more power

to you! I think, though, that for those trying to get in control after being

out of control it's good to aim for a bit higher target temporarily. If you

are starting with an A1c of 8 or 9 and the next one is 6, great! Then you

can later aim for a 5 if you want to. If you aim for a 5 initially and then

your next A1c is only a 6, that would be extremely discouraging and

depressing if someone had put tons of effort into carb counting and figuring

carb ratios and correction factors and exercised more, etc. Perhaps my ideas

of things are a bit different because I haven't had complications, but I

think there is a balancing act between striving for excellent diabetes

control and at the same time not letting it dominate your life. Some people

can achieve an A1c of 5 and still not think about diabetes a lot. Others

might find that while they can achieve and A1c of 6, achieving one of 5

requires so much energy and thought that they don't have a time when they

can not think about how such-and-such a factor is affecting their blood

sugar. For them, I would say an A1c of 6 is fine; for those who choose to

strive for a lower one, that is fine, too. But I also think it's important

to express this A1c goal as OPINION, and not fact, unless you back it up

with wherever you found the information. Also, the level at which

complications occurs depends on the individual. There are people who have

had A1c's of 7, 8, 9, or higher for years and don't have a single

complication. There are also people who have always had an A1c of 5 or 6 and

end up with multiple complications. To my knowledge no one knows why this

happens.

Just a comment on the whole internet research thing: as someone who has been

immersed in academia for the past five years, I do not use online sources

for research. In fact in many university classes students are not allowed to

use online sources to back up their arguments or provide evidence, unless

it's an online edition of a peer-reviewed journal as can be accessed through

databases like EBSCOhost or Medline. The difference between something from a

peer-reviewed journal, book, or even magazine or news item is that anyone,

and I really do mean anyone, can put up a website that looks credible.

Domain names nowadays cost sometimes less than $10 annually; web authoring

software allows even people who don't know HTML to design very sophisticated

sites, and most ISPs now include free space to host a site to the average

customer. With internet cafés and computers at most libraries, you don't

even need to own a computer yourself to launch a website. If I were inclined

to do so, I could stick up a site promoting my ideas or my book or my

product in no time, and any crackpot can say anything they want online

because there is no peer reviewing or editors or publisher to refuse to

publish it or to ask them to back up their information. Because of I'd say

if someone is citing a website as a source, include that website in the

e-mail so that readers can take a look and decide for themselves if it is

credible.

Anyway, just my two cents worth on the posts today.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Great thought, . You are absolutely right about the idea that

diabetes can dominate your life if you let it. Some people can diabetes

obsessive bout anything-including controlling their diabetes. I have been

diabetic 61 years this month and although I do mange the diabetes well (or I

would not still be here), I do not let it control everything I do.

Re: ADA A1C information

I was introduced to carb counting (matching to insulin, not necessarily

limiting carbs) in 2000. I am not sure when Atkins became popular. But the

standards for A1c's and blood sugar levels have been steadily getting

tighter over the years. When I was diagnosed in 1991 an A1c of 7% was

considered excellent control and my target range for before meals was 4-10.

No one knew that testing after meals was even important. Nowadays that is

not good control. I do not think you can blame doctors for not knowing; they

knew what was acceptable control back then, it's just that fifteen years ago

there wasn't the research showing that tight control helped lessen

complications like there is today, and the tools available (in my case

insulins) were not as effective as they are today, so tighter control would

have been extremely difficult. Recent studies that have shown a significant

decline in the rate of diabetes complications today compared to ten or

twenty years ago testify to the fact that obviously even today's standards

are working, even if some people think they are still not tight enough.

As for A1c's, I think that depends on which lab you go to and which

organization you think is most credible. I did a quick Google search and

everything I could find said 4-6% was normal. Personally I would be happy

with an A1c of 6.0% or lower, but if you want to aim for lower, more power

to you! I think, though, that for those trying to get in control after being

out of control it's good to aim for a bit higher target temporarily. If you

are starting with an A1c of 8 or 9 and the next one is 6, great! Then you

can later aim for a 5 if you want to. If you aim for a 5 initially and then

your next A1c is only a 6, that would be extremely discouraging and

depressing if someone had put tons of effort into carb counting and figuring

carb ratios and correction factors and exercised more, etc. Perhaps my ideas

of things are a bit different because I haven't had complications, but I

think there is a balancing act between striving for excellent diabetes

control and at the same time not letting it dominate your life. Some people

can achieve an A1c of 5 and still not think about diabetes a lot. Others

might find that while they can achieve and A1c of 6, achieving one of 5

requires so much energy and thought that they don't have a time when they

can not think about how such-and-such a factor is affecting their blood

sugar. For them, I would say an A1c of 6 is fine; for those who choose to

strive for a lower one, that is fine, too. But I also think it's important

to express this A1c goal as OPINION, and not fact, unless you back it up

with wherever you found the information. Also, the level at which

complications occurs depends on the individual. There are people who have

had A1c's of 7, 8, 9, or higher for years and don't have a single

complication. There are also people who have always had an A1c of 5 or 6 and

end up with multiple complications. To my knowledge no one knows why this

happens.

Just a comment on the whole internet research thing: as someone who has been

immersed in academia for the past five years, I do not use online sources

for research. In fact in many university classes students are not allowed to

use online sources to back up their arguments or provide evidence, unless

it's an online edition of a peer-reviewed journal as can be accessed through

databases like EBSCOhost or Medline. The difference between something from a

peer-reviewed journal, book, or even magazine or news item is that anyone,

and I really do mean anyone, can put up a website that looks credible.

Domain names nowadays cost sometimes less than $10 annually; web authoring

software allows even people who don't know HTML to design very sophisticated

sites, and most ISPs now include free space to host a site to the average

customer. With internet cafés and computers at most libraries, you don't

even need to own a computer yourself to launch a website. If I were inclined

to do so, I could stick up a site promoting my ideas or my book or my

product in no time, and any crackpot can say anything they want online

because there is no peer reviewing or editors or publisher to refuse to

publish it or to ask them to back up their information. Because of I'd say

if someone is citing a website as a source, include that website in the

e-mail so that readers can take a look and decide for themselves if it is

credible.

Anyway, just my two cents worth on the posts today.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Yes, and do you know what Dr. K. Bernstein's A1C level is usually,

when he takes these tests. He always falls in the normal range, and his

last reported A1C level around 6 or so months ago was 4.5. Of course this

still falls in the normal range of most folks which is 4-6. An A1C level of

4.5 is 25 per cent lower than an A1C reading of 6.0. Which glycation rate

would you rather have?

ADA A1C information

>

> The below is different then the range one would get if non-diabetics were

> tested, which is by definition the normal a1c range. The below reflects

> the range of views about clinical goals in treatment, not what is the

> normal range. Dr. Bernstein illustrates this by saying he asks every

> meter

> salesman to do a test on himself on the spot and this reveals the normal

> range.

>

> " I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

> between

> 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to diabetics

> both

> old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends upon what lab you

> use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and 6.2 (a navy lab, I

> believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases Institute

> of

> the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the ADA also says this; The

> AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6 elsewhere. In fact, there *is*

> no

> national standard for A1C measurement. "

>

> XB

> IC|XC

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Stated another way. The glycation rate of 6.0 is 33 per cent higher than a

glycation rate of 4.5. The glycation rate of 5.0 as a standard would report

a glycation rate of 6.0 as being 20 per cent higher than the standard. Like

wise a glycation rate of 9.0 would be 80 per cent higher than the standard

and a glycation rate of 13 would be 260 per cent higher than the standard.

Even if the standard was 6.0 the glycation rate of 13 is still higher than

200 per cent of the standard. No matter what your standard may be, all

research shows fewer diabetic complications when the " normal range " is

achieved and maintained. I prefer to have the standard being 5.5 or lower.

So you can choose the standard that suits you. As a general rule, the lower

the standard measurement you choose to set for yourself is the better one.

So set the goal you like and strive for it. Just like golf, the lower your

score is the more expert you are. I doubt I will ever be as expert as Dr.

K. Bernstein, a practicing physician with type1 diabetes who

specializes in diabetes care, but I would like to be at least within

shooting distance.

ADA A1C information

>

>

>>

>> The below is different then the range one would get if non-diabetics were

>> tested, which is by definition the normal a1c range. The below reflects

>> the range of views about clinical goals in treatment, not what is the

>> normal range. Dr. Bernstein illustrates this by saying he asks every

>> meter

>> salesman to do a test on himself on the spot and this reveals the normal

>> range.

>>

>> " I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>> between

>> 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to diabetics

>> both

>> old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends upon what lab

>> you

>> use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and 6.2 (a navy lab, I

>> believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases Institute

>> of

>> the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the ADA also says this;

>> The

>> AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6 elsewhere. In fact, there *is*

>> no

>> national standard for A1C measurement. "

>>

>> XB

>> IC|XC

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Stated another way. The glycation rate of 6.0 is 33 per cent higher than a

glycation rate of 4.5. The glycation rate of 5.0 as a standard would report

a glycation rate of 6.0 as being 20 per cent higher than the standard. Like

wise a glycation rate of 9.0 would be 80 per cent higher than the standard

and a glycation rate of 13 would be 260 per cent higher than the standard.

Even if the standard was 6.0 the glycation rate of 13 is still higher than

200 per cent of the standard. No matter what your standard may be, all

research shows fewer diabetic complications when the " normal range " is

achieved and maintained. I prefer to have the standard being 5.5 or lower.

So you can choose the standard that suits you. As a general rule, the lower

the standard measurement you choose to set for yourself is the better one.

So set the goal you like and strive for it. Just like golf, the lower your

score is the more expert you are. I doubt I will ever be as expert as Dr.

K. Bernstein, a practicing physician with type1 diabetes who

specializes in diabetes care, but I would like to be at least within

shooting distance.

ADA A1C information

>

>

>>

>> The below is different then the range one would get if non-diabetics were

>> tested, which is by definition the normal a1c range. The below reflects

>> the range of views about clinical goals in treatment, not what is the

>> normal range. Dr. Bernstein illustrates this by saying he asks every

>> meter

>> salesman to do a test on himself on the spot and this reveals the normal

>> range.

>>

>> " I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>> between

>> 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to diabetics

>> both

>> old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends upon what lab

>> you

>> use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and 6.2 (a navy lab, I

>> believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases Institute

>> of

>> the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the ADA also says this;

>> The

>> AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6 elsewhere. In fact, there *is*

>> no

>> national standard for A1C measurement. "

>>

>> XB

>> IC|XC

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Stated another way. The glycation rate of 6.0 is 33 per cent higher than a

glycation rate of 4.5. The glycation rate of 5.0 as a standard would report

a glycation rate of 6.0 as being 20 per cent higher than the standard. Like

wise a glycation rate of 9.0 would be 80 per cent higher than the standard

and a glycation rate of 13 would be 260 per cent higher than the standard.

Even if the standard was 6.0 the glycation rate of 13 is still higher than

200 per cent of the standard. No matter what your standard may be, all

research shows fewer diabetic complications when the " normal range " is

achieved and maintained. I prefer to have the standard being 5.5 or lower.

So you can choose the standard that suits you. As a general rule, the lower

the standard measurement you choose to set for yourself is the better one.

So set the goal you like and strive for it. Just like golf, the lower your

score is the more expert you are. I doubt I will ever be as expert as Dr.

K. Bernstein, a practicing physician with type1 diabetes who

specializes in diabetes care, but I would like to be at least within

shooting distance.

ADA A1C information

>

>

>>

>> The below is different then the range one would get if non-diabetics were

>> tested, which is by definition the normal a1c range. The below reflects

>> the range of views about clinical goals in treatment, not what is the

>> normal range. Dr. Bernstein illustrates this by saying he asks every

>> meter

>> salesman to do a test on himself on the spot and this reveals the normal

>> range.

>>

>> " I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>> between

>> 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to diabetics

>> both

>> old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends upon what lab

>> you

>> use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and 6.2 (a navy lab, I

>> believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases Institute

>> of

>> the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the ADA also says this;

>> The

>> AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6 elsewhere. In fact, there *is*

>> no

>> national standard for A1C measurement. "

>>

>> XB

>> IC|XC

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Dr. Atkins had followers in the sixties. I know of people who followed his

plans and lost a lot of weight. I tried his diet myself but couldn't last

more than three months because it was too restrictive.

Re: ADA A1C information

> I was introduced to carb counting (matching to insulin, not necessarily

> limiting carbs) in 2000. I am not sure when Atkins became popular. But the

> standards for A1c's and blood sugar levels have been steadily getting

> tighter over the years. When I was diagnosed in 1991 an A1c of 7% was

> considered excellent control and my target range for before meals was

4-10.

> No one knew that testing after meals was even important. Nowadays that is

> not good control. I do not think you can blame doctors for not knowing;

they

> knew what was acceptable control back then, it's just that fifteen years

ago

> there wasn't the research showing that tight control helped lessen

> complications like there is today, and the tools available (in my case

> insulins) were not as effective as they are today, so tighter control

would

> have been extremely difficult. Recent studies that have shown a

significant

> decline in the rate of diabetes complications today compared to ten or

> twenty years ago testify to the fact that obviously even today's standards

> are working, even if some people think they are still not tight enough.

>

> As for A1c's, I think that depends on which lab you go to and which

> organization you think is most credible. I did a quick Google search and

> everything I could find said 4-6% was normal. Personally I would be happy

> with an A1c of 6.0% or lower, but if you want to aim for lower, more power

> to you! I think, though, that for those trying to get in control after

being

> out of control it's good to aim for a bit higher target temporarily. If

you

> are starting with an A1c of 8 or 9 and the next one is 6, great! Then you

> can later aim for a 5 if you want to. If you aim for a 5 initially and

then

> your next A1c is only a 6, that would be extremely discouraging and

> depressing if someone had put tons of effort into carb counting and

figuring

> carb ratios and correction factors and exercised more, etc. Perhaps my

ideas

> of things are a bit different because I haven't had complications, but I

> think there is a balancing act between striving for excellent diabetes

> control and at the same time not letting it dominate your life. Some

people

> can achieve an A1c of 5 and still not think about diabetes a lot. Others

> might find that while they can achieve and A1c of 6, achieving one of 5

> requires so much energy and thought that they don't have a time when they

> can not think about how such-and-such a factor is affecting their blood

> sugar. For them, I would say an A1c of 6 is fine; for those who choose to

> strive for a lower one, that is fine, too. But I also think it's important

> to express this A1c goal as OPINION, and not fact, unless you back it up

> with wherever you found the information. Also, the level at which

> complications occurs depends on the individual. There are people who have

> had A1c's of 7, 8, 9, or higher for years and don't have a single

> complication. There are also people who have always had an A1c of 5 or 6

and

> end up with multiple complications. To my knowledge no one knows why this

> happens.

>

> Just a comment on the whole internet research thing: as someone who has

been

> immersed in academia for the past five years, I do not use online sources

> for research. In fact in many university classes students are not allowed

to

> use online sources to back up their arguments or provide evidence, unless

> it's an online edition of a peer-reviewed journal as can be accessed

through

> databases like EBSCOhost or Medline. The difference between something from

a

> peer-reviewed journal, book, or even magazine or news item is that anyone,

> and I really do mean anyone, can put up a website that looks credible.

> Domain names nowadays cost sometimes less than $10 annually; web authoring

> software allows even people who don't know HTML to design very

sophisticated

> sites, and most ISPs now include free space to host a site to the average

> customer. With internet cafés and computers at most libraries, you don't

> even need to own a computer yourself to launch a website. If I were

inclined

> to do so, I could stick up a site promoting my ideas or my book or my

> product in no time, and any crackpot can say anything they want online

> because there is no peer reviewing or editors or publisher to refuse to

> publish it or to ask them to back up their information. Because of I'd say

> if someone is citing a website as a source, include that website in the

> e-mail so that readers can take a look and decide for themselves if it is

> credible.

>

> Anyway, just my two cents worth on the posts today.

>

> Jen

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dr. Atkins had followers in the sixties. I know of people who followed his

plans and lost a lot of weight. I tried his diet myself but couldn't last

more than three months because it was too restrictive.

Re: ADA A1C information

> I was introduced to carb counting (matching to insulin, not necessarily

> limiting carbs) in 2000. I am not sure when Atkins became popular. But the

> standards for A1c's and blood sugar levels have been steadily getting

> tighter over the years. When I was diagnosed in 1991 an A1c of 7% was

> considered excellent control and my target range for before meals was

4-10.

> No one knew that testing after meals was even important. Nowadays that is

> not good control. I do not think you can blame doctors for not knowing;

they

> knew what was acceptable control back then, it's just that fifteen years

ago

> there wasn't the research showing that tight control helped lessen

> complications like there is today, and the tools available (in my case

> insulins) were not as effective as they are today, so tighter control

would

> have been extremely difficult. Recent studies that have shown a

significant

> decline in the rate of diabetes complications today compared to ten or

> twenty years ago testify to the fact that obviously even today's standards

> are working, even if some people think they are still not tight enough.

>

> As for A1c's, I think that depends on which lab you go to and which

> organization you think is most credible. I did a quick Google search and

> everything I could find said 4-6% was normal. Personally I would be happy

> with an A1c of 6.0% or lower, but if you want to aim for lower, more power

> to you! I think, though, that for those trying to get in control after

being

> out of control it's good to aim for a bit higher target temporarily. If

you

> are starting with an A1c of 8 or 9 and the next one is 6, great! Then you

> can later aim for a 5 if you want to. If you aim for a 5 initially and

then

> your next A1c is only a 6, that would be extremely discouraging and

> depressing if someone had put tons of effort into carb counting and

figuring

> carb ratios and correction factors and exercised more, etc. Perhaps my

ideas

> of things are a bit different because I haven't had complications, but I

> think there is a balancing act between striving for excellent diabetes

> control and at the same time not letting it dominate your life. Some

people

> can achieve an A1c of 5 and still not think about diabetes a lot. Others

> might find that while they can achieve and A1c of 6, achieving one of 5

> requires so much energy and thought that they don't have a time when they

> can not think about how such-and-such a factor is affecting their blood

> sugar. For them, I would say an A1c of 6 is fine; for those who choose to

> strive for a lower one, that is fine, too. But I also think it's important

> to express this A1c goal as OPINION, and not fact, unless you back it up

> with wherever you found the information. Also, the level at which

> complications occurs depends on the individual. There are people who have

> had A1c's of 7, 8, 9, or higher for years and don't have a single

> complication. There are also people who have always had an A1c of 5 or 6

and

> end up with multiple complications. To my knowledge no one knows why this

> happens.

>

> Just a comment on the whole internet research thing: as someone who has

been

> immersed in academia for the past five years, I do not use online sources

> for research. In fact in many university classes students are not allowed

to

> use online sources to back up their arguments or provide evidence, unless

> it's an online edition of a peer-reviewed journal as can be accessed

through

> databases like EBSCOhost or Medline. The difference between something from

a

> peer-reviewed journal, book, or even magazine or news item is that anyone,

> and I really do mean anyone, can put up a website that looks credible.

> Domain names nowadays cost sometimes less than $10 annually; web authoring

> software allows even people who don't know HTML to design very

sophisticated

> sites, and most ISPs now include free space to host a site to the average

> customer. With internet cafés and computers at most libraries, you don't

> even need to own a computer yourself to launch a website. If I were

inclined

> to do so, I could stick up a site promoting my ideas or my book or my

> product in no time, and any crackpot can say anything they want online

> because there is no peer reviewing or editors or publisher to refuse to

> publish it or to ask them to back up their information. Because of I'd say

> if someone is citing a website as a source, include that website in the

> e-mail so that readers can take a look and decide for themselves if it is

> credible.

>

> Anyway, just my two cents worth on the posts today.

>

> Jen

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dr. Atkins had followers in the sixties. I know of people who followed his

plans and lost a lot of weight. I tried his diet myself but couldn't last

more than three months because it was too restrictive.

Re: ADA A1C information

> I was introduced to carb counting (matching to insulin, not necessarily

> limiting carbs) in 2000. I am not sure when Atkins became popular. But the

> standards for A1c's and blood sugar levels have been steadily getting

> tighter over the years. When I was diagnosed in 1991 an A1c of 7% was

> considered excellent control and my target range for before meals was

4-10.

> No one knew that testing after meals was even important. Nowadays that is

> not good control. I do not think you can blame doctors for not knowing;

they

> knew what was acceptable control back then, it's just that fifteen years

ago

> there wasn't the research showing that tight control helped lessen

> complications like there is today, and the tools available (in my case

> insulins) were not as effective as they are today, so tighter control

would

> have been extremely difficult. Recent studies that have shown a

significant

> decline in the rate of diabetes complications today compared to ten or

> twenty years ago testify to the fact that obviously even today's standards

> are working, even if some people think they are still not tight enough.

>

> As for A1c's, I think that depends on which lab you go to and which

> organization you think is most credible. I did a quick Google search and

> everything I could find said 4-6% was normal. Personally I would be happy

> with an A1c of 6.0% or lower, but if you want to aim for lower, more power

> to you! I think, though, that for those trying to get in control after

being

> out of control it's good to aim for a bit higher target temporarily. If

you

> are starting with an A1c of 8 or 9 and the next one is 6, great! Then you

> can later aim for a 5 if you want to. If you aim for a 5 initially and

then

> your next A1c is only a 6, that would be extremely discouraging and

> depressing if someone had put tons of effort into carb counting and

figuring

> carb ratios and correction factors and exercised more, etc. Perhaps my

ideas

> of things are a bit different because I haven't had complications, but I

> think there is a balancing act between striving for excellent diabetes

> control and at the same time not letting it dominate your life. Some

people

> can achieve an A1c of 5 and still not think about diabetes a lot. Others

> might find that while they can achieve and A1c of 6, achieving one of 5

> requires so much energy and thought that they don't have a time when they

> can not think about how such-and-such a factor is affecting their blood

> sugar. For them, I would say an A1c of 6 is fine; for those who choose to

> strive for a lower one, that is fine, too. But I also think it's important

> to express this A1c goal as OPINION, and not fact, unless you back it up

> with wherever you found the information. Also, the level at which

> complications occurs depends on the individual. There are people who have

> had A1c's of 7, 8, 9, or higher for years and don't have a single

> complication. There are also people who have always had an A1c of 5 or 6

and

> end up with multiple complications. To my knowledge no one knows why this

> happens.

>

> Just a comment on the whole internet research thing: as someone who has

been

> immersed in academia for the past five years, I do not use online sources

> for research. In fact in many university classes students are not allowed

to

> use online sources to back up their arguments or provide evidence, unless

> it's an online edition of a peer-reviewed journal as can be accessed

through

> databases like EBSCOhost or Medline. The difference between something from

a

> peer-reviewed journal, book, or even magazine or news item is that anyone,

> and I really do mean anyone, can put up a website that looks credible.

> Domain names nowadays cost sometimes less than $10 annually; web authoring

> software allows even people who don't know HTML to design very

sophisticated

> sites, and most ISPs now include free space to host a site to the average

> customer. With internet cafés and computers at most libraries, you don't

> even need to own a computer yourself to launch a website. If I were

inclined

> to do so, I could stick up a site promoting my ideas or my book or my

> product in no time, and any crackpot can say anything they want online

> because there is no peer reviewing or editors or publisher to refuse to

> publish it or to ask them to back up their information. Because of I'd say

> if someone is citing a website as a source, include that website in the

> e-mail so that readers can take a look and decide for themselves if it is

> credible.

>

> Anyway, just my two cents worth on the posts today.

>

> Jen

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Harry:

Debating here with you isn't productive. But you should know that Im not

arguing from ignorance: I hold a B.A. and M.S. in physics so know something

of the scientific method, of what can be inferred from experiment, of

standards and of statistics.

Peace!

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>

>>>

>>> Harrry:

>>>

>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney

>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the

>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C measurement.

>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge. There

>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am not

>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why I

>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>

>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as much

>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>

>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>

>>> Mike Freeman

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page. I

>>>> feel

>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>> " normal

>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>> range

>>>> of

>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>> of

>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>> range

>>>> for

>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also you

>>>> will

>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>> A1C

>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>> that

>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>> metric

>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>> for

>>>> a

>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C of

>>>> 5.0.

>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>> months

>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>> have

>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>

>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>

>>>> A1C test

>>>>

>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>> other

>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>> (sugar)

>>>> at

>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar control:

>>>> List of 2 items

>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>> any

>>>> one

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>> that

>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>> gives

>>>> you

>>>> a

>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>> months.

>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>> plan

>>>> is

>>>> working.

>>>>

>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>> overall

>>>> success.

>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>> record

>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>

>>>> How It Works

>>>>

>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C. You

>>>> may

>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>> found

>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>> all

>>>> the

>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>> such

>>>> as glucose.

>>>>

>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>> sugar

>>>> in

>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>> links

>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>> in

>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>> measure

>>>> the

>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>

>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>

>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>> last

>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>> blood

>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>> of

>>>> more

>>>> A1C.

>>>>

>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new red

>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>> your

>>>> blood

>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>> a

>>>> red

>>>> blood cell.

>>>>

>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>> A1C

>>>> level is

>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>> range

>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for a

>>>> long

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>> diagnosed

>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>> glucose

>>>> control,

>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>> is

>>>> the

>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>> about

>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>> your

>>>> doctor

>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>

>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>

>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two examples.

>>>>

>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years, he

>>>> and

>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>> diabetes

>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>> that

>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>> would

>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>

>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>> when

>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range. But

>>>> the

>>>> doctor

>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>> didn't

>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test. The

>>>> test

>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>> average,

>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>> exercise program

>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make a

>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>

>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>> and

>>>> urine

>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day and

>>>> to

>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>

>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the ideal

>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>> her

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>> A1C

>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>> been

>>>> poor

>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>

>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>> finger

>>>> and putting

>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>> sugar

>>>> test

>>>> errors.

>>>>

>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>> got

>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>> balance.

>>>> At

>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results showed

>>>> good

>>>> news about her control.

>>>>

>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>> List of 3 items

>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>> control.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> Test Limit

>>>>

>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>> control. You can't

>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>> effective

>>>> control.

>>>>

>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>> different

>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>> might

>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>

>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>> been

>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>> on

>>>> average,

>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>> lab

>>>> does

>>>> the test.

>>>>

>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>> change

>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>> " read "

>>>> differently.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>> But

>>>> it

>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>> work

>>>> for

>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

[Guest guest]

Harry:

Debating here with you isn't productive. But you should know that Im not

arguing from ignorance: I hold a B.A. and M.S. in physics so know something

of the scientific method, of what can be inferred from experiment, of

standards and of statistics.

Peace!

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>

>>>

>>> Harrry:

>>>

>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney

>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the

>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C measurement.

>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge. There

>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am not

>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why I

>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>

>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as much

>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>

>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>

>>> Mike Freeman

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page. I

>>>> feel

>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>> " normal

>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>> range

>>>> of

>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>> of

>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>> range

>>>> for

>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also you

>>>> will

>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>> A1C

>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>> that

>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>> metric

>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>> for

>>>> a

>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C of

>>>> 5.0.

>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>> months

>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>> have

>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>

>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>

>>>> A1C test

>>>>

>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>> other

>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>> (sugar)

>>>> at

>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar control:

>>>> List of 2 items

>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>> any

>>>> one

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>> that

>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>> gives

>>>> you

>>>> a

>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>> months.

>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>> plan

>>>> is

>>>> working.

>>>>

>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>> overall

>>>> success.

>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>> record

>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>

>>>> How It Works

>>>>

>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C. You

>>>> may

>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>> found

>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>> all

>>>> the

>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>> such

>>>> as glucose.

>>>>

>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>> sugar

>>>> in

>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>> links

>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>> in

>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>> measure

>>>> the

>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>

>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>

>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>> last

>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>> blood

>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>> of

>>>> more

>>>> A1C.

>>>>

>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new red

>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>> your

>>>> blood

>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>> a

>>>> red

>>>> blood cell.

>>>>

>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>> A1C

>>>> level is

>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>> range

>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for a

>>>> long

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>> diagnosed

>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>> glucose

>>>> control,

>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>> is

>>>> the

>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>> about

>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>> your

>>>> doctor

>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>

>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>

>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two examples.

>>>>

>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years, he

>>>> and

>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>> diabetes

>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>> that

>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>> would

>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>

>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>> when

>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range. But

>>>> the

>>>> doctor

>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>> didn't

>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test. The

>>>> test

>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>> average,

>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>> exercise program

>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make a

>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>

>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>> and

>>>> urine

>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day and

>>>> to

>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>

>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the ideal

>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>> her

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>> A1C

>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>> been

>>>> poor

>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>

>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>> finger

>>>> and putting

>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>> sugar

>>>> test

>>>> errors.

>>>>

>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>> got

>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>> balance.

>>>> At

>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results showed

>>>> good

>>>> news about her control.

>>>>

>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>> List of 3 items

>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>> control.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> Test Limit

>>>>

>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>> control. You can't

>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>> effective

>>>> control.

>>>>

>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>> different

>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>> might

>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>

>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>> been

>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>> on

>>>> average,

>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>> lab

>>>> does

>>>> the test.

>>>>

>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>> change

>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>> " read "

>>>> differently.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>> But

>>>> it

>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>> work

>>>> for

>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

[Guest guest]

Harry:

Debating here with you isn't productive. But you should know that Im not

arguing from ignorance: I hold a B.A. and M.S. in physics so know something

of the scientific method, of what can be inferred from experiment, of

standards and of statistics.

Peace!

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>

>>>

>>> Harrry:

>>>

>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney

>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the

>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C measurement.

>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge. There

>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am not

>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why I

>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>

>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as much

>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>

>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>

>>> Mike Freeman

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page. I

>>>> feel

>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>> " normal

>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>> range

>>>> of

>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>> of

>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>> range

>>>> for

>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also you

>>>> will

>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>> A1C

>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>> that

>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>> metric

>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>> for

>>>> a

>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C of

>>>> 5.0.

>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>> months

>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>> have

>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>

>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>

>>>> A1C test

>>>>

>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>> other

>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>> (sugar)

>>>> at

>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar control:

>>>> List of 2 items

>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>> any

>>>> one

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>> that

>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>> gives

>>>> you

>>>> a

>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>> months.

>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>> plan

>>>> is

>>>> working.

>>>>

>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>> overall

>>>> success.

>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>> record

>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>

>>>> How It Works

>>>>

>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C. You

>>>> may

>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>> found

>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>> all

>>>> the

>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>> such

>>>> as glucose.

>>>>

>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>> sugar

>>>> in

>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>> links

>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>> in

>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>> measure

>>>> the

>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>

>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>

>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>> last

>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>> blood

>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>> of

>>>> more

>>>> A1C.

>>>>

>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new red

>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>> your

>>>> blood

>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>> a

>>>> red

>>>> blood cell.

>>>>

>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>> A1C

>>>> level is

>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>> range

>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for a

>>>> long

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>> diagnosed

>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>> glucose

>>>> control,

>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>> is

>>>> the

>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>> about

>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>> your

>>>> doctor

>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>

>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>

>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two examples.

>>>>

>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years, he

>>>> and

>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>> diabetes

>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>> that

>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>> would

>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>

>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>> when

>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range. But

>>>> the

>>>> doctor

>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>> didn't

>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test. The

>>>> test

>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>> average,

>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>> exercise program

>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make a

>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>

>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>> and

>>>> urine

>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day and

>>>> to

>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>

>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the ideal

>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>> her

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>> A1C

>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>> been

>>>> poor

>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>

>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>> finger

>>>> and putting

>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>> sugar

>>>> test

>>>> errors.

>>>>

>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>> got

>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>> balance.

>>>> At

>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results showed

>>>> good

>>>> news about her control.

>>>>

>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>> List of 3 items

>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>> control.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> Test Limit

>>>>

>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>> control. You can't

>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>> effective

>>>> control.

>>>>

>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>> different

>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>> might

>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>

>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>> been

>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>> on

>>>> average,

>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>> lab

>>>> does

>>>> the test.

>>>>

>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>> change

>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>> " read "

>>>> differently.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>> But

>>>> it

>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>> work

>>>> for

>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

[Guest guest]

So because we've recently learned the importance of postprandial bG readings

and because your doctor had not kept up on the latest in diabetes research,

all physicians are evil, malevolent and out to get ya! Interesting thought

process there.

And I suspect that with an A1C of 6% or less, the fact that you still had

problems indicates that you might well have had them no matter *what* you

did about your diabetes. But we will never know and it certainly doesn't

hurt to keep that A1C down if you can do so without hypoglycemia.

But diabetes is as varied as the individual and all I'm saying is that what

works for Harry may or may not be the best deal for , Mike, ,

Mark, , Lissi, Crystal or any of the other good folks about whom

we've spoken in this-here forum.

Cheers!

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>

>>>

>>> Harrry:

>>>

>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney

>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the

>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C measurement.

>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge. There

>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am not

>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why I

>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>

>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as much

>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>

>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>

>>> Mike Freeman

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page. I

>>>> feel

>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>> " normal

>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>> range

>>>> of

>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>> of

>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>> range

>>>> for

>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also you

>>>> will

>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>> A1C

>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>> that

>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>> metric

>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>> for

>>>> a

>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C of

>>>> 5.0.

>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>> months

>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>> have

>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>

>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>

>>>> A1C test

>>>>

>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>> other

>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>> (sugar)

>>>> at

>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar control:

>>>> List of 2 items

>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>> any

>>>> one

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>> that

>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>> gives

>>>> you

>>>> a

>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>> months.

>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>> plan

>>>> is

>>>> working.

>>>>

>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>> overall

>>>> success.

>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>> record

>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>

>>>> How It Works

>>>>

>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C. You

>>>> may

>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>> found

>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>> all

>>>> the

>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>> such

>>>> as glucose.

>>>>

>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>> sugar

>>>> in

>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>> links

>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>> in

>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>> measure

>>>> the

>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>

>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>

>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>> last

>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>> blood

>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>> of

>>>> more

>>>> A1C.

>>>>

>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new red

>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>> your

>>>> blood

>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>> a

>>>> red

>>>> blood cell.

>>>>

>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>> A1C

>>>> level is

>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>> range

>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for a

>>>> long

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>> diagnosed

>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>> glucose

>>>> control,

>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>> is

>>>> the

>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>> about

>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>> your

>>>> doctor

>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>

>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>

>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two examples.

>>>>

>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years, he

>>>> and

>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>> diabetes

>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>> that

>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>> would

>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>

>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>> when

>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range. But

>>>> the

>>>> doctor

>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>> didn't

>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test. The

>>>> test

>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>> average,

>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>> exercise program

>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make a

>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>

>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>> and

>>>> urine

>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day and

>>>> to

>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>

>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the ideal

>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>> her

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>> A1C

>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>> been

>>>> poor

>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>

>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>> finger

>>>> and putting

>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>> sugar

>>>> test

>>>> errors.

>>>>

>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>> got

>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>> balance.

>>>> At

>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results showed

>>>> good

>>>> news about her control.

>>>>

>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>> List of 3 items

>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>> control.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> Test Limit

>>>>

>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>> control. You can't

>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>> effective

>>>> control.

>>>>

>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>> different

>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>> might

>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>

>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>> been

>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>> on

>>>> average,

>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>> lab

>>>> does

>>>> the test.

>>>>

>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>> change

>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>> " read "

>>>> differently.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>> But

>>>> it

>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>> work

>>>> for

>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

[Guest guest]

So because we've recently learned the importance of postprandial bG readings

and because your doctor had not kept up on the latest in diabetes research,

all physicians are evil, malevolent and out to get ya! Interesting thought

process there.

And I suspect that with an A1C of 6% or less, the fact that you still had

problems indicates that you might well have had them no matter *what* you

did about your diabetes. But we will never know and it certainly doesn't

hurt to keep that A1C down if you can do so without hypoglycemia.

But diabetes is as varied as the individual and all I'm saying is that what

works for Harry may or may not be the best deal for , Mike, ,

Mark, , Lissi, Crystal or any of the other good folks about whom

we've spoken in this-here forum.

Cheers!

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>

>>>

>>> Harrry:

>>>

>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney

>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the

>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C measurement.

>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge. There

>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am not

>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why I

>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>

>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as much

>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>

>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>

>>> Mike Freeman

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page. I

>>>> feel

>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>> " normal

>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>> range

>>>> of

>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>> of

>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>> range

>>>> for

>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also you

>>>> will

>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>> A1C

>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>> that

>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>> metric

>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>> for

>>>> a

>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C of

>>>> 5.0.

>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>> months

>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>> have

>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>

>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>

>>>> A1C test

>>>>

>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>> other

>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>> (sugar)

>>>> at

>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar control:

>>>> List of 2 items

>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>> any

>>>> one

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>> that

>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>> gives

>>>> you

>>>> a

>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>> months.

>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>> plan

>>>> is

>>>> working.

>>>>

>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>> overall

>>>> success.

>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>> record

>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>

>>>> How It Works

>>>>

>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C. You

>>>> may

>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>> found

>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>> all

>>>> the

>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>> such

>>>> as glucose.

>>>>

>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>> sugar

>>>> in

>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>> links

>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>> in

>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>> measure

>>>> the

>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>

>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>

>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>> last

>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>> blood

>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>> of

>>>> more

>>>> A1C.

>>>>

>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new red

>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>> your

>>>> blood

>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>> a

>>>> red

>>>> blood cell.

>>>>

>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>> A1C

>>>> level is

>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>> range

>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for a

>>>> long

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>> diagnosed

>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>> glucose

>>>> control,

>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>> is

>>>> the

>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>> about

>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>> your

>>>> doctor

>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>

>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>

>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two examples.

>>>>

>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years, he

>>>> and

>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>> diabetes

>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>> that

>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>> would

>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>

>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>> when

>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range. But

>>>> the

>>>> doctor

>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>> didn't

>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test. The

>>>> test

>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>> average,

>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>> exercise program

>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make a

>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>

>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>> and

>>>> urine

>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day and

>>>> to

>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>

>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the ideal

>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>> her

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>> A1C

>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>> been

>>>> poor

>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>

>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>> finger

>>>> and putting

>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>> sugar

>>>> test

>>>> errors.

>>>>

>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>> got

>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>> balance.

>>>> At

>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results showed

>>>> good

>>>> news about her control.

>>>>

>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>> List of 3 items

>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>> control.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> Test Limit

>>>>

>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>> control. You can't

>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>> effective

>>>> control.

>>>>

>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>> different

>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>> might

>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>

>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>> been

>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>> on

>>>> average,

>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>> lab

>>>> does

>>>> the test.

>>>>

>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>> change

>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>> " read "

>>>> differently.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>> But

>>>> it

>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>> work

>>>> for

>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

[Guest guest]

So because we've recently learned the importance of postprandial bG readings

and because your doctor had not kept up on the latest in diabetes research,

all physicians are evil, malevolent and out to get ya! Interesting thought

process there.

And I suspect that with an A1C of 6% or less, the fact that you still had

problems indicates that you might well have had them no matter *what* you

did about your diabetes. But we will never know and it certainly doesn't

hurt to keep that A1C down if you can do so without hypoglycemia.

But diabetes is as varied as the individual and all I'm saying is that what

works for Harry may or may not be the best deal for , Mike, ,

Mark, , Lissi, Crystal or any of the other good folks about whom

we've spoken in this-here forum.

Cheers!

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>

>>>

>>> Harrry:

>>>

>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney

>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the

>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C measurement.

>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge. There

>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am not

>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why I

>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>

>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as much

>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>

>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>

>>> Mike Freeman

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page. I

>>>> feel

>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>> " normal

>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>> range

>>>> of

>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>> of

>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>> range

>>>> for

>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also you

>>>> will

>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>> A1C

>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>> that

>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>> metric

>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>> for

>>>> a

>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C of

>>>> 5.0.

>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>> months

>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>> have

>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>

>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>

>>>> A1C test

>>>>

>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>> other

>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>> (sugar)

>>>> at

>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar control:

>>>> List of 2 items

>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>> any

>>>> one

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>> that

>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>> gives

>>>> you

>>>> a

>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>> months.

>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>> plan

>>>> is

>>>> working.

>>>>

>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>> overall

>>>> success.

>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>> record

>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>

>>>> How It Works

>>>>

>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C. You

>>>> may

>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>> found

>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>> all

>>>> the

>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>> such

>>>> as glucose.

>>>>

>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>> sugar

>>>> in

>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>> links

>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>> in

>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>> measure

>>>> the

>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>

>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>

>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>> last

>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>> blood

>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>> of

>>>> more

>>>> A1C.

>>>>

>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new red

>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>> your

>>>> blood

>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>> a

>>>> red

>>>> blood cell.

>>>>

>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>> A1C

>>>> level is

>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>> average

>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>> range

>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for a

>>>> long

>>>> time.

>>>>

>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>> diagnosed

>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>> glucose

>>>> control,

>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>> is

>>>> the

>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>> about

>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>> your

>>>> doctor

>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>

>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>

>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two examples.

>>>>

>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years, he

>>>> and

>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>> diabetes

>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>> that

>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>> would

>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>

>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>> when

>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range. But

>>>> the

>>>> doctor

>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>> didn't

>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test. The

>>>> test

>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>> average,

>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>> exercise program

>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make a

>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>

>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>> and

>>>> urine

>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day and

>>>> to

>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>

>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the ideal

>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>> her

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>> A1C

>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>> been

>>>> poor

>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>

>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>> finger

>>>> and putting

>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>> sugar

>>>> test

>>>> errors.

>>>>

>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>> got

>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>> balance.

>>>> At

>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results showed

>>>> good

>>>> news about her control.

>>>>

>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>> List of 3 items

>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>> control.

>>>> list end

>>>>

>>>> Test Limit

>>>>

>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>> control. You can't

>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>> blood

>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>> effective

>>>> control.

>>>>

>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>> different

>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>> might

>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>

>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>> been

>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>> on

>>>> average,

>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>> lab

>>>> does

>>>> the test.

>>>>

>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>> change

>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>> " read "

>>>> differently.

>>>>

>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>> But

>>>> it

>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>> work

>>>> for

>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

[Guest guest]

Carb counting doesn't necessarily mean Atkins.

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Harrry:

>>>>

>>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and

>>>> Kidney

>>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6;

>>>> the

>>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C

>>>> measurement.

>>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge.

>>>> There

>>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am

>>>> not

>>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why

>>>> I

>>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>>

>>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as

>>>> much

>>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>>

>>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>>

>>>> Mike Freeman

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page.

>>>>> I

>>>>> feel

>>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>>> " normal

>>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> of

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>>> of

>>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> for

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also

>>>>> you

>>>>> will

>>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>>> that

>>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>>> metric

>>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>>> for

>>>>> a

>>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C

>>>>> of

>>>>> 5.0.

>>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>>> months

>>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>>> have

>>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>>

>>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C test

>>>>>

>>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>>> other

>>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>>> (sugar)

>>>>> at

>>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar control:

>>>>> List of 2 items

>>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>>> any

>>>>> one

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>>> that

>>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>>> gives

>>>>> you

>>>>> a

>>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>>> months.

>>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>>> plan

>>>>> is

>>>>> working.

>>>>>

>>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>>> overall

>>>>> success.

>>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>>> record

>>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>>

>>>>> How It Works

>>>>>

>>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C.

>>>>> You

>>>>> may

>>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>>> found

>>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>>> all

>>>>> the

>>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>>> such

>>>>> as glucose.

>>>>>

>>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> in

>>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>>> links

>>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>>> in

>>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>>> measure

>>>>> the

>>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>>

>>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>>> last

>>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>>> blood

>>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>>> of

>>>>> more

>>>>> A1C.

>>>>>

>>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>>> your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>>> a

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cell.

>>>>>

>>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> level is

>>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>>> range

>>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for

>>>>> a

>>>>> long

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>>> diagnosed

>>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>>> glucose

>>>>> control,

>>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>>> is

>>>>> the

>>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>>> about

>>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>>> your

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>>

>>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>>

>>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two

>>>>> examples.

>>>>>

>>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years,

>>>>> he

>>>>> and

>>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>>> diabetes

>>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>>> that

>>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>>> would

>>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>>

>>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>>> when

>>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range.

>>>>> But

>>>>> the

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>>> didn't

>>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test.

>>>>> The

>>>>> test

>>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>>> exercise program

>>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make

>>>>> a

>>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>>

>>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>>> and

>>>>> urine

>>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day

>>>>> and

>>>>> to

>>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>>

>>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the

>>>>> ideal

>>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>>> her

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>>> been

>>>>> poor

>>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>>> finger

>>>>> and putting

>>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> test

>>>>> errors.

>>>>>

>>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>>> got

>>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>>> balance.

>>>>> At

>>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results

>>>>> showed

>>>>> good

>>>>> news about her control.

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>>> List of 3 items

>>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>>> control.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> Test Limit

>>>>>

>>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>>> control. You can't

>>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>>> effective

>>>>> control.

>>>>>

>>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>>> different

>>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>>> might

>>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>>

>>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>>> been

>>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>>> on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>>> lab

>>>>> does

>>>>> the test.

>>>>>

>>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>>> change

>>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>>> " read "

>>>>> differently.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>>> But

>>>>> it

>>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>>> work

>>>>> for

>>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Carb counting doesn't necessarily mean Atkins.

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Harrry:

>>>>

>>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and

>>>> Kidney

>>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6;

>>>> the

>>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C

>>>> measurement.

>>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge.

>>>> There

>>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am

>>>> not

>>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why

>>>> I

>>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>>

>>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as

>>>> much

>>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>>

>>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>>

>>>> Mike Freeman

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page.

>>>>> I

>>>>> feel

>>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>>> " normal

>>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> of

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>>> of

>>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> for

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also

>>>>> you

>>>>> will

>>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>>> that

>>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>>> metric

>>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>>> for

>>>>> a

>>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C

>>>>> of

>>>>> 5.0.

>>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>>> months

>>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>>> have

>>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>>

>>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C test

>>>>>

>>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>>> other

>>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>>> (sugar)

>>>>> at

>>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar control:

>>>>> List of 2 items

>>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>>> any

>>>>> one

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>>> that

>>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>>> gives

>>>>> you

>>>>> a

>>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>>> months.

>>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>>> plan

>>>>> is

>>>>> working.

>>>>>

>>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>>> overall

>>>>> success.

>>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>>> record

>>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>>

>>>>> How It Works

>>>>>

>>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C.

>>>>> You

>>>>> may

>>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>>> found

>>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>>> all

>>>>> the

>>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>>> such

>>>>> as glucose.

>>>>>

>>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> in

>>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>>> links

>>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>>> in

>>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>>> measure

>>>>> the

>>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>>

>>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>>> last

>>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>>> blood

>>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>>> of

>>>>> more

>>>>> A1C.

>>>>>

>>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>>> your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>>> a

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cell.

>>>>>

>>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> level is

>>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>>> range

>>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for

>>>>> a

>>>>> long

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>>> diagnosed

>>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>>> glucose

>>>>> control,

>>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>>> is

>>>>> the

>>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>>> about

>>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>>> your

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>>

>>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>>

>>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two

>>>>> examples.

>>>>>

>>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years,

>>>>> he

>>>>> and

>>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>>> diabetes

>>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>>> that

>>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>>> would

>>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>>

>>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>>> when

>>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range.

>>>>> But

>>>>> the

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>>> didn't

>>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test.

>>>>> The

>>>>> test

>>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>>> exercise program

>>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make

>>>>> a

>>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>>

>>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>>> and

>>>>> urine

>>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day

>>>>> and

>>>>> to

>>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>>

>>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the

>>>>> ideal

>>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>>> her

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>>> been

>>>>> poor

>>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>>> finger

>>>>> and putting

>>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> test

>>>>> errors.

>>>>>

>>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>>> got

>>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>>> balance.

>>>>> At

>>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results

>>>>> showed

>>>>> good

>>>>> news about her control.

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>>> List of 3 items

>>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>>> control.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> Test Limit

>>>>>

>>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>>> control. You can't

>>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>>> effective

>>>>> control.

>>>>>

>>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>>> different

>>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>>> might

>>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>>

>>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>>> been

>>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>>> on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>>> lab

>>>>> does

>>>>> the test.

>>>>>

>>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>>> change

>>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>>> " read "

>>>>> differently.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>>> But

>>>>> it

>>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>>> work

>>>>> for

>>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Carb counting doesn't necessarily mean Atkins.

Mike

Re: ADA A1C information

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Harrry:

>>>>

>>>> I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>>> between 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to

>>>> diabetics both old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends

>>>> upon what lab you use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and

>>>> 6.2 (a navy lab, I believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and

>>>> Kidney

>>>> Diseases Institute of the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6;

>>>> the

>>>> ADA also says this; The AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6

>>>> elsewhere. In fact, there *is* no national standard for A1C

>>>> measurement.

>>>> That's the dirty little secret that *no* one wants to acknowledge.

>>>> There

>>>> *is* a taskforce working on one but it hasn't finished its work yet and

>>>> there are some problems, apparently, coming up with a standard. I am

>>>> not

>>>> sympathetic; I feel that a national standard is imperative. That's why

>>>> I

>>>> said the best thing was to work wioth one's lab and corelate this with

>>>> average blood glucose readings.

>>>>

>>>> So please, in the name of honesty, stop misleading people with your BS

>>>> about what a " normal " A1C is. And before you accuse me of trysting my

>>>> Big Bad Doctor, I, too, have searched the Internet. And there is as

>>>> much

>>>> horse-s**t on the Internet as there is valid scientific data.

>>>>

>>>> In the words of Oliver Cromwell: I beseech you in the Bowels of Crist:

>>>> think it possible you might be mistaken!

>>>>

>>>> Mike Freeman

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>> I have copied the information below directly from the ADA home page.

>>>>> I

>>>>> feel

>>>>> they sugar coat what you should know, since a thorough search of the

>>>>> " normal

>>>>> range " of an A1C via the internet will reveal that the real normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> of

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 4.2-5.2, and it seems that most doctors are unaware

>>>>> of

>>>>> this research finding. So when a doctor tells you that the normal

>>>>> range

>>>>> for

>>>>> a non-diabetic is 5.8, they are giving you false information. Also

>>>>> you

>>>>> will

>>>>> notice that they C Y A (cover your arse) any information regarding the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> by saying it varies from lab test to lab test and from laboratory to

>>>>> laboratory. While this is true to some extent, one should be aware

>>>>> that

>>>>> even laboratories have to meet certain standards. A foot on my ruler

>>>>> measures twelve inches, and this measurement can be converted to any

>>>>> metric

>>>>> system and visa versa. Even the ADA admits that the average A1C level

>>>>> for

>>>>> a

>>>>> non-diabetic, as you read below, is around 5%. This would be an A1C

>>>>> of

>>>>> 5.0.

>>>>> An A1C reading of 13.0 shows serious impairment and it should be taken

>>>>> seriously. You should have your A1C taken at least once every three

>>>>> months

>>>>> or once per quarter of a year to gage your diabetes control until you

>>>>> have

>>>>> it in fairly good control. Now read what the ADA says:

>>>>>

>>>>> American Diabetes Association Home Page

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C test

>>>>>

>>>>> Because you have diabetes, you and your doctor, diabetes educator, and

>>>>> other

>>>>> members of your health care team work to keep your blood glucose

>>>>> (sugar)

>>>>> at

>>>>> ideal levels. There are two powerful reasons to work for effective

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar control:

>>>>> List of 2 items

>>>>> . You will feel better.

>>>>> . You may prevent or delay the start of diabetes complications such as

>>>>> nerve, eye, kidney, and blood vessel damage.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> One way to keep track of your blood sugar changes is by checking your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar at home. These tests tell you what your blood sugar level is at

>>>>> any

>>>>> one

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> But suppose you want to know how you've done overall. There's a test

>>>>> that

>>>>> can help. An A1C (also known as glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) test

>>>>> gives

>>>>> you

>>>>> a

>>>>> picture of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3

>>>>> months.

>>>>> The results give you a good idea of how well your diabetes treatment

>>>>> plan

>>>>> is

>>>>> working.

>>>>>

>>>>> In some ways, the A1C test is like a baseball player's season batting

>>>>> average. Both A1C and the batting average tell you about a person's

>>>>> overall

>>>>> success.

>>>>> Neither a single day's blood test results nor a single game's batting

>>>>> record

>>>>> gives the same big picture.

>>>>>

>>>>> How It Works

>>>>>

>>>>> You know from the name that the test measures something called A1C.

>>>>> You

>>>>> may

>>>>> wonder what it has to do with your blood sugar control. Hemoglobin is

>>>>> found

>>>>> inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to

>>>>> all

>>>>> the

>>>>> cells of the body. Hemoglobin, like all proteins, links up with sugars

>>>>> such

>>>>> as glucose.

>>>>>

>>>>> You know that when you have uncontrolled diabetes you have too much

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> in

>>>>> your bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and

>>>>> links

>>>>> up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose

>>>>> in

>>>>> your blood, the more hemoglobin gets glycated. It is possible to

>>>>> measure

>>>>> the

>>>>> percentage of A1C in the blood. The result is an overview of your

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose control for the past few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> Thanks for the Memories

>>>>>

>>>>> How does the A1C test look backward? Suppose your blood sugar was high

>>>>> last

>>>>> week. What happened? More glucose hooked up (glycated) with your

>>>>> hemoglobin.

>>>>> This week, your blood glucose is back under control. Still, your red

>>>>> blood

>>>>> cells carry the 'memory' of last week's high blood glucose in the form

>>>>> of

>>>>> more

>>>>> A1C.

>>>>>

>>>>> This record changes as old red blood cells in your body die and new

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1C in

>>>>> your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the lifespan of

>>>>> a

>>>>> red

>>>>> blood cell.

>>>>>

>>>>> In a person who does not have diabetes, about 5% of all hemoglobin is

>>>>> glycated. For someone with diabetes and high blood glucose levels, the

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> level is

>>>>> higher than normal. How high the A1C level rises depends on what the

>>>>> average

>>>>> blood glucose level was during the past weeks and months. Levels can

>>>>> range

>>>>> from normal to as high as 25% if diabetes is badly out of control for

>>>>> a

>>>>> long

>>>>> time.

>>>>>

>>>>> You should have had your A1C level measured when your diabetes was

>>>>> diagnosed

>>>>> or when treatment for diabetes was started. To watch your overall

>>>>> glucose

>>>>> control,

>>>>> your doctor should measure your A1C level at least twice a year. This

>>>>> is

>>>>> the

>>>>> minimum. There are times when you need to have your A1C level tested

>>>>> about

>>>>> every 3 months. If you change diabetes treatment, such as start a new

>>>>> medicine, or if you are not meeting your blood glucose goals, you and

>>>>> your

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> will want to keep a closer eye on your control.

>>>>>

>>>>> How Does It Help Diabetes Control?

>>>>>

>>>>> How can your A1C test results help your control? Here are two

>>>>> examples.

>>>>>

>>>>> Bob D., 49 years old, has type 2 diabetes. For the past seven years,

>>>>> he

>>>>> and

>>>>> his doctor have worked to control his blood sugar levels with diet and

>>>>> diabetes

>>>>> pills. Recently, Bob's control has been getting worse. His doctor said

>>>>> that

>>>>> Bob might have to start insulin shots. But first, they agreed that Bob

>>>>> would

>>>>> try an exercise program to improve control.

>>>>>

>>>>> That was three months ago. Bob stuck to his exercise plan. Last week,

>>>>> when

>>>>> the doctor checked Bob's blood sugar, it was near the normal range.

>>>>> But

>>>>> the

>>>>> doctor

>>>>> knew a single blood test only showed Bob's control at that time. It

>>>>> didn't

>>>>> say much about Bob's overall blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The doctor sent a sample of Bob's blood to the lab for an A1C test.

>>>>> The

>>>>> test

>>>>> results would tell how well Bob's blood sugar had been controlled, on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> for the past few months. The A1C test showed that Bob's control had

>>>>> improved. With the A1C results, Bob and the doctor had proof that the

>>>>> exercise program

>>>>> was working. The test results also helped Bob know that he could make

>>>>> a

>>>>> difference in his blood sugar control.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test can also help someone with type 1 diabetes. Nine-year-old

>>>>>

>>>>> J. and her parents were proud that she could do her own insulin shots

>>>>> and

>>>>> urine

>>>>> tests. Her doctor advised her to begin a routine of two shots a day

>>>>> and

>>>>> to

>>>>> check her blood sugar as well.

>>>>>

>>>>> kept records of all her test results. Most were close to the

>>>>> ideal

>>>>> range. But at her next checkup, the doctor checked her blood and found

>>>>> her

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar level was high. The doctor sent a sample of 's blood for an

>>>>> A1C

>>>>> test. The results showed that 's blood glucose control had in fact

>>>>> been

>>>>> poor

>>>>> for the last few months.

>>>>>

>>>>> 's doctor asked to do a blood sugar check. To the doctor's

>>>>> surprise, turned on the timer of her meter before pricking her

>>>>> finger

>>>>> and putting

>>>>> the blood drop on the test strip. The doctor explained to and her

>>>>> parents that the way was testing was probably causing the blood

>>>>> sugar

>>>>> test

>>>>> errors.

>>>>>

>>>>> With time and more accurate blood sugar results, and her parents

>>>>> got

>>>>> better at using her results to keep food, insulin, and exercise in

>>>>> balance.

>>>>> At

>>>>> later checkups, her blood sugar records and the A1C test results

>>>>> showed

>>>>> good

>>>>> news about her control.

>>>>>

>>>>> A1C tests can help:

>>>>> List of 3 items

>>>>> . Confirm self-testing results or blood test results by the doctor

>>>>> . Judge whether a treatment plan is working

>>>>> . Show you how healthy choices can make a difference in diabetes

>>>>> control.

>>>>> list end

>>>>>

>>>>> Test Limit

>>>>>

>>>>> Although the A1C test is an important tool, it can't replace daily

>>>>> self-testing of blood glucose. A1C tests don't measure your day-to-day

>>>>> control. You can't

>>>>> adjust your insulin on the basis of your A1C tests. That's why your

>>>>> blood

>>>>> sugar checks and your log results are so important to staying in

>>>>> effective

>>>>> control.

>>>>>

>>>>> It is important to know that different labs measure A1C levels in

>>>>> different

>>>>> ways. If you sent one sample of your blood to four different labs, you

>>>>> might

>>>>> get back four different test results.

>>>>>

>>>>> For example, an 8 at one lab might mean that blood glucose levels have

>>>>> been

>>>>> in the near-normal range. At a second lab, a 9 might be a sign that,

>>>>> on

>>>>> average,

>>>>> blood glucose was high. This doesn't mean that any of the results are

>>>>> wrong. It does mean that what your results say depends on the way the

>>>>> lab

>>>>> does

>>>>> the test.

>>>>>

>>>>> Talk to your doctor about your A1C test results. Know that if you

>>>>> change

>>>>> doctors or your doctor changes labs, your test numbers may need to be

>>>>> " read "

>>>>> differently.

>>>>>

>>>>> The A1C test alone is not enough to measure good blood sugar control.

>>>>> But

>>>>> it

>>>>> is good resource to use along with your daily blood sugar checks, to

>>>>> work

>>>>> for

>>>>> the best possible control.

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Harry:

When one gets out of the " normal range " -- whatever it is -- certainly

higher glycation rates seem to increase one's probability of incurring

diabetic complications. But I have not seen research indicating that once

one is in the " normal range " , additional lowering of one's A1C decreases the

probability of diabetic complications. In other words, numbers and numbers

games aren't everything. There is the law of diminishing returns. I would

classify Dr. Bernstein as one of those for whom diabetes has taken over his

life. He tends to think like the engineer he was.

Mike

ADA A1C information

>>

>>

>>>

>>> The below is different then the range one would get if non-diabetics

>>> were

>>> tested, which is by definition the normal a1c range. The below reflects

>>> the range of views about clinical goals in treatment, not what is the

>>> normal range. Dr. Bernstein illustrates this by saying he asks every

>>> meter

>>> salesman to do a test on himself on the spot and this reveals the normal

>>> range.

>>>

>>> " I'm going to be frank: your continual harping on a normal A1C being

>>> between

>>> 4.2 and 5.2 is sheer twaddle and does a severe disservice to diabetics

>>> both

>>> old and new including yourself. For starters, it depends upon what lab

>>> you

>>> use what a " normal " A1C is. Some go between 4.8 and 6.2 (a navy lab, I

>>> believe); the National Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases Institute

>>> of

>>> the NIH say a " normal " A1C is between 4 and 6; the ADA also says this;

>>> The

>>> AACE says 3.8 to 6 and I've seen 4.2 to 6 elsewhere. In fact, there *is*

>>> no

>>> national standard for A1C measurement. "

>>>

>>> XB

>>> IC|XC

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>