Re: question on A1c levels

[Guest guest]

Ok, IF I eat rice OF any kind I find it DOES NOT stay with me. I can eat

veggies and SOME MEAT, but if I have rice with that meal I am hungry within a

few HOURS. NO, i still DON't eat a snack CONSISTANTLY. But, then, my sugars

are still between 7.4 and 10.4 OR there aBOUT. ALTHOUGH I have had them up

aROUND 14.6 1 time during training with my DOG, and yesterday I had a reading OF

13.6 and the day befORE I had a reading OF 12.5. At THOSE POINTS I had NOT yet

eaten anything and had early dinners. What did I DO wrONG?

Terrie with Jade and Bunny

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ok, IF I eat rice OF any kind I find it DOES NOT stay with me. I can eat

veggies and SOME MEAT, but if I have rice with that meal I am hungry within a

few HOURS. NO, i still DON't eat a snack CONSISTANTLY. But, then, my sugars

are still between 7.4 and 10.4 OR there aBOUT. ALTHOUGH I have had them up

aROUND 14.6 1 time during training with my DOG, and yesterday I had a reading OF

13.6 and the day befORE I had a reading OF 12.5. At THOSE POINTS I had NOT yet

eaten anything and had early dinners. What did I DO wrONG?

Terrie with Jade and Bunny

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ok, IF I eat rice OF any kind I find it DOES NOT stay with me. I can eat

veggies and SOME MEAT, but if I have rice with that meal I am hungry within a

few HOURS. NO, i still DON't eat a snack CONSISTANTLY. But, then, my sugars

are still between 7.4 and 10.4 OR there aBOUT. ALTHOUGH I have had them up

aROUND 14.6 1 time during training with my DOG, and yesterday I had a reading OF

13.6 and the day befORE I had a reading OF 12.5. At THOSE POINTS I had NOT yet

eaten anything and had early dinners. What did I DO wrONG?

Terrie with Jade and Bunny

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi KAY:

I KNOW SOMEONE WHO isTOTALLY blind and she has a pump, SO, that rep FOR the pump

DOES NOT KNOW his OR her business. A TOTALLY blindPERSON can learn whatever

they need TO DO in ORDER TO keep care OF themselves.

I am plain sick and tired OF the blind being underestimated.

Terrie with Jade and Bunny. .

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

Hi KAY:

I KNOW SOMEONE WHO isTOTALLY blind and she has a pump, SO, that rep FOR the pump

DOES NOT KNOW his OR her business. A TOTALLY blindPERSON can learn whatever

they need TO DO in ORDER TO keep care OF themselves.

I am plain sick and tired OF the blind being underestimated.

Terrie with Jade and Bunny. .

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

Hi KAY:

I KNOW SOMEONE WHO isTOTALLY blind and she has a pump, SO, that rep FOR the pump

DOES NOT KNOW his OR her business. A TOTALLY blindPERSON can learn whatever

they need TO DO in ORDER TO keep care OF themselves.

I am plain sick and tired OF the blind being underestimated.

Terrie with Jade and Bunny. .

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

FOR what it is WORTH, I think the numbers are given TOO much FOCUS and NOT

ENOUGH is given TO the rest OF the PERSON like HOW that PERSON is feeling. The

NUMBERS are NOT the entire perSON.

question on A1c levels

Someone was of the view:

" Okay. nne, that is terrific. But according to the researc out now

it isn't good to go below that. I'll hve to look and wee if I have any of

those articles. "

Me:

The research must be understood in light of the entire story and must not

be applied to all diabetics wholesale.

What the ada says is to have an a1c as close to normal as possible without

danger of lows for those for whom this could be a problem.

The research applies only to long term diabetics who are out of control,

obese, have heart disease, don't exercise and have an a1c far in excess of

a normal level.

In those studies they took these people and forced down the a1c using

larger doses of insulin without addressing the other factors and the result

was to increase problems with heart disease.

If those same people had lost weight and exercised and ate far fewer carbs

they would have on their own had lower a1c levels andlikely less drugs.

Likewise if they had from the time of diagnosis held good treatment habits

they could have had an a1c very close to and often within the normal range.

XB

IC|XC

[Guest guest]

FOR what it is WORTH, I think the numbers are given TOO much FOCUS and NOT

ENOUGH is given TO the rest OF the PERSON like HOW that PERSON is feeling. The

NUMBERS are NOT the entire perSON.

question on A1c levels

Someone was of the view:

" Okay. nne, that is terrific. But according to the researc out now

it isn't good to go below that. I'll hve to look and wee if I have any of

those articles. "

Me:

The research must be understood in light of the entire story and must not

be applied to all diabetics wholesale.

What the ada says is to have an a1c as close to normal as possible without

danger of lows for those for whom this could be a problem.

The research applies only to long term diabetics who are out of control,

obese, have heart disease, don't exercise and have an a1c far in excess of

a normal level.

In those studies they took these people and forced down the a1c using

larger doses of insulin without addressing the other factors and the result

was to increase problems with heart disease.

If those same people had lost weight and exercised and ate far fewer carbs

they would have on their own had lower a1c levels andlikely less drugs.

Likewise if they had from the time of diagnosis held good treatment habits

they could have had an a1c very close to and often within the normal range.

XB

IC|XC

[Guest guest]

FOR what it is WORTH, I think the numbers are given TOO much FOCUS and NOT

ENOUGH is given TO the rest OF the PERSON like HOW that PERSON is feeling. The

NUMBERS are NOT the entire perSON.

question on A1c levels

Someone was of the view:

" Okay. nne, that is terrific. But according to the researc out now

it isn't good to go below that. I'll hve to look and wee if I have any of

those articles. "

Me:

The research must be understood in light of the entire story and must not

be applied to all diabetics wholesale.

What the ada says is to have an a1c as close to normal as possible without

danger of lows for those for whom this could be a problem.

The research applies only to long term diabetics who are out of control,

obese, have heart disease, don't exercise and have an a1c far in excess of

a normal level.

In those studies they took these people and forced down the a1c using

larger doses of insulin without addressing the other factors and the result

was to increase problems with heart disease.

If those same people had lost weight and exercised and ate far fewer carbs

they would have on their own had lower a1c levels andlikely less drugs.

Likewise if they had from the time of diagnosis held good treatment habits

they could have had an a1c very close to and often within the normal range.

XB

IC|XC

[Guest guest]

YES, I KNOW that it is GREAT TO have GOOD A1C levels, but What DOCTORS FORGET

and leave BY the wayside is the rest OF the patient. AS LONG as they are

satisfied with the numbers, that is fine. IF the patient feels as ROTTON as

POSSIBLE, OH, well, TOO bad. The NUMBERS are all GOOD. GO HOME and CONTINUE

what YOU are DOING the numbers are GOOD. That is what all these studies are

telling me.

SO, where is the rest OF the PERSON?

Terrie

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

YES, I KNOW that it is GREAT TO have GOOD A1C levels, but What DOCTORS FORGET

and leave BY the wayside is the rest OF the patient. AS LONG as they are

satisfied with the numbers, that is fine. IF the patient feels as ROTTON as

POSSIBLE, OH, well, TOO bad. The NUMBERS are all GOOD. GO HOME and CONTINUE

what YOU are DOING the numbers are GOOD. That is what all these studies are

telling me.

SO, where is the rest OF the PERSON?

Terrie

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

YES, I KNOW that it is GREAT TO have GOOD A1C levels, but What DOCTORS FORGET

and leave BY the wayside is the rest OF the patient. AS LONG as they are

satisfied with the numbers, that is fine. IF the patient feels as ROTTON as

POSSIBLE, OH, well, TOO bad. The NUMBERS are all GOOD. GO HOME and CONTINUE

what YOU are DOING the numbers are GOOD. That is what all these studies are

telling me.

SO, where is the rest OF the PERSON?

Terrie

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

Are you checking your bg readings more frequently? In order to see exactly

what's happening, you need to check when you wake up, before each meal, 2 hours

after each meal, and even in the middle of the night. This is the only way to

really know what your body is doing as far as blood sugar in relationship to

your food intake and activity.

Dave

Visit: http://www.bardtalk.com and find answers to commonly asked questions

concerning BARD. Join the online discussion list, and discover many other

resources to help make your digital talking book experience more enjoyable!

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Are you checking your bg readings more frequently? In order to see exactly

what's happening, you need to check when you wake up, before each meal, 2 hours

after each meal, and even in the middle of the night. This is the only way to

really know what your body is doing as far as blood sugar in relationship to

your food intake and activity.

Dave

Visit: http://www.bardtalk.com and find answers to commonly asked questions

concerning BARD. Join the online discussion list, and discover many other

resources to help make your digital talking book experience more enjoyable!

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

OH, Cy, YOU understand What I was talking ABOUT. It is a relief TO KNOW that

SOMEONE KNOWS what I mean. My GP treats me as an entire PERSON, but the

DOCTORS WHO study these things DON'T, maybe that is why I DON't have an

ENDOCHRONOLOGIST. I did GO TO the diabetic clinic ONCE, but i can't recall the

name OF the DOCTOR I saw a year AGO. But, she said OH, YOUR NUMBERS are NOT as

bad as we usually see, but YOU are definitely diabetic. I said, SO, what DO YOU

Mean by that? She said " OH,YOUR numbers are NOT GOOD meaning they are NOT what

we WOULD call NORMAL, but they are nOT sky high. Well, within the year, I have

seen them GO up TO 20 and 26.7 and 27.7 and 14 which FROM what I understand

WOULD be OVER 200 by YOUR AMERICAN scale. The 14 was calculated by the nurse AT

SEEING Eye FOR ME. She TOLD ME that they TOOK my 14 and did SOMETHING using the

number 18. I DON't KNOW what, but it came up OVER 200. and just the OTHER day

it was 13. NOW, if THOSE aren't Sky high, what are they? TO me they are.

I find this disease FOR lack OF a different WORD CONFUSING ENOUGH.

I am still learning. DO we ever KNOW all there is TO KNOW?

Terrie with Jade and Bunny.

email FOR THOSE WHO want TO Write OFF list: shineyDOG@...

H:

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

OH, Cy, YOU understand What I was talking ABOUT. It is a relief TO KNOW that

SOMEONE KNOWS what I mean. My GP treats me as an entire PERSON, but the

DOCTORS WHO study these things DON'T, maybe that is why I DON't have an

ENDOCHRONOLOGIST. I did GO TO the diabetic clinic ONCE, but i can't recall the

name OF the DOCTOR I saw a year AGO. But, she said OH, YOUR NUMBERS are NOT as

bad as we usually see, but YOU are definitely diabetic. I said, SO, what DO YOU

Mean by that? She said " OH,YOUR numbers are NOT GOOD meaning they are NOT what

we WOULD call NORMAL, but they are nOT sky high. Well, within the year, I have

seen them GO up TO 20 and 26.7 and 27.7 and 14 which FROM what I understand

WOULD be OVER 200 by YOUR AMERICAN scale. The 14 was calculated by the nurse AT

SEEING Eye FOR ME. She TOLD ME that they TOOK my 14 and did SOMETHING using the

number 18. I DON't KNOW what, but it came up OVER 200. and just the OTHER day

it was 13. NOW, if THOSE aren't Sky high, what are they? TO me they are.

I find this disease FOR lack OF a different WORD CONFUSING ENOUGH.

I am still learning. DO we ever KNOW all there is TO KNOW?

Terrie with Jade and Bunny.

email FOR THOSE WHO want TO Write OFF list: shineyDOG@...

H:

Re: question on A1c levels

, have you ever considered a pump? I was never called " brittle "

(personally I really dislike that term, because I think *all* type 1s are

" brittle " ... we are trying to take the place of an organ, after all!), but

lows to highs and back again pretty much sums up my control before. The pump

helped so much because you are able to deliver a variable basal rate. People

without diabetes don't have a completely flat level of insulin in their

bodies -- which is what Lantus provides -- they produce insulin in the

amounts their bodies need, which you can do with a pump. There are also much

finer bolusing increments. I used to never correct a high blood sugar before

bed unless it was say 12 or above, because I would go low. Now with the pump

I can give a tiny bolus like 0.3 of a unit, and I usually correct anything

above 8. Also, and this has made a *huge* difference, if you notice you are

running high or low you can change the pump's basal rate and those changes

kick in after only a few hours. With Lantus making changes in the dose takes

three days to take effect, so by the time the changes take effect the

problem you've responded to may be gone entirely!

I was never able to get my A1c any lower than 7.1 on Lantus no matter how

hard I tried. Now with the pump, my last A1c was 7.1 and I'm not happy with

that, that's m own fault it's high from slacking off. The one before that

was 6.6, and I'm aiming for 6.5 although I'm not sure I can get that low

without using a CGMS because I have too many lows. The pump isn't perfect,

of course, and doesn't guarantee perfect numbers. There are still days I

ping pong everywhere, like yesterday when I was from 2.9 to 22.3. But now

when that happens I can usually find a reason for it. Many days I can stay

between 4 and 10 the entire day, which was impossible before. Before the

pump seeing lows and high teens every day was routine. There are things that

influence my blood sugar, like hormones, which cause me to alternately crash

and skyrocket every two weeks, which I never realized had any effect on me

because my control was never stable enough until I got the pump.

Having said that great stuff about the pump, there are also some definite

disadvantages, especially for a blind person. It's very high tech and you

have to be comfortable with computers to use it, be willing to memorize the

menu layouts so you can navigate them without vision, and also have to be

willing to test more often and learn the ins and outs of pump therapy which

is more complicated than multiple daily injections. Also, if anything

happens to cut off insulin delivery you have to troubleshoot the problem,

which can sometimes be really frustrating, especailly when you've got very

high blood sugar at the same time (which you probably do if you have

delivery problems)!

Jen

[Guest guest]

Thanks Dave. I will try that. HOW LONG DO I need TO DO that? just WONDERING.

Terrie with Jade and Bunny.

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Dave. I will try that. HOW LONG DO I need TO DO that? just WONDERING.

Terrie with Jade and Bunny.

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Terrie,

To convert mg/dl (American units) to mmol/L (the units we use here in Canada

and most other parts of the world), you divide the number by 18. To convert

the other way (from mmol/L or Canadian units to mg/dl or American units) you

multiply by 18. So your reading of 14 would be approximately 252 in American

units. Your 27.7 would be 500 in American units and that one is most

definitely sky high. I personally wouldn't consider 13-14 sky high, but then

I am type 1 and see those numbers on a fairly regular basis.

Diabetes is different from most other chronic conditions because of the

degree of management we as the patients must put in. It is a 24/7 job and it

is as much an emotional disease as it is a physical one, as far as taking

care of ourselves. However, most doctors do not have time nor training to

meet our emotional needs. My endocrinologist specializes in hormonal systems

and this is what I expect him to know. There are other professionals, such

as counsellors or psychologists or even many diabetes educators, who

specialize in helping people with emotional needs. Of course, some doctors

are also good at this, but it can be difficult for them to ask how we are

doing emotionally in an appointment that may only be ten minutes long. A

doctor is primarily concerned with your physical well-being and, like it or

not, what determines this is how well you are controlling diabetes and other

health conditions. Most conditions rely on numbers, but most of the time the

patient themselves doesn't have to worry about them so much. If you have a

problem with your thyroid your doctor will give you pills and do blood tests

every few months and tell you when it's under control. With diabetes, that's

mostly your job, and the doctor can only play a supporting role.

This is part of the reason I love the online diabetes community. I get

support here even just by reading messages from other people and knowing I'm

not alone. There are also in-person support groups which can be valuable

experiences. I forget where in Canada you live, but there are some here in

Vancouver which I have been to. I don't go regularly, but knowing they are

there if I need them is nice. I have also read a lot of books about

diabetes, especially autobiographies written by people with diabetes, as a

source of support.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Hi Terrie,

To convert mg/dl (American units) to mmol/L (the units we use here in Canada

and most other parts of the world), you divide the number by 18. To convert

the other way (from mmol/L or Canadian units to mg/dl or American units) you

multiply by 18. So your reading of 14 would be approximately 252 in American

units. Your 27.7 would be 500 in American units and that one is most

definitely sky high. I personally wouldn't consider 13-14 sky high, but then

I am type 1 and see those numbers on a fairly regular basis.

Diabetes is different from most other chronic conditions because of the

degree of management we as the patients must put in. It is a 24/7 job and it

is as much an emotional disease as it is a physical one, as far as taking

care of ourselves. However, most doctors do not have time nor training to

meet our emotional needs. My endocrinologist specializes in hormonal systems

and this is what I expect him to know. There are other professionals, such

as counsellors or psychologists or even many diabetes educators, who

specialize in helping people with emotional needs. Of course, some doctors

are also good at this, but it can be difficult for them to ask how we are

doing emotionally in an appointment that may only be ten minutes long. A

doctor is primarily concerned with your physical well-being and, like it or

not, what determines this is how well you are controlling diabetes and other

health conditions. Most conditions rely on numbers, but most of the time the

patient themselves doesn't have to worry about them so much. If you have a

problem with your thyroid your doctor will give you pills and do blood tests

every few months and tell you when it's under control. With diabetes, that's

mostly your job, and the doctor can only play a supporting role.

This is part of the reason I love the online diabetes community. I get

support here even just by reading messages from other people and knowing I'm

not alone. There are also in-person support groups which can be valuable

experiences. I forget where in Canada you live, but there are some here in

Vancouver which I have been to. I don't go regularly, but knowing they are

there if I need them is nice. I have also read a lot of books about

diabetes, especially autobiographies written by people with diabetes, as a

source of support.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Jen, you always have this marvelous way of summing up everything and giving a

strong sense of closure to it. Thanks!

Dave

Visit: http://www.bardtalk.com and find answers to commonly asked questions

concerning BARD. Join the online discussion list, and discover many other

resources to help make your digital talking book experience more enjoyable!

Re: question on A1c levels

Hi Terrie,

To convert mg/dl (American units) to mmol/L (the units we use here in Canada

and most other parts of the world), you divide the number by 18. To convert

the other way (from mmol/L or Canadian units to mg/dl or American units) you

multiply by 18. So your reading of 14 would be approximately 252 in American

units. Your 27.7 would be 500 in American units and that one is most

definitely sky high. I personally wouldn't consider 13-14 sky high, but then

I am type 1 and see those numbers on a fairly regular basis.

Diabetes is different from most other chronic conditions because of the

degree of management we as the patients must put in. It is a 24/7 job and it

is as much an emotional disease as it is a physical one, as far as taking

care of ourselves. However, most doctors do not have time nor training to

meet our emotional needs. My endocrinologist specializes in hormonal systems

and this is what I expect him to know. There are other professionals, such

as counsellors or psychologists or even many diabetes educators, who

specialize in helping people with emotional needs. Of course, some doctors

are also good at this, but it can be difficult for them to ask how we are

doing emotionally in an appointment that may only be ten minutes long. A

doctor is primarily concerned with your physical well-being and, like it or

not, what determines this is how well you are controlling diabetes and other

health conditions. Most conditions rely on numbers, but most of the time the

patient themselves doesn't have to worry about them so much. If you have a

problem with your thyroid your doctor will give you pills and do blood tests

every few months and tell you when it's under control. With diabetes, that's

mostly your job, and the doctor can only play a supporting role.

This is part of the reason I love the online diabetes community. I get

support here even just by reading messages from other people and knowing I'm

not alone. There are also in-person support groups which can be valuable

experiences. I forget where in Canada you live, but there are some here in

Vancouver which I have been to. I don't go regularly, but knowing they are

there if I need them is nice. I have also read a lot of books about

diabetes, especially autobiographies written by people with diabetes, as a

source of support.

Jen

[Guest guest]

As long as it takes. Seriously, I can't answer that. As a type 1, I check my bg

8 times a day, 365 days a year, and have done so for many years. I think you're

a type 2, and your bg swings will not come close to those of us with type 1.

Once you see what's going on, and this might involve keeping a log or journal,

you should begin to see patterns. The bottom line to long term health with a

diabetic, type 1 or type 2, is keeping blood sugar levels as close to a normal

range as possible. High blood sugar is detrimental to blood cell health, which

means, high blood sugars harm internal organs and blood vessels. The more

information you can learn about your own body, meaning, what makes your blood

sugar rise, the better off you will be since you will then know the things to

avoid, or how to handle them when the occur.

Dave

Visit: http://www.bardtalk.com and find answers to commonly asked questions

concerning BARD. Join the online discussion list, and discover many other

resources to help make your digital talking book experience more enjoyable!

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

As long as it takes. Seriously, I can't answer that. As a type 1, I check my bg

8 times a day, 365 days a year, and have done so for many years. I think you're

a type 2, and your bg swings will not come close to those of us with type 1.

Once you see what's going on, and this might involve keeping a log or journal,

you should begin to see patterns. The bottom line to long term health with a

diabetic, type 1 or type 2, is keeping blood sugar levels as close to a normal

range as possible. High blood sugar is detrimental to blood cell health, which

means, high blood sugars harm internal organs and blood vessels. The more

information you can learn about your own body, meaning, what makes your blood

sugar rise, the better off you will be since you will then know the things to

avoid, or how to handle them when the occur.

Dave

Visit: http://www.bardtalk.com and find answers to commonly asked questions

concerning BARD. Join the online discussion list, and discover many other

resources to help make your digital talking book experience more enjoyable!

Re: question on A1c levels

,

Do you count carbohydrates at all? That is, do you dose your insulin based

on the amount of carbohydrates you are eating? I noticed in another e-mail

you said you were 22 after having a piece of bread ... I don't stick to any

particular diet, but I do count carbohydrates in the foods I eat and I

change the amount of insulin I take based on this. There is no set dose I

take per meal. I might take 4 units for one meal but 8 for another and

occasionally, when I eat out, I'll take more than 10. This is in addition to

the extra insulin I take if my blood sugar is high.

Of course, this isn't perfect every time. Yesterday I was 5.3 after

breakfast, today with the exact same breakfast (I even weighed the food) I

am 16.6. But that's just diabetes sometimes, making no sense. At least

carbohydrate counting gives me a guideline to work with so that I am not

just taking wild guesses about how much insulin to take for food.

Jen

>

>

> dave, i take four units of humalog for each meal plus i am on the sliding

> scale. i give myself a little treat occasionally of one little square of

> sugar free chocolate and this is very small. but to do this the occasionall

> evening i have to give myself two units of humalog. if i do the extra

> insulin my blood sugar reading will be o k for the next reading. karen

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ah, I am in Surrrey TO answer that part OF YOUR QUESTION> I amNOT used TO JUST

being a bunch OF NUMBERS> I guess it is SOMETHING I will have TO GET USED TO.

i am NOT IN The habit OF RUNNING TO a DOCTOR FOR every little thing. IN FACT

Usually I DON't GO until I have TO if YOU KNOW what I mean.

Terrie with Jade and Bunny.

Re: question on A1c levels

Hi Terrie,

To convert mg/dl (American units) to mmol/L (the units we use here in Canada

and most other parts of the world), you divide the number by 18. To convert

the other way (from mmol/L or Canadian units to mg/dl or American units) you

multiply by 18. So your reading of 14 would be approximately 252 in American

units. Your 27.7 would be 500 in American units and that one is most

definitely sky high. I personally wouldn't consider 13-14 sky high, but then

I am type 1 and see those numbers on a fairly regular basis.

Diabetes is different from most other chronic conditions because of the

degree of management we as the patients must put in. It is a 24/7 job and it

is as much an emotional disease as it is a physical one, as far as taking

care of ourselves. However, most doctors do not have time nor training to

meet our emotional needs. My endocrinologist specializes in hormonal systems

and this is what I expect him to know. There are other professionals, such

as counsellors or psychologists or even many diabetes educators, who

specialize in helping people with emotional needs. Of course, some doctors

are also good at this, but it can be difficult for them to ask how we are

doing emotionally in an appointment that may only be ten minutes long. A

doctor is primarily concerned with your physical well-being and, like it or

not, what determines this is how well you are controlling diabetes and other

health conditions. Most conditions rely on numbers, but most of the time the

patient themselves doesn't have to worry about them so much. If you have a

problem with your thyroid your doctor will give you pills and do blood tests

every few months and tell you when it's under control. With diabetes, that's

mostly your job, and the doctor can only play a supporting role.

This is part of the reason I love the online diabetes community. I get

support here even just by reading messages from other people and knowing I'm

not alone. There are also in-person support groups which can be valuable

experiences. I forget where in Canada you live, but there are some here in

Vancouver which I have been to. I don't go regularly, but knowing they are

there if I need them is nice. I have also read a lot of books about

diabetes, especially autobiographies written by people with diabetes, as a

source of support.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Ah, I am in Surrrey TO answer that part OF YOUR QUESTION> I amNOT used TO JUST

being a bunch OF NUMBERS> I guess it is SOMETHING I will have TO GET USED TO.

i am NOT IN The habit OF RUNNING TO a DOCTOR FOR every little thing. IN FACT

Usually I DON't GO until I have TO if YOU KNOW what I mean.

Terrie with Jade and Bunny.

Re: question on A1c levels

Hi Terrie,

To convert mg/dl (American units) to mmol/L (the units we use here in Canada

and most other parts of the world), you divide the number by 18. To convert

the other way (from mmol/L or Canadian units to mg/dl or American units) you

multiply by 18. So your reading of 14 would be approximately 252 in American

units. Your 27.7 would be 500 in American units and that one is most

definitely sky high. I personally wouldn't consider 13-14 sky high, but then

I am type 1 and see those numbers on a fairly regular basis.

Diabetes is different from most other chronic conditions because of the

degree of management we as the patients must put in. It is a 24/7 job and it

is as much an emotional disease as it is a physical one, as far as taking

care of ourselves. However, most doctors do not have time nor training to

meet our emotional needs. My endocrinologist specializes in hormonal systems

and this is what I expect him to know. There are other professionals, such

as counsellors or psychologists or even many diabetes educators, who

specialize in helping people with emotional needs. Of course, some doctors

are also good at this, but it can be difficult for them to ask how we are

doing emotionally in an appointment that may only be ten minutes long. A

doctor is primarily concerned with your physical well-being and, like it or

not, what determines this is how well you are controlling diabetes and other

health conditions. Most conditions rely on numbers, but most of the time the

patient themselves doesn't have to worry about them so much. If you have a

problem with your thyroid your doctor will give you pills and do blood tests

every few months and tell you when it's under control. With diabetes, that's

mostly your job, and the doctor can only play a supporting role.

This is part of the reason I love the online diabetes community. I get

support here even just by reading messages from other people and knowing I'm

not alone. There are also in-person support groups which can be valuable

experiences. I forget where in Canada you live, but there are some here in

Vancouver which I have been to. I don't go regularly, but knowing they are

there if I need them is nice. I have also read a lot of books about

diabetes, especially autobiographies written by people with diabetes, as a

source of support.

Jen