Guest guest Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 Can someone please tell me what A1c is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 I've been as frustrated as you, Sandy. My numbers have been going up since May from an a1c of 5.8 to a 6.6 most recently, and since it's under 7, my doctor wasn't too worried about it -- a PCP. I'm now going to an endo's office, and the NP/CDE there really looked at my BG readings (which are much higher than the 6.6 a1c would indicate - I think the alpha lipoic acid I take is keeping my a1c down), and she's addressing it - has increased my metformin to the maximum, is playing with some of my other numbers, and best of all is putting in paperwork for a pump for me. I'm using twice as much insulin as I was using in early August, and I can't find any reason -- have checked for all kinds of infections and other issues. Stress is a constant in my life, but it hasn't changed, so I don't know and I hate that I don't know. It could just be that my diabetes is progressing and I just have to deal with it. I eat fairly low carb, exercise fairly regularly, and still have BG that goes very high. Often I wake up with BG somewhere between 185 and 220, and my PP numbers, despite eating the same things as always, are higher as well. Sometimes I think my body has reacted to lantus and that the lantus no longer has any effect at all. Sometimes a new doctor isn't a bad thing, as he or she will usually look pretty closely at first to try to get the whole picture. Are you seeing and endo now or a PCP? Sometimes doctors are so tied into the a1c that they can't see the reality. Is there any chance that you're going low at night and rebounding in the morning? Some BG checks at various middle of the night hours on a couple of different nights might be worth doing. Stacey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 In a message dated 12/17/04 10:55:36 AM Eastern Standard Time, hitsang_lemmy@... writes: > >The high sugars are also making me irritable, depressed and giving me nightmares. So >why the @#$@! can't I break the stupid eating addiction! I was so good for months. I >guess I'm relapsing. >>>>>>> We're all addicted to eating. Without food, we die. It's the same with water, air, shelter. It could be that the restrictions were just too much for you, and you got hungry. It's not good or bad, it just is. It's ok, it will be ok. I think many people go through stages and times where they don't have the best control in the world. I've had my times as well since diagnosis. Monday I ate a toasted bagel with butter for the first time in a year. A big fat bagel -- according to my book about 60 grams of carbs -- about what I'd normally eat in an entire day. It was delicious. Absolutely fabulous. It also sent my BG soaring. Not a great tradeoff, but that bagel was calling me, and like the call of the siren, it was irresistible. I don't regret eating the damned thing -- it was worth it -- but I don't think I'll be doing it again anytime soon. If I hadn't eaten it, it would have become an obsession, and frankly, that's no way to live. I listen to my body -- it talks loudly enough! And I occasionally have the foods that send BG soaring because if I don't I'll do little things for a much longer periods -- eat little pieces of chocolate or bread or something else which add up to much worse BG for much longer than that one item. Does this make any sense? It's not good and bad, sinful or pure, it just is. Food isn't good or bad, it just is. Some foods are better than others for BG. Stacey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 >I feel this way about the Lantus too! I'm seeing an Endo- this is what worries me. The last Endo I had was very interested in seeing me under 6.0. I don't think I'm experiencing that dawn effect syndrome. I'm eating too much. I am being extremely bad. That's part of the problem. I'm coming clean to this group because it really helps me a lot. Sandy, I just wanted to say before I jumped into looking for another doctor I would re-examine my diet and exercise. If you are doing the exact same thing as always, I would be worried, but if you've been " bad " you just need to get back on track. I think over 1/2 of being in control is within ourselves. Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 17, 2004 Report Share Posted December 17, 2004 A doctor who goes along with the idea that an A1C of 7 is just wonderful is a doctor you don't want to stick with, Sandy. As said, it's YOUR body that's going to suffer from the results of that, not his. Get your A1Cs under 6 and you can avoid them all. Over 6 and you're at risk for peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, renal damage, heart disease, etc. I'm a medical transcriptionist for 4 major hospitals here in Portland and EVERY DAY I type at least 4 or 5 reports for people who have diabetic-related problems -- the result of " fine " A1Cs of 7 or higher. Doctors are used to seeing noncompliant diabetic patients. They almost NEVER see motivated ones, like the people on this list. From their experience, they're delighted when their diabetic patients even get close to 7. And they think that diabetic complications are inevitable. I'm here to tell you -- they AREN'T. Vicki, LADA type 1 diagnosed 1997, UL and Humalog insulin and lotsa testing, no complications. A1Cs consistently under 6 for 6+ years. PS: Would a picture of a gangrenous foot motivate you? (It sure did me!) Just google " gangrene " . Re: A1C > > I feel this way about the Lantus too! > I'm seeing an Endo- this is what worries me. The last Endo I had was > very interested in seeing me under 6.0. > I don't think I'm experiencing that dawn effect syndrome. I'm eating > too much. I am being extremely bad. That's part of the problem. I'm > coming clean to this group because it really helps me a lot. > > Anybody who wants to chastise me for being stupid go right ahead. It > helps. LOL (that's nervous laughter) I need that reminder that this > is a deadly disease and I'm playing with fire here. Don't want to > lose my eyesight, or have a heart attack! > > The high sugars are also making me irritable, depressed and giving me > nightmares. So why the @#$@! can't I break the stupid eating > addiction! I was so good for months. I guess I'm relapsing. > > -Sandy > staceypmartin@... wrote: > > > > Sometimes I think my body has reacted to lantus and that the lantus no > longer has any > effect at all. > > Sometimes a new doctor isn't a bad thing, as he or she will usually > look > pretty closely at first to try to get the whole picture. > > Are you seeing and endo now or a PCP? Sometimes doctors are so tied > into the > a1c that they can't see the reality. > > Is there any chance that you're going low at night and rebounding in > the > morning? Some BG checks at various middle of the night hours on a > couple of > different nights might be worth doing. > > Stacey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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