I just want to share a little good news. I was dx with type 2 diabetes on Dec 6 2010 with an A1c of 14.0.
On Feb 7 2011 I took another A1c test and after all my hard work diet and exercise the results are 7.5.
I know the numbers are still high and I am going to keep working on myself to get better control of the
situation.For now I will celebrate the moment. I am not the most disciplined person in the world but, if I can do it,anyone can. I was distraught when I was first dx but then I snapped out of it and decided to do something about it. For those who think that it is a lost cause or do not believe that they can do it, believe me when I say, YOU CAN DO IT !!! Keep fighting the good fight.
A1C: 12/6/2010 14.0
A1C: 02/07/2011 7.5 and still working on it
Thank you all for the kind words. It is forums like this that helps our diabetic community keep going and learning new things about ways to deal with our disease. If it wasn’t for websites like this one and many others I wouldn’t know how or where to start on how to deal with our situation. As a result of these websites with your stories and helpful directions, I was able to understand a little better on what to do and how to go about it. Results are,my A1c cut in half in a short amount of time. I have no insurance and pretty much no job so I depended on these websites for all the info I can get. I am very,very grateful. Thank you. My goal for the next A1c in April, 5.0 or less.
This is SUPER AWESOME!!! Congratulations, and… None of us are super disciplined… its just impossible to be 7/24 disciplined but you made a great job… and what I know is you have improved so much your life, not only to prevent complications in the future but to live the today to the fullest. Congratulations, very proud!
good news.
make sure you test bg frequently to see how your body reacts to diff foods
couple of newbie tips:
always mix carbs with protein and a little fat
try to exercise lightly after meals, say 10 min light walking (strolling) - get your docs ok if you want to exercise for longer/harder
Good going Chicago!...btw, you may be heartened by the new BS measuring yardstick eAG (estimated average glucose),which in your case is 168.55...very good indeed, considering it was 355.1 just 60 days earlier!
My diabetologist says that diabetics have higher eAG than normal, healthy individuals. Indeed, he says that it is better for diabetics to have an eAG of ~ 180 than ~ 140. He says in his experience diabetics who try to emulate normal eAG levels suffer more complications - cardio, renal, vascular, optho - than those with slightly higher values. He cites the example of a few patients (now age 80+) who have remained at 200+ for 30 years!!!
Sorry to digress. To bring you up-to-date, like the familiar A1C test, the estimated average glucose, or eAG, is derived from glucose values taken over the course of three months. The eAG, however, is not reported as a percentage but in the same values seen via daily self-monitoring – mg/dl or mmol/L. The formula for determining average glucose is 28.7xA1C-46.7 = eAG.
The new eAG term was introduced to help stem confusion after a new worldwide standardization of A1C analyses was set. The new values are 1.5 to 2 percentages points lower than the current standard. In addition, the new values were reported in millimoles per mole (mmol/L), whereas A1C results were always reported as percentages.
An international study was then conducted to look at the relationship between HbA1c and average glucose. The A1C-Derived Average Glucose Study revealed a close relationship between HbA1C and AG (average glucose). This relationship is the eAG, which applies to patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This new terminology now focuses on a single set of values for both daily glucose checks and long-term control.
Do see my blogpost 'eAg Explained' sourced from the American Diabetes Association.
I disagree with the idea that lower blood sugar levels cause more complications. I would like to see evidence of this claim. The largest intervention study to date, the DCCT pretty conclusively found that risks of “all” complications could be decreased by reducing blood sugars. Data from the DCCT conclusively substantiated that down to below 7% (154 mg/dl eAG). Further studies have found additional support that additional risk reductions occur all the way down to A1cs of even 5.5%. The American Association of Clinical Endochrinologists in fact suggests that patients "Encourage patients to achieve glycemic levels as near normal as possible without inducing clinically significant hypoglycemia."
I would seriously question the competency of a diabetologist who would suggest that an eAG of 180 mg/dl is optimal for reducing risk of complications. That position reflects poor knowledge of the field over the last thirty years and can lead to serious adverse consequences for patients.
