Been diabetic over 19 years…always gotten my A1c every 3 months.
I get mine done every 3 months
Diabetic for 30 plus years. I get my A1C twice a year, and sometimes I go even longer. My glucose meter test results are far more informative than the A1C whether it is 90 days, 180 days or even 365 days. I’d like to have a discussion with the person who came up with the every three month blood draw plan. I’ve got better things to do than get labs done and possibly an appointment with the doc. I KNOW how I am doing!
I may go your route, Karen as a PWD for almost 30 years …every 6 months , however I went through a period , where I decided to change basals , to avoid the lows …and I ended up to HI for my liking …A1C is coming down now …and I like to see result at next test in Jan . 2012 .
Spoken like true teenage with a hate on for the parents… I dare you to hold their hands in public lol
Don’t blame your parents. It looks like your old enough to make your own decisions, take the initiative!
Get them done as often as you can…3 mos seems to be the going timeline that most insurance companies will support (unless you buy a meter). Strive as hard as you can to keep your A1c’s below 6 (preferably below 5.5 without too many lows). This sounds impossible…but it isn’t. If you don’t you will likely have issues in 15-20 years. The more often you get an A!c test, the better you can change and modify your management to lower it.
5.9 is great for your first year. As you pick up skills and learn more about how your body reacts to food, insulin and life you might be able to get lower if you choose to.
Maurie
Good plan, nel. I think we should all do what works best for us. I should have mentioned that I check my bg a lot more than most folks…I am hypounaware so I have to keep a really close eye on my bg all day every day 
My endo requires me to have an A1C done every 3 months. Happy to oblige. I’ve only missed a few times.
I was diagnosed in 1999…got a1c’s done every 6 months up until about 2006, then i stopped. Its just a number and i got to know pretty well exactly what it was going to be, i’m more concerned about my daily numbers than an a1c. Mid you I dont have an insurance plan that requires endo visits, and the closest endo to me is like over an hour drive away (and has no openings) so Ive only got a family doc. Im one of the lucky ones who does not seem to encounter any difficulties controlling my type 1.
Yay! I felt like a lone wolf until I read your reply, nick
If my endo required anything from me I would fire him/her. The endo works for me!
Every 3 months is recommended.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10575934&findingMethod=rr
$9 for a lab test, much cheaper than a test taken by a doctor.
I guess I have to caution you. While insurance should never “require” you to visit an endo or take a particular test it does influence our medical choices. And this is your health, but while you might think you are doing fine, it is best to err on the side of caution. Even if you only had an A1c every time you went to your GP, it would be far better than skipping it. And it probably won’t cost you anything.
Just think, if your meter started failing, how would you know something was going wrong? It doesn’t seem like such a burden to have an A1c for the additional safety margin it provides. I’d rather be safe.
Personally, if my endo did not require a regular A1c as a standard of care, I would fire him.
+1
I was diagnosed in 2000. When I first started, my internist took care of my diabetes and we did an A1c every 6 months or so. A year ago, I started using a pump and my Internist and insurance insisted that I see an endo. In the beginning she ran an A1c every three months. Then after an A1c under 6% for three tests, she now does the A1c every 6 months. I’d rather everything 3 months, but 6 is what she orders.
I have been doing this diabetes thing for a long long long time. I am dependent entirely on my meter for reasons having nothing to do with A1C. The cost of A1C is not an issue, it is that I find the test needless. My doc will offer up a lab request every three months, happily. The A1C test is not what keeps me safe, my own effort and my testing do that. If my meter failed, the A1C isn’t going to help?!? I have a spare meter
Diagnosed in March of this year with A1C at 8.1. So far been set up to have A1C tested every
three months. Second test was 7.1 then back up to 7.2.
A1c test Schedule? Mine is very 3 months for over 53 years as a Type 1.
I and my doctors want to know what is occurring within my system so I have a full work-up Lab report every quarter of the year!
I prefer to keep my A1c between 6 to 6.5 and maybe once a year it is around 6.8. My endo tells me that the A1c test results do vary for most of us a bit throughout the year and do so for non diabetic persons also.!
Perhaps your doctor figures that since you show good control this allows for less A1c testing , and/or your insurance has some “new” limits? In my view, if less A1c test throughout the year there is a possibility of missing a negative issue developing during that half a year! Caution is a good approach.
If it were me I would request an A1c very quarter.
I didn’t know what an Endo was until I became pregnant with my first Child. Then my GP referred me to one. Through the years they always requested that I have my A1C and other tests done every 3 months.
My present Endo requested the 3 month testing until a few years ago. He thought that every 4 months would be sufficient. Then a couple years ago he asked if I’d mind only having my testing done every 6 months since I’m doing okay and have been stable for many years. Plus there are less Endos now and more People with Diabetes, that they need to tend to. I’m Good wiith that schedule especially since my Rheumy does testing every 2 months because of the drugs I’m on for my other chronic disease anyways. My last A1c’s were 5.8 and 6.3. I will be having another A1c and testing done soon.
I have my done every 3 months. I feel more comfortable knowing what is happening with my numbers. The insurance pays for 2 tests per year but thats ok. I went from a 6.3 in July to a 6.1 last week…yipee…a small improvement but I’ll take that.