I thought it might be interesting to some of you to see my A1c's starting in 1980. A1c testing was not available until 1976. My doc started A1c's with his patients in 1980. I was diagnosed in 1945 when I was 6 and I must have had very high blood sugar until about 1988. That is when my A1c's began improving. All that and I am alive after 66 years of Type 1, and I have no complications except for mild nerve damage. If you have a lot of high blood sugar after diagnosis, that does not necessarily mean that you will suffer diabetes complications. I am living proof of that. Do the very best you can and keep this in mind.
As part of my preparation for my taking part in the Joslin Medalist Study in 2009, I was supposed to have a listing of all my A1c's that had ever been done. My doctor was very cooperative, but there are several gaps in the list. The years 1990-1994 were not available.
Below are the A1c's that my doc was able to retrieve from his files. I have updated for 2010-2011.
1980...10.6, 9.6, 9.0
1981...11.8
1983...9.2
1984...9.2, 9.7, 8.9
1986...11.1
1987...8.0, 9.8, 10.3
1988...10.5, 7.7, 7.7
1989...7.3
1995...6.8
1997...6.0, 5.4
1998...6.5
1999...6.8, 6.7, 6.5
2000...6.3, 6.1, 5.5
2001...5.8, 6.0, 5.6, 6.0
2002...6.0, 6.4, 6.2, 6.0
2003...5.6, 5.4, 5.9
2004...5.9, 5.7, 5.8, 5.6
2005...5.6, 5.8
2006...5.6, 5.7
2007...5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 6.1
2008...5.7, 5.9, 5.7, 5.6
2009...5.6, 5.8, 5.8
2010...5.7, 5.6, 5.6, 5.4
2011...5.7, 5.7, 5.8, 5.5
Notice the drop from the 10's to the 7's in early 1988. That is when I read an article in a magazine that said diabetics should follow a low carb diet. My doctors never told me that. Then about the start of the new century I was permitted to use basal/bolus control. In 2007 I started pumping. My A1c's have been very good during the new century because I finally knew what to do to get good control.
I took only one injection of beef/pork insulin per day during my first 40+ years. Can you imagine what my A1c's would have been during those years?
I feel so lucky to be alive and healthy, without complications. Is it good genes? Maybe the Joslin Study will help answer those questions.