A1C: 5.9.
TSH & other assorted thyroid fun-guys: In range, as I suspected. Not even the littlest bit off.
Cholesterol: Fine. (I'm going to go eat a stick of butter in a few minutes just in case.)
Vitamin D: Dismally low! Apparently I am a vampire and didn't know it. Taking a supplement. Hoping for increase in the happies, decrease in the sads.
Showing posts with label A1C. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A1C. Show all posts
Friday, November 13, 2009
Monday, May 26, 2008
Can't sleep, clown'll eat me...
Okay, no clown. But something is keeping me up. Perhaps the small ape in my stow-match.
This whole third trimester insomnia thing is pretty disheartening. I'm on maternity leave. I'm supposed to reesssstttt. I'm supposed to take it eeeeeeasy. I'm supposed to do enjoyable, low-key activities during the day that I will never* have the opportunity to do again (*never = until my child is a sentient being). I'm supposed to be totally chill.
Instead I have spent most nights for the past two weeks either waking up every two hours with a contraction or a "full" bladder, or both, or just plain not feeling sleepy until well after three in the morning. I suspect my sleep cycle is royally messed up at this point, and I'm freaking myself out as I feel my energy stores depleting. Do I really want to go into labor as a zombie just because watching the last half-hour of Fatal Attraction seemed more interesting to my body and mind than sleep?
I guess I don't really have a choice. I'll lay there and start feeling RLS-y. Twitch, jerk, change positions. Mind racing about fifty stupid or not-so-stupid things. Then I'll wonder if my blood sugar is okay, making up hypo symptoms and holding my hands up to see if they're shaking. Maybe they're shaking. A little. So I'll test. It's fine. Thirty minutes later I'll feel like something's going on, so I'll test again. And it's the same number. And in another thirty minutes, the same number...at this point I am thinking a CGMS would've been cool, if only to ease this witching hour neurosis.
My diabetes has been pretty chill, actually. Not to say I haven't had my daily highs, but I can answer "good" truthfully when my docs ask how I'm doing (they do have an uncanny ability to pick the one day out of 7 that my fasting is 105 instead of 75 to ask me about that, though). I also got a sideways compliment -- not said directly to me, that is -- from a perinatologist on Friday. She had two residents or interns or whatevers observing my post-NST meeting with her.
Peri: "[to interns] She is Type I diabetic on insulin pump. [to me, banal Q&A about my blood sugars here]"
Intern: "mumble mumble hemoglobin A1C?"
Me: "I have it taken on a monthly basis by my endocrinologist, in addition to a fructosamine."
Peri: "Her A1Cs are quite good, in the 5s. We do not have many patients like this."
Heeeeey, did I just hear some encouragement from someone who isn't my husband or my endo? Really?
Okay, wishful thinking. But I'll pat myself on the back for the peri.
About 2.5 weeks until baby's proposed eviction date. Here's hoping I get some sleep between now and then.
This whole third trimester insomnia thing is pretty disheartening. I'm on maternity leave. I'm supposed to reesssstttt. I'm supposed to take it eeeeeeasy. I'm supposed to do enjoyable, low-key activities during the day that I will never* have the opportunity to do again (*never = until my child is a sentient being). I'm supposed to be totally chill.
Instead I have spent most nights for the past two weeks either waking up every two hours with a contraction or a "full" bladder, or both, or just plain not feeling sleepy until well after three in the morning. I suspect my sleep cycle is royally messed up at this point, and I'm freaking myself out as I feel my energy stores depleting. Do I really want to go into labor as a zombie just because watching the last half-hour of Fatal Attraction seemed more interesting to my body and mind than sleep?
I guess I don't really have a choice. I'll lay there and start feeling RLS-y. Twitch, jerk, change positions. Mind racing about fifty stupid or not-so-stupid things. Then I'll wonder if my blood sugar is okay, making up hypo symptoms and holding my hands up to see if they're shaking. Maybe they're shaking. A little. So I'll test. It's fine. Thirty minutes later I'll feel like something's going on, so I'll test again. And it's the same number. And in another thirty minutes, the same number...at this point I am thinking a CGMS would've been cool, if only to ease this witching hour neurosis.
My diabetes has been pretty chill, actually. Not to say I haven't had my daily highs, but I can answer "good" truthfully when my docs ask how I'm doing (they do have an uncanny ability to pick the one day out of 7 that my fasting is 105 instead of 75 to ask me about that, though). I also got a sideways compliment -- not said directly to me, that is -- from a perinatologist on Friday. She had two residents or interns or whatevers observing my post-NST meeting with her.
Peri: "[to interns] She is Type I diabetic on insulin pump. [to me, banal Q&A about my blood sugars here]"
Intern: "mumble mumble hemoglobin A1C?"
Me: "I have it taken on a monthly basis by my endocrinologist, in addition to a fructosamine."
Peri: "Her A1Cs are quite good, in the 5s. We do not have many patients like this."
Heeeeey, did I just hear some encouragement from someone who isn't my husband or my endo? Really?
Okay, wishful thinking. But I'll pat myself on the back for the peri.
About 2.5 weeks until baby's proposed eviction date. Here's hoping I get some sleep between now and then.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
You know you are pregnant when . . .
this news story makes you want to cry at work. :D
In diabetic news, my A1C drawn yesterday was a 5.6. This makes me feel a little better in light of the gruff tone my perinatologist took with me when I told him my fasting blood sugars have been running 90 - 110 recently. (I'm working on it.) "They should be 70 to 85!" Sigh. Darn those 10 - 30 points!
I think one of the hardest things so far in my pregnancy has been balancing my natural, pregnant-lady urge to eat, eat, eat constantly with the requirements of my disease. A neverending, niggling hunger is settled into the pit of my stomach. I haven't gained much weight at all so far, but I can't satisfy my desire for food without suffering some blood sugar consequences. Last night I had a 194 at 2 am, which was probably a rebound high caused by a 47 at 11 pm. The 47 was because I had a half cup of ice cream around 10 pm and overbolused big time. If I indulge my cravings I have to be super zealous about making sure everything comes out all right in the end . . . but it just can't be perfect all of the time. I understand that, but it doesn't stop the flood of MOMMY GUILT. I keep thinking...just 90 more days. This pregnancy isn't 100% about me, it's also about my baby, and I have to do right by him. Maybe I should just lock myself in a closet filled with celery and call it good until June.
In diabetic news, my A1C drawn yesterday was a 5.6. This makes me feel a little better in light of the gruff tone my perinatologist took with me when I told him my fasting blood sugars have been running 90 - 110 recently. (I'm working on it.) "They should be 70 to 85!" Sigh. Darn those 10 - 30 points!
I think one of the hardest things so far in my pregnancy has been balancing my natural, pregnant-lady urge to eat, eat, eat constantly with the requirements of my disease. A neverending, niggling hunger is settled into the pit of my stomach. I haven't gained much weight at all so far, but I can't satisfy my desire for food without suffering some blood sugar consequences. Last night I had a 194 at 2 am, which was probably a rebound high caused by a 47 at 11 pm. The 47 was because I had a half cup of ice cream around 10 pm and overbolused big time. If I indulge my cravings I have to be super zealous about making sure everything comes out all right in the end . . . but it just can't be perfect all of the time. I understand that, but it doesn't stop the flood of MOMMY GUILT. I keep thinking...just 90 more days. This pregnancy isn't 100% about me, it's also about my baby, and I have to do right by him. Maybe I should just lock myself in a closet filled with celery and call it good until June.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
What's the point?
It's a boy! :) After a week chock full o' doctors appointments (endo on Monday, pediatric cardiologist on Wednesday, perinatologist this morning) the baby is looking fine and dandy. We've decided to name him Jason and the nursery is coming together nicely. I'm so excited . . . but at the same time I'm going through a strangely boring period of the pregnancy. I guess I'm not big enough to be super uncomfortable yet.
My blood sugars were less than great last week, but my endo cleared things up for me. I went in with a week's worth of charts and a list of suggested changes, all of which she agreed with - but I let her do the math. Now my I:C ratios have me staring in shock when the bolus wizard calculates a dose, but I was prepared for this by years of community participation at Diabetic Mommy. I'm down to 1:5 at breakfast and 1:7 the rest of the day - holy cow! She said to expect the insulin resistance to ramp up and up from this point on. In the meantime it feels REALLY strange to take 10 units of insulin for breakfast, when I usually take 2 . . . but I can't argue with the numbers this week. They've been awesome. My most recent A1C was 5.4, up from the 4.8 but still great in my opinion.
We had a fetal echo cardiogram performed to check for any defects in Jason's heart. The tech and the cardiologist both asked me why I was there with a quizzical look on their faces - and although my response of "I have Type I diabetes" seemed explanation enough, the doc still seemed a little nonplussed as to what the fuss was about. She said, "His heart looks perfect," and sent me on my way.
Today was a routine check-up at the high risk OB's. I'm going twice a month now (and at 32 weeks will go twice a week, ouch) . . . I had the gall to ask the doc what the purpose of the visit was, and she seemed a little put out and didn't answer me right away. "You are just checking up on things then, I guess?" I offered, and she said yes. Ooooohkay. So I take a two hour chunk out of my day to tell her things I could tell her over the phone in 2 minutes (how are my sugars, what is your A1C) - and she gave the baby only a cursory glance on the ultrasound screen. "Look, there is his heart beating." Yeah lady, I know, I stared at his heart beating for 35 minutes yesterday. I could've told her he was still alive as he was kicking me at that very moment, and she didn't take the time to see if there was anything else to note besides his heart.
So, I'm trying to take away what is important and what isn't from my first experience as a pregnant Type I. I think the AFP and nuchal translucency tests are worthwhile. I think the echo cardiogram was worth it, kinda, although after getting an all clear at my Level II ultrasound it did seem redundant. I'm not sure that I will be running to a high risk practice with my second child, though - I feel like my doctors are honestly bored with me and don't spend very much time with me at all, even though this is my first pregnancy. They look, they see nothing to alarm them, and they shoo me out of the door. Next time I may try to go with a single OB - and let him/her refer me to a peri as needed.
I'm very relieved that thus far my diabetes hasn't had an impact on Jason, but I am a little disenchanted with the high risk fuss. I'm pouring out a lot of money in copays on people that ask me why I'm there (shouldn't they know?), or expect a lot out of me (do this do that wait an hour to be seen by me just to have me ask what's your A1C), but don't give a heck of a lot back (okay well, we're done here, bye).
My blood sugars were less than great last week, but my endo cleared things up for me. I went in with a week's worth of charts and a list of suggested changes, all of which she agreed with - but I let her do the math. Now my I:C ratios have me staring in shock when the bolus wizard calculates a dose, but I was prepared for this by years of community participation at Diabetic Mommy. I'm down to 1:5 at breakfast and 1:7 the rest of the day - holy cow! She said to expect the insulin resistance to ramp up and up from this point on. In the meantime it feels REALLY strange to take 10 units of insulin for breakfast, when I usually take 2 . . . but I can't argue with the numbers this week. They've been awesome. My most recent A1C was 5.4, up from the 4.8 but still great in my opinion.
We had a fetal echo cardiogram performed to check for any defects in Jason's heart. The tech and the cardiologist both asked me why I was there with a quizzical look on their faces - and although my response of "I have Type I diabetes" seemed explanation enough, the doc still seemed a little nonplussed as to what the fuss was about. She said, "His heart looks perfect," and sent me on my way.
Today was a routine check-up at the high risk OB's. I'm going twice a month now (and at 32 weeks will go twice a week, ouch) . . . I had the gall to ask the doc what the purpose of the visit was, and she seemed a little put out and didn't answer me right away. "You are just checking up on things then, I guess?" I offered, and she said yes. Ooooohkay. So I take a two hour chunk out of my day to tell her things I could tell her over the phone in 2 minutes (how are my sugars, what is your A1C) - and she gave the baby only a cursory glance on the ultrasound screen. "Look, there is his heart beating." Yeah lady, I know, I stared at his heart beating for 35 minutes yesterday. I could've told her he was still alive as he was kicking me at that very moment, and she didn't take the time to see if there was anything else to note besides his heart.
So, I'm trying to take away what is important and what isn't from my first experience as a pregnant Type I. I think the AFP and nuchal translucency tests are worthwhile. I think the echo cardiogram was worth it, kinda, although after getting an all clear at my Level II ultrasound it did seem redundant. I'm not sure that I will be running to a high risk practice with my second child, though - I feel like my doctors are honestly bored with me and don't spend very much time with me at all, even though this is my first pregnancy. They look, they see nothing to alarm them, and they shoo me out of the door. Next time I may try to go with a single OB - and let him/her refer me to a peri as needed.
I'm very relieved that thus far my diabetes hasn't had an impact on Jason, but I am a little disenchanted with the high risk fuss. I'm pouring out a lot of money in copays on people that ask me why I'm there (shouldn't they know?), or expect a lot out of me (do this do that wait an hour to be seen by me just to have me ask what's your A1C), but don't give a heck of a lot back (okay well, we're done here, bye).
Monday, May 14, 2007
Medical Mania
Actually this is a happy post! Last week was awesome timing...the planets must've aligned, because I didn't work at allllll. My job is great for killing you one week and leaving you with crap-all to do the next week. (I hate that by the way, but I think I've beaten that horse good and dead so we'll move on.) I felt like low-level shite all week, so it was good to have a paid vacation. I sat on the couch, monitored work emails, and did whatever I could without arousing the headache demons.
I've decided that doctors really are a little...sigh. I don't know. Sadist? Funny? Utterly perplexing and infuriating? They're like computers...can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. When they work they're great, when they don't you want to throw them out of a window. Pick your cliche, I've got 'em all! I have two examples from the past 7 days or so.
I went to my gynecologist on Tuesday of last week, after I met with my endo. She wanted to confirm that my lymphy lump (lumpy lymph?) was truly of lymphatic origin and wasn't something like a hernia or the C-word. Sure 'nuff, WebMD and myself were correct - Dr. Vag* took one quick feel and said "Yep, that's definitely your lymph node!" He then asked if I had any infections in my nether regions that would cause such ire to form in my groin. I couldn't think of a darn thing, except for my pilonidal cyst.
"OHHH YEAH it's DEFINITELY THAT!"
"But it hasn't flared up in almost a year! I do my best to take care of it and it's not that bad...it's never messed with my lymph nodes before."
"Well, can I see it? I used to be a general surgeon when I started practicing medicine 500 years ago."
"Okay..."
So I mistrustfully turned over, even though I think my pilonidal was probably not at fault in my lymphatic catastrophe. Things have been relatively quiet down there. Dr. Vag immediately stuck a finger right on the tender spot that I do my best to keep off of at all times and PRESSED and RUBBED, just to assuage his curiosity.
Extreme pain! I should've flipped over and treated him with a swift kick to the jaw, but he's elderly and I'm too nice to people.
"Ha, this is nothing. This is a baby pilonidal. Out of all the pilonidals I've ever seen, yours is nothing."
THANKS, THANKS A LOT, I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY PILONIDAL, I KNOW IT IS PRETTY UNREMARKABLE AS FAR AS ASS ABSCESSES GO. Now that I've got my daily dose of pain and you've poked at all of my tenderest spots and confirmed what I had already figured out myself, am I excused?
He then proceeded to tell me that the only way to cure pilonidals was to "cut them out all the way to the bone" (not true) and that diabetics are prone to infection and that I would probably have a lot of problems with infections in my life.
Sigh. Yeah that's me, the leper. I'm just fallin' to pieces here.
My second example of exasperating doctors concerns the aforementioned cholesterol worries I've had over the past months; ever since I've started going to my new endo, in fact. Today I got the results of last Monday's blood work:
A1C: 6.5. Woohoo!
LDL cholesterol: 68. WHAT THE?! Down from 109 four months ago?! I haven't changed my diet or exercise habits.
Total cholesterol: 120, down from 136. WHAT THE?!
So my endo said my HDL was a "little low" in relation to the LDL, but that it looked "fantastic" and if I exercised the HDL should go up.
Ummmmmmm. Okay. How does my cholesterol from "slightly elevated; you should go on statins" to "fantastic"? The only difference I made was that my bloodwork this time was fasting, whereas usually I eat cereal/milk before I go in for my appointment. Could that really have that big of an impact on cholesterol readings? And if so, how many people are inaccurately placed on statins? Can cholesterol really fluctuate that much? Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic - but I think I'll be darned before I let myself get pressured into going on pills for my "elevated cholesterol." Seems like blood work is highly variable...?? Is my A1C even reliable? What the heck?
*Name changed to product the innocent and also for minor humor value. If you're into toilet humor like myself. Hur hur.
I've decided that doctors really are a little...sigh. I don't know. Sadist? Funny? Utterly perplexing and infuriating? They're like computers...can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. When they work they're great, when they don't you want to throw them out of a window. Pick your cliche, I've got 'em all! I have two examples from the past 7 days or so.
I went to my gynecologist on Tuesday of last week, after I met with my endo. She wanted to confirm that my lymphy lump (lumpy lymph?) was truly of lymphatic origin and wasn't something like a hernia or the C-word. Sure 'nuff, WebMD and myself were correct - Dr. Vag* took one quick feel and said "Yep, that's definitely your lymph node!" He then asked if I had any infections in my nether regions that would cause such ire to form in my groin. I couldn't think of a darn thing, except for my pilonidal cyst.
"OHHH YEAH it's DEFINITELY THAT!"
"But it hasn't flared up in almost a year! I do my best to take care of it and it's not that bad...it's never messed with my lymph nodes before."
"Well, can I see it? I used to be a general surgeon when I started practicing medicine 500 years ago."
"Okay..."
So I mistrustfully turned over, even though I think my pilonidal was probably not at fault in my lymphatic catastrophe. Things have been relatively quiet down there. Dr. Vag immediately stuck a finger right on the tender spot that I do my best to keep off of at all times and PRESSED and RUBBED, just to assuage his curiosity.
Extreme pain! I should've flipped over and treated him with a swift kick to the jaw, but he's elderly and I'm too nice to people.
"Ha, this is nothing. This is a baby pilonidal. Out of all the pilonidals I've ever seen, yours is nothing."
THANKS, THANKS A LOT, I DON'T CARE ABOUT MY PILONIDAL, I KNOW IT IS PRETTY UNREMARKABLE AS FAR AS ASS ABSCESSES GO. Now that I've got my daily dose of pain and you've poked at all of my tenderest spots and confirmed what I had already figured out myself, am I excused?
He then proceeded to tell me that the only way to cure pilonidals was to "cut them out all the way to the bone" (not true) and that diabetics are prone to infection and that I would probably have a lot of problems with infections in my life.
Sigh. Yeah that's me, the leper. I'm just fallin' to pieces here.
My second example of exasperating doctors concerns the aforementioned cholesterol worries I've had over the past months; ever since I've started going to my new endo, in fact. Today I got the results of last Monday's blood work:
A1C: 6.5. Woohoo!
LDL cholesterol: 68. WHAT THE?! Down from 109 four months ago?! I haven't changed my diet or exercise habits.
Total cholesterol: 120, down from 136. WHAT THE?!
So my endo said my HDL was a "little low" in relation to the LDL, but that it looked "fantastic" and if I exercised the HDL should go up.
Ummmmmmm. Okay. How does my cholesterol from "slightly elevated; you should go on statins" to "fantastic"? The only difference I made was that my bloodwork this time was fasting, whereas usually I eat cereal/milk before I go in for my appointment. Could that really have that big of an impact on cholesterol readings? And if so, how many people are inaccurately placed on statins? Can cholesterol really fluctuate that much? Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic - but I think I'll be darned before I let myself get pressured into going on pills for my "elevated cholesterol." Seems like blood work is highly variable...?? Is my A1C even reliable? What the heck?
*Name changed to product the innocent and also for minor humor value. If you're into toilet humor like myself. Hur hur.
Friday, March 2, 2007
The Future of Diabetes
This is a question I've read on other blogs: What is going to happen to us? What is our life going to be like?
Assume there isn't a cure coming out in the next 10, 20, 30 years (I know, I know). Assume that you're going to be diabetic until the day you die. What's going to happen to us? "Us" meaning the people diagnosed with diabetes in the current era of diabetes management - daily self monitoring and self adjustment, carb counting, continuous glucose monitoring systems, pumps, and regular endocrinologist appointments. What is our life expectancy? Are we going to lose our eyes and feet even if our A1Cs are under 7?
I started thinking about this yesterday when yet another woman on Diabetic Mommy was the victim of a side-comment from a nurse that ended up being incredibly scary and / or hurtful. Her A1C was 6.9, and on her forms the nurse marked "uncontrolled diabetic" and then said that it made sense to her, looking at the readings downloaded from the woman's blood sugar monitor.
Hold up now. What the hey? I'm the queen of spinoffs, so I'll try and stop myself before I get off on a tangent. . . but isn't an A1C of under 7.0 considered pretty damn good, according to the ADA? Your body makes no insulin. Unless you want to spend your days eating the same meal, at the same time, and pretend like you live in a vacuum with no emotional upsets, exercise, stresses to the body or mind in any way . . . crap, even that won't work. A Type I diabetic is going to have major blood sugar flucuations NO. MATTER. WHAT. She is busting her ass, testing like crazy, and doing everything as best she can. So what is this "uncontrolled" garbage? How about having a box on the form that says "This disease sucks ass; all things considered she is doing very well." Then the other box can say "This disease sucks ass; patient doesn't give a hell and walked in with a jumbo-sized Pixie Stix."
I guess that box on the form hints at the fact that the ADA may very well be full of caca-poopy. How do they know that an A1C of under 7.0 guarantees long life? What if the only way to escape DEATH BY DIABETES is uh, if you aren't diabetic? (And let's not even get into the "the A1C is not a good indicator of overall control" discussion.)
The word on the streets right now is that no one really knows what's gonna happen to us "kids" working to keep our A1Cs under the magical threshold. All the studies on what creates complications are based off of the older diabetes models and patients. The whole culture and feeilng surrounding diabetes is best summed up by those magazines I receive from my insurance company in the mail . . . some cheap, thin rag with a retired gentleman walking his dog on the cover, and the same tired "information" inside. Are you testing your blood sugar regularly? (I could cut glass with these finger calluses.) Do you know the symptoms of hypoglycemia? (Rattle n roll, tootz.) A yummy meal plan for you! (Wow, fat free imitation butter spread AGAIN? Shocker.)
Is 6.9 good enough? Is 6.8 (my last one, in January) good enough? Is 6.2 (my 2nd-to-last one, in September) good enough? Is anything we do good enough, or are the complications inevitable?
I guess I'm also curious at what a typical A1C is for people who are "controlled" - I mean people who test more than 4 times a day, count carbs every time they put something into their mouths, and think they have a pretty good handle on basal rates and bolus ratios. I think my view of this is a little skewed since I'm a regular DM visitor, where the ladies have some of the most stellar blood sugar records around (babies have a way of motivating like nothing else). It's easy to feel "out of control" there when your two hour post prandial reading is - gasp - 140 or your A1C rockets off the charts at 6.5+.
Assume there isn't a cure coming out in the next 10, 20, 30 years (I know, I know). Assume that you're going to be diabetic until the day you die. What's going to happen to us? "Us" meaning the people diagnosed with diabetes in the current era of diabetes management - daily self monitoring and self adjustment, carb counting, continuous glucose monitoring systems, pumps, and regular endocrinologist appointments. What is our life expectancy? Are we going to lose our eyes and feet even if our A1Cs are under 7?
I started thinking about this yesterday when yet another woman on Diabetic Mommy was the victim of a side-comment from a nurse that ended up being incredibly scary and / or hurtful. Her A1C was 6.9, and on her forms the nurse marked "uncontrolled diabetic" and then said that it made sense to her, looking at the readings downloaded from the woman's blood sugar monitor.
Hold up now. What the hey? I'm the queen of spinoffs, so I'll try and stop myself before I get off on a tangent. . . but isn't an A1C of under 7.0 considered pretty damn good, according to the ADA? Your body makes no insulin. Unless you want to spend your days eating the same meal, at the same time, and pretend like you live in a vacuum with no emotional upsets, exercise, stresses to the body or mind in any way . . . crap, even that won't work. A Type I diabetic is going to have major blood sugar flucuations NO. MATTER. WHAT. She is busting her ass, testing like crazy, and doing everything as best she can. So what is this "uncontrolled" garbage? How about having a box on the form that says "This disease sucks ass; all things considered she is doing very well." Then the other box can say "This disease sucks ass; patient doesn't give a hell and walked in with a jumbo-sized Pixie Stix."
I guess that box on the form hints at the fact that the ADA may very well be full of caca-poopy. How do they know that an A1C of under 7.0 guarantees long life? What if the only way to escape DEATH BY DIABETES is uh, if you aren't diabetic? (And let's not even get into the "the A1C is not a good indicator of overall control" discussion.)
The word on the streets right now is that no one really knows what's gonna happen to us "kids" working to keep our A1Cs under the magical threshold. All the studies on what creates complications are based off of the older diabetes models and patients. The whole culture and feeilng surrounding diabetes is best summed up by those magazines I receive from my insurance company in the mail . . . some cheap, thin rag with a retired gentleman walking his dog on the cover, and the same tired "information" inside. Are you testing your blood sugar regularly? (I could cut glass with these finger calluses.) Do you know the symptoms of hypoglycemia? (Rattle n roll, tootz.) A yummy meal plan for you! (Wow, fat free imitation butter spread AGAIN? Shocker.)
Is 6.9 good enough? Is 6.8 (my last one, in January) good enough? Is 6.2 (my 2nd-to-last one, in September) good enough? Is anything we do good enough, or are the complications inevitable?
I guess I'm also curious at what a typical A1C is for people who are "controlled" - I mean people who test more than 4 times a day, count carbs every time they put something into their mouths, and think they have a pretty good handle on basal rates and bolus ratios. I think my view of this is a little skewed since I'm a regular DM visitor, where the ladies have some of the most stellar blood sugar records around (babies have a way of motivating like nothing else). It's easy to feel "out of control" there when your two hour post prandial reading is - gasp - 140 or your A1C rockets off the charts at 6.5+.
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