A1c

[GregGolden]

I was just wondering.....

Say if your a1c was say, 5.6, can that just be because you have an equal ammount of highs and low's that they just balance out?

[4519]

Yes and no. The average is not a well represented average like an electronic meter with quick response capabilities. Some highs will not affect your A1c and some will. The real short highs and lows do not always get glycated like the longer one. Anyway, that is the way it was explained to me. That is one reason it is not the best indicator of how one is doing - everyday testing tells you more about your health than the A1c which gives an indication of how you are doing.

On the yes side it is an average and that just means that - the highs and lows averaged out over a period of time. That does not mean equal highs and lows though necessarily. Lay out a line of numbers and you can come up with some pretty different charts and come up with the same average in the end.

[JediSkipdogg]

4519 hit it dead on. Here's two examples of 5 random numbers...

66, 40, 219, 300, 75 = 140 average
160, 120, 140, 130, 150 = 140 average

Both of those produce the same A1C...however, one must keep in mind that having numbers that eratic is actually more harmful than running 200 constantly. So an A1C is a good picture to show an average, and then fingersticks tell the rest of the picture. If you happen to be doing fingersticks and running 200 alot, but have an A1C equal to 130, you have to wonder where you are going low all the time. So both an A1C and fingersticks need to be looked at equally to show a complete picture of your treatment.

[seacomp]

One reason doctors like the A1c measurement is that (Don't be shocked!) some patients have been known to lie. The A1c is an objective, independent measure that can't be "gamed" as easy as a doctor's office BG measurement. If you report "my fasting Bg is under 100 and never goes over 120 after meals" and your A1c is 5.6 that is believable. But, if your A1c is 9.8, well something stinks!

[4519]

I agree with seacomp, but I have heard that doctors don't like the A1c for a similar reason that you say - sometimes it lies. Not because the patient does something to fake it, but because the the way it works the peaks(high and low) don't get 'recorded' all the time and the A1c is not that accurate. However, if it is real high you can be sure it is because the patient is high a lot, too much. For that reason it does tell the truth more than the patient.

[Keezheekoni]

I like the A1c also because when I was first diagnosed no one knew when I should be checking my bgs, so I always thought that I was just fine! LOL NOT!

I was told to begin with only to check right before each meal. Never after. So, of course when my A1c came back the second time at 9.4... I thought that I was crazy. Turns out that my doctor was! LOL