Define Control?

[shiftzor]

Hey, i am new to this forum and reasonably new to diabetes. Ive had type 1 for about a year. I guess I am unsure if I need better control. I currently on 4-4-4-16 (4 before average meal (novarapid)) and (16 being 24hour (lantus)). Over last few months my level of sport has gone up and I dropped to 14 (24hour dose). However since I am back at university I’ve bumped it back to 16 as I was starting to go up again. I basically want to define control: over the last 25 days (not my best 25 days) I have done 151 tests which is an average of 6 a day. Highest is 18.1 and lowest is 3.1. 77% on target (defined as between 3.7mmol and 8.7mmol) however my average is 7.2mmol. 19% high (8.7mmol-16.7mmol) and only 2% low (2.5mmol-3.6mmol). Are these wrong? I have no confirmation that the software is configured correctly. Showing the results to the clinic, they just said “good you should have an A1C of 6.0” and then took blood sample for the test.

I feel like I am laying my life out on the line here, but am I a definition of "acceptable control but could do better" or am I really kidding myself? I wish I knew what my A1C results where (I hope to find out soon). Should I concentrate on “on target %” or average?

I need to talk to my diabetes clinic about calories counting as I’m not doing it yet, they said in a year or so time she would tell me about this. It’s coming up to my next appointment so I hope this will give me better control.

Would be greatful of any help possible.

[Funnygrl]

It sounds like you are doing really well. A1c is a good measure of control. I like to think of an a1c of less than 6.5 without more than, say, 3-5 hypos a week, as good control.

[cheryl]

Sounds like your doing just fine with what you got to work with, we get highs and lows, just because, I have heard it is normal to have 3 highs a week and 3 lows a week.....just because...so I think your's looks good, I mean there is always tweaking but that is a lot harder unless you want a pump....

Cheryl

[Geoff]

Hi shiftzor, Control to me is fully understanding what the consequences on your body will be if you do not work to keep you blood in the excepted good zone 4.0-7.0 mmol/lt, for more than 85% of the time.

This can only be achieved from personal experience! Knowing what effect each type of food has on your bg, What and how much exercise to take, how to match the correct dosage of rapid insulin to the amounts you eat, and understanding your own differences and limitations.

In essence, be prepared to experiment and record as much as you have time to. Read as many threads on this forum as you can, and keep asking questions and share your experience with us all.

[Chris Graham]

Hi Shiftzor!
I was dx in May 06. I also take novolog and lantus. Are you carb counting? My insulin ratio is different for the mornings vs. the rest of the day.

Good luck!
Chris

[soso]

Hi Shiftzor
You seem to be doing well to me... as we have this for a while we start to understand the finer details of control, so if you are doing so well as to have an A1c of 6 now, you can I am sure look forward to doing even better in future (not that a 6 is anything other than great)
Carb counting is dead easy, there are many sites that you just type in the food, or little books you can get or nutritional scales (awesome.. the best tool for carb counting.. I have a salter 1450)
I won't post it here as it may have adverts and break forum rules, but feel free to pM me and I will send you my fave carb count site..

Congrats you are doing great...
ss

[shabbie6247]

Hey, i am new to this forum and reasonably new to diabetes. Ive had type 1 for about a year. I guess I am unsure if I need better control. I currently on 4-4-4-16 (4 before average meal (novarapid)) and (16 being 24hour (lantus)). Over last few months my level of sport has gone up and I dropped to 14 (24hour dose). However since I am back at university I’ve bumped it back to 16 as I was starting to go up again. I basically want to define control: over the last 25 days (not my best 25 days) I have done 151 tests which is an average of 6 a day. Highest is 18.1 and lowest is 3.1. 77% on target (defined as between 3.7mmol and 8.7mmol) however my average is 7.2mmol. 19% high (8.7mmol-16.7mmol) and only 2% low (2.5mmol-3.6mmol). Are these wrong? I have no confirmation that the software is configured correctly. Showing the results to the clinic, they just said “good you should have an A1C of 6.0” and then took blood sample for the test.

I feel like I am laying my life out on the line here, but am I a definition of "acceptable control but could do better" or am I really kidding myself? I wish I knew what my A1C results where (I hope to find out soon). Should I concentrate on “on target %” or average?

I need to talk to my diabetes clinic about calories counting as I’m not doing it yet, they said in a year or so time she would tell me about this. It’s coming up to my next appointment so I hope this will give me better control.

Would be greatful of any help possible.

i maintain an excellent A1c (to quote the clinic)
however my own trends show that there is a great deal of variance within my readings on a day to day basis.

my own (short) experience here in the uk is that you have to educate yourself on optimum diabetes management.

i would highly recommend learning to count carbohydrates and adjust your own insulin to what you are eating.

i benefited from reading 'using insulin' by john walsh. this book taught me
*how to calculate carbs in each meal
*how to calculate my insulin to carb ratio
*how to calculate my correction ratio, and much more.

:)