HbA1c at diagnosis...quick question, need feedback plz!

[Maddogg]

I see all these people on these boards that had an A1c below 9.0 when they were diagnosed, my A1c was a staggering 15.0 when I was diagnosed, it dropped almost by half after 3 months and went even lower the next time around.

So I'm just wondering, was my A1c at diagnosis this high (15 is undeniably high!!) because my BG around diagnosis was excessively high? I remember clocking in at around 55mmol/L (990mg/dl) when they first tested me. Docs said if I was any higher I'd be in a coma! And I know I was still really high for the 1st couple days after diagnosis because the doctors didn't want to give me too much insulin (I was young at the time and they didn't know how well I would react) and also took a few days to get all my supplies and what not...

What do you guys think? Can having extremely high (or extremely low) blood sugars around the same time you get you HbA1c tested, result in an innacurate, almost biased result??

Thanks in Advance and Have a Happy New Year!

[DCaplinger]

The answer is an unequivicable no. The A1c doesn't just tell you how much glucose is attached to the hemaglobin at the time of the test, it tells you how much has been attached on average. Remember, blood cells live a finite period of time. New blood cells would inevitibly be carrying less amounts of glucose than older blood cells, hence the "average" term used for the results of the test.

Because of this offset between newer and older blood cells, a "current" reading of extremely high BGL would not immediately effect an A1c, because it takes time for glucose to attach to a blood cell. Having said that, certainly having a high BGL like that over a period of time would raise your A1c results.

My first A1c was 13.6. My BGL at the time of initial contact with my doctor (prediagnosis) was 452. Based on figures I've been able to work out, my average BGL had been around 430 before I was diagnosed.

I hope that answers your question, if not, please let me know, and I'll try to explain it in more detail.

Regards,

Darian

[LowkonXC]

My A1c was 5+ at Dx. Now it's 9+ and Ive gained 50 Lbs. I can't seem to get either down.

[DCaplinger]

What kind of exercising are you doing? If you aren't doing any, you need to get up and start moving. Walking at least 30 minutes per day is a great form of exercise. It's also a great way to build endurance if you are extremely out of shape.

Start slowly, and as time goes on, increase the pace of your walks. Then, when you reach the max speed you can walk without starting to jog, extend the distances you walk per day.

Regards,

Darian

[deansreef]

i was in a comma when diagnosed 20 years ago! My BG was over 1000....i average 5.7 over the last 20 years.

[Olidus]

Maddogg,
Those numbers are rather high. As Darian explained the A1Cs show your average BGs for the previouse 3-4 months.
That being said depending on what Chart you go by - the chart at this url - HbA1c and Blood Glucose Equivalents (http://www.elviradarknight.com/diabetes/a1cnumbers.html) - States that a 15 is an approximate 390 aka 21.66 mmol/L.

[silverfrost]

What do you guys think? Can having extremely high (or extremely low) blood sugars around the same time you get you HbA1c tested, result in an innacurate, almost biased result??

Actually, I was told that the more recent blood sugars (about 2 weeks or so before the test) have a slightly higher effect on your A1C, although, I do not think it would skew it by THAT much. In other words, I don't think you would have gotten, say, a 13 instead of a 15 when not counting the extremes towards the end.

By the way, I was also in the 15s- 15.9 to be exact. Goodness. Haven't met too many others that were in that range.

[Maddogg]

Thank you for the replies, it would help explain why my vision was so poor when i was diagnosed... The last month before diagnosis must have been really really bad for me, I know I was eating and drinking like a horse (and i was still hungry/thirsty) and still lost several pounds a week.

Thanks for the feedback

[davef]

I see all these people on these boards that had an A1c below 9.0 when they were diagnosed, my A1c was a staggering 15.0 when I was diagnosed, it dropped almost by half after 3 months and went even lower the next time around.

My A1c was 11.6, when first tested a month ago. My BG was 21mmol/L. After about six weeks my two week average is now down to 7 mmol/L. You're obviously on the right track if you managed to half your A1c after 3 months, well done!

[Gabby123]

I don't know how people walk around with 400 and 500 BS. I was 230 at diagnosis and felt half dead. My vision was blurry and I just felt really bad. I would have never been able function at that high BS plus I would not been able to see. Didn't you guys that were that high feel really bad and have vision trouble?

[DaveC426913]

I'm confused about ya'll's A1C readings.

My reading is .054, which equates to an average BG of ~ 7 (or 126).

When you guys talk about A1Cs of 15, do you really mean 0.15?

[pixelgirl]

Mine (A1C) was a 15 in the hospital. It was really bad. When they first caught my diabetes I was walking around with a 450 bsugar and feeling fine !

[Maddogg]

My A1c was 11.6, when first tested a month ago. My BG was 21mmol/L. After about six weeks my two week average is now down to 7 mmol/L. You're obviously on the right track if you managed to half your A1c after 3 months, well done!


My A1c would have went down even faster or lower if doctors and pediatricians hadn't been so cautious with my insulin dosage, for the first few weeks they had me taking low doses of insulin (not nearly enough to get my blood sugars down to normal). :mad: Sure I was seeing the doctors once a week or so (making adjustments at each visits) but it took about a month for my BG to stabilize and stay at a more normal level. I know they were doing it just to be safe but they could have been much more aggressive when they knew my first A1c was at 15! ****, if i go too low too fast they can always just feed me some glucose, I don't know why they didn't just give me a very large dose of insulin when they found out my diagnosis BG reading.

Oh well, I still find it hard to believe I was that high at diagnosis, not many people here have breached that 900mg (50+mmol/L) mark, but then again, thats definitely NOT something to brag about lol.

[DaveC426913]

I was pretty lucky. I was 34 (612) at Dx and had tested negative a mere year before.

[Maddogg]

I don't know how people walk around with 400 and 500 BS. I was 230 at diagnosis and felt half dead. My vision was blurry and I just felt really bad. I would have never been able function at that high BS plus I would not been able to see. Didn't you guys that were that high feel really bad and have vision trouble?


230 and you felt half dead?? Wow!! You must have been super ultra sensitive to blood sugars at the time. 230 (13mmol/L) is like a sugar high for regular people. Not very noticeable unless its for extended periods of time or unless your really sensitive to sugar. You must have been at 230 for a few weeks if your vision was blurry... I think you're lucky though, I was nearly 5 times that level and still standing strong. Yet in reality I was in the worst possible shape of my life! I wish i could go back and change that, I was going through puberty at the time so I didn't know wtf was going on or if it was normal until it was too late and nearly ended up in a coma. My ketones were thru the roof...argh! It was bad!

[silverfrost]

My A1c would have went down even faster or lower if doctors and pediatricians hadn't been so cautious with my insulin dosage, for the first few weeks they had me taking low doses of insulin (not nearly enough to get my blood sugars down to normal). :mad: Sure I was seeing the doctors once a week or so (making adjustments at each visits) but it took about a month for my BG to stabilize and stay at a more normal level. I know they were doing it just to be safe but they could have been much more aggressive when they knew my first A1c was at 15! ****, if i go too low too fast they can always just feed me some glucose, I don't know why they didn't just give me a very large dose of insulin when they found out my diagnosis BG reading.

Oh man, that's ridiculous. Since my A1C was so high, my endo put me on the 75/25 split Humalog at first. She told me she was going to try to bring my numbers down as quickly as possible. Maybe your docs didn't because they thought it would be a huge shock for your body to suddenly be in the normal range? I know that when I had my first normal reading (90 or so), I felt SO low, because my body was used to being much, much higher. Still, I don't think it's any excuse to keep you running so terribly high...

I don't know how people walk around with 400 and 500 BS. I was 230 at diagnosis and felt half dead. My vision was blurry and I just felt really bad. I would have never been able function at that high BS plus I would not been able to see. Didn't you guys that were that high feel really bad and have vision trouble?

Yeah, I felt terrible! I was in the middle of a busy semester at college, and could barely stay awake to do my homework, projects, and study for tests. My BGs were in the 1000s at times. My thirst was out of control too (I remember nearly passing out from the dehydration alone...), and my vision went pretty bad. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to get through. Thank god I was diagnosed soon after.

Now, though, anything over 180 feels AWFUL to me, so I don't know.

[LowkonXC]

What kind of exercising are you doing? If you aren't doing any, you need to get up and start moving. Walking at least 30 minutes per day is a great form of exercise. It's also a great way to build endurance if you are extremely out of shape.

Start slowly, and as time goes on, increase the pace of your walks. Then, when you reach the max speed you can walk without starting to jog, extend the distances you walk per day.

Regards,

Darian
Thanks for your interest but I can barely walk with a cain. A trip to the store takes a day to recover. I make trips up and down my stairs but after 4 or 5 I have to rest for the night. Exercising is not an option for me. GBS totally ruined my life, and now the D is killing me slowely.

Thanks for the concern.
Michael