Endo visit yesterday

[Dewey]

Went to the endo yesterday and he said my blood work looked good. Vitamin D level is back up at 48 (excellent), TSH is at 2.2 (in range) and he said my A1C was excellent (well, to Him, anyway) at 6.4%. He said I was his star patient, & sent me on my way for 6 months because, he said, I "did so well."

I don't want people to take offense to this, but for me, the A1C of 6.4% was NOT achieved by doing "so well" or having excellent/good sugars (something which even he acknowledged). More than 50% were over "target" range and when I ran higher (in the 200 to 300s), I stayed there for a while.

I was quite upset upon leaving yesterday. People may not understand why, but when a person's been taught by a previous endo that having A1Cs in the 5% range (and sometimes even 4% - when there aren't too many lows) are good/acceptable, then switches over to a doctor who thinks entirely differently, it can really screws things (& the person) up.

I'm sure I'll get "flack" from some, but just wanted to vent some frustration. My last A1C was 5.9%, and I felt great. At 6.4%, I'm not feeling so wonderful (in terms of dealing with highs).

[Alice]

I think 6's are just fine...I think there is a "range" of excellent...not just the lower numbers. I used to get very depressed that I never could hit the "low" numbers you read about on this board...until I realized I wasn't having some of the problems I read about either...

My endo said a low A1C is not a sole indicator of good control...since someone who swings low and dangerously low will always have a lower average than someone keeping numbers on a more even keel...you just can't compare.

Guess since I remember the "old" days before meters, I'm thankful for the 6's...happy when I drop to the 5's but have found it difficult to stay there for 20 years...I always fluctuate and don't worry too much as long as I don't have a big jump.

I just don't agonize over those numbers anymore. I happier to know I don't have any side affects after 42 years. Important thing is to strive for the good numbers.

I think some doctors use numbers as a crutch instead of looking at the individual...

[cheryl]

I strive for level. I dont' like when the bg's swing, I was very happy with my recent 6.5, cause this was a more level a1c, not the one I had before on mdi, at 6.6 where I was hypo city.....I think swinging affects us a lot worse in the long run then being in a lower range....For instance for years I was running a1c's in the low 8's right, but everytime I checked my bg..........I was 160-200....all the time....sometimes 220, but that was my numbers....Then when I was in the 8. in 2005, I was going from 40-300 constantly not fun, felt like **** and had found out later on I broke a vessel in my eye, my blood pressure was screwy, and my cholesterol was god awful....and I was moody cranky irritable and bad....

The point is....I know your upset cause there were some high's but there will be, either cause of absorbtion, stress sickness weather change the works....we sometimes just cannot ever get it perfect...it's hard....some can, but I think the majority of us flucutate...high 5's low 6's.....and all....Just brainstorm check patterns.....and I am sure you'll be ok....

Chin up....and vent away......I might be a bit upset too, if I got into the 5's and then went up to 6.4....but I haven't even hit 6.4 yet LOL.....

Cheryl

[Harold]

Hey my previous was 5.9 and the one from last Monday 6.2. Not happy about it, but between Thanksgiving and Christmas I had a cold and a lot of, for me high readings. My GP unlike your endo does not like the 6.2. Oh yeah I was up 5 pounds as well, probably a side to the high bgs. While there is no reason bang myself for it taking a nonchalant attitude would only lead to further loss of control.

[EasyType2]

Take the congrats for a job well done, Dews.

My Endo would beat me about the head with joy if I could manage an A1c below 6.5

[Eri's mom]

I can see where the frustration would come from...but I would be extremely happy if Eri's A1c got to even the 7% range!

It gets frustrating when different docs have such different outlooks on things...drives me crazy b/c one set will say one thing and another a different thing. Makes me feel like I can never help Eri get anything right when they do that!

...but, great job on the 6.5%!

[xMenace]

I hear ya Dewey and share in your frustrations :(

[tanyatype1]

Dewey, I know exactly how you feel! I just got my A1c results today and it went up .3 ~ I know it isn't much but you always want to see the number going down, not up! Bugged me too because I was having such awesome numbers for the first two months (since my last A1c) but the third month sucked! And of course I'm trying to figure out why the third month sucked because I'm still doing everything the same! grrr. I feel for ya!:)

[kgm0612]

I share your frustration too, Dewey. I've gone from having A1c's of 6.0-6.3 and now I'm over 7. I am not looking forward to my next appointment in 4 weeks.

Hang in there!

Karen

[Dewey]

Thank you all for the replies. What made me mad were all the high numbers I was seeing. That's why I was so unhappy getting the 6.4% A1C. It wouldn't be so bad if sugars weren't above 150 over 50% of the time. Next round, I intend to be back down where I was before, regardless of whether my endo likes it or not.

On another note, I've found the CGMS to be VERY helpful in terms of keeping things in check & catching highs or lows before they become problematic. This last round (due to the holidays & the like), I was unable to afford sensors, so once I start buying & using them again, I'm positive that I'll find much better levels overall & will be able to prevent potential problems better. :)

[ant hill]

Thank you all for the replies. What made me mad were all the high numbers I was seeing. That's why I was so unhappy getting the 6.4% A1C.
Dewey, I am the same as you as you get so worked up seeing highs for too long. On the up side though Dewey, Your other levels are somthing I could wish for.
since my stroke I feel weak as s.h.i.t.e!! and the bike that I used to ride is gathering cobwebs. And so for my lack of exercise I just don't have the willpower anymore.
It wouldn't be so bad if sugars weren't above 150 over 50% of the time. Next round, I intend to be back down where I was before, regardless of whether my endo likes it or not.
Ho Dewey, Don't be so hard on yourself. I can run into the same problem. It's like a monkey that's on your back and you cannot shake him.

On another note, I've found the CGMS to be VERY helpful in terms of keeping things in check & catching highs or lows before they become problematic. This last round (due to the holidays & the like), I was unable to afford sensors, so once I start buying & using them again, I'm positive that I'll find much better levels overall & will be able to prevent potential problems better. :)

Hey Dews, I could do with a CGMS here too as that would be such a learning curve for me. I just wish to have a CGMS to talk to the pump and look for those lows and shut down the pump when needed. But then that would be too complex for companies to do. :(

[soso]

I think it's good that you want to have good control Dewey and I can understand how you feel when you have a Dr now, who doesn't seem concerned about YOUR concerns.... Remember, that quarter is now passed...don't sweat it... it's the future that matters, we can't get it all right all the time, esp when some of it is not even in our control!
Just well done for being where you are and best wishes for the next quarter..

Having my A1c tomorrow......

[Dewey]

Hey Dews, I could do with a CGMS here too as that would be such a learning curve for me. I just wish to have a CGMS to talk to the pump and look for those lows and shut down the pump when needed. But then that would be too complex for companies to do. :(
I'd love to see an innovation like that. It would be awesome to have the pump stop when the BG gets too low, or at least till it got back within decent range (which could be pre-set by the user, perhaps).
I think it's good that you want to have good control Dewey and I can understand how you feel when you have a Dr now, who doesn't seem concerned about YOUR concerns.... Remember, that quarter is now passed...don't sweat it... it's the future that matters, we can't get it all right all the time, esp when some of it is not even in our control!
Just well done for being where you are and best wishes for the next quarter..

Having my A1c tomorrow......
Good luck on your A1C tomorrow! I'll be rooting for you. :)

You're right. I will be looking to the future & do realize that things can't always be in our control (of course, I've been called a control freak by Carwy...hehe). A teacher in the medical side was saying that though the A1C is considered a 3-month average (because patients with Diabetes usually have doctor appts. every 3 months), it really only averages the previous couple of weeks. Now, she may be wrong, but I did have a bad few weeks prior to getting my A1C done, so maybe there's some validity to what she says. At any rate, I look forward to getting more sensors, as they've been most helpful the previous round.

Thanks again, everyone!

[cheryl]

About the a1c only being the last month. Well when I was prego, I was checked every month.....and here is a kicker...if I was low when I got blood drawn the a1c was always 6.0, when I ended up higher (darn OJ LOL).......6.2 all the time when I was pregnant with my first three....I dunno they checked my a1c all the time prego, my first pregnancy I was scolded cause my a1c was 6.1, but then she saw my numbers and she saw what I started off with..........11.9 yea I know....so well, I don't know I was 11.9 when first pregnant the next month 6.1 she could be right.....who knows I think it is a guide line....I think being level is what keeps us alive...more then anything else, and I think most of us struggle during holidays and colder weather....

Cheryl