Hello All
I have been able to get myself to the A1C level of 5.9 while taking shots, and after I got on the pump I have been able to stay on or near that figure. I read that normal people are at 4.5 Something. Just how low area we able to get with tight control? I fight for the low numbers because I have turned around my Nephropathy, and stabilized my retinopathy. The only thing I haven't been able to change is my pain issues. Should I still fight to get lower or is this too difficult to get to, in the 4's.
Don http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Hi Don,
I'm actually envious of your wonderful numbers! Good for you.

As far as getting them lower, I've not heard of a person with diabetes who has managed to get their A1c down to 4, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.

Usually, there's a trad-off in getting too low in that you end up with too many lows. However, maybe it's possible to do it on the pump...I just don't know.

Hopefully some other pumpers will weigh in on this subject.

My heartiest congratulations on an amazing accomplishment!

Ruth

Originally posted by SamQKitty:
As far as getting them lower, I've not heard of a person with diabetes who has managed to get their A1c down to 4, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.


Not down to 4 either, but that seems a bit low, I was diagnosed with type II in Nov 2000, with two fasting draws of 328 and 348 mg/dL. I was put on 2 mg Amaryl.

When I changed my diet (was very high fat), lost 75 lbs, and started running every morning, I was able to eliminate all my medications and my HbA1c has been 4.6-4.8 for the last year.

Granted this kind of reversal can't be done by everyone, but some out here (including me) are lucky in a way. Heck, I can even eat desserts each night and my post-prandial is almost always <120 mg/dL, regardless of whether its a 30, 60, of 120 min measurement.

I pumped for 3 years and was always told that my A1c needed to be between 5 and 6. A 4 correlates to a blood sugar of 65 and that is too low to run on a regular basis. Sounds to me that you are doing fine but may run into trouble with hypo's if you try to get it any lower. The physical symptoms that have either turned around or gotten better should tell you that you are doing something right http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bouncing.gif

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Mindy :o)

Hello All
I understand that they say that a 4.5 is supposed to be equivalent to running 65 blood sugars. So I was wondering how normal people get it that low. And looking at ubernier’s
post and it is mentioned that they eat normal and have readings higher as well. How is this possible?

My goal is actually trying to keep my numbers near and at 85 all of the time. How can a type II and normal people keep A1C's in the 4's. I do run into lows. I was told by my Endo to not allow the lows to go below 60. That will be a safer number.. But I also have gained so much with tight control. I am also loosing weight. So maybe after I get rid of a few more pounds I might see some additional improvement. Thanks for the help. I feel like I am on a quest by myself sometimes. At the doctors office I am told 6.6 is ok. But the lab papers say it should be below 6.0. Maybe I am a little confused to what normal is.
Thanks a lot for all the input
Don http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Don,
Perhaps it's easier for those who are not on insulin to achieve those lower levels? Being on artificial insulin, one has to be a bit more concerned about the hypoglycemic possibilities.

I, too, have heard that diabetics should strive for an A1c around 5.5 to 6.5; I would think it's getting a bit risky at below 5.0.

I've got mine down to 7.0, now I'm trying for 6.5. You've given me some inspiration...thanks!

Ruth

Don:

The best way I can describe it is that my fasting glucose is normally in the low 80s. Outside of meals when not in periods of prolonged fasting, when I still check it (much less now) I am invariably between 75 and 85. If I skip lunch, I will get as low as 65, but never had one below that, except when I still took Amaryl.

For my body, thats normal. The other thing I do know is that my response at this weight/exercise is so much faster than before. I can recover from an apple pie and ice cream dessert in roughly 30 min. I remember before that carbs like this, even on Amaryl, would have me near 200 mg/dL an hour later, and it would stay above 140 mg/dL for the next few hours.

Back then, even if I went to bed with a 95 glucose (sub 100 and I was proud of it), I would have the dawn effect and wake up with a 100-110 mg/dL. Again, this was weight/lifestyle induced.

Of course Type I's can't reverse this, and not all Type IIs can either. I try to encourage others to work on it also. There are 4 type IIs here where I work. Three of us dropped weight and control it with diet and exercise and without meds. The other person, well, she will hopefully follow suit, or at least attempt it one day. As far as the 3 of us go, yes, I have the tightest control, but I also made the most radical changes. I went from obese (>30) to normal BMI (22).

Granted I may not always be able to control it by lifestyle, but this sure beats the alternative.

Thanks for the info.
I am able to keep post meal levels to lower than 140's. I could keep these lower than that. But at this time I am afraid of taking too much bolus insulin. I might need more but after I eat my sugars are still in the 115 area. Yet I know if I let it go I will go up to 130's then I bolus because I know how high I am really at and I know what to do to counter it. But the carb counting works before I was taking Seasilver. I use less than half of my usual bolus insulin since I started on this vitamin. My sugars stay so under control that if I go walking after I eat I most of the time do not need to bolus anything at all. Sometimes I run back into a low again without extra insulin. I may need to lower my Basil rates again. Thanks again for the help
Don http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Ubernier

Your situation sounds very similar to mine. I lost weight and my blood sugar went down to a normal range. I was wondering how much exercise you get. I am getting about 45 minutes of strenuous exercise three times a week--singles tennis and aerobics classes--and I try to get in some extra walking on other days when I do errands. Should I be trying to get exercise every day?

Hello
You are quite lucky to be able to do that kind exercise. I have some major pain issues that stop me from doing proper daily exercise. I can walk and that is about all I am able to do. I walk in Malls and around stores. After an hour of time on my legs my thigh goes into extreme heated, Hot, pain. The feet start shooting jabbing pain and my hips are so messed up I am not able to turn them without being put into tears. Personally I think you are getting a good amount of exercise to gain that extra amount of control. I think the vitamins I take are helping my metabolic rate to increase. Thanks for the thoughts and information.
Don http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Jacqueline,

Don is right--we are lucky to be able to do this exercise. I know that daily exercise is not required; however, I don't feel right without it.

My routine is that I run 3 miles every morning, about 4:30-5:00 am when I can roll out of bed. I sometimes skip a Thursday run because I work out for 2 hrs (other machines/weights) (which includes a 3 mile run anyway).

I will walk about 40 min at around noon on most days (lunch break at work). I used to also do a 20 min walk after dinner, but I have been so busy at nights that I have had to abandon this for now.

Ulrich

Ulrich

I am very impressed by your exercise schedule. It makes me want to do a bit more, even though it is not necessary to keep my blood sugar down. More exercise can only improve my general health and well being. I am anxious to see my lab tests scheduled for December. My triglycerides and HDL results in March were much worse than the year before and I am hoping for improvement. You set a marvelous example for the rest of us. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

When I was diagnosed with diabetes, my total cholesterol was at that time lower than usual (I think it was 229 at that time in November 2000). However, my triglycerides were 638 mg/dL and my HDL a paltry 29 mg/dL, which made the LDL calculation inaccurate. I have had my total chol as high as 290, but never had my HDL above 30 until I did the very things which reversed the diabetes--changed diet, added exercise, lost weight.

The change in diet alone, with minimal exercise resulted in my total cholesterol dropping to the 90-102 mg/dL range (LDL in the 50s, HDL 29-36, TG from 50-80). When I stabilized at 175 lbs, I started to run, and from there I lost another 20 lbs. The real benefit was that after 6 mos of running, my cholesterol was now 143 total, LDL 67, HDL 70, TG 37. I was ecstatic to see my HDL so high. Since then, my cholesterol has been in the 150 range, with my HDL always between 59 and 70. I have eased up on the diet constraints and enjoyed more saturated fats and simple carbs; however, the lipid values have remained fine.

Hopefully, you will get this same benefit? http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

You have had some great results--especially the HDL. It is very hard to increase that number. I was especially concerned about that since mine went from the mid 60s to low 40's. I need to get my total cholesterol down a bit because of that.