A1c - It didn’t use to mean anything
It’s probably only been during the last year that I’ve put any thought into my A1c and what it’s meant.
I can remember when it was in the 13-14’s and I was like “eh, whatever”. The A1c always told on me, it didn’t matter how good the numbers in my log were, the A1c would tell the truth. The A1c told the doctors that the numbers in my book were manufactured. They weren’t real. But the reality of it was, I didn’t care. I cared about my A1c about as much as I cared for my diabetes, and the truth is, I didn’t care for my diabetes back then and to this day, I still don’t care for it. I wouldn’t be hurt if it just packed up its bags and left me one day.
My A1c on the other hand, all of the sudden that number means something to me. I’m always concerned and when the doctor comes in it’s all I can do to greet them before I blurt out “what’s my A1c?”
The first time my A1c was below 8 it was because that was when my seizures started happening and there was an abundance of low blood sugars. That was years ago.
Then about 2 years ago, I dropped below 8. It was probably still because of the abundance of lows.
I’d even say that my current A1c of 6.9 is due in part to the abundance of low blood sugars that I have. But I’d also say that over the last year, it’s also due to me checking my blood more regularly, actually taking insulin at mealtimes, stuff like that. Just the general paying more attention to my diabetes.
What pisses me off about this A1c is the one I had 3 months ago was 6.5. That number was more likable. I have a whole list of excuses too as to why my A1c went up. I had a nasty infection for 6 weeks. During that same six weeks I couldn’t exercise, I was in a foul mood, I was stressed, and I was PMSing. Those 6 weeks were practically half of the 3 months between doctor appointments.
But then, I had to be honest with myself. If I had really wanted to fight to keep my A1c at 6.5, I could’ve done so. It was as simple as not not checking my blood because I didn’t want to see the high numbers. It would’ve been as simple as readjusting my basal rates, well, I had at one point, but it was too late. There was stuff that I could’ve done outside of my normal realm to control those numbers. But I didn’t.
So, I’ve got this A1c of 6.9 and I don’t like, and for the last 3 days, I’ve been checking my blood sugar EVERY.TWO.HOURS…I’ve been carefully calculating my carbs and making sure that I took my insulin before I ate and not after. I’ve seen lows, but not as many highs. It’s an improvement. And yet, my need for this 6.5 A1c has got me pissed off because of all the attention I need to pay to my diabetes. I’m not liking it, well, I never have liked it and that’s generally what has caused me to slack off in the past, but now I can’t slack because I’ve got this thing in my life called “triathlons”. I did one with high blood sugars, I liked it about as much as I like the idea of a hole in my head. Coincidentally, I did one with low blood sugars as well and I liked that about as much as I like the idea of a hole in my head.
And so, as I sit here, I’ve got 2 frustrations battling each other. The first being I don’t like my A1c. I liked it better when it was 6.5. The second being I don’t like all the work I have to put into my diabetes to get that 6.5 A1c. Can we say delimma?
One Response to “A1c - It didn’t use to mean anything”
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July 24th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Great blog, Courtney.
Sorry I am responding to this A1C posting so late.
When you look at your 6.9, it’s not bad to remember you’ve done better, but don’t forget that you’ve done worse. And remember that these things aren’t all that accurate. 6.9 is pretty good. There are a few things that could throw the test a couple of points in either direction, your hydration, your blood sugar at the time of the test, your blood sugar for the period just preceding the test…
Doctors and scientists will say some of these things don’t affect the test, but some diabetics will tell you from experience that they do.
And of course, it has been proven that different labs get different numbers for the same samples.
So look at 6.9 as being close, maybe closer than you think, to the number you want, and that’s a good thing.
Good luck on the next one.