DIABETICS!!: whats your HBA1c???

cynder · 05-10-2010 03:20PM

CathyMoran wrote: »

. My bloods do go abover 10 the odd time (like with this bad cold) but that is a rare occurence, it does get easier as you get more accustomed to it.

wow, i wish hers were like that, we have highs and lows.

keep up the good work....
thanx

CathyMoran · 05-10-2010 03:26PM

grindelwald wrote: »

wow, i wish hers were like that, we have highs and lows.

keep up the good work....
thanx

It took me years to get to that state - plus I unfortunatly have a large number of lows (my poor husband), it is not realistic as a young child to have that strict control in my opinion.

cynder · 05-10-2010 03:44PM

CathyMoran wrote: »

It took me years to get to that state - plus I unfortunatly have a large number of lows (my poor husband), it is not realistic as a young child to have that strict control in my opinion.

very true, it's something she will have to do herself when she older 18+
up until then hormones will be going wild.

do you still feel the hypos?

my lady got to the point where she wasn't feeling the hypos until she was 2.5 she back to feeling them at 4.3 - 3.5 very rare she gets them lower than that.

Ive had hypos myself but not diabetic and Ive been 4.1 / 3.8 and eaten everything i could get my hands on, ravenous isn't the word, i dont know how she keeps control over her hypo by only having coke and crackers. i ate 4 sandwiches, biscuits and taytoes x 2 packs and was still looking for something else to eat. the feeling of a hypo is not nice at all, week hungry(hunger pains), hot (really hot face burning), arms tremble, legs tremble and only food will do.

Alanstrainor · 05-10-2010 04:06PM

joolsveer wrote: »

I went for my checkup today and was told that I had a score of 6.3 and that I must be doing something right! Last time it was 10.

Awesome stuff, i'm in the same boat that you were in, last HBA1c was 10!!!!! I had really let my control slip, i've never been that bad before. My target is for a reading in the 6's. I've completely overhauled my routine and my blood sugars have been great the last few weeks. I'm hoping i can keep it up. Wish me luck...

CathyMoran · 05-10-2010 08:06PM

grindelwald wrote: »

very true, it's something she will have to do herself when she older 18+
up until then hormones will be going wild.

do you still feel the hypos?

my lady got to the point where she wasn't feeling the hypos until she was 2.5 she back to feeling them at 4.3 - 3.5 very rare she gets them lower than that.

Ive had hypos myself but not diabetic and Ive been 4.1 / 3.8 and eaten everything i could get my hands on, ravenous isn't the word, i dont know how she keeps control over her hypo by only having coke and crackers. i ate 4 sandwiches, biscuits and taytoes x 2 packs and was still looking for something else to eat. the feeling of a hypo is not nice at all, week hungry(hunger pains), hot (really hot face burning), arms tremble, legs tremble and only food will do.

Sometimes I do not feel my hypos at all - it depends...it means that I have to check a lot more

BlackEdelweiss · 13-10-2010 09:16AM

My Hba1c in June was 7.8 and on the way down. I stopped taking my tablets on the consultants advice as I was having loads of hypos and my after eating relatively healthily and doing loads of excercise my reading in September was 9.6. I went back on the tablets, kept eating good food but had to cut down the excercise due to my high readings and my reading yesterday was 9.7. I'm now back on a double dose of the tablets. Looking forward to days filled with hypos and highs again. 1 year into this and still getting nowhere, even the diabetic nurse was looking puzzled yesterday, said she hadent a clue what was going on.

MUSEIST · 13-10-2010 01:52PM

Has anyone here had any experiences of diabetic retinopathy. Acording to wikipedia (bull I hope) that after 10 years >80% of type 1's will have some form of retinopathy. I am diabetic for 13/14 years and this stat has shocked me a bit. I have good control of the diabetes but suddenly I am terrified.

CramCycle · 13-10-2010 02:41PM

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I went back on the tablets, kept eating good food but had to cut down the excercise due to my high readings and my reading yesterday was 9.7.

You really shouldn't be cutting down on the exercise, in fact high readings, although they do have a tendency to make you feel lethargic and possibly depressed, should be a motivation to keep up your exercise as it should help increase the efficacy of whatever insulin your body might be producing, improving the efficacy of most of the drugs you might take, as well as helping (in conjunction with the healthy eating) to keeping your weight down which has loads of benefits in the long run.

MUSEIST wrote: »

Has anyone here had any experiences of diabetic retinopathy. Acording to wikipedia (bull I hope) that after 10 years >80% of type 1's will have some form of retinopathy. I am diabetic for 13/14 years and this stat has shocked me a bit. I have good control of the diabetes but suddenly I am terrified.

When I was younger I got clouding of vision, apparently from bad control but this went away rapidly when my control improved, I have been a T1DM for 25 years now and my eyesight is still 20/20 and everyone I have kept in contact with from my clinic as a child still has good eyesight. I think the problem with the study sighted is that it takes any deterioration in eyesight in a Diabetic patient as Diabetic Retinopathy and doesn't adjust for the average deterioration of eyesight in the general population, which I feel would lower the stats quite substantially. It would have been nice if they gave a case comparison study between a group of well controlled and a group of non-well controlled diabetic subjects.

BlackEdelweiss · 13-10-2010 05:44PM

CramCycle wrote: »

You really shouldn't be cutting down on the exercise, in fact high readings, although they do have a tendency to make you feel lethargic and possibly depressed, should be a motivation to keep up your exercise as it should help increase the efficacy of whatever insulin your body might be producing, improving the efficacy of most of the drugs you might take, as well as helping (in conjunction with the healthy eating) to keeping your weight down which has loads of benefits in the long run.

The reason I was advised to cut back on the exercise is because if your blood is above 14 then you are not breaking down your food properly and exercising too much like this can be bad for you, or so I was told.

eilo1 · 13-10-2010 06:59PM

iv had problems with exercise in the past, my sugars would jump from 6/8 to 14/16 after a run. I was told by my diabetic nurse that this was from a glucagon release from my liver. I now try and add in some strength training to use up this glucagon after running. Its working really well for me. My insulin sensitivity for 24 hours after training is great!

It took me a long time to get it right though and I think the pump has helped a lot. Maybe its something you could look into...................

robinph · 13-10-2010 09:01PM

MUSEIST wrote: »

Has anyone here had any experiences of diabetic retinopathy. Acording to wikipedia (bull I hope) that after 10 years >80% of type 1's will have some form of retinopathy. I am diabetic for 13/14 years and this stat has shocked me a bit. I have good control of the diabetes but suddenly I am terrified.

I was told there were a few spots in the back of both eyes a couple of years ago, they had then disappeared by the time of my next checkup.

Was just in at another eye hospital again today, so was then going around the house like a Chilean miner with shades on this afternoon after the eye drops. But he said there was nothing wrong with either eye at the moment.

5live · 14-10-2010 09:07AM

Im due for an eye checkup before christmas and its a right pain in the behind as i cant drive and have to wait around for the OH to finish work while trying not to fall asleep in the waiting room. The first time i got them done i drove home as nobody told me i wouldnt be able to see and my father needed the car. Still have nightmares. But on to the point. The last scan showed up a cataract beginning in one eye but the doc said not to worry as it is common in diabetics. Now is it my imagination or is every disease under the sun 'more common in diabetics' or is it just a lazy getout clause for doctors to stop patients worrying. Because its not working for me. If i hear that more often i stand a good chance of turning into a hypocondriac

robinph · 14-10-2010 09:22AM

5live wrote: »

Now is it my imagination or is every disease under the sun 'more common in diabetics' or is it just a lazy getout clause for doctors to stop patients worrying. Because its not working for me. If i hear that more often i stand a good chance of turning into a hypocondriac

Unfortunately it's probably true in most cases.

The_Conductor · 14-10-2010 09:37AM

If its any consolation- its not just diabetes- its any autoimmune disease- they seem to make folk far more liable to other things. E.g. I've just been told that because I have an autoimmune disease that I am liable to randomly get DVTs and blood clots, and am now on warfarin as a preventative measure. Also have just started on sulphur based medications to alleviate osteoarthritis.

graflynn · 14-10-2010 11:21AM

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

The reason I was advised to cut back on the exercise is because if your blood is above 14 then you are not breaking down your food properly and exercising too much like this can be bad for you, or so I was told.

This is true. If your blood sugars are high before excercising it is possible that your sugars will be higher again after the exercise. Plus, regardless of blood sugar numbers, intense exercise, such as sprint running, marathons, etc. can raise your numbers too.

CramCycle · 14-10-2010 06:32PM

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

The reason I was advised to cut back on the exercise is because if your blood is above 14 then you are not breaking down your food properly and exercising too much like this can be bad for you, or so I was told.

The reason for this is probably the lack of Insulin or Insulin sensitivity and the increased risk of ketoacidosis to provide emergency energy for the brain, rather than not breaking food down properly, more likely she meant utilisation of energy from food. Starting out with gentle exercise (low intensity), with a gentle build up should be OK but as always you should always take a health professionals advice over mine. My advice is based on only a brief outline. I'd agree with the too much comment but like I said, a slow build up should get you back on track.

Carsinian Thau · 15-10-2010 01:42PM

Just got my latest one there. 8.5%.

Down from 11.2% in mid august (previously down from 13.5% around last May).

They've asked me to calm down a bit (I may be reading a bit much and being a little too tight, getting very close to hypos a lot of the time and have had some problems with them lately). I'll admit that I'm actually quite happy (depsite the fact that it's not a real improvement as the twice daily hypos (at a minimum) have definitely tinged the result to bring it low).

Alanstrainor · 15-10-2010 02:12PM

Carsinian Thau wrote: »

Just got my latest one there. 8.5%.

Down from 11.2% in mid august (previously down from 13.5% around last May).

They've asked me to calm down a bit (I may be reading a bit much and being a little too tight, getting very close to hypos a lot of the time and have had some problems with them lately). I'll admit that I'm actually quite happy (depsite the fact that it's not a real improvement as the twice daily hypos (at a minimum) have definitely tinged the result to bring it low).

Nice.

My last one was 10.5ish, hoping to get it down to 7.5...although i'm beginning to think i'm being too optimistic.

CathyMoran · 15-10-2010 02:22PM

Will be geting the results again soon - they did say that I should try and reduce the low blood sugars - have to keep mine below 5.8 as I am trying for a baby/pregnant.

5live · 15-10-2010 03:10PM

CathyMoran wrote: »

Will be geting the results again soon - they did say that I should try and reduce the low blood sugars - have to keep mine below 5.8 as I am trying for a baby/pregnant.

Best of luck. When i had mine around 6.5 it was hypos every day. It was a bit stressful for the OH and the kids didnt like it either. I am more relaxed about it now but i may bacome a bit more stressed when the results come back and they in double figures:(

CathyMoran · 15-10-2010 03:26PM

5live wrote: »

Best of luck. When i had mine around 6.5 it was hypos every day. It was a bit stressful for the OH and the kids didnt like it either. I am more relaxed about it now but i may bacome a bit more stressed when the results come back and they in double figures:(

It got a bit scary when she asked how many hypos in a week and I answered more like how many hypo's in a day - luckily she is asking me to take it a bit easier. Have other medical conditions that make it harder to control.

Double figures are bad, you know that - 7 is achievable but takes a lot of work.

Carsinian Thau · 15-10-2010 10:42PM

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Nice.

My last one was 10.5ish, hoping to get it down to 7.5...although i'm beginning to think i'm being too optimistic.

Thanks.

You'll manage it, don't worry. If not this time around then maybe next time. In fairness, it is a bloody difficult thing to manage.

graflynn · 16-10-2010 01:48PM

6.9 and hoping to improve on it. Did it before, I can do it again.

CathyMoran · 16-10-2010 01:52PM

graflynn wrote: »

6.9 and hoping to improve on it. Did it before, I can do it again.

Do you manage not to have many lows? That is the thing that I do not seem to be able to balance - have been advised to raise mine slightly for safety purposes - do not know until Monday but I am guessing 5.5.

graflynn · 17-10-2010 11:11AM

CathyMoran wrote: »

Do you manage not to have many lows? That is the thing that I do not seem to be able to balance - have been advised to raise mine slightly for safety purposes - do not know until Monday but I am guessing 5.5.

I have some lows but not every day. I have a pump and I can usually head off the lows by dialing down my basal rate.

Usually, my lows are connected to my incorrect "guesses" on my carb counting. Sometimes, I just don't have the nutritional information to hand or physical activity I hadn't foreseen.

CramCycle · 17-10-2010 08:06PM

graflynn wrote: »

Usually, my lows are connected to my incorrect "guesses" on my carb counting. Sometimes, I just don't have the nutritional information to hand or physical activity I hadn't foreseen.

I find that insulin doses are more of a natural instinct rather than an exact science

I mean if it were an exact science we would have to admit we were having second/third helpings before we started eating dinner :eek:

CathyMoran · 17-10-2010 08:17PM

CramCycle wrote: »

I find that insulin doses are more of a natural instinct rather than an exact science

I mean if it were an exact science we would have to admit we were having second/third helpings before we started eating dinner :eek:

For me it depends on the GI (glycemic index) of the food as much as the food. Was bold this evening and had 60g of carbs for dinner, will have to do a night check

, especially as I am pregnant at the moment.

CramCycle · 17-10-2010 08:27PM

CathyMoran wrote: »

For me it depends on the GI (glycemic index) of the food as much as the food. Was bold this evening and had 60g of carbs for dinner, will have to do a night check , especially as I am pregnant at the moment.

Congratulations Cathy, wishing you the very best over the next few months, a tougher task I could not imagine (except for the following 16 years after the big day :eek:)

CathyMoran · 21-10-2010 10:25AM

CramCycle wrote: »

Congratulations Cathy, wishing you the very best over the next few months, a tougher task I could not imagine (except for the following 16 years after the big day :eek:)

Got my HbA1c in - 5.1 They have told me that I can ease off my control slightly. I just feel that I am responsible for my little one's health until they leave me (and afterwards but then I get help).

Alanstrainor · 22-10-2010 03:00PM

CathyMoran wrote: »

Got my HbA1c in - 5.1

Jaysis! Fair play!

DIABETICS!!: whats your HBA1c???

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