A1C - blood sugar

Let's not all assume it's Type 2. My sister was just diagnosed two years ago with Type 1. She was 20, 125 pounds, 5'5", extremely fit (she either swam, ran, or lifted weights every single day), and ate well. Her pancreas just quit working. Sometimes body parts break with no good reason.

That being said, I really hope your pancreas didn't just quit on you. I would hold off on freaking out until you can talk to your doctor and see what he/she recommends. I'm usually a Chicken Little, but this very well may just be an acorn, not the sky falling on your head.

Deep breaths, and good luck!

Let's not all assume it's Type 2. My sister was just diagnosed two years ago with Type 1. She was 20, 125 pounds, 5'5", extremely fit (she either swam, ran, or lifted weights every single day), and ate well. Her pancreas just quit working. Sometimes body parts break with no good reason.

That being said, I really hope your pancreas didn't just quit on you. I would hold off on freaking out until you can talk to your doctor and see what he/she recommends. I'm usually a Chicken Little, but this very well may just be an acorn, not the sky falling on your head.

Deep breaths, and good luck!

It sure could be the Pancreas is what My doctor called it, Sludged up! How are your Triglycerides? Mine were high! Got on a daily Cholesterol Med (TriCor) and those numbers dropped to the perfect range.

I knew a girl whose blood sugar levels when untreated were regularly in the 4 and 5 hundreds... diabetes isn't always weight related and there wasn't a known history of it in her family.

A normal A1C for a non-diabetic is between 4%-6%, so really a 6.2 isn't bad at all. A lot of diabetics aim for an A1C below 7, and would consider 6.2 a real success.

It sounds like you're at a good place, and I'm assuming since you say you're healthy that you don't have a lot of weight to lose. I'd wait and talk to your Dr. before worrying about it. I think you're doing fine.

Edit: Actually I thought you said you were already a diabetic, which you didn't, my mistake. A 6.2 is a cause for concern, but it can because by any number of things, especially medication.

An A1c is a very reliable test. It measures your average blood sugar reading over the last 3 months (the life span of a red blood cell). The cells act like a sponge floating through the blood and "pick up" the sugar readings. Physicians disagree, but in general, an A1c of >6.0 - 6.5 is considered diabetic.

But more important than labeling the condition as diabetes is simply that your blood sugars seem to be running higher than they should. It's important to try to get those down to prevent long-term complications of high blood sugar. An A1c of 6.2 means your blood sugar typically runs about 130... and that average sugar should be less than 100-110 at any given time.

I would suggest finding a new doctor - simply because this one doesn't seem to provide you the info and guidance you'd like. With a new healthcare provider, you can focus less on the condition and more on what you can do about it. It already sounds like you are doing a LOT right... but usually there is more that you can do to help lower your sugars. A dietician or another provider can help you learn about glycemic index, sugar sources (even like fruits!), and other ways to help lower you sugar.

Best of luck to you. One thing to KNOW - even if this does turn out to be an actual diagnosis of diabetes - there is SO MUCH that can be done to help and prevent any untoward complications.

I would also caution you on reading and taking my advice (and any other well-intended folks out there)... because many times it's just opinion... and you can really benefit from the direction of a qualified individual. I'm an RN and a health coach - and I still suggest you consult with a provider that can look at your entire situation and put it all in context. Please don't stop, start, or alter any medications... food plans... exercise.... without having a thorough conversation first. There is much that should go into an evaluation, and the appropriate ranges and interventions for each person vary DRAMATICALLY based on a myriad of other factors we posters just can't know about you.

A normal A1C for a non-diabetic is between 4%-6%, so really a 6.2 isn't bad at all. A lot of diabetics aim for an A1C below 7, and would consider 6.2 a real success.

It sounds like you're at a good place, and I'm assuming since you say you're healthy that you don't have a lot of weight to lose. I'd wait and talk to your Dr. before worrying about it. I think you're doing fine.

ETA: I've been a diabetic for 10 years, and while I have some experience with it, I'm no expert. I diagnosed my own diabetes with a BG test of 400. I immediately dropped all sweets (bye bye king-size Hershey bars), and started exercising. My first A1C three weeks later was 8.8. It's gotten better since then.

I agree that the Diabetes Association probably says this, but according to the Mayo Clinic, A1C's from 5.7 to 6.4 are considered pre-diabetic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/a1c-test/MY00142/DSECTION=results

I've actually read somewhere that people who will never develop type 2 during their life will typically have fasting glucose levels in the 70s or 80s, much, much lower than the limits outlined as normal by the Diabetes Association.

I agree that the Diabetes Association probably says this, but according to the Mayo Clinic, A1C's from 5.7 to 6.4 are considered pre-diabetic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/a1c-test/MY00142/DSECTION=results

I've actually read somewhere that people who will never develop type 2 during their life will typically have fasting glucose levels in the 70s or 80s, much, much lower than the limits outlined as normal by the Diabetes Association.

You're right, I actually misread her post. I thought she was already a diagnosed diabetic, which makes a difference. For a full-blown diabetic like me, a 6.2 is actually not too bad, for someone trying to avoid diabetes in the first place it's something to be concerned about, not to freak out over, but concerned, yes.

Eh, no problem. I saw that you edited yours after I posted that

I'm sort of in the same boat, but at 6.1. (The doctor I fired said that was fine, ahem). Hence, I've been doing a lot of reading.

There are some diabetics who assert that caffeine causes their blood sugar to spike. If you drink a lot, as I did, it may be a partial cause.

In my 30s and 40s my fasting was in the mid 70s range, but since all of my siblings have diabetes I knew this was coming. (They keep saying, are you sure you are not diabetic?) The only prior diabetes in the family was my maternal grandfather who contracted it in his 60s. Testing and monitoring were different way back when and life spans sometimes shorter so some people could have a genetic disposition and not know.

During the time frame when I was trying not to completely freak out, I found the compilation of information at the University of Maryland Medical Center site most helpful

http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_general_guidelines_a_diabetes_diet_000042_2.htm

There is no MD after my name so take this FWIW.

I am pretty shocked by all of this. When I went to the doctor- because of strange weight gain (low calorie, healthy diet with a lot of exercise) they discovered I was hypothyroid. I returned after I started synthroid to get follow up blood work. The doctor said she wanted to test my A1C although she was quite sure nothing would be wrong. I don't know why she wanted to test because I didn't really mention symptoms that would lead to that diagnosis (fatigue, weight gain were my symptoms).

I went to an RD who told me to INCREASE my carbs because I was eating too little of them and that was leading to my fatigue. When I increased I did notice that my running got easier and I had a bit more energy. Now I wonder if that wasn't a good idea.

I probably will get another doctor. The trouble is how long it takes to even get an appointment. I want to follow up with this one, at least for now, because I want to know more about what the lab results mean.

I take- Synthroid, ambien, adderall but I don't think any of these would contribute.

I also don't eat much fruit, usually a piece a day or less. I guess I can improve my diet, but it makes me sad that it would have to be 100 percent healthy instead of the 90% I do now. I hate to say it is "unfair" because life is unfair, but it does feel that way.

It is unfair, I completely agree. I was diagnosed at 31, 31! Neither my mom or dad have it, but my grandmother does. It totally sucked at first and I felt like I would starve. But at the same time I didn't know a ton about diet or serving sizes, etc. The thing is, I still cheat at times, or rather figure out ways to squeeze a few extra carbs into a meal without effecting my sugar levels. That all comes in time though and understanding how your body reacts to different foods. It's really different for everyone.

As for the meds, I have no idea. I just knew about the stantin's because my mother in law was diagnosed a couple of months ago and she's happens to be on that class of drug. To top it off she was put on steroids and not told that it would also raise her sugar levels. Doctors are not created equal and finding one that takes your concerns seriously helps.

Good luck with the follow-up and if anything call the office and see if they can give you a blood glucose monitor and testing strips. They usually have a lot of those laying around and are given out free. This will allow you to start keeping an eye on your numbers before your appointment.

I am pretty shocked by all of this. When I went to the doctor- because of strange weight gain (low calorie, healthy diet with a lot of exercise) they discovered I was hypothyroid. I returned after I started synthroid to get follow up blood work. The doctor said she wanted to test my A1C although she was quite sure nothing would be wrong. I don't know why she wanted to test because I didn't really mention symptoms that would lead to that diagnosis (fatigue, weight gain were my symptoms).

I went to an RD who told me to INCREASE my carbs because I was eating too little of them and that was leading to my fatigue. When I increased I did notice that my running got easier and I had a bit more energy. Now I wonder if that wasn't a good idea.

I probably will get another doctor. The trouble is how long it takes to even get an appointment. I want to follow up with this one, at least for now, because I want to know more about what the lab results mean.

I take- Synthroid, ambien, adderall but I don't think any of these would contribute.

I also don't eat much fruit, usually a piece a day or less. I guess I can improve my diet, but it makes me sad that it would have to be 100 percent healthy instead of the 90% I do now. I hate to say it is "unfair" because life is unfair, but it does feel that way.

Carbs (the right ones) work in your favor if you are diabetic. They are an important part of the diabetic diet. Sounds crazy, right?

I'd say go to the diabetes education class after you see what your Dr. has to say. They are great at explaining everything you need to know, and what diet mistakes you might be making. They will teach you how to eat to stall the onset of Type 2 diabetes, if that is a concern for you.

Good luck

Simple question, what was your fasting blood glucose?

The A1C level and your fasting blood glucose are an odd combination. Before you replied I was guessing you were going to be over 100, so good news you are probably not diabetic. That being said, there are clearly times when you blood glucose is high for a time (A1C gives a type of 3-month running average of your blood glucose levels). If you want to confirm that you are not having any insulin resistance issues then you might consider asking your doctor for a Glucose Tolerance Test. What it requires is you drink a sugary drink and then they take a blood sample at periodic intervals to see how long it takes you blood glucose to return to normal.

Is it possible that you had just started losing weight when you had the blood test? Another thought I have as I type is that perhaps you were experiencing some insulin resistance that has already started to reverse itself, It is possible I have had this experience before.

Is your doctor or RD concerned about the A1C? This range puts you at risk for Diabetes, but certainly does not diagnose you. This may be warning and your RD can certainly help you a bit, stay away from simple carbs like white bread, watch out for sugars (like ketchup, etc.

Diabetes is a diagnosis you want to avoid as it will affect not only your life, but the lives of those around you. As stated above, you may have been having some problems that have now resolved themselves because you have improved your diet and lifestyle.