A1c test 8.5%?
Had a home A1c test come back today as 8.5%, which indicates I probably have diabetes, so I'm a bit freaked out.
For the last month , I've been on a low carb diet and have started to exercise. I've come down aprox 20 pounds to aprox 225 pounds ( I'm 5'9" ).
At 55 years of age I know I need to be more active and get my weight down. It is important for me to try to avoid being officially diagnosed with diabetes for job reasons. I'm picking up a blood glucose meter tomorrow.
Whats are the chances I can avoid being diagnosed, and can control it with weight loss, diet and exercise?
Comments
Pretty slim if your A1c was really 8.5%. That's well over the mark for diabetes ( 6.5% ) and the A1c is an average of up to three months so it would take a while for a low carb diet and weight loss to have an effect and it would have to be a really big effect to drop from 8.5% to 6.5%. If you have some condition that is reducing your red blood cell production then the A1c would read high but that would be a far more serious problem. Very few jobs require you to not be diabetic, you should double check your jobs requirements, it may simply mean you have to demonstrate control and maintain an accurate glucose log.
As a diabetic and healthcare provider, I can tell you that 6.8 is a good number. The aim is to be 7 or below. There is some conflicting articles that state below 6 is better. I am concerned that you have some readings above 250. I recommend that you see a doctor and maybe it is time to try some meds available to treat type 2 diabetes. There a a variety of pills could provide a benefit to you. Only your doctor can know this for sure. Keep a log of your bloodsugars. Note what you have eaten at meals to help you determine which foods tend to make your numbers higher even 4 to 6 hours after a meal or snack.Show this log to your doctor. It will help him to know how he can best help you. Excercise and eating good nutritional food low in fat goes a long way in controlling or even reversing your condition. If you are overweight, shoot to lose a few lbs. This has a big impact on blood sugars as well. Good Luck!
If the test was done correctly, then you are a diabetic by definition. You may want to confirm it by having one officially done at the doctors office. With diet, exercise, and weight loss, as many as 25% of people can control their diabetes and not require medications. But it takes motivation, discipline, and counseling, and may not be enough given your high A1c level. I can't speak for how your job will be affected, but from a health point of view, you should be seeing a doctor and controlling your diabetes with medications. You should take the diagnosis seriously. Best
I would say it's not good. You an probably get your A1C down a bit but at 55 your cells may have become insulin resistant and more will become so as you grow older. They can't fix that. But losing weight and staying active, eating a healthy diet, can only be good for you.
I'm afraid, my friend, that there's absolutely NO CHANCE that you're going to avoid being diagnosed as diabetic.
An A1c above 6.5% is indicative of diabetes.