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A1c (Glycohemoglobin, HgbA1c)

For years, I tried to keep my blood sugars between 70 and 90 mg/dl [3.9 and 5.0 mmol/L], with an A1c <6. My new diabetes team has suggested I aim for an A1c of 7. Do you agree that this is a little high? I recognize that my blood sugar range was too low resulting in hypoglycemia unawareness, but, in part, my lows were related to no one changing basal rates after I lost 130 pounds.

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I am 19 and was diagnosed with type I diabetes at 2 1/2 years of age. All of the information I’ve read about pregnancy says that my A1c should be in the 6-7% range. What if it is in the 9% range?

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I received a call from my doctor stating that my hemoglobin A1c was 7.8%. and anything over 5.7% means you have diabetes. I am 24 years old, with no family history of diabetes, in good shape, and have no symptoms. My fasting blood sugar was 82 mg/dl [4.6 mmol/L]. Is this one test evidence enough to diagnose me with diabetes or should I be asking for other tests to be preformed?

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I have a fairly well controlled type 2 diabetes along with thalassemia minor and microcytosis. My A1c levels have been as high as 7.0%, but my last one was 6.1% which seemed to be contradictory to my history of daily finger stick glucose checks. Will the thalassemia and microcytosis affect the accuracy of the results of the automated A1c testing?

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I have a 71 year old male patient who was told that he had an elevated A1c and that he should monitor his blood glucose levels at home. In three weeks time, his level has yet to exceed 140 mg/dl [7.8 mmol/L] (even after meals). Are you currently aware of any specific factors that might result in a false positive A1c test?

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Our not quite two year old daughter’s first A1c was 8.8% (four and a half months after her diagnosis), and we thought we had been doing better, so we were not pleased with this result. The endocrinologist told us anything under 9.0% was acceptable and not to worry about it. Should we be concerned about the 8.8%?

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I’ve heard that rapid drops in one’s A1c can trigger retinopathy? Is this true in children with a short diabetes history? My son’s A1c was 8.5% five months ago and is now 4.5%.

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After 38 years with diabetes, I have only mild neuropathy in my feet. I have A1cs in the 8 to 9% range, in part, because of a severe low a few years ago. Should I be more aggressive to lower my A1c?

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I recently used a home A1c test and it gave me an A1c that I believe is higher than it should be, based on my blood sugar readings. What is your opinion of these tests?

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Is the 14-day average on my glucometer a rough indicator of what my A1c will be?

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