August 8, 2005
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Question from Kaslo, British Columbia, Canada:
My A1c at the time of my diagnosis was 12.0. Are many diabetics diagnosed with an A1c this high? Is there a difference between usual type 1 or type 2 A1c levels at the time of diagnosis of diabetes?
I’m curious and am wondering about pursuing further testing as many of the tests like the GAD 65 and C-peptide tests are not easily accessible where I live and I am trying to understand if I am a type 2 or 1.5.
Answer:
The absolute A1c at the time of diagnosis is not an indicator of whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Other indicators, such as family history, body habitus, age of onset, C-peptide level with glucose challenge, and islet-cell antibody status, are helpful. Speak with your doctor about the importance of pursuing the additional testing. They may have insight as to whether this might be helpful.
JTL
