ktgrok Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Got my 3 month post op labs done, and luckily all vitamin levels are good! Cholesterol is low, per my usual (117). Trigs are good at 76. Fasting glucose was 83. A1c, which I've never had done before, was 5.6. Normal is below 5.7, so it is normal, but just barely. Given that I'm on a fairly low carb diet that seems odd to me. Just genetics? Or maybe it was higher before that and I never knew it, and it's come down...that could be. My fasting glucose has never been high, ever, and I've had post meal checks during pregnancy and such that were never high, but my father has type 2 diabetes so it is something I like to stay on top of. Or is 5.6 really just nothing to even bat an eye about? Edited to correct that fasting glucose was 83, not 85. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 That is what mine was at my last physical. My doc was not concerned but told me to keep an eye on my sugar and starch intake. I do like my pasta, rice, and potatoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 That is what mine was at my last physical. My doc was not concerned but told me to keep an eye on my sugar and starch intake. I do like my pasta, rice, and potatoes. That's kind of why I'm confused, lol! I'm eating lower carb then before...not no carb but definitely no added sugars. Net carbs are under 50 a day as a general rule, with total carbs under 100grams a day. Seems I'd expect A1C to be lower given that. Maybe stress can raise it? Like surgical stress, deadlines, etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Have it rechecked in 3-6 months. Don't worry for now, especially given your current changes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Since you never had it checked before, you have no baseline to know whether this is normal, higher than normal, or maybe much lower than usual for you. I would recheck it in 6 months. It's not high so I wouldn't bother again until then, unless you're having this kind of bloodwork done every three months because of your surgery. You're doing so well, btw!!! Congrats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Okay, thanks all! I think my blood work will be in 6 months, then every 6 months. Could be in 3..I can't remember. I'll just check then. I do wonder if it was igher all along and I didn't know it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I'm really surprised no doctor has checked that before, especially as part of the workup you had prior to surgery. We have to do a health assessment every year for insurance purposes and they include it. But maybe that's because we're old.g 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 I'm really surprised no doctor has checked that before, especially as part of the workup you had prior to surgery. We have to do a health assessment every year for insurance purposes and they include it. But maybe that's because we're old.g I'm guessing maybe it's because my fasting glucose has always been really good? So they never felt they needed to do more? I will pull up some old lab work later, maybe it was there and I missed it. But I don't think so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Maybe you have long living red blood cells. http://chriskresser.com/why-hemoglobin-a1c-is-not-a-reliable-marker/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I'm really surprised no doctor has checked that before, especially as part of the workup you had prior to surgery. We have to do a health assessment every year for insurance purposes and they include it. But maybe that's because we're old.g It's not checked as part of my health assessment -- I looked. I kinda wish it were but I don't care enough to make them start including it. And to answer the original question, I wouldn't worry. Even if it were high you are doing all the right things to get it down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SproutMamaK Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Maybe stress can raise it? Like surgical stress, deadlines, etc? Stress, both physical and psychological, can definitely effect blood sugar. It's especially noticeable (noticable? I never know if there's an e there or not) after physical trauma like an injury, at least for me. I assume the recovery from your surgery would have raised your number substantially for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Fasting blood sugar levels can be fine and you can still have a high A1C. My guess is that it was higher and is now coming down but of course that can only be a guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 A1C measures average blood sugar over several months. Maybe this reflects an excursion because of your surgery, or maybe it reflects increasing blood sugar before your surgery. Either way, it's not a terrible number, but it's also not a great one. Also either way you would expect it to drop some during the next few months. If it were me, I would ask them to check it sooner than 6 months from now--probably in 2-3 months--because I would want to know which direction it's headed. Exercise can effect this quite a bit. A 10 minute walk after every meal is hugely helpful in decreasing insulin resistance and hence lowering blood sugar (ie for this purpose you don't need a TON of exercise, although regular aerobic exercise is also very helpful.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 My most recent a1c was 5.6 and I was ecstatic...but that is the lowest it has been since I was in my teens and marks the move from danger zone back into normal. Given all your recent changes I agree with pp that you should just keep an eye on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 A1C measures average blood sugar over several months. Maybe this reflects an excursion because of your surgery, or maybe it reflects increasing blood sugar before your surgery. Either way, it's not a terrible number, but it's also not a great one. Also either way you would expect it to drop some during the next few months. If it were me, I would ask them to check it sooner than 6 months from now--probably in 2-3 months--because I would want to know which direction it's headed. Exercise can effect this quite a bit. A 10 minute walk after every meal is hugely helpful in decreasing insulin resistance and hence lowering blood sugar (ie for this purpose you don't need a TON of exercise, although regular aerobic exercise is also very helpful.) Hmm..I have been noticeably LESS active since surgery, because of issues staying hydrated and that dratted deadline keeping me busy, so that could be a factor as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 What would be a much better indicator of problems than a fasting blood sugar, is testing two hours after having a meal. My bloodsugars can be fine after a 8 hour fast but not fine 2 hours after a meal with carbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 What would be a much better indicator of problems than a fasting blood sugar, is testing two hours after having a meal. My bloodsugars can be fine after a 8 hour fast but not fine 2 hours after a meal with carbs. hmm...during pregnancy it was checked 2 hours after a meal with a measured amount of carbs and was well within normal. And I've checked in the past about an hour after cake and it was still in the range of fasting glucose, lol! I think I won't worry, and will just recheck later. Also, my RDW was just slightly high, and that can indicate among other things a longer lived red blood cell so it may just be that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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