Question 1

at what a1c level is metformin given. i am 6.1 or 6.2 every testing.  am afraid of metformin causing low blood sugars. i run low often as well as high?

Accepted Answer

Diet/Exercise/Metfor: Your aic is not in diabetic range which needs to be &gt;6.5 to be called diabetic
your aic of 6.1-6.2 make you in the pre diabetic range.Most physician will start you on a diabetic diet.Weight loss if overweight/obese, and exercise programme
some do recommend low dose of metformin.And metformin does not cause hypoglycemia
discuss your case with your family doctor or endocrinologist.

Question 2

what is the gold standard for testing for diabetes  i had oral glucose and a1c (but eat low carbs) all normal but have dawn phenonmenon.  ?

Accepted Answer

Dawn phenomenon: Is a bit tricky.  It is not just a glucose and Insulin issue, but other hormones may be involved, including cortisol, growth hormone, glucagon.  Are you waking up at dawn and measuring your sugars?  Or are you symptomatic.

Question 3

what is the a1c in diabetes testing?

a1c shows 5.8  5.7-6.4 %

it shows pre-diabetic.  just exactly what does pre-diabetic mean as opposed to actually being diabetic?  is this something like being pre-pregnant?

Accepted Answer

A1C and diabetes: A1C measures your average blood sugar level over the prior 3 months. Prediabetes occurs when you have eleveted  blood sugar levels but you don't yet meet criteria for a Diabetes diagnosis.

Question 4

my mother   is taking amaryl (glimepiride) half a tablet in the morning and is making a diet, because hemoglobin a1c testing result 9.3. is this  dangerous result?

Accepted Answer

9.3: Yes this is a dangerous result and your mother needs to be treated with insulin. She should have a referral to an Endocrinologist.

Question 5

53yo female on medifast diet. their food contains iron. yearly lipid, a1c cmp,cbc,ck, tsh all perfect except for alt of 39and bun/creatine ratio of 24 is more testing recommended? or could it be iron related? my alt last year was 19.

Accepted Answer

Retest in 1-2 months: Low grade elevations in transaminases (ALT/AST &lt;5x upper limit of normal) are common, and there are many things that can cause them to go up.  It's probably not related to dietary iron.  I would suggest having your LFT's checked again in 1-2 months.  If it is still elevated your PCP can do a workup for the most common causes of elevated Transaminases.

Question 6

what could make my a1c levels slightly high?

Accepted Answer

Hemoglobin A1C: Hemoglobin A1C is an indicator of your blood glucose levels.  If your A1C is elevated it indicates your glucose level is running above normal and you may have diabetes.  Please speak with your doctor.

Question 7

how long does it take for you a1c level to go down?

Accepted Answer

3-4 mths: This test is measuring the amount of glucose bound to the red blood cell.  Since the red blood cells live approximately 4 months repeating this test every 3-4 months is appropriate to monitor how well you are controlling your blood sugars.

Question 8

need help with lowering my a1c levels

help with a1c?

Accepted Answer

Diet, Exercise, Meds: Elevated A1C levels indicate pre diabetes (over 5.8) or diabetes (over 6.5). Three areas you can work on: Diet (measure portions, less simple carbs, keep a food diary, no fast foods, increase vegetables, lose weight), Exercise (do something daily, do both aerobic and resistance exercises) and Meds (ask your Dr if meds such as Glipizide are right for you). Check your sugars daily to stay on track.

Question 9

how much of a reduction in a1c levels is considered good in 3 months of a diet change?

Accepted Answer

Drugs ~1%: In general, most medications are associated w/0.5-1% reduction in A1c so you'd be doing well if you drop your A1c by 1% in 3mo. Goal A1c is less than 7% for most unless you're older &amp; at greater risk of hypoglycemia at which point we recommend less than 8%. Work closely w/your Family Doc &amp; Endo to optimize blood pressure &amp; cholesterol, too. Don't forget to see Eye Doc yearly. And check your feet

Question 10

is there any issue if my a1c test registered at 4.5? i see the range starts at 4.8, and didn't know if a lower level than that is bad.

Accepted Answer

It's fine: You're good. Reference ranges are set so that a few percent of healthies fall outside on either end.

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Doctor answers about:

Testing a1c levels

A member asked:

At what a1c level is metformin given. i am 6.1 or 6.2 every testing. am afraid of metformin causing low blood sugars. i run low often as well as high?

A member asked:

What is the gold standard for testing for diabetes i had oral glucose and a1c (but eat low carbs) all normal but have dawn phenonmenon. ?

A member asked:

What is the a1c in diabetes testing? a1c shows 5.8 5.7-6.4 % it shows pre-diabetic. just exactly what does pre-diabetic mean as opposed to actually being diabetic? is this something like being pre-pregnant?

A member asked:

My mother is taking amaryl (glimepiride) half a tablet in the morning and is making a diet, because hemoglobin a1c testing result 9.3. is this dangerous result?

A member asked:

53yo female on medifast diet. their food contains iron. yearly lipid, a1c cmp,cbc,ck, tsh all perfect except for alt of 39and bun/creatine ratio of 24 is more testing recommended? or could it be iron related? my alt last year was 19.

A member asked:

What could make my a1c levels slightly high?

A member asked:

How long does it take for you a1c level to go down?

A member asked:

Need help with lowering my a1c levels help with a1c?

A member asked:

How much of a reduction in a1c levels is considered good in 3 months of a diet change?

A member asked:

Is there any issue if my a1c test registered at 4.5? i see the range starts at 4.8, and didn't know if a lower level than that is bad.

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