[RayH]

A 22 year research indicates ideal A1c to be 7.5% and those with A1c of lower than 6.5% face greater risk of death.

 

[Shanny]

Hmmmm . . . how does this jibe with the fact that sustained levels over 140 are causing organ damage? An A1c of 7.5 converts to 169 mg/dl or 9.4 mmol/l. Even if you average 140 (7.8), your A1c is gonna be 6.5 . . . in my mind, this doesn't compute.

 

[Jen]

This appears to be a meta analysis of several studies. The criteria for the underlying studies is not specified. The prior health of the subjects is not specified. No doubt almost every one of the subjects was the victim of the high carb diet recommended by the various diabetes associations around the world. People are rarely well instructed on how to use insulin, let alone any of their other meds. These are just four of the questions that come to mind about how to interpret these "findings" - Too many, in fact, to give this a lot of credence.

Jen

 

[RayH]

It's just a study. The human body is very peculiar, each person has conditions which may not be apparent. But who knows?? Perhaps those with low A1cs were unhealthily obsessed and stressed at such. Diligence and obsession sometimes have a fine line.

A great part of my regimen is not to stress. I noticed that I was allowing stress into my life and my numbers crept up!

 

[fgummett]

If this is related to the ACCORD arm which was stopped early due to an high incidence of deaths you need to be aware that this was using an elderly population, who started out with poor BG control (probably over many years already) many already had heart disease and the "intensive" approach used to lower A1cs was basically: at each Doctor visit if the A1c was not low enough they added more medication...it really should have not come as a surprise when the results were not good.

Effects of Intensive Glucose Lowering in Type 2 Diabetes...

 

[Jen]

It's just a study.

Ray, you are absolutely correct. However, studies like this are used (or abused) by organizations like insurance companies, hospitals, etc. to set one-size-fits-all protocols for treatment. Diabetes is not a condition that lends itself to a unilateral approach, and such studies are too readily applied (IMHO) in ways that lead to poor treatment and more illness.

Jen

 

[tnewell]

It's just a study. The human body is very peculiar, each person has conditions which may not be apparent. But who knows?? Perhaps those with low A1cs were unhealthily obsessed and stressed at such. Diligence and obsession sometimes have a fine line.

A great part of my regimen is not to stress. I noticed that I was allowing stress into my life and my numbers crept up!

I, too, have noticed that stress raises my blood sugar levels. This is any kind of stress--emotional or physical (such as pain). Thus when I feel myself becoming emotionally overwrought I try to calm myself down. Also, knowing that pain raises my blood sugar level helps me not to stress over a high reading when I am not feeling well. I have also noticed that exercise (walking) seems to lower my morning readings. Exercise the day before I take the reading.

 

[quiet1]

I, too, have noticed that stress raises my blood sugar levels. This is any kind of stress--emotional or physical (such as pain). Thus when I feel myself becoming emotionally overwrought I try to calm myself down. Also, knowing that pain raises my blood sugar level helps me not to stress over a high reading when I am not feeling well. I have also noticed that exercise (walking) seems to lower my morning readings. Exercise the day before I take the reading.

thanks tnewell,
(bolding is mine)

Good advice. There ARE ways we can calm ourselves, my problem is I all too frequently I forget to try to calm my own stress.

It sure would be a good thread to learn how, or what methods, are used by members to instill calm when they get emotionally stressed.
Stress from pain is a different animal.

quiet1

 

[wish]

I, too, have noticed that stress raises my blood sugar levels. This is any kind of stress--emotional or physical (such as pain). Thus when I feel myself becoming emotionally overwrought I try to calm myself down. Also, knowing that pain raises my blood sugar level helps me not to stress over a high reading when I am not feeling well. I have also noticed that exercise (walking) seems to lower my morning readings. Exercise the day before I take the reading.

Amen to that. I am a teacher, and my numbers were much lower this summer than during the school year. Imagine that!
We shall see how long I am able to keep them down now that school is about to resume.

 

[PowerPumper]

A (study I'm not allowed to post yet) indicates ideal A1c to be 7.5% and those with A1c of lower than 6.5% face greater risk of death.

I think the proper conclusion here is that the methods used to lower the A1Cs must have been faulty. A conclusion that we shouldn't strive for "normal" A1C's is admitting loss. I'm not playing this game to lose.

 

[Shanny]

With all the vital faculties we stand to lose, backing off our vigilance is not an option, in my opinion . . . for instance, just 4½ months ago I got back the sight I've been missing for 58 years, and I'm not just about to let diabetes take it away. :boxing: