I finally, finally got my blood test results from my doctor’s visit. My cholesterol is very good (thanks to the low-dosage of Lovastatin I’m on, which helps fight genetics). My thyroid levels (Graves Disease!) are okay, with one number being a little low—that means when the new endo looks at it, I might or might not get bumped up a dosage level. (Not a big deal. The Levothyroxine (generic Synthroid) dosage is always a balancing act; my dosages last for a year or two, then get switched.)
And then there’s my HbA1c. Sigh.
It’s a good number. A really, really good number. It’s lower than it was last summer. I should be happy. I should be jumping for joy. And a part of me is. It’s just that I’m not really sure it’s an accurate representation of what’s been going on with my body. It’s an average of what my sugars have been doing over the last three months. An AVERAGE. So if I wake up at 60 every morning, and go to bed at 160, the average would be 110. 110 would give me a good HbA1c. Doesn’t mean that waking up at 60 and going to bed at 160 is good.
My lows are too low, my highs are too high. Hence, why I’m going to my endo armed with tons of information. For three separate weeks (every other week until my appointment in April), I’m doing the testing every hour. I’m keeping detailed accounts of what I eat (I find taking a picture with the phone on my camera to be an excellent record-keeper). And I’m marking down every bit of exercise and when I do it. The doctor will be able to see every high and every low, and what may or may not have caused it, and when the numbers just happen because they happen.
I know I’m a “Type A” person. I like things very controlled, very organized. I want everything to be as close to perfect as it can be, and that includes my diabetes. I’m learning to let go a little bit and just let life happen as it does (thanks to weekly therapy sessions, in part), but I’m built the way I am and I can’t completely hang free. I know there are diabetics out there who would be perfectly happy with my numbers. But I’m not that person. I want, I need, I have to make sure I’m doing absolutely everything in my power to keep my numbers in the range I’m most comfortable with.
My doctor was happy with my HbA1c. I’m hoping my endo will pay attention to me when I tell her I need more. I want the HbA1c number I have now, but I want to make sure the daily numbers behind it are deserving of it.
Plus, just every now and then, I’d like to eat more than cheese for dinner.
As always, more to come…
5 comments:
I completely agree with you about the roller-coaster type blood sugars. An average is just one piece of the pictures. Standard deviation is just as important, if not more important. I'd rather be stable than bouncing around. Good luck gathering your info; I'm sure you will be well-armed at your endo visit.
I hear you! My numbers are usually pretty good. But I know that I have way too many highs and lows for my liking.
Good for you, keeping those detailed records. I'm gearing up for my own endo visit in three weeks. I've noticed my sugars doing unpredictable things of late as well, and my HbA1c is totally normal.
Hope your endo gives you useful information! Would love to hear how the first meeting goes.
I hear you about Type A personality and wanting everything organized and perfect :-) I've only been diagnosed with Diabetes II for a few months and those numbers drove me crazy. Now I've settled into a testing routine and the meds are working. My eating habits have changed and I'm losing weight. I've learned what the numbers mean in terms of eating and illness. Now I know if the numbers spike for a day or more, then I'm getting sick. Right on the money twice in the last two months!
Just found your blog this morning and have enjoyed reading your posts.
It's always about the numbers, isn't it?? I'm glad I'm not the only one who's a little obsessed with the highs and lows, even if my "big" number is small.
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