If You’re Old, Let Your A1c Rise Above 7 – Why I (sort of) Agree

@averageamericangirl6819 says:

Wow. This is new information

@howdydo7320 says:

My A1C is 5.6; my night cramps dropped to rare. I eat very lil carbs (potatoes, bread, starchy veggies, etc). Since I have hypothyroid, I’m required to do keto diet to lose the wt.

@dorothybrown8859 says:

Sounds as if whomever wrote that article is trying to kill us oldies. I am T2, docs essentially ignore me, just robotically refill Metformin. I keep my A1C under 6, and recently decided to get a CGM as I have BS spikes and want to monitor my BS. My body, my life, my decision. I am 79.

@alexandrawhite7614 says:

Jenny Ruhl said in a book that whereas people fail all the time to keep to their weight loss diets, they succeed when motivated to beat their diabetes.

@oldroscoe2590 says:

It’s up to the individual as we age. The doctors compare us to our age group and if nothing needs fixing it’s out the door and NEXT. Much can be done to help ourselves live more healthier years but it’s up to us to learn and do what is needed. I’ve got friends in their 80’s and how they took care of their their health is showing. A little exercise, nutrition and social life goes a long ways for a longer, healthier, more enjoyable life.

@yvetteschaerer says:

I’m a bit confused—does this mean that even elderly individuals who are pre-diabetic should aim for an A1c higher than 7? Or is that recommendation only for those who are already diabetic?

@lindabuckner9006 says:

I’m 85 with Reactive Hypoglycemia. Dennis, you have helped me so much in encouraging testing and I can now identify what causes my highs to keep from lows in the 30’ and 40’ which is very scary. My A1c is 5.8 and my goal is to get lower than pre-diabetic range.

@BillyBobTup says:

Hi Dennis: I am now 9 months since I began using Mike the meter and cutting those carbs. My morning blood sugars are still not quite where I want them(this morning: 104, but often a bit higher than that). But, the rest of the day they are fine, and my post meal 1 to 2 hour rise is usually great. Between zero and 40 rise- or an actual sugar reading between 100 and 140, depending of course on what I eat.

I did not get an A1c and fasting insulin until I had already lost about 20 lb and improved my sugar readings after 1 month of low carb. That 1st A1C was 6.1. The fasting insulin was 12( so called normal range 2.5 to 25). 3 months later my A1C was 5.7 and fasting insulin was 8.3! Yay! Last week, or about 6 months later, my A1C had only dropped to 5.6, but my fasting insulin is now down to 4.4!

I am very happy to see that insulin drop, even if wanting to get my morning sugars lower and my A1C a little lower. This tells me my insulin resistance must have dropped a lot, and I now need much less insulin to keep my blood sugars at lower levels than I did 9 months ago. And who knows how high my insulin was a month before going low carb with a bit of fasting? I’ll never know, but I feel certain both A1C and insulin were significantly higher. Insulin was probably much higher than the 1st reading of 12. (My triglycerides(TGL) were cut in half from 180 something to 77 after 1 month low carb, and TGLs go hand in hand with insulin) And I think we all know that high insulin, all by itself, can do much damage to our overall health. So I am very pleased with my new reading of 4.4.

BTW, when I asked my doctor if he would run a fasting insulin, he told me that test could give a warning sign(if too high or rising) FIVE YEARS before the blood sugar ever starts rising above 100! So, why don’t they test for it more often?

@frankenz66 says:

I can tell you one thing that would happen… If it got to where insurances would not pay for monitoring unless you were over 7.5% that is their goals. Me being a diet managed diabetic means they only pay on one annual A1c and I sign a paper saying I will cover it if they don’t pay even by that standard. Trying to eliminate people.

@kellyarnold1591 says:

I’m 60, just over a year ago I was feeling terrible. Thought I was dieing! Had arthritis in hands and feet. Hearth palpitations, all the symptoms. Doctor said it comes with age. I finally asked for bloodwork. My A1c was 6.3. He didn’t do a fasting insulin.
The way I felt at that time was terrible. I can’t imagine having a A1c reading that is higher or even living with the 6.3.
I did go on a low carb, within 3 days I felt so much better. I now have my A1c down to 5.5. I have added a few carbs back. In the way of veggies mostly. But really stay away from bread. Bread was causing my arthritis.
Following Dennis has helped me a lot. Thank you!