Monday, May 5, 2008

Different A1C ?!

I knew I had a doctor's appointment coming up, so the other week I went to Quest Diagnostics to get my blood work done. The results of my blood test didn't come in until the day of my doctor's appointment, so I went into my doctor's office with no idea as to what the results of my blood test had been. So as the nurse is checking my blood pressure and testing my blood sugar, I am trying to peek at the stack of papers on the counter with the results. I see that there are some dark areas, which usually indicate that something is too high or abnormal.. So I ask the nurse if everything is alright with my results and she looks at the papers, concerned. Not-so-smart nurse tells me there's something wrong with my cholesterol levels and comes back with the blood test that she took a few minutes earlier and tells me my A1C is 10.3%. WOW. 10.3% IS HIGH.. I mean, I knew my blood sugars hadn't been terrific but that means that my average blood sugar levels were running around 300, normal blood glucose level is around 100. So as she left to call the doctor, I got up and began reading the results of my blood test, and the cholesterol levels were higher than the little scale they show in the next column, but as I flipped back to my last blood test in the file I noticed that the numbers were similar to those that were in these results. I flipped back to the new blood test results. A1C level: 9.0. Wait a minute, how is it that my A1C levels have such a big difference; 9.0 isn't good but it is much better than a A1C level of 10.3.. I waited for the doctor. As it turns out, my GOOD cholesterol was high and that was a good thing, according to my doctor. All my results were actually perfect; I am telling you I don't know how I manage to be in relatively good health! My blood sugars need to be under better control, but overall the doctor's visit went well. And my doctor used the A1C level of 9.0 that we recieved from the lab. I don't think she trusted that nurse either haha.

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