# Not sure where this came from **URL:** \ **Category:** New T1/LADA\ **Created:** [July 17, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510 "2018-07-17T20:05:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/1 "2018-07-17T20:05:25Z")
I know these home A1C tests are not exact, but I generally find them to be somewhat close. I wasn’t expecting this today. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/4/451cc011ce7327af1029fa270db50d459cea3780.jpg) But really, my RBC’s don’t live long. And the past few months I have been killing them off at a much faster rate than usual. So this is probably like being in the 5’s. But it’s a new low number for me, so I was interested to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Millz](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/millz/32/12204_2.png) [@Millz](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Millz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 10:06pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/2 "2018-07-17T22:06:10Z")
Take it and run! 😏 ---
**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/3 "2018-07-17T22:12:30Z")
Honestly, it looks to me like you just wrote that number into the space, your photoshop skills are superior Jedi Warrior. But in case it wasn’t a photoshop contest, congrats. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/4 "2018-07-17T22:49:08Z")
Thanks. The timing of it corresponds nicely with my endo interview tomorrow. I can let them know what my intentions are. ---
**Author:** ![mike\_g](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@mike\_g](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/mike_g)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/5 "2018-07-17T22:57:10Z")
Wow, that’s a good number. Haven’t been in the 4’s for about 10 years, probably. I think I can get sub 5.5 if I work at it. You’ve motivated me to do better! ---
**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sam/32/10595_2.png) [@Sam](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/6 "2018-07-17T22:57:24Z")
My last was 4.8 at the clinic finger poke test… I wasn’t expecting it either. Although after my last 2 weeks in Portland eating out every day it’s going to be much higher than that… ---
**Author:** ![Aaron](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/aaron/32/1454_2.png) [@Aaron](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Aaron)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/7 "2018-07-17T23:27:35Z")
That is fantastic Eric. > [@Eric](#): > > But really, my RBC’s don’t live long. You lucky people who have short RBC lives… (Not to take away from the awesome effort that you put in to get an A1C like that.) My A1Cs are usually 0.5% above meter averages or CGM averages. I blame my red blood cells that stick around for a long time… ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/8 "2018-07-18T03:01:52Z")
That is fantastic. The fact you and @Sam can get such low A1c results without crazy lows is truly amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 3:17am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/9 "2018-07-18T03:17:29Z")
> [@Jen](#): > > That is fantastic. The fact you and @Sam can get such low A1c results without crazy lows is truly amazing. Thanks. I do get occasional lows that some might consider “crazy”, based only on the number. But as long as I can take care of it myself, I don’t consider it too crazy. It has been a very long time since someone has needed to feed me juice while I was barely conscious, or help me get food. So I consider that as being pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![John58](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/john58/32/147_2.png) [@John58](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/John58)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 4:19am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/10 "2018-07-18T04:19:13Z")
Just curious…do you worry about hypo unawareness? That seems to be the #1 reason most people, including endos, cite when recommending a higger A1c. For me, I worry that if I spend a lot of time bouncing around the 50-60 range I will get unaware. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 4:59am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/11 "2018-07-18T04:59:08Z")
> [@John58](#): > > Just curious…do you worry about hypo unawareness? Awareness doesn’t seem to be a problem for me. I am never surprised by a low. I can always feel it, except when I am asleep. I never test and think, “Dang, 50?! I had no idea…” ---
**Author:** ![Sensorium139](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sensorium139/32/6950_2.png) [@Sensorium139](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sensorium139)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 7:45am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/12 "2018-07-18T07:45:31Z")
People ask me this when my a1c is a percent higher than yours even. I did go low often when my a1c was once at 5% but I could see maintaining it without lows. I’m very aware of mine too…like extremely. Lows make me feel like I’m hit like a truck and I have woke up from knowing I’m low so there’s that. I haven’t been low though since I lost my job last november …like literally not at all. I’ve been close in the upper 70’s and it makes me feel low…but yeah. My a1c is at 5.8% and the last one in November of last year was 5.7% and it’s sat around that for a good while, which is good. Congrats on this. Irregardless it’d take a long time for you to get a bad a1c that’s a positive. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 1:01pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/13 "2018-07-18T13:01:06Z")
This is fascinating to me. I played with some numbers and came up with some variations. - Assuming my RBC lifespan is on the short side, my A1C could equate to about 5.1 - Assuming my RBC lifespan is on the long side (which I am pretty sure it is not, because I like to kill them 😀 ), my A1C could equate to about 5.6 - And assuming my RBC lifespan is normal, my A1C would simply equate to the result I got, which was 4.7 If you want to play with your own numbers, you can use this site as reference: > **[Red cell life span heterogeneity in hematologically normal people is sufficient...](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2581997/)** > > Although red blood cell (RBC) life span is a known determinant of percentage hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), its variation has been considered insufficient to affect clinical decisions in hematologically normal persons. However, an unexplained discordance... @TiaG, I thought you might find that article interesting 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TiaG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/tiag/32/594_2.png) [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/14 "2018-07-18T13:17:22Z")
Thanks @Eric! ---
**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/15 "2018-07-18T14:44:23Z")
And this is why as sensors improve, other measures will come into play rather than A1c, which are more dependent on actual blood sugar measurments, time high, time low etc. ---
**Author:** ![ClaudnDaye](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/claudndaye/32/5_2.png) [@ClaudnDaye](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/ClaudnDaye)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/16 "2018-07-18T15:33:20Z")
What is the most accurate A1C tester you have purchased? I’d love to get something like this for home tests for Liam. Awesome number @Eric! ---
**Author:** ![Engel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/engel/32/1418_2.png) [@Engel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Engel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/17 "2018-07-18T16:08:50Z")
First of all, I can’t recall knowing these were thing. So, this is interesting, and I may look into this more. Second, with the awareness of Hypo and I guess Hyper, but I’ll respond with the Hypo, I think it obviously depends on the person, I know for me it depends, sometimes I’ll get a feeling at 80’s, or if I have a sudden drop but I’ll be like 115, other times I’ll be 30-40 something an have no idea. As Eric said, sometimes I will test and get a low reading an be like Really? lol, or I’ll go to test an not get symptoms until I see the low number them I’m like, crap. lol. An with sleeping, I have dropped pretty low, but always have a vision so to speak, or feeling of some sort, then I wake up usually sweating really bad. Always a battle, everyday, all the time. ßðð ---
**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/18 "2018-07-18T16:10:58Z")
For people who are visiting the doctor regularly, what is the advantage of the home A1c tests? They seem rather expensive for general use. I could see it for people that only see the endo once a year or something to do some interim testing, but for us, getting the blood-work done quarterly, this doesn’t seem like something we are interested in. ---
**Author:** ![ClaudnDaye](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/claudndaye/32/5_2.png) [@ClaudnDaye](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/ClaudnDaye)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/19 "2018-07-18T16:12:00Z")
Curiosity. Just wanting to know whenever I want to know…instead of waiting for a blood drop test every quarter (or longer). Being empowered to just have the information at my fingertips. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510/20 "2018-07-18T16:21:08Z")
Well if you are going to do the testing, it would be interesting to see how your son’s A1c’s correlate with some of the new CGM measures. I have been able to guess my son’s A1c +/- 0.3 from his CGM history and how the last couple of weeks have been going. [Next page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/not-sure-where-this-came-from/4510.md?page=2)