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    • 6 hours, 44 minutes ago
      Phyllis Biederman likes your comment at
      Have you ever attended a diabetes-related conference?
      TCOYD one conference and Breakthrough T1D summits. I really enjoy in person events.
    • 6 hours, 55 minutes ago
      Phyllis Biederman likes your comment at
      Have you ever attended a diabetes-related conference?
      Many because I am a retired RN, CDE
    • 9 hours ago
      ChrisW likes your comment at
      If you miss a long-acting insulin injection, what are your next steps? Please share more in the comments.
      BAAAAAAD WORDS. Definitely the next step for sure.... After that more grumbling, cursing and eventually the decision whether or not taking the long acting THIS late is smart idea. If NOT, then a slightly heavier dose the next day of the short acting insulin seems real likely
    • 9 hours, 2 minutes ago
      ChrisW likes your comment at
      If you miss a long-acting insulin injection, what are your next steps? Please share more in the comments.
      OH boy, an impossible question to answer without a lot more specific details......ie name of insulin / miss an injection completely over 24 hrs or by shorter time frame / to list a few.
    • 13 hours, 40 minutes ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Have you ever attended a diabetes-related conference?
      While living in San Diego, I got spoiled: TCOYD is based there and their annual flagship conference occurs there. I went every year. Among my favorite break away sessions we always the ones where we as patients got to share ideas on how Endo's could better respect us as patients. All of the vendors (pharma an device) were there - great oppo0rtunity to see hands-on the devices. An added benefit to being in San Diego, Dexcom and Tandem are based there - so having face-to-face interaction with their staff was awesome. And of course, great swag! Once I moved to Portland OR, I went to an ADA conference. AS a T1D person, I was very disappointed. I had gone with the hopes of meeting my Dexcom and Tandem rep. No device companies were there. The focus of the break away sessions were are oriented to T2D. Fortunately for me, there was was an Oregon Potters Guild show at the convention center at the same time. I bought some great artwork. Since I knew Steve Edelman (TCOYD founder), I got in touch to see what I needed to do to get a TCOYD conference in Portland. I needed to have an idea of the budget so I could also work on funding support. First thing, I wanted support (not $$) from the local ADA and JDRF. Contacted them, but they never returned my calls or emails. Very disappointed I couldn't pull it off.
    • 13 hours, 41 minutes ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      Have you ever attended a diabetes-related conference?
      Literal poverty prevents attending such conferences. I must survive, therefore to do so the job(s) require all that I have which remains. I would likely enjoy such conference(s), ALWAYS go for the "small" tables FIRST, their survival depends on it...
    • 15 hours, 6 minutes ago
      Lenora Ventura likes your comment at
      Have you ever attended a diabetes-related conference?
      Yes, TCOYD and maybe an ADA conference. The second conference I went to in order to check out tech. Both were in the 90s.
    • 15 hours, 10 minutes ago
      Lenora Ventura likes your comment at
      Have you ever attended a diabetes-related conference?
      While living in San Diego, I got spoiled: TCOYD is based there and their annual flagship conference occurs there. I went every year. Among my favorite break away sessions we always the ones where we as patients got to share ideas on how Endo's could better respect us as patients. All of the vendors (pharma an device) were there - great oppo0rtunity to see hands-on the devices. An added benefit to being in San Diego, Dexcom and Tandem are based there - so having face-to-face interaction with their staff was awesome. And of course, great swag! Once I moved to Portland OR, I went to an ADA conference. AS a T1D person, I was very disappointed. I had gone with the hopes of meeting my Dexcom and Tandem rep. No device companies were there. The focus of the break away sessions were are oriented to T2D. Fortunately for me, there was was an Oregon Potters Guild show at the convention center at the same time. I bought some great artwork. Since I knew Steve Edelman (TCOYD founder), I got in touch to see what I needed to do to get a TCOYD conference in Portland. I needed to have an idea of the budget so I could also work on funding support. First thing, I wanted support (not $$) from the local ADA and JDRF. Contacted them, but they never returned my calls or emails. Very disappointed I couldn't pull it off.
    • 15 hours, 20 minutes ago
      Kathy Hanavan likes your comment at
      Have you ever attended a diabetes-related conference?
      Before retiring I would go to our local teaching hospital/ADA conferences. They were held yearly and were a great way getting my CE's.
    • 1 day, 2 hours ago
      kilupx likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      Other: I was not diagnosed with T1D at a young age.
    • 1 day, 15 hours ago
      KarenM6 likes your comment at
      Before you chose an insulin pump, did you do a “saline trial” (a pump filled with saline instead of insulin)?
      The word "chose" is past tense. In the present tense, "no." In the past tense, the ancient of days 1996, the answer was "yes." They even hospitalized you for 2 days. I was and am very healthy and horrified the medical staff when I walked up and down 9 flights of stairs to get something. C'est la vie 🫠
    • 1 day, 15 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      I felt my lows when I was younger. Now after 45+ years with type 1 I feel a bit of “blurry brain function” when below 50. Thankful for CGM alerts!
    • 1 day, 15 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      I was diagnosed at age 29. Is that considered "young"?
    • 1 day, 15 hours ago
      Lawrence S. likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      Yes 74 years ago. Yes today intensely. I am one of the small percentage of folks who, instead of experiencing hypoglycemia unawareness, feels it with even more almost acute intensity today. I guess sometime the nerves go the other direction?!? 🐦‍🔥
    • 1 day, 15 hours ago
      Trina Blake likes your comment at
      If you’re on an insulin pump, what is your glucose target range?
      The "target" is set for 100 (the lowest option with Medtronic), my alarms are 70-130. With the algorithm it's interesting with a basal that rises and falls (and the "auto-bolus") according to levels and dosing, thus my alarms (down to 2% lows this way). But... There's another setting offering different target range, I have it set 70-90 for now. Only been a few weeks so interesting to see how it goes.
    • 1 day, 15 hours ago
      Trina Blake likes your comment at
      If you’re on an insulin pump, what is your glucose target range?
      On my Omnipod, both the high and the low are set at 110, the lowest it will allow. My preferred target rang is 70 to 120.
    • 1 day, 15 hours ago
      Janis Senungetuk likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      Diagnosed in 1951 when I was 6 years old. I would feel terrible when glucose went low, but did not know what was wrong.
    • 1 day, 17 hours ago
      Kristi Warmecke likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      Missing answer is “I felt them early in, but not it can be hard at times to physically see a low.”
    • 1 day, 17 hours ago
      Steven Gill likes your comment at
      If you’re on an insulin pump, what is your glucose target range?
      To me... (a1C has been as low as 5.2, now near 6.0 with a lot less lows). Discuss with your doc goals, read the DCCT trials (determined "multiple injections" were more beneficial than 1 or 2 shots a day (mixed). Than up to your own confidence with insulin: -how your body reacts (after dosed I notice in 30-35 minutes) it's different for everyone -confidence with understanding the glycemic scale for food (some reach the blood stream quicker, some slower) -your health-as I grow up may not hear a low alarm as quick, nor be able to react as well -and tools... I'm confident with my CGM, alarms, understanding my insulin pump A tighter or lower target can lower a1C, wasn't worth my lows. But an a1C a little closer to non-diabetic can offer a little more prevention against the damage from diabetes. We're doing this to get as old a we can and be as healthy as we can (not necessarily a brag about numbers)---read a definition of heath is to be as far from death as possible. I think that changes...
    • 1 day, 18 hours ago
      atr likes your comment at
      If you’re on an insulin pump, what is your glucose target range?
      110, which is as low as omnipod 5 allows. If I could change it, it would be 90-100.
    • 1 day, 19 hours ago
      Phyllis Biederman likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      In 1973 when I was diagnosed the hospital policy was to force a low so you knew what they felt like. Around 2000 I became severely hypo unaware.
    • 1 day, 19 hours ago
      Phyllis Biederman likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      Initially, I felt lows long before they became problematic. This diminished gradually over time. Now, after 51 years, I feel nothing until BG drops to critical levels -50. Exception is when BG drops dramatically over a very short period of time.
    • 1 day, 20 hours ago
      Edward Geary likes your comment at
      If you were diagnosed with T1D at a young age, did you feel your “lows” right away? If you remember, please share more in the comments.
      Yes 74 years ago. Yes today intensely. I am one of the small percentage of folks who, instead of experiencing hypoglycemia unawareness, feels it with even more almost acute intensity today. I guess sometime the nerves go the other direction?!? 🐦‍🔥
    • 2 days, 12 hours ago
      kilupx likes your comment at
      If you’re on an insulin pump, what is your glucose target range?
      My alarm range is 70 - 180.
    • 2 days, 13 hours ago
      Anita Stokar likes your comment at
      If you’re on an insulin pump, what is your glucose target range?
      The whole "target" question is a mess. I think most of us here (T1D people who are proactive etc) define "target" as where we want to be after a meal or correction bolus has done it's job. Pump mfr's (and many Endo's) define "target" like they define an A1C goal: averaging 110 over time. Lots of "discussions" (notice the quotes) with my Endo about my targets (I don't accept the "standard goal" of 70-180, I prefer aiming for 70-140). So so answer today's question, my alert ranges are 70 and 120 for high (I correct if I have no IOB, but may have food on board). My target bg (post bolus) is 80-90.
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    Have you ever been told your A1c is too low?

    Home > LC Polls > Have you ever been told your A1c is too low?
    Previous

    If you were diagnosed with T1D as an adult, for how long did you notice symptoms of T1D before getting a proper diagnosis?

    Next

    If you wear a CGM, at what BG number is your “high” alert set? If you use multiple alert schedules, select the number that is your “high” alert at 12 p.m. in your time zone.

    Sarah Howard

    Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.

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    24 Comments

    1. Kristen Hamilton

      No, but at my last appt. my endo said my 6.1 was low enough. I told him I disagreed.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    2. Rebecca Lambert

      I had a nurse at the endocrinologist office tell me 5.8 was too low. The doctor told me I was doing a great job at the same appointment. I believe it was because the CGM verified my good A1C wasn’t the result of a lot of lows but instead steady, controlled numbers.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    3. Mary Ann Sayers

      I’ve been told I drive my pump like I have a “lead foot”. Told to ease up on my corrections.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    4. connie ker

      My T1D husband was told to run higher as his mobility required a walker, and he was one who preferred an A1C on the ragged edge of LOW. Older adults with this disease have to make changes as they grow elderly. For one thing you don’t need as much insulin and the other topic is safety concerns of low blood sugars. We also learned that Beta Blockers cause extreme lows called “masked lows”. Many cardiologists don’t know that fact and looked at me like “who are you”?

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    5. Kathy Hanavan

      When I developed heart disease, my endo and cardiologist told me that they did not want me running in the low 6’s due to the higher risk of hypos with heart disease. Since then, I have come up to the mid 6’s with < 2% lows on CGM. I am fine with this.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    6. Sherolyn Newell

      Not in so many words, but she did say 5.8 might mean I was having a lot of lows. She seemed like she thought it was too low. Usually, I am 6.1 to 6.3 and she seems happy with that. Personally, I couldn’t believe it was 5.8. I try to keep track in my head and that three months seemed like I had a lot of highs.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    7. Steve Rumble

      I was told that 5.9 was too low for a person of my age (73)

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    8. Julie Akawie

      When I recorded an A1c of 5.4% my endo said, “That’s lower than mine!” I responded saying, “You might want to see a doctor about that.” Ultimately, my goal is to get down to 4.8%, which is what a non-diabetic A1c looks like. I doubt I’ll ever get there b/c I’m just not THAT disciplined, so I’m happy with anything below 6% these days.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    9. Amanda Barras

      With hard work and a lot of insulin O got my A1c down to 5.3 while pregnant. My maternal fetal specialist was happy as she was monitoring me closely knew I wasn’t having crazy lows. But as soon as I had my son and returned to my regular Endo she balked at my 5.3 and said it needed to be higher. I just brushed her off. It went back into the 6s postpartum anyway.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    10. Nevin Bowman

      Yes, with very few lows and no critical lows. I don’t think most endocrinologists are used to seeing people who take their diabetes seriously.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    11. Elizabeth T.

      I take my diabetes management very seriously but the lowest A1c I’ve had since diagnosis was 6.3. However I am always under 7 so am happy with that. I try not to obsess over numbers but with T1D that’s hard!

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    12. Ken Raiche

      I’ve been told on numerous occasions to bring my levels up. Over the last 5 years my results hover between 5.6 to 6.4 and as my endocrinologist suspects that I’m experiencing too many lows. In actual fact I do have the odd low but my levels seem to be much more streamlined due to my pump and CGM.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    13. Clare Fishman

      In early 2012 before I had a Dexcom I finally had decided to take control of my diabetes and actually pay attention to what I was doing, eating, and how much insulin I was taking and keeping impeccable notes of my blood sugars. I went for my semi-annual endo appointment and my A1C came back as 6.1 after having hovered in the mid 7’s for decades. My endo – an old senior endo at the Joslin ordered me to do a sensor study with the horrible Medtronic iPro device because he thought there was no chance of me having a 6.1 without significant hypos. The study data was not particularly useful, but there weren’t any hypos so he just left me alone. Now with Dexcom data to back me up, my new endo is fine with whatever number that shows up. She and I both prefer time in range as an indicator of blood sugar management.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    14. Tina Roberts

      I wish! Haha

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    15. William Bennett

      This is kind of an artifact of the pre-CGM era. A1C is an AVERAGE, not a mean, and the theory was that you could only get below ~6.5 by having hypos dragging down the number. Especially true back in the bad old R/NPH days. So yeah, when I’d get below 6.5 I’d get yelled at. 6.5-7.0 was acceptable. With CGM you have better information to control what you’re doing and a 24/7 curve that shows how many lows you’re actually having. So it’s less of a thing now, though there are still old-school medicos out there.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    16. kristina blake

      for decades I had tight D mgt. After moving to a new city and a new health plan and thus new Endo’s I was told “…it is impossible for someone like you to have such good labs…” (and I am quoting here – I will never forget that offensive statement). At that time my A1C was 5.7. After promising to bring my Mensa card to the next appt, I whipped out my reports from my Dexcom. That HMO plan didn’t cover Dexcom – the look on that Endork’s face was worth paying out of pocket. Anyway, I asked to be assigned to someone else.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    17. Michelle Saunders

      I’ve been told it was to high. It was. I am of the view that each person is different, and so long as they have data to show they aren’t having to many hypos, and working with their medical team they are fine. I’m starting to see in online support groups shaming people for a1c’s being to low or to high. If it’s in the range that you and your medical team decide is good for you then go for it, but don’t make other feel like poop because they may shoot for a higher or lower number.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    18. Patricia Dalrymple

      Told I shouldn’t be any lower than 6.4 because of it being an average, it must mean I have a lot of lows. Not on CGM but after seeing my labs and telling me “normal” people would kill for my reports, they have left me alone. I do have lows but we are working on those.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    19. Robby Doyle

      Getting ready to switch from Metronic guardian sensor to decks calm. Hoping my A-1 C will move back to the low sixes

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    20. Robby Doyle

      DexCom!!

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    21. Nicholas Argento

      The issue with having a low A1c indicating too many lows is potentially valid in those with T1D BUT 1) not with use of modern CGM, which picks up lows 2) does not apply to those on hybrid closed loop pump 3) does not apply if the A1c underestimates average blood glucose, which is common in the population and would be consistent in the same person one time to the next 4) needs to be individualized, as with all rec’s in those w T1D—– It is true that reducing mean blood glucose below a certain level (in the 135 range which correlates with an A1c of 6.5 in the population) provides little additional benefit in reducing long term complications but is often associated with an increase in time spent below range, that is , hypoglycemia, which is not a normal state. That (more hypo’s) may do more harm than good even in worsening complications- —————and can be dangerous in the short term for obvious reasons.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    22. Donald Cragun

      When I first went on a pump (before CGM was readily available to users), I had one A1c of 4.6 and my endo said I had to wear a CGM for a week so he could show me how dangerous it was to be that low. The CGM he gave me didn’t show me any readings, but the readings were available when I returned to the endo (and I was doing ~20 finger sticks/day). During that entire week, the CGM said my BG was always between 70 and 110 (i.e., no lows and no highs). He never told me I shouldn’t have a low A1c again!

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    23. Paul Madden

      I have never been told it is too low even though it is often in or close to the normal blood sugar range. Throughout my 59+ years living with diabetes I have been blessed with skilled Endos and Diabetes Educators. Rather what they do ask me is if I have had any extremes of high of low blood sugars that have been difficult for me and have I needed assistance from others.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply
    24. Philip Vachon

      I haven’t been told too low, but said I didn’t need to try so hard. last was 5.1.

      4 years ago Log in to Reply

    Have you ever been told your A1c is too low? Cancel reply

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