Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community 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.
Sarah and her husband live in NYC with their cat Gracie. In her spare time, she enjoys doing comedy, taking dance classes, visiting art museums, and exploring different neighborhoods in NYC.
I have never had an A1c this low before the hybrid closed-loop systems. Love the Dexcom and Tandem t:slim X2 system! That said, I have had to panic-eat sugar too many times due to minor physical activity recently. Looking forward to dual-hormone iLet!
Adjust your rates, don’t wait.
Taking shots & eating meals & exercising at same times helped me eliminate variables. But biggest help was reading Dr. Richard K. Bernstein’s books and reducing carbohydrates to minimal levels resulted in lower insulin doses and less risk of hypoglycemia. Plus yoga classes, weight training, and cardio exercise at least every other day. I’m on multiple daily injections. Hoping that recent use of CGM will help me get blood glucose levels into normal (non diabetic) range, a goal that seems to bug my doctor.
T1 for 65yrs. 70 yr old. I’ve been aware that I need to reduce carbs for some time. Thanks for your comment. I feel more like trying after reading it.
Surprisingly, my A1c has gone higher since being on the closed loop system with Tandem and Dexcom. However, I think the problem is not the closed loop system, but my own reduction in aerobic exercise over the past half year. With age, I’m experiencing more pain in my neck and shoulders from arthritis, tendonitis, and calcium deposits, which make it very painful to run. Hence, my A1c has climbed from slightly below 6.0, to 6.1. I’m trying to get back into less stressful running.
Surely reducing exercise is affecting your A1c. Regular moderate exercise so essential for everyone’s health. Get started again, figure out why you stopped and address that.
My endo no longer recommends an A1c as it does not correlate well with my TIR of 88% and avg glucose 132 which is much lower than my A1c of 6.9 suggests.
my A1c has ranged from 5.8 – 6.6.
I eat pretty much what I want, but try to alway prebolus 15-60 minutes before eating. TIR is currently 88% while using Tandem CIQ about 70% of the time.
Mostly always 5.4 – 6.1. most recent 5.8. Doctors, endocrinologist, ophthalmologist, podiatrist, primary care all satisfied. After years finally listening to endocrinologist that under 5.6 not necessary. Since subject to severe lows have adjusted accordingly. Next A1c is later this July. We’ll see.
Interesting numbers that truly show that as a group this is certainly an outlier group as the traditional average A1C for T1D is about 8.5. It does seem to indicate that the physician and medical community should continue to ask this group HOW BEST to achieve low and viable A1C and TIR numbers and how they are doing this. There is a very large group of patients out there who can learn and improve immeasurable from the knowledge and capabilities of this group.
Philip Bunsick–A cautionary note from one of those battle-scared knows-ones-stuff veterans 💉 . . . My most recent was 6.2 while last week’s time in range was 92% with less than 1% low and standard deviation of 42. It is still imperative that those <1% count and count mightily. I have been repeatedly advised to strive for 7.0. Because of my long-developed habits and eating/exercise behaviors, I find getting things up to 7.0 is exceedingly difficult. The tSlimX2 Control IQ, and the human being are all doing their jobs and doing their *#$&!. The GI tract nerve? It’s a short-circuit that flickers on and off, also known as gastroparesis. Seems like sometimes in this game you can’t win even when you’re winning. 🎖 🔫
Wow! I can’t imagine actually being in the 6’s…I feel like I would be hitting too many lows to be seeing a number like that. I have been sitting in the low 8’s for the last six years and I am personally happy with it. After getting the Miao Miao 2 for my Libre/Apple watch, I have broken 7.9 for two of my A1Cs and that is the best for me, and the ultimate personal goal (to be a high 7)
TIR has been >90% with <5% highs and lows and 0 very low. It can be done with low carb living, temp basal rates for activity, and knowing how to adjust. On a tandem pump and using Dexcom but no basal or control iq.
I have always had good A1c numbers since the onset 21 yrs ago. I don’t trust it as showing how well I am doing as I have multiple lows that last variable lengths of time and short term highs after most meals. I don’t want the side effects on my brain from hypoglycemia.
I have a 7.9 due to all of my low that i don’t feel. I can be walking and don’t even know that my Sugars are a 59 until I check my sugars so that’s how I have the A1C of 7.9 waiting for my cgm
5.2, for the past few years I’m usually between 5.2-5.7
Last 2 were 6.3. For what that’s worth.
I’d really rather work on TIR. Why the focus on the outdated metric of A1c? I valued that in prior decades before CGM. It’s time to move on.