Success!

A month ago, I posted about my A1c A1wtf, when I had inexplicably gotten a reading that didn't match up. It was a 7.5, not terrible of course, but not where I want or expect to be. My follow-up appointment was last week.

Since I couldn't get an A1c at the doc's office due to insurance, I bought a Bayer A1c Now test (insurance only covers a blood test every three months; six months if you're a type 2). For the price of an office visit, you can get two tests to do whenever you want between your regular checks.

I assembled the kit, mixed my blood drop with the chemicals...

and...

waited...

five...

long...

minutes...

for...

6.7!

Yay! Almost a full point drop in just four weeks! My pump was reporting a month average of 130, and my sensor was showing 128, so this is just what I was expecting for a three-month average. That means I can expect to be in the low 6's next time.

Dr. K was very excited to see my reports, and even gave me a high-five and a free vial of Novalog for all my hard work!

Some of my non-diabetic readers may be wondering what all the fuss is about regarding the A1c test. The scientific explanation is this: red blood cells in your body live for three months, and during their lifetime, absorb the glucose in your body. There is a chemical reaction between glucose and hemoglobin (red blood cells) that produces glycated hemoglobin. The A1c test measures the percentage of glycated hemoglobin in your blood. Since your cells only live a few months, the reading represents an average percentage for that time frame.

The non-scientific explanation is this: going from 7.5% to 6.7% in just one month is pretty freaking awesome!