hba1c

i am 45 and have had normal glucose readings for 20 years. i was floored when my doctor told me today i had type 2 diabetes based on a hba1c result of 6.2 per cent.   my prior physical and blood work was just 11 months ago. is this the most definitive test,?  does this level mean i am diabetic?

[troytroy]

The fasting Hba1c  is considred very definitive in diagnosing diabetes. I believe you still have a lot of control over where the a1c will go from here. Diet, exercise, weight loss (if you are overweight) could result in your fasting a1c going below 6.0.

You will shortly be getting additional advice from other participants in this forum--advice is fine but you have to commit yourself to living a healthy life style to control your chances of having diabetic related illnesses in the future.

troytroy

[WaveRider]

"is this the most definitive test,?"
Yes it is.

"does this level mean i am diabetic"
A high A1C level indicates a 2 to 3 month period during which red blood cells have linked up with excess sugar molecules [glucose aka blood sugar]. The most common causes are poor food choices, sugary liquids, and lack of physical exercise. During that same period, the circulatory system and nervous system is put under stress. Caffeine stimulates the production of stress hormones, which increases glucose production by the liver.

Can this be reversed?
In some cases, yes. But that depends on how long this condition has been going on and what you start doing today to get a handle on this problem. Changing lifestyle habits can go a long way in controlling type 2 diabetes. Restrict & avoid refined sugars [READ & understand the ingredients on food labels], practice and adhere to weight control, do some sort of exercise daily [walking briskly for 30 minutes works 4 me], practice stress management, and get adequate amounts of sleep. These are all important in managing this illness, the most important, along with proper nutrition, is physical activity.