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How Many Years Of Rollar Coaster Blood Sugars Could You Have Before You Get Complications ?

9

90SMAN

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My blood control has been poor for about 10 years and I'm worried that I will show complications soon if I don't get things under control I'm type one and my recent hba1c was 6 but my daily sugars go from 7s to 13s which is annoying as I imagine most people on here keep them between 7 and 8 all day
 
The answer to your question is "no one knows."
Until the very recent advent of cheaper CGM and Flash monitors, it has not been possible to determine the effects of rollercoastering.
However, I think your nirvana imagination of a fluctuation of 1 mmol/l for someone with type 1 diabetes is incredibly rare.
There are a few people who are able to maintain a consistent BG for most of the time but most of us see the ups and downs that you see.

Things like lots of testing and correction and low carb diets help to reduce the variation but they don't account for sickness, stress, etc.
And, I believe there is a balance which only you can decide upon regarding how much you want to focus on your diabetes on a daily basis. For example, I probably test 7 or 8 times a day and correct most of the time, do not follow a low carb diet and have a hB1AC around 50. I am sure I could reduce this but then question how much the control would affect my life.

I am interested by what appears to be your target (between 7 and 8). I have always aimed for something quite a bit lower than this ( around 5). I believe this is what most people without diabetes achieve.
Is there a reason why you don't go this low? Is it the target you have been told or are your afraid of hypos?
 
To be honest between 7s and 13s is not that bad, I think it's more to do with how long your sugars stay high etc that causes the long term problems. I've been Type 1 diabetic for 42 years and never managed to keep my sugar levels at the holy grail of flat(ish) line level as there is soooo many factors that determin your sugar levels on a daily basis. Are you using a CGM like Libre to get a idea of when your sugars are going higher etc?also when are you hitting the 13s, is after food?
 
90SMAN said:
My blood control has been poor for about 10 years and I'm worried that I will show complications soon if I don't get things under control
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According to Dr Bernstein, who has written a great classic book on diabetes "Diabetes Solution", most diabetics are already showing signs of complications by the time they are diagnosed. However, he also says that with really good bg control many diabetic complications can be reversed, something he achieved himself. Here is a link to an extract from his book: http://www.diabetes-book.com/normal-blood-sugars/
 
Carlton1512 said:
To be honest between 7s and 13s is not that bad, I think it's more to do with how long your sugars stay high etc that causes the long term problems. I've been Type 1 diabetic for 42 years and never managed to keep my sugar levels at the holy grail of flat(ish) line level as there is soooo many factors that determin your sugar levels on a daily basis. Are you using a CGM like Libre to get a idea of when your sugars are going higher etc?also when are you hitting the 13s, is after food?
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T1 since 1976, you are what Dr Bernstein calls, "a survivor"! I love your avatar. Who won the medal - you or your dog?
 
Alexandra100 said:
T1 since 1976, you are what Dr Bernstein calls, "a survivor"! I love your avatar. Who won the medal - you or your dog?
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Haha! Thanks, yes been diabetic since I was 3 so don't know anything different really. As for the medal, it's from the Ride London, my dog comes with me when I go out on the bike, so thought I might as well take her on the Ride London cycle. She just sits and admires the scenary though
 
Carlton1512 said:
Haha! Thanks, yes been diabetic since I was 3 so don't know anything different really. As for the medal, it's from the Ride London, my dog comes with me when I go out on the bike, so thought I might as well take her on the Ride London cycle. She just sits and admires the scenary though
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She sounds very Zen.
 
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