A1C
so I am 6 months out and I had my blood work done to find out my A1C it was 5.8 my dr wants to put me back on diabetes meds and i dont feel i need to be on them because when i was on meds before my VSG it was always in the 5's so why now do i need to be on them when it is the same . Ugh Is there anyone out there who has a higher A1C and isnt on meds ?
also i think i need to go see a specialist for a 2nd opinion
Anything below 6.0 is considered "normal" for A1c so I have no idea why your doctor is suggesting this. My A1c has been running 5.4 for the last 6 months and my internist is thrilled with that number.
I would get a second opinion. Diabetes medication does a real number on your stomach and your liver; who wants all that if it's not absolutely necessary?
ETA: I just looked at some info from my last doctor visit and it appears that anything above 5.6 indicates "pre-diabetes" so that may be why he wants to give you meds. But that's for people who have never been diagnosed as diabetic. A diagnosed Type 2 diabetic keeping their A1c below 6.0 with diet and exercise is usually considered "tightly controlled".
I feel like you just answered your question. For many, weight loss surgery does allow them to come off meds. Your HgbA1C has stayed the same (give or take) for 7 months (?) so I can see your doctor's position to place you back on them. Maybe the surgery did not fix your DM problems, IDK. But I also see yours. My A1C was also around your range or slightly lower before surgery and of course my doc suggested diet and exercise with a recheck of progress at a later point during that year. So, it can boil down to a couple of factors:
-What are you eating carb wise?
-Possibly some kind of resistance?
-Pancreas problems?
-Genetics?
-Past history of controlled/uncontrolled DM?
Seeing an Endocrine specialist (manages diabetes) would not be a bad idea. Good luck with everything.
Is this your endocrinologist or your primary care dr? There is some evidence that has driven the endocrine dr's toward being more aggressive with meds to drive a1c down to less than 5.5, but this is not universal. How is your exercise? If you are not exercising very regularly I would approach your dr with the thought of increasing exercise and rechecking in 3 months as the exercise alone, even without additional weight loss, would drop your A1C. Also, and probably most important, are you a type I or type II diabetic, this will have influence on when/how they choose to medicate.
The A1C is a measure of excess glucose over an approximately 3 month period of time so fasting or not would really not have an impact on the number. Don't ask me how its able to look back 90 days-something to do with how hemoglobin stores excess glucose, much too complicated for me. Also, type 1 or 2 diabetic? It will matter. The most important thing is communication-talk to your primary care and see if he/she is comfortable with another 3 months with the commitment to exercise regularly-my favorite endocrine dr used to swear by Nike-just do it.