They now have a self check at home thing from Bayer.

They give you two tests. Of course I screwed up the first one by not pressing down on the thing the right way and I got no reading.

Waiting one hour till the monitor cleared.

Did the second test.

7.8

Hadn't had an a1c in a long time.

Last one was 6.6 but of course I was on Lantus at the time.

So tonight, (because I'm not stupid and I did try), I'm going back on the Lantus (but taking it at night).

So at least I fought the good fight.

Did everything I could do (by diet alone).

I gather, at my age, this is not gonna happen.

But hey, I gave it my best shot.

Not tonight, I give it another shot!!!

lol

I'm glad I can laugh.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I wanted to have a birthday present of a 6.

I'll do another test in 3 months.

I wonder, if losing the weight that I have lost since September 21, will have an impact? I don't think so.

I think my pancreas just had it too long.

So if any of you are a lot younger than I am, and you have been thinking of doing what I did (with doctor approval of course), don't wait until you are in your 60's like I did.

Melody

P.S. I read the back of the a1c box that this test came in. They have various degrees of how you should interpret the reading.

So when I looked at the back of the box it says 'WHAT DOES YOUR A1C NUMBER MEAN, I just read that I have to MONITOR CLOSELY.

Between a reading of 7 - 8 (mine was 7.8), it indicates MONITOR CLOSELY and it indicates the numbers as being 154 to 183. So on average (they say this is a 2 to 3 month indicator), before September 21, when I was down to 8 units (and then one day on 5 of the Lantus), my morning reading was 118 to 124 and my post prandial was 127. That's why I said "I can go off the Lantus and do it by diet alone.


A reading of over 8, it indicates "elevated levels" So I'm not there yet.

So I have a decision to make. The doctors at Cornell, when I asked them if I should take a pill or go back on Lantus, they said "oh, go back on Lantus and take it at bedtime". So of course, this is an option. And I have fresh bottles in my home so no problem there.

Now about going on orals. I have a multitude of them to choose from .

The only ones I would even consider is the one that won't make me gain weight. But they work differently on every one.

YEARS ago, I took metformin. The only think it did for me was affect my stomach.

The Lantus was the real deal.

But it's expensive.

I have a friend who is on a multitude of pills and also on Lantus.

She had extra pills and she just gave me 30 of the 4mg Glimepiride (Amaryl).

I have never taken this before. My primary care doctor had told me 'Any time you want to switch from Lantus to a pill, just tell me". Also Cornell had told me this a long time ago.

But I did well on the Lantus and ultimately tried to do it by diet alone.

But now that I have to do SOMETHING (I do have to do SOMETHING, right?, or can I wait a bit until I lose the last 10 or so pounds), I mean, I'm not going to go into a diabetic coma or anything right?

The other day I was down to 147 in the afternoon (after lunch), so my body DOES WORK a bit.

So I just googled Glimeperide and I read all the reviews that patients gave it.

Oh my goodness. 90% of the said "Severe weight gain", but it controls the sugar. Who the heck wants weight gain after all the hard work I have done?

And one person well, after she took this pill, the next morning her sugar was 29, she landed in the hospital. But she is on other meds also.

So I'm not going to be taking this pill, that's for sure.

I honestly don't know what I should do? I just don't want to screw up m health if I wait but I want to lose the last 10 or so pounds and get to a somewhat normal weight.

Do I have a shot. I have no diabetes in my eyes so that's good.

I feel fine, so that's good.

I just want to weigh what I'm supposed to weigh.

so any advice (Mrs. D??) would be welcome.

I have a big decision to make here.

Thanks much