Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

10/17/05

Q:
I know that as blood sugar stabilizes, a goal and a guideline is to keep the HbA1c test result under 7. But will the C-peptide test change as well and show improvement? If a person's test results are all coming back normal, are they still considered to be a diabetic type II?

A:
A good goal is glucose under 6, preferably under 5.5. Getting yourself into a consistent health track pattern should bring your A1C down. C-peptide (a measure of insulin output) can also shift. Give yourself a good 3 months of diligence, and then you can pat yourself on the back. Caution: don't become complacent behind your success; once diagnosed with diabetes, it is your flag that you need to maintain proper lifestyle maintenance.