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Question: From Baxter, Tennessee, USA: My son has had an A1c of 11.5 for a year and I cannot convince him to take his diabetes more seriously. He injects four or five times daily, but sometimes waits an hour after eating to inject. He hasn't checked his blood sugar levels in six months! He eats and drinks anything a normal person would and, thankfully, is very energetic, and always upbeat about life in general. Now that I am not that involved with his diet and injections he has become totally irresponsible about his diabetes. Are there any statistics of A1c levels this high causing problems over a period of time? How can I convince him to tighten up? Answer: I am afraid that the evidence is overwhelming that having an A1c of 11.5% is extremely detrimental. In the short term, weeks and months, because this is, of course, an indication of very high blood glucose values (insulin lack), there is a considerable risk of deterioration towards ketoacidosis if your son is not careful to monitor his blood and urine if he gets the 'flu' or a throat infection. Over the longer term, several years, he is storing up trouble because many of the complications of diabetes are directly and proportionally linked to blood glucose control. The only good news I have is that your son is behaving like many adolescents with diabetes and most likely will settle down. All you can do is to keep gently reminding him of the importance of taking his insulin regularly, checking blood and urine if he feels unwell and attending clinic regularly where they can do more of the same and also monitor for early signs of problems. KJR [Editor's comment: For more information, see the following previous questions on the same topic from October 2004 September 2004 April 2004 Furthermore, please see The DCCT. BH] DTQ-20041105073511 Original posting 7 Nov 2004 Posted to Blood Tests and Insulin Injections and Behavior

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			Jump to a new section --[ Getting Around ]-- Home Page What's New Guide to CWD Help with Error Messages Index Privacy Policy Search Site Map --[ People ]-- Family Support Network Adults with Diabetes Care Photos Chat Rooms Conferences Kids with Diabetes Parents Parent Humor Scholarships and Financial Aid Grandparents Humorous Tidbits Jobs Mailing Lists CWD Forums Poetry and Art Videos Polls Quilt for Life Surveys Blogs --[ Clinic ]-- Ask the Diabetes Team Alternate Site Testing Alternative Treatments Care Suggestions CWD Español Diabetes Basics Diabetes at School 504 Plans Diabetes Camps Diabetes Dictionary Insulin Pumps Nutrition Podcasts Presentations Products Product Marketplace Sports Studies Warning Signs --[ Sources ]-- News and Information Diabetes Advocacy Links to Other Web Sites Press Releases Regional Information Services Support Groups --[ Feedback ]-- About CWD Get CWD Products Advertise Awards Contribute Your Experiences Disclaimer Letters to the Editor Logos and Linking Share our Brochures

Last Updated: Sun Jan 15 12:10:12 2006
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