How fast can my A1c come down?
Your A1c can show meaningful change in eight to twelve weeks. That is because HbA1c averages about three months of sugar. Drops of 0.5 to 1.5 points in three months are realistic with committed lifestyle change, more when medicines are added or adjusted.
The steepest improvements come from cutting liquid sugar, walking daily and losing the first few kilograms.
Retesting sooner than three months mostly measures the old period. Set a review at the three month mark and judge then.
Source: American Diabetes Association, Standards of Care in Diabetes
See a doctor promptly if
- Excessive thirst, passing large amounts of urine, blurred vision or unexplained weight loss. These suggest blood sugar is already well above the prediabetes range
- Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, deep rapid breathing or a fruity smell on the breath: go to an emergency department
- A random blood glucose of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher, or a fasting glucose of 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher
- New numbness, burning or pins and needles in both feet
- A wound on the foot that is not healing, or a skin or genital infection that keeps returning
Work out what your HbA1c meansneeds a lab result, free, nothing to install
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
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