Reaching my A1C goals

I am trying to get my A1C lower. In April it was 7.5 which is where it was in January, and I want it below 7 (to follow the new guidelines of diabetes control). I have 5 weeks until my next A1C test (had to push it back for our trip to Colorado at the end of July) and I am trying to plan now how to manage the next 5 weeks to at least get my A1C closer to 7. I know I should have been doing this for the past 8 weeks since my last endo visit, but there were other things I had to focus on instead.

So, now that the test is looming nearer, and I am feeling more in control of my emotions, I am wondering what to do. I have had an A1C under 7 during the last 9 months of 2007, but I wouldn't say that I had good control during that time. In fact, in the time where it was under 7 I had some of the worst lows ever as an adult.

I know that its attainable, but for me its just figuring out how to keep my daily glucose numbers stable and in my "target range". For myself I am aiming for a premeal/fasting range of 85-130mg/dL, and a post meal range of 140-180mg/dL. At a blood sugar of 80 I find I tend to go low easily and fast. And anything over 190 tends to give me headaches or other negative symptoms of hyperglycemia (irritability, excessive thirst, sore muscles, so on...)

I think trying to keep stable blood sugars is a better criteria of reaching my goal for a couple of reasons. First, it will hopefully prevent me from having as many lows as I did back in 2007; secondly it will help keep my weight stable and ideally even assist with my weight loss goal. Lastly I am hoping that keeping my glucose in range will help my mood, because I feel that highs and lows have a tremendous effect on my mood. A high blood sugar makes my anger flare up a lot quicker than normal, and a low makes me overly sensitive and teary-eyed, not to mention exhausted after its treated. Does anyone else get that too, that highs and lows play with your mood?

So, for now, here's what I have on my plan:

• Wear the CGMS. Not once a while but as often as I can, every day if I can tolerate it.
• Eat more fresh veggies. I LOVE red, yellow, and green peppers so I should try to eat them more. Along with cucumbers. Yum!
• Add more fiber to my diet. I bought some English muffins today with the right amount of carbs I want (21g) and 5g of fiber. Perfect for breakfast, just add protein and I'm good to go.

There. I put it in writing, on my blog. Now I have to follow through!