Once you are diagnosed with diabetes there will be a bunch of new terms and number ranges you want to become familiar with. (Your Doctor might have slightly different goals for you than the numbers listed below)

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Lab values:
• A1C (also referred to as a hemoglobin A1C)  This is the biggie! I describe this to my patients as their diabetes report card (for those of you who have been out of school for a while you probably thought you had seen your last report card years ago). It is an average of your blood sugars over the past 3 months. Because it is an average, remember that 1 or 2 bad numbers will not cause it to go up. Also you can start today working on improving your numbers and the change will show in your next lab work! Goal is less than 7
• BP (blood pressure) You can work to decrease your blood pressure by decreasing your salt intake, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, limit alcohol intake, stop smoking, and take any medications as prescribed. Goal is 120/80 although some say 110/70
• C Peptide measures the amount of insulin your body is still making on its own. Those with Type 1 diabetes will have lower levels or potentially even <0.1 whereas Type 2’s might have low, normal, or even high levels due to increased production to combat the resistance
• LDL (low-density lipoprotein) This is the BAD cholesterol and it attaches its self to the walls of your blood vessels. Over time, it builds up and can eventually lead to a narrowing or blockage increasing your risk for a heart attack.  Goal is less than 100
• HDL (high-density lipoprotein) This is known as the GOOD cholesterol. It floats around in your blood stream and removes the bad cholesterol. Goal is greater than 40 in men and greater than 50 in women 
• Triglycerides are created from excess food you consume. They are stored in your fat cells and can be released in between meals for energy. Goal is less than 150


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Here are some of the diabetes terms you might see:
• B.S. or B.G. refer to your Blood Sugar or Blood Glucose readings when you prick your finger and use your meter to test
• DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) refers to a serious condition where the body is lacking insulin. When this occurs, the body will start to use stored fat for energy which causes ketones, a poison, to be released.  These ketones can cause nausea/vomiting and can be very serious if not addressed early.
• FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar) is a blood sugar tested after at least 8 hours after your last meal. It can be used as part of the criteria for diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Goal is less than 100 for and less than 120 for pre-diabetics 
• Preprandial Blood Sugar refers to a blood sugar prior to eating a meal. Goal 80-130*
• Postprandial Blood Sugar refers to a blood sugar test 1-2 hours after eating a meal. Goal is under 180*

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Here is a few of the people you might meet:
• Endocrinologist is a doctor who specializes in endocrine disorders, one of which is diabetes
• RN (Registered Nurse)
• RD (Registered Dietician)
• CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator)- has completed over 2000 hours of patients education before passing an exam specific to diabetes knowledge and they are well rounded in all aspects of diabetes education
Don’t worry there is not test. I just wanted you to be familiar with some of the terms and words you might hear at your appointments or read in articles. I am committed to giving you plenty of suggestions on how to get all of your numbers within the goal ranges. It will not be without a partnership on your part but you can count on me to provide you the information you will need!

Your “just for today” challenge is to check your blood pressure (can be done at most store pharmacies)
*your Doctor might have different ranges for you to follow