Are there other diabetics in here who have to take an A1c

[apositivelife4me 189]

My doctor wants me to have an A1c just prior to surgery. My primary care physician just had me take an A1c and it was 10. Could the high A1c keep me from being able to have my surgery on May 9?

[Creekimp13 5,840]

No, but if your A1c hasn't come down a bit....your doctor will wonder if you've been following your diet, or if your liver is shrinking.

Best plan: Follow your diet strictly...and your A1c will look better than last time...and your doctor will be happy.

[apositivelife4me 189]

I just had my A1c 2 days ago and it was 10. My surgery is on May 9. I am supposed to take another A1c on May 1. Could they keep me from having my surgery because of a high A1c??

[allwet 868]

5 hours ago, apositivelife4me said:

I just had my A1c 2 days ago and it was 10. My surgery is on May 9. I am supposed to take another A1c on May 1. Could they keep me from having my surgery because of a high A1c??

most likely the a1c right before surgery is more for the surgeon and hospital so they know what kind of things to expect during and right after surgery.

They really don't like surprises.

Its unlikely to cause them to cancel a surgery as long as you do the pre-op steps they ask for.

this is major surgery and a diabetic issue is one they want to avoid or at least be prepared for ahead of time.

i see it as more a precaution than a go or no go test.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

11 hours ago, apositivelife4me said:

Could the high A1c keep me from being able to have my surgery on May 9?

@apositivelife4me

I don't think there should be a prob. The A1c is a 3 month average #, good to improve your

your eating now - but doubt it will make a significant change in your #. Surgeon knows that

shortly after WLS- your #s will decrease/improve with your eating/lifestyle changes. get rid

of/stay away from the sweets, drink more Water, you are on your way. good luck - kathy

[apositivelife4me 189]

Thank you Kathy

[abefroman329 704]

My practice required patients to have an A1c below 7.

[brightfaith 187]

My surgeon wants patients to have an A1c under 8; as I understand it, higher A1cs increase risk for infection.

[Mhy12784 423]

Where I work all bariatric patients have an A1c done with their preoperative blood work. An A1c of 10 would absolutely have you canceled with the group I work with. As this means your diabetes is extremely poorly controlled putting you at high risk for complications, infection, and poor recovery times and outcomes. Hell I've seen patients with an A1C in the 8s get canceled

HOWEVER there is an exception to this. If your diabetes is truly complicated and uncontrollable (and it's not just a matter of you being non compliant with your diet exercise and medication) they would send you to get a preoperative endocrinologist consultation/workup and have the endocrinologist say how they've tried everything your case is complicated blah blah blah and that an A1C of 10 is the best they will be able to do prior to you having surgery.

I would be shocked if a surgeon and anesthesia (hell and a hospital) allowed a patient to have elective surgery with extremely poorly controlled diabetes without proper documentation (an endocrinologist consultation etc) covering their ass. Because not only does it put you the patients health at risk, it also puts the surgeon anesthesia and hospital at a financial risk (eating the cost of complications, lawsuits etc) as well as possibly even legal risk.

[Mhy12784 423]

And just to be on the safe side I would give your surgeons office a call telling them about your blood work and asking if it would be an issue. Maybe they won't care, maybe they'll have you jump through some hoops. If you have an appointment soon you could bring it up there, but if you don't have an appointment until very close to your surgery I wouldn't wait.

But an A1C of 10 is a big deal and they could expect things to happen. I know that my hospital (not even the bariatric group but the entire hospital) now has a new policy in place where patients having certain elective surgeries are mandated to see an endocrinologist before surgery if their A1C is over a certain amount.

[apositivelife4me 189]

34 minutes ago, Mhy12784 said:

Where I work all bariatric patients have an A1c done with their preoperative blood work. An A1c of 10 would absolutely have you canceled with the group I work with. As this means your diabetes is extremely poorly controlled putting you at high risk for complications, infection, and poor recovery times and outcomes. Hell I've seen patients with an A1C in the 8s get canceled

HOWEVER there is an exception to this. If your diabetes is truly complicated and uncontrollable (and it's not just a matter of you being non compliant with your diet exercise and medication) they would send you to get a preoperative endocrinologist consultation/workup and have the endocrinologist say how they've tried everything your case is complicated blah blah blah and that an A1C of 10 is the best they will be able to do prior to you having surgery.

I would be shocked if a surgeon and anesthesia (hell and a hospital) allowed a patient to have elective surgery with extremely poorly controlled diabetes without proper documentation (an endocrinologist consultation etc) covering their ass. Because not only does it put you the patients health at risk, it also puts the surgeon anesthesia and hospital at a financial risk (eating the cost of complications, lawsuits etc) as well as possibly even legal risk.

Thanks you have made me feel just wonderful. I have been jumping through hoops for my surgery for 8 months now and to have them deny me my surgery now over my A1c would be devastating. They haven't said anything to me about it so far. The subject of A1c has never come up.

[apositivelife4me 189]

My sleeve is scheduled for May 9. My next A1c is scheduled for May 1. I have had a difficult time with my blood sugar. I take alot of insulin and also take a fast acting insulin also. I am insulin resistant. I have only been on insulin since July of 17.

[charismatic 80]

Since WLS has been proven to reverse and at the least help with diabetes I wonder why they would not do surgery on someone with a 7 or 8 or even a 10 A1C. That would seem counterproductive. Also these aren’t ranges that people typically end up hospitalized and coding. Diabetes is progressive so while having it will put you at higher risk it won’t kill you over night. I would imagine other things such as kidney failure, heart conditions and even something like open sores that won’t heal combined with the high A1c might prevent your operation.

In the hospital they constantly measure your current blood sugar and will provide you insulin if needed to keep it in check.

[apositivelife4me 189]

Ok, thank you for that.

[charismatic 80]

Sometimes some of the stuff I see on this board sounds like some surgeons only want perfect patients. That’s their choice but being perfect did not get most of us here and to make the choice to have WLS. I’m glad some surgeons do higher risk cases or a lot of people that really need this tool would be SOL.