My A1-C Was 5.7 Last Time It Was Done And

Posted on Sat, 10 Nov 2018

Question: My A1-C was 5.7 last time it was done and has never been over 6. My Dr. said I am borderline diabetic and started me on Metformin 500mg BID. Recently my sugar had been dropping a lot so I was taken off one of the metformin, leaving me taking 1 500mg QHS. Over the past several months I have been feeling a numbness just below my great toe on my right foot. It feels like something I stepped on is stuck on my foot. It is not painful just annoying. Is this neuropathy? and how can I have neuropathy with such a good A1-C? Is there anything I can do for it?

Answered by Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T (38 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
cant be Diabetic Neuropathy

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for your query.

With HbA1c of 5.7 you may not need even a single dose of Meformin unless you are overweight. You can control the sugar and keep up the A1c with diet and exercise.

The numbness you have in the rt great toe could be neuropathy but not Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). DPN cant be seen at A1c levels of 5.7.

Well, there are other causes for neuropathy. The commonest amongst being VIt B12 deficiency and lumbar spondylosis and nerve compression.

Do get Vit B12 levels assessed and also a Lumbar spine xray if you have low back ache of any duration.

Both can give some clue into what is the real cause.

Hope, I answered your query.

Wish you good health.

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar