How long do I need to wait? What can I do to shorten it?

I'm not a doctor, so this is just an idea.

You can get Novolin at Walmart for cheap. It's synthetic insulin. You don't need a prescription.
If you get a box of 70/30 pens, a box of needles, and some alcohol swabs, you can self-administer insulin to bring your blood sugar down. Total cost, about $55.

I had to do this myself after having a stroke. My blood sugar went crazy high and would not get under control for months. Then all of a sudden it stabilized and I didn't need injections anymore.

Again, this is just my personal experience. Consider any alternatives carefully.
Hopefully, someone will have another idea.

Speak with your doc about insulin. If you can exercise, that may also help.

Wow. A1C of 8.9 and they won't operate? That seems wrong right there.
What was your A1C a year ago? If it was better, maybe they can judge on that.
What is your current blood glucose reading? Over 200 pre-meal? That's enough to merit insulin.

(just stress and pain may raise your blood glucose and A1C, and short of insulin I'm not sure anything else will bring it down ... unless maybe some sort of happy pill might work? anybody else here know about that?)

I suppose you could try Ozempic first, if that's preferable.

But here's the thing, you could get your current readings down to 100 today and it will STILL take a month or more to get your A1C down below 8.0 because it's (mostly) an average over time and you can't change the past! What's their cutoff point for A1C, anyway?

Finally, there might be ways to eat a few less carbs on your diet, I don't know much about that but selected ingredients (fruits and veggies) in a blender might do it, plus or minus a little protein powder. Who advises you on these things?

Hi all. Just a friendly reminder. We MCC members shouldn’t diagnose or prescribe. As @scottrl said “we aren’t doctors”. As a 50+ year diabetic I would be VERY cautious about starting insulin (synthetic or otherwise, prescription required or not) without the supervision of a medical provider. This is necessary to get the dosing correct and to prevent any unpleasant unanticipated interactions with other medications you may be taking such as Metformin. As @grrranny said you should definitely ask your provider about insulin. In regards to the A1C test it is an indication of how your blood sugar has been over about a 3 week period of time. Whatever changes you make it will likely take at least that long to change the A1C number as @carbcounter suggested. The reason it is used as to whether or not you can have surgery is because it is helpful for your surgeon to better understand how well you will tolerate and heal from the surgery. Higher blood sugars cause added risks of complications and prevent healing as well as your providers hope for. My recommendation is to ask your provider about insulin and see if you can get a referral to a dietician who specializes in diabetes.

@cehunt57 Excellent point.
I should have mentioned that my experience was under the supervision of a doctor.

@cehunt57 yes certainly, I only meant to suggest that these are standard guidelines, and I was even going to point out that I have the greatest "respect" for insulin and would only use it under medical recommendation and supervision. Not to mention saluting every type1 who has to use it constantly!

But I believe A1C is more like 3 months, not 3 weeks.

I suppose that the surgery decision includes many factors and this A1C level alone would not always be disqualifying.

@carbcounter 3 weeks is the minimal time for A1C. It was just starting to be used around 1980. I used it for my Masters thesis in 1980 in Peoria County Health Department and University of Illinois phlebotomy did the draws and provided the labs for testing.

The A1C requirements regarding surgeries are different depending on the hospital doing the surgery and the type of surgery needed. My daughter encountered this at Mayo, Rochester when she needed to have double mastectomies for breast cancer. The requirement was low 8 something. That was a little over a year ago.

I don't doubt there's variability in the requirements and good reasons for concern, but I would have guessed a more critical level would have been higher, people do live a long time with higher levels, it's not that critical - and could be more aggressively managed for surgery rather than denied! Well.

On the A1C this is an interesting question. All I know is what I read today and the most common simple answer is given as 90 days, but given just my own observations I've thought this less than precise! On my own case I've thought that if I cheat my diet less in even a week or two before a test it can improve the reading more than it should. Now, that would fit a much shorter period but it also fits other curves of clearance of old cells, if the highly bound cells die sooner then both things happen, the period represented shortens and good pre-test behavior has an outsized effect!

Here's what I get today from Google:

The diabetes test for A1C reflects what time period of blood glucose levels?

The A1C (Hemoglobin A1C) test reflects your average blood glucose (sugar) levels over the past two to three months, providing a long-term view of blood sugar control, unlike a finger-prick test that shows just the current level. This timeframe corresponds to the average lifespan of red blood cells, which is about 120 days, as glucose attaches to hemoglobin in these cells.

does binding with high sugar levels reduce red blood cell life span?

Yes, high sugar levels (hyperglycemia) significantly reduce red blood cell (RBC) lifespan by causing oxidative stress and structural damage, leading to premature aging and breakdown (hemolysis). This occurs because excess sugar binds to hemoglobin (forming glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c) and damages cell membranes, making them rigid and less functional, which shortens their normal ~120-day lifespan.

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So there's going to be a fair amount of variability on a case by case basis.