My 1st Blood test reading

[JohnH]

I have just received my Codefree Blood test metre and taken my 1st reading which was 13mmol/l which I believe converts to A1c level 83.7mmol/mol
The results from the blood test sent to my GP from the Hospital were A1c -level of 113mmol/mol so it looks like it going in the right direction.
Have I quoted these figures correctly ?
This reduction has occurred in just 4 days after giving up cakes and biscuits
John

 

[Martin Canty]

Well done, John.....

 

[JohnH]

Thanks Martin
I'm going to wait a couple of days now (without the cakes, biscuits and stuff) and see what the next result turns out like.
I see your A1C was 12.2 and is now 6.2 so you have made a massive reduction !!!
Have a nice weekend

 

[Robin]

I have just received my Codefree Blood test metre and taken my 1st reading which was 13mmol/l which I believe converts to A1c level 83.7mmol/mol
The results from the blood test sent to my GP from the Hospital were A1c -level of 113mmol/mol so it looks like it going in the right direction.
Have I quoted these figures correctly ?
This reduction has occurred in just 4 days after giving up cakes and biscuits
John

Ah, I'm afraid it's not quite so simple.
The Codefree gives you a 'snapshot' of what your blood glucose is at any moment. The hbA1c is an average over three months.
If you've done your first glucose test, you really can't tell anything about your HbA1c from this, as you've no idea whether this reading was a high one for you, or a low one, or somewhere in the middle.
If you take your blood glucose level regularly, you'll find you probably get all sorts of different readings, and when you've been doing it for a week or so, your meter will give you an 'average' reading over the last 7 or 14 days, and then there are converters online which will give you an estimated HbA1c from this.
Even so, proceed with caution. If you always test before a meal, for example, the average that your meter gives you will probably be falsely low, as your blood glucose probably goes up quite a bit when you eat. If you only ever test after eating, it follows that the meter will give you a falsely high average.

Use the meter to test before and after eating, to see what the rise is, and adjust your diet, eliminating any foods that give you a big differential between the two readings, and take it from there.
Sounds like you've made a good start cutting out the obvious culprits, but you may find that things like rice, pasta, and other carbs have just as bad an effect on your levels, and the only way is to test and see.

 

[JohnH]

Ah, I'm afraid it's not quite so simple.
The Codefree gives you a 'snapshot' of what your blood glucose is at any moment. The hbA1c is an average over three months.
If you've done your first glucose test, you really can't tell anything about your HbA1c from this, as you've no idea whether this reading was a high one for you, or a low one, or somewhere in the middle.
If you take your blood glucose level regularly, you'll find you probably get all sorts of different readings, and when you've been doing it for a week or so, your meter will give you an 'average' reading over the last 7 or 14 days, and then there are converters online which will give you an estimated HbA1c from this.
Even so, proceed with caution. If you always test before a meal, for example, the average that your meter gives you will probably be falsely low, as your blood glucose probably goes up quite a bit when you eat. If you only ever test after eating, it follows that the meter will give you a falsely high average.

Use the meter to test before and after eating, to see what the rise is, and adjust your diet, eliminating any foods that give you a big differential between the two readings, and take it from there.
Sounds like you've made a good start cutting out the obvious culprits, but you may find that things like rice, pasta, and other carbs have just as bad an effect on your levels, and the only way is to test and see.

OK thanks - I shall repeat the test after tonights meal and record the reading - do the same for a few days which should give me a pattern.
Thanks for a comprehensive reply.
John

 

[Martin Canty]

There are 3 readings which are important

• FBG (Fasting Blood Glucose) - taken when you wake up, I consider this the baseline for the day, for example mine was 6.7 this morning... Up from the usual 5.0 but not surprising seeing as we went to some friends for dinner last night & they served sushi as an appetizer.... The main meal was OK but the damage had been done!!!!
• Before eating - Sets the starting point to determine how the meal affects you
• 2 hours after eating - determines how the meal has affected you

Now, you can go through a lot of strips if you test every time you eat, personally I don't test much anymore unless I'm trying new foods & I don't have much experience of how they will affect me

 

[Ljc]

Hello John. You might find Test review adjust helpful
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/test-review-adjust.html

 

[Ralph-YK]

Up and down throughout the day. And vary from day to day. You've to see what effect food has and any changes you make.
So you've to do before and after meals.

 

[JohnH]

Ah, I'm afraid it's not quite so simple.
The Codefree gives you a 'snapshot' of what your blood glucose is at any moment. The hbA1c is an average over three months.
If you've done your first glucose test, you really can't tell anything about your HbA1c from this, as you've no idea whether this reading was a high one for you, or a low one, or somewhere in the middle.
If you take your blood glucose level regularly, you'll find you probably get all sorts of different readings, and when you've been doing it for a week or so, your meter will give you an 'average' reading over the last 7 or 14 days, and then there are converters online which will give you an estimated HbA1c from this.
Even so, proceed with caution. If you always test before a meal, for example, the average that your meter gives you will probably be falsely low, as your blood glucose probably goes up quite a bit when you eat. If you only ever test after eating, it follows that the meter will give you a falsely high average.

Use the meter to test before and after eating, to see what the rise is, and adjust your diet, eliminating any foods that give you a big differential between the two readings, and take it from there.
Sounds like you've made a good start cutting out the obvious culprits, but you may find that things like rice, pasta, and other carbs have just as bad an effect on your levels, and the only way is to test and see.

Hi Robin
On waking this morning I was surprised to get a reading of 13.3 mmol/l - it had risen very very slightly over night from 13 mmol/l -
After 100g of porridge for breakfast at 9.30 I tested again at 11.30 to find that it had only gone to 13.4 mol/l so the breakfast didn't have much effect. A1c level is still worrying me though.... 83.7 is terrible.
John

 

[Andy HB]

Hello John,

It will take some time for your glucose levels to drop following diagnosis. But, as you said in your post your levels are dropping, so take heart from that.

Your breakfast readings are very interesting though. For such a large quantity of carbohydrate, you barely moved your meter reading, which sounds great. However, your next task is to get your fasting level down, because that really is too high to be starting off with (should be in the 4-7mmol/L range, ideally).

Have you tested yourself at different times of day yet? The end of day reading would also be useful to see where you are when you go to bed and may give some indication of why your morning reading is so high.

But, as Robin mentioned, don't mix your single spot BG reading with the HbA1c value. There is a formula which gives an estimate of the HbA1c using many spot BG readings over a period of time, but even that can be a little hit and miss (especially if your blood glucose levels are all over the place).

From what you say, though, there are some positives to take away from your progress so far. I hope you continue to improve.

Andy 🙂

 

[Robin]

Hi Robin
On waking this morning I was surprised to get a reading of 13.3 mmol/l - it had risen very very slightly over night from 13 mmol/l -
After 100g of porridge for breakfast at 9.30 I tested again at 11.30 to find that it had only gone to 13.4 mol/l so the breakfast didn't have much effect. A1c level is still worrying me though.... 83.7 is terrible.
John

Well that's some good information you've gleaned from your meter, though I know you're disappointed with it.
Firstly, it means you've discovered that porridge suits you, whereas a lot of people find it gives them a spike.
Secondly, remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. I see from your initial post that the doctor has given you some tablets, are these Metformin? If so, they tend to build up in the system gradually, so it's early days to see them making a difference yet.
I would carry on as you are for a bit, reducing carbs, upping the exercise if you are able, and see if they start to come down. If they don't, go and see your GP, there are other drugs that can be added to the mix. Don't feel a failure if you can't do it without extra medication, it doesn't mean you haven't tried, it's just that some people do need extra meds to suppose their pancreas. Also, once you start on a particular course of drugs, there is no reason why you can't discontinue them in the future if you find your levels have fallen.

 

[grovesy]

As Andy HB said you can't equate a Single Blood Sugar reading to a HBAC1! I us an app called my sugr and it estimates HBAC1 but it needs at least 3 readings daily for a week to give an estimate!

 

[Mark Parrott]

Hi John. Excellent result with the porridge.🙂 That's one thing I can't tolerate. In fact it sends my BG higher than a Mars Bar!😱

 

[Greyhound Gal]

I didn' realise my meter gave me my average over 1/7/14/30/60 and 90 days 🙄 DOH!. Just checked them and my 90 day average is 7.9. WHOOHOO

 

[JohnH]

Well that's some good information you've gleaned from your meter, though I know you're disappointed with it.
Firstly, it means you've discovered that porridge suits you, whereas a lot of people find it gives them a spike.
Secondly, remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. I see from your initial post that the doctor has given you some tablets, are these Metformin? If so, they tend to build up in the system gradually, so it's early days to see them making a difference yet.
I would carry on as you are for a bit, reducing carbs, upping the exercise if you are able, and see if they start to come down. If they don't, go and see your GP, there are other drugs that can be added to the mix. Don't feel a failure if you can't do it without extra medication, it doesn't mean you haven't tried, it's just that some people do need extra meds to suppose their pancreas. Also, once you start on a particular course of drugs, there is no reason why you can't discontinue them in the future if you find your levels have fallen.

Hello again Robin ..
Well after a salad lunch - with half a Tesco panini at 12.30pm - and a retest at 2-05pm the meter is now showing 12.3 mmol/l - which I believe is 78.1 hbA1c - so I'm feeling happier now !!

 

[JohnH]

Hi John. Excellent result with the porridge.🙂 That's one thing I can't tolerate. In fact it sends my BG higher than a Mars Bar!😱

Thanks Mark .... just done an after lunch re-test which is showing 12.2 mmol/l - cheered me up a wee bit

 

[JohnH]

Hello again Robin ..
Well after a salad lunch - with half a Tesco panini at 12.30pm - and a retest at 2-05pm the meter is now showing 12.3 mmol/l - which I believe is 78.1 hbA1c - so I'm feeling happier now !!

Robin - Yes Matformin - x 1 a day until Monday when I have to start x2 tablets a day. Dr started me off on 1 tablet just in case i got a bad reaction to them - so far they are fine.

 

[Carolg]

Hi Robin
On waking this morning I was surprised to get a reading of 13.3 mmol/l - it had risen very very slightly over night from 13 mmol/l -
After 100g of porridge for breakfast at 9.30 I tested again at 11.30 to find that it had only gone to 13.4 mol/l so the breakfast didn't have much effect. A1c level is still worrying me though.... 83.7 is terrible.
John

Hi Johnh. Mine was 105 at diagnosis and went up to 109 at 3month check. Came down to 58 or 59 with extra meds and trying hard, so don't lose heart

 

[Martin Canty]

Good result with the Porridge...

As has been said, it takes time to reduce your FBG levels, it took a year to get mine down from 14 to 5..... I think that in the first month I got it down to 10 then progressed from there....

 

[jocat]

Hi John, remember that your hba1c is measuring the amount of sugar carried on your red blood cells over an average three month period, for now concentrate on your Fbg and readings before and after meals, these will help you with what foods you can tolerate. I also use mysugr app but my hba1c reading at the doctors is never the same as what the app is reading so be cautious until you know how accurate the conversion you are using is. Take care, jo