Bg readings linked to Hba1c

[Brian McCluskey]

I have been testing 4 times per day pre meals over the last seven weeks and my average of these readings is 6.5. Is this directly related to Hba1C and can I expect my next Hba1c test to be around 47 if I maintain this average? My Hba1c was 88 in July and I have been on a very strict regime since then with a lot of help and advice from people on this forum.

 

[Amigo]

I have been testing 4 times per day pre meals over the last seven weeks and my average of these readings is 6.5. Is this directly related to Hba1C and can I expect my next Hba1c test to be around 47 if I maintain this average? My Hba1c was 88 in July and I have been on a very strict regime since then with a lot of help and advice from people on this forum.

To be honest Brian, using your pre-meal averages won't give a representative average to gauge your Hba1c. What are your averages before and after meals?

 

[Brian McCluskey]

Thanks Amigo. I was only told to test before meals and before bedtime . Since I started testing I have reduced Gliclazide from 320mg per day to 200mg per day as I was going below 4 on a few occasions at bedtime. I have also lost 4.5 Kg in weight. Anyway I am feeling much better and the Hba1c will have reduced a bit I think. Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Northerner]

I have been testing 4 times per day pre meals over the last seven weeks and my average of these readings is 6.5. Is this directly related to Hba1C and can I expect my next Hba1c test to be around 47 if I maintain this average? My Hba1c was 88 in July and I have been on a very strict regime since then with a lot of help and advice from people on this forum.

Hi Brian, the average of your fingerpricks isn't directly related to the HbA1c although it may give an indication of what to expect at your next test. Much depends on when you do those tests - if, for example, you only test before meals, then you will be 'missing' the information of how your blood sugar behaves after eating. Even if you test after eating you may be missing the 'peaks' so the average would potentially be misleading.

The HbA1c test shows how much your red blood cells have been exposed to glucose over a period of time - this is around 6-12 weeks, depending on the individual, and is linked to the life cycle of the blood cells. There is a formula you can use to work out a possible levels for your HbA1c:

Estimated HbA1c = (AvgBG+2.52)/1.583

 

[Brian McCluskey]

Thanks for that Northerner as ever very helpful.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Testing after eating is the important one. I don't know where these doctors or diabetic nurses get their ideas from. Suppose you're lucky they told you to test at all.