• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

HBA1C has gone up!

saffron15

saffron15

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Pronouns
She/Her
I put off having a blood test. I went in to make an appointment for a blood test and was given the next day. I have been a bit up and down with my eating.
The reading was 52. In December it was 44. I have been told I have low iron and been given iron tablets. Would this make any difference? I dropped 1 metformin in February
Hopefully I can get back on track
 
saffron15 said:
I put off having a blood test. I went in to make an appointment for a blood test and was given the next day. I have been a bit up and down with my eating.
The reading was 52. In December it was 44. I have been told I have low iron and been given iron tablets. Would this make any difference? I dropped 1 metformin in February
Hopefully I can get back on track
Click to expand...
Yes, https://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/201...ted-through-hba1c-due-to-anemia-97409751.html says that low iron can cause HbA1c to appear higher.

Once your iron levels are sorted hopefully your HbA1c will come down a bit.
 
@JITR I lost a stone between diagnosis and seeing a nurse in August,where I was put on metformin. By September I was down to 51. I was put on a SGLT2 and got a bit spooked as to the carbs I need. I was eating 100 to 120 but felt obliged to eat more as people were saying needed carbs. I aimed for 130. In December I was 44 which as I had had eye op with steroids and osteomylitis with strong antibiotics. In February my metformin was reduced by 1 and this blood test was to review how I had done. The report suggests they have changed their methodology " showing an average negative bias of 5 %" I'm not sure how that may affect the reading.

I have used Freshwell it is a very good site, but if I have had carbs I get tempted into more. I've been ill this weekend and ate 4 small beetroot and a spoonful of humus. Knowing I felt unwell I dropped the SGLT2 and the second time I was sick on Saturday I vomited up the metformin tablet

My blood test showed my ferrotin level at 12 and I am now on a course of iron tablets. I've lost over 2 and a half stone and joined an aquafit class. I thought it might go up to 47 but disappointed it is where I was last September.


My first blood test end of June was 69 second three weeks later was 64


I don't know what has caused my low iron, a first for me but thought it may have affected the result
 
@trophywench I'm on ferrous sulfate. 200 mg. For three months
I am feeling a bit brighter. I'm hoping to eat lunch today as I want to go to aqua fit tonight. In the last few months I've been shedding hair. When I had it cut a few weeks ago the hairdresser didn't suggest low iron but I'm hoping that is what it was.
The good news is I poohed Monday and today so no constipation. Something is cutting back my hunger
 
I understand your disappointment when your hbA1c went up. Maybe when your iron levels are back to normal you will get a better result. You have done really well with the weight loss and exercise since diagnosis or the nurse wouldn't have considered reducing your medication. Don't be disheartened as this is a blip in your long term journey living with diabetes.

I had a blip earlier this year and although my hbA1c has come back down I have not been able to reduce my medication yet.
 
saffron15 said:
I thought it might go up to 47 but disappointed it is where I was last September.
Click to expand...

I had a blip last year in my HbA1c result five months after a severe bout of gastroenteritis. It came down again three months later after continuing on my diet of protein, vegetables plus some olive oil, berries and yoghurt (average carbs about 80 g/day).

Given the list of things in your post, I think it's little wonder that your HbA1c is unpredictable. My feeling, based on my experience, is to get your diet right and adjust your diabetic medication accordingly; rather than the other way round.
 
I think I would like constipation at the moment. Still poohing a lot. I did go to aquafit last night. :party:Still feeling tired but pain in side has gone. I suspect my bout of sickness last Friday was bad luck unconnected with low iron
 
Low iron / anaemia can interfere with HbA1c results - sometimes a fructosamine check is used instead, which doesn’t measure red blood cells.

Hopefully the ferrous sulphate will help you out. :care:
 
I can empathise Saffron, as my various health issues do not often play well together. It can also be a PITU-no-wot when I finally get one of them sorted only for the others to gang up on my body & so begins another period of trial & error until that one is placated.

Like my father used to say about cars " they're OK all the time they work properly" & so, by my experience, that also applies equally to human bodies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top