HbA1c not due for 5 months. Is this unnusual?

[Katiejay]

I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with T2 Diabetes. I saw the Diabetes Nurse at my GP Surgery and at the end of the consultation, she said that I would have my next HbA1c test in 5 months time. On reflection this seems to me to be quite a long time and I was hoping to be able to check my progress sooner than that, especially as my diagnosis is so recent. Is it usual to have this long between tests?

 

[Leadinglights]

I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with T2 Diabetes. I saw the Diabetes Nurse at my GP Surgery and at the end of the consultation, she said that I would have my next HbA1c test in 5 months time. On reflection this seems to me to be quite a long time and I was hoping to be able to check my progress sooner than that, especially as my diagnosis is so recent. Is it usual to have this long between tests?

More usually 3 months to see if the changes people make are being effective. Then if things are going in the right direction 6 months after and likely every year after that together with the other checks like feet and eye screening.
No good sooner than 3 months as there would be overlapping weeks as the HbA1C is an average of the previous 3 months.

 

[Martin.A]

I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with T2 Diabetes. I saw the Diabetes Nurse at my GP Surgery and at the end of the consultation, she said that I would have my next HbA1c test in 5 months time. On reflection this seems to me to be quite a long time and I was hoping to be able to check my progress sooner than that, especially as my diagnosis is so recent. Is it usual to have this long between tests?

You can check your progress by self-testing. Although there's no direct correlation between finger-prick tests and HbA1c, self-testing can give you an idea of whether your levels are trending down, up or not moving at all. My first finger-prick tests were all in double figures but by testing every day (fasting and post-prandial) over the next few weeks I saw them drop into single figures and they continued to trend downwards. My results suggested that my next HbA1c, 3 months after diagnosis, would be somewhere in the region of 60 and it came back as 56.

I should add that I had adopted a low carb diet, lost some weight and became more active as a way of bringing down my BG, as well as taking Metformin for part of that time.

 

[childofthesea43]

I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with T2 Diabetes. I saw the Diabetes Nurse at my GP Surgery and at the end of the consultation, she said that I would have my next HbA1c test in 5 months time. On reflection this seems to me to be quite a long time and I was hoping to be able to check my progress sooner than that, especially as my diagnosis is so recent. Is it usual to have this long between tests?

You might consider paying for an additional test. I’ve been doing HbA1c tests 3-monthly for almost 3 years now, interspersing private ones between the 6-monthly NHS ones. The private ones cost me £100 a time, but I like to keep a tight rein on my diabetes status.

 

[AndBreathe]

You might consider paying for an additional test. I’ve been doing HbA1c tests 3-monthly for almost 3 years now, interspersing private ones between the 6-monthly NHS ones. The private ones cost me £100 a time, but I like to keep a tight rein on my diabetes status.

It is possible to have an HbA1c, using a special finger prick test at home, and analysed by the NHS Exeter Hospital's labs, for £32.

I have used Monitor My Health for thyroid tests, and can recommend them.

Diabetes Test

monitormyhealth.org.uk

(They do quite a range of tests now.)

 

[Katiejay]

You might consider paying for an additional test. I’ve been doing HbA1c tests 3-monthly for almost 3 years now, interspersing private ones between the 6-monthly NHS ones. The private ones cost me £100 a time, but I like to keep a tight rein on my diabetes status.

It is possible to have an HbA1c, using a special finger prick test at home, and analysed by the NHS Exeter Hospital's labs, for £32.

I have used Monitor My Health for thyroid tests, and can recommend them.

Diabetes Test

monitormyhealth.org.uk

(They do quite a range of tests now.)

I have been considering having private tests but I think I will see if my GP will let me have one in three months time. I will try the Exeter Hospital Lab if I get no joy from my GP. Thank you so much; that’s very helpful.

 

[AndBreathe]

I have been considering having private tests but I think I will see if my GP will let me have one in three months time. I will try the Exeter Hospital Lab if I get no joy from my GP. Thank you so much; that’s very helpful.

It could be worth just running your eye over the NICE guidelines for management of T2. Whilst it talks about monitoring 3-6 monthly until stable, then 6 monthly thereafter, I would suggest there is a strong argument for 3 monthly in the first instance.

Scenario: Management - adults | Management | Diabetes - type 2 | CKS | NICE

Covers the primary care management of adults with type 2 diabetes.

cks.nice.org.uk

In the early days, you shouldn't be having to pay for reassurance.

 

[Katiejay]

It could be worth just running your eye over the NICE guidelines for management of T2. Whilst it talks about monitoring 3-6 monthly until stable, then 6 monthly thereafter, I would suggest there is a strong argument for 3 monthly in the first instance.

Scenario: Management - adults | Management | Diabetes - type 2 | CKS | NICE

Covers the primary care management of adults with type 2 diabetes.

cks.nice.org.uk

In the early days, you shouldn't be having to pay for reassurance.

Thank you. That’s really useful and I’m going to try to convince my GP surgery to give me a test in 3 months.

 

[childofthesea43]

Thank you. That’s really useful and I’m going to try to convince my GP surgery to give me a test in 3 months.

I wish you luck with that! When my own T2 journey was in the early stages my surgery refused to grant even one extra test “because it wouldn’t be fair to the others”, even though I was just about their only T2 patient striving seriously not to burden the NHS with years of metformin, neuropathy, insulin, operations and all the rest. What their unsaid logic really was was “none of our patients ever achieves remission and you won’t either so extra tests to help you stay on course will be a waste of money.” Still, I’m not one to complain …

 

[AndBreathe]

Thank you. That’s really useful and I’m going to try to convince my GP surgery to give me a test in 3 months.

Katie, whilst I don't like having another couple of conditions, I have found a silver lining is being able to ask to add an A1c (or whatever) to the bloods being drawn for monitoring other conditions.

So far, that tactic has worked, for me, but maybe worth storing in a corner of your mind, should it help you.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I have been considering having private tests but I think I will see if my GP will let me have one in three months time. I will try the Exeter Hospital Lab if I get no joy from my GP. Thank you so much; that’s very helpful.

I would very much hope you’d be able to get an interim HbA1c at around 3-4 months @Katiejay

My surgery seem happy for me to get checks approx 6-monthly, but they were more frequent earlier in my diagnosis.

 

[Katiejay]

I wish you luck with that! When my own T2 journey was in the early stages my surgery refused to grant even one extra test “because it wouldn’t be fair to the others”, even though I was just about their only T2 patient striving seriously not to burden the NHS with years of metformin, neuropathy, insulin, operations and all the rest. What their unsaid logic really was was “none of our patients ever achieves remission and you won’t either so extra tests to help you stay on course will be a waste of money.” Still, I’m not one to complain …

I think it’s very strange how many people with T2 really don’t try to change their lifestyle. The people who bother to join Diabetes UK and this Forum in order to help them control their T2, appear to be an exception. I’ve known several other people with T2 and none of them have changed their food, drink and exercise habits (my father was one). I know it must be really hard and I’m lucky in that I hardly drink any alcohol and I dislike sugary drinks. I’ll see what my GP surgery say. When I was pre-diabetic ten years ago, they did do an extra test when I asked for it and I’d gone down to 40 mmol/mol, so they know I can do it. Thank you for responding. @childofthesea43

 

[Leadinglights]

I think it’s very strange how many people with T2 really don’t try to change their lifestyle. The people who bother to join Diabetes UK and this Forum in order to help them control their T2, appear to be an exception. I’ve known several other people with T2 and none of them have changed their food, drink and exercise habits (my father was one). I know it must be really hard and I’m lucky in that I hardly drink any alcohol and I dislike sugary drinks. I’ll see what my GP surgery say. When I was pre-diabetic ten years ago, they did do an extra test when I asked for it and I’d gone down to 40 mmol/mol, so they know I can do it. Thank you for responding. @childofthesea43

That is often why GPs will hand out the pills because they assess that the patient will not engage with lifestyle changes.
I met a friend recently who told me he can no longer feel his feet and has had to have his car converted to hand controls yet he had a plateful of sandwiches and 2 pieces of cake. He cannot do some of his hobbies as they involve standing for periods of time.
My GP was quite willing to do my second blood test at 3 months and then 6 months after that and interesting that showed up low folate.

 

[Katiejay]

Katie, whilst I don't like having another couple of conditions, I have found a silver lining is being able to ask to add an A1c (or whatever) to the bloods being drawn for monitoring other conditions.

So far, that tactic has worked, for me, but maybe worth storing in a corner of your mind, should it help you.

That’s a very good idea because I do have another condition, for which I’m due another blood test in January and that would be 3 months since my HbA1c test so I’ll bear that in mind. Thank you. @AndBreathe.

 

[Katiejay]

That is often why GPs will hand out the pills because they assess that the patient will not engage with lifestyle changes.
I met a friend recently who told me he can no longer feel his feet and has had to have his car converted to hand controls yet he had a plateful of sandwiches and 2 pieces of cake. He cannot do some of his hobbies as they involve standing for periods of time.
My GP was quite willing to do my second blood test at 3 months and then 6 months after that and interesting that showed up low folate.

I made it clear to my GP that I would make the lifestyle changes and I think that’s why she didn’t put me on medication. @Leadinglights.

 

[Leadinglights]

I made it clear to my GP that I would make the lifestyle changes and I think that’s why she didn’t put me on medication. @Leadinglights.

Obviously made a good judgement in your case, I hope they support you by agreeing to your HbA1C retest.