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Hba1c results

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J

Joyce2730

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I am trying to manage my diabetes 2 with diet and exercise but am due to have spinal surgery soon. In my pre op assessment my hba1c was 45 but approximately 2 weeks later it had jumped up a point to 46 when I was thinking it should have fallen a bit more.

Can anyone explain this little rise in levels and my do other people have levels that jump around?
 
Absolutely we do - and frankly if you're attempting to micro manage HbA1c to that degree - even for complex surgery - you're going to be disappointed. Have they insisted you have to keep it below the level where diabetes is diagnosed? - cos I never have been able to manage that in 50 years. I've had a hysterectomy and knee surgery in my time (and 2 cataracts but they're only 15 ish minutes with local anaesthetic), always healed fantastically and not had any prob so far.
 
I have been managing mine with diet and lifestyle adjustments for three years. This year was the first time I managed to get it to 40 as it stuck to 42 no matter what I tried up until recently.
And since then - probably to teach me for feeling smug - my readings have been 6.2 - 7.9!! for the last week or so.

I have definitely noticed that when I feel stressed or if I make an effort to do more and harder exercise - my numbers climb instead of dropping. I think it is because of cortisol levels which rise in response to stress and then bugger up all the good work I do. Plus I haven't been sleeping well lately and that mucks things up as well.

If you are in pain that will be making a difference too.
 
I would say there is no real difference in the two test results as an HbA1C is an average over the previous 3 months so your 2 tests if only 2 weeks apart would be covering almost the same period of time anyway so any changes you have made to your life style would have really had time enough to show in the results. You are still not over the magic 47mmol/mol to give you a diabetes diagnosis but at risk or prediabetic.
Just make sure you are watching your carbohydrate intake and it should improve.
 
NotWorriedAtAll said:
I have been managing mine with diet and lifestyle adjustments for three years. This year was the first time I managed to get it to 40 as it stuck to 42 no matter what I tried up until recently.
And since then - probably to teach me for feeling smug - my readings have been 6.2 - 7.9!! for the last week or so.

I have definitely noticed that when I feel stressed or if I make an effort to do more and harder exercise - my numbers climb instead of dropping. I think it is because of cortisol levels which rise in response to stress and then bugger up all the good work I do. Plus I haven't been sleeping well lately and that mucks things up as well.

If you are in pain that will be making a difference too.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much x
 
Hello,
I'm Type 2.

Since March 2021 my HbA1c has been dropping from 114 to 58 In February this year. In May they had dropped to 45, and this month, 48. The Diabetic Team I'm currently talking to are discussing amongst themselves as to what happens next.

My diet is limited to 60 - 80 carbs a day and I've been on Insulin twice daily up to last week, the dose is now 16 units in the morning then nil for the rest of the day.
My blood this morning started at 14.6 and rose to 24mmol before dropping back to 20.0. They are continuing to drop.

They were talking of me being in Remission but have been tooing and fro-ing as to what is happening with my diabetes.

Any thoughts?
 
Silent Sands said:
Hello,
I'm Type 2.

Since March 2021 my HbA1c has been dropping from 114 to 58 In February this year. In May they had dropped to 45, and this month, 48. The Diabetic Team I'm currently talking to are discussing amongst themselves as to what happens next.

My diet is limited to 60 - 80 carbs a day and I've been on Insulin twice daily up to last week, the dose is now 16 units in the morning then nil for the rest of the day.
My blood this morning started at 14.6 and rose to 24mmol before dropping back to 20.0. They are continuing to drop.

They were talking of me being in Remission but have been tooing and fro-ing as to what is happening with my diabetes.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I think remission is a long way off sadly as the usual definition of remission is 2 consecutive HbA1C results below 42mmol/mol without any medication.
It looks more like your insulin regime is not working too well for you at the moment and probably needs reviewing by your diabetic team.
It sounds as if you really need bolus insulin as well as basal to account for meals.
 
Leadinglights said:
I think remission is a long way off sadly as the usual definition of remission is 2 consecutive HbA1C results below 42mmol/mol without any medication.
It looks more like your insulin regime is not working too well for you at the moment and probably needs reviewing by your diabetic team.
It sounds as if you really need bolus insulin as well as basal to account for meals.
Click to expand...
Thank-you for your input.
I was thinking something like that and not remission due to bad control of blood-glucose at present.
 
114 to 48 certainly isn't bad control.
And there is no difference between 45 and 48.
The test has a margin of accuracy, your hydration makes a difference, your red blood cell count will vary, keep doing what you are doing.
(Well, unless you did actually switch back onto donuts and crisps, in which case stop)
 
Looking back at your post it seems a bit odd that you are seeing those high readings as that is not consistent with an HbA1C of only 48mmol/mol unless they are one offs or are happening infrequently.
 
The BG is within range if I concentrate on what I'm doing, the opposite has been true for the last two/three days. My BG this morning was 13.9 something which I cannot for the life of me explain as they were only 10.9 at bedtime last night.
 
Silent Sands said:
The BG is within range if I concentrate on what I'm doing, the opposite has been true for the last two/three days. My BG this morning was 13.9 something which I cannot for the life of me explain as they were only 10.9 at bedtime last night.
Click to expand...
I'm not clear from what you said earlier whether you are still taking the insulin.
When did you check your blood glucose this morning as some people find that their levels go up as soon as they get up and potter about, it is the liver being super helpful in releasing glucose to give you energy and for your organs to function often referred to as foot on the Floor syndrome and checking before you even get out of bed can make a difference.
However you bedtime level is still highish though I suppose it is early days for you.
 
I was put in 16 Units of Humulin M3 insulin in the morning (Down from 30) and None for the evening dose (down from 40) as of six or seven days ago. My BG readings have been subsequentially high in the morning and last thing at night. (High as in 15 - 24).
 
Leadinglights said:
I think remission is a long way off sadly as the usual definition of remission is 2 consecutive HbA1C results below 42mmol/mol without any medication.
It looks more like your insulin regime is not working too well for you at the moment and probably needs reviewing by your diabetic team.
It sounds as if you really need bolus insulin as well as basal to account for meals.
Click to expand...

It appears that I'm to inject 6 units of insulin at night. But that is all set to change as I'm being ut on to two sets of insulin, a basal and a bolus starting next week, or whenever I get the prescription.

It seems you are right in your statement.
 
My BG although a little high in the morning & at bedtime is now being adjusted.
After visiting my Diabetic Nurse I found out the type of insulins and the dose, so I can look forward to more control of my BG, especially around mealtimes. I'm allowed to continue my low-carb diet (60 - 80 Carb/day) with the occasional blowout.
My weight so far has dropped to fourteen stone ten (93.13Kg) from 102Kg in February this year.
 
MY new insulins have arrived and started today. Basal 10 units in the morning. So far my BG has steadily been dropping. I am taking between 2 & 3 units before meals as instructed, it doesn't seem much but it's having a drastic effect on the glucose levels despite what I eat!
I am most surprised, but hey, it's a new learning curve.
 
This morning's reading was 10.3 before insulin, 17.9 after an hour after the morning dose of basal and bolus, then 11.7 after two and a half hours, then 10.9 after lunch.
Hope this clears up any misunderstandings I may have caused.
 
Last edited:
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