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HbA1c - Type 1 - Fasting

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mum2westiesGill

mum2westiesGill

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Type 1. Have fasted and as the letter said since 10pm last night. I'm booked in to have my HbA1c at 9am this morning, surgery opens at 8am, have just tested and BG is 3.8. It's come to mind from previous tests that Type 1's don't need to fast. What to do?
 
When I had to fast for a general anaesthetic they suggested sugar dissolved in warm water for a low sugar. I didn't think you had to fast for HBA1C are you having a cholesterol test as well? It has been many,many years since I've had to fast for any blood test.
 
I've never fasted for an HbA1c, but there is some debate as to whether you need to fast for a cholesterol test. I would wait 15 mins and test again as my levels would rise anyway if I woke at 3.8. If still low then you have no option but to treat and let them know when you go for your test.
 
Thanks for the quick reply as I'm worried here. As far as I know everything is done. Might just go and do that re the sugar dissolved in warm water.
 
So have just had a mug of warmed water with 3 teaspoons of sugar and have got my meter set for mins 15
 
So after 3 teaspoons of sugar in warmed water and 15 mins later BG is now 7.8 🙂

So it's now over to you kind members of the forum to guess the HbA1c. Diabetic review is on Tues 9th July 😱
 
I'll punt for 7.5. Good luck!
 
Keep the guessing going for another couple of weeks because I'm back home.

Couldn't have HbA1c done 😡 grrrr. Apparently if the fasting isn't done properly it won't give accurate results & I was told it's the same for all diabetics. I was told that with a 9am appointment I can actually fast from midnight rather than 10pm. So next HbA1c appointment is for 9.10am on Monday 8th July - and after my weeks holiday at Haven (Primrose Valley). Diabetic review is for 1 week later on Tuesday 16th July.

Hopefully the weeks holiday won't interfere with my Hba1c being as it goes on the overall results from the previous 3 months 😱.
 
That is nonsense :( I have never had to fast for an HbA1c, and I've only ever seen it raised here a couple of times in the past for other members, so it is clearly not required for 'all diabetics' 🙄 How can having 15g of sugar on the morning of the test possibly have a significant effect on something that is designed to span 6-12 weeks?

I used to go to Primrose Valley camping when I was in my teens! 🙂
 
whiskysmum said:
Couldn't have HbA1c done 😡 grrrr. Apparently if the fasting isn't done properly it won't give accurate results & I was told it's the same for all diabetics.
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That's incorrect. Unless your blood draw was to include other tests, there was no need to fast for an a1c alone. The red blood cells have a lifespan of 8-12 weeks, so any glucose binding to a new red blood cell in the few hours at the end of that time period is going to make no difference at all. My son has never had to fast!

What a pain in the **** for you 😡
 
I agree. You are often asked to fast for a set of test (particularly if a full lipid panel is involved), but an A1c would not be affected.

However the test order forms I take do have a 'fasting' box, and if this was ticked (by default) the phlebotomist might just have been following orders?
 
Well, I asked on a Facebook group is people were told to fast and is seems that what might have happened is that Type 2s are told to fast but Type 1s should not, but many doctors assume that older people are Type 2 (they probably think only children get Type 1 and they grow out of it! 🙄 )
 
If the nurse keeps insisting on a fasting test, I would just say yes I've fasted. That way everybody's happy 😉
 
I have to admit that if I'd only had sugar in water to treat a hypo then I would also say that I'd fasted🙄 especially as I know that it doesn't affect the HBA1C🙂
 
I've been told so far to specifically _not_ fast 🙂 Weird how everything with this disease is different everywhere! :D
 
Weird how everything with this disease is different everywhere!
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It's because so few medical staff have any actual idea what diabetes is. I've been stuck in conversations with nurses who've been telling me I'm so young to have diabetes (I'm 29) and it's been quite clear they've never even heard of Type 1 diabetes.
 
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