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Hello I’d love some straightforward guidance

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SueEK said:
If you have got down to 6.4 from where you were you are doing extremely well and I can only encourage you to carry on as you are. There are lots of tweaks we can all do at times but we still have to live an enjoyable life and so it can take a while to work out what is best for us, our lifestyle and most importantly our health. Everybody’s diabetes story is as different as their lives and so although we can and should take advice from each other, ultimately the changes we make must be what fits best for us. It is confusing to begin with and can be for some considerable time but just remember that you are doing very well and we are all here to help xx
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Thank you so much, I had a massive lightbulb moment late March and have really wanted to improve my health. Have been following lower carb eating and taken up various differing exercises which I’ve loved. It all helps doesn’t it x
 
LindaSA said:
Thank you so much, I had a massive lightbulb moment late March and have really wanted to improve my health. Have been following lower carb eating and taken up various differing exercises which I’ve loved. It all helps doesn’t it x
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It really does Linda as this is not what we have to do for just a few months so enjoying it is essential x
 
Your fasting blood glucose level is much reduced - which is probably good - but without knowing your Hba1c you do not know if you are in the normal range for the rest of the time. That includes how you are reacting to the meals you eat, the drinks, the snacks if you have them. Perhpas you could get the Hba1c test results - assuming that you have had them done, of course, to see how you are faring.
 
Drummer said:
Your fasting blood glucose level is much reduced - which is probably good - but without knowing your Hba1c you do not know if you are in the normal range for the rest of the time. That includes how you are reacting to the meals you eat, the drinks, the snacks if you have them. Perhpas you could get the Hba1c test results - assuming that you have had them done, of course, to see how you are faring.
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Such a good point and one I really want to discuss with the diabetic nurse. I’m very much hoping, and would expect, having lost 65lbs since March this year, and being told at my last appointment back in June that I’m out of a diabetic range and into prediabetic I’m doing really well overall. I’m not eating snacks, am doing intermittent fasting and have had much reduced potatoes, pieces of bread and no rice or pasta at all. I’ve had maybe 5 alcoholic drinks. What I can’t get my head round is why when I go to my diabetic review appointment I have a fasting test and as far as I understand it, not a Hba1c test. I really need to speak to the nurse about this and understand it better. I’m going to go back in October as I have a holiday the last two weeks of this month.
 
LindaSA said:
What I can’t get my head round is why when I go to my diabetic review appointment I have a fasting test and as far as I understand it, not a Hba1c test.
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For an HbA1c, a blood sample needs to go to a testing lab. You've never had one? Seems odd to me - I'd certainly quizz them at your next review.
 
LindaSA said:
What I can’t get my head round is why when I go to my diabetic review appointment I have a fasting test and as far as I understand it, not a Hba1c test. I really need to speak to the nurse about this and understand it better.
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Yes, that doesn't make sense. It's one of the things that ought to be routine if you're diabetic. Maybe if you're now prediabetic they stop it? Certainly worth finding out what they're thinking. (See https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-t...entials/what-are-the-15-healthcare-essentials)
 
My blood is sent to the lab.
Most often at these appointments I’m sent to the hospital to get blood out of me.
I’m always asked to make sure I’ve been fasting. It’s the fasting element that makes me interpret this as not a Hba1c test.
I’m sure it can be clearly and simply answered I just need to ask the right questions.
 
LindaSA said:
My blood is sent to the lab.
Most often at these appointments I’m sent to the hospital to get blood out of me.
I’m always asked to make sure I’ve been fasting. It’s the fasting element that makes me interpret this as not a Hba1c test.
I’m sure it can be clearly and simply answered I just need to ask the right questions.
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I get a fasting BG test and an HbA1c at the same time from the same blood sample, because that's what the doc orders. May be different for you? But certainly worth asking about.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Yes, that doesn't make sense. It's one of the things that ought to be routine if you're diabetic. Maybe if you're now prediabetic they stop it? Certainly worth finding out what they're thinking. (See https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-t...entials/what-are-the-15-healthcare-essentials)
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Also thank you for posting that link, an interesting list I can see a definite omission on the part of my GP practice in that there hasn’t been any psychological support.
 
Eddy Edson said:
I get a fasting BG test and an HbA1c at the same time from the same blood sample, because that's what the doc orders. May be different for you? But certainly worth asking about.
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Ah thank you this could be exactly it, couldn’t it. I think you may have just cracked it and my ‘mental block’ about this is a misunderstanding based on people telling me a Hba1c test doesn’t come from a fasting blood sample .
 
LindaSA said:
Hba1c test doesn’t come from a fasting blood sample
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I think the thing is it doesn't have to be a fasting blood sample, but there's no reason not to use fasting blood.
 
Eddy Edson said:
I get a fasting BG test and an HbA1c at the same time from the same blood sample, because that's what the doc orders.
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Mine include cholesterol, liver function, and a few others. (I think the cholesterol one is a fasting test. One or other is also a no alcohol for a while.)
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Mine include cholesterol, liver function, and a few others. (I think the cholesterol one is a fasting test. One or other is also a no alcohol for a while.)
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I get the same kind of panel. Latest guidance in various places says you don't actually need fasting blood for a good cholesterol test, but that hasn't made it into practice yet where I am.
 
Eddy Edson said:
I get the same kind of panel. Latest guidance in various places says you don't actually need fasting blood for a good cholesterol test, but that hasn't made it into practice yet where I am.
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It seems to be the same here in the UK it often comes up for discussion.
 
It might be worth asking for a print-out of your test results - I always do this, it means I have time to look at them at my leisure rather than having to remember what the nurse has told me, and also makes sure I get all of them as often the nurse only mentions a few - and also then if other people (eg my GP or consultant, depending where the tests were done and whether they have access to them) ask what my last results were I have them to hand.
 
TheClockworkDodo said:
It might be worth asking for a print-out of your test results - I always do this, it means I have time to look at them at my leisure rather than having to remember what the nurse has told me, and also makes sure I get all of them as often the nurse only mentions a few - and also then if other people (eg my GP or consultant, depending where the tests were done and whether they have access to them) ask what my last results were I have them to hand.
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Being very new to this and not been given much info I just emailed my GP surgery and they emailed me my test results - obviously being the NHS it was in a xps file format which is not longer supported as default on Windows 10 as its a retired format - Luckily the viewer is install able through Settings / Apps / Apps & Features / Manage optional features / Add a feature / xps viewer 🙂
 
Much better if you can do that, especially as the NHS only seem to be able to print one-sided and waste reams of paper!
My surgery don't seem to be that familiar with email though o_O - and I only have a Linux machine ...
 
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