Hi everyone and a question if I may.........

[Andy D]

Hi all,
On February 19th I was informed I was pre-diabetic. Due to my lifestyle it didn't come as much of a shock. My Hba1c test was 48.
From that point on I have done everything to fight it, to the point where my BMI and blood pressure are back to normal. I was told that I would have another test in September, but decided I couldn't wait that long to see if everything I had done up to this point was having an impact. So I decided to have a private test done by LetsGetChecked (Which I believe this site endorses).
So the results come in, according to them, I am now 'Normal'. The test shows Haemoglobin A1c 5.9 -------- HbA1c (mmol/mol) 41
This sounded really promising until I searched for the 'Range', so to speak, that seems to suggest that my results are not normal.
I have searched on this site, but can't find anything that makes sense. Is there a link to a page that explains it?
Thanks...............Andy

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Andy D
Glad that you have found us and we are always happy to answer any questions that you have.

Well done on taking positive action following your diagnosis. You have seen a reduction in your HbA1c. The two values that the private company have given you are just the same reading but giving you the units that they used a few years ago (5.9) and the new scale which is used now (41). This reading taken from your blood sample is a measure of the average of your glucose over the past three months, weighted to the more recent levels. There is no purpose in having this done with a gap of less than three months and usually your checks will be at least 6 months apart.

A more useful measure for you in helping to make decisions about your diet and exercise is to do a finger prick test before and approximately 2 hours after your meal. This will show you how the amount of insulin that you are making and /or processing is dealing with the amount of carbohydrate (which all get changed into glucose once inside you) you are eating. Keeping record of your levels alongside the amount of carbs, and foods eaten will give you information from which you can make decisions about swaps in your diet and/or reductions in portion sizes. It is rare for T2s to be prescribed the test strips needed so it is likely that you will need to self-fund this but there are many on here who have found this has helped them to successfully manage their Diabetes without any meds.

Please come back with any other questions. Nothing is considered silly on here.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

So the results come in, according to them, I am now 'Normal'. The test shows Haemoglobin A1c 5.9 -------- HbA1c (mmol/mol) 41
This sounded really promising until I searched for the 'Range', so to speak, that seems to suggest that my results are not normal.

Awkwardly, 41 is just below the range for pre-diabetes (itself not uncontroversial) which is 42-48. (48 and above means someone is diabetic, though there are also other reasons why HbA1c might be high.)

So technically 41 is normal. It's just right at the high end of normal.

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome to the forum @Andy D 🙂

 

[Toucan]

Hello @Andy D.
Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on getting to grips with what to do to bring your Blood Glucose down, with such an excellent result, and getting yourself just below the pre-diabatic range.
There is some further information on HbA1c levels on the main DUK site: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/hba1c

As @SB2015 suggest though, going forward it might help you to maintain your good results if you had a self testing kit.
SD Gluco Navii is one that many people use, and test-review-adjust gives information on how to go about testing.

 

[Ralph-YK]

Welcome to the forum Andy.

My Hba1c test was 48.

according to them, I am now 'Normal'. The test shows Haemoglobin A1c 5.9 -------- HbA1c (mmol/mol) 41 This sounded really promising until I searched for the 'Range', so to speak, that seems to suggest that my results are not normal.

The ranges for the HbA1c test are:
30(?) - 41 is "normal"
42 - 47 is called pre-diabetic.
48 and above gets you a diagnoses of diabetic. (even if you go down below that again, you're still down as a diabetic.)

So 41 is counted as "normal", though right up at the top of that range.
If you were 48, I'd suggest you check with your doctor, ask if you were actually diagnosed as diabetic. If not, why?

So I decided to have a private test done by LetsGetChecked (Which I believe this site endorses).

I've not seen that mentioned on the forum. If you mean the Diabetes UK website; the forum isn't the same thing. (Despite the branding.) When posting on the forum, you are talking to other diabetics (& family etc) that have decided to sign up. Not really to Diabetes UK (though there are a couple of admin).
If you want to talk to Diabetes UK, look for contact details on their website.

I have searched on this site, but can't find anything that makes sense.

Do you mean the Diabetes UK website? Or this forum?

Is there a link to a page that explains it?

Diabetes UK have kept really changing their website, and I've no idea where anything is now, how to find it, or if it still exists on the site. So I'm afraid the links I did have are no good now.

 

[SB2015]

Hi @Andy D

If you are looking for information that explains Diabetes you will find a lot of resources in the Learning Zone (follow the link at the top of this page)

If you have any specific questions just ask. Happy to help.

 

[trophywench]

When a person isn't testing at home, GPs very often do a straight BG test at the same time as requesting an HbA1c - while they're taking blood for one thing anyway, it's no bother to take another few mls to test the other one! Hence I reckon 5.9 was your BG, ie the amount of glucose floating around in your bloodstream right now this minute and 41 was your HbA1c ie the amount of extra glucose not needed by your body over the last 90-120 days which because it wasn't needed, has therefore adhered itself to your red blood corpuscles instead cos that's what spare glucose does and that's OK until it gets to a much higher level and potentially it then starts having a detrimental effect on all our innards including the brain and every other organ.

I've never heard of the people you mentioned either - who withdrew the blood for you? - oh I've just looked at their website - fingerprick blood sample. The 5.9 will probably be correct - but I really don't know how reliable the HbA1c result of 41 will be.

 

[Andy D]

Hi all, and thanks for all the replys!

One thing I must say straight off the bat......My wife assures me I was 47, not 48. As Ralph-YK pointed out, 48 would have been in the 'Diabetic' range. Does being Diabetic affect your memory also?😉

You have all given me much to research, so thank you all again for the welcome and information.

 

[Ralph-YK]

The tests and numbers can get a bit confusing. I gather you can get some woolly headiness. Though, myself, it's quite possibly my heart condition.

 

[HenryBennett]

The tests and numbers can get a bit confusing. I gather you can get some woolly headiness. Though, myself, it's quite possibly my heart condition.

I put my woolly headedness down to the heart medication... and age, haha.

 

[Ralph-YK]

I put my woolly headedness down to the heart medication... and age, haha.

Some lower BP, which can have same affect. I've low BP now.

 

[trophywench]

AHA - the top end of 'pre-diabetic' then. I always say please treat this diagnosis as if it were actually a diabetes diagnosis, cos diabetes is like pregnancy ie you can't be 'slightly' pregnant - you either are or you aren't. So unless you want to have diabetes and far as I know, nobody ever did - best sort your diet and lifestyle out asap to address it - and don't revert to your former ways once you've done that, unless you DO want to become diabetic in the future!

 

[KARNAK]

Hello @Andy D welcome to the forum, great to have you onboard.🙂

 

[Lizzzie]

Hello! Nothing to add, except - there is no magic number below which you won't be diabetic anymore but it sounds as if you've grabbed the bull by both horns and made a big difference so well done- and keep going! Your effort, diet or exercise or whatever, as you manage to maintain it long-term, and not the exact number on the machine, is what will make the difference.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Andy D

Well I’ve been a member of this forum for over a decade, and I’ve never heard of the private testing company you mention - and I’m certainly not aware of any kind of endorsement from Diabetes UK. I did wonder whether you might be confusing this forum with the UK’s most commercial diabetes forum DCUK - but I cant find any affiliate links on their pages either!

There shouldn’t really be any need to pay privately for your HbA1c - many surgeries are finding ways around the current restrictions to offer versions of their usual routine care in one form or another.

Congratulations on your progress so far though! Onwards and downwards 🙂

For more background reading there are lots of useful links and resources here:

Useful links for people new to diabetes

These links provide useful information, particularly to those newly-diagnosed. You can also browse the Recommended Books and Links sections for further information :) Contents: Type 1 Section Insulin Pumps Section Type 2 Section General Help and Information Section You may also find this...

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