Is this a waste of time?

[Newbie777]

Hello,

My last HbA1c result was done in Jan 2021, it was 102.

I started my low carb plan and stopped taking Glicizide around the 1st Feb, so will be looking at another HbA1c read around early May.

But I will be seeing my GP in early March and wondering if it worth asking for the HbA1c to be done then and also later in May.
I realise that the HbA1c figure may not be too accurate but am hoping an indicator where it at least drops.

Also at the GP surgery I wanted to see if he can my check my kidneys, liver but importantly my Cholestrol due to the large fat/protein intake.

Has anyone done monthly HbA1c readings?

Or it is it a waste of time as Haemoglobin only stays for 3 months and the part measurement will not work?

 

[Lucyr]

Hello,

My last HbA1c result was done in Jan 2021, it was 102.

I started my low carb plan and stopped taking Glicizide around the 1st Feb, so will be looking at another HbA1c read around early May.

But I will be seeing my GP in early March and wondering if it worth asking for the HbA1c to be done then and also later in May.
I realise that the HbA1c figure may not be too accurate but am hoping an indicator where it at least drops.

Also at the GP surgery I wanted to see if he can my check my kidneys, liver but importantly my Cholestrol due to the large fat/protein intake.

Has anyone done monthly HbA1c readings?

Or it is it a waste of time as Haemoglobin only stays for 3 months and the part measurement will not work?

I’d probably say it’s best not to get an a1c done after less than three months. Whilst it might have dropped a bit it will likely still be high because of the old high bgs, so it won’t tell you whether the new diet is enough or whether it would be best to add medication, and your GP may view it as “it’s still high so reccomend medication”. If you’re having other blood tests done anyway then doing an a1c too isn’t really any extra work though, so I’d probably go by whether anything else needs doing before May.

 

[Newbie777]

Thank you,

I have to confess one of the reasons it was so high is that I went to Tenefire with my 2 daughters, we went all inclusive and although I had fresh grilled fish everyday, I over indulged on the carbs! So guilty as charged. So the March reading will still reflect this.
Yes the bloods taken with HbA1c, also measure the other reads.

 

[AndBreathe]

Hello,

My last HbA1c result was done in Jan 2021, it was 102.

I started my low carb plan and stopped taking Glicizide around the 1st Feb, so will be looking at another HbA1c read around early May.

But I will be seeing my GP in early March and wondering if it worth asking for the HbA1c to be done then and also later in May.
I realise that the HbA1c figure may not be too accurate but am hoping an indicator where it at least drops.

Also at the GP surgery I wanted to see if he can my check my kidneys, liver but importantly my Cholestrol due to the large fat/protein intake.

Has anyone done monthly HbA1c readings?

Or it is it a waste of time as Haemoglobin only stays for 3 months and the part measurement will not work?

Whilst haemoglobin lives about 3 months, it doesn't all die at once, so at any given time we have older and newer cells in our blood.

Whilst the NHS does tests every three months, the result of an A1c most closely reflects the condition of your blood over the last couple of months, so redoing every couple of months can be useful.

I know of a GP who works with many patients living with T2, and for those adopting a LC diet, he retests at 6 weeks, as that gives an indication of what's going on, and his patients find it very motivational.

If your GP won't agree to an early A1c test, you could do something yourself. You could use a private testing service, such as MonitorMyHealth (there are others out there too, like Medichecks, Blue Horizon), who run an A1c, from a finger prick test for £29 https://monitormyhealth.org.uk/ For this you collect your blood sample at home and post it off, with results arriving within a day or so of the sample reaching them.

Or you could do one at home, again from a finger prick test. I have used these tests: https://millermedicalsupplies.com/d...g/hba1c/a1cnowr-hba1c-whole-blood-tester.html Although that particular pack contains 10 tests, you can buy packs of 4 tests, but the saving isn't proportional.

With the A1cNow tests, you do those totally in your own home (or wherever you choose to do it), so no post involved.

 

[Newbie777]

Brill, thank you very much.

Actually, it will be 8 weeks since last HbA1c when I see the GP.

i like the idea of paying for it myself and I think I have read about Haemoglobin not stayng on the blood for 3 months.

Dont want to do it now though, but if GP says no then will look at the options you have given.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Brill, thank you very much.

Actually, it will be 8 weeks since last HbA1c when I see the GP.

i like the idea of paying for it myself and I think I have read about Haemoglobin not stayng on the blood for 3 months.

Dont want to do it now though, but if GP says no then will look at the options you have given.

Be careful. A Hba1c isn't a fingerprick test. You may find it's a BG test they extrapolate back. Ask how it works.

 

[Drummer]

I think it all depends on your surgery and what they allow.
My surgery does one Hba1c a year at the most. Any more has to be for a specific reason.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I think it all depends on your surgery and what they allow.
My surgery does one Hba1c a year at the most. Any more has to be for a specific reason.

Mine's good.
I tell them I'm doing stuff to help the diabetes, like diet or exercise, or just pigging out now I'm reversed, they normally chip in to make sure I'm still on track. Working as a team!

 

[Newbie777]

I think it all depends on your surgery and what they allow.
My surgery does one Hba1c a year at the most. Any more has to be for a specific reason.

It's currently once a year and called Diabetic Review, done by GP or DN.

The HbA1c and other blood results are done, feet are checked for circulation/sensitivity and pulse, blood pressure is also checked.

My HbA1c reads have been over 100, so not good news and each year more medication is added to help, but really the solution.
I guess I could do with losing some weight (I am 5ft 8, was 81kg, now 77kg and losing) perhaps another 5kg.

 

[Newbie777]

Mine's good.
I tell them I'm doing stuff to help the diabetes, like diet or exercise, or just pigging out now I'm reversed, they normally chip in to make sure I'm still on track. Working as a team!

That's really good.

We have different GPs and DNs, some of the GP's are qualified but new and after a year of experience move on.

It did not worry me in the past as I worked away from home, but it's different now.

 

[Kaylz]

Be careful. A Hba1c isn't a fingerprick test. You may find it's a BG test they extrapolate back. Ask how it works.

Not true, some places offer a hba1c via finger prick testing, my local hospital for one and had them many times and also a lot of hospitals have been sending the tests out this way during the current situation so you might want to research a few things before accusing someone of being wrong

 

[Deleted member 21371]

There are POC Hba1c tests, the preferred method is a venous blood sample.
Whilst others extrapolate back from a BG test.
I'd still ask.

 

[Newbie777]

Not true, some places offer a hba1c via finger prick testing, my local hospital for one and had them many times and also a lot of hospitals have been sending the tests out this way during the current situation so you might want to research a few things before accusing someone of being wrong

No problem, Travellor, was only trying to help like yourself.

If I dont go to through the GP route then I will look at the options carefully.

The GP one was taken via bloods and the recent one at the Hospital was also done the same.

 

[Newbie777]

There are POC Hba1c tests, the preferred method is a venous blood sample.
Whilst others extrapolate back from a BG test.
I'd still ask.

Thank you

 

[Docb]

If I can mediate in this... Did a bit of looking up when the subject of finger prick testing for HbA1c was raised previously. The conclusion I came to was that finger prick testing was available and gave a Hba1c value. Two things struck me. First it is quite expensive. Second that the error on the test result is likely to be a bit larger than you might be comfortable with.

As such it seemed to me that the finger prick Hba1c test is of little value as a home testing option. You can see it being of use in a hospital where a clinician might want to know in a hurry whether somebodies HbA1c was in the green, amber or red zone. If they want a number then go to a proper blood sample.

To come back to the OP's question, quite what the optimum interval between HbA1c tests is, is debatable. The longer it is, the more confidence you can have in drawing conclusions on the effects of any changes in diet or medication that have been made. In the end its down to the pros who are looking after you.

 

[Newbie777]

If I can mediate in this... Did a bit of looking up when the subject of finger prick testing for HbA1c was raised previously. The conclusion I came to was that finger prick testing was available and gave a Hba1c value. Two things struck me. First it is quite expensive. Second that the error on the test result is likely to be a bit larger than you might be comfortable with.

As such it seemed to me that the finger prick Hba1c test is of little value as a home testing option. You can see it being of use in a hospital where a clinician might want to know in a hurry whether somebodies HbA1c was in the green, amber or red zone. If they want a number then go to a proper blood sample.

To come back to the OP's question, quite what the optimum interval between HbA1c tests is, is debatable. The longer it is, the more confidence you can have in drawing conclusions on the effects of any changes in diet or medication that have been made. In the end its down to the pros who are looking after you.

Thank you for researching the details and that is really helpful.

I can either ask for it via GP in March or because one was done in the Hospital in early Jan, asking for it early April, so not far away.

However, like I mentioned before I would feel better even if I had an rough idea, 1 very small victory now would be a read under 100.

Yes, the GP wants it at 50, I would have settled for 80 before, but now I can't see why I get not hit 50 in April.

My problem is although the daily reads are now fine, whenever I go and see the different Consultants and GP, they are only interested in my HbA1c reads, that's all they want to hear, so I am narked off. Its a shame I don't have much patience as 3 months is a long time to wait.

 

[Maca44]

I have just ordered my home HbA1c test kit that goes straight back to the lab, I'm also due one at the GP's but they can't do it until mid March so it will be interesting to see how they compare.

I will report results back.

 

[Docb]

@Newbie777 , it is not surprising that the pros focus on HbA1c if you think about it. It's a standard test, carried out under standard conditions and they can monitor progress without having to have to interpret anything. A string of spot readings taken under non standard conditions needs a bit of nous to interpret and I suspect is a bit beyond some GP's who do not come across such things often. I well remember taking my graphs to show a GP who looked at them quizzically and said...."I am not very good with graphs".

The real strength of the spot readings is what they tell you. In particular they tell you what ball park you are in and more importantly they give rapid feedback on the effect of different foodstuffs when you are trying to alter diet to get levels down. If they are showing mostly single figures with maybe the odd excursion into the teens then great. You should be able to look forward to a significant reduction from your HbA1c and 3 months will come round soon enough.

Also something to remember is that there many members on here who have found that dropping glucose levels too quickly introduces its own problems. On balance it seems a better plan to aim for a steady decline.

 

[Newbie777]

@Newbie777 , it is not surprising that the pros focus on HbA1c if you think about it. It's a standard test, carried out under standard conditions and they can monitor progress without having to have to interpret anything. A string of spot readings taken under non standard conditions needs a bit of nous to interpret and I suspect is a bit beyond some GP's who do not come across such things often. I well remember taking my graphs to show a GP who looked at them quizzically and said...."I am not very good with graphs".

The real strength of the spot readings is what they tell you. In particular they tell you what ball park you are in and more importantly they give rapid feedback on the effect of different foodstuffs when you are trying to alter diet to get levels down. If they are showing mostly single figures with maybe the odd excursion into the teens then great. You should be able to look forward to a significant reduction from your HbA1c and 3 months will come round soon enough.

Also something to remember is that there many members on here who have found that dropping glucose levels too quickly introduces its own problems. On balance it seems a better plan to aim for a steady decline.

Thank you that makes sense

Since going on low carb on 1st Feb 2021 and also getting rid of 2 X 80mg Glicizide, my BG has been in single figures (once 1 hour after food and it was 10.6).In the past, I think 2 hours after lunchtime they were over 15.0!

Under any other circumstances I would happily wait 3 months. But I have more appointments with eye specialists in March and have nothing to show for it.

 

[Newbie777]

I have just ordered my home HbA1c test kit that goes straight back to the lab, I'm also due one at the GP's but they can't do it until mid March so it will be interesting to see how they compare.

I will report results back.

Hi,

Which one did you order?

Thanks