Just been told by GP

[Vangellis]

Hello.
I had to call my GP regarding the results of a routine blood test (I take Rivaroxaban-blood thinner) this requires periodical monitoring.
The GP told me my blood sugar level was 49, and I should cut back on sugar and carbs.
I have absolutely no idea what he was on about.
I don't understand it at all, about a month ago a different GP form the practice came to my home as I was feeling poorly (I am registered severely disabled and housebound)
but I was a bit worried because I have heart failure and copd, (very annoying as I never smoked in my life)
but I was getting a bit breathless, a lot more than usual.
The GP did the full MOT, temp, bp etc, and also did a blood sugar test with one of those things they have where they stick a needle into your fingertip.
The GP didn't say anything, so I asked him if the blood sugar test was ok, he said it was a bit on the low side and asked if I had eaten breakfast (I hadn't) he didn't say anything else except to tell me I should eat breakfast every day. (I don't)
This all happened on Friday 23rd November, since then I have been a complete wreck, I am petrified, I am even scared to eat anything.
I read somewhere online that this reading of 49 is an overall average of previous tests, but before this test, it is two years since I had a blood test.
So, I don't know what the hell's going on.
Oh, and I live alone, not that it makes any difference.
Thank you for reading.
Vangellis

 

[Inka]

Hi @Vangellis Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Please don’t be petrified. Firstly, your 49 isn’t too far into the diabetes zone, so it’s very possible that if you make some small sustained changes you’ll improve that result.

@Anitram has explained the tests clearly above so i’ll just add that you don’t need to be afraid to eat. Just watch out for too many carbs, which you probably know are things like bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, cereals, etc. I always recommend writing down what you’re eating at the moment and see where you can make some small changes. You don’t have to cut out carbs completely, just watch your portion sizes and the composition of your meals so you don’t overdo the carbs. Fill the ‘missing space’ with protein like meat and fish and eggs and/or green veg.

 

[DaveB]

Hi. As others have said don't panic as that reading is only marginally diabetic. At this stage just cut down the carbs and have enough proteins, fats, veg and non tropical fruit to keep you away from hunger. Your blood sugar should come down and then just stay with that new approach to eating

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Vangellis
You have already had plenty of excellent advice from @Anitram so I will just encourage you to keep in touch and ask any questions that you have. Nothing is considered silly on here. Plenty of help and support available.

 

[Christy]

I was told by a gp 2 months ago I have an HbA1c of 49 too. Given no advice other than lose weight. Thankfully I found this forum and am eating low carb, normal fat and am testing bg on waking, before meals and 2 hours after. I'm also making sure I exercise daily and get regular reminders from my fitbit to get up off my backside. I've lost 2 stone in the process and am hopeful of a reduced number when re-tested at the end of November. There's loads of friendly advice on here, make the most of it. Commit to changing your lifestyle and best wishes to you.

 

[Jodee]

As other have indicated.

Not eating anything will surely upset your blood sugar levels. *It would be a good idea to eat regular meals to help the levels remain stable.

49mmol with a finger prick test is nothing, its very good.
49 HbA1c (blood test from vein in the arm) mean you have diabetes and cutting back on carbs and sugars as suggested by the doc would help. So say instead of packet of crisps, have a rice cake or cream cracker, instead of 2 slices of bread have 1, instead of 3 potatoes have 2 etc. Reduce the the consumption of cake and sweet biscuits, eat half banana at breakfast and the other half at lunch, just small chances initially will help.

Its nothing to panic about. Best wishes

 

[Vangellis]

Hi Everybody.
A quick update, the blood sugar monitor arrived yesterday morning.
I have no idea what my GP is talking about, I think there is a mistake somewhere here.
Anyway, I did the first test yesterday morning, and the readings were,

1- 10:00am= 4.7
2- 3:00pm (2 hours after meal) =5.6
3- 9:30pm= 4.7
This morning.
9:00am= 5.3
These numbers are almost identical to the test the nurse did at my home when she visited to do my annual blood test as I'm on Rivaroxaban, the blood thinner. (Xarelto 20mg daily).
I telephoned my Pharmacist and he said the results were ideal.
So, not really sure what to do now, GP is doing a repeat blood test in February/21.
Guess I shall just carry on with the reduced carbs diet and just keep an eye on it.
As Anitram advised in an earlier post,
I phoned the GP and told them the readings and how they are conflicting with the GP's original diagnosis.
Just wait for them to get in touch I suppose.
Thanks for reading,
And also, a HUGH Thank you to all who have replied.
Vangellis.

 

[Robin]

Hi Everybody.
A quick update, the blood sugar monitor arrived yesterday morning.
I have no idea what my GP is talking about, I think there is a mistake somewhere here

One question for you, or your GP. Are you anaemic? Anaemia can produce a falsely high HbA1c result.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Anaemia can produce a falsely high HbA1c result.

(Or a low one, just to be confusing.) There's also other things that can cause a high HbA1c, which is surely why it's normal to have more than one test.

 

[helli]

@Vangellis Those latest readings definitely look good.

If you have cut down on carbs since the Hb1Ac test registered 49, the finger prick readings are not a huge surprise. Bear in mind that the 49 was an indication of your blood sugars over the previous 3 months not the next!
And 49 is in completely different units to those you are getting from your finger pricks. 49mmol/mol is equivalent to an average of 7.9mmol/l.

The other thing to consider is that with finger pricks you are only seeing your blood sugar values at that moment in time.
I know the recommendation is to take a reading 2 hours after eating. But again, this is an approximation. It is not a bad approximation but it is an approximation. Different foods are converted to sugar at different rates. For example, people treated with insulin are advised to carry fast acting cars such as dextrose which can raise our blood sugars within 10 minutes whereas fatty food such as chocolate and pizza can take 4 or 5 hours to reach their blood sugar peak.

What I am saying is just because you are now seeing great readings when you prick your finger, it doesn't mean the Hb1AC of 49 was wrong.
If you are happy with your new diet and have no problems maintaining it, do so. If you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, eating less carbs is not going to be a bad thing.

Good luck with your journey and your next Hb1AC test in 3 months time.

 

[Vangellis]

One question for you, or your GP. Are you anaemic? Anaemia can produce a falsely high HbA1c result.

Hello,

One question for you, or your GP. Are you anaemic? Anaemia can produce a falsely high HbA1c result.

One question for you, or your GP. Are you anaemic? Anaemia can produce a falsely high HbA1c result.

Hi Robin. Yes, I can confirm I am NOT anaemic. However, I shall include my normal daily intake of the following as I thought that perhaps they may interfere with the readings,
I take
3 X daily Ferrous Fumarate 210mg (Iron)
1- Spironolactone 25mg (water tablet)
3 X daily Thiamine 100mg
1-Candestaran 2mg (vitamin D, I think)
1- Atorvastatin 40mg
2- Sertraline 100mg. (Antidepressant)
1- Mirtazapine 30mg (Antidepressant)
1- Amiodarone 200mg (Heart Rythym Tablet)
2- Omeprazole 40mg (Gastro Resistant Capsule)
1- Rivaroxaban 20mg (Blood thinner)
1- Bumetanide 1mg (Water Tablet)
So, there we are.
Vangellis.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

1-Candestaran 2mg (vitamin D, I think)

I think that one's for reducing blood pressure. (Presuming it's Candesartan.)

Judging by https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3401751/ the main drugs that would increase HbA1c are aspirin and opiates (both high doses). I presume there are others; that was just a good looking paper from a quick google search.

Effects of multiple drugs aren't that well studied, which is a bit of a problem given that that's often how they're taken in reality. I'm sure your GP won't rule out some odd drug effect, and if you can show a bunch of finger prick tests in the normal range then they may well be OK assuming the HbA1c (if the next one is high) is a false high. (Which can happen anyway in some people.)

 

[Drummer]

The good news is that you are so close to normal that a few changes in your diet could easily solve things, and - with any luck, you could see some improvement in your general health and feeling of well being by keeping away from high carb foods.
Meat, fish, seafood, eggs and cheese are all low carb, and there are a lot of lower carb things to put with what you chose to have. Just halving high carb foods, bread, potatoes grain of any sort could put your Hba1c into the normal, and choosing lower sugar fruits to eat, and watching the portion size are all going to mean lower readings after eating.
Do be careful as you lower your intake of carbs as I have heard of cases where improved blood pressure mean that their medication was too much and they were going dizzy, one fell and was quite badly hurt.

 

[Vangellis]

I think that one's for reducing blood pressure. (Presuming it's Candesartan.)

Judging by https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3401751/ the main drugs that would increase HbA1c are aspirin and opiates (both high doses). I presume there are others; that was just a good looking paper from a quick google search.

Effects of multiple drugs aren't that well studied, which is a bit of a problem given that that's often how they're taken in reality. I'm sure your GP won't rule out some odd drug effect, and if you can show a bunch of finger prick tests in the normal range then they may well be OK assuming the HbA1c (if the next one is high) is a false high. (Which can happen anyway in some people.)

Hi Bruce, thank you very much indeed for pointing that out, I just phoned my GP 5 minutes ago to query this Candesartan, apparently, I was told to stop this 3 months ago. I should be taking Colecalciferol 1000 IU instead. It's okay though as I have been taking the correct one as well, so I need to stop the Candesartan immediately.

 

[Vangellis]

Hello.
I had to call my GP regarding the results of a routine blood test (I take Rivaroxaban-blood thinner) this requires periodical monitoring.
The GP told me my blood sugar level was 49, and I should cut back on sugar and carbs.
I have absolutely no idea what he was on about.
I don't understand it at all, about a month ago a different GP form the practice came to my home as I was feeling poorly (I am registered severely disabled and housebound)
but I was a bit worried because I have heart failure and copd, (very annoying as I never smoked in my life)
but I was getting a bit breathless, a lot more than usual.
The GP did the full MOT, temp, bp etc, and also did a blood sugar test with one of those things they have where they stick a needle into your fingertip.
The GP didn't say anything, so I asked him if the blood sugar test was ok, he said it was a bit on the low side and asked if I had eaten breakfast (I hadn't) he didn't say anything else except to tell me I should eat breakfast every day. (I don't)
This all happened on Friday 23rd November, since then I have been a complete wreck, I am petrified, I am even scared to eat anything.
I read somewhere online that this reading of 49 is an overall average of previous tests, but before this test, it is two years since I had a blood test.
So, I don't know what the hell's going on.
Oh, and I live alone, not that it makes any difference.
Thank you for reading.
Vangellis

I'd like to give you an update on my sugar levels since last October I have been checking my blood sugar three times a day, I shall not write every single reading down obviously, as in total there are almost 500 readings, but my lowest reading was 3.6, and my highest was 5.9. Therefore, I am unable to understand why my GP told me on 30th September I am pre-diabetic.
Thanks
Vangellis.

 

[Inka]

Hi @Vangellis Did you vary the times you checked? That is, could you have missed higher sugars after food, etc?

Are you having a repeat HbA1C test?

 

[Vangellis]

Hi, Inka.
No, I take the 3 daily tests religiously, every day at, 9:30 am (before eating or drinking anything), then 1 & 1/2 hours after my lunch (usually around 3 pm) then the last one for the day at 11:30 pm, before I go to bed.
The readings have always been hovering between 4.5 to 5.3.
Thanks
Vangellis.

 

[Inka]

As you say, all the results you’ve got are normal @Vangellis What you could do is try some tests at other times eg 90-120 minutes after your evening meal. You could do those tests instead of your usual ones or in addition. The idea is to check if you’re going high at other times, and to get an idea of what your blood sugar is doing at those times.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Well those levels look excellent @Vangellis

Will be interesting to see what sort of HbA1c result you get when you are next able to have it checked.

Hopefully it will have come down from your initial 49, and even if it hasn’t, you have a lot of results within the optimal range to discuss with your GP.

 

[Drummer]

You should (I would have thought) see a normal Hba1c after those readings, but so should I, with the readings I get after eating, but I am stuck at the top end of normal - 42 - I reduced my carbs to see it fall from there, but it didn't. Still 42.
OK - well, all things being equal, that will do.
I have seen readings of 5.6 after having Christmas dinner on two consecutive days - that was when I knew I had it beaten.
We might have something which raises Hba1c results - yours might be the result of an error at the lab.
If you are happy with your diet then I would encourage going on eating the same way - me being almost 70 and dancing about like a Spring lamb - well I would advise others to do likewise.