Newbie- Is there a relationship between HbA1c and finger prick metre test?

[Docb]

Don't think you are muddying the waters at all @Eddy Edson, it's another way of illustrating the idea that the numbers we all quote have errors associated with them, errors we rarely acknowledge. You can also add that the notion of "average" for spot blood glucose readings is a bit arbitrary bearing in mind that it varies so much with time of day and is a massively skewed, far from normal distribution.

Whatever way you look at it, one thing is for sure is that if you keep routine double figures off your bodging score card then you are not going to get an HbA1c to panic about and this should give @Jenny105 some encouragement to keep on doing what she is doing!

 

[grovesy]

If you log enough readings in the mysugr app then it’ll estimate HbA1C and the estimate isn’t a million miles away from the likely test results.

For me logging onto mySugr app and estimate on my Libre Veiw, both estimates are much lower than actual lab results.

 

[Jenny105]

Hi all thanks for the scientific input and discussion . Its very interesting to read. Personally its not an exact figure Im looking for, just a ''possibly maybe rough'' idea of how I'm doing. 18.6 to 6-8 in 2 1/2 weeks

My nurse only wants one reading a day. I do do more out of interest. Im a bit unusual
No sign of any blood test problem for 20yrs. August 21 HbA1c 96 .First metre reading was 18.6, nurse, After 5 weeks tends to be 6 - 8. So either its what Im doing + Metformin 500 x 2 .Or some sudden abberation which is clearing ???? C below

I don't think I'm a usual candidate height 5 ft 1; Weight June 19th 61 kg ,Thirst and urine symptoms for only 2 days b 4 contacting Doc , weight Aug 18th @ diagnosis 55kg. weight now, 5 weeks later 53kg. (got kg right now?)
Vit B at diagnosis 1400 2 weeks later 2000.
Doc will test Vit B again when i have my regular tests in Nov along with HbA1c.

 

[JJay]

If you log enough readings in the mysugr app then it’ll estimate HbA1C and the estimate isn’t a million miles away from the likely test results.

Yes, this is what I've found. In fact last time, Libre got it right too!

 

[ColinUK]

Hi all thanks for the scientific input and discussion . Its very interesting to read. Personally its not an exact figure Im looking for, just a ''possibly maybe rough'' idea of how I'm doing. 18.6 to 6-8 in 2 1/2 weeks

My nurse only wants one reading a day. I do do more out of interest. Im a bit unusual
No sign of any blood test problem for 20yrs. August 21 HbA1c 96 .First metre reading was 18.6, nurse, After 5 weeks tends to be 6 - 8. So either its what Im doing + Metformin 500 x 2 .Or some sudden abberation which is clearing ???? C below

I don't think I'm a usual candidate height 5 ft 1; Weight June 19th 61 kg ,Thirst and urine symptoms for only 2 days b 4 contacting Doc , weight Aug 18th @ diagnosis 55kg. weight now, 5 weeks later 53kg. (got kg right now?)
Vit B at diagnosis 1400 2 weeks later 2000.
Doc will test Vit B again when i have my regular tests in Nov along with HbA1c.

My gp told me not to bother testing at all. I’m glad I do.

 

[Jenny105]

My gp told me not to bother testing at all. I’m glad I do.

@ColinUK Interesting . I'm glad I do tests occasionally. My personality would lend itself to obsessive if too oftenbehaviour plus Im in and out or away from home at times .
I did an experiment this am Lunch , main meal. I tried a portion of brown rice, with melon slice to follow. probably about 60 carbs. This rendered 11.4, 2 hours later. Another time I'll have the same meal but without the melon. I suspect 30-40 carbs is my mean carb portion.

 

[Eddy Edson]

@ColinUK Interesting . I'm glad I do tests occasionally. My personality would lend itself to obsessive if too oftenbehaviour plus Im in and out or away from home at times .
I did an experiment this am Lunch , main meal. I tried a portion of brown rice, with melon slice to follow. probably about 60 carbs. This rendered 11.4, 2 hours later. Another time I'll have the same meal but without the melon. I suspect 30-40 carbs is my mean carb portion.

I'm sure you're aware, but anyway you'll probably have different reactions to different foods, not necessarily directly related to the amount of carbs in each. Eg: in my early D-days, I'd have a big BG reaction to melon compared to the same amount of carbs from eg an apple. It really annoyed me, because melon was a central pillar of breakfast for me 🙂 Anyway, for general nutrition, IMO melon wins hand-down over rice and I'd look at ditching the rice instead, if one has to go.

(More generally, you may well find that BG reaction doesn't increase with increasing carbs, past a certain point.)

Also worth bearing in mind that things will no doubt change with time. Eg: I zapped my T2D by losing some weight & now I can happily eat a whole bunch of melon, hoorah!

 

[Leadinglights]

@ColinUK Interesting . I'm glad I do tests occasionally. My personality would lend itself to obsessive if too oftenbehaviour plus Im in and out or away from home at times .
I did an experiment this am Lunch , main meal. I tried a portion of brown rice, with melon slice to follow. probably about 60 carbs. This rendered 11.4, 2 hours later. Another time I'll have the same meal but without the melon. I suspect 30-40 carbs is my mean carb portion.

I hope if you are going to be making comparisons then you are recording the weight of your portion of rice and slice of melon so you can have a good idea of the grams of carb. If you are overestimating the grams of carb then they may be affecting you more than you think.

 

[Jenny105]

I'm sure you're aware, but anyway you'll probably have different reactions to different foods, not necessarily directly related to the amount of carbs in each. Eg: in my early D-days, I'd have a big BG reaction to melon compared to the same amount of carbs from eg an apple. It really annoyed me, because melon was a central pillar of breakfast for me 🙂 Anyway, for general nutrition, IMO melon wins hand-down over rice and I'd look at ditching the rice instead, if one has to go.

(More generally, you may well find that BG reaction doesn't increase with increasing carbs, past a certain point.)

Also worth bearing in mind that things will no doubt change with time. Eg: I zapped my T2D by losing some weight & now I can happily eat a whole bunch of melon, hoorah!

All interesting ! Im getting the drift. Everyones comments help

 

[Jenny105]

I hope if you are going to be making comparisons then you are recording the weight of your portion of rice and slice of melon so you can have a good idea of the grams of carb. If you are overestimating the grams of carb then they may be affecting you more than you think.

I have an oldish Salter scales and booklet . Weigh , press numbers , press carbs and up comes a figure. I wouldnt stake my life on it but it gives an idea. An 1/8 melon was 40ish carbs.

 

[Jenny105]

Additional thought I spent a week end in a gypsy caravan 2 weeks ago, 2 gas rings tricky. but researched a cafe for breakfast and pubs for evening. That seemed OK with care .
NOW its overnight Sleeper to Fort William & 3 nights in a hotel (which isnt showing its menu online ) I'm taking a variety of foods / salads / Free from thins with me. I've found a carvery (pick & choose) plus a kitchen brasserie ( 3 good dishes) My fortune is that Im trying to put on weight not lose !! Comments or suggestions welcome

 

[AJLang]

I have an oldish Salter scales and booklet . Weigh , press numbers , press carbs and up comes a figure. I wouldnt stake my life on it but it gives an idea. An 1/8 melon was 40ish carbs.

I could be wrong but I would be extremely surprised if 1/8 melon is 40 carbs. I would expect it to be a lot, lot lower than that.

 

[ColinUK]

I could be wrong but I would be extremely surprised if 1/8 melon is 40 carbs. I would expect it to be a lot, lot lower than that.

Could be a very very large melon

 

[Jenny105]

I could be wrong but I would be extremely surprised if 1/8 melon is 40 carbs. I would expect it to be a lot, lot lower than that.

Phew It was a huge honeydew melon. I ll check the scales with something I know to be correct. Or its my maths . It could also be that I need new glasses. 😎

 

[Leadinglights]

Phew It was a huge honeydew melon. I ll check the scales with something I know to be correct. Or its my maths . It could also be that I need new glasses. 😎

It should be easy enough to work out from the weight of the melon you actually have, minus skin and seeds as it is approx 9g carb per 100g.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Phew It was a huge honeydew melon.

Even so, I think you'd need about half a kg to get 40g carbs. They're mostly water, after all. (OK, a bit less than 500g but close enough.)

 

[Jenny105]

Even so, I think you'd need about half a kg to get 40g carbs. They're mostly water, after all. (OK, a bit less than 500g but close enough.)

I weighed the whole melon !!! Ah me - we all make mistakes.

 

[AJLang]

No worries I just didn’t want you to think that you were eating more carbs than you thought you were.

 

[Jenny105]

No worries I just didn’t want you to think that you were eating more carbs than you thought you were.

I like melon and also grapefruit. Im only eating 1/4 gfruit instead of 1/2 . Again weighing the skin. Live and learn. Thanks for your intervention. All welcome

 

[Leadinglights]

I like melon and also grapefruit. Im only eating 1/4 gfruit instead of 1/2 . Again weighing the skin. Live and learn. Thanks for your intervention. All welcome

Yes, just weigh what you are going to eat, otherwise you are thinking you are eating more carbs than you actually are. Half a grapefruit is approx 6g carb. I would suspect the peel weighs more than the flesh in it.