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very low hb1ac

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Brinley

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Type 1
Hello,
Having a bit of a panic here; my Hb1AC reading last week was 14.
The specialist said it was impossible , so has sent me to redo the tests but in the meantime, any information I should be arming myself with to be taken seriously?
My Hb1AC four months before was 30 (47 the on before that) so there does seem to be a trend. I've been concerned for ages about the peaks & troughs in my BG levels but just get told I have very good control & need to lighten up. Yesterday, for example I had 318 (sorry, in Italy so we count differently) after lunch, then hypo before and after dinner. would like to see the medics lighten up in similar circumstances.
Any advice, reassurance (sympathy!) much appreciated
 
Hi Brinley, I must admit I've never encountered an HbA1c so low before, sounds like a dodgy test to me. I have seen people with an HbA1c in the upper 20s, but never teens.There is another test called the fructosamine test which is given to people who are affected by anaemia, sickle cell anaemia or thalassaemia, as the HbA1c doesn't work properly in those circumstances. Are you affected by any of those conditions?
 
It's either a very dodgy test or perhaps the reading is low due to is it anaemia that causes false low readings?

Re your yoyo effect blood sugars how long before you eat are you bolusing?
 
Hello Brinley,

An HbA1c of 14 mmol/mol equates to an average blood glucose of 2.8 mmol/L which is seriously low. What average is your meter showing for 90 days ?

As the others have said I would suspect a dodgy test or some other reason affecting the result.
 
Hello again,
Thanks for your replies. Interestingly I've recently been tested for anaemia (also celiac disease, myasthenia, TIA, blocked arteries; no to the first two, maybe to the TIA, 40% occlusion of arteries) but although the levels were low, they weren't apparently so bad. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it is a mistake by the lab., as I'm getting a bit worn down by all these tests & health scares. Not a wonder I can't put on weight!
My reader is coming out with an average BG of 135, so that good. Although between the hypers & hypos I guess its also not surprising..
Re the yoyo blood sugars, I 've been told to inject the Apidra just before I eat, although one dr. suggested for breakfast I wait twenty minutes& that's worked, although his colleagues said it wouldn't make any difference. I've also found that if I have pasta I need to inject halfway through. It's all a but trial and error. Glad there's all of you who seem to know what's what 🙂
 
@Brinley try injecting between 20 - 30 mins before you eat that normally solves the spike problem 🙂
 
An average blood sugar of 135 mg/dl (7.5 mmol/L in the UK) - was that for 90 or 60 days? seems a lot more reasonable than the HbA1c result giving an average 2.8 mmol/L

Roughly an average blood sugar of 135 mg/dl equates to an HbA1c of 45 mmol/mol - depending on how many days that average covers- which is far less alarming than the result you had. I hope the repeat test confirms this.
 
Hi Brinley, and welcome to the forum.

Your average on the meter sounds a lot more likely than the test result you were given.

Do you have access to the Libre Glasgow glucose system? That would give you a better picture of what is happening and could help you to head off hypos and hypers as not only does it sh W you the current glucose reading, but also the direction of travel of readings (it takes Ines every minute via a sensor and you swipe with a reader to see what is happening whenever you want (no finger pricking for this one. yippeeee)
 
Just had Hb1AC test confirmed- is now 13, Trying to get hold of the dr & feeling very scared. Anybody else out there ever had such a low reading?
 
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