What's with the numbers?

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TerryP

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi All

It's been a little while since I last posted, and things have been ticking along quite nicely. My 3 x daily finger pricks have been pretty much in the green zone and the mySugr App (other Apps are available) has been estimating my HbA1c at 41.5 only to find out this morning that after my 3-month blood test I am at 54. Grrrrr.

So, my question is how can it be that on a daily scale I seem to be ok but on a 3-month scale I'm above the limit? (My GP practice has an upper limit of 41)

Any thoughts welcome
Thanks
Terry
 
Hi Inka, before breakfast, lunch & dinner and when I feel squiffy.
 
It is likely that your numbers will be lower when you have eaten for a while.
Our blood sugars peak after eating and depending upon your insulin resistance, may take some time to go down.
As the HBA1C represents an average of all time, it will take into consideration these post food peaks that your finger prick testing (and, hence the MySugr's estimate) will miss.

If you are interested what is happening to your levels between meals, you may find the 2 week free trial of the Libre helpful.
 
TerryP said:
Hi Inka, before breakfast, lunch & dinner and when I feel squiffy.
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That’s probably your answer then. If you’re only testing before meals, then you could be missing higher sugars after meals or during the night. If you want to check this, do a test before you eat and test again two hours after the first bite of your meal.
 
TerryP said:
What should the safe difference be after 2 hrs?
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2-3mmol/l (nearer to 2 better) or no more than 8-8.5mmol/ (better nearer to 8 or less)
The more constistently you are within those the more likely your HbA1C will be in normal range.
 
TerryP said:
What should the safe difference be after 2 hrs?
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Ideally, you are looking for a rise in BG of no more than 2-3 mmols at the 2hr post meal point and less than 8.5 mmols. That doesn't mean to say that your levels don't go higher within that 2 hour period but just that your body is bringing them down again reasonably quickly.
Testing just before meals alone is not giving you a representative sample to base an HbA1c estimate off.
 
You know I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the answers. More finger pricking. I am so looking forward to getting my hands on the Afon Technology monitor when it's on the market. (Hopefully at the start of next year.)
 
TerryP said:
You know I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the answers. More finger pricking. I am so looking forward to getting my hands on the Afon Technology monitor when it's on the market. (Hopefully at the start of next year.)
Click to expand...
I haven't heard of that device. What is it?
If it is one of these watches that makes claims about non invasive BG monitoring then I recommend you give it a wide berth. They are not accurate for medical purposes and therefore a waste of time and money for the use you are looking for in monitoring your BG levels as a diabetic.
 
The average bg level based on what your bg was during 3 minutes in the day as you get from fingerpricks can be vastly different to an a1c that’s based on 24 hrs. You don’t know what’s happening in the other 23hrs57 minutes in each day.
 
rebrascora said:
I haven't heard of that device. What is it?
If it is one of these watches that makes claims about non invasive BG monitoring then I recommend you give it a wide berth. They are not accurate for medical purposes and therefore a waste of time and money for the use you are looking for in monitoring your BG levels as a diabetic.
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Looks like it has been called Glucowear.
 
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TerryP said:
You know I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the answers. More finger pricking. I am so looking forward to getting my hands on the Afon Technology monitor when it's on the market. (Hopefully at the start of next year.)
Click to expand...
Your testing regime is more like a type 1's, to estimate the amount of insulin to use.
Type 2's using diet control need to check that their meal was suitable, so checking 2 hours after starting to eat would give you a better idea of how you are doing and if changes need to be made in what you include.
I was getting Hba1c consistently at the top end of normal and decided to try to lower it into the 30s. I cut back on carbs by around 10gm per day and my Hba1c was exactly the same a year later - so it is not a fixed ratio.
 
rebrascora said:
I haven't heard of that device. What is it?
If it is one of these watches that makes claims about non invasive BG monitoring then I recommend you give it a wide berth. They are not accurate for medical purposes and therefore a waste of time and money for the use you are looking for in monitoring your BG levels as a diabetic.
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This seems to be a kosher device (quite unlike the recent swathes of aliexpress "glucose watches"), will be interesting to see how it works in practice once available.

Edit: For clarity, I used "kosher" in its vernacular sense to mean "genuine", nothing to do with religious requirements. Sorry for the confusion!
 
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SimonP said:
This seems to be a kosher device (quite unlike the recent swathes of aliexpress "glucose watches"), will be interesting to see how it works in practice once available
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Do you mean kosher? As in, suitable for Jewish people who keep kosher? I’m only aware of some of the rules around keeping kosher and Jewish sabbath etc but guessed there were likely some exemptions for medical reasons.
 
Lucyr said:
Do you mean kosher? As in, suitable for Jewish people who keep kosher? I’m only aware of some of the rules around keeping kosher and Jewish sabbath etc but guessed there were likely some exemptions for medical reasons.
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The word is often used informally to mean genuine and legitimate.
 
Lucyr said:
Do you mean kosher? As in, suitable for Jewish people who keep kosher? I’m only aware of some of the rules around keeping kosher and Jewish sabbath etc but guessed there were likely some exemptions for medical reasons.
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Yes sorry, I was using it in it's informal sense as being a genuine device, I'll use the correct adjective next time.
 
SimonP said:
Yes sorry, I was using it in it's informal sense as being a genuine device, I'll use the correct adjective next time.
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Thanks for explanation I hadn’t heard that meaning before
 
TerryP said:
Looks like it has been called Glucowear.
Click to expand...
SimonP said:
This seems to be a kosher device (quite unlike the recent swathes of aliexpress "glucose watches"), will be interesting to see how it works in practice once available.
Click to expand...

Diabetes UK have had a range of recent enquiries about non-invasive glucose watches, which are not currently recommended.

  • There is currently no regulation for this technology to be tested for accuracy in the same way that glucose sensors (CGM and Flash) are.
  • Where accuracy data is available and from customer reviews, this technology does not currently provide accurate enough data (especially for anyone living with type 1 diabetes)
  • People should continue to use the blood glucose monitoring equipment supplied by their diabetes teams.
  • If an individual with type 2 diabetes is considering purchasing one as a guide, they should discuss this with their diabetes healthcare professional. We should also make them aware of this GOV.UK webpage - Know what you're buying! which has information to help people buy medicines and medical devices online safely. Please note – this is not an endorsement of buying medicines/medical devices online – it is information on what people should look out for and check when looking at these products online
  • We would not recommend purchasing as a gift for a friend with diabetes
 
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