I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic from a blood test taken in August after which I started a strict low carb diet and increased exercise. I was told to repeat the blood test in a few months time and encouraged to get on with losing weight. My blood test results were 43mmo/6.1%. I bought a glucose monitor this week to check on my progress and I have taken a reading before breakfast each day. The readings have been 5.9, 6.1 and today 7.0. I seem to be going backwards. Is it me or the meter?
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Worried Newb
- Thread starter Sticksman
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Leadinglights
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Welcome to the forum, you are doing the right thing by having a monitor and testing. The reading you get from your finger prick do not directly relate to the HbA1C which is the average over 3 months and are in different units. What you get from your finger prick is a snapshot of your level and can be influenced by lots of things.
The morning reading is often the last one to come down following dietary changes and for some people remain stubbornly higher than one might want. It is better to be looking at the trend rather that day to day individual readings. All those are within the allowable tolerance of the accuracy of the monitor so there is no real difference.
Some people find greater consistency in morning reading by doing them before you even get up as there is something named Foot on the Floor where the liver releases glucose into the blood stream to give people the energy to go and 'hunt for breakfast', a hang over from our ancestors.
You sound as if you have got a grip on the way forward so well done.
The morning reading is often the last one to come down following dietary changes and for some people remain stubbornly higher than one might want. It is better to be looking at the trend rather that day to day individual readings. All those are within the allowable tolerance of the accuracy of the monitor so there is no real difference.
Some people find greater consistency in morning reading by doing them before you even get up as there is something named Foot on the Floor where the liver releases glucose into the blood stream to give people the energy to go and 'hunt for breakfast', a hang over from our ancestors.
You sound as if you have got a grip on the way forward so well done.
Leadinglights
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Many people test before and 2 hours after eating to find out if they tolerate the amount of carbs in that meal by looking for no more than 2-3mmmol/l increase and aiming at no more than 8mmmol/l. This allows better choices of foods and portion size as you can adjust what you have for next time and build up a repertoire of meals that you are OK with. It means qiute a bit of testing to start with but is very revealing as to what you can cope with.
The problem could well be that your device is not very accurate. The tolerances seem very high to me.
It is not made clear if differences in readings are consistent. For instance if your real glucose level is 6.0 the device is considered accurate if it shows anything between 5.10 and 7.06. That is bad but it would be much worse if your real level was consistent but your readings were 5.10 one day and 7.06 the next.
I have serious doubts about the accuracy of my device. There are extreme readings high and low while my diet and lifestyle are consistent.
Diabetes UK could do us all a service by doing a "Which Report" style testing of all the current models to see how accurate and consistent each model is. My guess is that the manufacturers would not be very keen on this idea.
It is not made clear if differences in readings are consistent. For instance if your real glucose level is 6.0 the device is considered accurate if it shows anything between 5.10 and 7.06. That is bad but it would be much worse if your real level was consistent but your readings were 5.10 one day and 7.06 the next.
I have serious doubts about the accuracy of my device. There are extreme readings high and low while my diet and lifestyle are consistent.
Diabetes UK could do us all a service by doing a "Which Report" style testing of all the current models to see how accurate and consistent each model is. My guess is that the manufacturers would not be very keen on this idea.
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Leadinglights
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@everydayupsanddowns posted something a while ago about monitor permitted accuracy but I can't quite find it.
Hi Sticksman, welcome to the forum.
As advised, your reading of 43 is likely to be your HbA1c and which differs from your daily readings. Your daily readings give you a snapshot of how your meals have impacted your blood sugar levels so won't go down with time like your HbA1c but will fluctuate depending of your meals and other external factors.
A range of 4-7 is what most aim for so anything within that is fine. This page may help you to find out a bit more about testing https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/testing
As advised, your reading of 43 is likely to be your HbA1c and which differs from your daily readings. Your daily readings give you a snapshot of how your meals have impacted your blood sugar levels so won't go down with time like your HbA1c but will fluctuate depending of your meals and other external factors.
A range of 4-7 is what most aim for so anything within that is fine. This page may help you to find out a bit more about testing https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/managing-your-diabetes/testing
Thanks for your reply and that very useful link. I am suffering from newbitis 🙂
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It’s in the ‘Useful Links’ thread in the newbie’s section - it shows the range of values permitted under ISO guidelines. Though my experience is that many modern meters perform far better than these legal minimum requirements 🙂
Maca44
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It's easy to get hung up on the meter reading I did at first but soon began to relaxed but still take 2 reading a day just because I like numbers to look back on. Remember to wash and rinse your hands well before taking a reading and don't use anti bac hand gel. My numbers will go up from time to time for no reason so try and look at the bigger picture over time.
You will be fine it's just the newbie anxiety that most of us suffer from.
You will be fine it's just the newbie anxiety that most of us suffer from.
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