So, got my hba1c results today, just coming to the end if my trial, hba1c was 8.4 before starting, now 8.2!!! I'm on 3% hypos and 7% over target. I don't get why it's not lower. I've tried so hard and my day to day bs levels are great. Is 6 months long enough to see a change?
Feeling very deflated
- Thread starter niknak15
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PepperTed
Well-Known Member
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- 104
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
Aww, sorry to hear you're disappointed. 
My DSN told me they expect around a 0.5% reduction after six months on a pump, so you're not miles off. I think they should have explained that to you and managed your expectations.
If it helps, I doubt I'm going to do any 'better' than you. I just started and my blood sugars are running at double what they were on injections. I can see it's going to take at least a month to get my basal rates correct, and then probably another month to get insulin:carb ratios right, and then more time to ascertain my new insulin sensitivity factor. At this rate, I won't be surprised if my HBa1c goes UP!
Have you discussed your results with your diabetes team? If your readings are only over 7% of the time, it might be that you're spiking during times you're not testing (at night, immediately after meals, etc).
Don't be disheartened, it's going in the right direction and it sounds like you're doing a great job
My DSN told me they expect around a 0.5% reduction after six months on a pump, so you're not miles off. I think they should have explained that to you and managed your expectations.
If it helps, I doubt I'm going to do any 'better' than you. I just started and my blood sugars are running at double what they were on injections. I can see it's going to take at least a month to get my basal rates correct, and then probably another month to get insulin:carb ratios right, and then more time to ascertain my new insulin sensitivity factor. At this rate, I won't be surprised if my HBa1c goes UP!
Have you discussed your results with your diabetes team? If your readings are only over 7% of the time, it might be that you're spiking during times you're not testing (at night, immediately after meals, etc).
Don't be disheartened, it's going in the right direction and it sounds like you're doing a great job
Flowerpot
Well-Known Member
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- Type of diabetes
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Hi niknak15,
Please don't give yourself a hard time over your HbA1c result. It hasn't increased and after a major change to pump use that's not bad going at all. My first HbA1c after starting a pump was higher than on MDI and only started to drop after about 6 months. It's a big change and takes a lot of ongoing hard work to get all the settings correct.
If the bg results you are getting aren't reflected in your HbA1c result something else must be happening, perhaps you are having hypos and rebound hypers or drifting higher between tests. Ask your pump clinic if they are able to loan you a CGM for a week to get a bigger picture of what is happening and when.
Don't despair and keep going with your pump, they aren't plug and play and it does take a period of adjustment until results start to reflect all the effort you put in. Best Wishes.
Please don't give yourself a hard time over your HbA1c result. It hasn't increased and after a major change to pump use that's not bad going at all. My first HbA1c after starting a pump was higher than on MDI and only started to drop after about 6 months. It's a big change and takes a lot of ongoing hard work to get all the settings correct.
If the bg results you are getting aren't reflected in your HbA1c result something else must be happening, perhaps you are having hypos and rebound hypers or drifting higher between tests. Ask your pump clinic if they are able to loan you a CGM for a week to get a bigger picture of what is happening and when.
Don't despair and keep going with your pump, they aren't plug and play and it does take a period of adjustment until results start to reflect all the effort you put in. Best Wishes.
It takes a longish time to get to grips with using a pump, lots of bg testing, settings to adjust, dealing with low and high bg levels while you find your way with the food that you eat and the type of bolus delivery you decide to use. Low carbing does help though but you dont need to go really low carb just dont eat too much of the starchy stuff .
The main reason for having a pump is not to get a low hba1c.....its about being weller, happier, having less in the way of severe hypos and very high bg levels.
As CarbsRok often says......Rome wasn't built in a day so dont despair.
The main reason for having a pump is not to get a low hba1c.....its about being weller, happier, having less in the way of severe hypos and very high bg levels.
As CarbsRok often says......Rome wasn't built in a day so dont despair.
I was at about 10 when I started on my pump, and I'm now at 7.1, so it does make a big difference, but it can take time.
The best thing I've found which helps with pumping, but unfortunately isn't NHS funded is the Freestyle Libre.
It works out quite expensive if you do it all the time (about £100 a month) but if you can avoid getting addicted to using it, you can see every peak and trough in your bloods. Its a bit Like CGM but without hundreds of pounds up front. I used it for a month to get everything corrected, and now only use it when on holiday or ill.
Hopefully it will doon be available again, as they had to stop new orders as it was too popular.
Anybody would think I work them, the praise I give them,but I don't.
Even without a Libre it should get better, and I cetainly would never want to go back to MDI.
The best thing I've found which helps with pumping, but unfortunately isn't NHS funded is the Freestyle Libre.
It works out quite expensive if you do it all the time (about £100 a month) but if you can avoid getting addicted to using it, you can see every peak and trough in your bloods. Its a bit Like CGM but without hundreds of pounds up front. I used it for a month to get everything corrected, and now only use it when on holiday or ill.
Hopefully it will doon be available again, as they had to stop new orders as it was too popular.
Anybody would think I work them, the praise I give them,but I don't.
Even without a Libre it should get better, and I cetainly would never want to go back to MDI.
caretaker
Well-Known Member
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- 276
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
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Hi
I'm worried my HbA1c is quite low. around HbA1c 7.4 before i start the trail next month. i don't no what targets they can set me. i got approval on dawn phenomenon and i inject 7+ times a day to keep it at this level i eat very mall amounts of carbs sometimes only 90 grams a day. i don't want to loss my chance of a pump it took me so long to get here.
I'm worried my HbA1c is quite low. around HbA1c 7.4 before i start the trail next month. i don't no what targets they can set me. i got approval on dawn phenomenon and i inject 7+ times a day to keep it at this level i eat very mall amounts of carbs sometimes only 90 grams a day. i don't want to loss my chance of a pump it took me so long to get here.
Thanks everyone!!!
It's easy to beat yourself up about it. Turns out the receptionist told me a previous level, my actual reading was 7.1!! After the didn't rang me to explain the mix up. Still more work to do but feeling like the hard work is paying off.
Thanks again everyone!!
It's easy to beat yourself up about it. Turns out the receptionist told me a previous level, my actual reading was 7.1!! After the didn't rang me to explain the mix up. Still more work to do but feeling like the hard work is paying off.
Thanks again everyone!!
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