Home HBA1C monitoring - A1CNow+

[AndBreathe]

My kit has just arrived.

@Brunneria - I haven't read anything yet, but can you share your wisdom, having had a bit of a glitch with yours?

 

[Brunneria]

My kit has just arrived.

@Brunneria - I haven't read anything yet, but can you share your wisdom, having had a bit of a glitch with yours?

Read the instructions.
Then read them again.
Then lay everything out, go through it in your head.
Then read them again.

It's actually quite straightforward, but my downfall was because I forgot one tiny little step (the shaking).

It also tells you not to open the 2nd pouch until you've sorted your blood sample. Presumably it is sensitive to damp, or light, or something...

Oh, and you'll need a bigger blood sample than usual testing requires... The instructions tell you how big.

But it really isn't as difficult as I'm making it sound. Honest!

 

[AndBreathe]

Read the instructions.
Then read them again.
Then lay everything out, go through it in your head.
Then read them again.

It's actually quite straightforward, but my downfall was because I forgot one tiny little step (the shaking).

It also tells you not to open the 2nd pouch until you've sorted your blood sample. Presumably it is sensitive to damp, or light, or something...

Oh, and you'll need a bigger blood sample than usual testing requires... The instructions tell you how big.

But it really isn't as difficult as I'm making it sound. Honest!

And did you eventually manage a test, with a result? (I'm not asking what the result was; just curious.) And have you now refrigerated the remaining tests?

 

[Brunneria]

And did you eventually manage a test, with a result? (I'm not asking what the result was; just curious.) And have you now refrigerated the remaining tests?

I had only ordered one box containing 2 tests. And I screwed up both.

The first error message was cryptic, and I thought I'd been sent a duff kit. And then I just repeated with the second kit, cos I was convinced I knew what I was doing.

So now I'm waiting for the next order to arrive.

I'm certain my next hba1c will be lower than last time. I've ironed out a few dietary 'discrepencies' since then

 

[AndBreathe]

I didn't see an option for 2 tests.

I have the full 10 tests, so it's a shame you're not closer. We could have a leeching party.........

Well, perhaps not.

 

[Brunneria]

There were two kits in my box.

Maybe you've ended up with 20!

 

[AndBreathe]

There were two kits in my box.

Maybe you've ended up with 20!

The box contains 1 monitor and 10 sets of both foil packages, so just the 10.

 

[AndBreathe]

Well, I did my first test a moment ago. It came out at 5.5%, which is fine. My last lab tests were 5.3% in May, and 5.5% in February, so pretty aligned. I'm picking up papers for my next lab tests tomorrow, and will probably rock up to the walk-in centre on Monday, so I should have a fairly valid comparison. I'll report back in due course.

 

[Brunneria]

Hey, congrats on the steady consistency!

 

[AndBreathe]

Thank you.

 

[Brunneria]

Gutted!

My new pair of kits arrived today.

Rubbing my hands together with glee, I followed the instructions to the letter, and...

6.5 / 48

Exactly the same as 4 months ago!
How frustrating.
I've made quite a few small but incremental changes since then. Stricter on the carbs, fewer discrepancies, more systematic. Less caffeine (which can spike me). Definitely better control - my meter says so, my body says so. And more walking, further and faster (the pup has grown up).

The only thing I don't feel I have made much improvement is my dawn phenomenon.

I wasn't expecting miracles, but I was expecting a slight improvement... But it feels like cheating to blame meter variance.

 

[AndBreathe]

Gutted!

My new pair of kits arrived today.

Rubbing my hands together with glee, I followed the instructions to the letter, and...

6.5 / 48

Exactly the same as 4 months ago!
How frustrating.
I've made quite a few small but incremental changes since then. Stricter on the carbs, fewer discrepancies, more systematic. Less caffeine (which can spike me). Definitely better control - my meter says so, my body says so. And more walking, further and faster (the pup has grown up).

The only thing I don't feel I have made much improvement is my dawn phenomenon.

I wasn't expecting miracles, but I was expecting a slight improvement... But it feels like cheating to blame meter variance.

Oh bother!!

What do you plan for the other test? In a month or two?

If it's any consolation, my home test was 5.5%, with today's lab bloods coming in at 5.1%.

 

[Brunneria]

Yes, I think I will try and wait 2 months.

The more I think about it, the less I should think about it!
I could drive myself into silly over-control, which would set me off on carb cravings.

I will, however, go back to my on waking blood test. This dawn phenomenon is a sneaky b****r, and work has been a new level of stressfulness lately.

 

[Silver Hammer]

Just used another test this evening and came in at 5.1 (32) again, exactly the same as 2 months ago, so at least I am very consistent! I tried one of these tests on my sister in law last month which came out at 6.0 (42) and she has subsequently gone low carb and is visiting the gym regularly. She has lost 10 pounds and at a recent doctors test is definitely outside the pre diabetic range now. It is really nice to make a difference.

Maxwell

 

[AndBreathe]

So, my last home HbA1c came in at 5.5%, against my lab test within a few days of 5.1%. Tonight, I did another home test (as I've generally increased my carbs a bit since Mr B has been back in the UK, and it's gone colder), and it came out at 5.3%. If I discount by the same amount as last time, that would bring me under 5%, which I don't believe.

I'm thinking I'll just call it "stable".

@Brunneria, I said I'd do one for you the other evening, so have that test on me. You got a nice neat score.

 

[Brunneria]

So, my last home HbA1c came in at 5.5%, against my lab test within a few days of 5.1%. Tonight, I did another home test (as I've generally increased my carbs a bit since Mr B has been back in the UK, and it's gone colder), and it came out at 5.3%. If I discount by the same amount as last time, that would bring me under 5%, which I don't believe.

I'm thinking I'll just call it "stable".

@Brunneria, I said I'd do one for you the other evening, so have that test on me. You got a nice neat score.

Brill!

That's great. And exactly in the zone I was expecting.

Goodness, you're good, aren't you?

 

[AndBreathe]

Brill!

That's great. And exactly in the zone I was expecting.

Goodness, you're good, aren't you?

I was fairly curious to see how it would go, with the, albeit modest, increase, in carbs, bearing in mind @Andrew Colvin's experience. His experience was that he increased carbs, with a little enzyme lag, then a reduced HbA1c.

I must show some self control with the balance of my tests, as I'm not due more lab bloods until the summer when I've been away and back again.