HbA1C AND FB normal

[rorosa]

According to my GP my blood glucose levels are normal despite my fingerprick tests showing as high as 15 after a meal. GP says as my HbA1C and fasting bloods are within normal range he cannot fund me for an OGTT, so for me to just watch what I eat. He will schedule me for another HBA1C in 12 months. I do not like this uncertainty and wonder what you would advise?

 

[bulkbiker]

Do you happen to know what your last HbA1c reading was?

 

[mojo37]

Without knowing what your fbg numbers are and what your HbA1c is it is difficult for anyone on here to give you advise

 

[rorosa]

Do you happen to know what your last HbA1c reading was?

Last HBA1C. was 36
Fasting BC 5.8

Am not on any medx as GO doesn’t think I am diabetic just insulin resistant ?

 

[rorosa]

Without knowing what your fbg numbers are and what your HbA1c is it is difficult for anyone on here to give you advise

HBA1C 36
FBG 5.8

 

[UsmanMo96]

HBA1C 36
FBG 5.8

Good HBA1C

 

[bulkbiker]

Last HBA1C. was 36
Fasting BC 5.8

Am not on any medx as GO doesn’t think I am diabetic just insulin resistant ?

Both of those are pretty normal.. are you sure that your 15 mmol/l reading wasn't just a contaminated finger or old test strips?

 

[mojo37]

HBA1C 36
FBG 5.8

Both those numbers are good especially the Hba1c do your numbers always spike so high after food or just now and again after particular food ?

 

[Lamont D]

According to my GP my blood glucose levels are normal despite my fingerprick tests showing as high as 15 after a meal. GP says as my HbA1C and fasting bloods are within normal range he cannot fund me for an OGTT, so for me to just watch what I eat. He will schedule me for another HBA1C in 12 months. I do not like this uncertainty and wonder what you would advise?

Hi @rorosa,
Yes, it is unusual isn't it?
Has he diagnosed you as T2?
It could be like me, your insulin resistance, insulin response to food is weak, hence the high blood glucose levels after eating.
What did you eat?
Is this a common occurrence?
How long after eating did you test?
What sort of symptoms do you get?
Do you collect your readings and what you eat in a food diary?

I would insist on more tests, simply because of peace of mind. You know something is going on, and it is your health.
A food diary done correctly is a great tool to persuade your doctor that there is something amiss.

Don't give in, don't accept being fobbed off.
Best wishes

 

[rorosa]

I take readings very regularly - usually two hours after food - but have recently noticed these high spikes which have worried me. They have occurred after various food types. The 15.5 was two hours after eating two crumpets with butter.

 

[Resurgam]

If you eat carbs, your blood glucose will rise, as diabetes is all about not being able to cope with carbohydrates, your blood glucose levels will probably be higher for longer.
The Hba1c is an average, so you are obviously not that high normally - have you shown your doctor the meter with these high numbers?

 

[Lamont D]

I take readings very regularly - usually two hours after food - but have recently noticed these high spikes which have worried me. They have occurred after various food types. The 15.5 was two hours after eating two crumpets with butter.

I would definitely recommend starting a food diary.
Then if you are still getting high two hour readings after those crumpets (the butter should lower the spike, butter will slow down the spike.), I would show my doctors what it is after half an hour, one hour, one and a half hours then two hours.
I would also carry on to see what happens after two hours.

I would have to say it is a similar response to me eating a couple of potatoes!

How did your doctor diagnose you T2?

 

[Alexandra100]

FBG 5.8

I believe a fasting bg of 5.6 signifies pre-diabetes, at any rate in the US.

 

[rorosa]

Thanks for your replies. My worry is that despite my informing my GP of these regular spikes he does not seem to be worried and has not diagnosed me as either being diabetic or prediabetic. A previous GP at the surgery rang me three years ago to warn me I was high risk and to change my diet so since then I have cut out sugar, don’t usually eat refined carbs and have taken regular readings on my Contour Next meter.
So based on my current GP’s advice I shouldn’t worry. A previous GP (2 months ago) told me I was wasting my money on testing myself and to get rid of the meter so I felt I was wasting their time mentioning any of this. I just feel they are not taking this seriously - would it be worth doing my own OGTT ??

 

[Alexandra100]

So based on my current GP’s advice I shouldn’t worry.

Me too! I have the impression that the majority of people here have had similar experiences with their GPs and other health professionals. To be charitable, GPs have a lot of health conditions to over-see, diabetes is a fiendishly complicated one, diabetes research and guidance is evolving daily. Getting some feeble grasp of diabetes has taken me months if not years and many hours of reading and researching - and I am super-motivated. How could any GP do this? I suspect GPs often fall back on memories of what they were taught in training 20 or more years ago, and it is totally inadequate to the situation nowadays. In the group practice I attend, one very kind GP told me with absolute certainty that only children develop T1 and adults T2 - she had not heard tell of LADA. Another told me I should not test as I would make my fingers sore! A dietician to whom I was referred told me to continue eating the "healthy" diet on which my A1c was rising rapidly and have confidence that when I was a "proper" diabetic my doctor would be able to cure me with meds!!! By contrast, it was the practice nurse who alerted me to my rising A1c.

I have found it very useful to teat my fasting bg every morning and record the numbers on a month to a view calendar sheet. I ring the numbers 5.6 and up in red. This is evidence my GP can take in at a glance. IMO for your own benefit regularly recording highs after meals gives a more relevant picture than could be got from an OGTT. I am not sure a GP would consider a home OGTT authentic.

I wouldn't bother about my GPs' views, instead focus on how I can get what I want from them. They only have 10 minutes to get you out of their office. Pester power, exercised in the most pleasant, non-agressive way possible, may get you what you want. Against her better judgment my GP has prescribed me a maximum dose of Glucophage, and allows me an A1c test from time to time, these days almost without putting up any resistance.

 

[Lamont D]

Thanks for your replies. My worry is that despite my informing my GP of these regular spikes he does not seem to be worried and has not diagnosed me as either being diabetic or prediabetic. A previous GP at the surgery rang me three years ago to warn me I was high risk and to change my diet so since then I have cut out sugar, don’t usually eat refined carbs and have taken regular readings on my Contour Next meter.
So based on my current GP’s advice I shouldn’t worry. A previous GP (2 months ago) told me I was wasting my money on testing myself and to get rid of the meter so I felt I was wasting their time mentioning any of this. I just feel they are not taking this seriously - would it be worth doing my own OGTT ??

This is where a food diary is a comprehensive review of what is going on. This is a methodical way of recording what you eat, portion size, carb counting, calorie counting, the recording of pre meal, one hour, two hours, and even three hours is a more convincing way of showing your doctor than a OGTT! This will show your spike, and how long after first bite your blood glucose returns to normal levels depending on how much carbs, protein and fats you have.
A good doctor would recognise something amiss.
You can try and simulate a tolerance test! But you may not get a true test, due to not being supervised. Many things can skew the test. Such a concentration of glucose is not a good idea, especially alone.

I asked about symptoms, can you list them?

Best wishes

 

[rorosa]

Thank you for all your advice. My only symptom prior to watching my carb intake was thirst but this is no longer a problem. When I get a spike I feel I could fall asleep easily but other than that I don’t have definite symptoms. I do a lot of walking and am not overweight. I will start a food diary though.

 

[xfieldok]

he 15.5 was two hours after eating two crumpets with butter.

When I first started keto, I was going through the carb additction. When it got the better of me, I would go go the corner shop and buy crumptes. Loaded with butter, god it was good. Then I took readings, no it wasn't so good.

If your readings return to normal a couple of hours after eating, then you should be OK. If they take some time to come down, then you need to be careful.