Hba1c question

LadyFarmer

Member
Messages
13
Hi all.

I've been super dooper keen on my levels for the past month (newly pregnant) and feeling a bit disheartened at my latest hba1c. 7.5 in old money. That's about were I was pre pregnancy, and I know my levels are loads better than then.
How long has your hba1c taken to drop a fair amount? Ive got a libre and the software on that says my estimated hba1c is about 5.8.

My only chink of possibility, is that the midwife today said that those bloods had been standing a long time before they were processed, and so I've had my hba1c + sodium (that was low) redone today. I should find out if there's a difference tomorrow, but I'm not holding out much hope.

My levels are running a nice level line between 3&6 mmols overnight, but rising to up to 10/12mmols after afternoon meal and maybe they'll stay there for an hour or so. I'm on mdi not a pump yet as well. Thanks :)


Type 1 diabetic since 2007
 

myarnton1

Well-Known Member
Messages
150
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi, not really sure about the HbA1c. It took me a just under a year to get my HbA1c down from 8.7% to 6.7% but I think everyone is different. However I I've had times where my HbA1c has dropped quite a bit in the space of 3 months.
As for the highs in the afternoon.. Do you use the same ratios on mdi throughout the day or do they vary with each meal? I am on the pump now, but when I was on mdi, like you I was experiencing high b/s levels in the afternoon so my ratio for my lunch meal would have been 1unit to 7g carbs rather than my 1unit to 8g carbs for every other meal. (Assuming you are carb counting?:p)
As the pregnancy progresses your insulin to carb ratio will increase so that could be a plan of action to speak to your DSN about (that's if you are not already doing this).
All the best and congrats on the pregnancy
 

ArtemisBow

Well-Known Member
Messages
302
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Bear in mind that any hba1c is an average of the cells in your blood, and some of those can be a few months old - so right now you have 1 month of great results and the 2 months before in your average. The important thing is you have good results now when you are pregnant, so concentrate on that - if you keep it up then an hba1c done in a couple of months will only have good results in it as your old sugary blood cells will have cleared out.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck - the pregnancy forums here are wonderful if you need support on specific issues, just ask.
 
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Sking89

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, have you just started using the libre? Due to lack of movement during the night it can give you incorrect lower readings...this will affect your estimated hba1c. Eg mine says 3.5 pretty much every morning, my blood glucose is around 5...google it. A lot of people have said the same. It's to do with stagnant interstitial fluids during night.
 

tim2000s

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
8,934
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
You are the first person I've seen mention that @Sking89 in relation to the Libre. It's more likely that you've either compressed it or that you are seeing the delay as waking phenomenon occurs.

The ISF doesn't flow but is replenished from blood so it would be odd for it to become stagnant.
 

Sking89

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I've spoken to a few people who experience the delay, I've spoken to people who notice it with dexcoms too. Put it into Google..I did. Lots of people who experience it.
 

Sking89

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Tim2000s...I didn't mean that to sound abrupt :) it was just puzzling me and I was amazed when I googled it
 

TorqPenderloin

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,599
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I have issues with my Dexcom reading false hypos at night, but that's more the product of sleeping on my stomach and having an ultra-firm tempurpedic mattress (oddly enough, I don't have issues sleeping on spring mattresses).