C-Peptide private ??

[Je21]

Does anyone here live in the UK and know where I could pay to get a C-Peptide? My GP are sending me round and round with no answers. I got told I needed one, had bloods taken at the GP to then be contacted and told that they can’t do the test as their results for this take too long (??) and I’d need to go to a+e, who weren’t helpful at all when I phoned through to my local one.

 

[bulkbiker]

Whereabouts in the UK do you live? There are some labs that will do the test privately but you have to visit for the blood to be taken.

 

[Je21]

I live in Manchester, I can’t find much online for private c-pep Xx

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Getting a C-Peptide done privately can be difficult. For mine I used Medichecks but they have stopped doing serious blood tests like C-Peptide. My local Spire hospital is offering them together with a GP consultation but not that cheap. The NHS tends to se Exeter University Hospital but they don't do private tests.

 

[bulkbiker]

Might be worth contacting these guys

https://privatebloodtests.co.uk/pages/private-blood-testing-at-spire-warrington

Its not cheap though..

https://privatebloodtests.co.uk/products/private-blood-test-for-insulin-c-peptide-in-blood

 

[Je21]

Might be worth contacting these guys

https://privatebloodtests.co.uk/pages/private-blood-testing-at-spire-warrington

Its not cheap though..

https://privatebloodtests.co.uk/products/private-blood-test-for-insulin-c-peptide-in-blood

Thank-you so much ! Yes I didn’t think they’d be cheap but that’s a lot Xx

 

[bulkbiker]

Thank-you so much ! Yes I didn’t think they’d be cheap but that’s a lot Xx

Unfortunately the only others I can find are London based so you need to get there for the bloods which I guess could make it the same cost overall...

 

[ert]

Does anyone here live in the UK and know where I could pay to get a C-Peptide? My GP are sending me round and round with no answers. I got told I needed one, had bloods taken at the GP to then be contacted and told that they can’t do the test as their results for this take too long (??) and I’d need to go to a+e, who weren’t helpful at all when I phoned through to my local one.

How long have you had diabetes for and what is your BMI (to see if you qualify for the referral pathway.)?

 

[AndBreathe]

Does anyone here live in the UK and know where I could pay to get a C-Peptide? My GP are sending me round and round with no answers. I got told I needed one, had bloods taken at the GP to then be contacted and told that they can’t do the test as their results for this take too long (??) and I’d need to go to a+e, who weren’t helpful at all when I phoned through to my local one.

I wonder if the issue is the time it takes to get your blood sample from your GP to the lab, meaning they can't run the test? (That's speculation.)

If so, I bet your hospital will have a blood test clinic/centre. My nearest general hospital has what they call a Test Centre. All it doe is collect blood samples and send them to the lab (in the hospital). They will draw bloods from your GP or hospital clinic. They have even filled a vial for a private test for me at the same time as an NHS blood draw.

If my speculation (and it is pure speculation) is the case, there could be a simple workaround?

 

[Je21]

I wonder if the issue is the time it takes to get your blood sample from your GP to the lab, meaning they can't run the test? (That's speculation.)

If so, I bet your hospital will have a blood test clinic/centre. My nearest general hospital has what they call a Test Centre. All it doe is collect blood samples and send them to the lab (in the hospital). They will draw bloods from your GP or hospital clinic. They have even filled a vial for a private test for me at the same time as an NHS blood draw.

If my speculation (and it is pure speculation) is the case, there could be a simple workaround?

Potentially this could be why? There’s just a massive lack of communication, and when I contacted the hospital they weren’t helpful at all.

I will try and phone through to my nurse again at the GP I think

 

[Je21]

How long have you had diabetes for and what is your BMI (to see if you qualify for the referral pathway.)?

I’ve had my diagnosis about a month now, I’m on metformin and being treated type2. My bmi is around 22 and so I do qualify for a c-pep, I just feel like I am being sent round and round without answers and so I’m getting fed up

 

[ert]

I’ve had my diagnosis about a month now, I’m on metformin and being treated type2. My bmi is around 22 and so I do qualify for a c-pep, I just feel like I am being sent round and round without answers and so I’m getting fed up

You do qualify but have to be pushy. Phone your GP surgery every day. Here is the document you need to quote: https://www.england.nhs.uk/rightcar...40/2018/07/nhs-rightcare-pathway-diabetes.pdf A specialist won't interpret your c-peptide by itself. It's meaningless without fasting glucose. They use the HOMA formula to calculate insulin resistance and beta-cell function.

 

[Daibell]

I’ve had my diagnosis about a month now, I’m on metformin and being treated type2. My bmi is around 22 and so I do qualify for a c-pep, I just feel like I am being sent round and round without answers and so I’m getting fed up

Hi again. Probably worth saying that the ability to get NHS C-Peptide tests varies by area. My DN willingly asked my local diabetes clinic to arrange a C-Peptide test but I was given the run-around for quite a while by the clinic. They 'lost' the first blood test and said I wasn't T1 anyway as the associated GAD was negative (Ignorance at the clinic). I complained, had a long and nice phone chat with the consultant and he organised another test (a urine one this time). It went to the Exeter lab and showed I was mid-range i.e. T1.5'ish. I can see from forum postings that some areas willingly do C-Peptide if they think T1 is possible. I may have another private test done at the Spire next year despite the cost to try to get a formal T1 diagnosis and perhaps a free Libre 2 which I currently self-fund.

 

[ert]

Hi again. Probably worth saying that the ability to get NHS C-Peptide tests varies by area. My DN willingly asked my local diabetes clinic to arrange a C-Peptide test but I was given the run-around for quite a while by the clinic. They 'lost' the first blood test and said I wasn't T1 anyway as the associated GAD was negative (Ignorance at the clinic). I complained, had a long and nice phone chat with the consultant and he organised another test (a urine one this time). It went to the Exeter lab and showed I was mid-range i.e. T1.5'ish. I can see from forum postings that some areas willingly do C-Peptide if they think T1 is possible. I may have another private test done at the Spire next year despite the cost to try to get a formal T1 diagnosis and perhaps a free Libre 2 which I currently self-fund.

Mid-range c-peptide? It depends a lot of your fasting glucose. If you have low c-peptide and a high fasting glucose of 18 mmol/l you are insulin deficient. If you have a low c-peptide and normal blood sugar your insulin is normal. A mid-range c-peptide isn't likely to tell you much. That's why specialists use the HOMA formula.
https://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/homacalculator/

(Less than 0.2 nmol/l on diagnosis (well below the normal range) is type 1 which is what I had together with a fasting glucose of 18 mmol/l. Type 1's (Lada) can take up to 6 years to deteriorate to this level. Type 2's who reach this level eventually will require insulin but still be type 2's.)

 

[Daibell]

Mid-range c-peptide? It depends a lot of your fasting glucose. If you have low c-peptide and a high fasting glucose of 18 mmol/l you are insulin deficient. If you have a low c-peptide and normal blood sugar your insulin is normal. A mid-range c-peptide isn't likely to tell you much. That's why specialists use the HOMA formula.
https://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/homacalculator/

(Less than 0.2 nmol/l on diagnosis (well below the normal range) is type 1 which is what I had together with a fasting glucose of 18 mmol/l. Type 1's (Lada) can take up to 6 years to deteriorate to this level. Type 2's who reach this level eventually will require insulin but still be type 2's.)

Hi. I'm slightly surprised by this. How many people have a fasting glucose of 18mmol? I agree a mid-range C-Peptide doesn't tell you much. I would challenge that a low-C-Peptide and normal BS indicates normal insulin; it certainly doesn't in my case or anywhere near it. I wonder how many other universities such as Exeter would agree with the Oxford group? My second C-Peptide was a urine one analysed by Exeter and didn't involve measuring my fasting BS so how does that work?

 

[Fenn]

Sorry to but in, I just had a c-peptide test result of 0.05 and a bg at the time of the test of 8, this wasn't fasting because I had to eat my biggest meal of the day, two hour post prandial I think they called it and also had taken my insulin so definitely not fasting, does this mean the test is meaningless? or my insulin is normal? because that would be weird.


I ask because they have changed stuff because of my result, my insulin, my carb ratio and taken me of Diapagaflozin

2nd edit, the changes have been very successful so far, 1:10 carb ratio is amazing

 

[bulkbiker]

Sorry to but in, I just had a c-peptide test result of 0.05 and a bg at the time of the test of 8, this wasn't fasting because I had to eat my biggest meal of the day, two hour post prandial I think they called it and also had taken my insulin so definitely not fasting, does this mean the test is meaningless? or my insulin is normal? because that would be weird.


I ask because they have changed stuff because of my result, my insulin, my carb ratio and taken me of Diapagaflozin

2nd edit, the changes have been very successful so far, 1:10 carb ratio is amazing

It would be really helpful for you and us if you got the units that your c-peptide was measured in..

 

[Fenn]

It would be really helpful for you and us if you got the units that your c-peptide was measured in..

I’m sorry, I hate to bother the busy people so won’t find out until September, so I’m left guessing and researching online until then, I don’t really know what you mean so it would be a tough question for me to ask anyways I was just told 0.05 which she said was very low, over the phone.

from this thread I’m starting to think it was a waste of time being tested.

 

[bulkbiker]

I’m sorry, I hate to bother the busy people so won’t find out until September, so I’m left guessing and researching online until then, I don’t really know what you mean so it would be a tough question for me to ask anyways I was just told 0.05 which she said was very low, over the phone.

from this thread I’m starting to think it was a waste of time being tested.

0.05 is indeed very low and indicative of T1 as I explained before assuming that the units are nmol/mmol

https://www.exeterlaboratory.com/test/c-peptide-urine/

I think the test maybe showing something that your doc hasn't realised but without the units that the measurement is in it's impossible to say for sure..

Can't you get the units over the phone? It's your health after all.

 

[Fenn]

0.05 is indeed very low and indicative of T1 as I explained before assuming that the units are nmol/mmol

https://www.exeterlaboratory.com/test/c-peptide-urine/

I think the test maybe showing something that your doc hasn't realised but without the units that the measurement is in it's impossible to say for sure..

Can't you get the units over the phone? It's your health after all.

I’m a perfect type 2, can’t be type 1, I have weight around my middle, I am on beta blockers but also think the insulin caused it as I was pretty perfect weight before taking it, this suggests IR, I admit this is a little weird as my insulin dose is quite low from what I gather. I’m 100% sure, the reason I wanted to know is if I had high insulin I would have gone back to extreme low carb and tried to quit the injections, at least now I think I am not producing my own insulin due to a worn out pancreas so feel ok about injecting. So I was intrigued by the earlier comment that my test results may in fact be void. But your right I could/should call, I just hate to be a nuisance. Except here lol