Advice ASAP

[Dippydolly]

My husband is type 2 for over 10 years he’s now been put on novomix insulin since July his hbac1 has come down from 88 to 67 but he says this last couple of weeks he’s had the odd test that’s shown a 27! And last night a 30! Just tested now and he’s at 8 so don’t know if he’s not washed his hands or it’s right

 

[ianf0ster]

Hi Dipydolly,
My first reaction is that you must be muddling readings using different units of measurement together.
How are you measuring your husband's HbA1C?
A reading of 8 sounds like a finger-prick ' blood test as read by a Blood Glucose monitor set to UK standard measurement (mmol/L). My BG meter will only measure between 1.1 mmol/L and 33.3 mmol/L and the instructions say to contact a Health Care Professional immediately if I get a reading lower then 3.3 or higher than 13.3.

The HbA1C test (drawing a blood sample and sending it away to a lab for analysis) is reported in different units. Those first 2 numbers you mention (88 and 67) match typical figures for HbA1C in Diabetics with poor Blood Glucose control.
The next 2 numbers could possibly be HbA1C figures, but they are on the Low side of the normal range for a healthy person. Meaning that if correct, they are an awful long way away for the diabetic levels!

8 doesn't seem like it could possibly be an HbA1C number, but for a finger-prick BG test would be towards the higher end of the desirable range.

I hope this helps.

 

[Rokaab]

Hi Dipydolly,
My first reaction is that you must be muddling readings using different units of measurement together.

Whereas I read it as his HbA1c has reduced from 88 to 67, but some blood test readings (mmol/L) are still very high like the 30 last night.

My husband is type 2 for over 10 years he’s now been put on novomix insulin since July his hbac1 has come down from 88 to 67 but he says this last couple of weeks he’s had the odd test that’s shown a 27! And last night a 30! Just tested now and he’s at 8 so don’t know if he’s not washed his hands or it’s right

Was your husband very thirsty last night when it showed 30? Had he eaten a lot of carbs previously?
If your husband hadn't washed his hands this can effect it, but also test strips can be faulty, if the number doesn't seem correct sometimes it can be worth testing again to double-check,

 

[DCUKMod]

@Dippydolly - It isn't clear if your husband's HbA1c reduction relates in any way with his starting on insulin, but here's hoping that is at least working a bit.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure whether your concerns are over the very high readings in the high 20s/30, or if it is the more moderate 8.

If you are concerned about the higher numbers, I would suggest your husband washes (or re-washes) and dries his hands and tests again, to ensure he doesn't have any food residue on his hands. If your husband has been feeling a bit under the weather - a cold/virus or whatever, that could cause elevated numbers.

If those numbers are true readings (as opposed to due to food residue on his hands) then he should really make contact with his diabetes team, to ask them for guidance.

It could be they haven't got his dosing quite right yet. It could also be that your husband's diet has changed a bit, with the colder weather and he's maybe eating more carbs, which could realistically cause higher numbers, but it is important you get to the bottom of it, and make a plan to reduce the big numbers.

If your husband begins to feel ill, is sick or generally becomes unwell, ringing 111 could be the way forward. Better safe than sorry.

 

[jjraak]

My husband is type 2 for over 10 years he’s now been put on novomix insulin since July his hbac1 has come down from 88 to 67 but he says this last couple of weeks he’s had the odd test that’s shown a 27! And last night a 30! Just tested now and he’s at 8 so don’t know if he’s not washed his hands or it’s right

Hi @Dippydolly


type 2 here, NOT on insulin,

HBA1c of 88 - 67 is a good reduction.

the 8 that you describe sounds above normal for a post meal but not wildly so.
(if that was me, i'd only be looking at reducing the amount OR cutting one of the items, maybe)

However from reading of others using insulin those numbers of 27 - 30
are a worry to them, though most seem to be T1 so have the ability to adjust their dosage
to bring down the BG levels.

i have taken the liberty of tagging three friends on here who MAY be able to offer far better advice then me, in the case no others reply in the immediate future
@poemagraphic , @karen8967 , @johnpol

Ah, nice advice @DCUKMod

 

[Diakat]

What type of insulin is he on? When does he take it? What did he eat before the high readings?

 

[karen8967]

sorry nothing more to add and agree with everything dcukmod has said hope all is sorted soon x