Another progress report

[pavlosn]

Just received my blood analysis results.

A mixed bag of results with some very good some not so good:

Starting with the good: My A1C score fell from 9.6% (81.4 mmol/mol) on 22/5/2019 to 5,7% (38.8 mmol/mol)today From absolute disaster to non-diabetic range in just over a month. ( I specifically asked and paid for the a1c test as I wanted to remove that 9.6% from my signature in the forum as soon as possible)

My cholesterol levels have also improved
1. Total cholesterol down from 6.5 to 4
2. HDL cholesterol marginally improved from 0.85 to 0.9
3. LDL cholesterol down from 4,9 to 2

My triglycerides have worsened from 1.7 to 2.4. My last meal last night was mostly meat and this may have played a part

Overall my resulting atherosclerosis risk factor fell from 7.6 (very high risk) to 4.35 (low risk)

My PSA scores were also improved moving me to a much lower category for prostate cancer risk. Visiting a urologist was something I was not very keen to do and I can now put this off for a bit longer.

What has actually worsened is my anaemia (and this my be impacting my A1c scores though I am not sure how). Both my heamoglobin count and iron level are still below normal and actually slightly worse than a month ago (probably accounting for the fatigue I am feeling) despite me being on iron tablets for the last couple of weeks.

Vitamin D levels have improved though still below normal so I need to keep taking a supplement.

What have also improved slightly but are still far too high and my main cause for concern are my ESR and CRP scores. These are indicators of inflamation somewhere in the body but do not give indication where exactly and need to be investigated further.

So overall pleased with most of my results

 

[Bluetit1802]

What has actually worsened is my anaemia (and this my be impacting my A1c scores though I am not sure how). Both my heamoglobin count and iron level are still below normal and actually slightly worse than a month ago (probably accounting for the fatigue I am feeling) despite me being on iron tablets for the last couple of weeks.

This is highly likely to have affected your HbA1c score. There are many different types of anemia but some of them result in a shortened lifespan for red blood cells and therefore a lower HbA1c than expected. However, iron deficiency anaemia is associated with a higher than expected HbA1c. Take your pick! Plenty of information on Google.

Well done on your progress so far. You are getting there

 

[pavlosn]

From past experience my A1C seems to reflect a shorter lifespan than the usual 3 months, closer to one month. So in a period when my levels are dropping then the reported score is lower than the predicted score.

According to the app I now use to record my daily glucose counts, my predicted A1C score should be 6%, actual score came back 5,7%. This corresponds to an average glucose level of 117 mg/dl, which just happens to be the average of my counts for the last 30 days.

To be honest the actual "true" A1C does not really matter as the only comparison I am making is not with the A1C scores of others but with my own 9,6% previous score.

It was important for me mentally to see an improvement to this . Whether this improvement was to 5,7 or to 6,0 or 6,5% was less important to me.

In a way I cheated a bid as I knew that I would get an accelerated result back. In fact my doctor did not order an A1C test at this point, as in his opinion there was no point in testing before the three months had elapsed .

I ordered the A1C myself. And I did so expecting to see a big improvement based on my daily self tests. In a way it was a bit of self mental manipulation, a guarantee against disappointment. I was much less confident about the outcome of the other blood tests I was having done. Basically the doctor asked for these to be repeated as my scores for these on my last test done a month ago were outside normal ranges. So I asked for the A1C test to make sure that there was at least some positive news as a result of this latest round of testing.

I dont believe the outcome of the A1C test has even been reported to my doctor by the lab.

This is highly likely to have affected your HbA1c score. There are many different types of anemia but some of them result in a shortened lifespan for red blood cells and therefore a lower HbA1c than expected. However, iron deficiency anaemia is associated with a higher than expected HbA1c. Take your pick! Plenty of information on Google.

Well done on your progress so far. You are getting there

 

[ianf0ster]

Congrats on your HbA1c and Lipid figures.
The haemoglobin count and iron level are strange when on iron tablets, but with luck they are just a blip.