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Are all glucose tests the same?

J

Jan McGee

Active Member
Messages
38
Location
UK
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Are the numbers from the tests we do on our monitors the same as the doctor's blood glucose test?

I meant to do a test before I started carb counting so I could see if I was making progress... but forgot.
 
Hi
Depends on the test the doctor did, if it was a fasting Blood test, it gives a better result than a test strip, but is only the amount of Glucose in your blood at the time of the test.
If it was a HbA1c blood test that gives a reflection of the average glucose in your blood for a 9 to 12 week period before the test.
This is really the only true test for diabetics.
Blood Strips are not very accurate, they can be out by 15 %, depends on the meter.
Blood testing strips are ideal for getting a trend of Blood Glucose or for testing before and 2 hours after a meal, to see what effect the food has on your Glucose levels.
Low or no carb, or log GI foods have the least effect.
Feel free to ask any questions, someone will give you an answer
 
Randburg said:
Hi
Depends on the test the doctor did, if it was a fasting Blood test, it gives a better result than a test strip, but is only the amount of Glucose in your blood at the time of the test.
If it was a HbA1c blood test that gives a reflection of the average glucose in your blood for a 9 to 12 week period before the test.
This is really the only true test for diabetics.
Blood Strips are not very accurate, they can be out by 15 %, depends on the meter.
Blood testing strips are ideal for getting a trend of Blood Glucose or for testing before and 2 hours after a meal, to see what effect the food has on your Glucose levels.
Low or no carb, or log GI foods have the least effect.
Feel free to ask any questions, someone will give you an answer
Click to expand...


Thanks Randburg. My HbA1c was 11.3. If I had taken a strip test at the same time, would the result have been around 11?
I am trying to establish a base line to see if I am improving.

I already have had a leg ulcer, so it is pretty important to get my glucose levels as low as possible.
 
Hi Jan
Possibly yes, the only way to really check is to do a test with your meter at the same time as a blood test, I have even asked the nurse to give me a drop to test.
As I said meters are really not accurate, I use a Accu-Chek Performa/Nano, and I know it over reads by about plus 6 %, as I've tested it as above.( so my actual is 6% lower)

But really for comparison purposes as long as you use the same meter you can compare over time to get a trend of how you are doing.
Your reading of 11 is high. If you look around on this site you will find a lot on Low Carb diets, and they combined with exercise will defiantly help reducing your levels.
I have reduced Carbs and I do a fair amount of exercise and my levels are reasonably low.
Quite happy to help if you like, Good luck
 
There are two types of test.

1. Blood plasma test, which is a test which measures the glucose in your blood plasma at that point in time, ie a snapshot and

2. HBA1c test, which is the amount of gycated haemoglobin in your blood. This is very different to a plasma test and is a record of the past 3 months.


Many tests at the doctors are plasma tests. As you mention 11.3, it sounds more like a plasma test but, ask the doctor.

The difference between you doing a test with a meter and strip at home is that you are using capillary blood from a finger prick. At the doctors, they use a needle and take a sample of venous blood, ie from your vein, and this is much more accurate. The capillary contains other fluids and so is not as accurate as blood from a vein. They both test the level of glucose in the plasma, but the doctor's reading is likely more accurate.
 
Randburg said:
Hi
Depends on the test the doctor did, if it was a fasting Blood test, it gives a better result than a test strip, but is only the amount of Glucose in your blood at the time of the test.
If it was a HbA1c blood test that gives a reflection of the average glucose in your blood for a 9 to 12 week period before the test.
This is really the only true test for diabetics.
Blood Strips are not very accurate, they can be out by 15 %, depends on the meter.
Blood testing strips are ideal for getting a trend of Blood Glucose or for testing before and 2 hours after a meal, to see what effect the food has on your Glucose levels.
Low or no carb, or log GI foods have the least effect.
Feel free to ask any questions, someone will give you an answer
Click to expand...


Thanks Randburg, sorry about the delay in getting back to you, I'm having an ME relapse. Im due to have an HbA1c test, so it will have been the plasma test.

I'm finding the before and after results are levelling out. Im on low carb, low GI diet. Problem is that it is affecting my energy levels badly because I have ME.....
 
Yorksman said:
There are two types of test.

1. Blood plasma test, which is a test which measures the glucose in your blood plasma at that point in time, ie a snapshot and

2. HBA1c test, which is the amount of gycated haemoglobin in your blood. This is very different to a plasma test and is a record of the past 3 months.


Many tests at the doctors are plasma tests. As you mention 11.3, it sounds more like a plasma test but, ask the doctor.

The difference between you doing a test with a meter and strip at home is that you are using capillary blood from a finger prick. At the doctors, they use a needle and take a sample of venous blood, ie from your vein, and this is much more accurate. The capillary contains other fluids and so is not as accurate as blood from a vein. They both test the level of glucose in the plasma, but the doctor's reading is likely more accurate.
Click to expand...


Thanks Yorksman, that is a really clear explanation.
 
Randburg said:
Hi Jan
Possibly yes, the only way to really check is to do a test with your meter at the same time as a blood test, I have even asked the nurse to give me a drop to test.
As I said meters are really not accurate, I use a Accu-Chek Performa/Nano, and I know it over reads by about plus 6 %, as I've tested it as above.( so my actual is 6% lower)

But really for comparison purposes as long as you use the same meter you can compare over time to get a trend of how you are doing.
Your reading of 11 is high. If you look around on this site you will find a lot on Low Carb diets, and they combined with exercise will defiantly help reducing your levels.
I have reduced Carbs and I do a fair amount of exercise and my levels are reasonably low.
Quite happy to help if you like, Good luck
Click to expand...


That's kind of you Randburg. Im posting a new question in a moment.
 
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