Blood test results 6 months on..

[Bluetit1802]

@faceandedge

I have had a similar problem with my HbA1c for years. I test several times a day - 6 or 7 times at various times. I also use a Libre sensor on a part time basis, and I do a home HbA1c test on the same day as my official one. My meter averages, my Libre results and the home HbA1c consistently agree (more or less) but my official HbA1c is always significantly higher. My GP is on board with this. It appears I have some haemoglobin variances of unknown origin, possibly genetic. I am not anaemic and have no thyroid issues. (which can both skew the HbA1c).

Have a look at a thread I did a while ago. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/2-hba1cs-2-labs-1-blood-sample.154627/

There are literally dozens of websites, blogs etc about the unreliability of the HbA1c and some of the causes. I just used Google to find them.

I am definitely not alone in my findings. Several other forum members have the same problems.

 

[faceandedge]

Hi there, I was diagnosed as 'pre diabetic' 4 years ago with numbers pretty similar to yours. I too, followed a 'lifestyle' that sounds very much like yours and was told to eat 'fewer processed foods', not that I ate that much of them anyway but the Nurse said she couldn't think of anything else to advise. Roll on 3 years and I ended up being diagnosed as type 1 (which I suspect I was all along). I now use insulin (very small amounts since diagnosis 18 months ago) and follow a diet almost identical to yours. My A1c is at 43 (was 42 the time before that). I keep my after meal readings in the 4s/5s by eating low carb (usually no insulin). However, the only way I can keep the fasting (between meal readings) in the 4s/5s is by using long acting insulin. In the first few months following many hypo's, I stopped insulin for 3 months under the advice of the Dr and my A1c rose to 44. Now I know that's ok but my point is that your glucose possibly sounds as if it simply refuses or is unable to go any lower without medication . You may achieve an A1c in the 30s like many do if you truly are type 2 nd the wonderful people on here are proof of that but if you are not type 2 then it's more complicated. I wonder though, given your lifestyle and (apart from the porridge) your low carb diet and continued exercise etc, whether you are even a type 2. I was written off 4 years ago as a pending type 2 but it was most likely LADA. I don't wish to worry you and I stress this is MY story but I do know they do not test 'pre diabetics' for anything, they go on the A1c result only. Without knowing for sure you may be striving for something that is impossible. After that 3 month 'experiment' they did the proper tests and said yep, definitely t 1 and the only reason I had managed without insulin was probably because of the honeymoon period. Back on the insulin I went. x

Ok, that's interesting, if not a tad alarming..
I am completely baffled to why my HbA1c aren't moving more dramatically, I have looked at symptoms of type 1 and I can relate to most of those listed, but isn't that always the case?!
You have certainly given me a lot to think about.

 

[faceandedge]

@faceandedge

I have had a similar problem with my HbA1c for years. I test several times a day - 6 or 7 times at various times. I also use a Libre sensor on a part time basis, and I do a home HbA1c test on the same day as my official one. My meter averages, my Libre results and the home HbA1c consistently agree (more or less) but my official HbA1c is always significantly higher. My GP is on board with this. It appears I have some haemoglobin variances of unknown origin, possibly genetic. I am not anaemic and have no thyroid issues. (which can both skew the HbA1c).

Have a look at a thread I did a while ago. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/2-hba1cs-2-labs-1-blood-sample.154627/

There are literally dozens of websites, blogs etc about the unreliability of the HbA1c and some of the causes. I just used Google to find them.

I am definitely not alone in my findings. Several other forum members have the same problems.

That's interesting reading, I'll do some more research , I really would like to get to the bottom of this.

 

[bulkbiker]

Yes I do, but generally upon waking and returning home from work in the evening prior to eating.
As an average at breakfast 5.8-6.1 In the evening average 5.6- 5.8
Out of interest today's was 5.8 had my standard course rolled porridge with water and a cup of tea, two hours later after a short dog walk it was 5.6 I took 3 samples just for clarity all 5.6.
So it appears no massive spike?
Why a HbA1c on the higher range scale then?!

Interesting... so your home testing and HbA1c levels don't really align..
Calling @Bluetit1802 who may have some HbA1c input..

Dear Mark please read all the thread before replying!.. sorry Daf

 

[Bluetit1802]

Interesting... so your home testing and HbA1c levels don't really align..
Calling @Bluetit1802 who may have some HbA1c input..

Dear Mark please read all the thread before replying!.. sorry Daf

Lol. Better than posting a reply on a completely different thread to the one intended. That was one of my major faux pas.

 

[Ponchu]

Is lipid hypotheses still a hypotheses?