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C-peptide readings and understanding my results

Robyn@29

Robyn@29

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Location
London, Sidcup
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
***copied from my facebook page***

Calling all doctors/nurses/diabetics..., I need some help understanding a result I've had. So ive been part of a medical trial for my diabetes. To get on the trial my pancreas had to be working to a specific degree or better. They were measuring c-peptides, i needed a reading of 200 or more to pass the test. I have three questions, (1) whats it measured in? (2) what reading would a non-diabetic get? (3) whats the highest reading you've seen in a diabetic? I had a reading of over 1800... :D pretty pleased with that tbh, find out what it is now, 6 months on, next month :)
Also any tips on keeping it this high?? :)
 
Robyn@29 said:
***copied from my facebook page***

Calling all doctors/nurses/diabetics..., I need some help understanding a result I've had. So ive been part of a medical trial for my diabetes. To get on the trial my pancreas had to be working to a specific degree or better. They were measuring c-peptides, i needed a reading of 200 or more to pass the test. I have three questions, (1) whats it measured in? (2) what reading would a non-diabetic get? (3) whats the highest reading you've seen in a diabetic? I had a reading of over 1800... :D pretty pleased with that tbh, find out what it is now, 6 months on, next month :)
Also any tips on keeping it this high?? :)
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what the lab result range is for your test, but if your insulin c-peptide result is high according to that range then your body is still producing insulin. I got a below normal range result on mine so I got told I no longer produce sufficient insulin and need insulin therapy.

So has your insulin production improved you think? That's interesting if it has. How did it come about? I guess it also depends how long you've had diabetes, etc. We're all different. You say you're type 1 so if you're newly diagnosed you could still be in the honeymoon phase where you do still have insulin. Although my knowledge of type 1 compared to what I have is not significant with the ins and outs so I'll leave it up to other type 1's on this forum to answer. I just know for me I've been told my c-peptide was in the red and I have to be on insulin... my insulin was destroyed via years of insulin resistance though.

I wish you the best. :)
 
Contralto said:
http://ltd.aruplab.com/tests/pub/0070416

I, too, had the results of a child and haven't a clue what it really means. Evidently, your age matters with the results as you see above. We can search for meaning and rationales together. Any nurses or docs out there?

There are several kinds of these tests, urine, blood, etc.

Here is a paper on the test from that same well known laboratory website

http://ltd.aruplab.com/Tests/Pdf/176

I found something else that could up the readings. I take relatively high doeses of biotin for diabetes and accoding to test directs, you can't have any in your system (at least 8 hours) before taking the test.

Do you take biotin?
Click to expand...

You're referring to a test for osteoporosis which is looking at bone physiology. The c-peptide test looks at whether or not the pancreas produces insulin. :)
 
Mep said:
I'm not sure what the lab result range is for your test, but if your insulin c-peptide result is high according to that range then your body is still producing insulin. I got a below normal range result on mine so I got told I no longer produce sufficient insulin and need insulin therapy.

So has your insulin production improved you think? That's interesting if it has. How did it come about? I guess it also depends how long you've had diabetes, etc. We're all different. You say you're type 1 so if you're newly diagnosed you could still be in the honeymoon phase where you do still have insulin. Although my knowledge of type 1 compared to what I have is not significant with the ins and outs so I'll leave it up to other type 1's on this forum to answer. I just know for me I've been told my c-peptide was in the red and I have to be on insulin... my insulin was destroyed via years of insulin resistance though.

I wish you the best. :)
Click to expand...
Thanks, yh so im a newly diagnosed type 1, and i just found my reading to be quite high. The nurse dis explain some bits to me, she said my readings were the highest she'd seen on the trial. She also said she'd seen people who had been even more recently diagnosed, fail the test, so levels lower than 200 and she'd seen people who had been diagnosed a lot longer than me, 3/4 years with levels above the pass mark... just seems so random, I'll have to have a proper chat with one of the doctors next time I go in, :)
 
Contralto said:
Yes, you are right and that was why I was confused. One is peptide and other is telopeptide?



so that was for my osteopenia
Click to expand...

Yes, the telopeptide is looking a bone physiology. :)
 
Contralto said:

  • Low values
    • Low levels of both C-peptide and blood glucose are found in liver disease, a severe infection, Addison's disease, or insulin therapy.
    • A low level of C-peptide with a high blood glucose level is found in people with type 1 diabetes.
    • Complete removal of the pancreas (pancreatectomy) causes a C-peptide level so low it can't be measured. The blood glucose level will be high, and insulin will be needed in order for the person to survive.

Click to expand...

This isn't complete information (second point.. a low level of c-peptide with a high blood glucose level is found in people with type 1 diabetes).... I'm type 2 and I had low c-peptide test result and I'm now on insulin therapy for life. So it applies to anyone with diabetes, not just those with type 1. The difference really is in how the insulin production was destroyed in the body. So regardless of what type of diabetes you have, you really need to have your doc keep tabs on how your pancreas is working, especially if you're noticing changes where you can't seem to get anything to lower your blood sugars (that happened to me and that's why they did the diagnostic tests again.... I'd had diabetes 12 years at that point... but I've had 3x c-peptide tests done since I was diagnosed in 1998). I hope this helps :)
 
Hey, so I spoke to the doctor on the trial and basically they measure the c-peptide as its is released at the same time and in the same quantites as insulin from the pancreas, almost like a shadow of insulin, however it doesnt run out doesnt get used up, so when they measure c-peptide levels after fasting then eating they're measuring how much insulin your body is creating and dispersing. Quite interesting really. My levels were high because I only got diagnosed last October and had the first test in December, so i imagine my pancreas was still highly functional considering... lol getting my post trial results tomorrow, quite exciting :) haha
 
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