Type 2 Explain blood test readings T2

[flower2024]

I had a blood test via the surgery and was called in because the reading was 140 and I was told this is dangerously high. I was put on Metformin, which caused me to cough and choke almost uncontrollably. They’ve now switched my medication to Jardiance empaglifloxin.

I’ve also been given a home blood test kit, with no instructions as to how often I should use it, so I’ve been using it before I eat and again about 90 minutes after eating. The readings are around 7.5 to 9.5 before meals and anything up to 18.5 afterwards.

I want to know why the blood test at the surgery is measured in hundreds (of what?) and the home testing kit measures in a different scale (mmols?)

I can’t understand the relationship between the surgery blood test and the home finger prick test.

What numbers should I be aiming for with my home testing kit?

Many thanks to anyone who can explain any of this to me in simple terms!

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi, and welcome, @flower2024 ,

They're different tests. The 140 was likely your HbA1c, and it is measured in mmol/mol rather than mmol/l. It lets you know the average of the past three months, more or less, so that means that on average your blood sugars have been quite high, over all. The test you do at home is a test of what your blood sugars are doing right at that moment, which is measured in mmol/l. Hence the difference.

Your blood sugars should, ideally, not go over 8,5 mmol/l after a meal. It's over that when the damage starts to happen, especially if your blood glucose stays elevated for a long-ish time. When you eat, test before the meal and 2 hours after the first bite. You're aiming for a rise of no more, and preferably less, than 2.0 mmol/l, which would mean your body could cope with what you put into it. If it's higher, well... Then it couldn't process the amount of carbs consumed effectively.

I saw your other posts, and yeah.... Beer is often called liquid bread, meaning there's a lot of carbs in there, and apples are iffy. Some here can have them, I know I can't. Test, and see what is true for you, specifically.

https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html might help a bit as well. Keep in mind though, while we extol the virtues of low carb eating here quite often, combining it with Jardiance might cause hypo's: that's why you were given a meter when many of us don't get one. The medication you're on can make your blood sugars go too low, mainly if combined with other diabetes medications though, from what I gather. (Since your profile states you're "diet only" but you mention Jardiance in your post, you might want to edit your profile to correct the treatment you're on. To avoid us giving potentially harmful advice, not just being nosy). So if you change your diet, do be careful, as you might need to adjust your dosage or treat for a hypo. Keep something with fast acting sugars handy. Like honey, orange juice, that sort of thing.

Hang in there eh. I know it's a kick in the head, and a very, very steep learning curve, but you're asking the right questions.
Good luck,
Jo

 

[Chris24Main]

Hi @flower2024 - Jo is on the money as usual; I was where you are just over a year ago, it seems incomprehensibly difficult to grasp, but it will get easier, and there is much more you can do than you may be feeling. Give yourself time to absorb.

If you are looking to compare both measurements - I find this site really useful;

HbA1c Calculator

www.hba1cnet.com

All it is, is a unit convertor, as you may also find that other countries use different units for the finger prick tests and HbAlc as well (though, they are all simply "this stuff as a proportion of that stuff", so it can become really confusing, if you read something, it's useful to be able to translate it into a number that you can at least understand (though, as Jo points out, we use finger prick as an immediate snapshot, where the HbA1c is a longer term average)

 

[flower2024]

Jo and Chris. Your replies have been really helpful. Thank you. I tried a finger prick test before eating an apple and again afterwards - the reading was lower afterwards! Weird?

Regarding revising my profile, I would if I could work out how to do it. I can’t find an edit button. Hey ho!

 

[lovinglife]

Hi to change your details click on your name in the top right hand corner, you’ll get a drop down menu, click on account details and you’ll be able to change anything from there, just scroll down until you find the info you want to change

 

[Chris24Main]

I tried a finger prick test before eating an apple and again afterwards - the reading was lower afterwards! Weird?

It seems completely wrong doesn't it.. how can that track with all the times we've been told to have a snack for "the boost".?

This is kind of the red pill moment...
You will be aware already that too much sugar in your blood is not good. The thing your body does to protect you when it detects higher levels is to raise a hormone, insulin, which among other things, drives various body parts to take up and use more glucose. The more often this happens the more difficult it gets (like becoming more resistant to anything), so over time you need more to have the same effect.

Then, as your blood glucose level is dropping, eventually you hit the internal 'blood glucose is too low' switch, and different hormones take over, but by then, you are usually lower than when you started.

You've observed all of that from a single apple. Amazing, huh?