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First HBA1C result

M

MadMat

Well-Known Member
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Just got my first HBA1C result since diagnosis and going on Metformin. - 64, or 8% in the old system according to the convertor!

This result is 6 weeks after diagnosis, and starting Metformin, is this OK for this stage ? Can't get an appointment with my nurse until the middle of next month to discuss it!

I've only had a meter and been seriously trying to reduce carbs for the last 2-3 weeks, but I can't remember what it was on diagnosis, that appointment is all a bit of a blur in my mind! the only thing I can remember is that a finger prick test the nurse did at the time registered 24!!

Mat
 
Sounds like a good result in the circumstances Mat. The metformin will have taken a while to kick in, and i expect you were started on ony one perday in any case? The low carbing also takes a while to show up in an HBA1C so well done
Do you test your own blood glucose?

That will help you to see how things are going and if you are on track. Most T2s can't get a meter and srips from the doctor now but buy their own as you will read elsewhwere here, Well worth it if you can. Tells you what different foods are doing to your levels and which to avoid.

You must have made great progress in a short time if 24 was a typical reading for you. Sounds as though you are right on track to achieve excellent control Congratulations!
 
Agree, good result. The HbA1c looks at your averages over the previous 8 to 12 weeks, although weighted towards the last four quite heavily. So your low carb diet will only be impacting it a bit at the moment. But if you had readings of 24 before on the finger prick, that's a great improvement. If you stick to it, with the low carbs, I bet your next HbA1c shows a great improvement again. The metformin won't have much of an effect, it's the diet that does it so you must stick to that. No weakening!
 
Heading in the right direction Mat :thumbup:
 
That looks OK then, I've been testing myself for 3 weeks now, and my meter is showing an average of 6.6 for the last 3 weeks, so I was a little concerned with the HBA1C as I've seen a few other posts suggesting that the meter I have "SD CODEFREE" might not be accurate!!

Mat
 
MadMat said:
That looks OK then, I've been testing myself for 3 weeks now, and my meter is showing an average of 6.6 for the last 3 weeks, so I was a little concerned with the HBA1C as I've seen a few other posts suggesting that the meter I have "SD CODEFREE" might not be accurate!!

Mat
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Yes I remember, one member said it was inaccurate after only one test :think:
 
Grazer said:
No meters are accurate! No reason to believe the SD codefree is any worse than others.
Click to expand...

You can certainly say that again!!
I'm thinking I may have been getting a strange batch of test strips for my Freestyle Lite or something. I tested on 3 separate meters yesterday as the first result I got sort of puzzled me a bit....9.1, so I tried my spare Freestyle and it said 8.5. I then tried my SD Codefree and it said 7.7. That is some variation and didn't know which to believe, although the 7.7 would have been what I would have expected.
I mentioned this to a fellow type 2 friend last night and he let me use his meter (a Bayer Contour) and one of my Freestyles gave me 8.9 and his meter gave me 7.4. Again the 7.4 would have been more what I was expecting.

I have no idea what to believe now. I have been running slightly higher levels just recently and was getting a bit concerned by it but now I don't feel I can trust any meters anymore so may not have been high some of the time. There seems to be such a range of figures. I know they normally vary a bit and I have seem that in the past but never this much.
I have tested one with solution and it is in the range but there is such a wide range allowed it doesn't really prove anything.

Just another challenge for us with this condition!! :lol:

Regards
Angie
 
First Mat

Good result keep it up!

Second Angie

Don't test across two meters. It will send you MAD :crazy: Did me :lol:
 
xyzzy said:
First Mat

Good result keep it up!

Second Angie

Don't test across two meters. It will send you MAD :crazy: Did me :lol:
Click to expand...


I know that but when you get a figure that seems way too high for what you are expecting that does more for the stress levels than cross-testing!!
My levels have gone higher recently and I'm considering making an appointment to see the nurse about them....but if it is my meter I may end up on extra meds for no reason!! :problem:

Regards
Angie
 
Well as long as the meter is consistent then it's not so much a problem I guess really we are more interested in the difference between the before and after meal figures than the absolute value of one test.


Mat
 
I saw the resulkts of a proper set of lab tests on these meters once, comparing them to accurate lab results. They were up to 20% out, with the most innacuracy at the higher readings. Down at the 5 and 6 levels, they were getting very close to true, and best around the 4's. I guess that's so they are accurate for people worried about heading towards hypos.
The bayer contour I use shows a set of tests saying it's within 4% for readings under 10 I think.
Overall, if the range of innacuracy is up to 20%, I suppose you have to say a reading could be up to 10% too high or too low on average! Kind of ok.
 
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