Frequency for Hbalc ...

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Bluetit1802 said:

Personal choice of course, but for me I prefer regular and frequenht finger pricks or wearing a Libre. I take virtually no notice of my HbA1c because of various reasons. If you end up with annual ones, you could always do a home HbA1c test. Many of us have used A1cNow, which you can find on Google. It is as accurate as anything else. You can buy 1 pack, which contains 2 tests and all the stuff you need. It is just a finger prick test.

What makes you think the HbA1c is accurate? In my case it is anything but.

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Thanks for your advice, Bluetit. I am beginning to doubt what to believe now regarding Diabetes testing. Always thought HbA1c was the gold standard.

Bluetit1802 said:

No, not the gold standard but it is all most of us have. The HbA1c can be unreliable for anyone that has non-standard red blood cells or certain thyroid conditions. It can be used for us all as a method of watching for trends, and is likely to be OK for those with standard red blood cells. Sadly, most of us have no idea if we have standard red blood cells. The life of our red blood cells is not tested as it requires hospitalisation or specific tests in research labs. The standard life of a RBC is 120 days, and that is what the HbA1c relies on. However, one size never fits all. I only have it to keep my nurse happy. Have you always been happy that your HbA1c reflects accurately what your finger pricks told you? If so, then you are probably one of the ones that fall within standard.

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The test result has always been far better than I’ve expected!

Mr_Pot said:

From my understanding of the OPs posts the professional she spoke to was a receptionist. Maybe there are standing orders regarding the frequency of tests.

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The appointment was made by the receptionist. It was the Healthcare Assistant that wouldn’t do my blood test.

Bluetit1802 said:

@Burcham1 am I understanding it correctly in that you didn't have any blood forms (previously given to you by your nurse/GP) or there were no blood forms waiting for you in the blood clinic? In other words, without any official authorisation you rang up and booked a blood draw through the receptionist? If that is the case, I am not totally surprised the HCA refused to take your blood. Without any blood forms, I can't see how any HCA could take blood.

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Well, that’s how it has worked for the past eighteen months. The surgery said it would save wasting an appointment with my GP.

The Practice Manager has asked to see me this afternoon to sort the situation.

Bluetit1802 said:

Let us know the outcome.

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Had a reasonable meeting - up to the point when I told him that I would continue doing the finger prick testing to keep myself on track. He told me that there really was no need now that my blood sugar was in the normal range as I’d become ‘paranoid’. Sort of tuned out after that comment ....

They will only do a blood test once a year.

Bluetit1802 said:

I honestly believe that is the normal procedure. Have a read up on the A1cNow. You could always buy a pack (contains 2 tests) . From all reports on here, and the results of the testing shown on their website, it is as accurate as anything else we have. I wish I could give you the links, but can't on this tablet. If I remember when I get home I will post them, but it is easy enough to find on Google. For the 2 test pack it is not expensive.

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Thanks. That seems to be the solution. Have checked on Amazon and the 2 test pack is around £60. Is that correct?

Thank you to everyone that has replied to my first post.

I must say that after a couple of weeks of mulling the situation over, I am still so disheartened by my surgery’s response. I appreciate that the NHS is strapped for cash, I understand that one blood test a year is all I should have. I was hurt to be told that I was wasting resources by requesting two per annum and that they weren’t a ‘private practice’. I have been with the surgery for 40 years and have actually sat in the waiting room rehearsing my words so as not to waste a moment of the GP’s time.

From day one, I took responsibility for my Pre-D diagnosis - driving people mad on this site with my thirst for knowledge as to how to take control. Having had my mother suffer the trauma of an amputation (not from diabetes), it was a situation I needed to act on immediately. However, the Practice manager intimated I was being ‘paranoid’.

Bluetit1802, I will invest in the A1cNow test, although how many people can realistically afford to do that? I always respect your advice.

My argument has always been how much is an extra blood test going to cost in order to help me keep on track (last A1Hbc 36), as opposed to medication/complications somewhere down the line. But it is what it is.

Rant over. Thanks for reading.