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Hba1c 56.35 what next?

A

AngeH

Member
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5
Hi, I'm new to the forum and hoping someone can help me understand hba1c results/help me stop panicking unnecessarily. I had gestational diabetes with insulin in 2015 and was told I was prediabetic in 2019. I've tried to change my diet, but not as well as I could have if I'm honest. Since September I've been tired and weeing loads and always thirsty, cuts don't heal etc. I didn't want to waste my GPs time or go for a blood test in lockdown so I paid for a private home hba1c test last week which has come back as high at 56.35, so they said I need to contact my gp as it indicates diabetes. I don't understand this value and whether it's bad. I know I should call my gp, but I am anxious about what might happen next. Can anyone share any information about what this hba1c means and what is likely to happen with the gp. Thank you.
 
Will the gp accept the private test results or will I need another blood test? I really don't want to have to go to a surgery/hospital for a test as my relative caught covid in hospital in December and passed away. Also, is medication going to be the only option with this number or will they let me try a rigid diet first to see if I can reduce it? I'm scared if I'm honest.
 
According to diabetes Uk, 42 or below is normal. 42-47 is pre diabetes & anything over 48 your basically diabetic. Your reading of 56 indicates an average blood glucose reading of around 9mmol. As your probably aware a non diabetics reading would be between 4-7mmol. An A1C test is your average over the last 8-12 weeks.

Im not really sure when it comes to the medication & diagnosis side of things but if you where type 1 you would need insulin. Type 2 would be diet or tablets I think but honestly I wouldn't like to guess, you'd need to see the docs for that.
 
Thank you. I will call the gp ASAP.
 
HbA1c >48 indicates diabetes. So you've past that threshold. Good news is that you're not greatly over the diagnostic mark so potential for improvement is massive with even small changes. Read up on the effects of low carb, exercise & weight loss.

Now for the real dilemma, I take it this result is only between you & this private company. I live in a country where private health care is vastly superior to the public system, Ireland btw. Private health care also requires you to wait 5 years before covering the cost any pre-existing conditions. I would be on to my broker is a heartbeat & maybe put the doctors visit back a month or 2. This however would be fraud strictly speaking so definitely don't take my terrible advice.

So, low carb & no fraud please.
Good luck.
 
Resurgam said:
It would be more usual to see 56 for an indication of diabetes.
It is definitely in the diabetic range and indicates higher than normal levels of glucose in the blood, a sort of average over the last 3 months.
Click to expand...
Is that 56.35 an mg/dl or mmol/l, or maybe another type I don't know about @Resurgam ?
 
I'm new too so will let those that know much better than I answer, you're in a good place though, this forum has been a total God-sent for me. I don't even have a doctor because mine left town after she diagnosed me. Honest, I didn't do anything to make her leave either, lol!
 
@AngeH
What is it you are most scared of?
Having a blood test?
Going to surgery and covid risk?
Having diabetes?

Of it is either of the first 2 , you will have to bite the bullet sooner rather than too much later. If it is diabetes and you ignore it you could end up losing your sight or a limb or 2.

If however, you face up to it and take charge of it and change your way of eating you will probably be able to manage it yourself (if type 2) with minimal ongoing input from doctors .

Diabetes isn't a life sentence or a hanging offence and there's loads of support on here. But it all starts with the gp and a test... he may or may not accept the private one

Get it arranged and let us know how it goes
 

Having diabetes and catching covid in gp surgery. Last one is stupid I know but uncle died of covid in December that he caught in hospital. When I had gestational diabetes and the insulin injections it was was horrible, it just didn't seem to get under control until my baby was delivered. My uncle has had toes amputated because of diabetes and I am so angry at myself for not doing the proper diet because maybe I could have stopped it developing. Need to toughen up, get to the gp and change my diet.
 
I found a chart I kind of like because it converts just the mg/dl whole # to the mmol/l percent: Maybe this will help you in your journey. Some here may have better ones they might recommend. I'm pretty new, just 3 weeks, I mentioned

https://www.diabeteschart.org/mgmmol.html
 
You're here now, and most important, seeing your doctor Mine is coming along great thanks to the help I got here. I started with 7.0. Just keep with us, and let us know how it's going,
 
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