Hba1c - Before or after Christmas??

[newcastlelou]

Hi all

I'm new to the forum. I had GD while pregnant with my son in 2012 followed by a negative GTT 6 weeks after his birth. I have no family history of diabetes, I'm naturally slim (no Kate Moss though!) so always within normal BMI range. I do have PCOS though so I'm blaming that :roll:

I was diagnosed as prediabetic following an Hba1c in July this year. My GP asked me to make another appointment for an Hba1c 6 months later - that is basically during Christmas! I've been much better behaved with my diet since the prediabetes diagnosis but still not as good as I should have been (keep falling off the waggon :shh: )

What do people think I should do - have an Hba1c before Christmas or after? Before means I could maybe be a little bit naughty over Christmas and have some cake and chocolate - BUT I might get the results quickly and possibly find out I'm Type 2 just in time for Christmas! After means I would be thinking about it all during Christmas.

I know this sounds like I'm not taking it seriously - I am, really! I just want to try and enjoy my Christmas without thinking about it too much as this might be the last Christmas I can do that without checking bloods etc.

What do people think?

Thanks folks xxx

 

[Lazybones]

Dear Newcastlelou,
As you may already know the HbA1c test will show what is your average Blood/Glucose levels that you have had in the 120 days prior to the time when your Blood Test was taken. If you seriously intend to overdo the 'Christmas Period' you will naturally increase your reading from what it would have been by taking the test after the Christmas period, and having overdone all the 'Christmas Goodies' over the Christmas/New Year Period.

When to take you HbA1c test is obviously up to yourself so you will have to decide whether to go for it NOW and risk what might be a diabetic outcome or take a chance and hope for the best, remembering that if fate has set it that you are to join our diabetic community as a diabetic it is obviously better to know this ASAP.

Diabetes isn't normally confirmed by just the HbA1c test alone and a early morning Fasting B/G test is often taken to go alongside a HbA1c test to confirm if you are diabetic or not, but I would think that the 'Christmas Goodies' will notch up what otherwise would be a lower HbA1c reading.

The decision is ultimately down to you, but personally I would like to know sooner rather than later.