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HbA1C ?

A

adm

Well-Known Member
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I'm new here, so this is probably a dumb question, but....

OK - so I know HbA1C is a test for Glycated Haemoglobin and I haven't yet had my first appointment with my "Diabetes Nurse", but all I've really got to go on with my T2 diagnosis so far was that my doc said "Your sugars are at about 15, you have Type 2 diabetes". When he said this, I had no idea what he was talking about, and it's only in the last few days that I have had this diagnosis and am currently trying to learn about the disease.

So - was that "15" number likely to have been a proper HbA1c test - or will I not have had one of those yet?

AND....

What is the relationship between the HbA1C numbers I see people discussing here, and a spot reading from a blood glucose meter? I appreciate that the HbA1C is more of a "long term" average - but are the units the same or is it something totally different?

Thanks,

Alasdair
 
Here is a link to information about the HbA1c test and what it means. Basically, it is a 90 day average of your BG levels shown as a percentage.

http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/prevent ... _hba1c.htm

Edited as I posted the wrong link.........

There is a link in the page which takes you to this site's converter from HbA1c to BG levels. That should show you the relationship. Type in your own Bg levels and it will predict the HbA1c level, and vice versa.

I would imagine that the 15 was probably just your Bg level at that point in time, which was high. If it was a HbA1c level......... :shock: Some work needs to be done in both cases.

The finger prick test you do just gives you your BG level at that point, no more than that.

Ken ( and Sue...... :D )
 
Thanks! I think you pasted the wrong link, but I found the calculator and some discussions as well....so now i understand.

On the 15 number, i think (hope) it must have been a value at that point. Over the last 2 days, I've been testing a lot and 15 is the highest number I've seen - my average is about 9 right now. Of course, maybe it's been at least 15 for ages and it's only in the last couple of days when I've been trying to eat sensibly that it's dropped....
 
(well I needn't have bothered!, I wrote this and then lost connection!) Ohwell!
Your 15mmol was probably a fasting blood glucose , though a random reading of over 11.1mmol is high and would indicate diabetes.

A HbA1c is, as you have guessed, a measurement of the blood glucose in your blood over time.
Glucose sticks to the red cells in your blood (haemoglobin ie Hb) making them into glycated haemoglobin. The red cells last for 8 to 12 weeks (corrected) The more glycated haemoglobin in your blood the higher the glucose levels will have been over the last 3months.
The figures seem similar to those used for day to day testing but they are not identical and are in fact expressed as percentages.

It is possible to give estimated average glucose (eag) levels for Hb A1c levels. You will find lots of calculators on the web, they vary from calculator to calculator, thoe figures below are from the American Diabetes Association and reflect very recent research. However it is only an average.
5%= ......5.4 mmol eag
6%=......7.0 mmol eag
7%=......8.6mmol eag
8%=......10.1mmoleag
9%= .....11.8mmol eag
10%= ....13.4mmol eag

Just to be awkward though the units given for HbA1c in the UK are changing from percentage to mmol/mmol. The figures you get from the doctors may be in the new units!
If so they will look like this:
(%) (mmol/mol)
4.0 ...... 20
5.0...... 31
6.0 ..... 42
7.0...... 53
8.0 ...... 64
9.0 ...... 75
10.0..... 86


Blood glucose levels vary through the day, rising and falling according to food intake, exercise and also things like stress and illness. Testing with a glucose monitor will show what your glucose is at that moment. Obviously if you are able to test frequently you have a means of feedback on how effective your diet and exercise regime is. With enough testing, testing before and after meals, on waking and after exercise you have a pretty good indication of what your HbA1c will be ( However this is often impossible for many people with type 2 as it is often difficult to get strips prescribed)
edited for typo pointed out below
 
Thanks Phoenix!

I'm testing EVERYTHING right now......luckily enough I can currently afford to invest in enough strips (eBay for the cheapest ones) if it's going to let me get a handle on this disease - although when I get my first "Diabetes Nurse" appointment in a couple of weeks, i shall nonetheless be trying to get a prescription :D Slim chance of that though.
 
If you show that you are really proactive in wanting to control and understand your diabetes, print out food diary, meter readings etc then you just MAY get the strips !

This is from the NICE guidelines on the management of Type 2 diabetes.

Offer self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education Discuss its purpose and agree how it should be interpreted and acted upon
Click to expand...

Good luck ! :D
 
:D

I've already got a plan to take my laptop to my first appointment with a full blown powerpoint presentation going through my first few weeks readings, excercise record and plan, food diary, diet plan, blood pressure records etc, etc....ad nauseum!

The nurse is going to be happy to get rid of me - so maybe I can convince her to get me a strip prescription just to get me out of there....
 
I don't think you meant to write this phoenix

>>The red cells last for 8 to 12 months.<<
I'm sure you know the average life of a red cell is about 120days and it's just a typo for weeks. But some newbies might get confused.
Hana
 
Hi adm
whether you get test strips or not will be down to the postcode lottery syndrome that our beloved NHS suffers from. My PCT is ok with gps prescribing. Nonetheless I was called in last time I picked up
my script and questioned on my usage. GP thinks a random 2 - 3 tests a week is sufficient. Long debate ensued - will only know outcome when I go for next repeat. If your GP won't prescribe ask for referral to the central db team as they may prescribe. What is your PCT as someone here may know the policy and you can use the time that pp presentation will take to make a curry. M
 
Justfoundout
You doctor and PCT are generous. My PCT will fund 1 test per week for me.
I fund 1 or 2 per day for myself. I'm an OAP!!!!
Hana
 
I notice your husband is a T1. Do you both have the same meter ? You could use some of his as he must get more. :)
 
justfoundout said:
Hi adm
whether you get test strips or not will be down to the postcode lottery syndrome that our beloved NHS suffers from. My PCT is ok with gps prescribing. Nonetheless I was called in last time I picked up
my script and questioned on my usage. GP thinks a random 2 - 3 tests a week is sufficient. Long debate ensued - will only know outcome when I go for next repeat. If your GP won't prescribe ask for referral to the central db team as they may prescribe. What is your PCT as someone here may know the policy and you can use the time that pp presentation will take to make a curry. M
Click to expand...

Good question.....I live in Surrey, about 10 miles south of Guildford - so I guess it's NHS Surrey?

Anybody have any idea of their policy?
 
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