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hba1c

A

ang

Active Member
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I was diagnosed 5 weeks ago - my fasting blood glucose was 17. Put on Metformin(3 x 500mg) and blood pressure pills.
Seen nurse, given booklet etc - told I will have appointments for feet, eyes and in 3 months would have blood test for hba1c. Do you not normally have this test to begin with?
Also, I asked about testing strips - told her I had bought a meter and some testing strips and could I get testing strips on prescription - told sorry but NO - the only time I would be able to have strips from them would be if I was ever put on insulin - says that this is the ruling throughout all surgeries in the county(Cornwall) - but she said it is a good idea to test, especially testing first thing in the morning before eating or drinking!!!
 
The decision not to provide you with test strips may be down to your PCT. I take Metformin and do not get prescriptions for strips either. I buy mine. Here is NICE guideline for diabetes type 2. I wrote to my PCT about test strips but didn't get a reply.

http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG ... public.pdf

I would have thought the blood test you had was a HbA1c test, which is in terms of percentage and not the same as a test from a blood glucose meter, which is in mmol/l. Ask the nurse/doctor at your surgery. The guidelines give you some idea of what HbA1c level is optimum. The Metformin does not bring blood glucose levels quickly, it takes a couple of weeks to start to work properly, so don't expect dramatic results soon. You need to take them just before, or after eating, a meal.
 
Cornwall doesn't seem to be a good place to be diabetic. :(

The best way to gain control is this

http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/NewlyDiagnosed.htm

which as you can see requires a lot of strips (when you have gained control you will be able to reduce the frequency)

Money is probably the reason they didn't give you an initial A1c too, it would obviously be high BUT it would be a useful baseline to check your improvement against.

I suspect they have decided you are going to decline and be on insulin if a few years anyway so they are saving the money *now* to pay for that, and the amputations, later. :(

However many many people are now beating the odds, and some medical professionals are now coming on board.

Were you told anuthing about diet? The usual recommendation of a high carb low fat diet is pretty much the exact opposite of what a diabetic needs.

Have a look through the stickies and the Success Stories thread for some ideas, especially

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2006/10/d-day.html

http://www.bloodsugar101.com/

http://www.dsolve.com/
 
There seems to quite a difference in treatments across the country....my fasting diagnosis was 15.1, they also tested my hbaic at the same time 10.8%.....but they gave me the test strips on prescription straight away and have done ever since, they are critical in helping you find out what sends your glucose up and helping you get some form of control.

Kick up a stink.
 
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