• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

How often to have HbA1c tested?

Buttons11

Well-Known Member
Messages
162
Location
Woking, Surrey
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Saw a locum Dr today on a non diabetes related matter, but I mentioned that I hadn't been called for an HbA1c, which I thought was due last month, and could she ask for it? She looked at my last results and commented on how well I'd done, but said she couldn't ask for it to be done as "it would throw the system out of whack" ?? I said I had been told I would be tested every three months for the first year and she said that as my last test was so good the DN probably isn't bothered about it.
When will I get another one? Who knows!!!
 
I used to go every three months for a hba1c test, but now I go every six months since I have managed to bring it down to a lower level.

My blood tests are done at a pathology shop not at my GP's practise, so none of this out of wack stuff happens
 
Maybe book an appointment with the nurse? I was diagnosed last May and have had HbA1cs done every 2-3 months so far.
 
The general rule is an HbA1c and review every 3 months until such time as the HbA1c is below target and medication is stable, then it moves to 6 monthly. If your nurse decided to move you to 6 monthly she should have told you. Eventually it will move to annually.
 
Here is the sequence of my reviews:

Diagnosis and full check A1c 98
One month later review A1c 73
Three months later full review A1c 43 and told to expect a call for review in 6 months.

The letter inviting me for blood draws arrived today but I am going to stretch it out so that I get the results at the 12 months from diagnosis stage. Fingers crossed that I get under the Magic 42.
It seems that once you achieve under the 53/48/42 mark the fewer reviews you will be called for.
 
My GP surgery only refers me for a HbA1c test every 12 months, which is the minimum, presumably because they think I have good control. As your last two readings were 42, that might be why you are not getting tested every 3 months now.

The NHS gudelines only recommend testing at least twice a year, and only more often if recently diagnosed, bg remains too high, or treatment plan has been changed.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-2-diabetes/diagnosis/
 
I don't self-test so the HbA1c is the only diabetes monitoring I get. So far I have been tested every three months at least, and I would be unhappy with anything less frequent. The A1c measures the glycated hemoglobin over the previous 8 to 12 weeks so anything less frequent than three months will miss some data. If you are self-testing, you will have additional data.

Context: I was diagnosed just over one year ago. If I had a reliable "pattern" over several years I might be prepared to space out the A1c tests to more than three months.
 
Last edited:
I think some are luckier than others with their GP surgeries. I was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago, had a re-test at 3 months and then tests moved to annually so have only had 3 tests (excluding diagnosis) to date!
 
CoastGirl said:
I think some are luckier than others with their GP surgeries. I was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago, had a re-test at 3 months and then tests moved to annually so have only had 3 tests (excluding diagnosis) to date!
Click to expand...

You could ask for an interim (6 month) blood test without a need to see the nurse/doctor unless something is thrown up. I have done this in the past and was given one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…