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Is 3 month time period a must for HbA1c test?

Kaha

Kaha

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Canada
Type of diabetes
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Tablets (oral)
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Hypocrite
Just wondering whether 3 months interval is a must for HbA1c test ? What if someone tests it after month or two months since the last one was done? Would it be inaccurate? Any comments? Why I am asking because the place where I live, there is no facility to carry out A1c test and I always cannot maintain the 3 months intervals required for HbA1c tests.
 
No, It's just that 3 months is supposed to be the turnover period of RBCs in the average body.
If you did HbA1c tests at monthly intervals then you would have the results of previous periods showing, and if you tested 6-monthly then there would be a 3-month "hole" where the HbA1c was untested.
 
Whenever you take an HbA1c test it will reflect your average glucose levels of the previous three months.

If you take the test more often than three months, the test is still valid and it still reflects the average glucose of the last three months, it is just that the earliest part of these three months will overlap with the corresponding period covered by your previous hba1c test.

Similarly, if you allow more than three months to elapse between tests then the second test will not cover the whole of the period since the preceding test.

To be honest I do not always test every three months and the time between consecutive tests has in the pasts varied from 1 month when I was trying to lower my levels to six months when I was in a more of a maintainable stage.

Pavlos
 
What generally happens here in the UK is that we are given HbA1c tests every 3 months initially. Once our levels and medication (if any) are stable, we move to every 6 months. Some people move to every 12 months. I was moved to every 6 months last June, but after 3 months I asked for an interim test and was allowed one.
 
So, there is no hard and fast rules for Hba1c tests
 
Kaha said:
So, there is no hard and fast rules for Hba1c tests
Click to expand...


No not really, for anyone struggling with their control or those who are newly diagnosed they may get an Hba1c done every 3-6 months, but for most people an annual check is all that's requested by HCP's.
 
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