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

Pre Type 2?

SugarPossum

SugarPossum

Active Member
Messages
42
Location
Yorkshire Dales
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Bit of a shock to the system.
Doc says some figure, not HbaC1, of 6.8 is up from 6.1 three months ago makes me potential Type 2.

I did some googling and became conpuzzled with diferent quantities of blood sugar, mmol/L, plasma, HbaC1 & ...?
I understand something about HbaC1 after googling but not how the other parameters relate to it.
e.g. I guess mmol and plasma are 'instant' readings since they seem to be taken from current blood?

But the Hbac1 needs more explaining. It's supposed to give an 'average' of three month's blood sugar level to to my engineer's mind is difficult to envisage. Red blood cells live for three months but not ALL cells.
So the result is a mixture from many cells of different lifespans.

So if, for instance, I measure ambient temperature. One day is +20 degrees, (I wish), next is -5 degrees and so on for a period of weeks. I can average these readings "on the fly" or over the whole measurement period so that peaks and troughs get evened out.
I cannot see that hemoglobin has any intelligence that can do this. If I have a heavy sugar week is this high reading shown measuring HbaC1 or is it 1/13th divided into the 'average'?
Bottom line: I have a high Hbac1 reading. Is it due to recent high sugar?

Note, please, I am not in denial. If I have type 2, I have type 2. End of story.
 
Hi and welcome. It does look like the readings you give are HBa1C in old money (%) and the 6.1 would be OK and the 6.8 not OK. As engineer to engineer (!) you are right to question the 3 month average. Yes, the HBa1C is weighted very much to the last month as it is indeed influenced by red cell lifetime. Google the web for an in-depth explanation. A spot blood sugar measurement using a meter uses mmol units in the UK. Look at this website's home page for more info.
 
Daibell said:
Hi and welcome. It does look like the readings you give are HBa1C in old money (%) and the 6.1 would be OK and the 6.8 not OK. As engineer to engineer (!) you are right to question the 3 month average. Yes, the HBa1C is weighted very much to the last month as it is indeed influenced by red cell lifetime. Google the web for an in-depth explanation. A spot blood sugar measurement using a meter uses mmol units in the UK. Look at this website's home page for more info.
Click to expand...
I hope in time it will seem simpler :) I have the gist on A1C (as some name it) thanks to your help. Now it's getting to grips with LCHF diets.
I like my root veg so I'm going to have to limit them :( or find acceptable alternatives.
Another post topic here I think.
Thanks again for the info.
 
Yes although it is generally taken as a 3 months average...it is weighted towards the last 2-4 weeks. That is why when I take a monthly HbA1c test, I can immediately see the improvements from having a low carb diet.
 
kokhongw said:
Yes although it is generally taken as a 3 months average...it is weighted towards the last 2-4 weeks. That is why when I take a monthly HbA1c test, I can immediately see the improvements from having a low carb diet.
Click to expand...

Hi kokhangw,
Is this test something you are able to do yourself in some way, or do you go through your GP / DN to have it done each month? Reason I ask is that my GP has been reluctant to test more often than yearly, and I've only had one done this past Monday after a massive sulk. Now waiting for results. I'm prediabetic and am anxious to control it so that I don't advance to full diabetes, if possible. I started about a month agao, and now do tests before and 2 hrs after meals. Numbers started in the 7s - 8s and are now mid to high 5s or in the 6s, so a bit of improvement.


I'd like to be able to do the HbA1c myself if there's any way for me to do so.


p.s. Apologies, @SugarPossum, I hope I'm not hijacking your thread
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Salvia said:
Sorry @kokhongw, I should have realised you were in a civilized place. We're still in the dark ages here in (some parts of) the UK.
Click to expand...

Actually not many people know that such services are available...they don't advertise their services. I accidentally discovered it.

My initial blood test at private clinic cost me $200, not including the consultation and medication. But I knew I was in trouble...so I searched for a distinguished Endocrinologist for his opinions...
 
No worries, Salvia. It's a relevant question in my mind.
I'll ask for myself tomorrow - I have another confirmation? blood test for A1C level so the doc can decide what remedial action, is any, to take.
I have hope the level will be down since I've started well into LCHF and decreased my red wine intake.
Though :) red wine isn't particularly carb rich.

North Yorkshire GP so I'll let you know his verdict on repeated A1C tests.
 
Back
Top