Relationship between Blood Glucose level and HB1AC

[sno0opy]

Hi all,


Im just wondering if any one can help me understand something. I have very recently been diagnosed type 2, well a few weeks now.

I was at 82 and 89 on the HB1AC test having never been tested before.

For about 5 weeks have been on a “healthy” diet – not super low calories Keto diet, but restricted carbs and complex carbs only. Three square meals a day.

I have been testing my blood to get an idea of how it changes through the day and what causes a rise.

I have been getting morning fasting readings every day between 4.8 and 5.3.

2 hours after meals I’m still getting around 5.5 – 5.8

The only major rises I have seen was testing after hard exercise where I got an 8.2?

I have been on 1x 500mg of metformin to start with

I am now on 2x 500mg

I will soon move to 3x 500mg

Lucky for me so far I have had no adverse reactions to this.


My question is do the readings im getting mean anything, they all seem normal, does that mean the diet and medications are working, and while I totally get its no cure its being managed well?

Or are there other readings I should be checking?

I know the main test will be the next HB1AC test in a few months, but I would just like to know if the readings im taking related to a potential drop from the 80’s I was getting, or if it doesn’t work like that?

Sorry it’s a daft question I know allot of people are very knowledgeable here and I haven’t really had any other support from the official sources yet.

Cheers

 

[Brunneria]

Hi @sno0opy

This is a question that comes up often, because we all wonder these things, especially at the beginning.

As you know, the HbA1c is a gauge of what our blood glucose has been doing for the last 2-3 months. Of course it is more complicated than that, but it is easiest just to think of it as a rough average.
While your fingerprick tests are snapshots of what your blood glucose is doing at the moment you take the test.

Have a look at this graphic:

your HbA1cs were 82 and 89, yes?
Those are the blue numbers mmol/mol across the top of the arc. They equate to an average blood glucose snapshot prick test of around 13.5mmol/l (see the bottom of the arc)

Your current prick test readings are around 4.8 to 5.8 with the odd trip up to 8.2.
If you assume that means an average of tests being around 6mmol/l (allowing for daily exercise), then that roughly equates to an HbA1c in the mid 30s.

Which is a fab improvement! Magnificent!!!

However, I don't want to mislead you. Since I'm talking in vague terms such as 'assume' and 'average' and 'roughly equates to' then you will appreciate that I'm not talking precision measurements.
It is common for people to find that their HbA1c does not quite match their expectations, and since you are only taking prick tests at points through the day, you have no way of knowing what happens at night, or whether you are timing your tests to hit the peaks of your blood glucose.

So, the best thing I can say is WELL DONE, you have made big changes, and they are paying off.
and
Keep it up - because you need to maintain these changes in the long term (permanently) to avoid slipping back into those higher blood glucose readings,
but
you really have transformed things.

 

[Muneeb]

The average blood glucose loosely converts to hba1c,

You can check conversion here:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-units-converter.html

hba1c of 89 is an average glucose of ~ 13 mmol/L, so by the readings you are recording, it seems to be much lower in general.
However taking a few readings a day cannot provide an accurate average, the post prandial glucose levels (after eating) within 2hours can make a significant difference to hba1c. But in general it looks like you have made good improvements.

 

[xfieldok]

Download the MySugr app to your phone. It is free. Enter your food and your readings. After a few days it will give you an estimated HbA1c, took me about 6 days. I found it highly motivating when I first started. You can turn off the annoying sound in settings.

Make sure you are testing after food at the right time(s). It looks as though you are making great progress, well done.