Self test hba1c kits

[polly-]

Hello everyone

This is my first post although I have been lurking for some time.

I was diagnosed with prediabetes by chance 8 months ago. I was not overweight at the time but I decided to change my diet anyway. With the help of all the great information on this site I went LCHF.

My second hba1c test was due just after Christmas and in the 2 months beforehand I downloaded the my sugr app and tested often (with the Codefree) and the app suggested my test would be significantly lower. In the event it turned out to be just one point lower. I was disappointed at the time especially as I had been extremely good over Christmas! However, having succumbed to a few milk chocolates afterwards and finding that my BG levels shot up significantly I believe I would probably be diagnosed as diabetic now if not for my diet so I am now happier with the result.

I am not due for another blood test until June and although I continue to test with the Codefree I am feeling a little bit dubious of the results so I wonder if it might be worth trying a self test hba1c kit from Amazon at the 3 month mark. Has anyone got any experience of these kits? Perhaps I am getting a bit obsessive about my BG levels but I just wanted to see if they matched better.

 

[Deleted Account]

I have no experience of these.
However, I wonder if you would benefit from spending your money on a Libre.

As I am sure you know, the Hb1AC provides an average BG over 3 months. The problem with finger prick tests is they only tell you your BG at the point of test. If you are testing your BG when you eat and 2 hours later, you may be missing the peak of your BG spike. Hence, your Hb1AC is higher than you expect.

With a Libre, you can see your BG throughout the day for 14 days. This will show you when your spike is (and allow you to adapt your diet) and can provide a Hb1AC estimate based on the readings it gets.

In other words, a Hb1AC test can tell you where you are now but you would have to rely on an educated guess what you need to change if you want to lower this. Whereas the Libre will give you information to adapt your diet as well as an estimate for your Hb1AC.

Libre are available from High Street pharmacies (such as SuperDrug, Boots and Asda) and just need a phone with a NFC sensor to read.

 

[Rachox]

Welcome to the forum Polly. I have no experience of A1cNow kits but I know a woman who does! Tagging @Debandez for you.

 

[Antje77]

I continue to test with the Codefree I am feeling a little bit dubious of the results

Could you tell us how often you test and at what times in relation to food? It might be your meter might give you much more information than it does now.

 

[polly-]

Thank you for the welcome..

I had dismissed the Libre as too expensive but a temporary use of one sounds interesting. I do have certain meals that I eat regularly so a few weeks might be enough to establish a pattern.

Before my last hba1c I was testing first thing in the morning. Then before and 1 hour and 2 hours after a meal. And before bed. Sometimes in-between. Looking back I tested between six and eight times a day. I generally only eat twice a day and most days not after 5pm. I was also fasting intermittently for 30 hours or so very occasionally. Since the hba1c I have not tested as much and have not used the my sugr app.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

Yes, they work ok, but not as accurate as a lab test.

 

[DCUKMod]

Yes, they work ok, but not as accurate as a lab test.

NoCrbs4Me, I think these tests are a bit like finger pricks, Libre, Apps and all the other methods available - they work better for some than others.

I usually have a box of these at home, and when I have "calibrated" my batch, against a lab draw, there has never been more than 0.1% (or in new money 1) variance, so for me they work well.

I did one just before embarking on a 60 day trip overseas, and have one with me to do around the mid-point mark, just to see where my day to day eating is taking me, bearing in mind the food and food culture is quite different here, and nutritional labelling is "interesting" (although I am working that out on packaging), but non-existent in eateries, thus far.

I'm sort of wishing I had brought more than one test set, but that's just tough.

@polly- good luck with whichever route you choose.

My only comment would be that buying the kits as singles or 3s makes each test relatively expensive. Buying in larger numbers does the usual thing in terms of a per test costs.

By their nature, and how the testing is done, it is plausible to share kits as all parts coming into contact with body fluids are disposable, with only the cassette reader being reusable. It can be wiped down if there is any concern. It has no memory for historic test results, so if sharing, nobody sees anyone elses's data.

 

[SaladDaze]

I love the insight and control that the Freestyle Libre gives me. I'm Type 2 and don't think it's as critical as for someone with Type 1 who needs to be constantly on guard against BG dropping dangerously low. Nevertheless I firmly believe in its usefulness in helping T2s to learn about how their bodies' BG reacts to food, exercise, sleep etc. and thus make effective control more achievable.

I bought an FSL starter pack consisting of a reader and two sensors, plus an extra sensor, direct from Abbott about eight months ago.

More recently I bought another two sensors from them and the first of those expired about 45 minutes ago, as it happens.

Because of the cost I normally go a few weeks without a sensor before putting on a new one. I do feel much happier wearing one, with the feeling of control it provides.

By the way, I would say it hurts less than a finger prick, if at all, to insert.

I'm currently in the situation that my doc prescribed me (low dose) statins for the first time a couple of months ago. I haven't started them yet because there are so many documented adverse side effects as well as an ongoing debate about whether they are a good thing at all. Furthermore my cholesterol is high but not that high. One of those side-effects is that statins can raise your BG level. That is the last thing I want after spending the last 13 months getting it down. So, if and when I decide to start taking the statins I will do so half way through the life of a Libre sensor so see whether there's any noticeable change in BG.

FYI I put a "3M Tegaderm W1624” 6x7 cm transparent dressing over the top of a sensor, just because I'm a bit paranoid about knocking off a ~£50 sensor. I use the Freestyle Libre reader to start a new sensor and to read it, but it's the free Android app "Glimp" on my (NFC equipped) phone that I really use to monitor it.

Now I feel a bit naked without a sensor on, which is not a pretty thought, but not quite as bad as it would have been before the diet ;-)

Good luck, whatever path you choose.

 

[Debandez]

Hello everyone

This is my first post although I have been lurking for some time.

I was diagnosed with prediabetes by chance 8 months ago. I was not overweight at the time but I decided to change my diet anyway. With the help of all the great information on this site I went LCHF.

My second hba1c test was due just after Christmas and in the 2 months beforehand I downloaded the my sugr app and tested often (with the Codefree) and the app suggested my test would be significantly lower. In the event it turned out to be just one point lower. I was disappointed at the time especially as I had been extremely good over Christmas! However, having succumbed to a few milk chocolates afterwards and finding that my BG levels shot up significantly I believe I would probably be diagnosed as diabetic now if not for my diet so I am now happier with the result.

I am not due for another blood test until June and although I continue to test with the Codefree I am feeling a little bit dubious of the results so I wonder if it might be worth trying a self test hba1c kit from Amazon at the 3 month mark. Has anyone got any experience of these kits? Perhaps I am getting a bit obsessive about my BG levels but I just wanted to see if they matched better.

Thanks for the tag @Rachox, sorry for delay in replying.

@polly- welcome to the forum. You have really taken the bull by the horns. Well done.

It is disappointing when you have worked so hard on eating the right things and it doesn't reflect in your hba1c. I have been in the same boat. Testing numerous times in a day with my codefree. Adding copious readings into Mysugr. Getting excited on the day my results were given to me only to be very disappointed as it didn't reflect the mysugr estimate! For example mysugr estimated 34.1 but lab result = 39. My a1cnow on the day I had my bloods taken was 35. I have used 2 a1cnow tests in a day as an experiment (expensive one ) and had a 39 followed by a 41! So not accurate but as i said I use as a guide only.

I invested in 10 x a1cnow tests. £115 for 10. Very easy to use. I use my own Lancet and follow simple instructions. It takes 5 minutes for result to show. I do this once a month. I also invested in a libre sensor which I absolutely love. But again it isn't always as accurate as I would like it to be. It varies on occasion to my codefree. But again it's a useful tool to see how your body reacts to different foods. I was pleasantly surprised by an Indian meal on Valentine's evening which included onion baji and spice lamb cutlets. I did have it with cauliflower rice but I enjoyed it with lots of prosecco and mixed nuts. The rise was insignificant and it was back to base in good time. I am absolutely loving it. But I won't stop finger pricking, I'm just not doing that very often at the moment.

If you pop a1cnow in the search bar for forum There a lots more info. Check out @Mbaker latest post. It's really interesting. Also search libre. Lots of info.

Let me know if you have any more questions. Happy to help.

Link to my supplier:

http://www.millermedicalsupplies.com/a1cnow-hba1c-and-diabetes-monitoring-10-test-kit-17210

 

[Bluetit1802]

This is the A1cNow website that you can order from directly.

https://www.bhr.co.uk/home-user-products/a1cnow-2

I have found it reflects my other data more accurately than the official HbA1c. My other data being the many finger prick tests and using the Libre part time. My official HbA1c is way out, every time I have it checked, but that is most likely due to some red blood cell variances.

 

[polly-]

Many thanks for all your advice. Much appreciated. Everyone on the forum is so helpful. I think I will give both the self test kit and the libre a go in a few weeks time.

 

[smw99]

Many thanks for all your advice. Much appreciated. Everyone on the forum is so helpful. I think I will give both the self test kit and the libre a go in a few weeks time.

And remember the HbA1c result depends very much on an average length of life for your red blood cells and can be impacted up or down by various medications prescription and none prescription. When I used the Libre, it predicted a much lower result than the test done by the GP. My diabetes nurse said that she thought the Libre was likely to be more reliable.

 

[Member496333]

My understanding is that lab HbA1c results aren’t especially accurate anyway. There’s always a margin of error.

 

[Bluetit1802]

Many thanks for all your advice. Much appreciated. Everyone on the forum is so helpful. I think I will give both the self test kit and the libre a go in a few weeks time.

If you want to get your Libre from Abbott it would be wise to register now to go on the waiting list. The waiting list is very long. You can buy sensors from various pharmacies but not the reader. That is OK provided you have a compatible phone. Personally, I have the reader - which I prefer for various reasons, but I am a long time user of the Libre so already have an account and do not need to go on the waiting list.