Waiting on HbA1c result

gerryat · Jun 19, 2020

Male, age 71, 178cm/83kgs.
Very low Testosterone levels (not treated)
Very low PSA less than 1.
Currently waiting on result of HbA1c test done yesterday, in UK.
Historically I have used a Glucose monitor, to determine sugar level when I have had an episode of low sugar, which I have for what appears to be no reason, maybe once a month. This has been like this for 10 years. And on occasions being interested have checked the level in the morning and after an evening meal..
Whenever I have been at home and felt sweaty. dizzy, if available would check my sugar level. I have seen it down to 3, and could feel me getting worse and worse. So spoon of sugar or 3 spoons of sugar in a cup of tea will always do the trick within 10 minutes. I have had these episodes since I was 35, often mentioning to GPs but never had any official blood tests done.
But other self tests I have done over the years (Accucheck Compact) have never given me any real concern, results always being pretty well normal. I had a HBA1c done overseas about 3 years ago, I did this because I felt that things were not right, result was 38mmol.. So I appreciated that this was getting close to Pre diabetes. Mentioned it to UK GP on my return, nothing done.
Year later had another test done overseas, same lab, showed 39mmol....return again to UK this time to be given a test...result 39mmol. Was supposed to have been given another test this year but GP will not do one due to Covid-19. SO I have changed GP practice and talked with the new GP earlier this week and have now had a test done yesterday. (why the other GP of 8 years would not do one is beyond me).
But interestingly since the last one a couple of things have happened. First that I lost about 8kgs over a 9 month period really for no reason that I could think of so a Colonography was done at the end of last year, nothing was found to be abnormal. Upset bowel movements been ongoing for a few years (put down to IBS). But the most recent event convinced me to try to get something done.
That is that a week ago or so, I started to get an odd sensation on the skin of my right shin !!
Felt and still feels like (even as I write this) like a spider crawling on my leg, up and down from knee down to ankle. When I stand up it will normally go away. I mentioned this to my new GP this week on a phone call, he dismissed it as nothing, so when I asked him about getting another HBA1c test done because it was overdue and my last one was 39mmol, he just said I would not worry unless it is 45.....but I will do fasting blood test and lipids.....so when I went for the bloods yesterday was surprised that I was wasnt getting a fasting test (having fasted for 12 hours) but an HbA1c done along with what seemed like a lot of others....
I must admit to expecting to see this result way over the 40mmol limit.....other symptoms i have are twice nightly visits to toilet, lots of candida infection of mouth, tired every afternoon, lack of concentration. And worse of all of these is that the old meter I have used for 10 years has now been discontinued so I had to buy another. I bought a TEE2+ last week, and used it for the first time one morning before eating.....result 6.3 !!! Never seen a result of that sort on the old machine. Went on to use the new machine during the day after meals etc !! My god the results where always so high..maybe now I have the answer as to why the HbA1c tests I have had were borderline high, which I could never understand as my own readings always appeared pretty normal...another comments on this appreciated

EllieM · Jun 19, 2020

Welcome to the forums.

Have a look at the reactive hypoglycemia forum, to see if anything resonates.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/reactive-hypoglycemia.70/

Carb intake is only one trigger for hypoglycemia though.

Honestly, diabetic complications tend to go along with years of full fledged diabetes rather than prediabetes, so I suspect you're unlikely to get much attention from your GP on the diabetes front... (My hba1c has been higher than 40 for 50 years....).

Fasting blood tests aren't that accurate, because there are all sorts of reasons for high blood sugar in the morning, in particular the dawn phenomena where your liver pumps out sugar even (or because) you've been fasting all night. The hba1c, although certain blood conditions can make it inaccurate (eg anaemia) is a much better indication.

Honestly twice nightly visits to toilet are just as likely to be prostate related, though the candida is more of concern, as is the weight loss.

But it sounds as though your doctor is taking your symptoms seriously by doing a full set of blood readings. I hope he can make a diagnosis, and if it does turn out to be diabetes you can be sure of plenty of advice on here as to how to minimise its effect on your life. And if it does turn out to be diabetes (or prediabetes) you've also done yourself a big favour by investing in a blood sugar meter.

Good luck, and please let us now how it goes.

gerryat · Jun 19, 2020

Hello EllieM

Thanks for your input...I appreciate what you say and understand that it is easy to jump to conclusions. But of course as others have said on here, it is really important to seek out the facts from the fiction, hence my tentative steps on here. The one thing I have noticed at least as far as GPs I have ever had, is that they may well investigate as the first response to a visit reporting symptoms, but after a negative test, just seem to forget about it, for example the negative Colonoscopy I had last year, when there has been no more investigations as to what might have caused the sudden an significant weight loss. Especially as I have reported to them that all of this loss (8kgs/10%) is down to muscle loss, not loss of fat around the middle, so that even tho my BMI might look sort of OK, if you use the waist to height ratio, its way out. I was told by the radiographer before the Colonography Scan that I should see what they were doing as an MOT, as they would be looking at all major organs from pelvic area right up to the base of the lungs, so I assume that that included pancreas/liver/ kidneys as well as intestine.
Given that I was given testosterone gel by one GP 3 years ago, unfortunately it seemed to upset the 24/7 Atrial Fibrillation I have had for over 20 years, which normally I do not feel and is controlled by beta blocker and ramipril, but also bearing in mind that I have 2 stents fitted (10 years ago), and I do read of the many possible aspects of a very low T level. AGain nothing lese was suggested other than do not use the testosterone.
So am very interested in seeing the outcome where I will be sure to come back to report what the case is and what might be suggested next.

gerryat · Jun 21, 2020

with you all the way here......have suspected glucose problem for many years, so far had 3 HA1bc tests done over the last 2 years, privately in Portugal (cost €12), proper lab....came in at 38, then 39, then last one at 40 earlier this year.
So this was all self diagnosis and has been for over 10 years, as I occasionally have a bout of low sugar, just drops for almost no reason I can understand, goes down to 3 or under. Then some sugar and back up Ok. Does this maybe once a month or 2 months.
Had one test done in UK during that time and result was 39, supposed to have had another this year, but nothing doing at GP due to CV19 (what the hell do they do at GPs now) nothing as far as I can see.
So changed GP a week ago and these new GPs have already done a HA1Bc, now expecting result this coming week. But for sure I have now new symptoms not had before like the creepy sensation in the lower right leg, that has now developed into an itchy right leg, always short tempered with myself, tired to the point of going for a siesta immediately after eating midday meal.
Cant help assuming that the result will be way above 40 this time, so will be interesting to see where it goes from there.
Dunno what I can do tho, as for years I only eat whole grain bread and rice, hardly ever eat pasta, few pots here and there, lts of steak and salad (live in Portugal half the year), for sure a few buscuits and cake evry so often as well as a bag of crisps maybe twice a month, loads of fruit, oranges fav, plums, cherries, so I have always assumed a pretty balanced diet.
82 kgs and 178 cms aged 71. Admit to not doing much excercise but find it difficult with the AF I have, as well as the age of course. But do walk 2 miles about 3 or 4 times a week, weather permitting. Oh and a litre of normal beer a day.......!!!

KK123 · Jun 21, 2020

gerryat said:
with you all the way here......have suspected glucose problem for many years, so far had 3 HA1bc tests done over the last 2 years, privately in Portugal (cost €12), proper lab....came in at 38, then 39, then last one at 40 earlier this year.
So this was all self diagnosis and has been for over 10 years, as I occasionally have a bout of low sugar, just drops for almost no reason I can understand, goes down to 3 or under. Then some sugar and back up Ok. Does this maybe once a month or 2 months.
Had one test done in UK during that time and result was 39, supposed to have had another this year, but nothing doing at GP due to CV19 (what the hell do they do at GPs now) nothing as far as I can see.
So changed GP a week ago and these new GPs have already done a HA1Bc, now expecting result this coming week. But for sure I have now new symptoms not had before like the creepy sensation in the lower right leg, that has now developed into an itchy right leg, always short tempered with myself, tired to the point of going for a siesta immediately after eating midday meal.
Cant help assuming that the result will be way above 40 this time, so will be interesting to see where it goes from there.
Dunno what I can do tho, as for years I only eat whole grain bread and rice, hardly ever eat pasta, few pots here and there, lts of steak and salad (live in Portugal half the year), for sure a few buscuits and cake evry so often as well as a bag of crisps maybe twice a month, loads of fruit, oranges fav, plums, cherries, so I have always assumed a pretty balanced diet.
82 kgs and 178 cms aged 71. Admit to not doing much excercise but find it difficult with the AF I have, as well as the age of course. But do walk 2 miles about 3 or 4 times a week, weather permitting. Oh and a litre of normal beer a day.......!!!

Hi gerryat, please read JoKalsbeek's 'nutritional thingy' above, you will find it a GREAT help if you do decide to change your diet, wholegrain bead & rice is pretty much the same as any other type, ie, high carb, so is much of your fruit. Put it this way, as a type 1 I have to inject the SAME amount of insulin for a slice of wholemeal toast or a jam doughnut or an apple. Granted, 'nutritionally' the apple wins out but you try telling my glucose levels that. x

gerryat · Jun 21, 2020

Hi
Must admit this is all very confusing for me at the moment. This morning I took a reading at 7.30am and had a reading of 7.5, then had breakfast of 3 rounds of wholemeal bread and some jam. at 09.15 another test revealed 12.2, 10am it was 7.0 nothing in between. No more checks until after evening meal at 6.30, which consisted of One chicken pie with puff pastry, one pot, carrots/broccoli, and some gravy,(big plate full) followed by 500ml of normal beer and an ice cream, eaten during the following hour. Just checked again at 9pm and it is showing 5.4....

gerryat · Jun 21, 2020

Oh forgot, had half a glass of red wine with evening meal

MrsA2 · Jun 22, 2020

@gerryat . Are you in any medication for anything? Various meds can affect blood sugars too.
And dont worry about being confused.. I'm just 3 months in and learning every day. It's a lot to understand and does mean relearning and debunking old truism...I.e fruit is good for you...not if diabetic

gerryat · Jun 22, 2020

Hi
Yes I have atrial fibrillation (20 years) and thats a permanent situation, so I do take Warfarin, A beta blocker(bisoprolol) Ramipril and aspirin as well as a statin (lipitor). Hence a bit of a problem doing much exercise.
Not sure if any of these are known issues for sugar control.

HSSS · Jun 22, 2020

gerryat said:
Hi
Yes I have atrial fibrillation (20 years) and thats a permanent situation, so I do take Warfarin, A beta blocker(bisoprolol) Ramipril and aspirin as well as a statin (lipitor). Hence a bit of a problem doing much exercise.
Not sure if any of these are known issues for sugar control.

Statins can often raise blood sugar levels. Many here refuse them for that reason and other side effects. Also they seem to be given out like smarties regardless of individual specific need just because of a diabetes diagnosis. Plenty of info in here to inform you about the controversy. Do a search on Cholesterol and statins for bulk bikers thread.

HSSS · Jun 22, 2020

gerryat said:
I have been on statins for over 15 years, ever since I had a couple of heart stents fitted, but the thing I dont understand is why is it only now that I seem to have developed this problem...this has been made worse by the fact that I have always been aware of high sugar (although there is nothing in my family to suggest a sugar issue), but due to this occasional low sugar levels that I have experienced for over 30 years., but only the odd time. Nothing has ever been done. I originally bought an Accucheck meter, and it always reported very low readings when I felt sweaty and shaky. But that unit was discontinued last year and having run out of tests strips (no longer available) I had to buy a new machine which I did 2 weeks ago, and this is where I am really surprised by the different results I now get with this new TEE2+ machine. For example today all started reasonably well with first reading at 5.9, had lunch of a salad sandwich at 2pm and took a reading at 4pm which came in at 9.4....went for 2 mile walk and during walk started to feel tired and almost to point of giddy, assumed sugar level was going low and when I got home at 6pm took reading and it was 4.2.....now just had evening meal of cottage pie, and veggies, followed by a small ice lolly and a glass of beer.....reading at 7pm, so maybe 40 mins after eating and have recorded the highest reading I have ever seen at 21.6..
Will take it again at 9pm and see what has happened

Issues with blood sugar levels tend to get worse with time unaddressed insulin resistance just gets worse and age makes this aspect of metabolism less effective as it does most body functions. A few observations. A high reading almost 2 hrs post prandial with a significant rise seems to be followed by a rapid drop as you insulin finally kicks in and sometimes overshoots. Even if you end up at a safe figure (the 4.2) the rapid drop can feel like a hypo. If might be worth having a read about reactive hypoglycaemia and seeing if that rings bells for you. There’s a sub forum for it on here too. Upshot is avoid the spike and you avoid the drop. I think maybe you missed the high after the chicken pie dinner and caught it falling back down. But without a before reading or one at an earlier point the. It’s hard to know. The very high reading tonight, did you double check in case of contaminated fingertip? Always check a shocking result. The potato, the ice lolly, and the beer would possibly do the same to me though. It a lot of carbs. It’s not just sugar but all carbs you need to be aware of. Some people react worse to grains for example than simple table sugar.

gerryat · Jun 23, 2020

HSSS said:
Issues with blood sugar levels tend to get worse with time unaddressed insulin resistance just gets worse and age makes this aspect of metabolism less effective as it does most body functions. A few observations. A high reading almost 2 hrs post prandial with a significant rise seems to be followed by a rapid drop as you insulin finally kicks in and sometimes overshoots. Even if you end up at a safe figure (the 4.2) the rapid drop can feel like a hypo. If might be worth having a read about reactive hypoglycaemia and seeing if that rings bells for you. There’s a sub forum for it on here too. Upshot is avoid the spike and you avoid the drop. I think maybe you missed the high after the chicken pie dinner and caught it falling back down. But without a before reading or one at an earlier point the. It’s hard to know. The very high reading tonight, did you double check in case of contaminated fingertip? Always check a shocking result. The potato, the ice lolly, and the beer would possibly do the same to me though. It a lot of carbs. It’s not just sugar but all carbs you need to be aware of. Some people react worse to grains for example than simple table sugar.

Thanks for the reply.....there would appear to be a lot more that I need to look at. Previously I have been aware of all of these things but with my AIc test always being under the range (just) I have not bothered too much on a daily basis, but have read up on these things (Put if off until I really needed to). Last night a friend of mine (Who is confirmed type2 diabetic on Metaform) who has his own test machine bought it round to me and we did a comparison tests. Me using my finger pricker all the time and he his. But interestingly with both him and me, my meter was fiving much higher results.
For example him with his machine : 5.2 ......but using my machine: 5.8
me " " : 4.0........." " " 5.3
Mine is a new TEE2+ bought 2 weeks ago, and did a control test using new liquid.
I realise that these machines are not gospel, and of course dont now know whether its his machine is accurate or mine.
Still not received the result of the AIc test done last Wednesday !!

DCUKMod · Jun 23, 2020

gerryat said:
with you all the way here......have suspected glucose problem for many years, so far had 3 HA1bc tests done over the last 2 years, privately in Portugal (cost €12), proper lab....came in at 38, then 39, then last one at 40 earlier this year.
So this was all self diagnosis and has been for over 10 years, as I occasionally have a bout of low sugar, just drops for almost no reason I can understand, goes down to 3 or under. Then some sugar and back up Ok. Does this maybe once a month or 2 months.
Had one test done in UK during that time and result was 39, supposed to have had another this year, but nothing doing at GP due to CV19 (what the hell do they do at GPs now) nothing as far as I can see.
So changed GP a week ago and these new GPs have already done a HA1Bc, now expecting result this coming week. But for sure I have now new symptoms not had before like the creepy sensation in the lower right leg, that has now developed into an itchy right leg, always short tempered with myself, tired to the point of going for a siesta immediately after eating midday meal.
Cant help assuming that the result will be way above 40 this time, so will be interesting to see where it goes from there.
Dunno what I can do tho, as for years I only eat whole grain bread and rice, hardly ever eat pasta, few pots here and there, lts of steak and salad (live in Portugal half the year), for sure a few buscuits and cake evry so often as well as a bag of crisps maybe twice a month, loads of fruit, oranges fav, plums, cherries, so I have always assumed a pretty balanced diet.
82 kgs and 178 cms aged 71. Admit to not doing much excercise but find it difficult with the AF I have, as well as the age of course. But do walk 2 miles about 3 or 4 times a week, weather permitting. Oh and a litre of normal beer a day.......!!!

Gerryat - having joined @Olive_B 's thread, it appears you have some specific issues of your own. To be honest, they would be better addressed on a thread of your own, so that you get the attention you need, but also so that Olive's thread isn't ignored by people getting muddled between the two of you.

If you would like a thread of your own, then either myself or any of the Mods can make that for you by moving your post and responses, or you can start a new one afresh.

DCUKMod · Jun 23, 2020

gerryat said:
i did start a post:

Waiting on HbA1c result
But only one reply so joined in this and it has just rolled on a bit
Still no results from test done a week ago, so cantg really add to my own post as yet.

I'll move the posts directed to you from this thread to your own, in fairness to Olivia. I'll then boost it to the top of the reading lists for you.

DCUKMod · Jun 23, 2020

Some posts have been moved to allow replies to Gerry on his own thread.

Many thanks.

gerryat · Jun 24, 2020

DCUKMod said:
I'll move the posts directed to you from this thread to your own, in fairness to Olivia. I'll then boost it to the top of the reading lists for you.

OK thnks

DCUKMod · Jun 24, 2020

Any news on the HbA1c result yet, @gerryat ?

Perminder1 · Jun 24, 2020

gerryat said:
Thanks for the reply.....there would appear to be a lot more that I need to look at. Previously I have been aware of all of these things but with my AIc test always being under the range (just) I have not bothered too much on a daily basis, but have read up on these things (Put if off until I really needed to). Last night a friend of mine (Who is confirmed type2 diabetic on Metaform) who has his own test machine bought it round to me and we did a comparison tests. Me using my finger pricker all the time and he his. But interestingly with both him and me, my meter was fiving much higher results.
For example him with his machine : 5.2 ......but using my machine: 5.8
me " " : 4.0........." " " 5.3
Mine is a new TEE2+ bought 2 weeks ago, and did a control test using new liquid.
I realise that these machines are not gospel, and of course dont now know whether its his machine is accurate or mine.
Still not received the result of the AIc test done last Wednesday !!

Try to relax as well...breath...

gerryat · Jun 25, 2020

DCUKMod said:
Any news on the HbA1c result yet, @gerryat ?

Hi
No checked my online GP area and nothing recorded. So thats over a week since the blood test. I realise that nothing is posted in my account until it has been looked at by the GP, but heard nothing from him either. Does the test results normally take this long to be available?

JoKalsbeek · Jun 25, 2020

gerryat said:
Hi
No checked my online GP area and nothing recorded. So thats over a week since the blood test. I realise that nothing is posted in my account until it has been looked at by the GP, but heard nothing from him either. Does the test results normally take this long to be available?

Give them a call. I had my blood drawn on Saturday and getting my results today. (About an hour from now).

Waiting on HbA1c result

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