What is considered low and high HBA1C

[KeeleyF]

So I have to take some medications which have made me put loads of weight on! My HBA1C is 38 so 5.6% 6.3mmol. Now I know pre diabetics is 42+. I have asked my GP for a 6 month HBA1C check and he has said no, because he said 38 is low! Am I going mad or is 38 low? To me it’s only 4 of pre diabetics? Or are the increments a big jump? Ie 38-42 would it take years? I don’t know what the range is for my age? I’m 40!

 

[Antje77]

So I have to take some medications which have made me put loads of weight on! My HBA1C is 38 so 5.6% 6.3mmol. Now I know pre diabetics is 42+. I have asked my GP for a 6 month HBA1C check and he has said no, because he said 38 is low! Am I going mad or is 38 low? To me it’s only 4 of pre diabetics? Or are the increments a big jump? Ie 38-42 would it take years? I don’t know what the range is for my age? I’m 40!

38 is perfectly normal so there is no reason to suspect you are developing diabetes.

 

[KennyA]

So I have to take some medications which have made me put loads of weight on! My HBA1C is 38 so 5.6% 6.3mmol. Now I know pre diabetics is 42+. I have asked my GP for a 6 month HBA1C check and he has said no, because he said 38 is low! Am I going mad or is 38 low? To me it’s only 4 of pre diabetics? Or are the increments a big jump? Ie 38-42 would it take years? I don’t know what the range is for my age? I’m 40!

Hi - 38 is low. Almost everyone who is non-diabetic has an HbA1c score somewhere between 38 and 42 - the attached graph shows this. Your system is designed to keep you somewhere in this "normal" range.

Your A1c might rise if the system starts to fail for whatever reason. With an A1c of 38, your system is clearly not failing.

 

[Doireallyneedanams]

Hi - 38 is low. Almost everyone who is non-diabetic has an HbA1c score somewhere between 38 and 42 - the attached graph shows this. Your system is designed to keep you somewhere in this "normal" range.

Your A1c might rise if the system starts to fail for whatever reason. With an A1c of 38, your system is clearly not failing.

interesting. Post gestational diabetes I lived off salads to keep my hba1c at 30. After introducing back legumes, and some more carbs, it went to 33. After falling off the bandwagon completely in the last year and eating a carb heavy diet and mass amounts of choc and ice cream, it was 34. I would be concerned if it was 38, to me a clear sign I’m heading in the wrong direction.

 

[KennyA]

interesting. Post gestational diabetes I lived off salads to keep my hba1c at 30. After introducing back legumes, and some more carbs, it went to 33. After falling off the bandwagon completely in the last year and eating a carb heavy diet and mass amounts of choc and ice cream, it was 34. I would be concerned if it was 38, to me a clear sign I’m heading in the wrong direction.

It's entirely a matter for you about where you want your BG levels to be.

Mine has been bouncing around between 34 and 38 for around three and a half years and I'm OK with that. The variation is within the acceptable error on the A1c test - which (depending on which professional body you listen to) is somewhere from 3% to 6%.

Your result range of 30 to 34 could likewise be covered by a steady figure of 32, (plus or minus 2mmol/mol) assuming 6% testing error.

At an HbA1c of 38, the fact is that you or I would still be lower than most of the population, including diabetic and non-diabetic. If the trend of your A1c is upwards, you might decide to do something pre-emptive about the increase, although the current level is not in itself problematic.

 

[Daphne917]

So I have to take some medications which have made me put loads of weight on! My HBA1C is 38 so 5.6% 6.3mmol. Now I know pre diabetics is 42+. I have asked my GP for a 6 month HBA1C check and he has said no, because he said 38 is low! Am I going mad or is 38 low? To me it’s only 4 of pre diabetics? Or are the increments a big jump? Ie 38-42 would it take years? I don’t know what the range is for my age? I’m 40!

My hba1c has been between 35 and 38 for approx 8 years and I now have an annual blood test.

 

[andromache]

So I have to take some medications which have made me put loads of weight on! My HBA1C is 38 so 5.6% 6.3mmol. Now I know pre diabetics is 42+. I have asked my GP for a 6 month HBA1C check and he has said no, because he said 38 is low! Am I going mad or is 38 low? To me it’s only 4 of pre diabetics? Or are the increments a big jump? Ie 38-42 would it take years? I don’t know what the range is for my age? I’m 40!

Only in the UK! Our doctors certainly don’t want us to die of over-testing, do they? Our US friends would be mystified. But never mind. If you are serious about your metabolic health, you can eat low carb, exercise etc and feel confident that you are doing yourself good, whether the doctor is interested in your progress or not.

 

[ianf0ster]

Our US friends pay through the nose (either directly or indirectly though insurance) for all those tests that their doctors advise!
Sure the norm in the UK is to under-test, but in the USA where doctors have a financial incentive to test, it's over-testing that's the problem - unless you can't afford it of course!

 

[ajbod]

The American system is basically the same as our vets are nowadays, because insurance is involved, a battery of tests and xrays are NEEDED. Doesn't matter what the problem. Got to push the income up.

 

[CatsFive]

The American system is basically the same as our vets are nowadays, because insurance is involved, a battery of tests and xrays are NEEDED. Doesn't matter what the problem. Got to push the income up.

There's also a huge element of ass-covering.

 

[Omar51]

Our US friends pay through the nose (either directly or indirectly though insurance) for all those tests that their doctors advise!
Sure the norm in the UK is to under-test, but in the USA where doctors have a financial incentive to test, it's over-testing that's the problem - unless you can't afford it of course!

One way or the other you got to make the best out it, take care of yourself.