Yes there is a bit if confusion here. I agree about getting specific information. Yes the average life span of a red blood cell is 120 days. There are several tests done in the lab . There is a direct measure of the glucose level in the blood at that time, that IS affected by food consumption and activity level and will also vary naturally throughout the day. The HbA1c test which I mentioned in a previous post is also known as glycated haemoglobin and it's correct that that is a better measure of the glucose control over the preceeding 120 days. They also test for lipids as a high fat diet can affect the levels. I think it is best to have a fasting test first thing in the morning but it seems because of high demand for tests in some areas , not everyone can have an appointment first thing, many GPS are just using a random glucose test backed up with the HbA1c. As I said before caution is wise but don't be panicked by one test, get proper advice from GP, &diabetes UK.
I'm presuming your wife had the A1C test as Alan described above which is normally taken on a fast.
The A1c test does NOT need to be done on a fast. Since it measure an average over several months, the last few hours make no difference.
Think you overlooked the word 'normally', I've always been asked to fast.
I haven't been asked to fast for a blood test for many years, so I don't know why you have. Perhaps they also want to measure something which IS affected by fasting, eg Insulin levels.
The HBA1C test is relevant to T2D, the simple prick finger test is the opposite. It's utterly pointless for T2D, don't get them mixed up. So is your very recent diet. You can't fool the system by changing it days or hours before a HBA1C test. It tests your red blood cells which renew every 3 months. Although as you're clearly intent on not following good advice then good luck with making your wife ill.
Regular blood sugar level testing, however done, is not useless in Type 2 Diabetes. It is the basis by which changes to treatment are made.
But would you diagnose someone with Type 2 based on a simple sugar level testing?
I often check with the simple test to see what food spikes my insulin level. BTW when I bought my test kit from Lloyds chemist, the chemist advised me not to buy it. Obviously I did as I'm curious.
Regular blood sugar level testing, however done, is not useless in Type 2 Diabetes. It is the basis by which changes to treatment are made.
But would you diagnose someone with Type 2 based on a simple sugar level testing?
I often check with the simple test to see what food spikes my insulin level. BTW when I bought my test kit from Lloyds chemist, the chemist advised me not to buy it. Obviously I did as I'm curious.
If a non diabetic checks their sugar levels 1hr after a meal and gets (let's say) a 20 then so will someone who is T2D. So it proves nothing. After that event the non diabetics body will deal with the sugar as it should - safely, the diabetics however will not.
No, @Jenny_Aster. But to imply it is useless as has been said is clearly wrong.
Apologies if I have caused a misunderstanding. What I meant was it was useless to avoid a sugary breakfast on the day of an A1C test to ascertain a diagnosis - its what has been eaten the previous 102 days (about) that counts.
Posts
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Yes the average life span of a red blood cell is 120 days.
There are several tests done in the lab . There is a direct measure of the glucose level in the blood at that time, that IS affected by food consumption and activity level and will also vary naturally throughout the day. The HbA1c test which I mentioned in a previous post is also known as glycated haemoglobin and it's correct that that is a better measure of the glucose control over the preceeding 120 days.
They also test for lipids as a high fat diet can affect the levels.
I think it is best to have a fasting test first thing in the morning but it seems because of high demand for tests in some areas , not everyone can have an appointment first thing, many GPS are just using a random glucose test backed up with the HbA1c.
As I said before caution is wise but don't be panicked by one test, get proper advice from GP, &diabetes UK.
So is your very recent diet. You can't fool the system by changing it days or hours before a HBA1C test. It tests your red blood cells which renew every 3 months.
Although as you're clearly intent on not following good advice then good luck with making your wife ill.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I often check with the simple test to see what food spikes my insulin level. BTW when I bought my test kit from Lloyds chemist, the chemist advised me not to buy it. Obviously I did as I'm curious.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
But to imply it is useless as has been said is clearly wrong.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
After that event the non diabetics body will deal with the sugar as it should - safely, the diabetics however will not.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.