High A1C doesn't match my meter readings

Posted by Libby on January 9, 2008 at 9:02pm in New to Diabetes?

I just got my most recent A1C results, and I was very confused to see that it was 6.1. My last one was 5.6 and even that seemed way too high judging by my meter readings. I test a lot, sometimes 12 times a day, and I also eat a lot of the same things so I know how my BG reacts to my diet. My fasting BG has been a little higher recently, but only about 90, and I rarely go over 120 at an hour. By 2 hours I am back under 100. According to my meter, my average is about 100 at the moment. I read somewhere that the A1C corresponds to your average after meal number because that is when glycosylation takes place. This would make some sense because my highest number after eating is around 125. I know Jenny posted about this on her blog. Anyone else have a similar experience? I am also wondering about the fructose test. Has anybody had this? I do eat a mostly vegetarian diet but not a whole lot of fruit.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Judith on April 18, 2008 at 11:39am: Brava!! Well done!!!.....Judith in Portland; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Andreina Davila on April 18, 2008 at 1:33pm: That is totally admirable! Congratulations!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by robert on April 18, 2008 at 2:09pm: Many meters are very inaccurate, you may want to try the accu-chek Aviva, Dr Bernstein has tested it versus a lab reference and believes it is very accurate. I believe he reduces the readings by 5%. Also, you may have some gastroparesis so any carbs you eat may not impact your readings until about 5 hours later. You may want to take a measurement at 2 hours and 5 hours after meals. Hope that helps!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Supparak Suppaaim on April 22, 2008 at 8:33pm: A1C shown the glucose level in 3 month ago.
You should not check A1C every month. 4 times in one years is good enough.
A1C goal is lower 6.5 %; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sherri on May 9, 2008 at 10:04am: Hey everyone. I was wondering, I read on the net about wine for dinner helping with diabetes and something esle that surprised me, to eat a sweet potatoe opposed to a regular potatoe..its this true, because I gave up potatoes all together..My diet consist mostly of vegetables and protein, mainly proteins. I have to keep it this way, or my numbers rise easily. I use two 5/500 Metphormins in the morning accomoddated by Actos and Hyzarr for blood pressure. Of course the following vitamins, Chromium picolinate, and Flax, Fish,Borage, Oil. So..if I do a glass of wine or two, what kind is mbest in the red wine....? sweet or dry? any ideas..and is the sweet potatoe ok with a bbq? gosh this is all hard but I am really working at it. I will check my sugar two hours later and if its high..then I am going to have to go on insulin or some kind of stronger pill. How does a doctor know which you are? insulin dependent..or insulin resistant?.

Sherri; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Deborah on May 11, 2008 at 9:11pm: I have to be the weird one, as usual. I tend to have lower A1Cs than my daily *cough* BG readings would indicate.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by gretchen on May 12, 2008 at 10:58am: This can happen if you give blood either on purpose or if you've bled a lot for some reason or if your red cells don't live as long as usual.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by gretchen on May 15, 2008 at 11:00am: Oops. I was replying to the comment that A1c was lower than expected.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by lane jaeckle santos on May 16, 2008 at 1:22pm: Your A1C score is about 70% based on your fasting/ between meals values and only 30% from meals. Maybe your fasting is higher than you realize? Or perhaps it is increasing as you sleep?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Libby on May 16, 2008 at 3:38pm: No, my fasting was under 100 at all times, I even got up in the night to test and it was the same. I test up to 12 times a day so I know that my BG average numbers are much lower than my A1C. My endo can't explain it, but I have read that some people are up to a point higher and some a point lower than the average numbers.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kevin McMahon on May 16, 2008 at 3:50pm: Your typical A1c test has lots of opportunity for inaccurate results:
- depends on the technique of the lab tech
- depends on quality of the analyzer
- depends on quality of the blood sample taken
- depends on the method used to determine A1c

Therefore, it's not uncommon for a result to be +/- half a point (ie a 6.5 can easily be reported as 7.0 or 6.0. If you want truly accurate results you have to look into all of these details above or live with knowing that your A1c is only an approximation... much like the results provided by your glucose meter.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Libby on May 16, 2008 at 4:23pm: I think it also depends on the age of your red blood cells and if you are a high glycator.; ▶ Reply to This

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