Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by tmana on June 10, 2010 at 5:23am

Haven't heard of GlycoMark, but the standard fructosamine test is an indicator of elevated blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 weeks and is an intermediary between the single blood glucose test and the HbA1c test.

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Permalink Reply by tigger on June 10, 2010 at 12:44pm

Helle Tmana - thanks for answering - this is the website that I found more info on - it seems that GlycoMark specifically covers the times when your blood sugar goes greater than 180 = not sure how the fructosamine test works - but here is the website in case you are interested! http://www.glycomark.com/

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on June 11, 2010 at 3:55pm

The Glucomark is a pretty new test. I actually think it sounds quite promising as many diabetics have high postprandial numbers that may not be reflected in their HbA1c. It is still not really used. Samantha talked about it here (http://www.tudiabetes.org/forum/topics/i-found-a-keeper). You can pretty much get similar information by testing your own blood sugar after eating.

My endo regularly orders the fructosamine as I have a lot of inconsistencies between my meter readings, HbA1c and fructosamine.

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Permalink Reply by tigger on June 12, 2010 at 3:38pm

BSC - thank you for the link to Samantha's discussion - actually her whole discussion was really informative and it was a very helpful link. My only problem with testing is that it just hurts so much to test so much. For a while back - I was testing 1 hour and 2 hour. Hopefully, I will eventually figure out which carbs raise my sugars in 2 hours vs. 6 hours. I have a feeling the carbs I love - white rice - are "stealth" carbs in that the sugar raise shows up later - I am testing thing out exactly today. A friend and I hit the local Korean Buffet - and I counted up a lot of carbs - so she and I put on a dvd exercise tape and exercised like mad for 50 mintues. I just tested my blood usgar and it is 106, 4 hours after the off plan carb eating. I wonder what it would have been if didn't exercise like mad?

Also, bsc - what kind of inconsistencies do you get - none of the numbers match a lot, or a just a little?

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on June 13, 2010 at 3:47pm

Well, over time I have adopted a diet that targets a certain amount of carbs at a meal, usually 15-25g. I took to testing "either" at 1hr, 2hr or 3hr as a way of developing over time an understanding of where my blood sugar peaks. It peaks at 30 minutes to an hour by the way. I always found white rice acted like sugar, and peaked by 30 minutes (unless I eat a low of fat with it). But of course different people react differently.

And as to the inconsistencies, my HbA1c is generally about 30% off from my meter average. A certain amount of difference is to be expected, I do test more often at certain times, upon waking and 2hr after a meal. But most people see more consistency.

The Glycomark (I had a Freudian misspelling above) is supposed to tell you if you have postprandial problems. I just feel like your meter readings can probably tell you that. Your doctor should consider all the information. If you doctor just looks at your HbA1c and ignores everything else, they are not going their job.

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Permalink Reply by tigger on June 16, 2010 at 10:19pm

bsc - your comment on the 30 minute check was extremely helpful - turns out I peak at 40-45 minutes after rice - and thinking that all this time I was able to recuperate fine from rice because I checked it 4 hours later and it was better - I feel like my eyes were really opened - it would never have occured to me to check my blood glucose 30 mintues after. You are so thanked!!

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Permalink Reply by Samantha on June 15, 2010 at 7:49am

Hi tigger, We are neighbors! Almost. I live on the other side of, and up, the Potomac in Poolesville.
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My endo uses the Glyco Mark now to change my treatments. As I have my fasting numbers in control and a relatively good A1C, he uses this to help me control my post prandial numbers. I've been switched to Victoza from glucophage and have changed my Glyco Mark from 12.6 to 14.5 (in this test a higher number is good) and has been reflected in my meter readings. We will see if that holds in a couple of months when I go back for more labs.

As far as testing hurts. Work past it, it gets easier. Also, use the sides of your fingers and not the tips, it doesn't hurt as much. I think there are less nerve endings on the sides.

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Permalink Reply by tigger on June 16, 2010 at 10:23pm

Samantha thanks for writing - your whole situation that you discussed about was so informative! I really learned a lot. I just got tested, and my A1C is 6.6, down .1 point from the last time - I am not sure it is statistically significant - but I realize now that all my BG checks are from 1 - 2 hour checks - but I don't check my blood sugars when I eat late at night and fall asleep!! No wonder my A1c is still up there! I willl have to change my eating so that I eat small proteins after I get home from work rather thn think of it as a license to take carbs since my BS is ok (like97).
I am seriously thinking that I am testing at the wrong time, eating at the wrong time, and not testing early enough. And I would never have known it had people like you and bsc replied to me questions. I thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Samantha on June 17, 2010 at 9:44am

Glad we could help!

If you test alot in the beginning you find your "safe" foods and will know how they affect you. I stock up on those so when it is time to go on auto-pilot I don't have to think about what I eat. Just do.

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Stamey on June 15, 2010 at 11:30am

I had a Glycomark test done in May. It tests for glycemic variabliity to determine what your average postandrial blood glucose readings are. For those with good control or near good control (considered as an A1C below 8), you can have regular spikes about 180 that are not accounted for in the A1C. Mine came back in the normal range which effectively tells me that my after meal BG readings are below 180. I think the idea is that not only do you want to get your A1C down but you want to limit your spikes above 180 as much as possible to stave off complications.

I rarely exceed 140 after 1 hr and 120 after 2 hr for meals so I was not surprised that my Glycomark test came back in the normal range. My A1C is now 5.9 after initial diagnosis of 11.1 in October 2009. I want to get it close to 5.0 so still have some work to do (this with only diet and exercise regimen). Since I test after 1 HR and 2 HR each meal, I probably don't need the Glycomark test because I pretty much know where I am at at those test points. But, if you don't test as frequently, it might be work having this test done with each A1C to make sure you aren't having regular spikes above 180.

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Permalink Reply by tigger on June 16, 2010 at 10:40pm

Thank you Daniel for replying - your note really rerminds me to test even if I dont feel like it - and it was driven home to me this pm when I woke up with severe cramps in my legs with nausea after I had eaten some 75 grams carbs at dinner - tested at 30 minutes - (please see my replies above). Your note tells me that the Glycomark can reflect your A1c and be consistent for you. I am finding out from all th ereplies here that I need to start checking pretty close to 60 minutes for my blood sugar after carbs rather than 2-3 hours later. I also need tot est much more frequently. I feel kind of sick after eating those carbs - and I think I am beginning to see how too much carbs can actually make me sick - cramps and nausea! Thanks for your entry!

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Permalink Reply by Tim on June 15, 2010 at 11:55am

My (probably overly critical opinion) is that if you only want to know if your bg is going over 180, you should go back to 1982 and buy some testape for urine sugar testing. Because the threshold for spilling sugar in urine is around 180.

Home bg testing is so much more important and effective than urine testing, or the glycomark test, ever was or will ever be. If your postprandial numbers are over 180 the way to find that out, is with a bg test.

I lived with urine testing and never being able to know if my bg was 40 or 80 or 120 or 170, because I didn't spill until 180. It sucked. It sucked big time. Home bg testing is way way better.

I think that docs, especially for patients who do not do home bg monitoring, may find some value in glycomark test for undiagnosed diabetics, or for "borderline" (whatever borderline means, it's a poor term) diabetics who refuse to test at home.

Tim.

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