GlucoMen A1c is a blood glucose test kit which you can use to do a blood glucose test at home to measure the glycosylated haemoglobin in your blood, which is the best indication of your medium-term blood glucose control in diabetes .  You send the sample to be tested professionally by the HbA1c lab.and receive the results within 48 hours of receipt of sample.

Take control of your diabetes:

• Fast, accurate and reliable HbA1c home test
• You provide a small blood sample in the container provided
• You send this sample to the HbA1c lab for them to test professionally
• The test results are notified to you within 48hrs of receipt of sample

How GlucoMen A1c works:

• HbA1 should be measured up to 6 times per year in people with diabetes*, in order to improve their quality of life
• At present, most people are only offered one or two tests per year by their doctor
• This easy to use kit helps you to take control of your future health and well being

* NICE guidelines

Country Restrictions: We do not ship this abroad because in the time it takes for you to post this back to the lab the blood sample will have deteriorated, and the test will not be accurate

GlucoMen A1C Home Test Kit Instructions:

• Fill in your card completely in block capitals with a ballpoint Before taking the sample
• If you have a haemoglobin disorder such as sickle cell anaemia, sickle cell trait, thalassaemia or any other haemoglobin variant, this can affect the interpretation of HbA1C levels so you should put this information on the form.

Before proceeding make sure that you wash with soapy warm water hands and dry thoroughly

• Always follow the full instructions in your own product
• Prick one of your fingers with the single-use lancet device enclosed or your own lancing device

It's as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Place a fingerprick blood sample onto the card provided and send it to Menarini Diagnostics
2. Your sample will be analysed at the Menarini Diagnostics Central HbA1C Laboratory
3. Menarini Diagnostics will return the results directly to you, and if you wish, your nominated healthcare provider

When you have pricked your finger; touch the drop to the area marked 'Sample 1' on the sample collection form.  The circle should be filled completely with blood to guarantee to get a result. If you have filled the 'Sample 1' position and your finger is still bleeding, please try to fill 'Sample 2' area. This will give a back up sample in case of any problems.

• Please bear in mind that samples older than 3 days may deteriorate, therefore the form should be sent immediately after applying and drying the blood
• It is better to post completed card between Monday and Thursday due to postal limitations

GlucoMen A1C home test kit contents:

• 1 GlucoMen A1C  sample card
• 1 Prepaid envelope
• 1 Self-seal plastic bag
• 1 Instructions for use
• 1 Single-use Unistik 3

SuperLiving Comments:

Menarini have been the UK professional market leader in Haemoglobin A1c testing for many years. In fact 70% of UK diabetics long term control of diabetes is carried out using Menarini instruments.

GlucoMen A1c home test kit is an affordable, but very accurate home test kit, and the analysis is done at Menarini Central Laboratory using the same instruments that doctors lab tests are done with. They are much cheaper than a private test, which can typically cost £50. It is a single-use kit, and a new kit needs to be bought for each test.

If you are diabetic your doctor should test your blood HbA1c level regularly. This test will show the average blood level of glucose over the last few of months. This is glycosylated haemoglobin, or in other words the glucose in your blood that permanently sticks to the circulating red cells in your blood. This HbA1c level changes very slowly, unlike the actual glucose level in blood, which can change quickly. If you are not offered these tests, or if it is difficult to always get to see the doctor this regularly, then you can do these tests at home yourself. The results can be posted or e-mailed back to you, and a copy sent to your doctor if you would like.

Glycosylated haemoglobin HbA1c should ideally be tested by your doctor four times a year if you are a type 1 diabetic (using insulin), or twice a year if you are a type 2 diabetic (diet or tablets), and more regularly if you change your treatment in any way, or feel unwell due to diabetes.

Your A1c level should ideally be under 7, and you would want to discuss higher levels with your doctor.

This shows how well your diabetes is being controlled. For many people this is all that is needed.