Have you been told this ?

Sam50

Well-Known Member
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228
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I think Hubby's DN was having a hard Monday, When she told Hubby his latest HbA1c result (7.1) Hubby remarked that he was getting closer to the 6.5% where diabetes is diagnosed and obviously hoped to get it lower still.

The DN said 'Well 6.5-7.5% really.'

As far as I'm aware there isn't a 'range'. If you are diagnosed 6.5% then you are diabetic. You don't get to choose ! Because if you weren't classed as diabetic until 7.5% then he would be pre-diabetic at this stage !

I'm not wrong am I-nothings changed ??
 
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NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
I think she is referring to a range of control that may be deemed acceptable whereas you are talking about what triggers a diagnosis.
Either 6.5 or 7.5 % is diabetic and even the term pre diabetic denotes an abnormally high blood glucose o.e.diabetic. Under 6.5% is associated with fewer long term micro vascular (eyes, kidneys, feet) complications though not macro vascular unfortunately.
 
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Lally123

Well-Known Member
Messages
231
Type of diabetes
LADA
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Tablets (oral)
I suspect some crossed wires. That sounds like the range that she would like your husband's hba1c to fall into rather than what the diagnosis level is. It is 48 and above but she would have known that. Simple misunderstanding I Think!
 
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KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I think Hubby's DN was having a hard Monday, When she told Hubby his latest HbA1c result (7.1) Hubby remarked that he was getting closer to the 6.5% where diabetes is diagnosed and obviously hoped to get it lower still.

The DN said 'Well 6.5-7.5% really.'

As far as I'm aware there isn't a 'range'. If you are diagnosed 6.5% then you are diabetic. You don't get to choose ! Because if you weren't classed as diabetic until 7.5% then he would be pre-diabetic at this stage !

I'm not wrong am I-nothings changed ??
I wonder if she was thinking how well your husband is doing so was saying anything between 6.5 and 7.5 was good going and didn't want him thinking he hadn't been doing a good job given that he had said he was trying to get it lower still?. I know that everybody on this forum wants the lowest numbers possible but I'll bet she sees hundreds of people with diabetes who are a darn sight more than 7.5. I think most people on this forum are by nature extremely strict about it all if not fanatical, me included, so are always striving for lower numbers. Maybe we sometimes forget that whilst we are one person seeing our Doctors & Nurses, they are seeing loads of people at the clinics, people who probably know little or are not that bothered about getting down to 4 etc. It's not surprising that if they see your hubbie trying to get down to 6.5 they instinctively compare him with someone sitting at around 9 and therefore think 7.5 is brilliant in comparison.
 
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Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Is she the same nurse as the one with the wonky scales? She certainly was having a bad day! I suppose it happens to us all, especially on Mondays. :)
 

ringi

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,365
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Remember that lab results for A1c can be out by about 5% even when the two samples of blood are taken at the same time. Hence you can use a hard cut off on a single test result.
 

Sam50

Well-Known Member
Messages
228
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
I wonder if she was thinking how well your husband is doing so was saying anything between 6.5 and 7.5 was good going and didn't want him thinking he hadn't been doing a good job given that he had said he was trying to get it lower still?. I know that everybody on this forum wants the lowest numbers possible but I'll bet she sees hundreds of people with diabetes who are a darn sight more than 7.5. I think most people on this forum are by nature extremely strict about it all if not fanatical, me included, so are always striving for lower numbers. Maybe we sometimes forget that whilst we are one person seeing our Doctors & Nurses, they are seeing loads of people at the clinics, people who probably know little or are not that bothered about getting down to 4 etc. It's not surprising that if they see your hubbie trying to get down to 6.5 they instinctively compare him with someone sitting at around 9 and therefore think 7.5 is brilliant in comparison.
Hi @KK123 yes I think you could be right there.Since diagnosis both Hubby and I have become a bit 'number obsessed' whereas obviously before he could have been (and was) much higher with his BG but blissfully ignorant of the fact. I know there are a lot of diabetics who attend the clinic at our surgery, most of whom, as you say are probably a lot higher and not much bothered-especially if they have no apparent diabetic symptoms.

I didn't think that the number for diagnosing had altered but just wanted to check that no one had moved the goal posts when I wasn't looking !
 

Sam50

Well-Known Member
Messages
228
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Remember that lab results for A1c can be out by about 5% even when the two samples of blood are taken at the same time. Hence you can use a hard cut off on a single test result.
hi @ringi - I knew there was some discrepancy between finger prick testing and A1c but didn't appreciate that the A1c could be out by that much ! When you have blood taken for an A1c do they take for two tests at the same time or just one ? I thought it was just the one ?
 

Sam50

Well-Known Member
Messages
228
Type of diabetes
Don't have diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Is she the same nurse as the one with the wonky scales? She certainly was having a bad day! I suppose it happens to us all, especially on Mondays. :)
@Bluetit1802 yes the same nurse with the dodgy scales (Hubby came home and weighed himself again when he got home and reckoned that her scales needed re-calibrating by at least 9 pounds !) He said that she was also squinting at the screen and had forgotten her reading glasses !:facepalm:
 

ickihun

Master
Messages
13,698
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Bullies
@Bluetit1802 yes the same nurse with the dodgy scales (Hubby came home and weighed himself again when he got home and reckoned that her scales needed re-calibrating by at least 9 pounds !) He said that she was also squinting at the screen and had forgotten her reading glasses !:facepalm:
Looks like our gp dn has been finished. No longer at either surgery, she was adamamt I was gestational diabetes. She couldn't get her head around I was diabetic before having children. Durr!
 

ringi

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,365
Type of diabetes
Type 2
hi @ringi - I knew there was some discrepancy between finger prick testing and A1c but didn't appreciate that the A1c could be out by that much ! When you have blood taken for an A1c do they take for two tests at the same time or just one ? I thought it was just the one ?

They just do one test, but doctors know to ignore small changes in A1c unless they can see a trend from more then one test.