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A1c question

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paulcw16

Member
Messages
6
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Age 72...A1c 6.7. If diabetes is 6.5 why is the goal to be under 7 and not under 6.5?!
 
paulcw16 said:
Age 72...A1c 6.7. If diabetes is 6.5 why is the goal to be under 7 and not under 6.5?!
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Different doctors, depending on their training have different views on where you should be, depending on what type you have.
Most diabetic doctors believe that the levels should be similar to T1s. Which is deemed as just above normal levels (4-6mmols) Which should be around 7mmols.
The majority of those diagnosed with T2 should be a target of getting as near normal as they can.
By having a dietary regime of reducing the spikes, which are caused by carbs and sugars.
I will tag @JoKalsbeek for the nutritional thingy.

Did you get a glucometer or a CGM?

Keep asking,
Best wishes.
 
paulcw16 said:
Age 72...A1c 6.7. If diabetes is 6.5 why is the goal to be under 7 and not under 6.5?!
Click to expand...
https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html , is the blog @Lamont D mentioned. I hope it is of some use. With T1's, having near-normal or normal blood sugars is sometimes indicative of being hypo often, (too low), and they tend to want to keep T1's a little higher to avoid those lows and the dangers that come with that. With T2's who don't use insulin or other blood glucose lowering medication like gliclazide and compatriots, that's a non-issue, and like Lamont said, aiming for normal blood sugars would be perfectly fine.
 
I'm a diet controlled T2D (in remission for over 4yrs) but have never been given any 'targets', though neither have I ever taken any diabetes medication. Instead of just taking diet advice from my GP (more low fat, lots of fruit and veg), I initially opted for control using a Low Carb 'way of eating' which immediately showed it was working.

My GP has never commented on my HbA1C readings which (since remission) have, with one exception due to illness, been in the 5.6% (= 38) to 5.8% (=40) region i.e. what are considered to be normal levels - not even pre-diabetic in the UK. Though these would be considered pre-diabetic in the USA.
 
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