Am I understanding this correctly?

[jjraak]

I think I found the % confusing when I was first diagnosed... The figure of HBA1c I looked for to be in safer territory was below a HBA1c of 42.

Clip from daily mail you posted, Joe, and the corresponding guide on forum home page.

 

[Resurgam]

I did point out to the nurse at my last encounter that the same average figure is got for 49 and 51 as 30 and 70 - so Hba1c is not going to show the whole picture.
I left her very thoughtful.

 

[micksmixxx]

There is an article in today's Dail Mail about numbness in the fingers, which I have.
Some pretty good advice in the article I reckon, but the doc says that regarding the HbA1c: "A 'healthy' reading is between 4 to 5.6; above 6.5 confirms diabetes. Your results should always be 7 or less."
Web MD has the same figures but they are higher than I've been lead to believe, unless I'm interpretung them wrong.

Here is the article if you want a look

Typically, sir, the Daily Fail is years out of date with the advice (sic) that they offer. In the UK we've been using mmol/mol (millmoles per mol) rather than % (percentage) for years now. It's countries like the United States, that haven't moved forward to using this relatively 'new', and Internationally-recognised system, for years. They still use the older % (percentage) system.

(edited by mod)

 

[Whydoineedone]

During our nurse training we were taught that a normal blood sugar reading was between our and eight. Seems things change!

 

[urbanracer]

Typically, sir, the Daily Fail is years out of date with the advice (sic) that they offer. In the UK we've been using mmol/mol (millmoles per mol) rather than % (percentage) for years now. It's countries, like the United States, that haven't moved forward to using this relatively 'new', and Internationally-recognised system, for years. They still use the older % (percentage) system.

I live on the South coast, been T1 for 5 years and have never had my A1c figures reported to me as anything other than a percentage.

 

[JohnEGreen]

I live on the South coast, been T1 for 5 years and have never had my A1c figures reported to me as anything other than a percentage.

That's as maybe but the default measurement unit is now and has been since 2009 mmol/mol the fact that some are still being given the old default a percentage just means they haven't caught up yet.

 

[urbanracer]

That's as maybe but the default measurement unit is now and has been since 2009 mmol/mol the fact that some are still being given the old default a percentage just means they haven't caught up yet.

Perhaps wrong to assume that it's being used uniformly though?

 

[Jaylee]

My diabetic nurse referrs to my type 2 as 'a bit diabetic, but it's not serious'

Round my way it was known as "a touch of diabetes.

Bit like saying "a bit pregnant."

 

[JohnEGreen]

Perhaps wrong to assume that it's being used uniformly though?

True but the point about standards say like Kilograms rather than pounds and ounces is that every one should conform to them then everyone knows what is being talked about though I still talk about my weight in terms of Lbs and stones my scales tell me my weight in kilograms just like the scales at the green grocers or supermarkets.

 

[micksmixxx]

I live on the South coast, been T1 for 5 years and have never had my A1c figures reported to me as anything other than a percentage.

Sadly, urbanracer, it appears that SOME Authorities in the UK haven't moved forward with the times then. The change from reporting HbA1c levels from % terms to mmol/mol SHOULD have been completed by October 2011. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news_landing_page/change-in-measurement-of-hba1c

Be well, sir.

Lots of Love and Light.

Mick
x x x x
x x x

P.S. Please don't be offended, or alarmed, at the 'x's'. It's merely a logo, of sorts, that I've used for the past 40-odd years.

 

[Jo_the_boat]

Sadly, urbanracer, it appears that SOME Authorities in the UK haven't moved forward with the times then. The change from reporting HbA1c levels from % terms to mmol/mol SHOULD have been completed by October 2011. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news_landing_page/change-in-measurement-of-hba1c

Be well, sir.

Lots of Love and Light.

Mick
x x x x
x x x

P.S. Please don't be offended, or alarmed, at the 'x's'. It's merely a logo, of sorts, that I've used for the past 40-odd years.

It's partly the stress the NHS is under as a whole.
I got a call last Tuesday from hospital about a follow-up appointment with an eye specialist, non-diabetic related.
The lady asked me if I could come in on Thursday, two days time. I could as it happened.
She told me that this appointment was 7 months overdue. Not great but better than some I'm sure (hips and knees for example).
Made me think about my routine diabetic retinopathy scan which I think is overdue. I'll chase that up. It's a lesson of sorts not to rely on others.

Two tests of note.
The first, about 18 months ago, the lady said please read those letters from the top. I could only read a couple of lines where the letters were about the size of a church.
'Do you wear glasses?' she asked.
'Yes.'
'Oh, Lord.' Sigh. 'Would you mind putting them on and trying again!'
Since then I've got some new prescription glasses that I'm really happy with (considering they were chosen from the budget range discovered in the back of a locked cupboard). This time the chap asked me to read the letters I read them all, down to the tiniest ones. It's well done to Vision Express because the guy said it was the first time in 5 years that anyone had ever read the whole chart.