Blood Sugar Range??

[Harvey51]

Hi Guys,
Trying to get my head around where I need my Blood Sugar needs to be. I have bought a GlucoNAvii and taken a reading of 8 mmol/L this evening 2 hrs after my tea.

Are there any reference tables to help me get an understanding if this is good or bad. The only info I have, which was handed to me as the nurse ushered me out of the door, after giving me the news I had type 2, refers to HbA1c and this only references % and mmol/mol.

I am confused what the difference is between the HbA1c, % and mmol/mol info the nurse gave me and the mmol/L reading the monitor gives me. Which should I be focusing on to move forward.

Hope that makes sense and you kind people can offer some guidance.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Andydragon]

Hi Guys,
Trying to get my head around where I need my Blood Sugar needs to be. I have bought a GlucoNAvii and taken a reading of 8 mmol/L this evening 2 hrs after my tea.

Are there any reference tables to help me get an understanding if this is good or bad. The only info I have, which was handed to me as the nurse ushered me out of the door, after giving me the news I had type 2, refers to HbA1c and this only references % and mmol/mol.

I am confused what the difference is between the HbA1c, % and mmol/mol info the nurse gave me and the mmol/L reading the monitor gives me. Which should I be focusing on to move forward.

Hope that makes sense and you kind people can offer some guidance.
Thanks in advance.

Here’s one table ranges I look at

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood-sugar-level-ranges.html

Some calculators (sometimes not alway reliable web page I’m afraid): https://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-to-blood-sugar-level-converter.html

 

[Bluetit1802]

The HbA1c and the snapshot glucose readings from our meter readings are completely different. Apples and Pears..

On our meters we should aim for no more than a 2mmol/l increase from immediately before eating to 2 hours after first bite. This is just a snapshot of what your levels were at the time of the test. More than 2mmol/l and there was something on your plate that caused this. If you keep a food diary and record your before and after levels alongside, patterns will emerge, and hopefully this will show you if you are going wrong with your food choices. There is no point in the early days in testing after eating if you haven't tested before eating.

 

[Rachox]

The HbA1c is a blood test that cleverly works out your average blood sugar over three months. It’s measured in th U.K. now as mmol/mol. It used to be measured as a percentage and some countries retain the percentages.
When you take a finger prick test at home it is a snap shot telling you your blood sugar level in mmols/l.
Here’s a link that explain more:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html

 

[catinahat]

A single test is just a snapshot of your glucose levels, the only thing you have learned is that the level is 8 mmol.
If you had taken a reading immediately before your meal you could compare the two readings. Then you would discover if you have coped well with the amount of carbs in that meal or not. If the post meal levels are more than 2 mmol higher than the pre meal, then you need to rethink that meal next time. In no time at all you will have figured out what you can eat and what you need to avoid.
The HbA1c measures the amount of glucose that has stuck to your blood cells, so it's a kind of 12week average
Your meter measures in mmol and tells you what your glucose levels are now

 

[lucylocket61]

taken a reading of 8 mmol/L this evening 2 hrs after my tea.

You also need your reading just before eating. The difference between the two reading gives you your increase in blood sugar levels from the meal, which should be kept to 2 or less points if possible. Once you have done this a few times, and recorded your results and what you ate, then you can see if you need to tweak it to reduce the amount of carbs you eat. Keeping a record of your meals, quantity of potatoes, rice or whatever, and the two meter readings is helpful in the early days while you find your personal food intake level to keep within a 2 points increase.

 

[Deleted member 543160]

Something to be aware of with any HbA1c results, is that their calculated averages can come either from fairly stable/level figures or from highs and lows which may cancel each other and can end up possibly giving an inaccurate picture of the true glucose situation.

For me comparing pre and post meal tests gives the best information about I how I'm actually responding carbs-wise to what I've just eaten. HbA1cs can be useful for a snapshot of progress over time, but are generally the (only) way your GP /DN/diabetes support team can measure that progress.