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lorrie

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Type 1
i have a hb1c of 13 for which may doc nearly had a heart attack if only then i could preach about his diet and smoking and exercise. i would be interested to hear of any one else who has had a high result esp if higher than 13
 
Highest HbA1c I've has was 10.4, but I think my next one may be higher.

How are your own BG readings? What regime are you on?
 
HbA1c

Its funny, where ever my number lands I get a different response, it has climbed over 6 months to 10.8, but not to worry I was told all will be OK, was given Byetta last Christmas took of Glargine, lasted 10 months, now on Byetta, Metformin, Glitazide's and 26 units of Glargine, still numbers in the 15/18 range, during October reached 33 one day and 28.9 the next, is the number important or not, and where should it really be, I understood 7 was OK but who knows Roger :confused:
 
my last two hbac1's were 7.5% but my highest has been 14%
 
It isn't a competition, but hard facts do show that the likelyhood of complications increases exponentially as the Hba1c increases. In other words take Retinopathy, at under 6 you have little likelyhood of getting it. At 6 - 6.5 you have a 2% chance of it and this increases frighteningly to 7.5 where you have an almost 45% chance of getting it. Now I don't want to go blind. Do you? So really, you have a better chance of not going blind if you control your BGs.

Of course the NHS and Diabetes UK don't make it easy do they? Of course not, because the recommended diet is "Starchy carbs with every meal" - well, this may come as news, but carbohydrates are the very things which turn straight to sugar in your veins. We are all different and no one individual can handle carbs in the same way as the next. It's a matter of experimentation and "eat to your meter". If you would really like to get control I suggest you check out this advice on testing which is the single best piece of advice anyone could give a newly diagnosed diabetic... it's not rocket science, it's not some daft diet, it's not snake oil remedies, it's simple common sense. http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/joomla/jennifers-advice
 
Pattidevans said:
It isn't a competition, but hard facts do show that the likelyhood of complications increases exponentially as the Hba1c increases. In other words take Retinopathy, at under 6 you have little likelyhood of getting it. At 6 - 6.5 you have a 2% chance of it and this increases frighteningly to 7.5 where you have an almost 45% chance of getting it. Now I don't want to go blind. Do you? So really, you have a better chance of not going blind if you control your BGs.

Of course the NHS and Diabetes UK don't make it easy do they? Of course not, because the recommended diet is "Starchy carbs with every meal" - well, this may come as news, but carbohydrates are the very things which turn straight to sugar in your veins. We are all different and no one individual can handle carbs in the same way as the next. It's a matter of experimentation and "eat to your meter". If you would really like to get control I suggest you check out this advice on testing which is the single best piece of advice anyone could give a newly diagnosed diabetic... it's not rocket science, it's not some daft diet, it's not snake oil remedies, it's simple common sense. http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/joomla/jennifers-advice
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Thats damn good advice and like you say 'common sense' but as usual it comes back to the price of strips and lancets. I cant afford to test as much as you say when I have to pay for everything. I only test about 3 or 4 times a week which I know isnt enough but what else can I do? I know the same goes for some of the other guys in this forum who have to pay for their own strips. Its an absolute disgrace!
 
Thats damn good advice and like you say 'common sense' but as usual it comes back to the price of strips and lancets. I cant afford to test as much as you say when I have to pay for everything. I only test about 3 or 4 times a week which I know isnt enough but what else can I do? I know the same goes for some of the other guys in this forum who have to pay for their own strips. Its an absolute disgrace!

Why do you have to pay??? In my area once diagnosed as diabetic prescriptions are free and i thought this was the case uk wide. It's appaling that you have to pay and others don't. My HB1C is usually between 6-7 and at my last eye exam i recieved a letter saying some changes have been seen and i may be developing retinopathy. I am a MODY and take metformin 2g OD, currently pregnant so taking 10iu Lancet once daily. I find this very worrying
 
Pollyanne said:
Thats damn good advice and like you say 'common sense' but as usual it comes back to the price of strips and lancets. I cant afford to test as much as you say when I have to pay for everything. I only test about 3 or 4 times a week which I know isnt enough but what else can I do? I know the same goes for some of the other guys in this forum who have to pay for their own strips. Its an absolute disgrace!

Why do you have to pay??? In my area once diagnosed as diabetic prescriptions are free and i thought this was the case uk wide. It's appaling that you have to pay and others don't. My HB1C is usually between 6-7 and at my last eye exam i recieved a letter saying some changes have been seen and i may be developing retinopathy. I am a MODY and take metformin 2g OD, currently pregnant so taking 10iu Lancet once daily. I find this very worrying
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I get all my prescriptions free except for the strips and lancets of which I last bought on the net for ?20 for 51 strips. My doctor wont supply them because of the price!
 
my last few have been around 7. cant really remember what my highest reading has been. pollyanne - i had a letter a few eye tests ago advising i had changes. i got my mum to phone as i though i would go blind but they told my mum it really means nothing. your next test could show your eyes as completly normal but they need to advise if they see any of the small dots (even though it could be a fleck of dust in the camera they admitted!)
 
How are you finding the byetta. My nurse id recommending me to a consultant to remove the need for insulin. Do you know if this will help me get back to a full driving licence instead of the temporary 3 year one I am currently allocated?

Kind regards
Wooleyback
 
jeanus44 said:
Thats damn good advice and like you say 'common sense' but as usual it comes back to the price of strips and lancets. I cant afford to test as much as you say when I have to pay for everything. I only test about 3 or 4 times a week which I know isnt enough but what else can I do? I know the same goes for some of the other guys in this forum who have to pay for their own strips. Its an absolute disgrace!
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Firstly you can get strips cheaper on eBay. So long as they are not outside their expiry date they should be fine and are considerably cheaper than over the counter at chemists. Also the meter manufacturers sell them directly at a lower cost than chemists.

The people selling them on ebay appear to be people selling off their "spares" which they do not use. I don't really approve of this since they are probably making it harder for the rest of us to get strips prescribed in the first place. Also they are doing it at a profit so really ripping off the NHS for their own gain. However it does give people without strips an opportunity to get them cheaper.

If you take a look at http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/joomla/blood-glucose-testing there is a section about 2/3 of the way down on persuading your doc to prescribe strips with some useful resources. I find that asking a doc why they are ignoring the guidelines of the National Institute of Clinical Excellent is a handy slap in the face.

But its important to stress why you are testing - in order to learn. Using the likes of Jennifer's Advice (link) to learn about the effects of food on your BG clearly demonstrates that you are using them to improve the management of your condition and not just testing for the sake of it.

Hope this helps
 
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Hi I am 60yrs old, T2, 5yrs, currently on 4x Glucophage a day. Retinopathy scans been clear so far but, just had a scan and the guy had to do my right eye 3 times!

I then told him that my right eye has been a bit blurred for a few weeks now, I thought it was my glasses!

My sugars have gradually increased from avg 5.6 to avg 6.8. My nurse said this is nothing to worry about as compared to some, I am doing well.

A workmate just diagnosed, has gone from 21.4 down to 12.2 and he has also been told he is doing well. I sometimes wonder if our specialist nurses are all receiving the same training?

I get my lancets etc on prescription as my specialist nurse said that diabetics do not have to pay for "any" prescriptions. She registered me with the NHS and they sent me a white Medical Exemption card. It would appear that some doctors do not know the rules governing exemptions for diabetics. If you are having to pay for any prescription or for diabetic equipment, try challenging them!
 
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Most of our specialist nurses get about half a day to a day on diabetes. Very few of them have diabetes and have to live with it.

Hows your HbA1c Chris? If thats the average you are referring to *, then your chances of complications have gone up considerably. Your nurse might be happy with that, but I wouldn't be.

Who manages your diabetes? I'm in charge of mine. The medics are there as support.

I've always taken the view that I live with it, its my body, if theres any consequences they will affect me. Therefore I am in control of it and they are there to advise and support. If I do not agree with their advice I may experiment with it, but at the end of the day I am going to do what works. After all, I see the effects of changes every day wheras I see them about every 3 months.

Personally I do not find an A1c of 6.0 or over acceptable. But then again I have looked at the statistics for risks of complications and its my eyes/kidneys/feet I am thinking of - not theirs.

Theres a balance to be had between control and having a life of course and where you choose to place yourself in terms of risks is up to you.

But as you have clearly discovered, the level of risk that some people think is "ok" may not agree with your definition.

*Note: The HbA1c is NOT an average, although its useful to see it that way sometimes for simplicity.
 
my highest A1c was 9.5% that was about 2 1/2 years ago, since then the highest has been 6.3% and lowest 5.4%
 
thanks

thank you to everybody who read and replyed i am new to the site i didnt realise how much the advice treatment and care of diabetes varies from who you see or where you live etc there are a lot of intelligent and caring people out there but alot are singing from diffirent song sheet
 
wasnt treating it like a compertition my gp said this was the highest hbc1 he had ever seen he really scared me but didnt really offer me any advice awaiting appointment to see my nurse but just wanted to see if other people have had a high result but thanks for your reply
 
My highest HbA1c in the last 12 years is 5.8%, non diabetics are approx 4.8%
 
jeanus44 said:
Thats damn good advice and like you say 'common sense' but as usual it comes back to the price of strips and lancets. I cant afford to test as much as you say when I have to pay for everything. I only test about 3 or 4 times a week which I know isnt enough but what else can I do? I know the same goes for some of the other guys in this forum who have to pay for their own strips. Its an absolute disgrace!
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i think its a disgrace that you have to pay when having diabetes is not your fault!!! i thought once you were diagnosed every one got their prescriptions free regardless of the cost..?? i know sometimes where you live sometimes plays a part in what medical care you get but it shouldnt. my brother lives down south and is working but because he is diabetic he gets all prescriptions free. i live in liverpool but get my prescriptioms free, so that is quite a diverse area, you dont say which area you are in..? i would go back to the dr and ask why, or take it higher. this is your future health!! fight for it.
 
lorrie said:
wasnt treating it like a compertition my gp said this was the highest hbc1 he had ever seen he really scared me but didnt really offer me any advice awaiting appointment to see my nurse but just wanted to see if other people have had a high result but thanks for your reply
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my highest as far i as i know was 20. the specialist said it was the highest he had seen. this is what happens when your diabetes is un-controlled. consequently i have developed all sorts of complications, ranging from neuropathy pains to blurry vision,( now wearing glasses)
 
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