Home medics q?

[ZRX61]

I take one stab at it every morning. 5 weeks ago my numbers were 190-210 region. Then the Dr put me on Ozempic. Starts with a small dose to check for issues/allergy etc at 0.25mg for 4 weeks (one dose a week), then it goes to 0.5mg for another 4 weeks. Full dose is 1mg, I think I'll stick with 0.5 for a while.
BS numbers were 109 this morning & 107 yesterday.

If I've got my numbers right you were about double the expected level at 11mmol/l and now you're pretty much down to where you should be first thing in the morning at 5.5. That's pretty impressive! Probably worth having the squits for a while.

A1C's were 12 in January, they were 8 after two weeks on the 'Zempic..

Of course I'm dealing with US medical profession... Expats here are told their A1C's & cholesterol etc are high, then they get tested during a visit to the UK & told their numbers are perfect..

[katana]

Fairly sure I read that NHS testing for diabetes in more involved than snapshot readings.

Nope, as it is pretty clear, with one blood test.

This what I'd read:

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-th ... r-diabetes

Testing for type 1 and type 2 diabetes
If diabetes is confirmed by the results of a blood test the type of diabetes you have is usually determined by factors like weight , age at diagnosis, family history and how quickly any symptoms came on.

The test results can also indicate if you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes even if you don’t have it now.

If you’re being tested for type 1 diabetes then further blood tests can check your blood ketone levels. Following this you may be sent to hospital for further assessment.

A simple new test developed by researchers called C-peptide can help identify if someone has type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Testing for your risk of type 1 diabetes
Scientists have developed a type 1 diabetes risk test that looks for markers of diabetes in your blood that can show up months or years before any symptoms appear. These markers tell us that the immune system has started to plan an attack against the pancreas. If you have them, it means you’re at a high risk of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in your lifetime.

This test is not the same as a finger-prick test, that a doctor might do to diagnose type 1 diabetes if you already have symptoms.

From the same page

Blood tests used to diagnose diabetes

We will explain below the different blood tests that could be used to diagnose your diabetes. Your doctor will ask you about any symptoms you have and will then decide which type of blood test to use.

Having blood tests doesn't need to be worrying, they’re straightforward and shouldn’t take very long. Depending on the test you have you may be required to fast beforehand. If you do need to fast, a healthcare professional will let you know in advance.

Non fasting blood tests
HbA1c

An HbA1c test is the main blood test used to diagnose diabetes. It tests your average blood sugar levels for the last two to three months. You don’t need to prepare for a HbA1c . It’s a quick and simple test where a small amount of blood is taken from a vein in your arm. This is different to a finger-prick test, which is a snapshot of your blood sugar levels at that moment.

You’ll normally get the test results in a few days. From these results, your healthcare professional will be able to see if you have diabetes. If you didn’t have any of the symptoms of diabetes before you were tested, you’ll need to have the test again to confirm the result.

You have diabetes if your HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol or above.

You are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes (often known as prediabetes) if your HbA1c is between 42 and 48mmol/mol.


Random blood glucose test

If you have severe symptoms of diabetes, you may have a random blood test at any time of the day. This is a quick test, through a finger-prick or a vein in your arm.

If you have a finger-prick test, you’ll get the results straight away. If you have a blood test through a vein in your arm, you’ll get the results in a few days.

You or your loved one have diabetes if your blood glucose levels are 11.1mmol/l or more - regardless of how recently you ate.

But any diagnosis from a finger prick test will need to be confirmed by a blood test sent to a laboratory for results.


Fasting blood tests
Fasting blood sugar test

This is another blood test used to diagnose diabetes. It is sometimes called a fasting plasma glucose test or FPG for short. A nurse will take some blood from a vein in your arm.

You’ll need to fast for at least eight hours before, without eating or drinking anything apart from water. This is to stop anything interfering with the results. Fasting overnight and taking the test in the morning is the easiest option if available.

You’ll get the results in a few days.

You’ll be diagnosed with diabetes if your ​​​​​​glucose levels are 7mmol/l or more.

Seems to be a badly written information source.

[Count Steer]

I've got other academic sources that say the same thing. I can dig out the references later. I would have thought diabetes.uk.org know a thing or two though.

Edit: but it's fair to say that one test can clearly show that there may be a problem.