Just because you feel okay with a blood sugar level of 2mmol/L does not make it safe. In the last week I have seen a number of people with type 1 diabetes who have been striving to keep their blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible to try to reduce their risk of long term complications, but at the expense of severe and sometimes life threatening hypoglycaemia. Aiming for an HbA1c of 6.5 to 7.0% may be doable in the initial years of living with type 1 diabetes but your ability to recognise low sugars, and your body’s ability to protect you from them, starts to lessen over time. Achieving an HbA1c around 7% in the first five to ten years will lay down a solid foundation. We know from research that this will help to protect you from long term complications for many years, if not decades, to come. But after that you may need to change your goal. New technologies, such as insulin pumps or continuous glucose monitoring, can also make it easier for you to stay safe. You should talk to your diabetes team about what the right goal and the right treatment is for you. You are also welcome to contact us at Total Diabetes Care.
Written by Jane Overland