Diabetes can be a relentless stream of numbers. And sometimes, it can be hard keeping track or knowing what they all mean, or what to do about them.
Morning blood sugar, pre-meal blood sugar, counting carbs. HbA1c, blood pressure, how many carbs were in that sandwich again? Diabetes can feel like a never-ending stream of numbers. And some days, they just don’t add up.
Diabetes doesn't stop, but neither do you. You juggle the ups and downs, you face diabetes head on every morning (whatever your blood sugar!) and you don’t let it hold you back.
So, this Diabetes Week, we want to celebrate everything that makes you, you. Because you’re so much more than your numbers. We want to lift the lid on what those numbers mean in everyday life to help make life a litter easier AND give you the opportunity to have your say about using technology in diabetes care to keep an eye on your stats!
Let’s look at those numbers!
This Diabetes Week, we’re breaking down some of the key numbers for you – from HbA1C to carb counting and we’ve created some brilliant new posters to walk you through all those confusing numbers!
- HbA1c is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If you have diabetes, an ideal HbA1c level is 48mmol/mol (6.5%) or below.
- If you’re living with type 1 diabetes, carbohydrate counting, or carb counting, is an effective way of managing your blood sugar levels. It means that your insulin dose can be individually matched to the amount of carbohydrate you eat and drink.
- Insulin resistance is when your body’s cells don’t respond properly to the insulin that your body makes or the insulin you inject as a medication. Because your body cannot use the insulin as it should your blood sugar levels can increase.
Get that tech!
With the right tech, keeping on top of your numbers doesn’t need to feel like a battle. And that can be life changing.
Technology is changing the way that people living with diabetes live their lives and reduces pressures associated with the condition that can further cause complications.
Earlier this year, Diabetes UK Cymru asked people living with diabetes in Wales to complete a survey as part of its Diabetes is Serious Campaign (DIS).
Our DIS survey asked respondents in Wales (living with type 1 diabetes) how technology helped them manage their diabetes:
- 85.0% of respondents with type 1 diabetes using technology agreed it helped them to manage their diabetes in 2022
- 75.4% said it improved their overall well-being
- 60.0% of respondents informed us that diabetes technology made remote consultations with their diabetes team easier
A new campaign has been launched today by Diabetes UK in England calling on decision-makers in Westminster to make sure access to tech is based on your need and not on your postcode.
We want to do the same here in Wales - that's why we want to hear from you! We want to hear from people living with diabetes of all types across Wales to tell us about their experiences accessing and using new technologies to manage diabetes.
How can you have your say?
Visit our dedicated webpage here and have your say now! Hearing your experiences is key to helping us understand the landscape here in Wales and what needs to change, as well as how Diabetes UK Cymru can help.
