My A1c has always stayed at 6.5 or lower. My doctor is more concerned now that I am 77 years old about low blood sugar.which can be fatal in a short time. The ADA has relaxed A1c for older adults who have a shorter window of life expectancy. But I will always do what I have been doing since I was first diagnosed and that is to limit carbs and sugar, exercise daily and take all medicines on time.

I finger prick each morning. The 90 day average is 113. My last A1c average was 6,5. I believe I am doing better over the past three months.

Of coarse they also neglect to tell us that the smaller your blood vessels the more damage so generally woman suffer more damage as our vessels are on average smaller!

So it's no surprise that I'm a bit sceptical when the medical authorities recommend how high our a1c should be or indeed triglycerides, cholesterol etc.

Of course each person has to make up their own mind and plan their own strategies, I'm pointing out that the way of the medical authorities is only one route and to slavishly follow everything they say without question is not advisable.

And for the record I don't have much time for the alternative medicine authorities either, they, like the allopathic (Western medicine) authorities have a large. number of chancers in their midst.

I'm not saying my way is the right way any more than other approaches to this conditions are right ways but just to point out that we must educate and inform ourselves through research the pros and cons of various approaches and the pros and cons of testing especially predictive testing and then come to our OWN conclusions which may agree, partially agree or dismiss the position of the medical authorities.

I was diagnosed at the age of 46 and I doubt if my A1c would be any less than 7% - more likely greater than that. The only damage I suffered was the result of probably having undiagnosed diabetes for about 7 years prior (there were tell tale signs but not excessive urination, that should have alerted me) and that damage was permanent itching numbness in both the skin of my thighs which comes and goes.

The problem is that these a1c recommended levels are arbitrary and may lead to over diagnosis and over medicalisation which of course the pharmaceuticals love as more big bucks for them.

I no longer have the a1c test nor any other form of blood screening as we are now becoming obsessed with predictive testing. I'm reading an excellent book called The Age of Diagnosis written by a respected doctor which talks about things I have been banging on about for ages.

I finger prick test at least four times a day and wear a cgm - they are my guides for navigating diabetes. They are not predictive but more or less real time and I can test what I eat against them plus what exercise does or does not do for my blood glucose.

I have Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy and was told by a so called expert that I'd be in a wheelchair within two years. That was in 2002 and now I'm walking longer walks than ever - 18-22 miles per walk. So much for predictions by these "experts". Not once was I told to lose weight (no that's not PC and is fat shaming, in fact I was given no advice how to deal with my condition apart from the "prognosis" that I would be in a wheel chair within two years.

I was told that the diabetes is progressive and I'd end up on insulin regardless of any meds, diet or exercise and die probably in my early 70s. I'm now 75 and still on the original 40mg of Gliclazide a day and 1000mg Metformin. I skip the Met sometimes as I'm not convinced it's much help unlike my friend Gliclazide (a sulfonurea) which if I forget to take results rapidly in blood glucose greater than 10.0 (180)