My Diabetes My Way: September 2025 update


Welcome to the My Diabetes My Way Newsletter for September 2025.

Latest Research

Over the summer, many healthcare professionals have been attending conferences discussing the latest research into the causes of diabetes and potential new treatments. Much of this research may take many years to make a difference to the daily lives of people living with diabetes, but it does show that progress is being made. You can read more about some of the latest research at the following link: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-us/news-and-views/discoveries-root-causes-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes-research-highlights-august-2025

 

Know Your Numbers

September 8-14th was “Know Your Numbers” week. While this was originally developed to encourage everyone to check their Blood Pressure, people with diabetes have several numbers that they need to know. Targets for diabetes control (HbA1c), blood pressure and cholesterol levels are all important to minimise the risk of cardiovascular complications. They should also be personalised for you in discussion with your healthcare team. Targets will vary according to age, and any other conditions people may have. However, in general for a person with diabetes the targets will be as follows:

  • HbA1c less than 53mmol/l
  • Blood Pressure 130/80
  • Total Cholesterol less than 4mmol

People with diabetes should have these tests treated with medication, if necessary, until they reach these targets, or reach the targets agreed with their healthcare team. We have lots more information on these treatment targets at the following link: https://mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk/resources/video/the-3-treatment-targets/

There are other numbers that people with diabetes need to be aware of. A blood sugar level of 4mmol/l or less are dangerous and should be treated as a hypoglycaemic event with the appropriate foods and rescue medication. The use of alarms on flash and continuous blood glucose meters has helped manage blood sugars as a Low alarm can be set so that the individual can be given warnings if blood sugar is going low.

The second number people need to be aware of is “5 before I drive”. This refers to the minimum level your blood sugar should be before you drive if you are treated with insulin or other hypoglycaemic drugs which can cause very low blood sugar e.g. Gliclazide. Blood sugar should always be checked before driving and must be checked every 2 hours whilst driving. You must carry a blood sugar meter in the car even if you have a flash or continuous monitor and some appropriate treatment in case of a hypoglycaemic event. If you do have a hypoglycaemic event in the car while driving, you must pull over, treat the hypo and then wait 45 minutes before driving again. The delay before driving again is because you get some cognitive impairment or “brain fog” with a hypo and this can take 45 minutes to get back to normal after your blood sugar is back in normal range.

Another number which is important is the level of ketones in your blood if you are unwell. If you are treated with insulin and you are not eating and drinking normally, you should be checking your ketone levels in addition to your blood sugar every 2 hours. A ketone level below 0.6mmol is normal but should your ketone level rise to 1.5mmol you need to take corrective action immediately to avoid developing diabetic ketoacidosis. This will involve taking extra doses of your short acting insulin (the insulin you take with meals). The amount of extra insulin you need to take is dependent on your total daily insulin dose, so it is useful to know this number too. Total daily dose of insulin is the amount of long-acting insulin plus the amount of short acting insulin you take each day. There is more information at the links below

Finally, the last number you need to know is the phone number of your healthcare team, whether that be your GP surgery or your hospital diabetes team.

 

Free Carb Counting Course

MyWay Digital Health are running a free online course on Carbohydrate (Carb) Counting on 1st October 2025. This course is a guide to carb counting, covering everything from understanding carbohydrates and their impact on blood sugar to practical tips for managing meals and snacks. Learn how to read food labels, estimate portions, and confidently adjust your insulin for better control. There is a live Q&A session at 6pm on 1st October to get expert answers to your questions. You can register at the following link: https://user.mydiabetes.com/

 

Free Online Diabetes Courses

Free online courses are available for people with Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational diabetes at:

https://elearning.mydiabetesmyway.scot.nhs.uk

To brush up on your diabetes self-management, register a username and password to get going. Please note, that eLearning is not yet connected to myaccount, so you will be asked to create a new account to access the courses until we have them linked. Your myaccount details will work as normal to allow you to access your diabetes records.

 

Facebook, X and Bluesky

Please remember, you can keep up-to-date with the latest news and useful information on the My Diabetes My Way Facebook, X and Bluesky pages.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mydiabetesmyway

X (formerly Twitter): https://www.twitter.com/mydiabetesmyway

Bluesky: @mydiabetesmyway.bsky.social

 

Help and Support

If you have not yet managed to gain access to your diabetes records on My Diabetes My Way, or would like an update on the status of your registration, please let us know. You can contact us regarding any problems or request further help and support by emailing: mydiabetes.myway@nhs.scot

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