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[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

12357…170

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  • #122
    Hal Emmerich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭Hal Emmerich


    Straylight wrote: »
    Try to get her onto a Desmond course. I did it in Blanch Hospital last year and it was really helpful, even for simple stuff like how to check your bloods.
    The Dietician was part of a Course, don't know the name of it but it was cancelled due to lack of people:confused:.

    I assumed all diabetics had to check there bloods daily but her GP told her she didn't need to:confused: just to go back to him every 6 months.

    She's on Glucophage.


  • #123
    graflynn
    Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭graflynn


    Hal Emmerich wrote: »
    The Dietician was part of a Course, don't know the name of it but it was cancelled due to lack of people:confused:.

    I assumed all diabetics had to check there bloods daily but her GP told her she didn't need to:confused: just to go back to him every 6 months.

    She's on Glucophage.

    The Diabetes Federation run a similar course to DESMOND - it's called CODE. And they can't keep up with the demand for theirs. Their helpline number is 1850 909 909.


  • #124
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,055 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    gerrybbadd wrote: »
    Mine have gone mental the last 2 weeks, from an average of around 8-12mmols to around 16mmols each time I do a reading. I have changed background insulin around 4 weeks ago, so this could be the reason behind it. Dos anybody here find weather to be a factor for changeable readings at all?

    I had some unexplained readings over the last few weeks as well, but wasn't sure if it was just down to me not knowing what I was doing with the pump, being a bad boy with my eating and drinking, or the weather having suddenly got fairly warm at around the same time.

    Did another couple of night time basal testing sessions and it seems to be coming back into line now. It's easier to catch when things are not going right during the day though so has been less of an obvious issue then.


  • #125
    cynder
    Registered Users Posts: 4,128 ✭✭✭cynder


    wondering if any of the adult diabetics here ride motorbikes?


    My lady is turning 12 but i would like to think when she is 16 that she could ride a scooter/moped max speed 30mph http://www.scooter.co.uk/50cc-scooters-for-sale.html (her 16th b-day pressent all going well) I know thats 4 years away, if its possible or not i would like to know, any thoughts?


  • #126
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,055 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Yep, it's possible.

    It's currently a UK license I'm on but there are no restrictions to do with bikes due to diabetes. Just that they removed the XXton lorry and minibus categories from me. I can still drive people carriers, but nothing with more than 9(?) seats and getting PSV type licenses would be tricky.

    The Irish licenses don't follow the same restrictions, but there was certainly no limits put on my Irish provisional bike license I had. Well, other than being provisional.


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  • #127
    naasrd
    Registered Users Posts: 2,408 ✭✭✭naasrd


    gerrybbadd wrote: »
    Mine have gone mental the last 2 weeks, from an average of around 8-12mmols to around 16mmols each time I do a reading. I have changed background insulin around 4 weeks ago, so this could be the reason behind it. Dos anybody here find weather to be a factor for changeable readings at all?

    Hi, I was diagnosed with type 2 just over a year ago. I've noticed over the last 2 weeks some of my readings have been around 4.8mmols with an astonishing 4.1 at one stage. These are the lowest readings I've ever had. I'm eating the same types of foods except I cut out potatoes about a month ago. Can the weather affect readings for good or bad or is it just the spuds been given the boot?


  • #128
    cynder
    Registered Users Posts: 4,128 ✭✭✭cynder


    Waiting for a phone call off my gp, young lady had blood test last week (shes been OFF for a while) she had a sore throat we waited a week for that to clear up and then she had bloods done.

    the results are in the nurse said thyriod is fine Iron is fine white blood cells elevated and then she said that she has to run it by the doctor (he must not have seen them yet) now that has me worried, have to wait until 1pm before the gp phones me with the results.........

    aaahhhhhhhhhHHHH

    *the throat infection might mot have fully cleared before blood was taken if that was the case that would throw off the white blood count.


  • #129
    lucernarian
    Registered Users Posts: 9,235 ✭✭✭lucernarian


    naasrd wrote: »
    Hi, I was diagnosed with type 2 just over a year ago. I've noticed over the last 2 weeks some of my readings have been around 4.8mmols with an astonishing 4.1 at one stage. These are the lowest readings I've ever had. I'm eating the same types of foods except I cut out potatoes about a month ago. Can the weather affect readings for good or bad or is it just the spuds been given the boot?
    How many spuds you eat will make a big difference to how your blood sugars go. Your blood sugar would increase more with a bag of chips than with one or perhaps two typical bars of chocolate.

    So long as you're not experiencing any symptoms of hypoglycaemia then those measurements shouldn't cause alarm by themselves. If the drop in levels didn't happen at the same time as changing your diet then it would be well worth asking the nurse or your doc about it. Just like how you should mention any unusual changes in blood sugar level to them.


  • #130
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,055 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Did a 5km race a couple of days ago and got a new PB by quite a margin.

    I'm actually much more please with my training run from yesterday. Tested the BG before hand and it was 5.2, took an energy gel, reduced the basal rate, went for a run, got back and did another test and the BG was 5.4. :D:D:D:D

    That would have been impossible to do previously, but on the pump I've so much more flexibility in what I do. The BG numbers were a small bit too low for me to have been going out for a run, but I wanted to test things out and very happy.


  • #131
    BlackEdelweiss
    Registered Users Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭BlackEdelweiss


    BlackEdelweiss wrote: »
    For the past 2 months or so I was getting my best readings since I was diagnosed almost 2 years ago, I am type 1.5(neither 1 nor 2). Around easter weekend I ran out of Diamicron of which I take 4 a day so I was without these for 3 days although I still had my Glucophage and Onglazy. Since then my blood has been sky high, 18.4 last night after a medium bowl of pasta with blue cheese sauce and a cappucinno and a shortbread finger as a treat at work later on. I am really high every morning and all through the day and not feeling great with very little energy. Is this a normal thing that your blook can go up and down for no major reason? I have also been a bit stressed lately with family life, college and a full time job, could this play a part in it?

    My bloods have not stabilised since this last post and my energy level is at zero, I am also snapping at my wife and especially my poor children who seem to be bearing the brunt of my moods these days. I talked to my doctor on the phone and he said it sounds like I need to make the jump to insulin, I also talked to my diabetic nurse today and she said to come up and get my bloods done and they will have a look at them and see what they think, the whole clinic is running behind schedule these days as there is only 1 doctor to see everyone so I have not been seen since December. I have one of my final exams in college on Tuesday aswell and I have neither the energy nor enthusiasm to begin studying for it, I have already deferred 2 exams till next year and dont know if I should just deferr this last one aswell as there is a good chance I will not do well in it, I have a 70% average for my honours degree so far and I dont want to ruin it. Add to this a teething baby and full time work and you may begin to see my situation.

    I am just a bit worried about starting insulin, I cant get the guy from Con Air out of my mind and am really worried about being so dependant on this thing every day and if I run out or it gets smashed like the guy on Con Air I could end up sinking into a coma like him. Nobody has ever talked to me about insulin before as I was not taking it so I am quite worried about it, also it will be like starting all over again with my diabetes, having to learn everything from scratch.
    Will insulin make me feel better? Will I get my energy back and stop being such a bollox to my family?


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  • #132
    tbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    Short answer is yes. Con air was a joke, same as that movie panic room where a diabetic went tens mins past her jab time and started dying. I've been in Uruguay without insulin and, while I wouldn't reccomend it, I was able to get it sorted. You're dependent on food and water and you don't panic about runnin out of them, right? Insulin is no different. It's a bit of a pain at first but you adapt and move on quickly, don't worry.


  • #133
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,055 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Movies have nothing to do with real life.

    Missing an injection will not send you into a coma like they show for dramatic effect. It's obviously not ideal, but it's certainly nothing that requires Nicholas Cage to blow things up to save you. :D

    It's also not that fragile that the pens will get broken. I've done all sorts of things off the top of mountains with the pens in my pocket and never had a problem. I'm now on a pump and have not properly abused that yet, but they are designed to survive. Or you'll have a spare somewhere ready if things do happen to get broken.


  • #134
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,409 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    robinph wrote: »
    Did a 5km race a couple of days ago and got a new PB by quite a margin.

    I'm actually much more please with my training run from yesterday. Tested the BG before hand and it was 5.2, took an energy gel, reduced the basal rate, went for a run, got back and did another test and the BG was 5.4.

    Same here, done my longest spin in almost a year over the weekend. Started with bloods of 6.2, only took my Glargine and no Novorapid for the weekend. Average was 5.4 and highest was 8.2.


  • #135
    graflynn
    Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭graflynn


    Try not to be afraid of insulin. I know that easier said than done. You can find out more about how insulin works from this irish website www.itsmyinsulin.ie that might make you more comfortable about the move. Knowledge is power.

    The movies never get type 1 diabetes right:rolleyes:


  • #136
    CathyMoran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    Had a nurse saying that I could not have pink grapefruit juice as it contains carbohydrate - I seriously worry about the training of some nurses. This is the same person who said not to take sugar unil my blood sugar was below 2 which is rubbish.


  • #137
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,055 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    I went and read the wrong bit of the page in my Carbs & Cals book earlier and calculated the insulin based on far too high a number so took 4 times more than I should have.

    Had me all confused soon afterwards...and I didn't know what was going on. ;)


  • #138
    tbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    robinph wrote: »
    I went and read the wrong bit of the page in my Carbs & Cals book earlier and calculated the insulin based on far too high a number so took 4 times more than I should have.

    Had me all confused soon afterwards...and I didn't know what was going on. ;)

    free pass for mars bars!

    it's a great book - great app as well. I got one called meal snap - you take a pic of your meal and it tells you what it is and how many cals there are in it. If they updated it to include cho, we're laughing - to be honest, when I downloaded it I didn't think it'd be great, but it works amazingly well!

    http://mealsnap.com/


  • #139
    CathyMoran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    tbh wrote: »
    free pass for mars bars!
    Hmm, mars bar, do not say that to a diabetic who is going to have her daugher any day now...


  • #140
    CathyMoran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    Latest HbA1c of 4.7, they are saying that I have leeway to raise it. Less than 2 weeks at most to my daugher now, have any other diabetic mothers on here had small babies - she is tiny and they are concerned about her weight.


  • #141
    BlackEdelweiss
    Registered Users Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭BlackEdelweiss


    I'm not a diabetic mother but my last 2 kids were born 5 and 7 weeks premature and weighed 4lb15oz and 4lb13oz which is fairly small. 2 or 3 weeks in the special care unit mostly due their being early rather than small but they both turned into big lumps within a few months.


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  • #142
    graflynn
    Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭graflynn


    CathyMoran wrote: »
    Latest HbA1c of 4.7, they are saying that I have leeway to raise it. Less than 2 weeks at most to my daugher now, have any other diabetic mothers on here had small babies - she is tiny and they are concerned about her weight.

    When I was expecting my first, my husband asked the OB how accurate measurement readings were and he said "give or take a pound". In my opinion that's a lot for a baby. It' s the difference between a 5lb baby and a respectalbe 6lb baby.

    When I had my second, and I went down to see him in neo-natal after he was born there was another baby who was 4lbs and she was perfect except she couldn't master feeding and that was the only reason she was there.

    I know you're trying to prepare yourself for every eventuality but that kind of worry is no good for you or baby. Try to breathe deep breaths and focus the fact that you will be holding your healthy daughter, completely smitten with her, in no time at all. Focus on the goal!


  • #143
    CathyMoran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 7,458 Mod ✭✭✭✭CathyMoran


    graflynn wrote: »
    When I was expecting my first, my husband asked the OB how accurate measurement readings were and he said "give or take a pound". In my opinion that's a lot for a baby. It' s the difference between a 5lb baby and a respectalbe 6lb baby.

    When I had my second, and I went down to see him in neo-natal after he was born there was another baby who was 4lbs and she was perfect except she couldn't master feeding and that was the only reason she was there.

    I know you're trying to prepare yourself for every eventuality but that kind of worry is no good for you or baby. Try to breathe deep breaths and focus the fact that you will be holding your healthy daughter, completely smitten with her, in no time at all. Focus on the goal!
    She is deemed a low birthweight baby, am over 35 weeks. I have other health issues plus my mother is seriously ill. She is onnly 4lb 9oz now, we have a son who was only 4lb 11 oz at birth. I jsut want her to be OK, when she is born though I am going to eat all the foods that I have been craving (smoked salmon is the biggie). I know that diabetics can have really small babies like me. She is being monitored carefully.


  • #144
    gerrybbadd
    Registered Users Posts: 10,301 ✭✭✭✭gerrybbadd


    Had my 6 month checkup there Tuesday. HbA1c is down to 6.5% from 8.8% so happy with that, but my bloods are still all over the place! Going to bed last night, they were 6.5mmol. (reading 4 hours after eating, so all quick acting insulin should have been used)

    So, I take my reading at 7:30 am this morning, and the bloods were 20.2mmol!:mad: That's the highest i've been since diagnosed in Oct 2010.

    Oh, and my eye test shows I have some Glaucoma developing in one of my eyes... Lovely news! :eek::(


  • #145
    BlackEdelweiss
    Registered Users Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭BlackEdelweiss


    gerrybbadd wrote: »
    Had my 6 month checkup there Tuesday. HbA1c is down to 6.5% from 8.8% so happy with that, but my bloods are still all over the place! Going to bed last night, they were 6.5mmol. (reading 4 hours after eating, so all quick acting insulin should have been used)

    So, I take my reading at 7:30 am this morning, and the bloods were 20.2mmol!:mad: That's the highest i've been since diagnosed in Oct 2010.

    Oh, and my eye test shows I have some Glaucoma developing in one of my eyes... Lovely news! :eek::(

    I am in the same boat as you, my readings have been all over the place lately, from 3.0 to 20.2 in the last few weeks. They have been mostly very high though with morning results usually over 12, I got my Hba1c result yesterday, my level is down to an all time low of 7.5% since my diagnoses in October 2009??? Once again, diabetes has confused me.


  • #146
    gerrybbadd
    Registered Users Posts: 10,301 ✭✭✭✭gerrybbadd


    BlackEdelweiss wrote: »
    I am in the same boat as you, my readings have been all over the place lately, from 3.0 to 20.2 in the last few weeks. They have been mostly very high though with morning results usually over 12, I got my Hba1c result yesterday, my level is down to an all time low of 7.5% since my diagnoses in October 2009??? Once again, diabetes has confused me.

    Confused is right!!! The amount of corrective doses I've had to take in the last few weeks is amazing! I'd say they're sick of my face in the pharmacy, coming back for supplies!!!;)


  • #147
    graflynn
    Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭graflynn


    gerrybbadd wrote: »
    So, I take my reading at 7:30 am this morning, and the bloods were 20.2mmol!:mad: That's the highest i've been since diagnosed in Oct 2010.

    You may have slept through a Hypo and that's why you spiked so high?


  • #148
    gerrybbadd
    Registered Users Posts: 10,301 ✭✭✭✭gerrybbadd


    graflynn wrote: »
    You may have slept through a Hypo and that's why you spiked so high?

    I never considered that to be honest!!!:eek: I took a large dose of corrective that morning though, 6 units extra. 4 hours later, my bloods were 14.9, so still high! Strange times... I'm beginning to think I might be sleepwalking and eating round me.... Better hide the sugar bowl folks!


  • #149
    BlackEdelweiss
    Registered Users Posts: 1,529 ✭✭✭BlackEdelweiss


    graflynn wrote: »
    You may have slept through a Hypo and that's why you spiked so high?

    I have been working different hours lately and have not been at home to take my 2nd round of medication at dinner time and I usually took it later that night, could this be a reason for my high readings I wonder. I am not sure though as we have a 6 month old baby who is up several times a night so I think I would notice a hypo.


  • #150
    gerrybbadd
    Registered Users Posts: 10,301 ✭✭✭✭gerrybbadd


    BlackEdelweiss wrote: »
    I have been working different hours lately and have not been at home to take my 2nd round of medication at dinner time and I usually took it later that night, could this be a reason for my high readings I wonder. I am not sure though as we have a 6 month old baby who is up several times a night so I think I would notice a hypo.

    It may be due to a lack of sleep, stress or both combined.

    I know if I don't get enough sleep, my readings are all over the place the next morning:mad:


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  • #151
    graflynn
    Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭graflynn


    BlackEdelweiss wrote: »
    I have been working different hours lately and have not been at home to take my 2nd round of medication at dinner time and I usually took it later that night, could this be a reason for my high readings I wonder. I am not sure though as we have a 6 month old baby who is up several times a night so I think I would notice a hypo.

    It is possible it could be the change in your routine and the lack of sleep when you have a new baby? I remember it well :D

    You could test your bg one of those times that you are up with the baby just to see. I know it's hard when you're that tired to test but if you could do it for one night then you would know.


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