[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

hi all
I was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in June of this year.
When I first diagnosed my HbA1c reading was 98, the 2nd 3 mth reading, taken after being on insulin for about 2 months was 68, and I had my first 3 mth HbA1c reading today after being in insulin for the full three months and my reading was 45, which they said was very good but almost too good as its close to getting hypos, but I have had very few hypos so they are happy with my results. Im still getting to grips with it all, is 45 a good reading?
I exercise pretty much every day, dont drink a lot so I have not had to make major changes in my lifestyle...

Hi Harry,

There's no medical advice allowed on the forum. If you pop into a pharmacy they'll be able to recommend something that would be suitable for you to take.

I have Type 1 diabetes, I was diagnosed last summer.

I was lucky enough to be offered a few weeks free trial of the FreeStyle Libre sensor in late Dec/early Jan, which has recently come to an end, so in case its helpful for anybody else here is some feedback on it:

• Its fantastic to be able to take a reading whenever and wherever you are, so quick and easy;
• You get see where your patterns are and if your blood sugar levels are steady or going up or down, now Im without it I almost feel blind without it! You see on a realtime basis what impact exercise, food and drink have on your blood sugar levels. Prior to getting it I just took readings before my 3 daily meals and once again before going to bed, now Im trying to prick my finger more often to get more readings, especially before exercise (as I have discovered that exercise lowers by blood sugar readings, which is an important finding!)
• It does not hurt to get the sensor into your arm, there is a slight discomfort wearing it at first but soon you wont be aware of it at all;
• The device is delicate, I had 3 free trial samples and lost two of them, once when taking off my tshirt it dislodged the sensor, and once when swimming, it caught against a lane rope, so be careful, as they are very expensive – I see on their Irish website that just one sensor costs €59.90 so as one sensor lasts around 14 days that would be 120 Euros per month and if you lose/damage a sensor that could be 30e down the drain! – once a sensor is damaged, even slightly, that’s it, its gone, its broken and needs to be thrown away!
• If you are a swimmer like I am, yes, you can swim with it! I did a fair number of pool based swims, each session lasting around 55 mins or so, followed by a shower, no problems (apart from when I hit a lane rope and damaged a sensor!) I have also done karate and cycling and gym with it, with no problems.
• My 3 free sensors are all used up now, I still have the reader, which I am now using as my main reader.
• I cant wait until the Irish government supplies it free to diabetes patients. Unfortunately I cant afford to pay 120E per month for the sensors.
• It’s a real pity that you cant buy more than one sensor off their website and get a discount, I checked, one sensor costs 59.90 and 10 sensors costs 599!

Hope this proves helpful to somebody out there!

Guys, regarding the eye test retinophaty screening, i had one done last year, do i need to contact them to arrange one this year or they are scheduling those themselves and will send me the letter?

Not sure if some of you have seen this already.

There's a PhD student in UCD doing a study into the effect of exercise on control for Type 1 Diabetics. This is something I wish was available to me over the years, and so I'm going to take part in it both to help make the information available for others starting with diabetes, and also hopefully learn from it too.

CramCycle, this might be something of interest to you too. They do a DEXA scan as part of it, along with CGM testing for the few weeks while it's on.
Poster for it below — I assume Graphic Design wasn't part of the undergraduate degree!

Email contact is dean.minnock@ucdconnect.ie.

nzdesign wrote: »

Thanks thats really helpful. Do you know if the same goes for the consumables for a pump and CGM? Technically its not medication its consumables for the hardware related to the delivery of medication (in the case of the pump). 
In Australia the pump consumables (the cannula) is subsidised so you only pay a little but the CGM is seen as an extravagance so you pay full price for the transmitter and sensor which is quite a bit. 

Thanks again.

Hi New Zealand,

I have the Vibe and the Dexcom and both of them are covered on my LTi.

Xofpod wrote: »

Quick question for T1 diabetics; how many units of long acting insulin do you take daily? I'm particularly interested in anyone taking Lantus.
I know everyone's physiology, etc. is different but I'm interested in ball-park figures. Thanks.

I'm on Lantus and my units have varied from 24 to 44 over the years. I'm currently on 36 unit which I take in the evening.

how often do you/should you replace the pricker/lancet yokes?
I change mine every 3 - 5 days and I prick my fingers about 5 - 6 times per day....just wandering?>

Immelman wrote: »

On the waiting list for a pump anybody know what pumps are currently being offered on the LTI and do they support CGM under the LTI?

I just had my first appointment yesterday regarding a pump - I was basically told that everyone starts off on a basic pump with no CGM unless there's extenuating circumstances. I've no hypo awareness so I'm trying to get a built with a CGM due to this but it looks like I've got a fight on my hands as they just kept saying the pump the HSE is contracted with is a basic Medtronic one and that's what they have to offer.

I'm being brought back in two months and have been told that's probably when I'll be told what kind of pump I'm getting!

It probably depends on your hospital though - I'm attending Galway!

I have a milestone on Monday - 32 years since my diagnosis with type 1 diabetes!

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Congratulations?:)

I'll be Diabetic for half my lifetime on the 21st of this month. Shows what you can calculate in an idle 5 minutes with a computer instead of working:o

When I was younger I used to allow myself this day to be upset about being diabetic but not allow the rest of the year - as I got older I needed it less. I have been diabetic since I was 10, now you can calculate my age

Immelman wrote: »

Thanks Aeternum for the info I have done DAFNE which apparently is a prerequisite for IPT , Medtronic was mentioned but not a model. With technology moving on so quickly I would like to know what models are currently being offered in the clinics

Technology moves fast but the HSE doesn't. They will always be years behind the curve.

Lisc28 wrote: »

Hi just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for the best time of day to take Victoza? I've to start it today or tomorrow with Metformin. I know that it will give me stomach upset for a couple of weeks before adjusting, but I'm just wondering if anyone who's taken it before knows when the best time to take it is? Thanks! :-)

I take it before I go to bed. Been on it since January and never had an issue with nausea.