[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

arybvtcw0eolkf

CramCycle wrote: »

Aldi merino arm warmers are a great way to hold your pump when connected to your arm.

Dammit, my Crevit arm warmers need replacing (for cycling not for a pump). I'll check and see if there's any available tomorrow.

Irish Wolf

Meauldsegosha wrote:

Started in a new job on Monday and there are two other T1's in the office. It's great. We spent coffee break this morning sharing stories.

That's great that you have that support.. I often wondered how many diabetics, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 (lol) are knocking around my workplace. Hesitant to contact HR in case there's some data protection jig.

daisyscience

Irish Wolf wrote: »

That sucks - hope you're both recovering well

Worst I've had so far was my introduction to "the pizza effect" a horrible, horrible evening. Ate all around me that evening, hadn't a clue why I was dropping and then, bang, I was almost up in the 20s an hour later. I tend to catch them when I get to around 3ish and carry those mini bags of skittles which (touch wood) so far seem to do tl.

Have you tried splitting your insulin dose when eating pizza? So at the moment, I'd take 1/2 to 3/4 of the necessary amount of insulin about 20 mins before I eat the pizza, depending on my ratios and the time of day. Then I'd take the second lot for it about an hour and a half to two hours later when they start to show signs of rising again. Its thankfully been quiet successful. I do love pizza.

daisyscience

Hi, I'm a T1D adult living in Limerick too and the limerick diabetic clinic is so bad that I go to Galway for my treatment. I've only ever met 1 other diabetic in Limerick in the last few years and hes going to Galway too. Let me know if you need any advice on anything like figuring DAFNE out by yourself. I might still have some of the training stuff around.

Irish Wolf

daisyscience wrote:

Have you tried splitting your insulin dose when eating pizza? So at the moment, I'd take 1/2 to 3/4 of the necessary amount of insulin about 20 mins before I eat the pizza, depending on my ratios and the time of day. Then I'd take the second lot for it about an hour and a half to two hours later when they start to show signs of rising again. Its thankfully been quiet successful. I do love pizza.

daisyscience wrote:

Hi, I'm a T1D adult living in Limerick too and the limerick diabetic clinic is so bad that I go to Galway for my treatment. I've only ever met 1 other diabetic in Limerick in the last few years and hes going to Galway too. Let me know if you need any advice on anything like figuring DAFNE out by yourself. I might still have some of the training stuff around.

Thanks daisy..

Yeah, I hope I've got the pizza under control now.. very scientically I don't do the pre anymore..

I've been loving pasta lately, fresh pasta, stupid carb count, but levels are level with it & sauce..

I'll PM you in the morning.

banie01

daisyscience wrote: »

Hi, I'm a T1D adult living in Limerick too and the limerick diabetic clinic is so bad that I go to Galway for my treatment. I've only ever met 1 other diabetic in Limerick in the last few years and hes going to Galway too. Let me know if you need any advice on anything like figuring DAFNE out by yourself. I might still have some of the training stuff around.

I have to say that I don't agree with this one at 1st glance.
I would defend the team/staff and highlight issues with the "how" rather than the what they do.

The actual team out there are spot on, in particular the Nurse practitioners.

Now that Dr O'Hare has retired the new consultant has been in place a while and any dealings I've had with him, I've found him to be knowledgeable, efficient and a lot less brusque than his predecessor.

The Specialist nurses are brilliant and I recently had reason to contact the clinic regarding an issue that led to a change in my medication regime and the speed at which they identified the issue, and resolved it is only to be commended.

Can totally understand any frustration with the waiting for your 2.15pm appointment when 20 other people have an appointment at the same time and there is mass confusion regarding urine test and finger pricks prior to being seen.
Yes, the wait times at the public clinic can be too long with not the best facilities but surely thats a function of the HSE and the bulk appointment system?
I honestly think some tweaks are needed with this part of the process. even something as simple as having the fingerprick done and dropping the urine bottle while being weighed/BP check would streamline the process and make a much more pleasant patient experience.
Rather than go find a bottle, struggle to the loo then pee, drop the bottle to the sluice room, wait to be called by nurse for weight/bp check, get piece of paper from nurse to go to phlebotomy for finger prick, get Finger prick and then back down to corridor to wait to be called for appt.

The process out there isn't great, but I've never had an issue with the standard of care or the professionalism of the staff.

banjobongo

banie01 wrote: »

I have to say that I don't agree with this one at 1st glance.
I would defend the team/staff and highlight issues with the "how" rather than the what they do.

The actual team out there are spot on, in particular the Nurse practitioners.

Now that Dr O'Hare has retired the new consultant has been in place a while and any dealings I've had with him, I've found him to be knowledgeable, efficient and a lot less brusque than his predecessor.

The Specialist nurses are brilliant and I recently had reason to contact the clinic regarding an issue that led to a change in my medication regime and the speed at which they identified the issue, and resolved it is only to be commended.

Can totally understand any frustration with the waiting for your 2.15pm appointment when 20 other people have an appointment at the same time and there is mass confusion regarding urine test and finger pricks prior to being seen.
Yes, the wait times at the public clinic can be too long with not the best facilities but surely thats a function of the HSE and the bulk appointment system?
I honestly think some tweaks are needed with this part of the process. even something as simple as having the fingerprick done and dropping the urine bottle while being weighed/BP check would streamline the process and make a much more pleasant patient experience.
Rather than go find a bottle, struggle to the loo then pee, drop the bottle to the sluice room, wait to be called by nurse for weight/bp check, get piece of paper from nurse to go to phlebotomy for finger prick, get Finger prick and then back down to corridor to wait to be called for appt.

The process out there isn't great, but I've never had an issue with the standard of care or the professionalism of the staff.

I have to agree, although Im still fairly new to the diabetes scene, the diabetes nurse I have is great, the new consultant is fine, I have not had any problems with diabetec support, apart from the nutrition course, does not seem to be any options so far for me for T1 in Limerick....

ohnonotgmail

banie01 wrote: »

I have to say that I don't agree with this one at 1st glance.
I would defend the team/staff and highlight issues with the "how" rather than the what they do.

The actual team out there are spot on, in particular the Nurse practitioners.

Now that Dr O'Hare has retired the new consultant has been in place a while and any dealings I've had with him, I've found him to be knowledgeable, efficient and a lot less brusque than his predecessor.

The Specialist nurses are brilliant and I recently had reason to contact the clinic regarding an issue that led to a change in my medication regime and the speed at which they identified the issue, and resolved it is only to be commended.

Can totally understand any frustration with the waiting for your 2.15pm appointment when 20 other people have an appointment at the same time and there is mass confusion regarding urine test and finger pricks prior to being seen.
Yes, the wait times at the public clinic can be too long with not the best facilities but surely thats a function of the HSE and the bulk appointment system?
I honestly think some tweaks are needed with this part of the process. even something as simple as having the fingerprick done and dropping the urine bottle while being weighed/BP check would streamline the process and make a much more pleasant patient experience.
Rather than go find a bottle, struggle to the loo then pee, drop the bottle to the sluice room, wait to be called by nurse for weight/bp check, get piece of paper from nurse to go to phlebotomy for finger prick, get Finger prick and then back down to corridor to wait to be called for appt.

The process out there isn't great, but I've never had an issue with the standard of care or the professionalism of the staff.

Do they not get you to do the blood and urine test a few weeks in advance of your appointment? I go to beaumont in dublin and they do the weight/bhp check before you see the consultant but no blood or urine tst.

CramCycle

Same here, you are asked to get your blood and urine done at least a week before hand.

banie01

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Do they not get you to do the blood and urine test a few weeks in advance of your appointment? I go to beaumont in dublin and they do the weight/bhp check before you see the consultant but no blood or urine tst.

Hba1c is done a week before hand but a urine dip test and finger prick are done on the day.

(In the Limerick Clinic)

gctest50

banie01 wrote: »

.............

get piece of paper from nurse to go to phlebotomy for finger prick, get Finger prick

What's the point of that ? stopped clock right twice a day n all that

banie01

gctest50 wrote: »

What's the point of that ? stopped clock right twice a day n all that

I 100% agree and givenbthe clinic times are 2-6 you'd have to imagine quite a lot of those tests are post prandial high.
There does need to be some streamlining of what is done and why on clinic days out there but its very much a "thats what we've always done" kind of attitude witg the finger prick rather than actually understanding what benefit it brings to the visiit.

jeffk

Is there any merit or so on about diabetics doing shift work? As in affecting eating habits etc?

Tus are trying to get me to work 3-6 or 3-8 shifts. I usually have lunch 12-30, 1 the latest and then dinner 5. But if i'm on this my eating schedule be all over the place.

im type 2

banjobongo

For Type Ones out there, two questions about food timing, I would be interested in hearing your feedback!

1/sometimes my dinner is late in the evening, say 9.30pm for example, so I would measure by blood sugar levels and inject fast acting insulin as normal but then I might be going to bed shortly after dinner, at say 11pm, which might be only one and a half hours after injecting the fast acting insulin....how do you handle this if/when i happens?


2/when eating out and there is a starter and a main course....(does not happen very often!) - I have been only checking my blood sugar levels and injecting after the starter and before the main course....but of course the starter will have an effect right away on your blood sugar levels.....

CramCycle

jeffk wrote: »

Is there any merit or so on about diabetics doing shift work? As in affecting eating habits etc?

Tus are trying to get me to work 3-6 or 3-8 shifts. I usually have lunch 12-30, 1 the latest and then dinner 5. But if i'm on this my eating schedule be all over the place.

im type 2

Shift work is not great for anyones health long term AFAIK. Personally though, if you eat healthily and don't overdo it, I can't see it being any worse than anyone else. What would your breaks roster be like?

banjobongo wrote: »

For Type Ones out there, two questions about food timing, I would be interested in hearing your feedback!

1/sometimes my dinner is late in the evening, say 9.30pm for example, so I would measure by blood sugar levels and inject fast acting insulin as normal but then I might be going to bed shortly after dinner, at say 11pm, which might be only one and a half hours after injecting the fast acting insulin....how do you handle this if/when i happens?

Unless you suffer from Hypos often, there is nothing to handle, just go to bed. If you are really concerned, set an alarm for a few hours later to wake up and check but I often eat and take insulin just before bed with no issue.

2/when eating out and there is a starter and a main course....(does not happen very often!) - I have been only checking my blood sugar levels and injecting after the starter and before the main course....but of course the starter will have an effect right away on your blood sugar levels.....

If it does, it does, make a correction part of the second shot. The other option is to inject twice (risk of stacking though). Another thing I would not worry to much about, the gap between starter and main course is rarely huge. Personally I would add the carbs of the two and take the shot at the time you mention.

jeffk

CramCycle wrote: »

Shift work is not great for anyones health long term AFAIK. Personally though, if you eat healthily and don't overdo it, I can't see it being any worse than anyone else. What would your breaks roster be like?

Unless you suffer from Hypos often, there is nothing to handle, just go to bed. If you are really concerned, set an alarm for a few hours later to wake up and check but I often eat and take insulin just before bed with no issue.


If it does, it does, make a correction part of the second shot. The other option is to inject twice (risk of stacking though). Another thing I would not worry to much about, the gap between starter and main course is rarely huge. Personally I would add the carbs of the two and take the shot at the time you mention.

Im not sure, 3 from 5 falls under 4 hours, so I doubt id get a break.

Then the other two are 5 hours, so Im guessing 30 minutes.

Its only TUS, so not a paid paid job, so not looking at over doing or causing long term issues for 20 extra

Dick Dastardly

2/when eating out and there is a starter and a main course....(does not happen very often!) - I have been only checking my blood sugar levels and injecting after the starter and before the main course....but of course the starter will have an effect right away on your blood sugar levels.....

Would you think about getting a pump? This issue disappears with obe as it allows you to take your insulin in line with what you are eating...

banjobongo

Dick Dastardly wrote: »

2/when eating out and there is a starter and a main course....(does not happen very often!) - I have been only checking my blood sugar levels and injecting after the starter and before the main course....but of course the starter will have an effect right away on your blood sugar levels.....

Would you think about getting a pump? This issue disappears with obe as it allows you to take your insulin in line with what you are eating...

To be honest I know nothing about getting a pump....I have a very active lifestyle, I swim, do karate, cycle and go the gym, would having a pump stop me doing any of these activites? For some reason I have it in the back of my mind that a pump is for people wiht very bad diabetes or are very old or very young?

Buford T. Justice XIX

banjobongo wrote: »

To be honest I know nothing about getting a pump....I have a very active lifestyle, I swim, do karate, cycle and go the gym, would having a pump stop me doing any of these activites? For some reason I have it in the back of my mind that a pump is for people wiht very bad diabetes or are very old or very young?

No, the pump is simply brilliant. I'm farming and do a bit of indoor soccer twice a week and I wouldn't get rid of the pump for love nor money!

It does take a bit of getting used to but, once you are accurate with your carbs, it's a doddle.

The fact that you are only on one insulin type is very attractive. My basal doses need checking every few weeks due to different intensities of work but it's just a quick blood check and back to sleep again for a few nights.

My only problem is with the inserts, they can get knocked out a bit too often than I like when working with big cattle or playing soccer. I don't always notice until I get high glucose readings when I check the next time. I might have to try longer, angled inserts for a while to see if they're different.

Irish Wolf

A question on pumps.. I may very well be misremembering something, but I thought I read (prolly on diabetes UK chat forum) there was a requirement to have done a DAFNE course, or equivalent, and to have demonstrated tight control over the previous 12mths - same thing apply here?

Buford T. Justice XIX

Irish Wolf wrote: »

A question on pumps.. I may very well be misremembering something, but I thought I read (prolly on diabetes UK chat forum) there was a requirement to have done a DAFNE course, or equivalent, and to have demonstrated tight control over the previous 12mths - same thing apply here?

No DAFNE course by me and control is (nearly) always good.

There seems to be more getting pumps, talking to the people waiting to see my Endo anyway.

CramCycle

banjobongo wrote: »

To be honest I know nothing about getting a pump....I have a very active lifestyle, I swim, do karate, cycle and go the gym, would having a pump stop me doing any of these activites? For some reason I have it in the back of my mind that a pump is for people wiht very bad diabetes or are very old or very young?

Not at all, it is aimed at being for everyone eventually. Targeting the young first. Hospital dependent but while they targeted the bad for awhile typically they, due to restricted amounts, they tend to offer it to people who have shown a willingness to improve or who are already well controlled.

Irish Wolf wrote: »

A question on pumps.. I may very well be misremembering something, but I thought I read (prolly on diabetes UK chat forum) there was a requirement to have done a DAFNE course, or equivalent, and to have demonstrated tight control over the previous 12mths - same thing apply here?

An improvement in my hospital, but not really tight.

Irish Wolf

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

No DAFNE course by me and control is (nearly) always good.

There seems to be more getting pumps, talking to the people waiting to see my Endo anyway.

CramCycle wrote: »

Not at all, it is aimed at being for everyone eventually. Targeting the young first. Hospital dependent but while they targeted the bad for awhile typically they, due to restricted amounts, they tend to offer it to people who have shown a willingness to improve or who are already well controlled.

An improvement in my hospital, but not really tight.

Thanks for the info.. it's not something I've talked about with my endo, but was something I was interested in; thought I may have been hamstrung without a DAFNE... good info, thanks!

*apols to bango for a slight hijack*

CramCycle

Irish Wolf wrote: »

Thanks for the info.. it's not something I've talked about with my endo, but was something I was interested in; thought I may have been hamstrung without a DAFNE... good info, thanks!

*apols to bango for a slight hijack*

I did do a BERGER course, which is basically a no frills DAFNE course, put on by the hospital, so it was a requirement for my hospital.

Meauldsegosha

Irish Wolf wrote: »

Thanks for the info.. it's not something I've talked about with my endo, but was something I was interested in; thought I may have been hamstrung without a DAFNE... good info, thanks!

*apols to bango for a slight hijack*

It depends on the hospital. Some will require you to have done DAFNE or similar before getting the pump.

Some hospitals are require to you have good control before they will apply for the pump.

As with all things diabetes there is a lot on inconsistency between hospitals, Endo's, GPs and pharmacies. :mad:

CramCycle

Meauldsegosha wrote: »

As with all things diabetes there is a lot on inconsistency between hospitals, Endo's, GPs and pharmacies. :mad:

This really annoyed me years ago. I was told that due to the volume of pumps coming through, they had to find a way to say yay or nay to people, so typically they looked for somone who had bad control but showed over time a commitment to improvement. I spent over a year working really hard to get everything in order.

I then got an apology from the team as they had a new head endo, who was beyond out of touch with Diabetes treatment, who said my control was too good to justify the need for a pump. I would have had to damage myself to get on the list again. At this point I said, screw it and abandoned even attending for a year or two.

Thankfully the DSN kept in contact and when the next endo came in, with ideas that made sense to me, as someone who is not only a Diabetic, but someone who works in the area for awhile, I came back in, DSN recommended me straight away. Took a year, had to get the BERGER course but I got it in the end.

Meauldsegosha

The same happened with me regarding the pump. I improved my control and then told it was too good for a pump. I was only two years diagnosed at that stage and still coming to terms with diabetes so didn't question them. That wouldn't happen now as I question everything and go to my appointments with a list of questions perpared.

jeffk

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/education/desmond.html

Just got off the phone to the HSE(8976189) about doing that course. There's different courses, i think that one is afternoon for two hours, then there's another one in mornings.

As i said to the girl, i'll do it as the more than do it then the more chance they have of running more and keep doing them going forward. Plus the main thing of never have too much information

Dick Dastardly

Meauldsegosha wrote: »

The same happened with me regarding the pump. I improved my control and then told it was too good for a pump. I was only two years diagnosed at that stage and still coming to terms with diabetes so didn't question them. That wouldn't happen now as I question everything and go to my appointments with a list of questions perpared.

I also got conflicting advice every time I went to the clinic - but always had ok control. Eventually did my own research- read Pumping insulin - and asked the diabetes nurses if they would use one if diagnosed. All of them said they would.

So I opted for one - knowing I could go back to injections if I needed to, but haven't looked back. Hba1c has consistently below 7 ever since I started pumping.

Dick Dastardly

Meauldsegosha wrote: »

The same happened with me regarding the pump. I improved my control and then told it was too good for a pump. I was only two years diagnosed at that stage and still coming to terms with diabetes so didn't question them. That wouldn't happen now as I question everything and go to my appointments with a list of questions perpared.

I also got conflicting advice every time I went to the clinic - but always had ok control. Eventually did my own research- read Pumping insulin - and asked the diabetes nurses if they would use one if diagnosed. All of them said they would.

So I opted for one - knowing I could go back to injections if I needed to, but haven't looked back. Hba1c has consistently below 7 ever since I started pumping.