[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

5live

That time of the year again when the flu shot is due. I made an appointment for tomorrow and cancelled all work. My bloods take a nose dive for about 36 hours after the shot and i normally get at least one bad hypo in the evening. Does anybody else get this or am i the only one:mad:

Apanachi

My daughter has been recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes so I'll be popping in here for a look quite a lot.

At the moment she is on Lantus & Novrapid and so far things seem to be fine, we are still in the starting phase, so her levels tend to go up and down a bit, put I guess we'll sort things out as times go by.

My biggest fear at the moment is that she'll get a hypo during the night, but the doctors assured me, that if this does happen, people tend to wake up during a hypo (kind of like when you realise you have to pee your body sends you warning signals before it's too late).

She should be able to get an insulin pump after 6 months of using the pen which should make things a bit easier (only another 5 1/2 months to go )

We are working things out as we go along and so far things are grand, we are still trying to find substitutes for certain stuff, for example we found a sweetener we can use for her cornflakes, baking etc...which has absolutely no effect on her blood sugar, no side effects (diarrhoea, bloating etc.) AND it tastes good!!!!

My biggest task at the moment is to find someway to make caramel (for caramel squares) using as little sugar as possible, I've done a bit of googling and have come across the suggestion of using isomalt, does anyone have any experience with this regarding the usual side effects if too much is eaten, effect on blood sugar levels and of course taste - there's no point in it working a treat and tasting disgusting - in that case, I'll just have to settle on using normal sugar and only letting her eat very little at a time, but with Christmas coming up and all that, I do want her to be able to indulge a little just like the rest of us or alternatively has anyone a tried and tested low sugar tasty caramel recipes suitable for diabetics.

That's all for now, but I'm sure I'll be back soon for more information or just to share my experiences

CathyMoran

Personally I eat the normal stuff - I just take the insulin to match it. Better get back to my liitle girl who is tired and needs a nappy change...point is, I had children after having diabetes for several years. Best wishes.

Apanachi

CathyMoran wrote: »

Personally I eat the normal stuff - I just take the insulin to match it.

Yes, we have decided not to go near the "diet" stuff either, but for cakes & stuff with high sugar amounts (like caramel), it would be nice to have a substitute so she can have an extra slice or two with ending up on the toilet for hours. The sweetner we use for stuff like apple pie is great and she can eat loads of it without having to inject too much insulin, but no good for making caramel, if all fails we will just make them as usual and just limit her intake (or plan ahead how often and how much she can eat)

On another note, this might sound quite silly, but I am living in Germany, so all the appointments, lessons on Diabetes etc we had were in German, so I have no idea how to explain certain things in English (which I'm going to need to be able to do when I go home to Ireland), like what do you call the units used to measure the amount of insulin required in German it's Broteinheit, I've come across the term "bread unit" but it doesn't seem to be standard, I've seen CP being mentioned here, what does that stand for? (I'm guessing carb/carbo/carbohydrate something or other) can someone give me a run down of the standard Diabetes "terms" in English, so I'll be able to explain to my friends and family in my native language

Thanks

tbh

Apanachi wrote: »

Yes, we have decided not to go near the "diet" stuff either, but for cakes & stuff with high sugar amounts (like caramel), it would be nice to have a substitute so she can have an extra slice or two with ending up on the toilet for hours. The sweetner we use for stuff like apple pie is great and she can eat loads of it without having to inject too much insulin, but no good for making caramel, if all fails we will just make them as usual and just limit her intake (or plan ahead how often and how much she can eat)

On another note, this might sound quite silly, but I am living in Germany, so all the appointments, lessons on Diabetes etc we had were in German, so I have no idea how to explain certain things in English (which I'm going to need to be able to do when I go home to Ireland), like what do you call the units used to measure the amount of insulin required in German it's Broteinheit, I've come across the term "bread unit" but it doesn't seem to be standard, I've seen CP being mentioned here, what does that stand for? (I'm guessing carb/carbo/carbohydrate something or other) can someone give me a run down of the standard Diabetes "terms" in English, so I'll be able to explain to my friends and family in my native language



Thanks

Sure!

CP: Carbohydrate portions. 1 CP = 10g of Carbohdrates.

I can't think off-hand what other terms you might need to know, there aren't really any diabetes specific terms that aren't also used in the same sense in wider English. If you have any tho, just post them there. One I can think of is Basal insulin, also known as background insulin - this is your lantus or long-acting insulin, as opposed to your bolus insulin, which is your fast-acting insulin you take before every meal.


re: the caramel debate, I agree with Cathy - let her have the normal stuff and just increase the dose of bolus to deal with it.

Apanachi

tbh wrote: »

re: the caramel debate, I agree with Cathy - let her have the normal stuff and just increase the dose of bolus to deal with it.

OK, will do that thanks.

The term Basal insulin is used here in the books, but the doctors refer to is as "basis insulin" - easy enough to understand I guess, knowing what CP is is very helpful, as when I finally get home a Christmas, I'm sure my daughter will be spending quite a bit of time whit her cousins and telling my brothers & sisters how many "BE"s she has on her plate might not be such a great help so thanks for that.

What's the highest CP intake one should have per meal? The doctors, nurses and dietician in the hospital all gave us different recommendations, I know it shouldn't be too high, because that can increase the risk of a hypo a few hours later, right but how high is too high. The dietician said 7, the doctor 8, but the nurses on the ward often let her eat 10!!!

robinph

It the "Broteinheit" measured in grams, like 10g* for a slice of bread, or 1* for a slice of bread? (* Made up numbers)
It's either going to be the exact number of grams of carbohydrates in each item of food, which you'll get on the side of the various food packages, or it will be "carbohydrate portions" which will be more along the lines of the way I think they teach you in the DAFNE courses.

I would expect that they use the same name for "hbA1C" test results. You've probably not had one of those done yet, but they results give an idea as to how the average sugar level control has been over the previous several months before the test. The numbers used for this test scale are being changed soon internationally though so the range of numbers the doctors will be looking for you to reach will be changing slightly, but around about 5-7 is considered pretty good at the moment.

I would highly recommend getting the book Carbs and Cals which is just a big book of pictures of foods on plates, but shows you how many carbohydrates are in each sized portion so helps when the food your eating does not come with instructions on the side of the packet, such as eating out.

tbh

Apanachi wrote: »

What's the highest CP intake one should have per meal? The doctors, nurses and dietician in the hospital all gave us different recommendations, I know it shouldn't be too high, because that can increase the risk of a hypo a few hours later, right but how high is too high. The dietician said 7, the doctor 8, but the nurses on the ward often let her eat 10!!!

The advice given here in general, and to me specifically, is that there is no limit - you just need to know how much you're taking so you can adjust your insulin dose accordingly. I've never been told to limit the amount from a diabetic point of view, but of course carbs can also turn quickly to fat so the advice may be given from a weight management point of view as opposed to an insulin management. To be honest, it'd be quite easy to eat 10, especially for dinner. I love spuds

tbh

robinph wrote: »

It's either going to be the exact number of grams of carbohydrates in each item of food, which you'll get on the side of the various food packages, or it will be "carbohydrate portions" which will be more along the lines of the way I think they teach you in the DAFNE courses.

actually it's not either/or - the latter is worked out by using the former. E.g. - slice of bread is 20g of carbohydrate, so 2CP. If there are 30g of Cho in 100g of food, and you eat 50g, that's 15g Cho and 1.5CP. I tend to round up when I land on a half.

robinph

It's just moving the decimal point really.

Apanachi

robinph wrote: »

It the "Broteinheit" measured in grams, like 10g* for a slice of bread, or 1* for a slice of bread? (* Made up numbers)
It's either going to be the exact number of grams of carbohydrates in each item of food, which you'll get on the side of the various food packages, or it will be "carbohydrate portions" which will be more along the lines of the way I think they teach you in the DAFNE courses.

I would expect that they use the same name for "hbA1C" test results. You've probably not had one of those done yet, but they results give an idea as to how the average sugar level control has been over the previous several months before the test. The numbers used for this test scale are being changed soon internationally though so the range of numbers the doctors will be looking for you to reach will be changing slightly, but around about 5-7 is considered pretty good at the moment.

I would highly recommend getting the book Carbs and Cals which is just a big book of pictures of foods on plates, but shows you how many carbohydrates are in each sized portion so helps when the food your eating does not come with instructions on the side of the packet, such as eating out.

One Broteinheit is about 10gs of Carbohdratesn so it's the exact same a CP,

I have a similar book to Carbs and Cals in German, but it might be handy having something in English too.

Her hbA1C was 24 when she was diagnosed (the doctor didn't diagnose her until it was almost too late, despite us having gone to see her with my daughter numerous times with typical diabetes symptoms...)

I'll have a look online about what I can find on DAFNE courses, we had courses here in German and feel pretty confident about managing her diabetes, but again it would be good to have something in English so I can "educate" my family at home (having said that, my daughter has a good grip on things already and we have another 2 months to go before we head home for Christmas, so there probably won't be much need for my family to worry about things (apart from a severe hypo) but I think it would give them peace of mind.

It's good to know that Novorapid and Lantus are available in Ireland too, just in case anything happens and she needs to get a replacement, it's reassuring to know she can stick to what she's used to

tbh wrote: »

. To be honest, it'd be quite easy to eat 10, especially for dinner. I love spuds

Yeah, my daughter loves her food too, she's very active, so I'm not too worried about her getting fat, but she loves oat flakes with milk for breakfast and the CPs add up very quickly

ElBarco

robinph wrote: »

I would highly recommend getting the book Carbs and Cals which is just a big book of pictures of foods on plates, but shows you how many carbohydrates are in each sized portion so helps when the food your eating does not come with instructions on the side of the packet, such as eating out.

I'll second that one. They also have an app on the iphone/ipod app store of the same name if you have one. I think it's about €5 or so. Very handy to have in the pocket when you're out and about.

And best of luck with everything! It's a bit of a rollercoaster but it can be done.

tbh

Apanachi wrote: »

One Broteinheit is about 10gs of Carbohdratesn so it's the exact same a CP,

I have a similar book to Carbs and Cals in German, but it might be handy having something in English too.

Her hbA1C was 24 when she was diagnosed (the doctor didn't diagnose her until it was almost too late, despite us having gone to see her with my daughter numerous times with typical diabetes symptoms...)

I'll have a look online about what I can find on DAFNE courses, we had courses here in German and feel pretty confident about managing her diabetes, but again it would be good to have something in English so I can "educate" my family at home (having said that, my daughter has a good grip on things already and we have another 2 months to go before we head home for Christmas, so there probably won't be much need for my family to worry about things (apart from a severe hypo) but I think it would give them peace of mind.

It's good to know that Novorapid and Lantus are available in Ireland too, just in case anything happens and she needs to get a replacement, it's reassuring to know she can stick to what she's used to



Yeah, my daughter loves her food too, she's very active, so I'm not too worried about her getting fat, but she loves oat flakes with milk for breakfast and the CPs add up very quickly

Whereabouts will you be based in Ireland? It can take a long time, and be expensive, if you're trying to get insulin if you're not on the system (and sometimes even if you are). Might not be a bad idea to know of a diabetic in the same general area who could pass on a pen in an emergency - I'm in north county Dublin and am on N/R and Lantus.

CathyMoran

tbh wrote: »

Whereabouts will you be based in Ireland? It can take a long time, and be expensive, if you're trying to get insulin if you're not on the system (and sometimes even if you are). Might not be a bad idea to know of a diabetic in the same general area who could pass on a pen in an emergency - I'm in north county Dublin and am on N/R and Lantus.

West Dublin for me - but the same here.

Apanachi

tbh wrote: »

Whereabouts will you be based in Ireland? It can take a long time, and be expensive, if you're trying to get insulin if you're not on the system (and sometimes even if you are). Might not be a bad idea to know of a diabetic in the same general area who could pass on a pen in an emergency - I'm in north county Dublin and am on N/R and Lantus.

I'll be in Sligo, I'm not anticipating any problems, but you never know what could happen (losing you bag, getting it stolen, dropping the insulin etc...)

I don't know if I know any diabetics in the area, but having said that, once I told people my daughter was diabetic, I was amazed how many people I knew here "admitted" that are diabetic too (for some reason, people like to keep it a secret here, I think it's good to let people know, so if anything happens, people will know how to react) so maybe I know more diabetics at home than I think...

CramCycle

Apanachi wrote: »

I'll be in Sligo, I'm not anticipating any problems, but you never know what could happen (losing you bag, getting it stolen, dropping the insulin etc...)

I am in Longford (so not far away at all) most weekends so if anything does pop up feel free to drop me a PM. I am on Lantus, Novorapid and have almost every glucometer known to man somewhere.

Apanachi

Thank you all, on the plus side, if there's any problem with her glucometer or Ketone tester Abbott Ireland Diabetes Care is located in Donegal Town and as I'll be in North Co. Sligo it's really just around the corner .

robinph

ElBarco wrote: »

I'll second that one. They also have an app on the iphone/ipod app store of the same name if you have one. I think it's about €5 or so. Very handy to have in the pocket when you're out and about.

And best of luck with everything! It's a bit of a rollercoaster but it can be done.

I'm checking daily for them to release the Android version of the app. Supposed to be out in "October" but no sign yet.

http://www.carbsandcals.com/App.aspx

ElBarco

robinph wrote: »

I'm checking daily for them to release the Android version of the app. Supposed to be out in "October" but no sign yet.

http://www.carbsandcals.com/App.aspx

Hopefully it won't be long. I wouldn't mind getting it for the tablet.

cynder

Apanachi wrote: »

She should be able to get an insulin pump after 6 months of using the pen which should make things a bit easier (only another 5 1/2 months to go )

Dont count on it! my lady has been diagnosed 4 and a half years she has been on a pump waiting list for the last year and no sign of getting it any time soon, be sugars have been going bananas for the last 15 months, however she has her first true hypo at night a couple of weeks ago, had to call an ambulance, it was scary at the time, but if i only took a camcorder and filmed her it would be funny to watch now. It was like she was so drunk she couldnt talk or walk and the wacky things she would then come out with. 4 years and 6 months for her first true hypo is not bad going.

I was told that in a bad hypo that they go into a fit, she didnt have a fit i woke her up form what i thought was a nightmare, she was tossing and turning (but not fitting) i woke her up but she was unable to drink anything and was going in and out of consciousness, called an ambulance as the hypo kit was left at home ( i was at my sister in laws). they kept her in and it took at least 7 hours for her to go back to her normal self.

She is now off novo rapid and lantus and takes humulin m3 humulin s and humulin i. Her sugars have slightly improved but still are very hard to control thanks to hormones/viral infections/colds and so on......

How old is your daughter? my lady is now 12 diagnosed age 7.

CathyMoran

Speaking of hypos, I had one last night, well this morning - hubby asked me did I need some sugary drink and I said no, next thing I remember is my hair being sticky from the sugar he gave me - at least he did not have to give me Glucagon.

I have hypos on a regular basis - it gets scary when you do not think that 1.8 is that bad...

CramCycle

CathyMoran wrote: »

I have hypos on a regular basis - it gets scary when you do not think that 1.8 is that bad...

Bad fortnight myself, 1.9 on 6 desperate occasions. Kept conscious throughout but I was a grumpy old so and so, told my boss where he could shove it again Luckily he takes such things well.

CathyMoran

CramCycle wrote: »

Bad fortnight myself, 1.9 on 6 desperate occasions. Kept conscious throughout but I was a grumpy old so and so, told my boss where he could shove it again Luckily he takes such things well.

Speaking of which...did a test and am 2.9 now, relatively "high" for me...I end up having several low blood sugars a day. I have dumping syndrome from surgery (oesophagectomy) and also smaller eating capacity so it is very hard to manage my diabetes.

CathyMoran

I do blood tests in front of my little ones - anyone else do the same? My children do not think that it is any big deal but sometimes when insulin hurts it is hard to hide the upset from them.

CramCycle

CathyMoran wrote: »

I do blood tests in front of my little ones - anyone else do the same? My children do not think that it is any big deal but sometimes when insulin hurts it is hard to hide the upset from them.

I do blood tests but for some reason I still go out of sight to do my insulin, my OH doesn't like that I do it but I ain't gonna change, old dog syndrome. I do it in front of work colleagues and friends, just not the family for some reason.

Apanachi

grindelwald wrote: »

Dont count on it! my lady has been diagnosed 4 and a half years she has been on a pump waiting list for the last year and no sign of getting it any time soon

Thankfully I'm living Germany and things seem to be different here, they told us at the hospital getting a pump will be no problem, she just has to learn to be comfortable with the pen, how to dose & inject and set a 6 month limit before allowing people have the pump, and especially where children are concerned it just a routine application that always gets approved.

I do remember hearing something on Irish radio a few months ago about how hard it is to get the pumps, which is a shame as I imagine it has so many advantages, but I didn't really pay much attention to the report, because I had no reason to be even considering it as we didn't know about our daughter's Diabetes or had any reason to suspect it.

How old is your daughter? my lady is now 12 diagnosed age 7.

She is 12

ElBarco

CathyMoran wrote: »

I do blood tests in front of my little ones - anyone else do the same? My children do not think that it is any big deal but sometimes when insulin hurts it is hard to hide the upset from them.

Blood tests I do in front of him all the time. Infusion set changes I tend to do elsewhere - too much tubing and bits and pieces to play with.

cynder

I heard that in egypt they have a little device that goes in under the sking and transmits your blood sugar reading to you mobile phone, you can set it for every 5 mins or once an hour..... that would be so handy, you could know your childs blood sugar readings while they are at school.

cynder

CramCycle wrote: »

Bad fortnight myself, 1.9 on 6 desperate occasions. Kept conscious throughout but I was a grumpy old so and so, told my boss where he could shove it again Luckily he takes such things well.

Priceless!

CathyMoran

grindelwald wrote: »

I heard that in egypt they have a little device that goes in under the sking and transmits your blood sugar reading to you mobile phone, you can set it for every 5 mins or once an hour..... that would be so handy, you could know your childs blood sugar readings while they are at school.

I could do with that for me.

robinph

ElBarco wrote: »

Blood tests I do in front of him all the time. Infusion set changes I tend to do elsewhere - too much tubing and bits and pieces to play with.

Yeah, I'd not suggest trying to do a set change with a pump within range of inquisitive hands.

I've no problem doing any of the blood test or set changes or whatever in front of anyone that wants to watch though. Blood tests and pen injections should be able to be done quick enough to jump out of the way of little hands who get more curious than they really should.

Apanachi

grindelwald wrote: »

I heard that in egypt they have a little device that goes in under the sking and transmits your blood sugar reading to you mobile phone,

The doctors at the hospital mentioned something similar to that, they said however that they only measure the blood sugar in the tissue not in the actual blood and are not very accurate, but if there is something out there that gives an accurate continuous measurement in connection with an insulin pump it would be fantastic

CramCycle

grindelwald wrote: »

I heard that in egypt they have a little device that goes in under the sking and transmits your blood sugar reading to you mobile phone, you can set it for every 5 mins or once an hour..... that would be so handy, you could know your childs blood sugar readings while they are at school.

Continuous Glucose Monitors. Great invention but they cost a fortune, I was quoted a couple of grand awhile ago, I think they would be more beneficial than pumps. Seen a few talks and posters at EASD this year and last showing the improved control and HbA1c. It was phenomenal the improvement across the spectrum of patients.

Apparently they are now available in the US at approx 1000dollars not sure of the cost of upkeep though. Seen this site:
http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes-technology/meters-monitors/continuous-monitors/compare-current-monitors

Anyone here with experience?

ElBarco

No personal experience but I've seen them discussed in various places on t'internet. The consensus seems to be that they aren't a replacement for the finger poke but an assistance - they do seem to be good about spotting trends though.

I'd love to try one but I can't see the cost beign covered by the HSE any time soon.

I found this:

it costs £1075 for the transmitter and the receiver and then the sensors are about £250 for 4 i think. the transmitter costs £500 to replace. you can try it out on a 14 day trial though...

here tudiabetes. No idea if it's accurate but it seems to match up with other discussions around the place.

CramCycle

Apanachi wrote: »

The doctors at the hospital mentioned something similar to that, they said however that they only measure the blood sugar in the tissue not in the actual blood and are not very accurate, but if there is something out there that gives an accurate continuous measurement in connection with an insulin pump it would be fantastic

This is true, they are nowhere near as accurate as a regular glucometer but they give you a reasonable ball park figure which if its continuous (every 5 to 30 minutes) will be far more beneficial than a test you do every few hours or only when you feel in bad shape.

graflynn

Apanachi wrote: »

I'll be in Sligo, I'm not anticipating any problems, but you never know what could happen (losing you bag, getting it stolen, dropping the insulin etc...)

You can always try the A&E depts in hospitals - they would have access to enough insulin to keep you going.

graflynn

CathyMoran wrote: »

I do blood tests in front of my little ones - anyone else do the same? My children do not think that it is any big deal but sometimes when insulin hurts it is hard to hide the upset from them.

My two aged 5 and 7 both know. I have always tested and bolused in front of them. They have asked questions and I've answered them as best I can. I don't want them to worry about me as they grow up.

They've watched the Medtronic's Lenny the Lion DVD numerous times and think it's a great movie They also think Pete the Pancreas is great bedtime reading.

My 7 year old is better educated about nutrition than most her age.

robinph

Apanachi wrote: »

The doctors at the hospital mentioned something similar to that, they said however that they only measure the blood sugar in the tissue not in the actual blood and are not very accurate, but if there is something out there that gives an accurate continuous measurement in connection with an insulin pump it would be fantastic

As Mr Cycle said, they are not the most accurate, but the main issue if you were to be tracking someone like a kid remotely with it is that there is a delay between the actual blood sugar levels and the changes in the tissue that the continuous meters measure. So although the graph showing the trend through the day would be very useful, if it is 20 minutes late in telling you that they are going low then that is far too late to be safe.

fresh123

Hi All,

Have just been diagnosed with Type 2 last week and was wondering if anyone could help me out with 2 questions:

1. I'm on Glucophage 500 x 3 times a day and am wondering how long it takes to start taking effect? I've read online 2-3 weeks but just wanted to see if anyone saw it's effects sooner as I'm on it since Tuesday evening and am seeing GL drop.

2. Related to the first question, my GL was ranging from 18.8 (fasting) to 26.6 at the end of last week when diagnosed and I've been on a really health diet since (I'm 15st) and started the glucophage on Tuesday evening. My readings are now ranging 9 - 12 and thankfully going down and am wondering if diet would be able to have that effect alone?

Sorry if these are silly questions, just a lot to try to take in the past few days.

Thanks.

CramCycle

Caveat: I'm type 1, I research type 2 but am unclear of dosing for Glucophage.

fresh123 wrote: »

1. I'm on Glucophage 500 x 3 times a day and am wondering how long it takes to start taking effect? I've read online 2-3 weeks but just wanted to see if anyone saw it's effects sooner as I'm on it since Tuesday evening and am seeing GL drop.

Varies person to person, I've heard of it affecting people within a week and in other cases having only a minor affect after 2 months, it is impossible to say but it is theoretically possible.

am wondering if diet would be able to have that effect alone?

Depends on a huge number of factors, the most noticeable is the progression of the diabetes. In very early stages, diet can have a staggering affect but not over such a short time span. What is your diet now, if you don't mind?

Sorry if these are silly questions, just a lot to try to take in the past few days.

This is new to you, no question is silly.

gerrybbadd

So, after around 12 months (since diagnosis), 10,000 finger pricks etc etc, it looks as though my bgs are coming into normal range.

Seemingly, I'm a complicated man, as per the doctor at the Diabetes Centre I attend! My HBa1cs have come back, 6.5%, 6.7% and 6.7% the last three tests. Yet my bloods were always sky high. They did another test in Holles Street, Fructosimine or something, and this reflected the good HBa1c tests.

Oh, and I was told I'm likely type 2. (ive beem treated/ considered myself type 1) They performed some antibody test, which would indicate I'm type 2. I'm using 750 mg of Glucophage, 58 units of Levemir and around 100 units of Novorapid each day to keep things in check though.

It's all very strange!

fresh123

CramCycle wrote: »

Depends on a huge number of factors, the most noticeable is the progression of the diabetes. In very early stages, diet can have a staggering affect but not over such a short time span. What is your diet now, if you don't mind?

Hi CramCycle,

Thanks for the reply.

Diet since diagnosis is generally:

Breakfast: Porridge with Slimline milk
Lunch: Salad of Chicken, spinach, lentils, peppers, onions
Dinner: One potato, meat and veg
Snacks: Bananas

Basically I've given up bread, started to eat healthily and gone off the drink.

Previous typical day was:

Breakfast: Coffee, sugar, whole milk
Mid Morning: Breakfast roll with coffee, sugar, milk
Lunch: Baguette with breaded chicken & packet crisps
Afternoon: Coffee, sugar, milk
On way home: Packet crisps
Dinner: Tortillas with stir fry & chips
In front of telly: A few glasses of red wine
Snacks: Biscuits, chocolate, crisps

The problem will be sticking to it

robinph

Was just browsing around some random sites, came across a new story about American Football, realised it was about the annual NFL game they now play in Wembley and it is on tomorrow. Usually would try and watch that as it's on at a reasonable hour so went to see what time and channel it's on (bear with me, I'm getting to the point).

Then discovered that Jay Cutler the Chicago Bears Quarterback is type 1 diabetic (someone may have actually referenced him earlier in this thread). Then found this article written shortly after his diagnosis which I thought was pretty good:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-thegameface051608

Actually gives a good bit of information for describing what it's all about to people who don't know as well. It of course also makes the point that type one diabetes doesn't need to stop you being able to do what you want to do.

Seems that before Cutler had any idea he was diabetic he was meeting with some diabetes charity about them wanting to use his celebrity status for the charity and raising funds. Later that day he went to the doctors and was diagnosed as diabetic. He's now involved with the charity.

So now I will definitely be trying to catch this game. Sky Sports 3 @ 5:30pm Sunday 23rd October.

gerrybbadd

That's a good article, pretty inspiring stuff there. Thanks.

kaki

I'm not diabetic (yet), I hope it's ok for me to post this in here.

Has anyone got any advice on how to help someone with diabetes who won't take care of themselves?

Dad was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 12, almost a decade ago. I remember that he started off on tablets, but after a couple of months had to start injecting.

In the last 5 years or so he's been managing it less and less well, not checking his sugars, neglecting to inject insulin, going out on sessions, refusing to slow down his lifestyle (he has a very demanding shift-based job and commutes from Cork to Dublin, often on just a couple of hours sleep). He's previously been hospitalised on more than one occasion for infections in his feet, ketoacidosis etc...

He's now in ICU in hospital again, with MRSA in both feet that may have travelled to the knee in one leg. In addition he had kidney damage that may require dialysis. I haven't seen him as I live in Italy, but Mum said that he's a bit out of it, confused, and very depressed - he was saying at one point that he didn't know how much more of this that he can take. This combined with the fact that he's definitely not a joiner or a believer in talking about his problems.

I know that neither I nor my family can dictate to him what to do, check his sugars for him, get him to slow down... has anyone else been through this personally, or had to help a family member who wasn't taking care of themselves? He's too young to be doing this to himself (only in his early 50's) and I don't want him to leave me behind, without seeing me graduate, get married (I'm the eldest at 21) nevermind my other brothers and sisters (the youngest is 7). I don't know how to help him, the consultant was saying that only Dad can turn this around...

Any advice/stories are welcome. Thanks.

5live

kaki wrote: »

I'm not diabetic (yet), I hope it's ok for me to post this in here.

Has anyone got any advice on how to help someone with diabetes who won't take care of themselves?

Dad was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 12, almost a decade ago. I remember that he started off on tablets, but after a couple of months had to start injecting.

In the last 5 years or so he's been managing it less and less well, not checking his sugars, neglecting to inject insulin, going out on sessions, refusing to slow down his lifestyle (he has a very demanding shift-based job and commutes from Cork to Dublin, often on just a couple of hours sleep). He's previously been hospitalised on more than one occasion for infections in his feet, ketoacidosis etc...

He's now in ICU in hospital again, with MRSA in both feet that may have travelled to the knee in one leg. In addition he had kidney damage that may require dialysis. I haven't seen him as I live in Italy, but Mum said that he's a bit out of it, confused, and very depressed - he was saying at one point that he didn't know how much more of this that he can take. This combined with the fact that he's definitely not a joiner or a believer in talking about his problems.

I know that neither I nor my family can dictate to him what to do, check his sugars for him, get him to slow down... has anyone else been through this personally, or had to help a family member who wasn't taking care of themselves? He's too young to be doing this to himself (only in his early 50's) and I don't want him to leave me behind, without seeing me graduate, get married (I'm the eldest at 21) nevermind my other brothers and sisters (the youngest is 7). I don't know how to help him, the consultant was saying that only Dad can turn this around...

Any advice/stories are welcome. Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your dad, Kaki.

On his ignoring the diabetes, i think at some point all diabetics do that. i know i did for a year or so (diagnosed at 24), just half a**sed about control and having a good few pints every weekend and chips and pizza on the way home etc etc. But i got sick of not being 'present' when i was home and out and out working. Just one morning i realised it wasnt going to go away and i would have to deal with it. Now i realise not having good control means i get less work done and poorer work done. Also i have a couple of kids now and i want to be around, like you said, for them growing up.

My doc reckons i will outlive all my age group because i eat well and exercise well and take generally good care of my health unlike most men in their 40s. I dont look at diabetes as a problem as such, just a minor impediment to my life. But as i said above, my health is probably far superior as a result of having diabetes than not. Bloody crazy:pac:.

I have no idea what advice to give you on trying to get him to control his sugars better. I wish i had. The only thing i will say is to try to find a way to show him how much better life is with better control. It is by no means easy, nothing worthwhile is really, but there is tremendous satisfaction in getting a good long term blood result from the doctor(the HBa1c). Just try to fight the little battles i suppose.

I hope that was some help and i hope your dad gets better soon

newmug

fresh123 wrote: »

Hi CramCycle,

Thanks for the reply.

Diet since diagnosis is generally:

Breakfast: Porridge with Slimline milk
Lunch: Salad of Chicken, spinach, lentils, peppers, onions
Dinner: One potato, meat and veg
Snacks: Bananas

Basically I've given up bread, started to eat healthily and gone off the drink.

Previous typical day was:

Breakfast: Coffee, sugar, whole milk
Mid Morning: Breakfast roll with coffee, sugar, milk
Lunch: Baguette with breaded chicken & packet crisps
Afternoon: Coffee, sugar, milk
On way home: Packet crisps
Dinner: Tortillas with stir fry & chips
In front of telly: A few glasses of red wine
Snacks: Biscuits, chocolate, crisps

The problem will be sticking to it

Hi fresh.

I'm in a similar boat to you. I'm 29, 6'2, and 20 stone, I look slim cos of my height. But I have high blood pressure, on 2 tablets per day for it, and the GP says diabetes is only months away if I dont lose weight.

My current diet is exactly like your old one! I need to get a definitive diet, and I need to absolutely nail it. I find all the internet diets are rubbish, they dont give quantities or times when to eat, and the ingredients are unrealistic eg brown rice, asparagus etc. If its not available in an average spar, I wont be getting it!

Would you have any info on where to get a comprehensive diet plan, with plain foods, amounts, times etc. on it? Basically a plan for totally clueless beginners!

gerrybbadd

Has any of you guys ordered from sugarfree.ie yet?

They seem a bit on the pricey side for some products which seem generic in nature. I am tempted though!

tbh

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Has any of you guys ordered from sugarfree.ie yet?

They seem a bit on the pricey side for some products which seem generic in nature. I am tempted though!

funny - just saw their site for the first time today. Too expensive and too much sorbitol for me...

robinph

The Carbs and Cals app is now available on the Android Market:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.chello.carbsncals&feature=search_result

Just downloading it to my devices now to try it out.