[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

here and there · 21-05-2011 8:14pm

Can anyone recommend a good book on diabetes? Not a receipe book.

robinph · 21-05-2011 11:28pm

here and there wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good book on diabetes? Not a receipe book.

What kind of thing are you looking for?

Carbs & Cals is a good one to have. Not much of a read though as it's just a lot of pictures of food, so it probably fails on your criteria of "not a recipe book".

Pumping Insulin is one that I got recently after seeing it recommended for new pumpers. Not got very far through it yet though.

There was a couple of books I got just after diagnosis many years ago, and when the internet wasn't such a good source of information. Can't remember what they were called now and I'm not sure where they have got to so can't give you the names. They were mildly useful to a newly diagnosed person though, they would be fairly out of date by now though even if I could remember their names I expect..

tbh · 22-05-2011 12:40am

I'd recommend diabetes for dummies - http://www.dummies.com/store/product/Diabetes-For-Dummies-3rd-Edition.productCd-0470270861.html

What can I say, I love the dummies guides

here and there · 22-05-2011 1:19am

robinph wrote: »

What kind of thing are you looking for?

Carbs & Cals is a good one to have. Not much of a read though as it's just a lot of pictures of food, so it probably fails on your criteria of "not a recipe book".
Pumping Insulin is one that I got recently after seeing it recommended for new pumpers. Not got very far through it yet though.

There was a couple of books I got just after diagnosis many years ago, and when the internet wasn't such a good source of information. Can't remember what they were called now and I'm not sure where they have got to so can't give you the names. They were mildly useful to a newly diagnosed person though, they would be fairly out of date by now though even if I could remember their names I expect..

tbh wrote: »

I'd recommend diabetes for dummies - http://www.dummies.com/store/product/Diabetes-For-Dummies-3rd-Edition.productCd-0470270861.html

What can I say, I love the dummies guides

Thanks!

robinph · 22-05-2011 10:21am

If getting any books online check if there is a UK edition, there is a UK version of the Dummies book. If you get the American version then the numbers inside are all going to be in the wrong units and that will not help in any way with trying to understand what is going on.

robinph · 23-05-2011 11:35pm

Very, very, very bored this evening so I decided to have a play with the Android apps creator. Very simple way of creating very simple apps, but was struggling to think of what to do with it...so after getting confused by those US blood glucose reading during a conversation elsewhere on the internet this evening I decided to create a relatively pointless app to convert the number for me.

Is only for Android and it doesn't really do much:

https://sites.google.com/site/robinph/BGconverter.apk

I did get as far as making it change the background colour of the result depending on the numbers you put in the text box.

I'll maybe try and think of something more useful to waste my time on later.

Caros · 24-05-2011 9:15am

Seeing an Edicrinologist today for the first time! When the doctor referred me back in january my levels were all over the place but always high so the GP said I'd have to start on insulin. Started weight watchers a few weeks ago and have been folllowing their program, cut down loads on carb intake and as well as losing weight my levels are spot on now so I'm waiting to see what the specialist says today anyway.

tbh · 24-05-2011 9:23am

robinph wrote: »

Very, very, very bored this evening so I decided to have a play with the Android apps creator. Very simple way of creating very simple apps, but was struggling to think of what to do with it...so after getting confused by those US blood glucose reading during a conversation elsewhere on the internet this evening I decided to create a relatively pointless app to convert the number for me.

Is only for Android and it doesn't really do much:

https://sites.google.com/site/robinph/BGconverter.apk

I did get as far as making it change the background colour of the result depending on the numbers you put in the text box.

I'll maybe try and think of something more useful to waste my time on later.

lets crowdsource the perfect app for diabetics

BlackEdelweiss · 24-05-2011 9:36am

Caros wrote: »

Edicrinologist

Excuse my ignorance but what is an Edicrinologist? Is he different to the consultant in the diabetes clinic? Should we all see one? Is there one in every hospital?

tbh · 24-05-2011 9:49am

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance but what is an Edicrinologist? Is he different to the consultant in the diabetes clinic? Should we all see one? Is there one in every hospital?

Endocrinologist - specializing in the endocrine system, specifically the secretion of hormones. It's the diabetic specialist, basically - the consultant in the diabetes clinic.

robinph · 24-05-2011 10:56am

They have announced a delay to the changeover to new numbering for HbA1c results in the UK:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2011/May/delay-announced-for-change-in-diabetes-hba1c-measurement-91345426.html

I guess I'll go and find the sums I need to do to convert those numbers and appify it then.

eilo1 · 24-05-2011 11:12am

Ahem so after finishing my exams I have had 2 weeks to enjoy myself before starting 5 weeks of summer placement hell.

As you can image I have been out drinking quite a lot, unfortunately I cannot get a handle on my sugars! I went out on Sunday night after a long shift in work and had 3 bulmners and 2 glasses of wine, had a filthy burger (as you do) on the way home and awoke in a sweaty hypoing mess about 9 am on Monday.

So worked 12-9.30 on Monday and then met the girls and had about 4 glasses of wine, reduced my basal by 20% and had a small dinner and woke up at 15.5!!

I went out twice last week as well and once woke up at 19!!!
But hypoed the other night. Any one any advice, Im heading in to the clinic tomorrow to get results of my 24 blood glucose monitor but I dont think the nurses have much advice to give on alcohol. (cant image there are that many studies on it to be fair :P)

FYI 26, diabetic 15 years, Apidra through a pump.

tbh · 24-05-2011 11:17am

this is the official Dafne advice:

eilo1 · 24-05-2011 11:22am

Thanks TBH, Iv done Dafne and am familiar with this. Thats why Im confused because the night I didnt reduce my basal, drank 2 bulmers and ate a burger I hypoed. But the night I reduced my basal, drank only wine and had a small dinner I was high

. I had also worked on both days and my job is somewhat physical as Im on my feet all day.

tbh · 24-05-2011 11:24am

eilo1 wrote: »

Thanks TBH, Iv done Dafne and am familiar with this. Thats why Im confused because the night I didnt reduce my basal, drank 2 bulmers and ate a burger I hypoed. But the night I reduced my basal, drank only wine and had a small dinner I was high . I had also worked on both days and my job is somewhat physical as Im on my feet all day.

ah that's headwrecking!

Caros · 24-05-2011 1:12pm

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance but what is an Edicrinologist? Is he different to the consultant in the diabetes clinic? Should we all see one? Is there one in every hospital?

Your GP would refer you to see the Endocrinologist. Mine referred me in January and 4 months on I got the appointment. Just back from seeing mine and he's not put me on insulin but changed my tabs from 2 x 1000mg Glucophage and 3 Diamicron daily to 2 Janumet tabs daily.
I was like you a few months ago in that my levels were all over the place but mainly high.
I posted here about it and someone told me to watch what I ate basically, which I had been doing - so I thought. Weight really piled up on me with the diamicron tabs (best part of a stone and I was no lightweight to begin with! so 5 weeks ago I decided to give weightwatchers ago mainly because I needed the discipline of someone weighing me

, as a result of that I have so far lost 11 1/2 lbs and my levels are spot on, nearly always within the "normal" levels. I am eating loads more fruit/veg and I have cut carbs WAY back, I was a fiend for bread and biscuits, cake, chocolate.
Definitely cutting the carbs way back has helped my levels.

eilo1 · 24-05-2011 4:30pm

tbh wrote: »

ah that's headwrecking!

Tell me about it, oh the joys of diabetes!

I was thinking that maybe I should organise some diabetic drinking sessions in the name of science and experimentation!!!! :P:P

Caros · 24-05-2011 6:25pm

Oh I did mean to ask has anyone any experience of taking the Janumet tabs?

graflynn · 25-05-2011 10:32am

tbh wrote: »

Endocrinologist - specializing in the endocrine system, specifically the secretion of hormones. It's the diabetic specialist, basically - the consultant in the diabetes clinic.

The consultant in the Diabetes clinic is not always an Endo. He could be a "Diabetologist" or a general consultant with an interest in diabetes. It's worth finding out just how specialised your specialist is!

CathyMoran · 25-05-2011 1:48pm

As diabetes can go with other things I think that it is better if they do not specialise in diabetes only. The endochrinoligist that I am attendining for the pregnancy is not available to attend otherwise which is futrsating as she is the best one that I have attended in all my years.

BlackEdelweiss · 25-05-2011 1:56pm

I heard from my doctor that he thinks the new diabetes consultant is an endochrinoligist. Weight has never been a problem with me since I got diagnosed, unless loosing weight is a problem also. I have lost the guts of 4 stone in the 18 months since diagnoses. I have contributed this to cutting back on portion size and quitting chocolate, sweets etc. I think I am at the max for my current tablets, 4 diamicron, 2 glucophage and 1 onglyza so I am not sure if more tablets are possible, I think they have squeezed my pancreas dry now.
am in the clinic tomorrow morning so we will see what the experts think, up until now they have been baffled by my slow progress.

ElBarco · 25-05-2011 4:33pm

Has anyone any suggestions recommendations for a carry case? I've two at the minute - one for my meter and one for my pump supplies. Both of them are the ones that came with the devices and are doing the job ok.

However, I'm wondering if I could get something to combine the two with enough pockets, and compartments to easily organise my bits and pieces. Global warming hasn't become enough of an issue that cool packs are a requirement.

Any thoughts are welcome!

5live · 25-05-2011 7:38pm

tbh wrote: »

this is the official Dafne advice:

So if i understand the table right,
4 pints of lager+sex=chocolate?:D

eilo1 · 25-05-2011 9:17pm

5live wrote: »

So if i understand the table right,
4 pints of lager+sex=chocolate?:D

No No No you have it all wrong! 4 glasses of wine and sex = LOADS of chocolate!!!

BlackEdelweiss · 25-05-2011 9:18pm

This morning: 16.6
2 Hours after lunch: 4.1
Before Evening Meal:18.8

??????????????????????????

tbh · 25-05-2011 9:22pm

Type 1 or 2?

robinph · 25-05-2011 9:24pm

eilo1 wrote: »

No No No you have it all wrong! 4 glasses of wine and sex = LOADS of chocolate!!!

Surely 4 glasses of wine + chocolate = sex

eilo1 · 25-05-2011 9:28pm

robinph wrote: »

Surely 4 glasses of wine + chocolate = sex

Ha surely your a bit easy Robin!

Caros · 25-05-2011 9:29pm

robinph wrote: »

Surely 4 glasses of wine + chocolate = sex

I'd settle for just the chocolate please

BlackEdelweiss · 25-05-2011 10:55pm

tbh wrote: »

Type 1 or 2?

Slow onset Type 1 I believe it is called, Type 1.5 I have also heard it called. I have never actually been told what type I am but I think from tomorrow on I will be a fully fledged Type 1 diabetic.

ciarafb · 26-05-2011 12:06am

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.

First time posting here - I'm a diabetic 18 years and have 4 children a 5yr old (8lbs 5ozs) born 37 weeks and triplets 2 yrs on Fri (4lbs 9ozs, 4lbs 7ozs & 3lbs 13ozs) they were born @ 32 weeks - they were big for triplets but small singletons!!! I wouldn't be worrying about the weight, if she is a little underweight it will all be sorted before ye will go home - my smallest triplet is now the biggest in every sense of the word!!!! Best of luck with the birth.

CathyMoran · 26-05-2011 8:12am

ciarafb wrote: »

First time posting here - I'm a diabetic 18 years and have 4 children a 5yr old (8lbs 5ozs) born 37 weeks and triplets 2 yrs on Fri (4lbs 9ozs, 4lbs 7ozs & 3lbs 13ozs) they were born @ 32 weeks - they were big for triplets but small singletons!!! I wouldn't be worrying about the weight, if she is a little underweight it will all be sorted before ye will go home - my smallest triplet is now the biggest in every sense of the word!!!! Best of luck with the birth.

Our son came home at 3lb 12 oz so she will be tiny too, they do not keep them in any more. Our son who will be 14 months soon is still small. This is our last baby, I am getting bad morning sickness at the moment and loosing a lot of weight (am being medically monitored).

CramCycle · 29-05-2011 3:28am

I am clearly the worst lecturer ever. Shocking answers are not surprising in exams and intelligence leads you to ignore those that are clearly slips of the tongue.

Except for one student who has informed me in her exam that among the health risks associated with T2DM are having your pancreas completely removed

, no chance of being pregnant:(, your life expectancy is almost nothing after diagnosis:eek:, and my favourite: Diabetes is caused by the body having so much insulin, the body does not know how to use it and in brackets (Insulin resistance is rare but sometimes involved):pac:.

eilo1 · 29-05-2011 9:59am

CramCycle wrote: »

I am clearly the worst lecturer ever. Shocking answers are not surprising in exams and intelligence leads you to ignore those that are clearly slips of the tongue.

Except for one student who has informed me in her exam that among the health risks associated with T2DM are having your pancreas completely removed, no chance of being pregnant:(, your life expectancy is almost nothing after diagnosis:eek:, and my favourite: Diabetes is caused by the body having so much insulin, the body does not know how to use it and in brackets (Insulin resistance is rare but sometimes involved):pac:.

hahaha your clearly not one of my lecturers cram cycle you would have been delighted to read my answer on diabetes!

robinph · 31-05-2011 10:30pm

This evening I did a 5km race and there was another guy from one of the other local running clubs who is often finishing about the same times as me in various races, he's beaten me by one place in the last couple, so I figured I'd best make sure I won today. He was right on my shoulder until the last mile where I finally managed to pull away.

Had never really spoken with him before other than nods of recognition before races, but then chatting afterwards and he started the conversation by quizzing me about the pump and if it was better with it. Had me a bit confused initially as I wasn't sure why he would start talking about insulin pumps, post race chats are usually just about the times. I don't hide the pump, but the conversations would usually start with "What the **** is that thing?".

Seems that he already knew I was type 1 and on a pump as he's diabetic himself and one of the other guys in my club had pointed me out to him as being another diabetic runner. So since then he's been on a mission to race me, but without me knowing I was his target. We were then discussing how to go about persuading the GP to refer him to the hospital to try to get a pump as he's not getting any joy out of them so far after over a year of trying.

I knew I wasn't special in being a diabetic and running, I knew there had to be more fast* runners out there who just happened to have a dodgy pancreas. Just difficult to find much information from how they deal with it. Glad that he made himself known ... now I have a target to make sure I beat in the next race.

* I'm not really fast.

BlackEdelweiss · 03-06-2011 8:06am

I was started on insulin 7 days ago due to my erratic readings and my lack of energy. Since then my readings have come down and with a bit of adjustment they should become manageable but I still have no energy, my legs feel like lead weights and I am dragging them around. I was expecting to feel the difference at this stage but there is no improvement. Am I expecting too much, will it take longer to feel the benefits of the insulin?

CramCycle · 03-06-2011 9:48am

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I was started on insulin 7 days ago due to my erratic readings and my lack of energy. Since then my readings have come down and with a bit of adjustment they should become manageable but I still have no energy, my legs feel like lead weights and I am dragging them around. I was expecting to feel the difference at this stage but there is no improvement. Am I expecting too much, will it take longer to feel the benefits of the insulin?

It varies person to person but it could take a good bit longer, after your bloods being so erratic your going to feel down both physically and mentally for awhile. Daily exercise will help improve your insulin sensitivity and general form, even if its a bit of a slog to get started, you will feel the benefits alot quicker (not saying your not its just if your not, that will help). Plenty of water when your high as well. Have you been testing yourself for ketones? when your bloods are high as they can make you feel terrible after a very short period of time.

BlackEdelweiss · 03-06-2011 10:23am

I havent been able to excercise in the last month as my blood was so high and I felt so crap, I still dont feel up to excercising as my legs feel as they would not carry me too far but I know what you mean that it might be a bit of a slog but I would be better starting up again.
The insulin is working well, almost too well at times. I had my first sleeping hypo a few nights ago, I woke up feeling totally crap and not knowing what was wrong with me, it took a few minutes to realise it might be a hypo. I was at 3.2 when tested.
I was really hoping to get an instant energy boost as it is starting to get me down a bit feeing this tired but it is mainly in my legs, mentally I am not too bad. I made the mistake of looking up tired legs online this morning and was bombarded with tales of heart attacks/disease and other nice things, not exactly what I needed wen feeling down in he first place.

robinph · 03-06-2011 2:00pm

I seem to recall it took a while before I started to physically feel better once they started me on insulin many years ago. Have to allow time for the body, and your mind, to adjust after it trying to cope with being a bit broken for so long.

up for anything · 06-06-2011 12:13pm

I'm a complete Diabetes novice so I'm wondering if anyone here can shed light on a few questions for me.

I got a call from my GP the other day to tell me that my last regular blood tests (I get them monthly to monitor the effect of arthritis med that I inject weekly) showed a blood sugar level of 6.4 which she said wasn't majorly worrying but that she would like me to come in for a fasting blood sugar blood test (not sure is that correct terminology) this week. I'm finding it difficult to get any definitive idea of how high compared to normal that is by googling. The results all seem to differ depending on what site I'm looking at.

On the subject of injections - I've been doing these weekly ones now for a couple of months but last week the injection site bruised badly which hasn't happened before and didn't happen this week. It's still and fading from black to purple. Any idea what I may have done wrong?

Thanks for any information you can give me.

CramCycle · 06-06-2011 12:55pm

up for anything wrote: »

I'm a complete Diabetes novice so I'm wondering if anyone here can shed light on a few questions for me.

I got a call from my GP the other day to tell me that my last regular blood tests (I get them monthly to monitor the effect of arthritis med that I inject weekly) showed a blood sugar level of 6.4 which she said wasn't majorly worrying but that she would like me to come in for a fasting blood sugar blood test (not sure is that correct terminology) this week. I'm finding it difficult to get any definitive idea of how high compared to normal that is by googling. The results all seem to differ depending on what site I'm looking at.

Depends on when you last ate (and what you last ate) as to what it is recommended to be but I wouldn't stress, 6.4 isn't high. Wait till you get the tolerance test, before you even think about.

On the subject of injections - I've been doing these weekly ones now for a couple of months but last week the injection site bruised badly which hasn't happened before and didn't happen this week. It's still and fading from black to purple. Any idea what I may have done wrong?

Thanks for any information you can give me.

You probably hit a blood vessel, happens occasionally (but luckily not often) again, nothing to stress about.

robinph · 06-06-2011 1:26pm

up for anything wrote: »

On the subject of injections - I've been doing these weekly ones now for a couple of months but last week the injection site bruised badly which hasn't happened before and didn't happen this week. It's still and fading from black to purple. Any idea what I may have done wrong?

You didn't do anything wrong, you just got a bit unlucky. When I was on multiple injections daily I may have that happen a couple of times in a week, and then nothing again for months. It just looks a bit bad, but is nothing to concern yourself over.

up for anything · 06-06-2011 2:37pm

Thanks very for answering those queries for me.

CramCycle · 08-06-2011 7:06pm

1.8 in work this morning, not the worst symptom I ever had but it was weird, felt like I was in one of those movies where they have a facecam on the main character as he is struggling to cope with the fact that he is on drugs. Got lost in my own building three times (the corridors were all the wrong length) before I finally found the cafe downstairs, bumped into my exes mother, who I politely told I couldn't talk to her or I might die

(I am pondering wether I should explain this to her tomorrow).

Then lost my BG meter (turned out it was in my pocket) as my bloods jumped all the way back to 21.9 (I may have used the hypo as an excuse to stuff my face full of the overpriced, marshmellow filled choclate muffins in the cafe downstairs).

robinph · 08-06-2011 8:09pm

^ Everyone else has to pay some bloke in the dodgy part of town for something that your never quite sure what it is in order to get an experience like that.

CramCycle · 09-06-2011 2:13am

robinph wrote: »

^ Everyone else has to pay some bloke in the dodgy part of town for something that your never quite sure what it is in order to get an experience like that.

As such I clearly hadn't recovered as I meant to post this in the Diabetes Discussion Thread :rolleyes:

robinph · 09-06-2011 8:40am

gerrybbadd · 09-06-2011 8:14pm

Quick update on my latest changes! My bloods are still very high, so I had to change ratios of QA insulin again. Now I'm at 2:1 for brekkie, and 1.5:1 for lunch & dinner. I also take background insulin of 16 units in the morning and 34 at evening meal...

So despite all this, the more insulin I take, it seems the higher my readings are getting. :eek:

I was told today that I'd be sent a prescription for Glucophage (Metformin) to help increase my insulin sensitivity. Fingers crossed this will work, I'm getting tired of doing 3am checks once a week, after adjusting background insulin:(

I hope to be of some help in this thread here too, rather than venting the whole time:D I keep an eye out here nearly every day for new posts, so I hope to be of some help to somebody.

CramCycle · 09-06-2011 8:32pm

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Quick update on my latest changes! My bloods are still very high, so I had to change ratios of QA insulin again. Now I'm at 2:1 for brekkie, and 1.5:1 for lunch & dinner. I also take background insulin of 16 units in the morning and 34 at evening meal...

So despite all this, the more insulin I take, it seems the higher my readings are getting. :eek:

I was told today that I'd be sent a prescription for Glucophage (Metformin) to help increase my insulin sensitivity. Fingers crossed this will work, I'm getting tired of doing 3am checks once a week, after adjusting background insulin:(

I hope to be of some help in this thread here too, rather than venting the whole time:D I keep an eye out here nearly every day for new posts, so I hope to be of some help to somebody.

I am understanding you right that they started you on insulin before they started you on Metformin?

gerrybbadd · 09-06-2011 8:45pm

CramCycle wrote: »

I am understanding you right that they started you on insulin before they started you on Metformin?

No, I was originally started out on Metformin and Diamicron, and these had no impact, so they started me on insulin.

My control was okish unto around 6 weeks ago, when they decided to change my background insulin from Lantus to Levemir.

[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

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