[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

CramCycle · 21-07-2011 9:35pm

mars bar wrote: »

Hey guys, is cranberry juice suitable for a diabetic? I'm not sure which type this person has in case that's relevant info.

Generally alot of sugar added to cranberry juice, depends on your control and what you can tolerate. I wouldn't recommend it though, I only take it when I'm out on the bike or having a hypo.

eilo1 · 21-07-2011 9:39pm

So I had my review yesterday and the HbA1c is down from 8.9 to 8.5 still too high but at least it was a little change.
My cholesterol was down from 7.4 to 6.6 and my insulin sensitivity is better as I am now using 2 units less on my basal rate (and staying steady over night).
So I was happy with all of that until the kind doctor pointed out that I had put on 3kg

devastated!

5live · 21-07-2011 10:31pm

eilo1 wrote: »

So I had my review yesterday and the HbA1c is down from 8.9 to 8.5 still too high but at least it was a little change.
My cholesterol was down from 7.4 to 6.6 and my insulin sensitivity is better as I am now using 2 units less on my basal rate (and staying steady over night).
So I was happy with all of that until the kind doctor pointed out that I had put on 3kg devastated!

That is crappy:(.

Out of curiosity how would a diabetic go about losing a bit of weight? I am carrying a few pounds extra myself but could never figure ot how to go about it:o

eilo1 · 21-07-2011 10:39pm

5live wrote: »

That is crappy:(.

Out of curiosity how would a diabetic go about losing a bit of weight? I am carrying a few pounds extra myself but could never figure ot how to go about it:o

No point asking me!

Its really annoying as I over the last 4 months I have started a weight lifting regime 3 nights a weeks and play tag rugby twice a week. But im gaining weight not loosing it.

CramCycle · 21-07-2011 10:52pm

5live wrote: »

That is crappy:(.

Out of curiosity how would a diabetic go about losing a bit of weight? I am carrying a few pounds extra myself but could never figure ot how to go about it:o

Asking myself or the mods here based on everywhere else they post your going to hear alot of cycling or running suggestions. (Cycling is more fun and everyone looks better cycling than running though

a couple of weirdos will suggest combining the two with swimming in some weird fetish event)

Jokes aside, the easiest and best way to lose weight is to start doing a little more exercise than you currently do and try and take in a bit less calories than you use up for awhile.

Also to be clear it's not so much the losing weight but losing fat that is important, some people gain weight as they get fitter and this is nothing to be concerned about.

eilo1 wrote: »

No point asking me!

Its really annoying as I over the last 4 months I have started a weight lifting regime 3 nights a weeks and play tag rugby twice a week. But im gaining weight not loosing it.

The weight lifting regime is probably the reason as you would be gaining muscle mass (not fat), don't look at it as a negative.

robinph · 21-07-2011 11:03pm

CramCycle wrote: »

Asking myself or the mods here based on everywhere else they post your going to hear alot of cycling or running suggestions. (Cycling is more fun and everyone looks better cycling than running though

Where did I put that banstick?

CramCycle wrote: »

a couple of weirdos will suggest combining the two with swimming in some weird fetish event)

I'm in agreement with you over the craziness of that triple-athlon type event.

mike65 · 22-07-2011 5:40pm

Silly question (I suspect), I've only ever used the same one pharmacy to get my LTI prescription, I now intend to switch to a nearer outlet. Do I just bring my book to the new pharma and that's that?

robinph · 22-07-2011 6:27pm

mike65 wrote: »

Silly question (I suspect), I've only ever used the same one pharmacy to get my LTI prescription, I now intend to switch to a nearer outlet. Do I just bring my book to the new pharma and that's that?

Yep. Once the pharmacy has seen the LTI book you should be ok. I was getting stuff from multiple places before.

BlackEdelweiss · 22-07-2011 6:51pm

I started on 4 doses of insulin a day today, up to that it has been 1 dose of lantus at night. I have so far given myself 2 doses of Novarapid today and had 2 hypos fairly soon afterwards. I did not eat since about 3.30 today and just checked my blood and it is at 21.7 and my keytones which have never risen above 0.0 for the last year are reading 0.1. I was expecting a nice low reading today with my new insulin regime, how am I so high now???

CramCycle · 22-07-2011 7:34pm

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I started on 4 doses of insulin a day today, up to that it has been 1 dose of lantus at night. I have so far given myself 2 doses of Novarapid today and had 2 hypos fairly soon afterwards. I did not eat since about 3.30 today and just checked my blood and it is at 21.7 and my keytones which have never risen above 0.0 for the last year are reading 0.1. I was expecting a nice low reading today with my new insulin regime, how am I so high now???

Welcome to rebound world, the only thing worse than a hypo is the hyper after it. I's say it's more your relative newness to it all, self correcting is always too severe at the begining (and for most of us continues to be :P ). Mind giving any details on levels of novorapid you were started on or other details on how you corrected?

CramCycle · 22-07-2011 10:17pm

robinph wrote: »

Where did I put that banstick?

NOOOOOOOOOO, spare me please!

I'm in agreement with you over the craziness of that triple-athlon type event.

Makes me hypo evertime I think of it

don't tell anyone I plan to have a huge hypo on the 28th August

BlackEdelweiss · 22-07-2011 10:19pm

CramCycle wrote: »

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I started on 4 doses of insulin a day today, up to that it has been 1 dose of lantus at night. I have so far given myself 2 doses of Novarapid today and had 2 hypos fairly soon afterwards. I did not eat since about 3.30 today and just checked my blood and it is at 21.7 and my keytones which have never risen above 0.0 for the last year are reading 0.1. I was expecting a nice low reading today with my new insulin regime, how am I so high now???

Welcome to rebound world, the only thing worse than a hypo is the hyper after it. I's say it's more your relative newness to it all, self correcting is always too severe at the begining (and for most of us continues to be :P ). Mind giving any details on levels of novorapid you were started on or other details on how you corrected?

I was on 3 diamicron and 2 glucophage a day plus the lantus at night. They started me on 6 units of novorapid 3 times a day with 8 units of lantus. For my hypo I had lucozade for the first one and the 2nd was more of a low than a hypo so I just had soup and a roll in work. A bag of crisps on the way home from work and that was me till 6.30. For the 1st time in ages I got really annoyed with my diabetes.

robinph · 22-07-2011 10:55pm

Never ask for a diet coke in a noisy pub and expect that to be what you get. I thought it tasted a bit funny, but carried on drinking the whole pint of it anyway.

I had just finished a 10km race though, and 40seconds quicker than I've managed on that particular course previously. I guess a bit of extra sugar isn't too big a deal in that case.

xxshebeexx · 23-07-2011 11:50am

mars bar wrote: »

Hey guys, is cranberry juice suitable for a diabetic? I'm not sure which type this person has in case that's relevant info.

My doctor didn't recommend it, too sugary! I take cranberry supplements instead.. all the benefits without the sugar! Except they don't taste as good....!

CathyMoran · 25-07-2011 7:20pm

Have a cold and it is really messing up my blood sugars

My gorgeous daughter has it too and has been more clingy as a result - did not get lunch and breakfast was coffee...

cynder · 26-07-2011 11:55am

how you feeling now cathy? hope your on the mend.

CathyMoran · 26-07-2011 12:07pm

grindelwald wrote: »

how you feeling now cathy? hope your on the mend.

Thanks, we are all down with it. It messes up my blood sugar control and I am not really feeling like eating either. I know that it will be over with time, it just is not nice.

over30 · 29-07-2011 4:13am

hi all, i am new to all this but hoping i will be able to get some info re my thyroid medication, eltroxin being taken off my long term illness card. i have been using it for years but have been informed by my chemist that i can't get it any more. it was obviously approved by the health board years ago when my diabetic clinic wrote the prescription.
i know there are plans to introduce a charge sometime soon but i didn't see anything in the paper about it recently. to be honest i don't mind having to contribute as i am very aware what insulin etc would cost if the l.t.i scheme was not available to us.
has anyone else had items removed in the last few weeks.

CramCycle · 29-07-2011 4:34am

over30 wrote: »

hi all, i am new to all this but hoping i will be able to get some info re my thyroid medication, eltroxin being taken off my long term illness card. i have been using it for years but have been informed by my chemist that i can't get it any more. it was obviously approved by the health board years ago when my diabetic clinic wrote the prescription.
i know there are plans to introduce a charge sometime soon but i didn't see anything in the paper about it recently. to be honest i don't mind having to contribute as i am very aware what insulin etc would cost if the l.t.i scheme was not available to us.
has anyone else had items removed in the last few weeks.

It's not your chemists choice, it's your local health boards.

Go back to your Diabetes clinic, explain the situation to your doc and let him decide. If you need it for your diabetes, he can write out a script for your LTI book to be sent off to your local health board (they may not approve just to be clear)for them to approve. You can do what I used to do and show it to your chemist (a new one in this case) before you send it off (the script in your LTI book if there is any confusion).

over30 · 30-07-2011 2:57am

hi cram cycle
thanks for reply. it was the health board that informed the chemist but i suppose i'm wondering why they didn't write to me with that information as well and why all of a sudden they have decided to remove it from my approved meds prescribed by the diabetes doctor. i will be attending the clinic in a few weeks so will get a letter from them saying i need it along with all my other diabetic items. the health board are probably just going to cutback as much as they can. i don't have any idea what they would cost every month as they were always on the l.t.i card, i'll wait and see what happens. i have enough to keep me going for the next few weeks.

CramCycle · 31-07-2011 2:33pm

over30 wrote: »

hi cram cycle
thanks for reply. it was the health board that informed the chemist but i suppose i'm wondering why they didn't write to me with that information as well and why all of a sudden they have decided to remove it from my approved meds prescribed by the diabetes doctor. i will be attending the clinic in a few weeks so will get a letter from them saying i need it along with all my other diabetic items. the health board are probably just going to cutback as much as they can. i don't have any idea what they would cost every month as they were always on the l.t.i card, i'll wait and see what happens. i have enough to keep me going for the next few weeks.

Sorry to hear that, hope it goes well. I suppose it comes down to whether the condition would be there without your diabetes and that is where someone has advised them that the LTI card shouldn't cover it but hopefully your doctor can write a letter explaining it is essential for your diabetes treatment, hopefully, good luck.

over30 · 02-08-2011 1:38am

i have been on eltroxin for years but when the diabetic doc first prescribed it he said i didn't really need at that time but that i would need it very soon as this was very common among diabetic patients and necessary.
i got the impression he put people on eltroxin if there was any sign of thyroid problems and the health board approved it without question. do you know if the thyroid is part of the endocrine system? i also get lipitor for cholesterol control on the l.t.i, the health board did refuse it at first but the doc said it was necessary so it was ok'd. it will be interesting to see what happens.

xxshebeexx · 02-08-2011 1:55pm

I have another work related question.. not about being a flight attendant this time! I've just been offered a job, albeit not on a plane! It's a great job, I'm really excited, I've only just finished college so it came as a complete surprise because it's a fantastic starter position in a successful international company.

How do I go about telling them I'm Type 1? I've had part-time jobs for the last few years and my hospital appointments have never been an issue as I could always swap shifts with others. However, this is job will be quite demanding, timewise, so how does that work with appointments? Do they legally have to let me go to them, even if they're sometimes quite close to each other (like a blood test one week, then the follow up appointment the following week)? Can they hold it against me, when it comes to reviews and that, with missing mornings (the job is in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, I go to Blanchardstown hospital so it takes at least an hour to drive from one to the other) or can they make me change appointments?

Obviously, I'm not sure what their policies are yet as I've only been offered the job and have yet to discuss exact terms with them, but I'd like to know what my rights are in relation to work and diabetes!

robinph · 02-08-2011 2:27pm

Congrats on the job.

Apart from jobs where there are legal restrictions, such as being a pilot, there is no requirement to tell them about diabetes before hand. You should tell them once you've started though.

I've previously found a chance during the first week or so to say "officially" to the HR person so that I can't be accused of hiding things from them. Also tell any direct supervisors/ managers.
Then I'd mention in as insignificant a way as possible to people that I'm working with day to day so as to not make any kind of issue over it. That is entirely down to your own personal preference though and only when you feel comfortable to tell them.

They have to allow you to go to hospital appointments, but I think they can take it out of you holiday entitlement. There will be a lot more information on exactly what they "have" to give you time wise on Citizens Information.

I've always been very lucky with my employers since I've been working with diabetes and them giving me any time I needed off for appointments, my current employer is me though which makes it even easier.

robinph · 02-08-2011 2:33pm

Just quickly spotted a paragraph on this page about appointments, would need to track through the pages in more detail to get the exact rules on time off though:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/leave_and_holidays/sick_leave.html

xxshebeexx · 02-08-2011 3:12pm

robinph wrote: »

Congrats on the job.

Apart from jobs where there are legal restrictions, such as being a pilot, there is no requirement to tell them about diabetes before hand. You should tell them once you've started though.

I've previously found a chance during the first week or so to say "officially" to the HR person so that I can't be accused of hiding things from them. Also tell any direct supervisors/ managers.

Then I'd mention in as insignificant a way as possible to people that I'm working with day to day so as to not make any kind of issue over it. That is entirely down to your own personal preference though and only when you feel comfortable to tell them.

I do plan to tell them, I'm just hoping that they won't see it too negatively. Previous employers I've had didn't really understand what Type 1 entails and I've had to explain a lot! I just haven't had a full time, Monday to Friday job before so not sure yet how it'll fit in!

robinph wrote: »

They have to allow you to go to hospital appointments, but I think they can take it out of you holiday entitlement. There will be a lot more information on exactly what they "have" to give you time wise on Citizens Information.

I've always been very lucky with my employers since I've been working with diabetes and them giving me any time I needed off for appointments, my current employer is me though which makes it even easier.

That would make sense. I don't mind them taking it out of holidays (at least not too much ha), as long as it's okay with them that I attend appointments.. I'm just getting my hba1c on track and want to keep that up!

robinph wrote: »

Just quickly spotted a paragraph on this page about appointments, would need to track through the pages in more detail to get the exact rules on time off though:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/leave_and_holidays/sick_leave.html

Thanks!

I'll have a read through that!

robinph · 02-08-2011 3:29pm

xxshebeexx wrote: »

... fantastic starter position in a successful international company.

xxshebeexx wrote: »

I do plan to tell them, I'm just hoping that they won't see it too negatively. Previous employers I've had didn't really understand what Type 1 entails and I've had to explain a lot! I just haven't had a full time, Monday to Friday job before so not sure yet how it'll fit in!

If it's a decent "big" company it really shouldn't be a problem. You don't need to explain anything to them, just tell them your diabetic. If they look especially quizzical at that then just give them something along the lines of you needing the very occasional allowance of time off for a hospital checkup, and ask them who the first aider is on site so you can say hello to them.

Could actually be worth speaking with the first aider at some point as sometimes they could do with a little education on diabetes, I know I'd not have had much of a clue back when I was the first aider many, many years ago.

xxshebeexx wrote: »

That would make sense. I don't mind them taking it out of holidays (at least not too much ha), as long as it's okay with them that I attend appointments.. I'm just getting my hba1c on track and want to keep that up!

I never had any holidays taken off me in previous jobs.

Job I was in at diagnosis was just glad that I was back in action after being off for so long, they let me just come and go as I pleased for the first month back after I got out of hospital and needed to build my strength back up. I was in a very bad way back then though so that was an unusual situation.

Another job as for a big multinational, but was working in a semi-industrial environment. Never a problem to get time off then as I was actually working nights, but they had sent me for a medical with a GP at some point early on.

Another job was very good to me as well and I could take any time I needed off, did help that one of my managers wifes was diabetic as well. I had several managers, not the manager had several wives.

Alanstrainor · 09-08-2011 11:10am

Well my insulin pump broke yesterday morning! And to make matters worse its out of warranty. Minimed are sending me a temporary pump to do me over for 3 months, bit after that I don't know what's going to happen. I've been on to my diabetic consultant so I'll just have to see what happens really.
This is my second pump that went belly up. I'm actually using my old one that's a bit dodgey at the minute. Here's hoping it holds up!

robinph · 09-08-2011 11:23am

I thought they would be supplying you with a new one once they are out of warranty?

ElBarco · 09-08-2011 12:07pm

robinph wrote: »

I thought they would be supplying you with a new one once they are out of warranty?

I think you need to get approval from the HSE for this - it's not automatic. Mine is out of warranty later this year and I've started the process with my clinic. Well, I've said it to them and they tell me they've started the process...

[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

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