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[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

tbh

Hey guys - I've created a single "chat" thread for all the diabetics for any topics of conversation that don't fit in the existing threads.

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Alanstrainor

Well gents, i think my insulin pump is nearing death. I'm getting constant "motor" warnings and priming it is almost impossible at this stage...im getting worried...

graflynn

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Well gents, i think my insulin pump is nearing death. I'm getting constant "motor" warnings and priming it is almost impossible at this stage...im getting worried...

Call your pump manufacturer ASAP, they should give you another loaner until the paperwork comes through for your new one. Be assertive; tell them (in a nice way of course) that you're considering changing to Animas because you are dissatified with customer support unless things change. Sometimes they need a little rattling.

DJW11

Hi all,

General question about glucometers. My gf has a contour one and just in the last few days out of curiosity she started testing in more than one location when time comes for her to test her levels, example: she just tested and her left index finger read 12.2 and her left ring finger then read 13.9??? same last night, tested 3/4 different fingers on left and right hands and her arms and got readings from 5.5 to 7.9!?? im just wondering is this normal or a machine problem?

Thanks

CramCycle

DJW11 wrote: »

Hi all,

General question about glucometers. My gf has a contour one and just in the last few days out of curiosity she started testing in more than one location when time comes for her to test her levels, example: she just tested and her left index finger read 12.2 and her left ring finger then read 13.9??? same last night, tested 3/4 different fingers on left and right hands and her arms and got readings from 5.5 to 7.9!?? im just wondering is this normal or a machine problem?

Thanks

Perfectly normal, there have even been studies into it.

CathyMoran

On a similar note my husband has always said not to test on my ring finger...

tbh

DJW11 wrote: »

Hi all,

General question about glucometers. My gf has a contour one and just in the last few days out of curiosity she started testing in more than one location when time comes for her to test her levels, example: she just tested and her left index finger read 12.2 and her left ring finger then read 13.9??? same last night, tested 3/4 different fingers on left and right hands and her arms and got readings from 5.5 to 7.9!?? im just wondering is this normal or a machine problem?

Thanks

the reading you get on a meter is ±7% of what the actual blood sugars were about 20 minutes ago

Pygmie

Hi there. Can anyone recommend a good weighing scales that we could use to calculate the amount of carbs in food? We have a scales but the carbs work out, in some cases, twice as many carbs as specified by sites like fitday. We have a 5 month old that is starting on solids and want to be able to be as accurate as possible when it comes to working out insulin doses. Thanks in advance!

BlackEdelweiss

Does anyone know if there is anything like this available in Ireland, it sounds like a lot less trouble for testing.
http://www.accu-chek.co.uk/gb/products/metersystems/index.html?OVMTC=Broad&site=&creative=5093549154&OVKEY=blood%20glucose%20meter&adpos=1t1&gclid=CIHpnti6ma4CFcpB4QodZw3sIQ
Is there anywhere you can get free blood meters online, I have been using the same type (Optimum Xceed) since I was diagnosed 2 years ago and would just like a change. My hospital only have these ones.

CathyMoran

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

Does anyone know if there is anything like this available in Ireland, it sounds like a lot less trouble for testing.
http://www.accu-chek.co.uk/gb/products/metersystems/index.html?OVMTC=Broad&site=&creative=5093549154&OVKEY=blood%20glucose%20meter&adpos=1t1&gclid=CIHpnti6ma4CFcpB4QodZw3sIQ
Is there anywhere you can get free blood meters online, I have been using the same type (Optimum Xceed) since I was diagnosed 2 years ago and would just like a change. My hospital only have these ones.

IK have seen it in Boots and have been tempted to get it but I love my One Touch Ultrasmart.

CathyMoran

Does anyone "celebrate" their day of diagnosis with diabetes? I was diagnosed with type 1 27 years ago today when I was 10 years old. I used to say that it was the one day that I was allowed to get upset about it.

Other things have taken over as being more important since - last Thursday was 5 years since I had my total oesophagectomy - but today is my diabetes anniversary.

graflynn

CathyMoran wrote: »

Does anyone "celebrate" their day of diagnosis with diabetes? I was diagnosed with type 1 27 years ago today when I was 10 years old. I used to say that it was the one day that I was allowed to get upset about it.

Other things have taken over as being more important since - last Thursday was 5 years since I had my total oesophagectomy - but today is my diabetes anniversary.

I kind of do but I only remember after the fact that I've clocked up another year. I was diagnosed on the 2nd April 1993 but in 2004 on that date my first child was born. So I'm usually more focused on a birthday party.

robinph

Kind of. Although I can't quite remember the exact date right now, it was the end of January 15 years ago. I'd need to check back to figure out the correct day now, it was definitely a happy day back then due to how crap I'd become in the lead up to diagnosis. I'll be "celebrating" my one year anniversary of being a bionic robinph on a pump by trying to survive a mates stag weekend.

5live

CathyMoran wrote: »

Does anyone "celebrate" their day of diagnosis with diabetes? I was diagnosed with type 1 27 years ago today when I was 10 years old. I used to say that it was the one day that I was allowed to get upset about it.

Other things have taken over as being more important since - last Thursday was 5 years since I had my total oesophagectomy - but today is my diabetes anniversary.

20 years ago this august weekend coming. I was supposed to go to 'the trip to tipp' to see Bryan Adams but was in hospital watching Michael Carruth winning gold in Barcelona at the olympics. Still not sure which dehydration would have been worse:).

And i promised myself a bar of chocolate to celebrate:pac:

cynder

CathyMoran wrote: »

Does anyone "celebrate" their day of diagnosis with diabetes? I was diagnosed with type 1 27 years ago today when I was 10 years old. I used to say that it was the one day that I was allowed to get upset about it.

Other things have taken over as being more important since - last Thursday was 5 years since I had my total oesophagectomy - but today is my diabetes anniversary.

My daughter will be diagnosed 5 years age 7 on the 25th if this month and we will do something to mark the occasion...

On the 22 nd were both signing up to do the flora mini marathon. Will try and raise funds for dfi.

Probably wont buy a cake and put candles on but will do something.

1967

I celebrate it big time, was diagnosed Christmas Eve 2007 came round in ICU three days later to be told i was diabetic had blood sugars of 96.4 and had died twice, last hbA1c was 5.4,tbh getting diabetes was the best thing to happen to me as it gave me the kick in the ass that i needed to get my life back on track

tbh

1967 wrote: »

had blood sugars of 96.4 and had died twice

WOAH!

Sir - or Madam - You win. You definitely win. No longlasting damage I hope?

cynder

1967 wrote: »

I celebrate it big time, was diagnosed Christmas Eve 2007 came round in ICU three days later to be told i was diabetic had blood sugars of 96.4 and had died twice, last hbA1c was 5.4,tbh getting diabetes was the best thing to happen to me as it gave me the kick in the ass that i needed to get my life back on track

You really must of pigged out on those festive chocolates :eek:;) ..... My daughter's were 54 or 56. Too high to read on a normal monitor. And she was heading into a coma she was in the first stages. They kept her in resuscitation for 8 hours until the risk of coma had subsided.

CathyMoran

I was "only" at 44 when I was diagnosed -I also had chicken pox at5 the same time so was in isolation. There was a baby less than a year old in there who was diagnosed at the same time I wonder what happened to her.

One of my so called friends said that I gave diabetes to the child I babysat, I was very hurt - the ignorance of her.

CramCycle

1967 wrote: »

I celebrate it big time, was diagnosed Christmas Eve 2007 came round in ICU three days later to be told i was diabetic had blood sugars of 96.4 and had died twice, last hbA1c was 5.4,tbh getting diabetes was the best thing to happen to me as it gave me the kick in the ass that i needed to get my life back on track

I had about 60 if I remember right but can't be certain. I'd well believe the died twice bit if my bloods were that high. Glad it worked out for you, how quick did the symptoms come on, that sounds phenomenal.

CathyMoran wrote: »

One of my so called friends said that I gave diabetes to the child I babysat, I was very hurt - the ignorance of her.

I had a girl ask me could she catch it off me, regardless to say, I never called her back, ignorance is one thing, stupidity is another story.

robinph

I was a mere 27 something at diagnosis.

But the parents had it mostly figured out what was wrong so had probably got the levels coming down quite a bit between when they scraped me off the floor of the house where I was living and then taking me to their GP the next morning on the other side of the country. Spent the week in hospital getting pumped back full of saline before I was released, was almost like I was re-inflated apparently.

It still surprises me how quickly between them putting the insulin drip in me and me barely being conscious, to me then being aware of what was going on and joking with the nurses half an hour or so later.

tbh

robinph wrote: »

It still surprises me how quickly between them putting the insulin drip in me and me barely being conscious, to me then being aware of what was going on and joking with the nurses half an hour or so later.

yep - I can relate. I was only 35 but had been sick for about two months. Literally 20 minutes after the drip went in i was "I'm cured! I can go home now"

1967

I put my symptoms down to flu,i was feeling very drained and run down for about a week, even on the saturday (in hospital half six christmas eve monday morning) i went to liverpool for the day over early morning back late at night and i drove up and down to dublin airport from waterford with five others in the car,one of my best mates was really concerned telling me to see a doctor when we got home i told him i was ok,even missed two of the goals in the game from having to go to the toilet.i knew something wasn't right even remembered my tongue swelling up at one stage and being unable to talk,have to say the staff in Waterford Regional were fantastic especially in ICU,basically what happened to me was my whole system was messed up readings that should be low were through the roof hence the 96.4 blood sugars and what should have been high were through the floor basically my whole system imploded and put tremendous strain on my heart especially, culminating in two heart attacks which i died from (heart is fine never any problems with it just the strain of my body imploding) also had about twenty minutes before i went into a full on diabetic coma of which i was not coming out of and was told later had a better chance of winning the lottery than surviving, so thats why i celebrate

I would like to say my body was a temple and it was indded a temple for sweets minerals fried food fast food and cider,i was 21.5 stone and lost 9 stone in six months by changing eating habits and walking.I have since put back on two stone but that was my choice as at 6'4'' i looked gaunt and i am now happier in myself,i walk about twenty miles a week and also play golf,so that's my story the only real long term damage to me has been nerve damage i suffer badly in the cold with numbness in hands and feet and unfortunately developed erectile dysfunction which was tough as i was 40 at time of diagnosis but a little pill called cialis more than takes care of that.

Meauldsegosha

tbh wrote: »

robinph wrote: »

It still surprises me how quickly between them putting the insulin drip in me and me barely being conscious, to me then being aware of what was going on and joking with the nurses half an hour or so later.

yep - I can relate. I was only 35 but had been sick for about two months. Literally 20 minutes after the drip went in i was "I'm cured! I can go home now"

I remember that feeling. To go from being curled up on the couch thinking I was about to die to being on that drip in A&E was the best feeling ever.

gerrybbadd

Thanks for sharing your stories everybody - 1967 - wow! Your story is amazing!:eek:

I had felt awful for months (over 12), the usual thirst, toilet trips etc. Eventually I began to develop pains in my legs and feet, usually worse at night.

So I decided to get a blood test the week before going on holidays to Germany. The doctor told me that she would send the bloods to Vincents, and I'd have the results when I came back.

Well.... She rang me that afternoon, and told me to go to casualty immediately, in Vincent's. So, out I go... My bloods weren't as high as some of the previous stories, I think they were 28 or 29, but my triglyceride was through the roof.

Vincent's didn't know what to do with me. The left me sitting on a gurney, where I heard the nurses saying I had milkshake blood:eek::eek:

Any time somebody came to talk to me or ask questions, they'd ask me how long I had diabetes.... Without having being told that's what I had.

They were going to keep me overnight, and do an infusion(still not sure what this was) but eventually the let me go... At 12:30am at night. It had been 12 hours since I ate, and around 8 since I had anything to drink. I had to walk home too as there were no buses or taxis around. I
WillL never forget that walk home... Totally weak.

I still got to go to Germany, but it ruined the holiday for my better half.

hadepsx

im finding it hard to tell when my bloods are either too low or too high, until its too late, then ive to react with insulin/ glucose tablets. how can i improve this pls. ps im type 1 since i was ten. im now 29. no major problems, other than groin tear wont heal, had my fair share of hypo's but only 1 DKA, which i was in hospital for.

CramCycle

hadepsx wrote: »

im finding it hard to tell when my bloods are either too low or too high, until its too late, then ive to react with insulin/ glucose tablets. how can i improve this pls. ps im type 1 since i was ten. im now 29. no major problems, other than groin tear wont heal, had my fair share of hypo's but only 1 DKA, which i was in hospital for.

Better control is the only solution, you have lost hypo awareness because your body is getting used to being in that situation. Test alot more regularly, regardless of wether you feel you need to or not and treat the machine as being more accurate than your feeelings as they won't return for sometime.

When I went off the rails it only took a fortnight of tight control for my awareness to return but I am in a minority I think, I have talked to others where it has taken months.

When I went to get myself back on track I was testing more than once an hour while awake, a bit excessive but I felt it was needed, you might be fine with before every meal and one in between but either way, your awareness won't control until your control does.

Talk to your team over the phone for better advice though, they are usually helpful once they see you are serious about making an effort.

5live

1967 wrote: »

I put my symptoms down to flu,i was feeling very drained and run down for about a week, even on the saturday (in hospital half six christmas eve monday morning) i went to liverpool for the day over early morning back late at night and i drove up and down to dublin airport from waterford with five others in the car,one of my best mates was really concerned telling me to see a doctor when we got home i told him i was ok,even missed two of the goals in the game from having to go to the toilet.i knew something wasn't right even remembered my tongue swelling up at one stage and being unable to talk,have to say the staff in Waterford Regional were fantastic especially in ICU,basically what happened to me was my whole system was messed up readings that should be low were through the roof hence the 96.4 blood sugars and what should have been high were through the floor basically my whole system imploded and put tremendous strain on my heart especially, culminating in two heart attacks which i died from (heart is fine never any problems with it just the strain of my body imploding) also had about twenty minutes before i went into a full on diabetic coma of which i was not coming out of and was told later had a better chance of winning the lottery than surviving, so thats why i celebrate I would like to say my body was a temple and it was indded a temple for sweets minerals fried food fast food and cider,i was 21.5 stone and lost 9 stone in six months by changing eating habits and walking.I have since put back on two stone but that was my choice as at 6'4'' i looked gaunt and i am now happier in myself,i walk about twenty miles a week and also play golf,so that's my story the only real long term damage to me has been nerve damage i suffer badly in the cold with numbness in hands and feet and unfortunately developed erectile dysfunction which was tough as i was 40 at time of diagnosis but a little pill called cialis more than takes care of that.

:eek: WOW. I am in awe. All i had to do was fail a medical for my first job and i thought that was bad:o

banie01

Hiya folks,
Just back from my endo and I'm a bit confused he reckons that my hba1c at 7.2(Type 2) is excellent(Which to me....It isn't).
Also he was praising how I've gotten it back in control since last year, more of a motivation session than a check up

lol
But here's the thing, I know it can be a lot better(Indeed it has been) and I feel being praised for not yet even getting back to my previous level of control is a bit hollow

.
As a bit of background it is down from 11 in March 2011 but that was after a lay up due to a broken foot and in the meantime due that injury and an ongoing bout of unemployment my activity levels are much lower than they were and indeed should be.
Personally I'd like to get back to @6.5 which is where I was prior to the injury and ''retiring'' from rugby.
However, when I was discussing how to achieve this with my Endo while he was supportive of my intentions seemed more worried about switching my meds to Victoza at my next review?
Now I only started on Janumet last August and am fairly happy with the regime so far and to be told 6 months in that the meds may be changed again has left me a little disconcerted to say the least.
Its as if the effort regarding diet/activity is being disregarded in favour of the latest and greatest.

Anyways its left me a little bewildered to say the least!

graflynn

banie01 wrote: »

Hiya folks,
Just back from my endo and I'm a bit confused he reckons that my hba1c at 7.2(Type 2) is excellent(Which to me....It isn't).
Also he was praising how I've gotten it back in control since last year, more of a motivation session than a check up lol
But here's the thing, I know it can be a lot better(Indeed it has been) and I feel being praised for not yet even getting back to my previous level of control is a bit hollow .
As a bit of background it is down from 11 in March 2011 but that was after a lay up due to a broken foot and in the meantime due that injury and an ongoing bout of unemployment my activity levels are much lower than they were and indeed should be.
Personally I'd like to get back to @6.5 which is where I was prior to the injury and ''retiring'' from rugby.
However, when I was discussing how to achieve this with my Endo while he was supportive of my intentions seemed more worried about switching my meds to Victoza at my next review?
Now I only started on Janumet last August and am fairly happy with the regime so far and to be told 6 months in that the meds may be changed again has left me a little disconcerted to say the least.
Its as if the effort regarding diet/activity is being disregarded in favour of the latest and greatest.

Anyways its left me a little bewildered to say the least!

I feel that a lot of medical professionals expect too little of us. Afterall, it's our quality of life they're messing with. I once had an endo tell me that I just needed 6 month motivational checkups because my HbA1c was 6.8%. A year before it had been 6.0% and I could see that it wasn't holding steady that over 2 years it have been increasing bit by bit. But the endo knew better so I left him.

When I told another endo that I weighed my food to carb count she said "I couldn't expect you to do that" but yet she expected my to stuff my face with bananas as snacks while trying to lose weight!

Some endos need to realise that we take our quality of life seriously!

tbh

banie01 wrote: »

Hiya folks,
Just back from my endo and I'm a bit confused he reckons that my hba1c at 7.2(Type 2) is excellent(Which to me....It isn't).
Also he was praising how I've gotten it back in control since last year, more of a motivation session than a check up lol
But here's the thing, I know it can be a lot better(Indeed it has been) and I feel being praised for not yet even getting back to my previous level of control is a bit hollow .
As a bit of background it is down from 11 in March 2011 but that was after a lay up due to a broken foot and in the meantime due that injury and an ongoing bout of unemployment my activity levels are much lower than they were and indeed should be.
Personally I'd like to get back to @6.5 which is where I was prior to the injury and ''retiring'' from rugby.
However, when I was discussing how to achieve this with my Endo while he was supportive of my intentions seemed more worried about switching my meds to Victoza at my next review?
Now I only started on Janumet last August and am fairly happy with the regime so far and to be told 6 months in that the meds may be changed again has left me a little disconcerted to say the least.
Its as if the effort regarding diet/activity is being disregarded in favour of the latest and greatest.

Anyways its left me a little bewildered to say the least!

you have to remember - you're looking at your results from your own point of view, whereas your endo is looking at them compared to all of his other patients. He's got a much wider sample than you - so while your results are not the best that you ever got, they are probably a lot better than most of his other patients.