[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

Eurovisionmad

Yeah it's slightly worrying now that we start seeing certain drugs on the LTI book cut, like each time I go to the Pharmacy it would cost around €200 from what I can tell, that's a huge amount of money multiplied by the times I go per year!

darkhorse

Eurovisionmad wrote: »

Yeah it's slightly worrying now that we start seeing certain drugs on the LTI book cut, like each time I go to the Pharmacy it would cost around €200 from what I can tell, that's a huge amount of money multiplied by the times I go per year!

Well, as I said in my previous post, I was told that if I want the omacor anymore, then I have to pay for it and I fear that this only the start of it.
Anyway, I have the LTI book as well and I was in with the chemist one day for my monthly tablets, when we got talking. To cut long story short, the guy asked me how I was getting on(I am on a fitness regime)and I says I am doing great, I could soon be off all these pills and he says to me, please don't say that, you are my best customer. So, yeah, they must be expensive.

CramCycle

PickledLime wrote: »

I've recently had non-alcoholic Erdinger on a night out. Ticked all my boxes could enjoy it slowly over a period of time, felt grand after it etc), but i'm of course conscious of its carbohydrate content.

26.5g per 500ml according to their website. Not sure if this changes/helps you in anyway.

robinph

robinph wrote: »

Thought I was feeling a bit crappy this afternoon.

Seems that I forgot to press the bolus button on the pump at lunch time and am now at 23.3.

Really should have paid attention to how I felt and checked the bolus history setting on the pump earlier.

Guess who was an idiot this morning as well?

Didn't leave it as long before admitting to myself I felt off though and all is well with the world again now.

BlackEdelweiss

I'm doing the carbohydrate counting thing now and I spend ages weighing my food, out with the pen and paper and the calculator, enter all the info into my meter to work out my required dose then I sit down to eat my half cold dinner and forget all about taking the actual shot of insulin I spent the last few minutes calculating. I was wondering why I had fuzzy eyes this evening. It is happening more often now as well, I would have thought the opposite might be true, going to have to get a good habit of just taking my shot before eating.

CathyMoran

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

I'm doing the carbohydrate counting thing now and I spend ages weighing my food, out with the pen and paper and the calculator, enter all the info into my meter to work out my required dose then I sit down to eat my half cold dinner and forget all about taking the actual shot of insulin I spent the last few minutes calculating. I was wondering why I had fuzzy eyes this evening. It is happening more often now as well, I would have thought the opposite might be true, going to have to get a good habit of just taking my shot before eating.

I am terrible, I guess and then check afterwards - being a woman my insulin requirements change a lot(I do not have a pump though)

PickledLime

CramCycle wrote: »

26.5g per 500ml according to their website. Not sure if this changes/helps you in anyway.

It's handy info to know, cheers for the reply

CramCycle

Huge meeting at work this morning that affects me personally, ie if I continue to be employed, haven't slept well in a couple of days.

Walked in the door, shaky, figure its nerves but check bloods, 3.8, not terrible but i run out and grab a bottle of sugary crap from the vending machine down the hall.

Walk out of meeting 50 minutes later, ring OH, tells me check my bloods as I sound a bit giddy/off.

Blood glucose level: LO

Damn you Diabetes, not entirely sure how the meeting went.

Not my best day ever.

CathyMoran

CramCycle I hope that you have recovered now - sorry to hear that you had such a bad time.

Eurovisionmad

Got my HbA1c taken today, the flu vaccine and the pneumonia vaccine today, hurts like hell!

SK1979

Hey guys

Hope someone can give me some advice. I'm a type 1 diabetic and have been about 8 years now, diagnosed when I was 25. Anyway, my query relates to car insurance. Is anyone aware of any of the insurance companies applying a loading to type 1 diabetics? I'm currently with RSA and have been for the past yonks, all I ever had to do for them was provide a letter from my doc that I was fit to drive.

My renewal is just about up and was going to look around but I'd be reluctant to leave my current company if others were charging additional loaded premiums? I remember getting my mortgage protection policy about 6-7 years ago and loaded by 75% due to my illness.

Meauldsegosha

SK1979 wrote: »

Hey guys

Hope someone can give me some advice. I'm a type 1 diabetic and have been about 8 years now, diagnosed when I was 25. Anyway, my query relates to car insurance. Is anyone aware of any of the insurance companies applying a loading to type 1 diabetics? I'm currently with RSA and have been for the past yonks, all I ever had to do for them was provide a letter from my doc that I was fit to drive.

My renewal is just about up and was going to look around but I'd be reluctant to leave my current company if others were charging additional loaded premiums? I remember getting my mortgage protection policy about 6-7 years ago and loaded by 75% due to my illness.

They can't load your insurance. You do have to declare your diabetes and get a letter from you doctor. Check out the diabetes.ie website.

Munstermissy

Meauldsegosha wrote: »

They can't load your insurance. You do have to declare your diabetes and get a letter from you doctor. Check out the diabetes.ie website.

I changed insurance companies during the summer and advised liberty of my condition and nothing extra added thank God. My life policy was in place prior to my diagnosis so covered. As above, have a look at the diabetes web site for more information.

robinph

Pointless study is pointless:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19910888

Not happy that they are wasting time and money on doing studies about things like this.

The_Conductor

robinph wrote: »

Pointless study is pointless:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19910888

Not happy that they are wasting time and money on doing studies about things like this.

Yes, it really is stating the bleeding obvious.......

ElBarco

robinph wrote: »

Pointless study is pointless:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19910888

Not happy that they are wasting time and money on doing studies about things like this.

Maybe the only point of these studies is to help people on message boards across the world. You know when you are reading a thread and people constantly say you have to post links to back up your assertions? Somewhere in some thread there is someone quoting this to back up an argument.

ScouseMouse

How am I doing folks?

Still learning, but with all the details mentioned here, I feel like I am missing loads of things.

Diagnosed about 12 months ago, type 2 with a level of 17.

Last time glucose 5.2, yesterday 5.8. Told that under 6 is great.

"Liver function is up. "

All I do is take janumet morning and night, and two diamicron in the morning. I dont know anything about carbs, clinics, nurses or monitors.

I just go for a blood test every two months.

Am I a lucky one or is there more to come.

And another thing - what does "liver function up mean?"

Cheers all.

graflynn

superscouse wrote: »

How am I doing folks?

Still learning, but with all the details mentioned here, I feel like I am missing loads of things.

Diagnosed about 12 months ago, type 2 with a level of 17.

Last time glucose 5.2, yesterday 5.8. Told that under 6 is great.

"Liver function is up. "

All I do is take janumet morning and night, and two diamicron in the morning. I dont know anything about carbs, clinics, nurses or monitors.

I just go for a blood test every two months.

Am I a lucky one or is there more to come.

And another thing - what does "liver function up mean?"

Cheers all.

Hiya,
All the talk of carbs refer to the fact that some people (especially those who use insulin) need to have an idea how to balance the insulin with the carbs.

"Clinic" - some people attend a diabetes clinic to manage their diabetes where there may be Diabetes Nurse Specialists, dietitians, etc. However, some people with Type 2 diabetes manage theirs with their gp.

"liver function up" - ya got me? I thing this is a question for a doctor. The liver is very important when it comes to diabetes because it releases stored glucose into the bloodstream.

1967

Went to see my gp today for my test results was not looking forward to it as i have lost my way in the last year,gotten lazy and my sweet tooth has reappeared,so was dreading my hbA1c results so the bad news is i need to lose close to two stone which i will as i will go back to the gym the good news was my hbA1c was 5.5 or 37 i think in the new measurement.really pleased with it he said if i can lower it slightly in the next six months he will look at taking me off Victoza and see how i go so thats a huge incentive for me.

calfmuscle

Hi Guys,

I started using the medtronic insulin pump in May last year. I have lots of problems with insertion site and been hospitalised with DKA twice because of this. I got really fed up with it last week after finishing a match with a blood sugar of 29 I pulled the set and have not worn it since. I'm back injecting and my bloods have been pretty steady. I'm not sure what to do with my pump now, but I'm pretty sure I don't want it any more. Has anyone else ever done this??

BlackEdelweiss

I have never used a pump but the consultant told me I would probably need one at some stage in the near future. I would hate to be on one, I know some people love them but to me it just sounds terrible.
I did the Berger programme recently as I mentioned on here before and the dietician and nurse said the new glucose monitor we have been given is the exact same technology as the pump except you just inject yourself. I love it, it has given me a better degree of control, reduced the severity and number of hypos, expanded my food range(probably not the best thing though).
I cant honestly see why all diabetics are not on the carb counting meters.
Injecting is only a minor inconvenience compared to being connected to a machine 24/7.

robinph

Seems wrong for them to use the line that "you will need a pump" as that suggests they are something more than they actually are, or that they are some kind of last hope measure. A pump is just another means of trying to control our diabetes. It will work for some people and not for others.

Not getting on with the pump and therefore having bad control when on it is not a failure, it just means that it doesn't suit you and you are probably better off on multiple injections. The concept of being plugged into a device 24 hours a day is a scary thought though and I totally understand anyones wariness of the pump. I was scared of the idea before being plugged in, and this from someone who loves technology and gadgets and is vary rarely more than an arms length from a gadget of some description.

The pump is great for me because it lets me control things for my training much easier, but I'm still a looong way from getting it right. I've no thoughts about wanting to get rid of mine though and it doesn't effect my day to day life negatively in any way and more than carrying a pen around did.

BlackEdelweiss

I take what my consultants say with a pinch of salt these days, I have had a few over the last 3 years and none of them have ever said the same thing or kept me on the same treatment. Even at the berger course what the dietician said was contradicting the consultants about certain things. She had to say "do as the consultant says" but there was definitely a bit of sub conscious head shaking while she was saying it.
My wife's grandad is Type 2 and he was telling me the last day that his consultant told him carrots are full of sugar and to avoid them. There were a few other vegetables as well and he was shocked, he still thinks it's alright to put 2 big spoons of sugar into his hot whiskey though!:) He never has a reading over 5.

calfmuscle

Thanks guys,

I have no problem wearing the pump, I was wary at first like most people but got used to it in no time. My problem is that I insert and the cannula kinks and then I end up with high sugars and having to reset. Or I insert and it works for a day but then I will do an interval training session or just a normal training session and somehow the canula ends up kinking. This is the worst as I normally train at night so I don't realise there is a problem until the morning and then I'm vomiting and in DKA. Its so frustrating to have to miss work or matches because of the pump. I never had a DKA when I was on injections.

Robin I really wanted the pump to stop me hypoing over night following training and when it is working it works well. I just cant trust that it is working.

robinph

Have you tried with some different canulas?

I'm using a 6mm plastic ones at 90degrees, but they have suggested that the metal angled ones are generally better if your doing sports. I've not had a problem with mine, but I'm doing a totally non-contact activity so other than the sticky getting wet and coming loose in the rain it's all OK. The pump company should be able to send you out some alternatives to try if you ask them.

calfmuscle

robinph wrote: »

Have you tried with some different canulas?

I'm using a 6mm plastic ones at 90degrees, but they have suggested that the metal angled ones are generally better if your doing sports. I've not had a problem with mine, but I'm doing a totally non-contact activity so other than the sticky getting wet and coming loose in the rain it's all OK. The pump company should be able to send you out some alternatives to try if you ask them.

Thanks Robin,

I have mentioned it to my nurse, but she keeps saying she will speak to the rep and that there is a generic set available but it means the vile has a longer head that can cause problems. I play rugby which means I remove the pump for any contact drills and matches. But I do bolus before I take it off to allow for this. Its actually kind of handier to have Levemir in my system to counter act the glycogen release from my liver during games. The more tackles I take the higher my sugars go.

robinph

How do you go about ordering new supplies? With Animas UK I just call them up directly and tell them what I need, now the nurse had given me the details of what the metal canular ones to ask for were, but there was no need to get approval from her before asking for the different type. Animas just send me what I ask for and then they invoice the hospital.

The metal canulas do come with two bits stuck to you though, one where the canula actually is then a short cable to another pad which is where you disconnect the tubing to the pump from. Having a bit of extra cable attached to you during Rugby might not actually be an improvement unless you tape it down well, but the metal canula isn't going to get kinked at least.

Eurovisionmad

Met the Diabetes nurse today, was mostly grand, HbA1c was a little elevated etc etc

Then had a hypo while there, not the best thing I could've done to show her I'm getting the hang of having diaabetes

robinph

That has happened to me a couple of times. Does make you feel like a bit of a plonker as you sit there saying "Oh, it's all great, totally got the hang of this now, yes I can sense a hypo coming on a mile off...sorry ... hey...huh... why are you pouring lucozade down my throat?"

BlackEdelweiss

Well it has finally happened, the thing I have been fearing since I started taking insulin. I mixed up my night and day insulins! My blood was a bit high so I was giving myself a 3 unit corrective dose and then I went to take my regular 18 units of Levemir. It was only when I took the needle out of my leg that I realised that I had given myself 18 units of Novarapid along with my 3 unit corrective dose so I now have 21 units of Novarapid in my system at 10.45 at night. Great night ahead and of course tomorrow is no normal day where I have nothing to do, I have my graduation from college in the morning and lots to get ready before that. Sitting down now with a hunk of wholemeal bread and jam waiting to see where this is going. The most I have ever taken before is 11 units before a big dominos meal for 3.