[Diabetes] General Chat and Support Thread

cruhoortwunk

Hi,
Just a quick question on behalf of my diabetic granny. She was told that treatment for any condition related to her diabetes should be covered. Is this true?
Eg. her chiropodist or optician.
Any info appreciated

The_Conductor

cruhoortwunk wrote: »

Hi,
Just a quick question on behalf of my diabetic granny. She was told that treatment for any condition related to her diabetes should be covered. Is this true?
Eg. her chiropodist or optician.
Any info appreciated

There are specific symptoms relating to eyes, feet etc that would be monitored. General opticians appointments etc would not be covered. She really needs to discuss this in her diabetic clinic with the diabetic nurse, who will be able to better answer her questions.

There are special optical exams for diabetics- and indeed special podiatry exams- these would be covered publicly.

graflynn

cruhoortwunk wrote: »

Hi,
Just a quick question on behalf of my diabetic granny. She was told that treatment for any condition related to her diabetes should be covered. Is this true?
Eg. her chiropodist or optician.
Any info appreciated

This is mostly true, however, it depends on if that service is available where your Gran lives. Her GP would have all the information on all the diabetic services that are available to her. Or her local health centre.

Best of luck.

cruhoortwunk

graflynn wrote: »

This is mostly true, however, it depends on if that service is available where your Gran lives. Her GP would have all the information on all the diabetic services that are available to her. Or her local health centre.

Best of luck.

That makes sense. She was told by someone in Galway that they got it free. But she is in Wexford, so it probably isn't available there.

graflynn

cruhoortwunk wrote: »

That makes sense. She was told by someone in Galway that they got it free. But she is in Wexford, so it probably isn't available there.

Most of the health centres or diabetes clinics would have some services but it's unlikely that they would have absolutely nothing. It's really worth a phone call or two.

Squeaky the Squirrel

Salt linked to autoimmune diseases

Yakuza

Hi all,
My youngest daughter (not quite 2¾) was diagnosed with T1 last week, I thought I'd drop in and say Hi as I'm bound to have more questions over the next while. I have to say the folks in Temple Street have been fantastic with us, from the triage nurses in A/E to the doctors and diabetic consultants and nurses on the ward. It has been a rollercoaster over the last few days, but we're already fairly adept at taking blood samples for glucose and ketone levels, and my wife has administered a few insulin shots (I'll be breaking my cherry on that tomorrow). I think she's getting a pump, but we need to know how to inject (and calculate quantities etc) as well, I believe.

Any hints / tips / tidbits of info from anyone with similar experience would be gratefully received. I know there is a support line into Temple St but hearing of any practical experience would be nice too. I'm told that over the next few years she'll become a dab hand at testing herself, but I guess that's down to myself and the missus for the short to medium term. Even now, she doesn't even flinch when we draw blood and she's already able to put the testing strip into the reader - kids, eh?

Royal Legend

Yakuza wrote: »

Hi all,
My youngest daughter (not quite 2¾) was diagnosed with T1 last week, I thought I'd drop in and say Hi as I'm bound to have more questions over the next while. I have to say the folks in Temple Street have been fantastic with us, from the triage nurses in A/E to the doctors and diabetic consultants and nurses on the ward. It has been a rollercoaster over the last few days, but we're already fairly adept at taking blood samples for glucose and ketone levels, and my wife has administered a few insulin shots (I'll be breaking my cherry on that tomorrow). I think she's getting a pump, but we need to know how to inject (and calculate quantities etc) as well, I believe.

Any hints / tips / tidbits of info from anyone with similar experience would be gratefully received. I know there is a support line into Temple St but hearing of any practical experience would be nice too. I'm told that over the next few years she'll become a dab hand at testing herself, but I guess that's down to myself and the missus for the short to medium term. Even now, she doesn't even flinch when we draw blood and she's already able to put the testing strip into the reader - kids, eh?

Welcome Yakuza, there is lots of great info on here from people with Type 1 and I am sure they will be of great help to you. I have type 2 myself.

RobbingBandit

My type 2 is still not under control despite serious efforts on my part with both diet and overcoming my inability to take my meds, I am having serious bouts of incontinence after drinking anything other than water, 30 years old, false teeth, type 2 diabetes and incontinence may be I should move into an old folks home.:o:(

Squeaky the Squirrel

The Unintended (and Deadly) Consequences of Living in the Industrialized World

^^^Especially for folks that have Antibacterial soap pumps in the kitchen.

Royal Legend

Eventually, after having to pay to go to a private diabetic clinic, I got the call to go and meet an Nutritionist at a group session. The talk lasted nearly three hours and it was very interesting. In fairness there was no, "don't eat this and don't eat that" type of rubbish, bit just a clear concise explanation of what our foods contain and how we should try to change old habits. Most intersting of all was table given out so as we could analyse food labels. I will post it seperately, it just gives a less than/more than set of guides, as in this amount on a label means a LOT (Not good for you) and this amount or less means Little (good for you)
One of the other comments, which you hear a lot lately is that "Low Fat" can sometimes mean "more sugar" so be careful.

I will post it in my next post, I hope it may be of help to people in regards to reading food labels.

Royal Legend

Look at the amounts on label per 100g

These amounts or more mean a LOT

Sugars 15g
Fat 20g
Saturates 5g
Fibre 6g (Good for you)
Salt 1.5g

These amounts or less mean a LITTLE

Sugars 5g
Fat 3g
Saturates 1.5g
Fibre 0.50g
Salt 0.3g


365 (3 Low Fat, 6 High Fibre, 5 Low Sugar

Munstermissy

I was diagnosed in Wales nearly 8 years ago with Type 1 and the nutritionist came to speak with me while I was recovering.

The one thing that always sticks in my mind is he told me, 2 grammes little and 10 grammes too much and go by that still to this day.

CathyMoran

I have worked out what I should eat by trial and error and a lot of reading (am a type 1 for over 28 years (diagnosed when I was 10) - what suits me would not suit most as I have 8other medical issues that have a hige bearing on what I eat and take presedence. I tend to eat about 50g of carbs at dinner but it can vary but I always try and eat low GI. For lunch I would be the same. I should be better for breakfast so am trying to eat porrige for breakfast from tomorrow (I used to only have a decaf coffee)...well that is the hope! My Hba1c (I still think in the old way and was 5.6 the last time from memory, it was over 3 months ago). I do find that caffeine messes with my blood sugars (thus the decaf). If I am eating a bad meal I would have it at lunch as I need to know my blood sugars are OK at night but I do test a lot! I also am a healthy weight. I do tend to have a lot of hypos though and am on the list for the pump.

ebbsy

RobbingBandit wrote: »

My type 2 is still not under control despite serious efforts on my part with both diet and overcoming my inability to take my meds, I am having serious bouts of incontinence after drinking anything other than water, 30 years old, false teeth, type 2 diabetes and incontinence may be I should move into an old folks home.:o:(

What meds are ye taking mate ? I'm on Insulin.

I had your symptoms and gave up

white bread
white rice
sweets ( except the odd 85% chocolate )
red meat
processed foods.
fried foods ( 90% reduction )

I eat lots of fish and grilled chicken. Plenty of onion is very important as well.

I now go to the toilet very little, as opposed to many times before. Are you on the right meds I wonder ?

Royal Legend

CathyMoran wrote: »

I have worked out what I should eat by trial and error and a lot of reading (am a type 1 for over 2 years (diagnosed when I was 10) - what suits me would not suit most as I have 8other medical issues that have a hige bearing on what I eat and take presedence. I tend to eat about 50g of carbs at dinner but it can vary but I always try and eat low GI. For lunch I would be the same. I should be better for breakfast so am trying to eat porrige for breakfast from tomorrow (I used to only have a decaf coffee)...well that is the hope! My Hba1c (I still think in the old way and was 5.6 the last time from memory, it was over 3 months ago). I do find that caffeine messes with my blood sugars (thus the decaf). If I am eating a bad meal I would have it at lunch as I need to know my blood sugars are OK at night but I do test a lot! I also am a healthy weight.

I drink a lot of Coffee, it does not seem to bother my bloods, although when at home I drink it made with milk, which I know is not great.
I tend to eat porrige for breakfast, I am pretty good throughout the day, I dall down in the evenings, after dinner, biscuits are the curse. Now that the weather should start to improve and the daylight increases, I will up the exercise bit.

CathyMoran

Royal Legend wrote: »

I drink a lot of Coffee, it does not seem to bother my bloods, although when at home I drink it made with milk, which I know is not great.
I tend to eat porrige for breakfast, I am pretty good throughout the day, I dall down in the evenings, after dinner, biscuits are the curse. Now that the weather should start to improve and the daylight increases, I will up the exercise bit.

I have to eat caloirie dense foods as I had a total oesophagectomy a few years ago for something nasty. I always take a small amount of insulin if I want something...

gctest50

Just in case anyone missed it and has one of these :

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-26/j-j-recalls-1-9-million-blood-sugar-meters-after-death.html


Have to love this bit though :

"The meters affected by the recall are the OneTouch VerioIQ, the OneTouch VerioPro, and the OneTouch VerioPro+, Detmers said. Patients can continue using the VerioIQ meter until the product is replaced, he said. "

Flatten the POS with a hammer or similar implement and post it back

CathyMoran

On another note - never ate breakfast, bad I know but have been eating porridge for brekfast the past few days and my blood sugars have been better, my issue is that my stomach capacity is very small as it is also my food pipe (from another medical condition).

The_Conductor

Were these (OneTouch VerioIQ, the OneTouch VerioPro, and the OneTouch VerioPro+) widely sold/used in Ireland? I've never seen one. They seem to be pushing the One Touch Ultra range still- particularly the 'Easy' model (which they give out free- which I guess is the least they can do, when they're charging 40 quid per box of 50 test strips).

Just sourced a few One Touch Ultra Smarts for my little wifey- she loves the graphing function on it- even if it does waste a silly number of strips with misreads.

gctest50

smccarrick wrote: »

Just sourced a few One Touch Ultra Smarts for my little wifey- she loves the graphing function on it- even if it does waste a silly number of strips with misreads.

www.bayercontourusb.ie do decent graphs when you plug them in

CathyMoran

gctest50 wrote: »

www.bayercontourusb.ie do decent graphs when you plug them in

Looks good but I also need a light if I do blood tests in the night...will have a look though, thanks.

gctest50

If you press the power button twice it illuminates the test strip end of it

The_Conductor

gctest50 wrote: »

If you press the power button twice it illuminates the test strip end of it

The Ultra Smart illuminates half the house

Bannasidhe

smccarrick wrote: »

The Ultra Smart illuminates half the house

or half an acre if you use it while camping :cool:

robinph

I think I got one of these free a while ago, but never used it yet or got round to getting the prescription for the strips.

The_Conductor

robinph wrote: »

I think I got one of these free a while ago, but never used it yet or got round to getting the prescription for the strips.

It wasn't one of the ones that was given out free here- depending on the pharmacy you went to it cost between 80 and 120 Euro. It was about £40 on NHS schemes aka it wasn't one of the approved machines under the scheme. It takes the regular One Touch Ultra test strips (how they get away with charging 40-50 quid per box of 50 is beyond me.......

Squeaky the Squirrel

FDA OKs first-of-its-kind diabetes drug from J&J

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a first-of-its-kind diabetes drug from Johnson & Johnson that uses a new method to lower blood sugar — flushing it out in patients' urine.

The agency cleared J&J's Invokana tablets for adults with Type 2 diabetes, which affects an estimated 26 million Americans. The once-a-day medication works by blocking the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar, which occurs at higher levels in patients with diabetes than in healthy patients.

The FDA said it approved the drug based on nine studies involving more than 10,000 patients. The studies showed that Invokana, both alone and in combination with other diabetes drugs, helped control blood sugar levels.

Pffft, means nothing nowadays with the amount of dangerous crap that this shower has approved in the last few years.

Royal Legend

I thought excess sugar was flushed theough our urine at present? Can someone enlighten me as to why this is a breakthrough drug?

The_Conductor

Royal Legend wrote: »

I thought excess sugar was flushed theough our urine at present? Can someone enlighten me as to why this is a breakthrough drug?

It minimises the amount of sugar absorbed into the blood stream through the kidneys- which while minimal in normal people, can be quite high in athletes or people with Type 2 diabetes. So- where the kidneys are a vector in hyperglycaemia in T2 diabetes, this drug minimises this vector (obviously its only one route to blood sugar- so it would be used in combination with other treatments).