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Bit unsure, but 'ello

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D

Delboy56

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Living in deepest Cornwall where tarmac is an optional extra I finally decided to seek out Diabetes UK..lol. Had type 2 for over 20 years but becoming a recycled teenager the years and condition have progressed. Today was my first insulin jab, think I did it right..lol. But hoping to pick up some hints/tips here.
 
Hello, I am also from deepest Cornwall @Delboy56 - are you under your GP or the Diabetic Clinic at Treliske?

What insulin are you using? Diabetes doesn't always have to progress. Can you give us some idea of what you eat on a daily basis, so we could maybe make suggestions which would halt the progression, because what you eat has a huge affect on T2 diabetes. Not trying to be nosey, just get a little more info to help us help you 🙂
 
Hi Patti, I have 'Abasaglar' pens, sounds like something of an arabic fast food menu! I have always had pretty good control, being married to a chef has helped..lol. Recently an HB1 testwhatever that is came back and if I interperate what info I've had ,and its been a lot, seems to me the insulin is by way of a low dose boost to the tablets, kind of turbo kick for the tabs, I may be wrong. My concern is a stupid one really. Had the first injection today, followed all the instructions given to me by the nurse, but to me it seems like the plunger hasn't moved! The countdowns were fine, just wonder if I was expecting to see movement that wasn't there. Said it was daft, and obviously trying a second dose to see what happens is probably not a good plan, and oh yes, bank holiday so can't phone and ask...lol
 
Did you do an air shot before your injection. This is where you will use about two units and shoot them into the air somewhere where you can see them and that will reassure you into knowing that the pen and needle works fine.Also, depending on how much insulin you use you may not see the plunger move for a while because it moves such small amounts at a time
 
Lily123 said:
Did you do an air shot before your injection. This is where you will use about two units and shoot them into the air somewhere where you can see them and that will reassure you into knowing that the pen and needle works fine.Also, depending on how much insulin you use you may not see the plunger move for a while because it moves such small amounts at a time
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HI, yes, saw the droplet on the end of the needle before turning it up to 10, think maybe I just have this vision of the normal injections where you see the plunger go down...lol
 
Delboy56 said:
Thank you, me being daft then...lol
Click to expand...
Hi and welcome....

Not daft at all. It is all about expectation and experience and you currently don't have any experience to know any different and most other injections will show a significant movement in the plunger, so it is perfectly reasonable to expect to see that. You are absolutely right that attempting a second dose would absolutely not be a good plan. Insulin is a very dangerous medication if too much is administered.... potentially fatal in fact.... so you were spot on not to try again.

We often say on the forum that there is no such thing as a silly (or daft) question, so don't be frightened or feel stupid about asking a question. If you don't know the answer or aren't sure, please feel free to ask. We all knew nothing to start with. It is also important to understand that diabetes is different for everyone, so comparing with what someone else does may not always be helpful but it may give you ideas of what you can try. You have to learn what works for you and your body.

I assume you have a BG testing kit and are familiar with using it? I hope they have also given you important advice on testing is you feel unwell/wobbly/not quite right and carrying hypo treatments with you are all times, including by the bed at night along with your test kit. You don't want to be wandering around the house half asleep and with your brain and body frazzled by low BG levels looking for something to eat or your test kit to check, especially if you have to negotiate stairs. Similarly a hot shower or bath can drop your levels and cause a hypo so having a stash of hypo treatment in the bathroom can be useful and always when/if you go out for a walk.
Talking or tarmac (or lack of it in Cornwall) you should have been advised to inform DVLA of your insulin usage and your insurance company if you drive and know the rules around BG levels and testing when driving. If you haven't please ask and we will explain.

As regards diet, if you have been diagnosed for 20 years, it is entirely possible that you have been given inappropriate dietary advice (sadly the NHS dietary advice for Type 2 diabetics is still behind the curve) and having a partner who is a chef (lucky you!!) might guarantee a delicious, balanced diet but it doesn't guarantee a diabetes friendly diet, so that might be something to gain more knowledge of, but any dietary changes would need to be done very cautiously now that you are on insulin.

Anyway, I am really pleased you have found the forum and I hope you will find it as helpful and informative and supportive as I have. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience here which surpasses that of many medical professionals.
 
rebrascora said:
Hi and welcome....

Not daft at all. It is all about expectation and experience and you currently don't have any experience to know any different and most other injections will show a significant movement in the plunger, so it is perfectly reasonable to expect to see that. You are absolutely right that attempting a second dose would absolutely not be a good plan. Insulin is a very dangerous medication if too much is administered.... potentially fatal in fact.... so you were spot on not to try again.

We often say on the forum that there is no such thing as a silly (or daft) question, so don't be frightened or feel stupid about asking a question. If you don't know the answer or aren't sure, please feel free to ask. We all knew nothing to start with. It is also important to understand that diabetes is different for everyone, so comparing with what someone else does may not always be helpful but it may give you ideas of what you can try. You have to learn what works for you and your body.

I assume you have a BG testing kit and are familiar with using it? I hope they have also given you important advice on testing is you feel unwell/wobbly/not quite right and carrying hypo treatments with you are all times, including by the bed at night along with your test kit. You don't want to be wandering around the house half asleep and with your brain and body frazzled by low BG levels looking for something to eat or your test kit to check, especially if you have to negotiate stairs. Similarly a hot shower or bath can drop your levels and cause a hypo so having a stash of hypo treatment in the bathroom can be useful and always when/if you go out for a walk.
Talking or tarmac (or lack of it in Cornwall) you should have been advised to inform DVLA of your insulin usage and your insurance company if you drive and know the rules around BG levels and testing when driving. If you haven't please ask and we will explain.

As regards diet, if you have been diagnosed for 20 years, it is entirely possible that you have been given inappropriate dietary advice (sadly the NHS dietary advice for Type 2 diabetics is still behind the curve) and having a partner who is a chef (lucky you!!) might guarantee a delicious, balanced diet but it doesn't guarantee a diabetes friendly diet, so that might be something to gain more knowledge of, but any dietary changes would need to be done very cautiously now that you are on insulin.

Anyway, I am really pleased you have found the forum and I hope you will find it as helpful and informative and supportive as I have. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience here which surpasses that of many medical professionals.
Click to expand...
Wow, thank you for all that information, most grateful. Being married to a chef is mainly good but it does mean I'm the crash test dummy for a new recipe..lol. I'm kinda semi-retired, but gave up my LGV 5 years ago after a major heart attack, so I guess there's going to be a balance struck also between cardiac meds and diabetic ones. I have spoken to DVLA and was pleasantly surprised at their response to be honest, also informed my boss who was also fine. Haven't spoken to my insurers yet but will. I'm going to have to be sqeakly clean on that score as most of my work is with the police...lol.
Strange you say about the corralation between healthy and diabetic friendy diets, as a layman I always have taken it that they go hand in hand, we live and learn....
 
Delboy56 said:
Wow, thank you for all that information, most grateful. Being married to a chef is mainly good but it does mean I'm the crash test dummy for a new recipe..lol. I'm kinda semi-retired, but gave up my LGV 5 years ago after a major heart attack, so I guess there's going to be a balance struck also between cardiac meds and diabetic ones. I have spoken to DVLA and was pleasantly surprised at their response to be honest, also informed my boss who was also fine. Haven't spoken to my insurers yet but will. I'm going to have to be sqeakly clean on that score as most of my work is with the police...lol.
Strange you say about the corralation between healthy and diabetic friendy diets, as a layman I always have taken it that they go hand in hand, we live and learn....
Click to expand...
Are you already on a 3 year medical driving licence due to your heart attack. If so there probably won't be any change other than more boxes to tick and questions to answer when it is renewed. There should be no increase in premium with your insurance but they need to be informed that you are now on insulin.

As regards diet, I am guessing that you might be under the misapprehension that diabetes is all about sugar, when in fact all carbohydrates break down into glucose. For instance your average slice of bread is digested to produce roughly the same amount of Glucose as 3-4 spoonfuls of sugar, even wholemeal bread, so your average sandwich with 2 slices of bread is contributing the equivalent of 6-8 spoons of sugar to your Blood Glucose (BG) levels. Same with potatoes (in all their forms) and pasta and rice and breakfast cereals.... and even exotic fruits like bananas and mangos and pineapple etc. So if you have just reduced your actual "sugar" ie the white or brown stuff intake over the past 20+ years then there is a lot of room for reducing your carb intake to enable your body to cope without that insulin..... if you wanted to make some changes. I know the things I mentioned all seen like they are the basis of every meal, but they don't need to be once you get your head around it and eating more protein and natural fats to provide energy instead of most of those high carb foods will help to stabilize your BG levels and supply you with plenty of slow release energy. Many of us follow this way of eating and whilst it is difficult to get your head around at first it can actually be really enjoyable. So bacon and eggs and mushrooms for breakfast is much lower carb than toast or breakfast cereal. I have them on a bed of savoy cabbage cooked in a knob of butter. Or an omelette with whatever filling you fancy bar potato, with a side salad and a dollop of cheese coleslaw does it for me and will keep me going until my evening meal. Or some creamy Greek style natural yoghurt with a few berries which are the lowest carb fruits, with mixed seeds and a sprinkle of cinnamon which is my regular breakfast. Lots of possible options once you look past the obvious breakfast choices.

.... Maybe we can convince your good lady to start offering low carb meals at her establishment to cater for those of us who use diet to manage our diabetes and we will all be down to Cornwall to give her our business!! 😉 There is a real lack of low carb options in most eateries.
 
There is lots around the site which will fill in any gaps in your diabetes understanding but this link might help with some meal ideas that are suitable for Type 2 diabetics. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/
It is a misconception that a healthy diet must be diabetic friendly and the NHS Eatwell Plate is generally far higher in carbs than many Type 2 could tolerate and keep blood glucose levels where they should be.
I don't recall seeing you saying what your HbA1C is that has prompted the introduction of insulin.
Do be vigilant about testing so you can assess the balance between your diet and the insulin and avoid any surprising hypos. It would be a good idea to have an contact number to hand in case you need urgent advice.
 
rebrascora said:
Are you already on a 3 year medical driving licence due to your heart attack. If so there probably won't be any change other than more boxes to tick and questions to answer when it is renewed. There should be no increase in premium with your insurance but they need to be informed that you are now on insulin.

As regards diet, I am guessing that you might be under the misapprehension that diabetes is all about sugar, when in fact all carbohydrates break down into glucose. For instance your average slice of bread is digested to produce roughly the same amount of Glucose as 3-4 spoonfuls of sugar, even wholemeal bread, so your average sandwich with 2 slices of bread is contributing the equivalent of 6-8 spoons of sugar to your Blood Glucose (BG) levels. Same with potatoes (in all their forms) and pasta and rice and breakfast cereals.... and even exotic fruits like bananas and mangos and pineapple etc. So if you have just reduced your actual "sugar" ie the white or brown stuff intake over the past 20+ years then there is a lot of room for reducing your carb intake to enable your body to cope without that insulin..... if you wanted to make some changes. I know the things I mentioned all seen like they are the basis of every meal, but they don't need to be once you get your head around it and eating more protein and natural fats to provide energy instead of most of those high carb foods will help to stabilize your BG levels and supply you with plenty of slow release energy. Many of us follow this way of eating and whilst it is difficult to get your head around at first it can actually be really enjoyable. So bacon and eggs and mushrooms for breakfast is much lower carb than toast or breakfast cereal. I have them on a bed of savoy cabbage cooked in a knob of butter. Or an omelette with whatever filling you fancy bar potato, with a side salad and a dollop of cheese coleslaw does it for me and will keep me going until my evening meal. Or some creamy Greek style natural yoghurt with a few berries which are the lowest carb fruits, with mixed seeds and a sprinkle of cinnamon which is my regular breakfast. Lots of possible options once you look past the obvious breakfast choices.

.... Maybe we can convince your good lady to start offering low carb meals at her establishment to cater for those of us who use diet to manage our diabetes and we will all be down to Cornwall to give her our business!! 😉 There is a real lack of low carb options in most eateries.
Click to expand...
I was astonished when dvla got me to surrender my LGV 1&2 after the heart attack period, but after a years nagging and passing a medical got my car licence and 7.5t licence back under grandads rights, they didn't really like it but rules is rules..lol. Regards the insulin, again they surprised me, fill in the forms, done, carry on as is so long as it's OK with my gp until they decide! Confusion reigns..lol
 
Driving shouldn’t be a case of simply carrying on as is, now that you’re on insulin you must comply with the rules about testing and hypos around driving. Have the DVLA or your DSN given you the information about those rules?
 
Hi Lucy, my comments weren't intended to appear flippant, I have to be aware of the regulations round driving as it's my job and I work with the police doing it. It's hard enough keeping up with tacho regs, dvsa regs, etc etc, it just seems every time I have to contact dvla you get either a hard as nails response or carry on we'll let you know. I assure you all paperwork for them has been done.lol. At present my licence is unrestricted pending their decision, so I'm watching this space..
 
Delboy56 said:
I was astonished when dvla got me to surrender my LGV 1&2 after the heart attack period, but after a years nagging and passing a medical got my car licence and 7.5t licence back under grandads rights, they didn't really like it but rules is rules..lol. Regards the insulin, again they surprised me, fill in the forms, done, carry on as is so long as it's OK with my gp until they decide! Confusion reigns..lol
Click to expand...
Yep you can drive under rule 88 as long as GP is happy if your 3 yr licence runs out before they get round to the tick box
Just to let you know though you wont see your licence back anytime soon.
I sent mine off on the 16th of October 2021 and it took until the 4th of May 2022 to issue a new one. In all that time no medical enquiries were made to GP, diabetes consultant or the MS neurologist. Basically it sat there from Last November when it was uploaded to the system until the 4th of May. Suspect I might still be waiting if I hadn't emailed the CEO twice asking for an explanation.
 
Delboy56 said:
Living in deepest Cornwall where tarmac is an optional extra I finally decided to seek out Diabetes UK..lol. Had type 2 for over 20 years but becoming a recycled teenager the years and condition have progressed. Today was my first insulin jab, think I did it right..lol. But hoping to pick up some hints/tips here.
Click to expand...
I'm in Cornwall as well and our roads are def a lot better than Devon's 🙂
 
Delboy56 said:
Hi Lucy, my comments weren't intended to appear flippant, I have to be aware of the regulations round driving as it's my job and I work with the police doing it. It's hard enough keeping up with tacho regs, dvsa regs, etc etc, it just seems every time I have to contact dvla you get either a hard as nails response or carry on we'll let you know. I assure you all paperwork for them has been done.lol. At present my licence is unrestricted pending their decision, so I'm watching this space..
Click to expand...
I’m not talking about paperwork but about whether you have been informed of the requirement to test before driving and every 2 hrs whilst driving, and not to drive within 45 minutes of a hypo
 
Yes, fully aware and informed, I test first thing before driving and again at tacho break intervals which often no are not at two hour intervals. In the years I've been diabetic and not long been on insulin I'm fortunate in never having had a hypo so 45mins has never entered the equation...yet
 
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