Desmond course

[joimes75]

Hi Chaps

As a recently diagnosed Type 2 i went along to the 1 day Desmond course on Friday which i found in many respects really useful, if nothing else to meet people in a similar position however..

I was (am..) worried at what seems to be such a massive gap between what is fairly standard advice on the internet and books i have read ie regular testing with a BG meter - which makes total sense to me and my Desmond instructor who insisted that only urine test sticks are necessary and barely mentioned BG meters at all.

I did try (a bit to tentatively probably) to put an alternative point of view forward but being new to all of this the facts arent exactly tripping of my toungue... and i didnt to very well at this... which im pretty annoyed at myself about..

I was wondering if anyone else had come across this in Desmond? has this always been the NHS / Desmond line??

cheers
James

 

[AlisonM]

I'm a newly diagnosed Type 2, but my urine didn't show anything. My BGL however is through the roof, though falling slowly over the last few days. On that scant evidence, I'd stick with the BG meter for now. Maybe talk to your medical team, see what they have to say. My advice would be to keep asking questions till you're happy you've got all the answers you need to make an informed decision on what's best for you.

 

[Vanessa]

You've come across the standard NHS line I'm afraid - blanket approach being that Type 2's do not need to test. NICE guidelines give conditions when Type 2's need to test - and a number of people on here have ended up taking those guidelines to the doctors to convince him/her that they need to

Urine testing may be useful in some circumstances but the results are considerably behind time of when your blood glucose hit its peak. Also as has been posted - they are not as accurate as it depends on how well or otherwise your kidneys filter out the sugar


Vanessa

 

[Andy]

I am Type 2 and been diagnosed for 3 years. I am now on insulin and tablets and test about 3 times a day as advised/recommended by my diabetes team at the clinic at the hospital. I was still told to test even before I started the insulin.

 

[joimes75]

Thanks chaps,

What worried me the most (and the reason i didnt push the subject too much..) was that sitting to the right of me were three practice nurses who were clearly absorbing every word of their being told they should encourage their patients to use urine strips rather than BG meters.

I could see the gap in their logic... if (as advised by Desmond) the ideal blood range is 4 - 7 and Urine sticks only pick up 10+ what happens if your BG peaks at 9 reguarly two hours after eating?? - as i believe mine does... (discovered by testing reguarly with a BG meter...)

My concern was not principally for myself (though dont get me wrong buying these test strips is v v expensive) but the fact that there were other people on the course clearly much more accepting of the (presumably new?) standard advice given.

Cheers

Ps -Im a bit narked at the moment, its one thing to fight the progression of a disease its another thing to seemingly have to fight the medical profession at the same time..

anyway soz moan over for the mo..

 

[vince13]

Hi Chaps

As a recently diagnosed Type 2 i went along to the 1 day Desmond course on Friday which i found in many respects really useful, if nothing else to meet people in a similar position however.. James

I was diagnosed in Oct/Nov last year. Although I'm accepted by my medical team as a 1.5 but am not yet on insulin I have been put down for a DESMOND course this week and, noting what James has said, I'll be interested to see the line preached at Taunton, my local area.

I have various questions for them - as I am back to struggling at present to keep levels down. I don't know whether I'm back-sliding or my pancreas is packing up as the Consultant said it would, but I was told by my Team that the DESMOND lot would find me "an oddity" as a LADA.

I'll be interested to see what they say - I hope they help me as I'm really despondent again now, having been doing so well in the past 6 months. My other alternative is to go back to my own DSN and pour out my heart to her but I'll see what DESMOND comes up with first.

I've also been put forward for the Proactive scheme which UKJohn mentioned on a recent post - where you get so many weeks overseen by a NHS Instructor at a reduced rate.

I feel I am being helped very well and am blaming myself for levels increasing but can't identify why at present.

 

[Northerner]

...I feel I am being helped very well and am blaming myself for levels increasing but can't identify why at present.

Faith, do NOT blame yourself!!! You are Type 1.5, and unfortunately, sooner or later, that will mean that your pancreas will start to become less able to respond to your changes in blood sugar levels - it doesn't mean that you are doing anything wrong!

I've noticed quite a lot recently how people whose levels are rising (whatever type) are becoming very anxious and despondent and this seems to be down to the fact that the healthcare professionals involved seem happy to allow a transitional period of higher levels whilst they assess the correct treatment regime. I do think that it is correct that they don't rush things, but that doesn't help the people who are experiencing the higher levels because we have had it drilled into us from the start about how dangerous these can be to our long-term health! The best we can do, I think, is to be as well-informed as possible so that we understand the treatments and their consequences, and are able to question or 'push' when we feel necessary in order to get the best long-term solution.

 

[vince13]

I understand what you are saying, Alan, and I know it may sound very like being a clever-clogs but I really thought I could prove my Consultant wrong when he said it would all go pear-shaped within a year for me (and it's coming up to that now).

As my levels had been down into the high 5s to mid 6s I thought that it was me doing the controlling (with the aid of medication) and I was determined to do everything "right" (how boring !) and get my life back again and I just feel I've lost it.

Even finger-pricking hurts again at the moment and nothing has changed there so it's just my perception of it - and I DO SO LOVE sweet things ! Will I live longer or will it just feel like it - and is it worth it ? Yes, I know the answer to that question but I'm in an "oh sod it!" phase today - I still can't hack this blasted condition and I'm going to have to - control freak that's me !

Thanks for listening.