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True Bassist

True Bassist

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hey there!

I've been a Type 1 Diabetic for coming up to 4 years now (diagnosed when I was 18).

I have had a pretty crappy HBA1C average in the 10% mark in the last year which has got me quite down about the condition. On top of that, I've just got married in the past few weeks and while I want to make sure that I start getting healthier, things seem to always be a bit more difficult to get done!

Looking forward to meeting some people and learning more about how to be a better diabetic on here!

Cheers
Ben
 
True Bassist said:
Hey there!

I've been a Type 1 Diabetic for coming up to 4 years now (diagnosed when I was 18).

I have had a pretty crappy HBA1C average in the 10% mark in the last year which has got me quite down about the condition. On top of that, I've just got married in the past few weeks and while I want to make sure that I start getting healthier, things seem to always be a bit more difficult to get done!

Looking forward to meeting some people and learning more about how to be a better diabetic on here!

Cheers
Ben
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welcome Ben :D I'm sure you will find the forum helpful and supportive and big congratulations to you and your new wife 🙂 Sheena
 
Hi Ben, welcome to the forum 🙂 What insulin regime are you on? Have you been on a diabetes education course, such as DAFNE or BERTIE? If not, then it's definitely worth asking your DSN what is available in your area - it can really help with getting your levels under control 🙂

I'd also suggest getting a copy of Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults by Ragnar Hanas. Even though you are few years in now, it's worth reading up on as much information as you can. Diabetes is a very complex and often misunderstood disease so the more you know about the ins and outs, the better! 🙂

If there are any questions you have - please ask! Nothing is considered 'silly' and you are not expected to know everything - we are all learning every day. Have a look around and join in wherever you wish. I look forward to hearing more from you. 🙂
 
Hi Ben

What's a 'Good' diabetic? :confused:

It's more reaching a truce with your D, where it lives with you instead of you living with it. That means, you call the shots cos you are boss. And the D has to do what you tell it to.

It took me a long time to find the 'language' that my D understood and responded well to. Bit like a naughty child really.

So what do you know and what don't you know? What do you need help with and what are you comfy with? What insulins are you on and do you get on OK with em? Do you test your BG often - and what do you do with the results?

What do YOU want to change?
 
Hi Ben. Welcome.🙂

Congrats on your recent marriage. Do you have time in your lifestyle to give your diabetes a bit of attention or are, like many, having to put it to the back ?

I definitely second the advice Northerner has given. The Ragnar Hanas book is a good palce for getting the ins and outs of it all.

Rob
 
Hi Ben

Welcome to the forums.

Plenty here with lots of D miles under their belts. If you are struggling with something chances are someone around here will have been there before you.

Fire away with any questions - nothing will be thought silly or obvious. If all else fails just have a good ole rant about the illogical antics of the D Fairy :D
 
Hi Ben, welcome aboard, lots of helpful guys here, just for the asking🙂
 
Welcome to the forums Ben 🙂
 
Hello Ben - saw your forum name and wondered what kind of bassist are you? Singing, string or guitar variety I wonder ... Anyway, congrats on your marriage 🙂
 
hi Ben.... welcome to the forum 🙂
 
Welcome to the forum Ben - I hope you find them useful.

Do you have regular contact with a DSN who could help you tailor your insulin?

If you give a little more detail about what insulins you are on, and how often you test your blood sugars - people will chip in with ideas about how they would try and move things forward.
 
Welcome to the forum Ben and congratulations on the recent wedding! 🙂
 
Hey wonderful people,

Let's get down to some replies!

Northerner - I'm on Levemir & Novarapid. Currently about 26 units of Levemir and attempting the same of Novarapid. I reckon that 27/28 is going to be where I end up over the next few months.
Unfortunately, I've tried to get on some courses locally but nothing runs that I can attend (submitted an application to go on a course last Summer before I started work and only received a letter back at the start of the year!!). To be honest, I feel pretty let down by my local hospital (PRH) and don't really get any support from them.
I've got the book which I really should start reading through. Looks like it could have everything I possibly need in it!

trophywench - I guess I my main aim is to get my blood sugars down to acceptable levels. They are far too high at the moment and I'm at the point where I kind of struggle to ever get myself at the right levels. I am getting better, but any tips and good advice can only help I guess.

Robster65 - I certainly am quite busy and sometimes push my Diabetes aside for either convenience or just not wanting to deal with it. Not the best idea I know!

Willsmum - I'm a bass guitarist / acoustic guitarist / pianist / caj?n player. =P

margie - I check about 4/5 times a day if I'm on the ball. During the week at work is better because I'm in a routine and it's easier to do. I guess it's the evenings and weekends that prove the more difficult times to control and record.
My BS are normal in the high single figures on average although I managed to get them nearer 7 last week. My HBA1c test was around 10.4% last time although it had been going up before and the last test it was the same. While it isn't going down, at least it hasn't gone up again!

Thanks for all the help and questions so far peoples!
Ben
 
Hi Ben, if you can't get on a proper education course, there's an excellent online carb-counting course that you might want to look at:

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/

Also, you may find that you don't end up on roughly equal amounts of levemir and novorapid. I think the starting point is around 40:60 i.e. 40% levemir and 60% novorapid, but then it can vary from person to person. I'm on lantus and novorapid and although I started out at about 40:60, I am now on 8:92 i.e. 8% of my total daily dose is lantus and the other 92% is novorapid with my meals. I'm a bit odd in this respect, but it gives you an idea of how different people can be. 🙂
 
Hi Ben seem to have missed welcoming you when you joined so hello and welcome 🙂
 
Northerner - I see. So if I'm running on 20 units of levemir, I should be on about 30 units of novarapid.
 
True Bassist said:
Northerner - I see. So if I'm running on 20 units of levemir, I should be on about 30 units of novarapid.
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There's no hard and fast rule Ben. It's just somewhere for the medics to start from and you adjust to what works for you. Never try to mould your own version of diabetes into what the doctors say it should be. Just use their version as a guide and be open to suggestions.

For years, I decided mine should be how I said it was. Regardless of how badly it was working for me. Eventually I opened up to a bit of change and tried a few tweaks to find what worked.

If that makes sense.🙂

Rob
 
OK - I mean I reckon 25 unites of levemir and 30 or so of novarapid would probably suit me very well each day. I might use this as a guide for the week and see how my BS react to it.
 
True Bassist said:
OK - I mean I reckon 25 unites of levemir and 30 or so of novarapid would probably suit me very well each day. I might use this as a guide for the week and see how my BS react to it.
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The main thing you need to work on is getting your dose of levemir correct. If it is not at the right level then it will affect everything else. Have a read of the following to gain an insight into how to test your basal (levemir) insulin:

http://www.diatribe.us/issues/13/learning-curve.php

The article is directed at people on insulin pumps, but the principles of how to test basal still apply on injections. 🙂
 
Great article - this is really helpful Thank you.
 
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