Hi i am a newbie

[FRANKIE2020]

I was taken into hospital last October quite a shock to find i had type 1 diabetes at 68yrs old, it has been a bit scary with lock down and at times have felt overwhelmed but i have got my head straight now and coping a lot better had a lot of help via telephone

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum!

Yes we have a fair few members diagnosed in later life, and probably more than half of our T1s were diagnosed in adulthood. We have others diagnosed in childhood or even as babies too, of course, but being diagnosed in your autumn years is nothing like as unusual as many people think.

Glad to year you’ve got your head around things already. Every day is a school day with T1 I find, I don’t think you ever stop learning (or relearning!)

Ask away with any questions you have, or just feel free to rant and moan about the frustrations of BG juggling. It can really help to have the ‘hive mind’ of the forum to consult 🙂

 

[Ljc]

Hi @FRANKIE2020. Welcome to the forum . I am glad to hear you are coping much better now.
Please feel free to ask any questions you have about diabetes . Many of our T1 members were dx in adulthood , so you are in good company here.
What insulin’s are you on.

 

[FRANKIE2020]

i am on Novorapid and Tresiba .

 

[rebrascora]

Hi and welcome from me too. I was a late starter at 56yrs old but thankfully managed not to wind up in hospital. It's a shame you didn't find us sooner as the forum is a great place to gain knowledge and support which is particularly helpful in those early few months as we all know how overwhelming it is.

How are you finding the Tresiba?
Are you finger pricking or have they got you sorted with Freestyle Libre sensors, so that you can just scan to get readings?

The forum is a great place to learn about new technology and tips and tricks as to how best to use it as well as general diabetes management advice?
If there is anything you are having difficulty with, don't hesitate to ask.

You might like to join us on the "Group 7day waking average" thread, where we check in each morning with our waking reading (very few people bother with weekly averages) and have a bit of chat about our levels, the weather, what plans we have for the day etc. It's a bit like a virtual coffee morning. It's a very long thread so don't even attempt to read it from the beginning, just jump in tomorrow morning with your waking reading if you would like to and any snippets of information you would like to share with us and you will soon be part of the gang.... This is a link to the thread....

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/group-7-day-waking-average.20148/page-3766#post-1081084

Hope to see you there in the morning.

 

[FRANKIE2020]

Hi i seem to be ok with the Tresiba i reduced it and has settled now what do you think of the Freestyle Libre i started off with finger prick but i'm trying Libre for two weeks to see how it goes not sure yet i'll give the 7 day waking average a go tomorrow see you there.

 

[helli]

Are you finger pricking or have they got you sorted with Freestyle Libre sensors, so that you can just scan to get readings?

There seems to be a few comments suggesting that finger pricking is no longer necessary when you have the Libre.
This is not the advice I have been given and nor is it my experience.
The advice is to always test before correcting a high or low as this is when Libre is least accurate.
I find it necessary to check that the sensor has not drifted so I will finger prick at least once a day and usually twice (as soon as I get up and before I turn off the light). I find the sensors less accurate at the start and end of their lives. I generally overcome the issues at the start by wearing it for 2 or 3 days before activating but still need to finger prick to get an idea how close it is. If you never finger prick you can be assuming the sensor is accurate when you have a dud one.
I believe i is also a legal requirement to carry finger pricking meter with you when you drive and I do so when I go out without the car because the Libre can fail.

 

[Ljc]

I’ve been using the Libre a few years now and though it has reduced the number of finger pricks I do , you still need to do some , ie treating and coming out of hypo’s for one.
I love the info the graphs give me .
It make Basal testing easier too.

Having said that, some sensors can be rather dodgy and for some folks for some reason as yet unknown they just don’t work well enough ie results are all over the place. Personally I have found mine to be a game changer .

 

[FRANKIE2020]

thanks for the advice i will now finger prick in the morning and at night my sharp box is getting quite full where do i dispose of it and get a new one .

 

[helli]

thanks for the advice i will now finger prick in the morning and at night my sharp box is getting quite full where do i dispose of it and get a new one .

Many of the things diabetes-wise vary from person to person. As if that isn't enough, they also vary area to area.
In some areas, you take your sharps box to the doctor's surgery to dispose of. In other areas, you take them to the pharmacy and in other areas the council collect them.
If you are the kind of guy who prefers to talk to someone, I would ask in the pharmacy next time you are picking up supplies or your diabetes team/nurse if you are in regular contact with them. If you are the kind of guy who likes to look it up, check your council's website.
And make sure you get a replacement sharp's container - I get mine on prescription ... but, again, this varies.

 

[FRANKIE2020]

ok will check my pharmacy next time i go

 

[grovesy]

thanks for the advice i will now finger prick in the morning and at night my sharp box is getting quite full where do i dispose of it and get a new one .

Some areas the council contract out to a third party.