Hi!

[Smurfette85]

Hi everyone!

So not completely new to this situation as my husband is T1 (diagnosed nearly 6 years ago) but a week ago my eldest was diagnosed with T1. Always been been on the look out for symptoms in my children since my husband was diagnosed and held out hope that this would never happen

He is 9 and has been amazing! Obviously we are still adapting to this new situation and trying to get his dosages right buy its early days. The diabetic team have been amazing though and luckily we're not starting from scratch as we knew a fair bit beforehand. The hubby is really trying to control his at the moment too so silver lining and all that.

I just wanted to get a bit of advice on the practicality of being out and about,etc. I like to be organised, so would like to hear of any life hacks (storing used sharps, best cases for storage, etc.). Also, can anyone recommend where I could get some nice logbooks/diaries? I've been looking but haven't really found anything that fits in with what we need to record, they just seem to have the basics. But any other advice would be much appreciated!

TIA x

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome to the forum @Smurfette85

Sorry to hear about your husband and you son’s diagnoses.

One must have come as a real shock, but the second must have been devastating. I‘ve kept a close eye in my kids too, and still do even though they are adults now.

There are mini sharps containers that you can get, though Ive never felt the need to use one. I always used reusable pens, and there was space in their cases for a day’s worth of pen needles (though I confess I often reused the same needle for days at a time).

My accu-chek multi-clix finger pricker has a drum of 6 lancets and can go into regular trash, so that is sharps-free. Though again I am a terrible re-user of lancets and only change them when they start to hurt. So my drums go in my sharps box at home.

Some sort of small tupperware container perhaps? We have a tiny one from the centre of a ‘nest’ that I bought in Sainsburys which would be small enough to carry, but large enough to be useful I think.

As for log books, quite a while ago I switched to electronic records via Smartphone app. There are lots and lots available to suit different needs. The one I use is mySugr, which has basic-but-good free, and souped-up fancy full-on options. I particularly like the way I can take notes, and then search back. So if I note the meal type or activity, I can see what strategies I have tried over the previous x times and then look at the doses/bg results that followed.

 

[SB2015]

Welcome to the forum @Smurfette85 . Sorry to hear about your son’s diagnosis, and the s his of your husband’s. Good to hear that your son is coping well and that this has prompted your husband to reconsider his own management.

When out and about I tend to use spot from the test strips which will take a single pen needle. For bigger quantities we have an old pot from some capsules. It happily takes loads of needles (discard the covers for the needles if short of space). For the lancets I just used one for the day (and to be honest a lot longer until I notice it hurts). That meant that old ones could be put in sharps box at home on return.

For storage of stuff I have to carry around with me I used a glasses case with a hard cover. That had space for the pens and some spare needles. (My optician was happy to give me the case and helped me to choose one with nice cover)

Glad that you found us and keep coming back with any questions.

 

[Smurfette85]

Thanks. Yes, I always had a feeling it might happen...

We use the same finger pricker and I have thought of using the small box we have instead of buying the portable sharps bins. He is currently using safety needles which I don't think will fit in the travel sharps bins. The reviews I read mentioned people having trouble getting their needles in ‍♀️

Will look into the apps. We are hoping to move him onto the Libre sensor as soon as and we are currently using diasend to communicate his info with the PDSN as we are not having face to face contact at present.

 

[SB2015]

I have just reread your post ...

... for log books I couldn’t find one that I liked, so I just made up my own as a word document and printed it off. This changed over the years to suit my changing needs. For me it helped having a written record of my levels, carbs, insulin dose as well as what I had been doing before the meal. I also lined up the meals vertically in the sheet so that I could see patterns through the door.

 

[grovesy]

I have not used a log book for years, some of the meter companies used to supply but I think I have seen reports they no longer do.

 

[stephknits]

Hi and welcome! I have type 1 (diagnosed at 42) and my daughter, 16 was diagnosed on May 1st, so I can relate to all your comments. We were given a trial libre last week and gave chosen to buy sensors until the NHS can pay for them, which in our CCG for kids is12 weeks after diagnosis. I have found this a great way for Alice to track everything as she uses her phone and all is uploaded automatically. She adds notes with carbs she eats, exercise etc. She is obviously a lot older, but we have found we no longer need to keep written records. I can also download an app that will link to her libre data if I want to. Currently not doing so as she is older. I guess your son may not have a phone at 9, but the libre scanner provides lots of info anyway, you just have to upload it manually to libre view like you do diasend
Apologies if you know all this already!