If I'd only known then what I know now...

[AlisonM]

The first month my support was great, a doctor who knew what he was talking about and finding this place helped enormously. Then I came home and it was awful, I got lumbered with Doctor Idiot whose knowledge of Diabetes was 30 years out of date, added to that there was all the business of getting re-diagnosed and not being able to tolerate the meds. It's been a real roller coaster. Then I had all the fun of the medical assessment and the appeal (successful). I don't think I've ever really come to terms with being Diabetic. I've never really sat down and tried to deal with how I feel about it, I just reel from one crisis to the next and try to survive.

On the plus side I have this place and a job I love, and I'm home in my beloved Highlands. My ambition now is to be well enough to bag that final Munro.

 

[Monica]

..... I would never have let Carol go to school without a glucose monitor and made her test at lunchtime too....😡

 

[Natalie123]

When I was diagnosed I was never told how long it would take to get my blood sugars under control. I left hospital on the same day that I was diagnosed with the impression that, as long as I take my insulin I would be back to "normal" in a few weeks! Ooops! 😱

 

[Northerner]

Some very interesting responses, thank you 🙂 Just goes to show how some very important things can be missed.

 

[SimplesL]

Initial support was probably all I needed at the time. I was diagnosed as T2 (HBA1c 8.9 Sept 10) in pre-op tests for the first of my "lumpectomies" for early breast cancer.

Only gripe was as my father has T2 they assumed I'd know all about it. I didn't & the only diet advice was you have a good balanced diet so everything in moderation & gave me a booklet from the British Heart Foundation on eating for a healthy heart. (Having done a workshop run by the DSN a couple of weeks ago I now know how important carbs are and trying to learn how to count them/balance them etc)

My GP surgery web-site does include a link to this site which I explored found the forums & info I needed.

Once cancer treatment completed I started "to get a grip" with my T2 by researching myself; finding out how important exercise was & this has been the main improvement I made. Last HBA1c was 5.8% (Oct 11) & meds reduced.

I have a feeling it may be creeping up as for the last couple of weeks I have been doing some self-testing & levels first thing are I feel on the high side. Yesterday 7.2, has been up as high as 8.9. Possibly due to my "hormones" & increased stress as my dad not too well and in run up for dialysis as result of his T2.

Next HBA1c test due early April I have already e-mailed the nurse at the surgery who runs the diabetic clinic I want to discuss reasons why fasting readings seem high in the morning. Told her I'll bring a print of my readings with me from the software downloaded from the abbotts site.


Take care
Lynne

 

[fencesitter]

Things I wish we'd been taught/given at the start:
The Ragnar Hanas book
Carb counting
When you're confident enough, don't be afraid to adjust your dose yourself (actually we were encouraged to do this a few weeks in, but by another nurse dealing with unrelated condition, who just happened to be a T1 herself)

We like our team but I think they err on the side of giving too little information, maybe for fear of overwhelming you.

 

[grahams mum]

if i know what i know now i would have change graham hospital straight away i did not know adrienne at the time i met her about 3 years ago and i would start carb counting as well at the same time