Just wanted to say Hi

[gll]

Hi Mareen

You have had some fantastic advice and stuff in the above replies but wanted to say hi and welcome anyway

I can totally appreciate how hard it can be for T1s having life as you know it flipped on its head in a very short space of time. I always have recognised my path to insulin was a much slower (probably easier in some respects) one (7 months from diagnosis) and I still struggle some days and I had time to mentally prepare for it.
Its okay to feel thrown and angry and sad and all the emotions and there's plenty of space on the forums with folks who understand. You aren't alone at all

We do have a daily thread over in general called the group 7 day waking average which is like a daily check in, coffee morning type deal. We don't post averages (the thread evolved), just waking readings (even that's sorta optional really) and some chit chat. It has 100% helped me to feel normal about diabetes and helps me to see that no ones got it perfectly under control (so be kinder to myself) and we can still live life to the fullest despite the challenges.
It's usually busiest in the mornings (I would suggest turning off notifications for the thread) but folks post throughout the day and night too.
https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/group-7-day-waking-average.20148
Its there if you feel like jumping in, no invites needed 🙂

Most peeps echo this across the forums but going to say anyway. No question is too silly. If you don't know you don't know. We also use abbreviations so if you aren't sure what we mean, again, ask.
The forums generally is the least judgy, most supportive place I have found on the internet 😉

 

[mindii]

Hi Mareen, I just wanted to say hi too! I’m pretty new to this forum too (not to the diabetic life!) This group of people feel pretty cool and knowledgable and welcoming and above all they “get” it. Being diagnosed with diabetes isn’t the most pleasant thing to hear and it does vie for control of A lot, a lot of the time but with the right mindset and support and knowledge you know you’re gonna kick it’s ass back into place. Having diabetes teaches you an awful lot about your own resilience and shows just how strong a person you are (also that maths teachers weren’t right about not being able to do basic maths ) hoping the replies you’ve had are cheering you up a bit and galvanising your resolve to take charge of your diabetes xx

 

[Bruce Stephens]

(The earlier episodes were more interviews and didn't grab me, but obviously tastes differ. I've found the diary episodes much more compelling.)

I take it back. Earlier there was an interview with Ami Bennett (she and the host do the Diaries) and it seems to me to be about the best hour of audio one could give to someone who wants to understand what learning to cope with a diagnosis of Type 1 is like. (Including a bit of initial uncertainty about what type she is because she's an adult.)

(This is the episode from 20 May 2020.)

Google Podcasts

podcasts.google.com

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Welcome from me too @Mareen

You’ve had some great suggestions and words of encouragement, and hopefully some of the things people have said will have resonated with you. It can be an overwhelming time, very like grieving, so be kind to yourself, and give yourself time and space to adjust and adapt.

There was a ‘top tips’ thread a while back, which you might find has some snippets of advice

5 Top Tips for Better Diabetesing

Just found myself absently wondering what I would say to myself if I could go back in time ‘Bill and Ted’ style and offer newly-diagnosed-me some hints and tips for better diabetes management, and a better relationship with my diabetes from future-me. What 5 hints and tips I might offer myself...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

 

[Mareen]

Thank you all - so much information and positive advice!
I feel like I'm in a bit of a wind tunnel atm being blown all over the place but I'm hoping this will settle and I'll be able to get to grips with it all. (bloody Diabetes)
I have a Libre2 which obviously gives lots of info which I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by.
Just wondering what is considered a good % of time in target and good A1C level

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Just wondering what is considered a good % of time in target and good A1C level

If you use LibreView (and I recommend it), if you generate the report then the AGP page shows the target time in range figures (for most people). Basically it's >70% in range with <5% below 3.9. And HbA1c it's 48 or lower.

There's an official statement, Clinical Targets for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Data Interpretation: Recommendations From the International Consensus on Time in Range

 

[Mareen]

Yet again - thank you. You have definitely given lots of very useful and welcoming advise 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Yet again - thank you. You have definitely given lots of very useful and welcoming advise 🙂

We had a thread about Time in Range here too

Time In Range - useful for Libre / CGM wearers

I've been meaning to post this for ages, but kept forgetting! At the ADA this year the international consensus paper on TIR (time in range) was published by a panel of experts with a huge amount of knowledge and expertise in supporting people to use continuous data to help manage their...

forum.diabetes.org.uk

Essentially with an ‘on target’ (optimum glucose management) HbA1c you can have up to 25% of time above the recommended range of 4-10. It’s arguably more important to try to reduce exposure to hypoglycaemia and readings below 4.0 - which generally has the effect of reducing glucose instability and glucose variation.

It can be tempting to leap into action with every wobble of a sensor trace (what some have called the ‘over sensitive smoke alarm‘) but aiming for as little steering as possible rather than alternating full lock one way to full lock another seems to be the idea strategy.

Sometimes we need to let the insulin dose run its course before leaping into action (I should heed this advice more often myself!)

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Sometimes we need to let the insulin dose run its course before leaping into action (I should heed this advice more often myself!)

Me too! I think when I was first offered Libre on prescription, in the meeting one of the DSNs recommended that one of the best times to act on a Libre reading was the next day.