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LADA new to insulin

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R

Rob M

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1.5 LADA
Hi all
Not one for joining forums and discussing personal issues but feel I could use the support of people with the same thing and more knowledge.
Recently started taking insulin and because of my job have to test multiple times a day which is making my fingers sore would cgm/flash gm be better and what are the requirements to be able to get one on the NHS
 
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Hi and welcome.

Not sure how many times a day you are testing to make your fingers sore or if perhaps your technique is at fault because fingers shouldn't suffer from regular testing if you are doing it right, but Flash Glucose Monitoring is a real boon in helping you manage your BG levels and with the new NICE guidelines you SHOULD be able to get it on prescription without having to jump through any hoops. In reality it might not be as easy as that SHOULD suggests. Basically as a Type 1 on MDI you now qualify, but it may take time to actually see a result from requesting it and it will need to be done via your consultant who then writes to the GP to have it put on your prescription.... that can take months unfortunately. Many of us self funded for months/years before getting it prescribed and I can say that despite the significant cost it was well worth it. It is an amazing bit of kit for improving your knowledge and confidence as long as you understand it's limitations and quirks and you do still need to finger prick occasionally, but much less frequently. Some people find that they don't trust Libre enough to bolus from it. I find it is easily accurate enough for me to make insulin decisions.

I hope you are able to get the wheels in motion for getting Libre on prescription but in the meantime you may want to read the info on Painless Pricks.... https://about-diabetic.blogspot.com/2006/10/painless-pricks_26.html
Do make sure fingers are thoroughly dry after washing, not just shaken dry.
The Fast Clix and Soft Clix lancets by Roche are highly recommended by members of the forum here as being by far "the best" and kindest to fingers but I am fine with just regular ones. At one stage prior to getting Libre I was testing 16 times a day and didn't have sore fingers, so hopefully a change of technique will help..... or maybe I just have rhino skin 🙄

Let us know how you get on and fingers crossed you are able to access Libre soon.
 
Rob M said:
what are the requirements to be able to get one on the NHS
Click to expand...
Should just be to ask your GP, now: having Type 1 diabetes is the only requirement. (Even before April's change your job requirements should also have been sufficient, though I think then you'd need to ask via your hospital team.)
 
Firstly, cgm/flash gm does not replace all finger pricks so if your finger pricking is making your fingers sore, you need to review your technique - unless you are incredibly sensitive, it should not be painful.
- Have you adjusted the depth of the lancet device so you are not pricking too deep?
- Are you rotating the fingers that you use so that you are not pricking the same ones all the time - you have eight fingers (although some people suggest avoiding your pointing finger - I don't).
- Are you pricking the side of the pad? Pricking the main part will be more sensitive

Now on to your question regarding CGM/Flash GM. They provide an amazing amount of additional information and are a great advancement in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. More than 50% of people with Type 1 now have access to Libre and NICE has recently released new guidance suggesting everyone in England who is treated with insulin has access. THis is only guidance and may take some time to be adopted everywhere.

Typically, a GP has not been able to prescribe Libre - this needs approval from a diabetes consultant. If you have access to a dedicated DSN (not the nominated nurse at a GP surgery), they should be able to assist.
You may need to undertake some simple training ... at least I hope most people still do because it is a very useful piece of kit which is wasted if you do not understand the limitations as well as how to interpret and respond to the data in provides.
 
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helli said:
I really hope that is the case. However, in my experience, GPs take a long time to catch up with NICE guidance updates so I would still go to my dedicated diabetes team if I could.
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Yes, as @rebrascora says, CCGs also differ in how quickly they adjust. No harm in asking a DSN or consultant, too.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Yes, as @rebrascora says, CCGs also differ in how quickly they adjust. No harm in asking a DSN or consultant, too.
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Agree with all of the previous 5 posts. But you make a valid point about this should now be within the gift of GPs. Note to self!!
 
Thank you all for your advice on finger pricking now much better think I had my lancet device setting too deep.
Regarding CGM I will ask my DSN about it when I next speak to her.
 
Rob M said:
Thank you all for your advice on finger pricking now much better think I had my lancet device setting too deep.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's always worth double-checking that setting! A (T2) colleague once mentioned he had a nasty experience when his was set to brick-layer rather than his usual software engineer soft hands setting.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Yes, it's always worth double-checking that setting! A (T2) colleague once mentioned he had a nasty experience when his was set to brick-layer rather than his usual software engineer soft hands setting.
Click to expand...
Mine is always set on brick layer depth 🙄 .... but I don't press it firmly against my finger, I just touch it to my finger and sort of let it bounce with the recoil, which works well for me.
 
Rob M said:
Thank you all for your advice on finger pricking now much better think I had my lancet device setting too deep.
Regarding CGM I will ask my DSN about it when I next speak to her.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear your bodger is now set a little more lightly!

Good luck with getting hold of Libre - hope no artificial hurdles are placed in your path, or hoops to jump through.

Let us know how things go 🙂
 
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