Later life type 1

[TheClockworkDodo]

Hi @Toooldfortype1 and welcome to the forum from another late starter - I was 44. I was also told how rare this was by all the medical professionals when I was diagnosed (like you, in hospital with DKA) so I was quite surprised when I came to this forum to discover quite how many other people were also diagnosed in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and even older.

You've already been given lots of good advice on this thread, so just to say if you have trouble getting a Libre2 prescribed initially, this is where you get a free trial of a sensor - https://www.freestylelibre.co.uk/libre/free-trial.html - I use a reader for mine as I don't have a smartphone, but most people use an app to scan them with their phones. You should get the sensors on prescription though, so it may be jumping the gun a bit to order one directly before you've asked your diabetes nurse!

 

[Mumpie_olgran]

Hi @Toooldfortype1 and welcome to the forum from another late starter - I was 44. I was also told how rare this was by all the medical professionals when I was diagnosed (like you, in hospital with DKA) so I was quite surprised when I came to this forum to discover quite how many other people were also diagnosed in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and even older.

You've already been given lots of good advice on this thread, so just to say if you have trouble getting a Libre2 prescribed initially, this is where you get a free trial of a sensor - https://www.freestylelibre.co.uk/libre/free-trial.html - I use a reader for mine as I don't have a smartphone, but most people use an app to scan them with their phones. You should get the sensors on prescription though, so it may be jumping the gun a bit to order one directly before you've asked your diabetes nurse!

Sounds like I need to change my username as a starter (although maybe I will keep it and pretend it was always an ironic nod...)

The nurses are saying I need to use the manual pinpricks and get used to things first before going CGM. As I understand it, that way I'll then be able to correct if something happens with the CGM or I need to calibrate. Patience then....

 

[Bruce Stephens]

The nurses are saying I need to use the manual pinpricks and get used to things first before going CGM. As I understand it, that way I'll then be able to correct if something happens with the CGM or I need to calibrate.

That's sensible. These sensors aren't super reliable, and often the only way you know they're not working right is comparing with test strips.

 

[Tdm]

That's sensible. These sensors aren't super reliable, and often the only way you know they're not working right is comparing with test strips.

I see their point but my early days following diagosis would have been easier with a cgm. If you've used your fingerprick tester for a week, i think you know how to use it and can move onto cgm. There are a few problems with libre 2 loosing its alarms, but as you aren't used to alarms that's not goung to be too much of an issue

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I see their point but my early days following diagosis would have been easier with a cgm. If you've used your fingerprick tester for a week, i think you know how to use it and can move onto cgm. There are a few problems with libre 2 loosing its alarms, but as you aren't used to alarms that's not goung to be too much of an issue

Yes, I don't see any problem in them prescribing CGMs right away and suggesting that you do a fair bit of testing with test strips too, to get a feeling for how the two compare (or don't) and so on. If I were in charge that's what I'd make the policy (and I think some newly diagnosed people have said they got Libre right away).

 

[helli]

I too am surprised that CGMs are not prescribed straight away.
However, I also feel there is a need to ensure we do not entirely rely on technology because it can fail.
This is more important regarding pumps because not having any basal on board can very quickly become a serious problem so we need to be able to revert to injections fast whilst under stress.
Not having blood sugar readings for a half a day is less likely to be an issue ... it was the case for many of us for decades. But if you have been used to it from the start, it may create unnecessary anxiety. As can seeing sky rocketing numbers without understanding them and the limitations of CGMs.

 

[Tdm]

I too am surprised that CGMs are not prescribed straight away.
However, I also feel there is a need to ensure we do not entirely rely on technology because it can fail.
This is more important regarding pumps because not having any basal on board can very quickly become a serious problem so we need to be able to revert to injections fast whilst under stress.
Not having blood sugar readings for a half a day is less likely to be an issue ... it was the case for many of us for decades. But if you have been used to it from the start, it may create unnecessary anxiety. As can seeing sky rocketing numbers without understanding them and the limitations of CGMs.

I got a cgm with my t1 diagnosis, but that took a month or so as they had to wait for the tests

 

[helli]

I got a cgm with my t1 diagnosis, but that took a month or so as they had to wait for the tests

Sounds like another case of the Type 1 postcode lottery

 

[Mumpie_olgran]

Hi all, proud new owner of a type 1 diagnosis which came atypically late apparently (mid 40s) although I now see from a few posts here that that's not that late compared to some!
I also had the fun of discovering what ketoacidosis means and spent a while with an IV hook up to get that straightened out. So lots to come to terms with in fairly short order!
To be fair I feel OK about it all, just a lot a lot a lot of questions brewing. What do hotels think about needles when on holiday, airlines too. I already eat pretty healthily but still need to get used to aligning jabs with meals and so on.
And most recently whether to worry about glucose readings that were all in the 6s and 7s throughout the last 24 hours, only to jump to 11 just before bed. Do I need to stick in more to deal with it or expect it to drop?
Just a lot of experience I don't yet have I suppose
Anyway, hi all and good to see that this is an active forum. Hope to hear a bit and maybe one day I'll be able to offer a bit of advice too

Hi all, me again
The insulin injections for me so far have been absolutely fine. I'm not worried about needles and I haven't really felt them
Although this morning when trying for a new area I went a bit further to the side of my tummy and for the first time drew a few drops of blood and it hurt a bit. Not that much in fairness but about in keeping with a poorly done finger prick
Question is whether that's likely to have affected the efficacy of the insulin?

 

[Robin]

Hi all, me again
The insulin injections for me so far have been absolutely fine. I'm not worried about needles and I haven't really felt them
Although this morning when trying for a new area I went a bit further to the side of my tummy and for the first time drew a few drops of blood and it hurt a bit. Not that much in fairness but about in keeping with a poorly done finger prick
Question is whether that's likely to have affected the efficacy of the insulin?

Sometimes you hit a capillary blood vessel, and it does bleed, but it won’t affect the insulin absorption. The only thing that would, is if you injected deeply enough to have gone into muscle, which is unlikely if you’re using a short (eg 4mm) needle. (you’d probably know it, think flu jab, they go into the muscle, and mine is always sore and achey afterwards). That would make the insulin absorb much more quickly.

 

[Mumpie_olgran]

Great thanks Robin

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

Bolus insulin is fine to go into either subcutaneous fat or into a vein. I think the only issue might be if you take the needle out too quickly and you get a fair amount of blood coming out, then some of the insulin might come out too, in which case your blood sugar might be a bit higher than usual afterwards. But it shouldn't be a problem, if it only happens occasionally.

Basal insulin is only meant to go into fat though, so if you accidentally hit a vein with basal, you might find your blood sugar is a bit lower than usual for a few hours and then a bit higher - that's happened to me a few times.

 

[Inka]

Bolus insulin can go into a vein when you have an insulin drip in hospital, but it’s a very bad idea to try that at home because of the risk of severe hypoglycaemia.

(I know you weren’t suggesting that, Juliet, but thought it was worth pointing out for @Toooldfortype1 ’s benefit just to be clear)

 

[Mumpie_olgran]

Yup got it, thanks. No renegade aiming from me!
Appreciate all the pointers as it's still all very new to me

 

[Tdm]

Yup got it, thanks. No renegade aiming from me!
Appreciate all the pointers as it's still all very new to me

I find the insulin tends to work regardless of bleeding etc. The thing i did sometimes do in the early days was see some insulin on the skin, assume it didn't all go in, and give more straight away. That never worked well. Best to assume the injection was fine until you have evidence a couple of hours later, that it wasn't
(Unless you want the excuse for a donut)

 

[void]

genuine donuts need no excuse!!!

 

[Tdm]

genuine donuts need no excuse!!!

Indeed, life is too short for eating a excuse for a donut. If you eat a donut it should be the tastiest, jamiest, lip smacking donut you can get.
Darn it, wanna donut now!

 

[Mumpie_olgran]

Hi quick help please. I think I've just had my first hypo. Exactly same food etc as yesterday but some reason felt faint, bit dizzy and hungry. I checked and I'd dropped to 3.8 which I know isn't that low but as I'm recently out of hospital at DKA that is a fair bit lower than I have been
I've drunk some orange juice and had a piece of brown toast and starting to feel more normal if not yet top form

Question is what should I do for upcoming meal? Still try and adjust dose for the roast chicken in normal way or reduce insulin? Or skip it completely?

Thanks all - a bit unsettling this as not used to it

 

[Inka]

I’d inject after my meal @Toooldfortype1 You could also knock a bit off your bolus/meal injection to be safe.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Question is what should I do for upcoming meal? Still try and adjust dose for the roast chicken in normal way or reduce insulin? Or skip it completely?

Try and adjust in the normal way, unless it seems like you're still a bit low, in which case reduce the insulin a bit.