New Member - Hi

[manxome]

Hi everyone,

I need to at least try this forum out as something that may help motivate me.

Type 1 since Jan 2011. Had fairly good control over it for the first couple of years but have slipped wildly up and down between good and bad since - and that basically means I have bad control. Well, bad monitoring. When I actually test as regularly as I should my levels improve drastically but there's just some lack of, well, something just makes me lazy and a bit stupid about it all. I fully understand the potential consequences etc but just can't seem to give myself the proper kick up the proverbial that I obviously need.

I don't want to ramble on too much in the first post. I just hope that by joining and posting here and there, I can not only galvanise myself towards better management, but hopefully I can educate myself a bit better as well.

 

[Ditto]

Hello and welcome to the forum Manxome. 🙂 I don't really know anything about Type 1 as I'm Type 2 and I'm blundering about in the dark with that! Thank goodness for this forum which is a mine of information and will help you for sure.

 

[pottersusan]

Welcome aboard @manxome

I have learned so much from this forum and when you're having a bad day (as we all do!) someone will help you get back on track.

 

[Northerner]

Hi everyone,

I need to at least try this forum out as something that may help motivate me.

Type 1 since Jan 2011. Had fairly good control over it for the first couple of years but have slipped wildly up and down between good and bad since - and that basically means I have bad control. Well, bad monitoring. When I actually test as regularly as I should my levels improve drastically but there's just some lack of, well, something just makes me lazy and a bit stupid about it all. I fully understand the potential consequences etc but just can't seem to give myself the proper kick up the proverbial that I obviously need.

I don't want to ramble on too much in the first post. I just hope that by joining and posting here and there, I can not only galvanise myself towards better management, but hopefully I can educate myself a bit better as well.

Hi manxome, welcome to the forum 🙂 Have you considered getting a Freestyle Libre? It isn't cheap, but it does make testing far less of a chore and gives you loads of information that you can then use to learn more about how your body reacts to your meal choices and insulin doses 🙂 What insulin regime are you on?

There are loads of friendly, knowledgeable people here who will hopefully be able to keep you motivated and help with any particular concerns or problems, so keep posting and keep us up to date 🙂

 

[manxome]

Hi manxome, welcome to the forum 🙂 Have you considered getting a Freestyle Libre? It isn't cheap, but it does make testing far less of a chore and gives you loads of information that you can then use to learn more about how your body reacts to your meal choices and insulin doses 🙂 What insulin regime are you on?

There are loads of friendly, knowledgeable people here who will hopefully be able to keep you motivated and help with any particular concerns or problems, so keep posting and keep us up to date 🙂

Hi northener and others (thanks for the welcome),

I'm currently using a Freestlye Optium Neo, but will take a look at the Libre. I find the Neo quite good when I actually plug it into the computer - problem is more just using it in the first place. That said, i actually did my first test in a while today and have just re-scheduled a review that I had to cancel and never re-booked.

I'm on Novorapid (carb counting) and Lantus (20 units every morning). I never skip, I've just been doing a lot of 'blind-running' as i call it.

 

[Northerner]

The Libre is a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) - you stick a sensor on your arm and then you just wave a scanner/reader across it to get a blood sugar reading - you can scan through clothes, so that's not a problem 🙂 As I said, they are quite pricey - £150 for the starter pack, which is a scanner/reader plus two sensors. The sensors last for 14 days and are £48 each. Trouble is, once you get used to using it you don't want to stop! 😱 You can use the Optium blood and ketone test strips in the reader as well 🙂

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

Hi northener and others (thanks for the welcome),

I'm currently using a Freestlye Optium Neo, but will take a look at the Libre. I find the Neo quite good when I actually plug it into the computer - problem is more just using it in the first place. That said, i actually did my first test in a while today and have just re-scheduled a review that I had to cancel and never re-booked.

I'm on Novorapid (carb counting) and Lantus (20 units every morning). I never skip, I've just been doing a lot of 'blind-running' as i call it.

If you book an appointment with your dsn you can always ask if they are trailing the Libre, as many areas have recently, at least you get the first sensor and reader free and you can see if it suits you.

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

Sorry, forgot to add hi and welcome 🙂

 

[SB2015]

Hi Manxome

I would echo the advice about the Libre. It gives you such a clear picture of how your body reacts to food and exercise, and it is instant, as it shows on the reader without having to plug into a computer. If you do choose to plug it in you then get a lot more info, but the immediate info is very useful as it not only shows you your glucose level but also the direction of travel.

With or without the Libre, I think that the book that helped me most was ne by Ragnar Hanas called Type 1 Diabetes in Children, adolescents and Young Adults. Ignore the age references (I was 53 at diagnosis and still felt und it invaluable) it is well written, easy to read and explains things so clearly. With a good index it makes it an easy book to dip into to check things out. Not cheap but worth it.

Any questions at all, just ask. Someone on here will help.

 

[Flower]

Hello and welcome aboard @manxome 🙂

How about putting a spare meter if you have one or asking for a spare meter from your DSN or ringing the meter company and leaving it by the bed then that's bedtime and morning tests done without having to move - the two bookends to the day.

It can become relentlessly monotonous testing, correcting if necessary etc but some organised monitoring really does pay off and only takes a few minutes.

I hope you find your diabetes mojo again soon, it can be an elusive blighter! 🙂

 

[manxome]

thanks both SB2015 and Flower for the welcome,

Having looked at the Libre and I remember it being mentioned at a clinic six months or so back - and also why I rejected the idea, cost. That said I've been reading tonight about it having secured an NHS reimbursement listing. I cant quite discern the exact details, its not very obvious exactly what element of the 'system' will be reimbursed. But subject to 'local health economy approval' as of 1st November it could be that the sensors can be had via prescription - which for me would make the world of difference right now. So worth me asking at my upcoming review

Nevertheless I'm getting back on it with some prick testing for now

 

[Ljc]

Hi Manxome, Welcome. You’re not alone it gets to us all at times . It sounds like it’s a bloomin hard slog for you atm.
Do you have an understanding DSN who will listen , if so it could make a huge difference to you. Hopefully coming here will help you coz here we really do get it. I know we can only give cyber support ,but their is plenty of it.
I also hope they make the Libre available to you, it’s made a huge difference to my control.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

thanks both SB2015 and Flower for the welcome,

Having looked at the Libre and I remember it being mentioned at a clinic six months or so back - and also why I rejected the idea, cost. That said I've been reading tonight about it having secured an NHS reimbursement listing. I cant quite discern the exact details, its not very obvious exactly what element of the 'system' will be reimbursed. But subject to 'local health economy approval' as of 1st November it could be that the sensors can be had via prescription - which for me would make the world of difference right now. So worth me asking at my upcoming review

Nevertheless I'm getting back on it with some prick testing for now

Good stuff Manxome. Stick at it for a few weeks until it becomes automatic.

I've had periods of very haphazard checking over the years, but these days I feel adrift without a regular feed of data. The more information I had, the more I realised how variable and fickle my diabetes was, but also how much better I managed when basing my decisions on actual information rather than complete guesswork! 😛

 

[manxome]

Hi Manxome, Welcome. You’re not alone it gets to us all at times . It sounds like it’s a bloomin hard slog for you atm.
Do you have an understanding DSN who will listen , if so it could make a huge difference to you. Hopefully coming here will help you coz here we really do get it. I know we can only give cyber support ,but their is plenty of it.
I also hope they make the Libre available to you, it’s made a huge difference to my control.

Hi

It probably doesn't help matters that I've rarely see the same healthcare professional twice in my (nearly) 7 years as type 1. Ok, so I've moved over a county border and back (but literally a few miles difference each time) and refused to see a certain GP, amongst some pretty full on other life stuff, so there are some extenuating factors.

I've got an appointment with yet another different DSN coming up in a fortnight. Hopefully she may provide more than the "intelligent enough to know better" I had last time. It's true, but making me feel bad about myself isn't exactly useful