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Same from me! It's true none of us ever wanted to have diabetes - but we certainly do meet all sorts of people hereabouts, so, how are you, anyway?
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Welcome to the forum @geewizz69

Glad to have your experience on board!

If you’d like a way to get to ‘meet’ some of the regulars you might like to try the 7 Day Waking Average thread. Folks post their first reading of the day, have a bit of a chat and compare diabetes triumphs and disasters, plus share some of their non-diabetes life too.

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Thanks. I'm Geoff.Trying to find my way around the site at the moment. Interested in topics such as Type 2 management, Libre 2 sensors, Libre 2 Reader and Libre View, Diabetic Retinopathy/vision impairment, Essential Tremour with Diabetes, heart conditions with Diabetes and compare experiences. Maybe start on message board? PC user without smart phone. Suggestions very welcome!
 
geewizz69 said:
Thanks. I'm Geoff.Trying to find my way around the site at the moment. Interested in topics such as Type 2 management, Libre 2 sensors, Libre 2 Reader and Libre View, Diabetic Retinopathy/vision impairment, Essential Tremour with Diabetes, heart conditions with Diabetes and compare experiences. Maybe start on message board? PC user without smart phone. Suggestions very welcome!
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If you use the search box you many find some previous threads on these topics. Look at the date to see if recent or not. If nothing recent or nothing answering your questions then start a new thread or ask on this one.
 
trophywench said:
Same from me! It's true none of us ever wanted to have diabetes - but we certainly do meet all sorts of people hereabouts, so, how are you, anyway?
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Thanks Jenny. Could give the stock answer to "How are you?" but not totally honest as my head is all over the place at the moment hence the reason I joined. Should be grateful to reach 79 avoiding cancer which has taken so many family and friends at a younger age and also still be reasonably fit and mobile so I do try. Have much sympathy for Type 1s and my relatively slow progress through the stages of Type 2 has allowed me to make many incredible memories on the way. Just finding it difficult to deal with my frustration/anger with some of the current issues I have and associated experiences while my wife and I are seeking to maintain good control.
 
Hi @geewizz69 and welcome to the forum.

Things have changed a bit over the last 10yr or so for Type 2's. It's much more accepted (by some in the medical profession at least) that lifestyle (mainly reducing the insulin swilling around) can be a valuable tool in diabetes control.

Personally I have been in lifestyle controlled remission ( Low carb and time restricted eating) for over 2 yrs now, so I have to wonder a bit what you mean when you talk about progressing through the stages of Type 2. There are some really nasty complications for those who don't have good blood glucose control and the NHS has advice on diet has made things worse, but even my dinosaur of a GP assured me he could prevent me from dying in a diabetic coma - which motivated me to save myself rather than rely on him!
 
ianf0ster said:
Hi @geewizz69 and welcome to the forum.

Things have changed a bit over the last 10yr or so for Type 2's. It's much more accepted (by some in the medical profession at least) that lifestyle (mainly reducing the insulin swilling around) can be a valuable tool in diabetes control.

Personally I have been in lifestyle controlled remission ( Low carb and time restricted eating) for over 2 yrs now, so I have to wonder a bit what you mean when you talk about progressing through the stages of Type 2. There are some really nasty complications for those who don't have good blood glucose control and the NHS has advice on diet has made things worse, but even my dinosaur of a GP assured me he could prevent me from dying in a diabetic coma - which motivated me to save myself rather than rely on him!
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I agree that things have changed considerably and I also feel that they appear to be changing constantly and (imho) leading to confusion and, as seems in your case, a tendency for many people to make their own choices/ rather than rely on/follow guidance from their allotted healthcare professionals. I was diagnosed withwhat would now be termed pre-diabetic in the early 1990s in my late 40s and possibly, by todays standards, a little overweight but not obese as I have always loved serious walking. I was told to moderate my eating habits and take more excercise to compensate for sitting at a desk all day.. At some stage medication was introduced (Metformin and Saxagliptin) and this continued for about 10 years until blood Sugar testing and Novo Rapid insulin were introduced by a different medical practice alongside monitoring/treatment for blood pressure issues. After moving to North Wales in 2010, Lantus insulin was added together with reviews by the GP practice and local hospital Diabetes Department and also Diabetic Retinopathy. In Oct 2021, having experience some worrying hypos over previous months (and yes I realise that I could have died), the nurse prescribed me with a Freestyle Libre 2 sensor. Those are the stages I was referring to. A recent review has led to suggestions that my age is now considered to be a major factor and many control guidelines and dietician led diet recommendations (eg target levels for lows and highs, carb counting and carb to insulin calculation) introduced less than 5 years ago have been thrown out of the window by a succession of healthcare professionals contradicting each other leaving my wife (my main carer who has had medical training/experience in earlier life) and myself in a state of stress and confusion on an hour by hour basis while trying to cope with this and other problematic conditions. I wondered if others were having the same sort of experience as myself (particularly with reference to age). I apologise for the length of this post and any "typos"!.
 
geewizz69 said:
A recent review has led to suggestions that my age is now considered to be a major factor and many control guidelines and dietician led diet recommendations (eg target levels for lows and highs, carb counting and carb to insulin calculation) introduced less than 5 years ago have been thrown out of the window by a succession of healthcare professionals contradicting each other leaving my wife (my main carer who has had medical training/experience in earlier life) and myself in a state of stress and confusion on an hour by hour basis while trying to cope with this and other problematic conditions. I wondered if others were having the same sort of experience as myself (particularly with reference to age). I apologise for the length of this post and any "typos"!.
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Sorry to hear you’ve been having such a stressful and confusing time @geewizz69

I think it’s very difficult for clinicians and nurses to give much more than general guidance and ‘rules of thumb’ because diabetes can be so contrary, fickle, and downright obstinate at times.

And it does seem to be a condition which likes to put the cat among the pigeons from time to time, completely changing the rules, and deciding that carefully crafted and well worn systems and strategies that each individual may have contrived are no longer going to ‘work’ in the way they once did. :(

I have been lucky enough to attend a variety of diabetes conferences as a non-medic, and see some of the newer research and learning presented.

Certainly a theme which has been (quite rightly in my view) gaining momentum is the individualisation of care. And I wonder whether that may be what you are referring to in terms of age.

Essentially a tailoring things like target ranges to the individual so that they take into account the whole person. Eg as someone increases in age there may be little benefit in pressing for A1c reductions from mid- or upper-50s to mid-40s if that comes with the increased risk of falls due to hypoglycaemia. Because the long term complication-risk-reduction benefit is more than outweighed by the possibility of a broken hip and the reduction in quality of life that could bring.

However some clinicians may believe that lower is always better, and that lower A1cs can be achieved without attendant hypos.

Which may mean you’ve had confusing and contradictory suggestions :(
 
Lucyr said:
If you use the search box you many find some previous threads on these topics. Look at the date to see if recent or not. If nothing recent or nothing answering your questions then start a new thread or ask on this one.
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Thanks. Have been doing as suggested and found a thread regarding Libre 2 you had responded to in detail which tells me you have a clear understanding of the Libre 2 Reader and Libre View so I wish to involve you in my post. I was prescribed Libre 2 sensors in October 2021 to cope with threats of hypos and, because my mobile phone is a seniors phone for calls/text use only and as I have no wish for a smart phone, I elected to have a Reader and register with Libre View. No help was received to fully understand the workings of either and I relied on my 40+ years of computer experience plus online tutorials. On receipt of the Reader I checked/updated the settings and ensured it was close to me at all times. However, I did not fully appreciate the sensitivity of the settings touch control situated on the main screen or that it was active at all times. While carrying it in my pocket I would occasionally hear a beep but be unaware of any noticeable change to readings etc. On registering with View using a code given to me by my GP Practice Diabetes team, uploading the data from my reader and creating a report I was horrified to find that the report showed an upload date of 11 June 2024 instead of the then current date. I then checked the date shown in the Reader settings and found 24/06/2024 which I was able to update. I had to conclude that, however unlikely it seems, the beeps I had heard were a accidental changing of the date setting either by placing my hand on the Reader or pressure in my pocket while walking . I have since been more aware and careful. However, on View, 11 June 2024 had been established as "Last Upload Date" which I cannot change and, I since understand from Abbott, cannot be changed by them due to regulations. On reading closely the wording on View relating to creating a report I found that, by default, it took the most recent upload date as the "report end date" of the report covering a period set in a menu option. However, there is an option to set a custom date for the report via a calendar and I have used that method ever since when creating/saving reports which are not scrutinised other than for a specific appointment. In early May I was called to a Diabetic review which has led to a number of consequences but at the time of the review and in follow up phone calls where my View account has been interrogated none of the diabetic healthcare "team" had any knowledge of how to deal with the issue I have described until I told them, saying they had never come across it before and none of them felt they had the time to become involved. They are repeatedly advising changes in my targets etc which, as either I cannot access them in View as Abbott say they are controlled by agreed standards or only my healthcare professionals can but do not, affect the accuracy of my personal reports and performance levels.
I wish to make it clear that I could possibly have died by now had it not been for my sensor/reader for which I am very grateful but want to put my story out there as, having spent much of my working life as an office administration manager, I feel very frustrated by certain events and wanted to inform/compare notes with other users.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Sorry to hear you’ve been having such a stressful and confusing time @geewizz69

I think it’s very difficult for clinicians and nurses to give much more than general guidance and ‘rules of thumb’ because diabetes can be so contrary, fickle, and downright obstinate at times.

And it does seem to be a condition which likes to put the cat among the pigeons from time to time, completely changing the rules, and deciding that carefully crafted and well worn systems and strategies that each individual may have contrived are no longer going to ‘work’ in the way they once did. :(

I have been lucky enough to attend a variety of diabetes conferences as a non-medic, and see some of the newer research and learning presented.

Certainly a theme which has been (quite rightly in my view) gaining momentum is the individualisation of care. And I wonder whether that may be what you are referring to in terms of age.

Essentially a tailoring things like target ranges to the individual so that they take into account the whole person. Eg as someone increases in age there may be little benefit in pressing for A1c reductions from mid- or upper-50s to mid-40s if that comes with the increased risk of falls due to hypoglycaemia. Because the long term complication-risk-reduction benefit is more than outweighed by the possibility of a broken hip and the reduction in quality of life that could bring.

However some clinicians may believe that lower is always better, and that lower A1cs can be achieved without attendant hypos.

Which may mean you’ve had confusing and contradictory suggestions :(
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Thanks Mike. This has crossed with a post I have spent a long time composing and sent recently which may help explain where I am coming from. Your comments seem to echo the things said to me by some members of the diabetic team recently which were clearly associated with my age and went very much against all previous attitudes/approaches. Thanks for the clarification. Much appreciated. Perhaps it will also clarify my concerns over the suitability of Libre View where certain areas of the programme are fixed by standard requirements rather than being subject to personalisation for a given patient. Leads me to think I should question the suitability of Libre 2 Reader and View in my case but wonder why that should be down to me as the Reader is desperately important to me/my wife whereas View is a tool for the healthcare team that does not seem to overly concern them . Would it work differently using s smart phone + app in a case such as mine?
 
geewizz69 said:
Thanks Mike. This has crossed with a post I have spent a long time composing and sent recently which may help explain where I am coming from. Your comments seem to echo the things said to me by some members of the diabetic team recently which were clearly associated with my age and went very much against all previous attitudes/approaches. Thanks for the clarification. Much appreciated. Perhaps it will also clarify my concerns over the suitability of Libre View where certain areas of the programme are fixed by standard requirements rather than being subject to personalisation for a given patient. Leads me to think I should question the suitability of Libre 2 Reader and View in my case but wonder why that should be down to me as the Reader is desperately important to me/my wife whereas View is a tool for the healthcare team that does not seem to overly concern them . Would it work differently using s smart phone + app in a case such as mine?
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It’s a while since I’ve used Libreview, but my recollection was that you were able to personalise the (rather narrow) default ranges in the graph display to suit your needs? I think you can also do this in the reporting software after data have been uploaded.

Perhaps a current user could confirm?
 
Yes you can change the target settings on the reader or the libre view though it’s reccomended to use 3.9-10.0.

You can also customise the date of the report, if you’ve set the date correctly now then data will go into the right date but you can’t delete data so your previous bgs will stay in 2024. Only way around that, that j can think of, would be to set up a new account if you have a second email address
 
Thanks for contributions. Feel sorry to be such a pain but yesterday I changed my sensor after the usual 14 day period, uploaded my Reader data to Libre View and created a full 17 page report containing all the graphs etc allowed by the programme and saved it to my computer files fully aware that, to me, it wrongly reflects my CURRENT performance, This is because, at a surprise review appointment I attended with my wife on 11th May with individuals I had never met before, where the usual checks were made including an Hba1c (which I was told was OK - do not recall exact reading) was told (following the nurses telephone consultation with a senior diabetic nurse at the hospital and in view of my age) to stop ALL Novo Rapid dosage, use 5.0 as my low threshold at which time to take immediate corrective action and that high readings were of less concern. In the event of any concerns we were to contact the team at the hospital to review insulin dosage. After maintaining our usual management routines glucose levels were reaching worrying levels so the hospital was called. Again the usual contact difficulties and someone who did not understand using Libre View in my case or know me personally. Agreed to gradually increase insulin dosage based on certain factors. Have since had two telephone reviews, one a scheduled 6 month Hba1c review carried out by a registrar who did not appear to be aware of any other events and another by a surgery nurse who I do not know. At no stage has the impact on Reader and View usage been discussed and I have been left to manage that on my own. In order to be sure of my position I have today checked again the report settings and in particular "Patient Thresholds". Whilst I am allowed to set a low threshold of 5.0 and a high of 15.0 as agreed during consultations there is also a "Target Range" setting in which low and high figures are shown but any attempt to enter 5.0 and 15.0 results in an error message reading "Please enter a valid range: `2.8 - 13.9". This is what Abbott told me could not be altered due to agreed standards.
Another criticism I have is that each individual reading of my sensor is used to calculate things such as number of highs or lows but there are times when a number of readings are taken in quick succession to monitor a particular event so that what is actually a single low or high can be read as many more leading to, as with me, concern at the total quantity shown. This, I feel, was partly responsible for the concerns raised at my review but I was unable to express/explain that point of view.
As I have said before, my usage of View is to check my performance against agreed targets and, therefore, most of the pages are of little interest. However, when I look at a chart showing nothing but negative changes in target achievement I have to go through the process of reminding myself why that is. Unnecessary stress? Should I simply ignore it or do as I am doing and highlight it? Ask my wife!
 
geewizz69 said:
Whilst I am allowed to set a low threshold of 5.0 and a high of 15.0 as agreed during consultations there is also a "Target Range" setting in which low and high figures are shown but any attempt to enter 5.0 and 15.0 results in an error message reading "Please enter a valid range: `2.8 - 13.9". This is what Abbott told me could not be altered due to agreed standards.
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Yes, 3.9 is the lowest allowed and 10.0 is the highest for the target range. The alarms are separate (and don't change anything in the reports).
 
geewizz69 said:
Whilst I am allowed to set a low threshold of 5.0 and a high of 15.0 as agreed during consultations there is also a "Target Range" setting in which low and high figures are shown but any attempt to enter 5.0 and 15.0 results in an error message reading "Please enter a valid range: `2.8 - 13.9".
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The target range should usually be set to 3.9-10.0. It’s different from the range you take insulin or sugar based on and different to the levels you have alarms based on.
 
geewizz69 said:
there are times when a number of readings are taken in quick succession to monitor a particular event so that what is actually a single low or high can be read as many more leading to, as with me, concern at the total quantity shown
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The reports aren’t based on number or timing of scans they are based on all of the data, so this shouldn’t be a concern
 
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