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West Berkshire Diabetics
- Thread starter Outlawe
- Start date
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- Tags
- carb counting lantus type 1
- Status
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Hi Outlawe - yup - twice in my life when I've been all over the place. First time was when I stopped being responsive to porcine insulin - so that clearly doesn't apply to you so we'll ignore it!
However the second time was on Lantus and Novorapid, so much the same as you.
Now - we (well you really) need to get to the bottom of where your insulin needs adjusting - and the first thing to do is a basal test - see http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120 for an explanation of how to do this. Once you've adjusted your basal (or changed it to a different type that better meets your needs now) as near as you can to what your body really needs - then consider carb ratios and correction ratios. Often we need differing ratios at different times of day
The 'comforting' thing to remember is that absolutely nobody's insulin needs stay the same for all their lives - and most ladies find this on a monthly basis if you get my drift. (usually need more for the few days leading up to menstruation cos of your hormones playing havoc with BGs - this might not happen at all until you get to the other end of the scale and the menopause because the body's so flippin erratic at how much of what it decides to give us)
Happy testing and we'd be interested to see what you find out and try and make helpful suggestions.
Has your DSN not been able to give you any advice?
However the second time was on Lantus and Novorapid, so much the same as you.
Now - we (well you really) need to get to the bottom of where your insulin needs adjusting - and the first thing to do is a basal test - see http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120 for an explanation of how to do this. Once you've adjusted your basal (or changed it to a different type that better meets your needs now) as near as you can to what your body really needs - then consider carb ratios and correction ratios. Often we need differing ratios at different times of day
The 'comforting' thing to remember is that absolutely nobody's insulin needs stay the same for all their lives - and most ladies find this on a monthly basis if you get my drift. (usually need more for the few days leading up to menstruation cos of your hormones playing havoc with BGs - this might not happen at all until you get to the other end of the scale and the menopause because the body's so flippin erratic at how much of what it decides to give us)
Happy testing and we'd be interested to see what you find out and try and make helpful suggestions.
Has your DSN not been able to give you any advice?
Wirrallass
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
A warm welcome to our friendly & supportive forum Outlaw. Sorry to read you are struggling but I'm sorry I can't help you as I'm T2 - someone will come along soon to your aid I'm sure - In the meantime you could email -
healthwatcherswestberks.org.uk
Or
Berkshire Health NHS Foundation Trust : Tel: 01753 636158. The Diabetes Centre is based at the King Edward V11 hospital.
Maybe either of those will put you in touch with other like T1's in your area.
Take a looksie in the thread 'What did you eat yesterday' - you will see what we eat to keep our bgls within a good range. Hard work but I hope you soon gain control of your bgls. Good luck & take care x
WL
healthwatcherswestberks.org.uk
Or
Berkshire Health NHS Foundation Trust : Tel: 01753 636158. The Diabetes Centre is based at the King Edward V11 hospital.
Maybe either of those will put you in touch with other like T1's in your area.
Take a looksie in the thread 'What did you eat yesterday' - you will see what we eat to keep our bgls within a good range. Hard work but I hope you soon gain control of your bgls. Good luck & take care x
WL
Copepod
Much missed Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Welcome to the forum Outlawe. Are you sure you are type 1? If you've had diabetes for 20 years then you are probably type 2. Needing insulin doesn't change you to type 1 - it just means you need insulin. The important thing is that you are getting the treatment that's right for you.
Wirrallass
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Thank you mods x
WL
WL
Pumper_Sue
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
If you have been treated by diet and tablets for the past 20 years then you are type2 now insulin dependant, a type1 can not survive for 20 years without insulin.
Welcome to the forum 🙂
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Oh sorry, I didn't read it like that - I assumed the lady had been on both insulins for a while, but only officially reclassified as T1 more recently - much like Patti, Sue.
Thank you for such a warm welcome and all the advice and tips - I'm new to this type of forum/media so need to learn how to use it better... and log in more often to keep up!!
So... yes I've been on insulin for many years, but with a 'problematic' diagnosis as a Type 2 (I became diabetic in my early 30s) or possibly MODY. I have Graves Disease and AutoImmunity runs in my family - and coincidentally in my husband's family too. As a 'Type 2' even on insulin I didn't get the type of support in WBerks which seems to be available in other parts of the UK. A new consultant decided to do some more tests and confirmed me as Type 1 last summer - so now I get more Test Strips prescribed - hurrah! I've had bad experiences with both the nurses at the GP clinic and with DSNs but the one I saw last week was fabulous and she's recalibrated my basal dose and also my ratios & it's definitely made a positive difference. I'm carb counting so on a 'normal day' all is well but they don't happen often enough - particularly now I am a certain age. It's making me feel so much better reading the experiences shared on this Forum as I don't know any other diabetics (but curiously lots of folks with Thyroid and Coeliac problems). Hope I can get more involved and help other people too
Regards
Elaine
So... yes I've been on insulin for many years, but with a 'problematic' diagnosis as a Type 2 (I became diabetic in my early 30s) or possibly MODY. I have Graves Disease and AutoImmunity runs in my family - and coincidentally in my husband's family too. As a 'Type 2' even on insulin I didn't get the type of support in WBerks which seems to be available in other parts of the UK. A new consultant decided to do some more tests and confirmed me as Type 1 last summer - so now I get more Test Strips prescribed - hurrah! I've had bad experiences with both the nurses at the GP clinic and with DSNs but the one I saw last week was fabulous and she's recalibrated my basal dose and also my ratios & it's definitely made a positive difference. I'm carb counting so on a 'normal day' all is well but they don't happen often enough - particularly now I am a certain age. It's making me feel so much better reading the experiences shared on this Forum as I don't know any other diabetics (but curiously lots of folks with Thyroid and Coeliac problems). Hope I can get more involved and help other people too
Regards
Elaine
trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
I suspected you were misdiagnosed Elaine - can't tell anyone why or how but I seem to have a bit of a 'nose' for it somehow. LOL
We DO get better support generally with the T1 label - and no it's not right - but it IS true. My other mate had terrible trouble with her Basal, not being able to adjust it well enough to sort her errant BGs out properly, even after she was re-classified correctly as T1. So I said well why not try a pump. Oooh, I won't get one, I'm too old. Nah, you won't, will you? I said - cos you won't ASK for one or even say you'd be interested if you could have one! Funnily enough, a few months later - she had one - when I was still on the waiting list for mine!
Doors open up. You should apply to go on a Carb Counting course - you may think you know all about it but I'm afraid you don't - otherwise - you'd have been able to 'recalibrate' your own basal insulin dose(s) ! I thought I knew everything too, after 30 years. Nope! It was a revelation to me - cos it's actually all perfectly logical and makes 100% sense ! Just needed to be explained by someone who actually had the expertise to do it without making you feel like you were being talked 'at'.
And by the way - GP surgery nurses (in the main, though there are SOME good uns) should not be trying to give expert advice to diabetics, for the simple reason they are not experts - they absolutely don't get either the training or the experience a Specialist Nurse (in any branch of medicine) has to have in order to attain the standard of the extra qualification. University course, pass the extra exams, and working full time throughout in a specialist clinic, normally in a teaching hospital.
Last thing I want to say now is, quite a few years ago at a Diabetes UK Professional Conference (annual get togethers with the great, the good and as many diabetes medical staff they can cram in and are willing to pay the cost) with various seminars. there was one, presented by several proper DSNs called "If you ask me - what this patient needs, is a SERIOUS listening to!" - at which I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall ! Proper DSNs, who understand what it's actually like for their patients, having diabetes, in the real world!
We DO get better support generally with the T1 label - and no it's not right - but it IS true. My other mate had terrible trouble with her Basal, not being able to adjust it well enough to sort her errant BGs out properly, even after she was re-classified correctly as T1. So I said well why not try a pump. Oooh, I won't get one, I'm too old. Nah, you won't, will you? I said - cos you won't ASK for one or even say you'd be interested if you could have one! Funnily enough, a few months later - she had one - when I was still on the waiting list for mine!
Doors open up. You should apply to go on a Carb Counting course - you may think you know all about it but I'm afraid you don't - otherwise - you'd have been able to 'recalibrate' your own basal insulin dose(s) ! I thought I knew everything too, after 30 years. Nope! It was a revelation to me - cos it's actually all perfectly logical and makes 100% sense ! Just needed to be explained by someone who actually had the expertise to do it without making you feel like you were being talked 'at'.
And by the way - GP surgery nurses (in the main, though there are SOME good uns) should not be trying to give expert advice to diabetics, for the simple reason they are not experts - they absolutely don't get either the training or the experience a Specialist Nurse (in any branch of medicine) has to have in order to attain the standard of the extra qualification. University course, pass the extra exams, and working full time throughout in a specialist clinic, normally in a teaching hospital.
Last thing I want to say now is, quite a few years ago at a Diabetes UK Professional Conference (annual get togethers with the great, the good and as many diabetes medical staff they can cram in and are willing to pay the cost) with various seminars. there was one, presented by several proper DSNs called "If you ask me - what this patient needs, is a SERIOUS listening to!" - at which I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall ! Proper DSNs, who understand what it's actually like for their patients, having diabetes, in the real world!
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