Introductions

Hi everyone, when you get signed up to the site take some time to introduce yourself here...

I'm Simon and I attended the DAFNE Course in Sheffield in July 2007, and I was diagnosed with Type 1 in May 2006 whilst studying for my finals at university (great timing!). I got involved with development of DAFNE Online after seeing how great it was to interact with other people with diabetes over the DAFNE week, and could see the value of sharing stories/experiences/supporting each other - hence this site! If you want to find out more about me, click my username to the left of this post. You can also add your own 'bio' using the settings link in the top right of the page.

Brian Trench
0 topics, 1 posts (view all | monitored posts)


DAFNE Graduate From:Harrogate District Hospital

Hi everybody,

Following Simon's lead and to test this functionality my introduction is as follows........

I am Brian and attended the DAFNE Course in Harrogate in Nov 2007. I was diagnosed a Type 1 in Jan 68 and have been through numerous dose adjustments and regime changes. My ultimate aim has always been to find a solution to insulin injections. When pump therapy started in Harrogate some 2-3 years ago I rushed to the presentation but found that I had to convert to a basal bolus regime in the first instance. The next update placed me on the DAFNE Course. I have to say it was a real eye opener by placing the carbohydrate/insulin and activity into a realistic framework. All our Course agreed that it provided that fundamental appreciation that had not been given previously. I do still, however, await my turn to move onto the pump program and am advised that I am 'on the list'.
I served 33 years in the Royal Air Force as a logistician but at no time did my diabetes affect or impact on my Service career. I was able to travel extensively around the world and even served in both Germany and Australia. Now retired and self teaching my IT skills (and it shows) I remain committed to help and assist others with my diabetic experiences.
User since January 2, 2009

DAFNE Graduate From: Ashford William Harvey Hospital

I attended DAFNE in March 2008. I had heard about it from Diabetes UK and as soon as my consultant mentioned it I jumped at the
chance. I have been diagnosed for about 10 years and when I was first diasgnosed I lived in Southampton. The clinic there was full
of people in wheelchairs with one leg and that made me vow, it would never happen to me !! I take my condition serously and want
to manage it actively. Sadly that doesn't mean I'm always well behaved :-) But at least I know how bad I'm being :-)

I believe passionately that all Diabetics should get the chance to have Diabetes education and receive the same help I have with my
condition. I'm sure there are many many people missing out on a wonderful experience of receiving education AND finding others
like themselves. Hopefully this website will provide a small contribution to achieving this aim.

Hi

My name is Lizzie. I attended DAFNE in June last year at St Thomas's Hospital in London.

I have been diabetic for 16 years, most of which I spent ignoring my diabetes. I had no education at diagnosis and resented the restrictive regime I was on so I rebelled, eating whatever I wanted. I had not been taught how to change my own insulin so I always took the same set amount. For years I did not take a blood test or see a doctor. I had an arrangement with the chemist where I rang them to order insulin, without involving the doctor. My family never mentioned my diabetes - they didn't want to appear clingy.

After university I moved to London and started taking an interest in my own health again. At first I was so scared that all I could do was inject loads of insulin, I was really scared of complications and high blood sugars. I hypo-ed all the time and my emotions were on a rollercoaster. Then I saw a poster in my surgery advertising DAFNE and asked my dietitian about it. I got onto a course and it really changed my life. For the first time I was told after 15 years how to deal with hypos, adjust my insulin and what all the test results meant. And for the first time I met other diabetics - I was not alone. I still struggle with my weight and my blood sugars but now at least I have some more confidence that I can deal with this thing, and do not fly into a blind panic at the sight of a high reading. I am learning every day about my condition, and I want to help others so they do not have bad experiences like mine.

Hello

I am Phil and I changed my life when I attended my DAFNE course in August 2006.

I have been a type 1 diabetic since November 1952. (No that's not a mis-type). I hold a Nabarro medal for contending with diabetes for over 50 years. In fact, I have two as Diabetes UK just send you one in a jiffy bag. When my consultant complained that Diabetes UK should have made a fuss and a presentation - they sent me another - in another jiffy bag. Hey Ho!

Life with diabetes has changed a great deal since 1952. Initially I remember testing my urine with clinitest (there was no patient blood testing kits available until the 1980s). All my food was measured on a small set of scales, but as Lizzzie says, the regime was regulated by fixed doses of insulin and no in-depth knowledge of our condition. My school days were dreadful. I wanted to play every type of sport, but the consequence was literally spending most of my afternoons in a hypo state.

Then along came DAFNE. It has changed my life. I can work out what I am eating and regulate my insulin doses to suit. I still get the odd hypo, but that's usually because I have made a mistake. I cannot blame anyone, or anything else. My HBA1C is coming steadily down so I know I am improving. Slowly but surely!

Greetings, I'm Jamie.

Diagnosed in 1976, and yes Phil, I too remember old days - or at least the old days as we knew them - I've got on tape a documentary on the German invasion of the Channel Islands during WW2, where a local diabetic tells a story of German solidier arriving at his house with some insulin. The soldier's parent apparently was diabetic, and he realised that this was something that could be of use to the local guy - now thankfully, neither of us go back that far, and hopefully none of us will never be in similar situation, but it does bring things home to you.

I wouldn't say I fought against my diabetes and I certainly didn't ignore it, but reading some of the texts above, I realise that until the Dafne course, there really wasn't the education available. We had guide lines of what we should be striving to achieve, with test results, and we were taught to recognise a hypo and how to treat it. To carry sugar at all times, to wear a medic alert disk and other such wise adivse, but at the same time, we were told that we had to eat certain amounts of carbohydrates at the same time every day. We had to inject 20 minutes before a meal - and I remember a hightlight of our family holday each year was to dine out with friends towards the end of our stay, but the worry for my parents was, how long the meal was going to take to arrive, once ordered. Should he inject before we leave, should we take the injection kit (for pens were science fiction in those days) with us and then at what point should he dis-appear into the gents to inject. Too soon and he might go hypo at the table, too late and it might have an adverse effect that we know nothing about. Still, I'm here telling the tale, so we must have got it right most of the time.

Sick Day rules were something we could have done with - I remember being off school and being my mum being on the phone to the hospital, worried that I couldn't keep any thing down - and being told you just have to break that circle and get some carbohydrates into him. Thankfully things have changed.

That said, we had some fantastic nursing staff - like the ward sister who on her day off went to Boots, bougth number of bars of Diabetic Chocolate and made a huge (and I mean hugge) easter egg for the kids who for the first time that year, weren't going to get any Easter Eggs. Again, the parents wouldn't have thought about including an Easter egg in the carb. count for the day, why would they. I think the thing we all have in common is the effect that the Dafne Teachings has had on us.

I could do with losing some weight and my main concern now is that I don't abuse the freedom that Dafne has given me, by eating more than I need to, just becasue, in theory, I can. I have to keep reminding myself that just because that little extra or that little cheat won't hurt the blood sugar levels, because I can adjust insulin dose, doesn't mean that it won't effect the blood vessles that allow the heart to be fed. I think as long as I keep it in perspective, it should be good.

We discussed the pump on the Dafne Course, probably in a spare five minutes over tea, but I didn't think it was for me, because, and I look to Phil and others for correction, as I understand it, you still have to change the needles once a week or once a month, you can't get it wet and you can't have it dis-connected for more than half an hour per day. What do you do if you like swimming, or water sports - I for example, being a scout leader, go saling and kayaking with the scouts. I'm qualified to drive a power boat and carry out rescue work - so how would the pump fit with my lifestyle?

Hi all
I’ve had type 1 for 5 years. I guess I’ve always taken controlling diabetes fairly seriously – maybe too seriously. I’d taught myself to carb count before doing DAFNE! I suppose its partly because of the way I was diagnosed. I ended of in intensive care, being treated for ketoacidocis, dehydration and shock – not exactly a gentle let in!

Anyway, since then I’ve struggled on. To be honest DAFNE didn’t change that much for me, but it did allow me to start on a pump (in my area you have to be dafned before you can start pumping) and that has improved things for me.

Hi All,

Im 25 and have been type one for 6 years this July. I did the DAFNE course 2 years ago and it changed my life for lots of reasons! I feel DAFNE has given me a brilliant understanding of my Diabetes and although you cannot be on top of it 24/7 it provides you with a lot more knowledge on how to deal with it when things go wrong, such as illness and hypos etc!!

I met my good friend Sally on the course, the first diabetic my age I had met! We went on to attend a course through Diabetes UK called 3d and we have since set up a fab group called Circle D, its basically 18-30 yr old diabetics who meet up for support but also we have lots of socials and fun nights out, you can find out more at www.circledrocks.co.uk.

I would urge every diabetic to do DAFNE I think its fantastic!!

Shelley x

Hello,

My name is Nigel, and I'm a 57 year old DAFNE Graduate from the Pennine Acute NHS Trust course which was held in May 2006. I have been diabetic since I was about 16. Since then, I've relied on doctors and dietitians to advise me on insulin dose and diet. I used to make many changes to my insulin dose, but no matter what I did, I could not improve my control.

What a difference DAFNE made! - I didn't think I would get the carbohydrate counting correct, but it soon became fairly simple. I didn't think I would I be able to perform all the blood tests on a regular basis, but I have, and I now l wonder what all the fuss was about.

I no longer see diabetes as an illness, but more of a game - the better I play, the lower my HbA1c! Best of all, I'm in control!

Hi!

My name's Becky. I'm 29 & have been type 1 for 21 years. I did the DAFNE course at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral in June 2007. I really enjoyed the course & it's really made me take a more responsible view of my diabetes. I've not been a particularly well behaved diabetic over the years but I've really turned things round since I did DAFNE. My highest HbA1c was nearly 13% but it's now 6.8%. I'm feeling really proud of myself for getting it under control again! Not all of my blood sugars are perfect but most are pretty good.

Unfortunately, I've got a few complications although not as many as some people. After all the messing around I've done with my diabetes there was no way I was ever going to get away scott free! I have neuropathy in both feet & some damage to my eyes. Thankfully I was introduced to DAFNE & I can try to prevent these problems getting any worse. XxX