Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Jun 10, 2015

AMcD 38 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin

I checked out some forums on this and the concensus suggests that a) lantus may sting more than other insulin b) all suggest that you warm the vial to room temperature c) some say that injecting very slowly helped d) use 4 mm long needles helped instead of 6 mm needles.

Sorry can't be anymore help. Hope you get it sorted. Andy

Jun 10, 2015

AC2003 7 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin

Thanks for the replies. I use insulin which is room temperature and they are Lantus and novorapid. It stings no matter the amount I give. Maybe it's just me!!

Jun 10, 2015

alturn 78 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin

Might be related to needle sizes and amounts of insulin (I tend to bruise with BI - larger number of units but been using thighs which are probably tougher).
On cold insulin, I take it out of the fridge at least 24 hours before use then keep it at room temperature (still chilly in NE Scotland!)

Jun 10, 2015

Type1Bri 11 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Freestyle Libre

Well I am on my 4th sensor now
The 1st one was reading constantly 2 mmol lower than my actual levels, 2nd and 3rd were great for 9 days then fell off!!
But the information gained is so impressive, I now know I suffer from Dawn Phenomenon quite badly!!
These need to be on the NHS as soon as possible as they really are fantastic

Jun 10, 2015

Susanf 29 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss

Hi Derek,

Thanks for coming back. I will definitely give it a go Very Happy

Jun 10, 2015

derekh1965 90 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss

Hi Susan,
thanks for your reply.
My weight started gaining when I was 19 and bought my first flat which was a l;icense to eat whatever I wanted because staying with the parents the mother was always "Â£what are you eating now ?" My first night in my new flat |IO boiught a tub of haggen daz ice cream and it was bliss to eat with nobody criticizing me. It was downhill from then.
I took it too far and got depressed about being single and hearing comments about how I'm too fat to have a girlfriend etc so I would buy salted peanuts and ice cream and get even fatter.
In the beginning I maybe went up to about 12 - 13 stones and that was too fat to find love.

Tried dieting loads of times but when \ lost hardly anything I would just think why bother,
what's the point?

Bit of a long winded reply that and I apologize for that, sounds like I need a counsellor to chat with lol.

In reply to your question it is definitely calorie counting and not carb counting.

Eat whatever you want as long as you stick to yoiur calories.
For calorie counting you take the weight in pounds you want to be and multiply this by 10 and this gives you your daily calories eg: 10 stones is 140 pounds so you would consume 1400 calories a day.

Have a lovely day and best wishes
|Derek (50 and single)

Jun 10, 2015

Susanf 29 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin

Hi, I have to agree with Alan if my insulin is straight out of the fridge it can really sting. I normally leave it out of the fridge for the month and use in that time. Just date the insulin as to when you took it out.

Jun 10, 2015

Susanf 29 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss

Hi Derek,

That is fantastic - well done. I am currently in the situation you were 4 years ago due to insulin resistance. You mentioned that you had to eat 1200 cals a day - was there a recommended carb limit or was it just purely based on cal counting.

Again Very Well Done :-)

Jun 10, 2015

derekh1965 90 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss

Hi Andy

I am amazed and still cannot believe how easy it was to lose all that weight without any effort.
I still felt I was eating a lot and felt sure I would gain weight but every week a loss was shown.
Put it this way I never dreamed I would fit into a 30" waist jeans, I was an usher at my friends wedding and I wore a 52" waist kilt.
I gained 6 kilos at Xmas and new year but was easy to lose now I know what to do.
But sadly I'm still single lol.

Off topic if anyone else is reading this and could recommend a good sugar substitute I would be much appreciated as feel the canderals etc are rubbish and need about 4 large teaspoons to taste a little bit sweet. Sainsburys do a concentrated one which is ok, I used to buy zsweet but can't find it anymore..

Have a good day, every day

Derek (50)

Jun 9, 2015

AMcD 38 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin

Not sure what type of insulin you use. Those containing zinc are known to cause stinging in some people. The fact that you have mentioned bolus injections causing the problem also I doubt that it is a zinc suspension insulin? It would be worth checking the box to see if there is zinc in your insulin. Never found cold insulin to be an issue in 26 years of practice but we are all different. I assume that your injection sites are ok?
I wonder if it's a recent problem or whether you have always had it.

It's bad enough having to inject without the stings. Probably more questions than answers. ...... Andy

Jun 9, 2015

AMcD 38 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Sick day rule help?

My thoughts are that with a BG of 8.1 the ketones would become negative as long as your next QA dose coped with the food carbs and your next BM checks were ok. If your next BM was high then I would recheck for ketones and follow the instructions in the dafne book. As per the last post it would be useful to use a ketone monitor which gives actual figures rather than the ++ type levels on a urine stick. The dafne guidance works on actual ketone values such as 2.6 etc . You should be able to pick up a ketone monitor at the clinic. They are very very useful when sick. Hope your geeling better now.

Hope this helps. Andy

Jun 9, 2015

AMcD 38 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss

Derek. Firstly well done. Your solution makes perfect sense. Only Eat what's needed. You must feel great. Andy

Jun 9, 2015

sarahg 29 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Cyborg Times (new BG meter)

Hi i am testing traditional way for driving which I understand is required by law and very occasionally when I feel I want to confirm with the sensor but that is about it.
I think my doctors must be loving it as I am not hasselling for blood sticks . So on average I testing no more than 4 times a day which is a big reduction for me.

Jun 9, 2015

derekh1965 90 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss

Hi All,
I'd like to tell you all about my weight loss journey.
I was one of those who believed low fat was the way to lose weight, and of course I lost nothing.
Over the years I got bigger because I was depressed and the only enjoyment was when I was eating sweet stuff.
I was 23 stones 4 years ago!!
I was with Tesco Diets for a year and managed to get down to 19 stones.
Went to my GP maybe 2 years ago to aSK about a gastric bypass due to my BMI being 42 and he wasn't interested, trying tol put me off with 10 year waiting list.
Asked my mother if she would pay for one, she's got savings.
That was asking too much.
I happened to come across a video on youtube by a guy called Dr. Jonny Boden who runs slimming clubs and was in a Q & A interview.
He was asked what he tells his clients about calories and said he advises them to eat the calories for the weight you want to be,because when you get down to your ideal weight these are going to be the calories you will be eating.

Due to my weight Tesco had me on 2200-2300 calories a day and 300g of carbs.
I wanted to be 12 stones, so 168lb, 1700 cals a day.
I lost 6 stones in 6 months with no effort and no exercise.
I am now 74-75kg and have been for the past 2 years. A 30"waist for the first time in probably 35 years.

Also what worked and still works for me was replacing pasta,rice,potatoes etc with Zero Noodles and Better Than Pasta (google them).

I hope this helps someone because I wish someone told me this years ago.
pics can be provided on request.

Best wishes to you all
Derek

Jun 9, 2015

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin

Do you keep your pens in the fridge? I was told on the DAFNE course that this can cause some discomfort.

Jun 9, 2015

NuMo 28 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Cyborg Times (new BG meter)

I don't really finger prick any more, and felt quite miffed recently when obliged to. I find the trend history gives you so much more information that finger pricking has become more of a backup. A finger prick will tell you what your blood glucose is now, not what it has been nor which way it is going. The Libre fills in where your blood glucose has been since you last scanned and indicates its trend. This makes corrections so much easier and far more accurate.

I applied for my Libre shortly after the orderline closed. I was offered a chance to buy around about Easter time, so I supposed that's about 6 or 7 months. Keep an eye on your e-mail though as the offer is only for a set time.

Jun 9, 2015

Frazer 16 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Cyborg Times (new BG meter)

Thanks for your input Phil. I was rather hoping to stop the finger pricks completely when (and if) I ever get to the top of the list.
Does anyone rely on the machine completely and not bother with blood test anymore?
Just rang Abbots and they still can't tell me when I am likely to get one, they can't even tell me how long on average people have to wait.
Would be interest to have a rough idea from some of you how long you waited.

Jun 8, 2015

AC2003 7 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Salted Nuts

Thank you. I need to stop eating them!

Jun 8, 2015

AC2003 7 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Salted Nuts

Thank you. I need to stop eating them!

Jun 8, 2015

AC2003 7 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin

When I inject my insulin, both basal and bolus, it really stings to the point of it being very uncomfortable. Any ideas on why this happens anyone?

Jun 8, 2015

marke 681 posts

Topic: General Discussion / morning blood sugar rise

Hi, Sorry but must disagree with Caspar, splitting your BI does not mean you can take less. You body doesn't absorb BI quickly because its not able to quickly so timing of dose is not really relevant in that respect. With BI its in your system but is not 'active' fully the whole time, the idea is it has a slow 'release' profile to be in your blood over an extended period. It is not totally consistent over time for everyone true but is largely a lot slower than QA. I would never advise anyone to split their dose without consulting their Diabetes team. One thing often recommended if you want to split doses is a switch to Levemir, since Lantus does have a longer profile even though both are supposedly 24 hour insulins. If you skip breakfast and your BG raises by 10 then its pretty clear your BI is not correct, you can use QA to try to adjust but its a constant battle, its better to try to get your BI right, which means if you skip meals it stays roughly the same. Also although Dawn Phenomenon can to a degree alter your BG during the morning its effects are generally more noticeable overnight, your BG rises just BEFORE you wake up. Again its true everyone is slightly different so there is no one answer.

Jun 8, 2015

Rafa 99 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Low GI bread

Hightower said:
Its a multiseed low GI bread - really nice

Yes picked it up over the weekend. Nice and as you say only I cp per slice!

Jun 8, 2015

neady23 4 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / white rice

hi very late response sos, i find with certain foods including rice that i need to take half the amount of insulin before and half after or i hypo, i do this with pizza too, i think some foods are slower than then the insulin. this happens if the carb/insulin dose is high if its a modest dose then its not as bad


Jun 10, 2015 AMcD 38 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin I checked out some forums on this and the concensus suggests that a) lantus may sting more than other insulin b) all suggest that you warm the vial to room temperature c) some say that injecting very slowly helped d) use 4 mm long needles helped instead of 6 mm needles. Sorry can't be anymore help. Hope you get it sorted. Andy

Jun 10, 2015 AC2003 7 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin Thanks for the replies. I use insulin which is room temperature and they are Lantus and novorapid. It stings no matter the amount I give. Maybe it's just me!!

Jun 10, 2015 alturn 78 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin Might be related to needle sizes and amounts of insulin (I tend to bruise with BI - larger number of units but been using thighs which are probably tougher). On cold insulin, I take it out of the fridge at least 24 hours before use then keep it at room temperature (still chilly in NE Scotland!)

Jun 10, 2015 Type1Bri 11 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Freestyle Libre Well I am on my 4th sensor now The 1st one was reading constantly 2 mmol lower than my actual levels, 2nd and 3rd were great for 9 days then fell off!! But the information gained is so impressive, I now know I suffer from Dawn Phenomenon quite badly!! These need to be on the NHS as soon as possible as they really are fantastic

Jun 10, 2015 Susanf 29 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss Hi Derek, Thanks for coming back. I will definitely give it a go

Jun 10, 2015 derekh1965 90 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss Hi Susan, thanks for your reply. My weight started gaining when I was 19 and bought my first flat which was a l;icense to eat whatever I wanted because staying with the parents the mother was always "Â£what are you eating now ?" My first night in my new flat \|IO boiught a tub of haggen daz ice cream and it was bliss to eat with nobody criticizing me. It was downhill from then. I took it too far and got depressed about being single and hearing comments about how I'm too fat to have a girlfriend etc so I would buy salted peanuts and ice cream and get even fatter. In the beginning I maybe went up to about 12 - 13 stones and that was too fat to find love. Tried dieting loads of times but when \ lost hardly anything I would just think why bother, what's the point? Bit of a long winded reply that and I apologize for that, sounds like I need a counsellor to chat with lol. In reply to your question it is definitely calorie counting and not carb counting. Eat whatever you want as long as you stick to yoiur calories. For calorie counting you take the weight in pounds you want to be and multiply this by 10 and this gives you your daily calories eg: 10 stones is 140 pounds so you would consume 1400 calories a day. Have a lovely day and best wishes \|Derek (50 and single)

Jun 10, 2015 Susanf 29 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin Hi, I have to agree with Alan if my insulin is straight out of the fridge it can really sting. I normally leave it out of the fridge for the month and use in that time. Just date the insulin as to when you took it out.

Jun 10, 2015 Susanf 29 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss Hi Derek, That is fantastic - well done. I am currently in the situation you were 4 years ago due to insulin resistance. You mentioned that you had to eat 1200 cals a day - was there a recommended carb limit or was it just purely based on cal counting. Again Very Well Done :-)

Jun 10, 2015 derekh1965 90 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss Hi Andy I am amazed and still cannot believe how easy it was to lose all that weight without any effort. I still felt I was eating a lot and felt sure I would gain weight but every week a loss was shown. Put it this way I never dreamed I would fit into a 30" waist jeans, I was an usher at my friends wedding and I wore a 52" waist kilt. I gained 6 kilos at Xmas and new year but was easy to lose now I know what to do. But sadly I'm still single lol. Off topic if anyone else is reading this and could recommend a good sugar substitute I would be much appreciated as feel the canderals etc are rubbish and need about 4 large teaspoons to taste a little bit sweet. Sainsburys do a concentrated one which is ok, I used to buy zsweet but can't find it anymore.. Have a good day, every day Derek (50)

Jun 9, 2015 AMcD 38 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin Not sure what type of insulin you use. Those containing zinc are known to cause stinging in some people. The fact that you have mentioned bolus injections causing the problem also I doubt that it is a zinc suspension insulin? It would be worth checking the box to see if there is zinc in your insulin. Never found cold insulin to be an issue in 26 years of practice but we are all different. I assume that your injection sites are ok? I wonder if it's a recent problem or whether you have always had it. It's bad enough having to inject without the stings. Probably more questions than answers. ...... Andy

Jun 9, 2015 AMcD 38 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Sick day rule help? My thoughts are that with a BG of 8.1 the ketones would become negative as long as your next QA dose coped with the food carbs and your next BM checks were ok. If your next BM was high then I would recheck for ketones and follow the instructions in the dafne book. As per the last post it would be useful to use a ketone monitor which gives actual figures rather than the ++ type levels on a urine stick. The dafne guidance works on actual ketone values such as 2.6 etc . You should be able to pick up a ketone monitor at the clinic. They are very very useful when sick. Hope your geeling better now. Hope this helps. Andy

Jun 9, 2015 AMcD 38 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss Derek. Firstly well done. Your solution makes perfect sense. Only Eat what's needed. You must feel great. Andy

Jun 9, 2015 sarahg 29 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Cyborg Times (new BG meter) Hi i am testing traditional way for driving which I understand is required by law and very occasionally when I feel I want to confirm with the sensor but that is about it. I think my doctors must be loving it as I am not hasselling for blood sticks . So on average I testing no more than 4 times a day which is a big reduction for me.

Jun 9, 2015 derekh1965 90 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My Weight Loss Hi All, I'd like to tell you all about my weight loss journey. I was one of those who believed low fat was the way to lose weight, and of course I lost nothing. Over the years I got bigger because I was depressed and the only enjoyment was when I was eating sweet stuff. I was 23 stones 4 years ago!! I was with Tesco Diets for a year and managed to get down to 19 stones. Went to my GP maybe 2 years ago to aSK about a gastric bypass due to my BMI being 42 and he wasn't interested, trying tol put me off with 10 year waiting list. Asked my mother if she would pay for one, she's got savings. That was asking too much. I happened to come across a video on youtube by a guy called Dr. Jonny Boden who runs slimming clubs and was in a Q & A interview. He was asked what he tells his clients about calories and said he advises them to eat the calories for the weight you want to be,because when you get down to your ideal weight these are going to be the calories you will be eating. Due to my weight Tesco had me on 2200-2300 calories a day and 300g of carbs. I wanted to be 12 stones, so 168lb, 1700 cals a day. I lost 6 stones in 6 months with no effort and no exercise. I am now 74-75kg and have been for the past 2 years. A 30"waist for the first time in probably 35 years. Also what worked and still works for me was replacing pasta,rice,potatoes etc with Zero Noodles and Better Than Pasta (google them). I hope this helps someone because I wish someone told me this years ago. pics can be provided on request. Best wishes to you all Derek

Jun 9, 2015 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin Do you keep your pens in the fridge? I was told on the DAFNE course that this can cause some discomfort.

Jun 9, 2015 NuMo 28 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Cyborg Times (new BG meter) I don't really finger prick any more, and felt quite miffed recently when obliged to. I find the trend history gives you so much more information that finger pricking has become more of a backup. A finger prick will tell you what your blood glucose is now, not what it has been nor which way it is going. The Libre fills in where your blood glucose has been since you last scanned and indicates its trend. This makes corrections so much easier and far more accurate. I applied for my Libre shortly after the orderline closed. I was offered a chance to buy around about Easter time, so I supposed that's about 6 or 7 months. Keep an eye on your e-mail though as the offer is only for a set time.

Jun 9, 2015 Frazer 16 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Cyborg Times (new BG meter) Thanks for your input Phil. I was rather hoping to stop the finger pricks completely when (and if) I ever get to the top of the list. Does anyone rely on the machine completely and not bother with blood test anymore? Just rang Abbots and they still can't tell me when I am likely to get one, they can't even tell me how long on average people have to wait. Would be interest to have a rough idea from some of you how long you waited.

Jun 8, 2015 AC2003 7 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Salted Nuts Thank you. I need to stop eating them!

Jun 8, 2015 AC2003 7 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Salted Nuts Thank you. I need to stop eating them!

Jun 8, 2015 AC2003 7 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Stinging insulin When I inject my insulin, both basal and bolus, it really stings to the point of it being very uncomfortable. Any ideas on why this happens anyone?

Jun 8, 2015 marke 681 posts	Topic: General Discussion / morning blood sugar rise Hi, Sorry but must disagree with Caspar, splitting your BI does not mean you can take less. You body doesn't absorb BI quickly because its not able to quickly so timing of dose is not really relevant in that respect. With BI its in your system but is not 'active' fully the whole time, the idea is it has a slow 'release' profile to be in your blood over an extended period. It is not totally consistent over time for everyone true but is largely a lot slower than QA. I would never advise anyone to split their dose without consulting their Diabetes team. One thing often recommended if you want to split doses is a switch to Levemir, since Lantus does have a longer profile even though both are supposedly 24 hour insulins. If you skip breakfast and your BG raises by 10 then its pretty clear your BI is not correct, you can use QA to try to adjust but its a constant battle, its better to try to get your BI right, which means if you skip meals it stays roughly the same. Also although Dawn Phenomenon can to a degree alter your BG during the morning its effects are generally more noticeable overnight, your BG rises just BEFORE you wake up. Again its true everyone is slightly different so there is no one answer.

Jun 8, 2015 Rafa 99 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Low GI bread Hightower said: Its a multiseed low GI bread - really nice Yes picked it up over the weekend. Nice and as you say only I cp per slice!

Jun 8, 2015 neady23 4 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / white rice hi very late response sos, i find with certain foods including rice that i need to take half the amount of insulin before and half after or i hypo, i do this with pizza too, i think some foods are slower than then the insulin. this happens if the carb/insulin dose is high if its a modest dose then its not as bad