Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Jun 24, 2013

michaelj 45 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Night shifts

When my company tried to enforce a shift system on me 12 years ago I refused, as I had been told by my doctor that it was not recommended for Type 1 diabetics to do shifts as the disruption to establishing blood sugar and eating patterns could lead to troubles later in life due to poor control. Even when the company decided to send me to the company medical unit I got the same response. I know we don't always have an option with employment but it sounds to me as if shift work has caught up with you. Do you have an option to do days only. If you can show that shifts are causing you health problems your company should be trying to help you with this. Medical discrimination is against the law.

Jun 24, 2013

youone 102 posts

Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope

Hi Richard
What I liked about the McDonald's web page app, was it was me who picked the items as a group or an item on its own, it gave the usual information and the total carbs
What surprised me was the amount the tasty and bacon was,the large shake was 9 CP the large chips 6CP the tasty been 5CP, bread never stops surprising me.

Jun 24, 2013

baldrick040561 5 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Night shifts

Hi all

I have been a diabetic for around 30 years but for the last 9 years I have been working a shift system of two 10 hour days followed by two 14 hour nights then four off. I have never been too well controlled and as a result have started to have a number of complications - neuropathy, retinopathy etc. For the last 3 months I have been off work with cellulitis and problems with palpitations/irregular heartbeats. I am hoping to go back to work soon and have now hopefully got my glucose levels back in range but I am concerned about working shifts as although my averages are looking good when I look at my ranges 40% are below, 40% above with 20% in range. I also suffer from not knowing when I am going low and have had a few hypo's without realising. Have only discovered them by accident when I have done pre meal/bed tests or if my wife has noticed that I am acting confused and forced me off to do a test.
Has anyone else had similar experiences or any advice it would be much appreciated.
Richard

Jun 24, 2013

baldrick040561 5 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Apps

Hi Stew
The best app I have found is the Carbs&Cals one. It is a little expensive but one of the best as has pictures as well so easier to estimate. I also find it quite accurate especially when eating out. Richard

Jun 24, 2013

baldrick040561 5 posts

Topic: General Discussion / bosses

Kay
I would suggest that you join a union if you can and get this sorted. Not only is it discrimination it is bullying and harassment by your boss as well as the other individual. If you can't join a union then I suggest that you speak to Citizen advice.
Richard

Jun 24, 2013

baldrick040561 5 posts

Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope

Hi Burgher King do the same but watch out they include an ordinary drink in their calculation not a diet one. I nearly got caught out but I double checked against Carbs & Cals app. Lucky as I was going to drive straight after. As I adjusted and counted out the drink took the correct amount of QA. Two hours later I stopped and checked my level and found I was 5.3 so imagine what it would have been if I had taken it as read. I have since found out that they have a section where you can get a broken down menu to work it out.
Anyway just wanted to warn others just be careful and don't take all info for granted.
Richard

youone said:
I don't know how long this has been available, but I found it very useful, let's hope companies such as pizza express follow.
I decided for a change to have a McDonald's meal so went to see their web site on my phone, discovered the my meal option which gives you the total carbohydrates for a meal, I had a big tasty and bacon,large chips and a large banana shake, it gave the total amount of carbs which I matched QA with
Used the 2 way split and I hit target 4 to 5 hours later
Not something I say a lot, but well done McDonald's

Jun 23, 2013

marke 681 posts

Topic: General Discussion / popcorn heaven

Hi, sorry Anele46 I had to delete your post that shows a page of the DAFNE handbook and I would suggest you also remove it from the link you pasted. The course handbook is copyrighted and you cannot post its contents onto the internet, you are breaking the law, You definitely cannot post it on here as we had to sign a legal agreement to host it and that agreement says we cannot make it available to 'general users'

Jun 23, 2013

youone 102 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Paleo - reduced carbs diet and type 1

Hi
I've over the years tried many options to reduce my insulin amounts, since been told when I was a 11 until now 41 years on.
I reached a point when 1 day I sat down too considered the reasons I always aimed to reduce my insulin intake. After all its your life style that gives you the need to take the amount of insulin you need to control your BG levels.
Everyone is always trying to eat healthy the right food etc, but as a type1 if you eat 5 CP,s weather its healthy food or not you need to take the correct QA depending on your ratio.
Before I went on the Dafne course my HBac1 was 7 to 8 (60-65) ,but more important I was taking.
40 BI Latus then 15/15/15 QA which the doctors had told me to do.
that's 85 units a day.
After the dafne course my HBac1 is 6 to 7.
BI is 30 but my QA is 5/5/5 total of 45. Almost half.
The Dafne course also gave me the information to reduce it further because I was in total control.
I started running yes even at 52 its possible, with exercise my ratio changed from 1:1 to 1:0.5
So when I look back at the problems I had with highs and lows, and not been to bright it seems
It was the what I was doing that caused these not what I had to eat,
If I had changed my ratio from 1:1 to 1:0.5 I wouldn't' have had the lows when active,the opposite is ture aswel when sitting around at home doing nothing I should have increased my ratio to 1:2 or 1:1.5 this would have stopped the highs,
In short exercise is the only ture way to reduce your insulin intake with the added option with healthy food your well on your way to reduce your insulin.
Today I've been for a run my QA reduced down to 2/2/1 for meals of 5CPs mainly potatos and bread
Even with exercise I find my BI stays the same,I never say its sorted so I also will read this book sounds like even a veteran like me can be shown new things

Jun 21, 2013

youone 102 posts

Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope

Vickyp said:
Mcdonalds print all the information for their normal menu on the back of the tray sheet, big tasty etc are not on there as they are limited specials, but Internet tells you. My fitness pal app is also great for this. KFC also print nutritional info on the tray sheets!

Hi Vicky
Thanks for that info.
What I found useful with the MC's was you could change your meal options how you liked with different items with the site giving the total CP for every outcome.
Very simple to use but more important very helpful Smile

Jun 21, 2013

Vickyp 137 posts

Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope

Mcdonalds print all the information for their normal menu on the back of the tray sheet, big tasty etc are not on there as they are limited specials, but Internet tells you. My fitness pal app is also great for this. KFC also print nutritional info on the tray sheets! Smile

Jun 20, 2013

youone 102 posts

Topic: General Discussion / popcorn heaven

Hi
Don't know if it was me who posted about the popcorn at the cinema, but glad you enjoyed the popcorn and also hit your target,
Have you tried the MacDonald's my meal option on their web site, it gives the total carbs for any meal you chose,
I had a 20CP meal matched with QA and was in target 4 to 5 hours after, let's hope the pizza restaurant's catch up soon
Makes our lives a lot less stressful knowing what's in a meal Very Happy

Jun 20, 2013

youone 102 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Increasing Lantus (BI)

Hi
I always take it steady when adjusting the BI especially when its the evening one you started off very good with less than 1.5 variation in the BG on the 28th, then had two wayward BG then where getting back on track on the 31st what was the next two days?
DP is always blamed for high variations in the BG in the morning, and I,m not going to disagree, since I'he experienced this.
But before we adjust things let's consider some over looked items
Time is important what time did you test on the 28th was it different to the following days?
Was your meals at different times when you took your evening meals
Basically what I'm saying is people don't always look at what happened leading up to a high or low reading and only concentrate on the 1 reading.
The rule is what ever your reading its what you did before that caused it and that could go back 2 or 3 meals.
This is more than likely not what you experience,d but to a new type 1 they can make this mistake.
Like you I'm in the process of changing over to a pump which I've been reading up on, so I hope its goodbye to the DP's
But back to your question I would increase slowly and give it at lest a week with a constant life style ie taking all injections at the same time and trying to eat and take the same amounts of CP and QA at each meal, I know differcult but this speeds up any pattern that might appear.
Hope this helps from 1 who is getting on bit Wink

Jun 20, 2013

youone 102 posts

Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope

I don't know how long this has been available, but I found it very useful, let's hope companies such as pizza express follow.
I decided for a change to have a McDonald's meal so went to see their web site on my phone, discovered the my meal option which gives you the total carbohydrates for a meal, I had a big tasty and bacon,large chips and a large banana shake, it gave the total amount of carbs which I matched QA with
Used the 2 way split and I hit target 4 to 5 hours later
Not something I say a lot, but well done McDonald's Very Happy

Jun 20, 2013

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Carbohydrates and Protein

novorapidboi26 said:
Warwick,

Does the book mention anything about how fast, in comparison to carbs, the protein is converted....?

Sorry, been away on holiday and then couldn't find the book. I've checked the sections on protein in it and there is no mention of how fast the conversion process of protein into blood sugar is.

I think everyone is different. If it doesn't affect you, then it is one less thing to bother with. Some people need to take insulin for protein, some don't. I have noticed that on the times I have had a protein shake by itself (extremely low carb), my BGLs have risen afterwards with no other reason to explain the rise.

Jun 19, 2013

Louise R 1 post

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Adjustment following stopping breast feeding

Hello

I stopped breast feeding my second child 3 months ago after 51 weeks.
Its only the last fortnight that my bloods have started to recognise a change just as I'm also
Returning to work. I'm quick to make changes. My BI was 6 in the morning and
11 at night. I've increased to BI 10 in a morning but
My bloods are going up at 11am and rising. I was told one adjustment
Every 2-3 days so you see a pattern. But I feel poorly and I'm
Impatient to get back on track. My last long term blood being 6.1mmol, not that I now understand what it means!!

Can I safely increase to 12 from 10 for my BI am dose. Readings at 1230 are around 11-13 and after lunch staying at this level.

I'm happy my evening BI is correct BG being within targets.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Louise

Jun 18, 2013

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Chia seed

Ah, the old unexplained highs :-) Perhaps you were battling a virus without knowing. Us long distance runners are known to have a higher incidence of URTI (Upper Respiratory and Throat Infections) than the "normal" population.

Jun 18, 2013

George Thomson 2 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Chia seed

Thanks for the help, my body seems to have settled down and I think that something else (god knows what) was causing the problem, my insulin regime was and is again very similar to yours and all is ok except for the welcome boost I have received from Chia.
George

Jun 18, 2013

LadyNovo777 9 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Lantus Prefilled Pen

Thanks Stew

Jun 18, 2013

Warwick 425 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Chia seed

I've been taking about a teaspoon of chia seed with my breakfast most mornings for the last year. I usually do an hour's commute via bike afterwards, and haven't noticed any spikes as a result. I'm on a 1/3 ratio for breakfast - 100g carb and I take 3 to 3.5 units of insulin with it.

Chia appears to have a GI ranking of 1 so it is extremely slow at releasing blood sugar. I find with slow-release foods like lentils and chick peas that I need to half the dose that I take for the food and administer that dose twice - once before I eat and 2-3 hours later. You might need to do the same. E.g, if I am on a half ratio for lunch, and I have 40g of lentils, then instead of taking 4 CPs/2 = 2 units of QA, I'd take 1 unit before eating and 1 unit a couple of hours later.

Have you tried halving the dose of chia and seeing if that helps? Otherwise I recommend splitting the dose to avoid such highs.

Cheers,
Warwick.

Jun 18, 2013

Louise93 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / infections

I have slight thrush too which is annoying Sad

.. it definately feels more like an infection Sad

my Bg levels are higher due to this infection and i know this is the case cause my Bg levels are normal until 2 weeks after the previous of antibiotics have finished .. also been to the docs several times and he eventually refered me to a urologist , still not heard from them yet :/.

Jun 18, 2013

HelenP 218 posts

Topic: General Discussion / infections

Is it a thrush infection...they are exacerbated by BGs above what is considered "good"? Here in Australia we can purchase creams over the counter but you must keep up the treatment until you are absolutely positive the thrush has gone. I believe that taking antibiotics for another infection increases the likelihood you will get a thrush infection post the antibiotics. Antibiotics do not cure thrush as it is a yeast infection.

Helen

Jun 24, 2013 michaelj 45 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Night shifts When my company tried to enforce a shift system on me 12 years ago I refused, as I had been told by my doctor that it was not recommended for Type 1 diabetics to do shifts as the disruption to establishing blood sugar and eating patterns could lead to troubles later in life due to poor control. Even when the company decided to send me to the company medical unit I got the same response. I know we don't always have an option with employment but it sounds to me as if shift work has caught up with you. Do you have an option to do days only. If you can show that shifts are causing you health problems your company should be trying to help you with this. Medical discrimination is against the law.

Jun 24, 2013 youone 102 posts	Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope Hi Richard What I liked about the McDonald's web page app, was it was me who picked the items as a group or an item on its own, it gave the usual information and the total carbs What surprised me was the amount the tasty and bacon was,the large shake was 9 CP the large chips 6CP the tasty been 5CP, bread never stops surprising me.

Jun 24, 2013 baldrick040561 5 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Night shifts Hi all I have been a diabetic for around 30 years but for the last 9 years I have been working a shift system of two 10 hour days followed by two 14 hour nights then four off. I have never been too well controlled and as a result have started to have a number of complications - neuropathy, retinopathy etc. For the last 3 months I have been off work with cellulitis and problems with palpitations/irregular heartbeats. I am hoping to go back to work soon and have now hopefully got my glucose levels back in range but I am concerned about working shifts as although my averages are looking good when I look at my ranges 40% are below, 40% above with 20% in range. I also suffer from not knowing when I am going low and have had a few hypo's without realising. Have only discovered them by accident when I have done pre meal/bed tests or if my wife has noticed that I am acting confused and forced me off to do a test. Has anyone else had similar experiences or any advice it would be much appreciated. Richard

Jun 24, 2013 baldrick040561 5 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Apps Hi Stew The best app I have found is the Carbs&Cals one. It is a little expensive but one of the best as has pictures as well so easier to estimate. I also find it quite accurate especially when eating out. Richard

Jun 24, 2013 baldrick040561 5 posts	Topic: General Discussion / bosses Kay I would suggest that you join a union if you can and get this sorted. Not only is it discrimination it is bullying and harassment by your boss as well as the other individual. If you can't join a union then I suggest that you speak to Citizen advice. Richard

Jun 24, 2013 baldrick040561 5 posts	Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope Hi Burgher King do the same but watch out they include an ordinary drink in their calculation not a diet one. I nearly got caught out but I double checked against Carbs & Cals app. Lucky as I was going to drive straight after. As I adjusted and counted out the drink took the correct amount of QA. Two hours later I stopped and checked my level and found I was 5.3 so imagine what it would have been if I had taken it as read. I have since found out that they have a section where you can get a broken down menu to work it out. Anyway just wanted to warn others just be careful and don't take all info for granted. Richard youone said: I don't know how long this has been available, but I found it very useful, let's hope companies such as pizza express follow. I decided for a change to have a McDonald's meal so went to see their web site on my phone, discovered the my meal option which gives you the total carbohydrates for a meal, I had a big tasty and bacon,large chips and a large banana shake, it gave the total amount of carbs which I matched QA with Used the 2 way split and I hit target 4 to 5 hours later Not something I say a lot, but well done McDonald's

Jun 23, 2013 marke 681 posts	Topic: General Discussion / popcorn heaven Hi, sorry Anele46 I had to delete your post that shows a page of the DAFNE handbook and I would suggest you also remove it from the link you pasted. The course handbook is copyrighted and you cannot post its contents onto the internet, you are breaking the law, You definitely cannot post it on here as we had to sign a legal agreement to host it and that agreement says we cannot make it available to 'general users'

Jun 23, 2013 youone 102 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Paleo - reduced carbs diet and type 1 Hi I've over the years tried many options to reduce my insulin amounts, since been told when I was a 11 until now 41 years on. I reached a point when 1 day I sat down too considered the reasons I always aimed to reduce my insulin intake. After all its your life style that gives you the need to take the amount of insulin you need to control your BG levels. Everyone is always trying to eat healthy the right food etc, but as a type1 if you eat 5 CP,s weather its healthy food or not you need to take the correct QA depending on your ratio. Before I went on the Dafne course my HBac1 was 7 to 8 (60-65) ,but more important I was taking. 40 BI Latus then 15/15/15 QA which the doctors had told me to do. that's 85 units a day. After the dafne course my HBac1 is 6 to 7. BI is 30 but my QA is 5/5/5 total of 45. Almost half. The Dafne course also gave me the information to reduce it further because I was in total control. I started running yes even at 52 its possible, with exercise my ratio changed from 1:1 to 1:0.5 So when I look back at the problems I had with highs and lows, and not been to bright it seems It was the what I was doing that caused these not what I had to eat, If I had changed my ratio from 1:1 to 1:0.5 I wouldn't' have had the lows when active,the opposite is ture aswel when sitting around at home doing nothing I should have increased my ratio to 1:2 or 1:1.5 this would have stopped the highs, In short exercise is the only ture way to reduce your insulin intake with the added option with healthy food your well on your way to reduce your insulin. Today I've been for a run my QA reduced down to 2/2/1 for meals of 5CPs mainly potatos and bread Even with exercise I find my BI stays the same,I never say its sorted so I also will read this book sounds like even a veteran like me can be shown new things

Jun 21, 2013 youone 102 posts	Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope Vickyp said: Mcdonalds print all the information for their normal menu on the back of the tray sheet, big tasty etc are not on there as they are limited specials, but Internet tells you. My fitness pal app is also great for this. KFC also print nutritional info on the tray sheets! Hi Vicky Thanks for that info. What I found useful with the MC's was you could change your meal options how you liked with different items with the site giving the total CP for every outcome. Very simple to use but more important very helpful

Jun 21, 2013 Vickyp 137 posts	Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope Mcdonalds print all the information for their normal menu on the back of the tray sheet, big tasty etc are not on there as they are limited specials, but Internet tells you. My fitness pal app is also great for this. KFC also print nutritional info on the tray sheets!

Jun 20, 2013 youone 102 posts	Topic: General Discussion / popcorn heaven Hi Don't know if it was me who posted about the popcorn at the cinema, but glad you enjoyed the popcorn and also hit your target, Have you tried the MacDonald's my meal option on their web site, it gives the total carbs for any meal you chose, I had a 20CP meal matched with QA and was in target 4 to 5 hours after, let's hope the pizza restaurant's catch up soon Makes our lives a lot less stressful knowing what's in a meal

Jun 20, 2013 youone 102 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Increasing Lantus (BI) Hi I always take it steady when adjusting the BI especially when its the evening one you started off very good with less than 1.5 variation in the BG on the 28th, then had two wayward BG then where getting back on track on the 31st what was the next two days? DP is always blamed for high variations in the BG in the morning, and I,m not going to disagree, since I'he experienced this. But before we adjust things let's consider some over looked items Time is important what time did you test on the 28th was it different to the following days? Was your meals at different times when you took your evening meals Basically what I'm saying is people don't always look at what happened leading up to a high or low reading and only concentrate on the 1 reading. The rule is what ever your reading its what you did before that caused it and that could go back 2 or 3 meals. This is more than likely not what you experience,d but to a new type 1 they can make this mistake. Like you I'm in the process of changing over to a pump which I've been reading up on, so I hope its goodbye to the DP's But back to your question I would increase slowly and give it at lest a week with a constant life style ie taking all injections at the same time and trying to eat and take the same amounts of CP and QA at each meal, I know differcult but this speeds up any pattern that might appear. Hope this helps from 1 who is getting on bit

Jun 20, 2013 youone 102 posts	Topic: General Discussion / new trend lets hope I don't know how long this has been available, but I found it very useful, let's hope companies such as pizza express follow. I decided for a change to have a McDonald's meal so went to see their web site on my phone, discovered the my meal option which gives you the total carbohydrates for a meal, I had a big tasty and bacon,large chips and a large banana shake, it gave the total amount of carbs which I matched QA with Used the 2 way split and I hit target 4 to 5 hours later Not something I say a lot, but well done McDonald's

Jun 20, 2013 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Carbohydrates and Protein novorapidboi26 said: Warwick, Does the book mention anything about how fast, in comparison to carbs, the protein is converted....? Sorry, been away on holiday and then couldn't find the book. I've checked the sections on protein in it and there is no mention of how fast the conversion process of protein into blood sugar is. I think everyone is different. If it doesn't affect you, then it is one less thing to bother with. Some people need to take insulin for protein, some don't. I have noticed that on the times I have had a protein shake by itself (extremely low carb), my BGLs have risen afterwards with no other reason to explain the rise.

Jun 19, 2013 Louise R 1 post	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Adjustment following stopping breast feeding Hello I stopped breast feeding my second child 3 months ago after 51 weeks. Its only the last fortnight that my bloods have started to recognise a change just as I'm also Returning to work. I'm quick to make changes. My BI was 6 in the morning and 11 at night. I've increased to BI 10 in a morning but My bloods are going up at 11am and rising. I was told one adjustment Every 2-3 days so you see a pattern. But I feel poorly and I'm Impatient to get back on track. My last long term blood being 6.1mmol, not that I now understand what it means!! Can I safely increase to 12 from 10 for my BI am dose. Readings at 1230 are around 11-13 and after lunch staying at this level. I'm happy my evening BI is correct BG being within targets. Any suggestions gratefully received. Louise

Jun 18, 2013 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Chia seed Ah, the old unexplained highs :-) Perhaps you were battling a virus without knowing. Us long distance runners are known to have a higher incidence of URTI (Upper Respiratory and Throat Infections) than the "normal" population.

Jun 18, 2013 George Thomson 2 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Chia seed Thanks for the help, my body seems to have settled down and I think that something else (god knows what) was causing the problem, my insulin regime was and is again very similar to yours and all is ok except for the welcome boost I have received from Chia. George

Jun 18, 2013 LadyNovo777 9 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Lantus Prefilled Pen Thanks Stew

Jun 18, 2013 Warwick 425 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Chia seed I've been taking about a teaspoon of chia seed with my breakfast most mornings for the last year. I usually do an hour's commute via bike afterwards, and haven't noticed any spikes as a result. I'm on a 1/3 ratio for breakfast - 100g carb and I take 3 to 3.5 units of insulin with it. Chia appears to have a GI ranking of 1 so it is extremely slow at releasing blood sugar. I find with slow-release foods like lentils and chick peas that I need to half the dose that I take for the food and administer that dose twice - once before I eat and 2-3 hours later. You might need to do the same. E.g, if I am on a half ratio for lunch, and I have 40g of lentils, then instead of taking 4 CPs/2 = 2 units of QA, I'd take 1 unit before eating and 1 unit a couple of hours later. Have you tried halving the dose of chia and seeing if that helps? Otherwise I recommend splitting the dose to avoid such highs. Cheers, Warwick.

Jun 18, 2013 Louise93 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / infections I have slight thrush too which is annoying .. it definately feels more like an infection my Bg levels are higher due to this infection and i know this is the case cause my Bg levels are normal until 2 weeks after the previous of antibiotics have finished .. also been to the docs several times and he eventually refered me to a urologist , still not heard from them yet :/.

Jun 18, 2013 HelenP 218 posts	Topic: General Discussion / infections Is it a thrush infection...they are exacerbated by BGs above what is considered "good"? Here in Australia we can purchase creams over the counter but you must keep up the treatment until you are absolutely positive the thrush has gone. I believe that taking antibiotics for another infection increases the likelihood you will get a thrush infection post the antibiotics. Antibiotics do not cure thrush as it is a yeast infection. Helen