Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Mar 23, 2011

JayBee 587 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Blog: "DIY DAFNE" - An Diabetic Outsider's View

Haha, I still remember my first finger pricker - that was a nasty looking thing, but I was a heart broken little girl when it eventually broke!

It was one of those ones that you'd put the needle in a sort of 'catapult' bit and then you'd watch it fly down the side of the body into your finger. The place where you put your finger was like a little target! XD

Golly, I can't find a picture of it any where online!

Mar 23, 2011

DFH_17 22 posts

Topic: General Discussion / local meetings

I've been very lucky with the group I did DAFNE with - we've met up once and another meet is planned for next month - plus we all have each others mob numbers/e-mails, which is nice :-)

Mar 23, 2011

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: Site Development / Smilie Icons....

No need to apologize, you do a great job......

Mar 22, 2011

Simon 578 posts

Topic: Site Development / Smilie Icons....

Added to the list! (Sorry, I've been away....)

Mar 22, 2011

graham burton 14 posts

Topic: General Discussion / New European Commission directive affecting drivers with diabetes

just checked with dvla and this process is still going through the house of commons so the law still sticks that if you are on insulin you can not drive any vcechile that is D1

this would be a minibus i would say email and write a letter to your mp gto push this back on to the commons agenda ASAP and also email the diabetes uk about this and to see if they can find out when it will become law.

Mar 22, 2011

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel

each to their own, your not vegan are you................ Smile

Mar 22, 2011

tsavage1990 11 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel

im strict vegetarian so jellybabies arent any good. and mini cans of coke are ok but expensive and not great if your going on a night away with little room in your bag. plus glucogel is the only thing ive ever seen used in firstaid cause it is so damn handy

Mar 22, 2011

grandma carol 61 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio

Reading your posts think thats why things have started to get complicated for me.I was 10 stone for years and things were ok but for no reason I lost weight wasent ill wasent on a diet just did the same from day today then about 2 years a go started to loss weight went down to 6.5 stone. dident know why and Doctor was bothered.Well then started to put it back on and have stoped at 7.8 stone for 16 months now. But as you say novorapidboi26 I now need a lot less insulin went down from 20 Lantus to 9 at 18.00 at night thins have been a bit hetick as you know but getting better now

Mar 22, 2011

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio

Slim maybe......lol........think I used the word skinny to make me feel better, being overweight....................the less there is off you the less insulin you need, which is reflected in your background dose. But it seems you are very sensitive to insulin and/or have been diagnosed in the last few years...........has it always been like this, well, similar insulin amounts anyway...?

Mar 22, 2011

grandma carol 61 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Old habits die hard...

i was diagnosed at the same time I was pregnant and like patty panick with anything above 10 but since doing Dafne my bloods have been up to 18.0 sometime and I was feeling realy un well. But think things are getting better a bit now down in the 7.0 and 8.0 most of the time its just the morning that I have the trouble with.From getting up untill I have breakfast like this morning I was 8.3 and before I had me breakfast 30 mins later I was 12.1 It just drives me mad at times. Well my son is 36 now but I still dont like the highs know what you mean Patty.

Mar 21, 2011

Robby N. 7 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Thoughts??

Do you take all your injections in the stomach, it is possible that your injection sites are lumpy and all your insulin is not being absorbed, might be worth getting your HCP to have a quick look at your sites.

Mar 21, 2011

Robby N. 7 posts

Topic: General Discussion / local meetings

Our local healthcare people are going to try and get our graduates together every year, They said we will get more and more people each year as more people complete Dafne. This will only be once a year though but should still be useful.

Mar 21, 2011

Robby N. 7 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio

novorapidboi, my background is 14 units of Lantis and I am not that skinny, (wish I was though).

Mar 21, 2011

Patty O Doors 4 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Old habits die hard...

In response to the OP, I was diagnosed at the same time as finding out I was pregnant, so it was all a bit of a nightmare! Because I had to have such tight targets for my BG, I now can't get out of the habit of wanting to be low all the time and panicking about anything above 9. I knew that high sugars were bad for the baby but low sugars didn't harm it, and I can't get that out of my head even though my little boy is now 17 months old.
So too many hypos were my bad habit. Dafne is helping (only did the course last week) but still find it odd to see readings over 10 and think that is is ok (i.e. after meals).

Mar 21, 2011

Patty O Doors 4 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio

I did DAFNE last week and am on 0.5/1 ratio of QA for all my meals. They never mentioned that there was a problem with this. Try it and see what happens!

Mar 21, 2011

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel

I think that the jelly babies would have worked as they have same amount of glucose as the coke, its just the circumstance of the hypo could have been different and the rate of drop changes the rules too, I have often found myself having 3 sets of jelly babies on a day following alcohol, as my BGs were dropping very rapidly...........

The best stuff is the juice, for speed anyway.......

Mar 21, 2011

Aneirin 15 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio

I take lantus background insulin at 7.00 pm
Meals are usually at 8.30 am, 12.00 pm to 13.30 pm, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The 1/2 ratio seemed tow ork on Fridays (still on a 1:1 ratio on weekends when not working) however a bit of a cold probably masde my readings unreliable, so we will have to wait and see.

Still glad to see others do the same.

Mar 19, 2011

ot3867 5 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio

Can you give a little more info?
1. When do you take your background insulin? What time or times?
2. What type of background insulin is it? Levemir? Lantus? Other?
3. When do you have your meals generally?

Mar 19, 2011

Heather B 20 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio

Hi, I am on a 0.5:1 ratio for my lunchtime QA which was set while I was still on my DAFNE training. I am busiest around this time of the day and I seem to need less insulin as a result, I always hypo if I take a higher ratio at this time (I am a 1.5:1 for breakfast and 1:1 for snacks and other meals). You should definitely get yourself a 0.5 pen and try out a lower ratio and I'm sure you will be able to find different ratios that work for you throughout the day. Good luck.

Mar 18, 2011

ot3867 5 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Not impressed x 2

1. It looks to me like you are using a lot of Insulin... I remember them saying on DAFNE that if you use too much the insulin is less effective because it does not absorb so well.... probably something worth discussing with the DAFNE specilist.

2. I agree on the points on where you jab. I understand that the side of the leg is good for absorbing your long acting basel insulin but the stomach is better for short acting. I have found this gives me enough rotation not to get too much brusing.

3. The pattern to me seems to be that lunch time was the high one. If you skipped breakfast one day and tested at lunch you would see whether you are having enough levemir at breakfast. My hunch is you need to lift your breakfast BI to 30 and keep the evening one at 28 and make all ratios the same so you can spot the patterns better.. 3:1 for the evening looks right too.

best,

Oliver

Mar 18, 2011

Robby N. 7 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel

just goes to show everybody is different

Mar 18, 2011

DFH_17 22 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel

I tend to have a mini can of Coke and that works perfect for me. I did try the 3 jelly babies and nothing happened after the recommended 10 mins waiting time - in fact my bg went lower - was a bit disappointed they didnt work but there you go :-)

Mar 18, 2011

DFH_17 22 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Conflicting Adivce

3.5 is definitely the floor with hypos and you want to do the hypo tretment wait 10 mins then re-test to make sure your BG has gone up. You've done well with decreasing your HBA1C in 2 months.

Regarding weight loss - its all about portion control. Making sure the cp count is correct so that your injecting the correct amount for what you eat. Have found that now I'm carb counting I automatically am more careful about what I eat as I know the more carbs I eat the more I have to inject. You didnt say what ratios your on for each meal?

Mar 18, 2011

marke 681 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Loss of Hypo warning signs

not wishing to be rude Kathryn but two things suprise me. Firstly why you were suprised by your HBa1c going up when you ran your BG high for 4 months ! A month would have been more than enough, I think the general recommendation is a few weeks should restore hypo warnings. Secondly if you only test when you think its 'needed' you have no way of knowing what your BG's are doing and being low or high should come as no suprise. The idea of DAFNE is to look for patterns in your BG's to decide if your BI is correct or your carb estimating is correct for your QA. Its not OCD to do this its normal diabetes management and to be honest its the only way if you are going to know if you have hypo signs or not. I don't disagree it can be a pain to have to keep doing it but there is no alternative.

Mar 18, 2011

vic demain 87 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Blog: "DIY DAFNE" - An Diabetic Outsider's View

Much of what you say holds memories for me Alan, although I was diagnosed a mere 30 years ago. Remember we referred to "exchanges" and you were allowed so many per meal, as you say. I used to live from meal to meal and hated being starved. The early blood glucose monitors were awful, well not the monitor but the finger pricker, which was at best lethal.
Dafne, for me was great, I learnt so much more in that week than the previous 28 years, however, control is slightly better but I now have far more hypos than ever before.

Mar 23, 2011 JayBee 587 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Blog: "DIY DAFNE" - An Diabetic Outsider's View Haha, I still remember my first finger pricker - that was a nasty looking thing, but I was a heart broken little girl when it eventually broke! It was one of those ones that you'd put the needle in a sort of 'catapult' bit and then you'd watch it fly down the side of the body into your finger. The place where you put your finger was like a little target! XD Golly, I can't find a picture of it any where online!

Mar 23, 2011 DFH_17 22 posts	Topic: General Discussion / local meetings I've been very lucky with the group I did DAFNE with - we've met up once and another meet is planned for next month - plus we all have each others mob numbers/e-mails, which is nice :-)

Mar 23, 2011 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: Site Development / Smilie Icons.... No need to apologize, you do a great job......

Mar 22, 2011 Simon 578 posts	Topic: Site Development / Smilie Icons.... Added to the list! (Sorry, I've been away....)

Mar 22, 2011 graham burton 14 posts	Topic: General Discussion / New European Commission directive affecting drivers with diabetes just checked with dvla and this process is still going through the house of commons so the law still sticks that if you are on insulin you can not drive any vcechile that is D1 this would be a minibus i would say email and write a letter to your mp gto push this back on to the commons agenda ASAP and also email the diabetes uk about this and to see if they can find out when it will become law.

Mar 22, 2011 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel each to their own, your not vegan are you................

Mar 22, 2011 tsavage1990 11 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel im strict vegetarian so jellybabies arent any good. and mini cans of coke are ok but expensive and not great if your going on a night away with little room in your bag. plus glucogel is the only thing ive ever seen used in firstaid cause it is so damn handy

Mar 22, 2011 grandma carol 61 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio Reading your posts think thats why things have started to get complicated for me.I was 10 stone for years and things were ok but for no reason I lost weight wasent ill wasent on a diet just did the same from day today then about 2 years a go started to loss weight went down to 6.5 stone. dident know why and Doctor was bothered.Well then started to put it back on and have stoped at 7.8 stone for 16 months now. But as you say novorapidboi26 I now need a lot less insulin went down from 20 Lantus to 9 at 18.00 at night thins have been a bit hetick as you know but getting better now

Mar 22, 2011 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio Slim maybe......lol........think I used the word skinny to make me feel better, being overweight....................the less there is off you the less insulin you need, which is reflected in your background dose. But it seems you are very sensitive to insulin and/or have been diagnosed in the last few years...........has it always been like this, well, similar insulin amounts anyway...?

Mar 22, 2011 grandma carol 61 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Old habits die hard... i was diagnosed at the same time I was pregnant and like patty panick with anything above 10 but since doing Dafne my bloods have been up to 18.0 sometime and I was feeling realy un well. But think things are getting better a bit now down in the 7.0 and 8.0 most of the time its just the morning that I have the trouble with.From getting up untill I have breakfast like this morning I was 8.3 and before I had me breakfast 30 mins later I was 12.1 It just drives me mad at times. Well my son is 36 now but I still dont like the highs know what you mean Patty.

Mar 21, 2011 Robby N. 7 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Thoughts?? Do you take all your injections in the stomach, it is possible that your injection sites are lumpy and all your insulin is not being absorbed, might be worth getting your HCP to have a quick look at your sites.

Mar 21, 2011 Robby N. 7 posts	Topic: General Discussion / local meetings Our local healthcare people are going to try and get our graduates together every year, They said we will get more and more people each year as more people complete Dafne. This will only be once a year though but should still be useful.

Mar 21, 2011 Robby N. 7 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio novorapidboi, my background is 14 units of Lantis and I am not that skinny, (wish I was though).

Mar 21, 2011 Patty O Doors 4 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Old habits die hard... In response to the OP, I was diagnosed at the same time as finding out I was pregnant, so it was all a bit of a nightmare! Because I had to have such tight targets for my BG, I now can't get out of the habit of wanting to be low all the time and panicking about anything above 9. I knew that high sugars were bad for the baby but low sugars didn't harm it, and I can't get that out of my head even though my little boy is now 17 months old. So too many hypos were my bad habit. Dafne is helping (only did the course last week) but still find it odd to see readings over 10 and think that is is ok (i.e. after meals).

Mar 21, 2011 Patty O Doors 4 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio I did DAFNE last week and am on 0.5/1 ratio of QA for all my meals. They never mentioned that there was a problem with this. Try it and see what happens!

Mar 21, 2011 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel I think that the jelly babies would have worked as they have same amount of glucose as the coke, its just the circumstance of the hypo could have been different and the rate of drop changes the rules too, I have often found myself having 3 sets of jelly babies on a day following alcohol, as my BGs were dropping very rapidly........... The best stuff is the juice, for speed anyway.......

Mar 21, 2011 Aneirin 15 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio I take lantus background insulin at 7.00 pm Meals are usually at 8.30 am, 12.00 pm to 13.30 pm, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. The 1/2 ratio seemed tow ork on Fridays (still on a 1:1 ratio on weekends when not working) however a bit of a cold probably masde my readings unreliable, so we will have to wait and see. Still glad to see others do the same.

Mar 19, 2011 ot3867 5 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio Can you give a little more info? 1. When do you take your background insulin? What time or times? 2. What type of background insulin is it? Levemir? Lantus? Other? 3. When do you have your meals generally?

Mar 19, 2011 Heather B 20 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Going below a 1:1 ratio Hi, I am on a 0.5:1 ratio for my lunchtime QA which was set while I was still on my DAFNE training. I am busiest around this time of the day and I seem to need less insulin as a result, I always hypo if I take a higher ratio at this time (I am a 1.5:1 for breakfast and 1:1 for snacks and other meals). You should definitely get yourself a 0.5 pen and try out a lower ratio and I'm sure you will be able to find different ratios that work for you throughout the day. Good luck.

Mar 18, 2011 ot3867 5 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Not impressed x 2 1. It looks to me like you are using a lot of Insulin... I remember them saying on DAFNE that if you use too much the insulin is less effective because it does not absorb so well.... probably something worth discussing with the DAFNE specilist. 2. I agree on the points on where you jab. I understand that the side of the leg is good for absorbing your long acting basel insulin but the stomach is better for short acting. I have found this gives me enough rotation not to get too much brusing. 3. The pattern to me seems to be that lunch time was the high one. If you skipped breakfast one day and tested at lunch you would see whether you are having enough levemir at breakfast. My hunch is you need to lift your breakfast BI to 30 and keep the evening one at 28 and make all ratios the same so you can spot the patterns better.. 3:1 for the evening looks right too. best, Oliver

Mar 18, 2011 Robby N. 7 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel just goes to show everybody is different

Mar 18, 2011 DFH_17 22 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / glucogel I tend to have a mini can of Coke and that works perfect for me. I did try the 3 jelly babies and nothing happened after the recommended 10 mins waiting time - in fact my bg went lower - was a bit disappointed they didnt work but there you go :-)

Mar 18, 2011 DFH_17 22 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Conflicting Adivce 3.5 is definitely the floor with hypos and you want to do the hypo tretment wait 10 mins then re-test to make sure your BG has gone up. You've done well with decreasing your HBA1C in 2 months. Regarding weight loss - its all about portion control. Making sure the cp count is correct so that your injecting the correct amount for what you eat. Have found that now I'm carb counting I automatically am more careful about what I eat as I know the more carbs I eat the more I have to inject. You didnt say what ratios your on for each meal?

Mar 18, 2011 marke 681 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Loss of Hypo warning signs not wishing to be rude Kathryn but two things suprise me. Firstly why you were suprised by your HBa1c going up when you ran your BG high for 4 months ! A month would have been more than enough, I think the general recommendation is a few weeks should restore hypo warnings. Secondly if you only test when you think its 'needed' you have no way of knowing what your BG's are doing and being low or high should come as no suprise. The idea of DAFNE is to look for patterns in your BG's to decide if your BI is correct or your carb estimating is correct for your QA. Its not OCD to do this its normal diabetes management and to be honest its the only way if you are going to know if you have hypo signs or not. I don't disagree it can be a pain to have to keep doing it but there is no alternative.

Mar 18, 2011 vic demain 87 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Blog: "DIY DAFNE" - An Diabetic Outsider's View Much of what you say holds memories for me Alan, although I was diagnosed a mere 30 years ago. Remember we referred to "exchanges" and you were allowed so many per meal, as you say. I used to live from meal to meal and hated being starved. The early blood glucose monitors were awful, well not the monitor but the finger pricker, which was at best lethal. Dafne, for me was great, I learnt so much more in that week than the previous 28 years, however, control is slightly better but I now have far more hypos than ever before.