Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Oct 20, 2010

marke 655 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Shortage of test strips

ah, but Alan what they probably didn't tell you was the drugs then get imported back into the UK and sold in the UK. Its often cheaper to source branded drugs in the EU and then relabel them for the UK market. This is common practice and so drugs being restricted by the makers in the UK would not really affect the market hugely. However as I say I have had the problem as well so I'm as interested as you to know why. What we need is a mole in the manufacturers company to tell us what is really going on. Sadly I don't know anyone, does any one else ?

Oct 20, 2010

claireadams 12 posts

Topic: General Discussion / type 1 during pregnancy- help!

Has anyone got any hints or suggestions how to control diabetes during pregnancy?? As soon as i conceived i seemed to be resistant to insulin and am not on HUGE amounts and still increasing it. Im hoping that when i give birth i'll go back to taking the amount of units i was on before? or will my body get used to this amount and i'll still be on it? Any tips on being pregnant with Type 1 will be useful

Thanks Claire

Oct 20, 2010

Alan 49 280 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Shortage of test strips

I have been told that last week, on the One Show (on BBC1), there was a piece about a cancer patient who was having trouble getting the drugs prescribed to treat her condition. The programme went on to say that after investigation, it was found that drug companies and wholesalers were restricting supplies to UK pharmacies because of the weakness of the Pound. They were maximising their profits by shipping more of their products to European countries - hence the shortages in the UK. I didn't see the programme myself, but it sounds feasible. On searching the BBC website, I found the following page: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8516080.stm which is dated in February this year and would seem to be about the same problem. I wonder whether this was the cause of the problem I had.

Oct 20, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,818 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Calling any and all archaeologists!

Hey there..........

NiVZ is correct, on the forum www.diabetessupport.co.uk there is a female archeologist who goes by the name of SilentAssasin1642.

She is actually on a pump, but everyone on a pump needs to be trained to the same principals and standards as dafne, if not better.

I reccomend signing up over there and giving her a PM, you might find the answers your looking for.

Good luck...........

nrb

Oct 20, 2010

NiVZ 82 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Calling any and all archaeologists!

Hi Jenny,

I know of one other female diabetic archeaologist who posts on another diabetes forum I use. Don't think she is DAFNE trained so probably not on here tho.

NiVZ

Oct 20, 2010

Jenny Spollen 13 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Calling any and all archaeologists!

Hi all,
I've been a Diabetic for 20 odd years at this stage and completed the DAFNE course a year ago. best thing ever.

However, I work as an archaeologist and the huge array of variables that come with day-to-day work on a site especially as regards physical activity, it's unpredicability etc and the havoc it can reep in your hourly, never mind daily, BG levels is to say the least annoying.

I have also yet to meet another diabetic muck-shoveller and would be really interested to know if there are others in the same field and how things are working out for them Very Happy

Jenny

Oct 20, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,818 posts

Topic: General Discussion / not good !! help

Its good you have finally realised that you cant go on the way you have been............sometimes for most people that is all they need to change the way they control diabetes.......the time this takes varies for each person........

I would say 8 out of 12 years being diabetic were spent not really knowing how to manage it.......

Good luck at the doctors...

Oct 19, 2010

claireadams 12 posts

Topic: General Discussion / not good !! help

Hi Kelly,
I got type 1 diabetes 4 years ago during pregnancy and when i gave birth i lost so much weight through out of control diabetes that everyone was saying how skinny and ill i looked (i loved it!- ate what i liked and never gained a pound)... then over the years it actually made me ill.. the symptoms of high bg just werent worth it anymore and after 2 bouts in hospital (one in intensive care) and a young son to look after i just had to sort it out.... unfortunately with the control came weight gain, but i am much healthier and can live a normal life. I get help now with having an eating disorder, and to be honest i still struggle with the amount of weight i have gained, but it is worth it. I think with a balanced diet and exercise you can keep your weight in check without using your insulin. I really think you should look into getting help with having an eating disorder (you may not think you have but anyone who uses insulin to loose weight is risking their life). Please take it from someone who knows! I really hope you get healthy again and get back on track with dafne for the sake of your children... Good luck, Claire
ps i had cognitive behavioural therapy, it really helped me

Oct 19, 2010

marke 655 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

Hi Jennifer Iden, yes its me you contact about being 'promoted' from a user to a graduate, just contact me via the 'contact us' link at the
bottom of every page or via the 'message inbox' in the right hand menu. We can then sort out what details we need from you to do it.

Oct 19, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,818 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

how many folk attend..........is 3 hours enough............

Oct 19, 2010

emmacool 6 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pumps

good luck thunderbolt if you get the chance ask about the new omnipod its wireless! emma x

Oct 19, 2010

emmacool 6 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

ive been on a few refresher courses and find them really usefull to update my dafne knowledge because i keep forgeting stuff lol

Oct 19, 2010

addie 13 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

Okay my local refresher courses are ran twice yearly. Ive missed this entry for Nov 2010 so going to attend the June 2011 course. 3 hours 6-9 for one night only. Cant do any harm. Apologies I was unaware these courses were not ran in all DAFNE centres.

Hope all you are in good health.

Best wishes
Ad

Oct 19, 2010

PNThompson 57 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

I have not heard about any refresher course, but I have had a yearly review meeting.
I don't know if I would benefit from any review, but would certainly agree that people who do struggle could maybe do with attending a refresher course.

Given time, even those of us who have done quite well with the course could do with a refresher course, as there will no doubt be changes, and people will not doubt stray from what they had learnt.

Oct 19, 2010

Jennifer Iden 11 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

I'm booked on a carb counting and dose adjustment refresher course later this year, having completed DAFNE last October....

Marke, is it you that I need to talk to about being promoted from a 'user' to a 'graduate'?

Oct 19, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,818 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

When you say people like me are you reffering to people with internet access...............I was given the handbook home as well.

I do understand some people may struggle for whatever reason, but I believe only a small amount.....

I agree only time will tell and also to dafne drop ins, if there were staff commited to only dafne that would be brilliant.

Oct 18, 2010

marke 655 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

Yes novaraidboi, but the refresher course is not aimed at people like you. Its aimed at people that don't frequent internet forums and didn't necessarily find the DAFNE Course easy to follow. Its also not easy for some of us to have a constant liason with our Diabetic team, there is a post code lottery out there you know ;-)
I think there IS a need for some to attend a refresher course, however as I said its just a trial at the moment and a long way from becoming standard practice. There is no evidence base for a refresher course like there is the original course so it would be a lot harder to sell to PCTs and also its unclear if it will provide any benefits. Only time will tell.
I think the DAFNE drop in is a good idea though and it woudl be good if other centres could find the resources to do them.

Oct 18, 2010

Jennypenny 34 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

its been going on for a couple of years and apprantly they get enough people going to keep carrying on with it

Oct 18, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,818 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

I cant see this picking up greatly, as people cant get the time off to attend..........

Constant liason with your diabetic team and a quick skim of the handbook is all it takes......

For me the dafne principals are simple, its the conastant battle with your own body thats the hard part...and this can be discussed with the HCPs as opposed to specifically DAFNE trained staff...

Oct 18, 2010

Benton Fred 7 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses

Hi Ad
Not familiar with DAFNE drop in. But i've got a refresher course on 1st November. I'll keep you psoted on how it goes.

Fred

Oct 16, 2010

ThunderBolt 28 posts

Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed

Cheers Simon...

To be honest it's probably just me as I still can't seem to get into the habit of putting my needles in my pocket when I leave the house - or my blood test kit for that matter. If anything I'd suggest an option for auto-fill in the settings section similar to the one you did for bedtimes. Or maybe even (tech ignorance follows) a method of having the space blank until you tap BI and then it fills it in itself according to what's in the individuals settings. If I think of anything I'll let you know, but as I say, the way things are now are ace.

The app v site bedtime thing isn't much of a problem as such. I just wanted to raise the subject to warn anyone doing a last minute print before a clinic visit. I was just assuming everyone else was as disorganised as me!?! Heheh!

Re Dr Jez comments... Sounds like a stonking idea. Whatever you both decide I wish you well. Perhaps we could also look at providing diabetics with FREE iphones. Or is that pushing it a bit?

Oct 16, 2010

Dr Jez McCole 11 posts

Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed

Simon, the app is a treat to use; simple, effective and a great way to get the momentum back into carb counting. I believe the summary section is where the real potential lies, over and above what DAFNE can do in a paper diary. One simple idea (not so sure how simple it may be to implement) would be for the summary section to have some lines that split data by entry type, eg,
PAST 7 DAYS: (and then 14 and then 2 Cool

BREAKFAST AVERAGE 5.5
LUNCH AVERAGE 5.5
DINNER AVERAGE 5.5
BEDTIME AVERAGE 6.5

perfect diary that one, just like mine Smile

I like the current summaries and think they should stay, but data like the above can help someone think about ratios.

Thanks again Simon.
As a Doctor working in Primary Care and Diabetes I'd like to talk with you at some point about the wider platform development of this app and looking at some cetral funding somehow. I seriously see this as a way forward for the DAFNE program as a whole.

Jez

Oct 16, 2010

Simon 574 posts

Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed

Hi Thunderbolt,

Fair point about the site not reflecting the same bedtime as the app - I'm focusing on getting the app stable at the moment (we may have some good news on the in-app carb counting too so watch this space). With a busy day job schedule this means not much time to update the site. Rest assured it is our plan to release a new (better looking) version of the site in the not too distant future, with enhanced diary and other features.

On the auto-populate for BI, is there anything I can do to improve it for you?

Simon

Oct 16, 2010

ThunderBolt 28 posts

Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed

Hello again...

As per usual, top work on the updates and app as a whole. I'm having a few teething troubles with the auto BI, as I noticed a frew days back I'd apparently had 4 doses instead of the usual 2... Oops. That'll teach me to be such a lazy beggar. Heheh!

One thing I have noticed is that the bedtime feature - which works an absolute treat - isn't implemented on the results table online, so if you hit the pit at say 3am and test at the time, it still shows as the following day on your result table.

By no means a big thing, but can be a bit confusing if you aren't aware of the fact when you hand your sheets to your doctor.

Cheers!!!

Oct 16, 2010

Alann 12 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Android App

Another vote for an Android app

Oct 20, 2010 marke 655 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Shortage of test strips ah, but Alan what they probably didn't tell you was the drugs then get imported back into the UK and sold in the UK. Its often cheaper to source branded drugs in the EU and then relabel them for the UK market. This is common practice and so drugs being restricted by the makers in the UK would not really affect the market hugely. However as I say I have had the problem as well so I'm as interested as you to know why. What we need is a mole in the manufacturers company to tell us what is really going on. Sadly I don't know anyone, does any one else ?

Oct 20, 2010 claireadams 12 posts	Topic: General Discussion / type 1 during pregnancy- help! Has anyone got any hints or suggestions how to control diabetes during pregnancy?? As soon as i conceived i seemed to be resistant to insulin and am not on HUGE amounts and still increasing it. Im hoping that when i give birth i'll go back to taking the amount of units i was on before? or will my body get used to this amount and i'll still be on it? Any tips on being pregnant with Type 1 will be useful Thanks Claire

Oct 20, 2010 Alan 49 280 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Shortage of test strips I have been told that last week, on the One Show (on BBC1), there was a piece about a cancer patient who was having trouble getting the drugs prescribed to treat her condition. The programme went on to say that after investigation, it was found that drug companies and wholesalers were restricting supplies to UK pharmacies because of the weakness of the Pound. They were maximising their profits by shipping more of their products to European countries - hence the shortages in the UK. I didn't see the programme myself, but it sounds feasible. On searching the BBC website, I found the following page: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8516080.stm which is dated in February this year and would seem to be about the same problem. I wonder whether this was the cause of the problem I had.

Oct 20, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,818 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Calling any and all archaeologists! Hey there.......... NiVZ is correct, on the forum www.diabetessupport.co.uk there is a female archeologist who goes by the name of SilentAssasin1642. She is actually on a pump, but everyone on a pump needs to be trained to the same principals and standards as dafne, if not better. I reccomend signing up over there and giving her a PM, you might find the answers your looking for. Good luck........... nrb

Oct 20, 2010 NiVZ 82 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Calling any and all archaeologists! Hi Jenny, I know of one other female diabetic archeaologist who posts on another diabetes forum I use. Don't think she is DAFNE trained so probably not on here tho. NiVZ

Oct 20, 2010 Jenny Spollen 13 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Calling any and all archaeologists! Hi all, I've been a Diabetic for 20 odd years at this stage and completed the DAFNE course a year ago. best thing ever. However, I work as an archaeologist and the huge array of variables that come with day-to-day work on a site especially as regards physical activity, it's unpredicability etc and the havoc it can reep in your hourly, never mind daily, BG levels is to say the least annoying. I have also yet to meet another diabetic muck-shoveller and would be really interested to know if there are others in the same field and how things are working out for them Jenny

Oct 20, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,818 posts	Topic: General Discussion / not good !! help Its good you have finally realised that you cant go on the way you have been............sometimes for most people that is all they need to change the way they control diabetes.......the time this takes varies for each person........ I would say 8 out of 12 years being diabetic were spent not really knowing how to manage it....... Good luck at the doctors...

Oct 19, 2010 claireadams 12 posts	Topic: General Discussion / not good !! help Hi Kelly, I got type 1 diabetes 4 years ago during pregnancy and when i gave birth i lost so much weight through out of control diabetes that everyone was saying how skinny and ill i looked (i loved it!- ate what i liked and never gained a pound)... then over the years it actually made me ill.. the symptoms of high bg just werent worth it anymore and after 2 bouts in hospital (one in intensive care) and a young son to look after i just had to sort it out.... unfortunately with the control came weight gain, but i am much healthier and can live a normal life. I get help now with having an eating disorder, and to be honest i still struggle with the amount of weight i have gained, but it is worth it. I think with a balanced diet and exercise you can keep your weight in check without using your insulin. I really think you should look into getting help with having an eating disorder (you may not think you have but anyone who uses insulin to loose weight is risking their life). Please take it from someone who knows! I really hope you get healthy again and get back on track with dafne for the sake of your children... Good luck, Claire ps i had cognitive behavioural therapy, it really helped me

Oct 19, 2010 marke 655 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses Hi Jennifer Iden, yes its me you contact about being 'promoted' from a user to a graduate, just contact me via the 'contact us' link at the bottom of every page or via the 'message inbox' in the right hand menu. We can then sort out what details we need from you to do it.

Oct 19, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,818 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses how many folk attend..........is 3 hours enough............

Oct 19, 2010 emmacool 6 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pumps good luck thunderbolt if you get the chance ask about the new omnipod its wireless! emma x

Oct 19, 2010 emmacool 6 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses ive been on a few refresher courses and find them really usefull to update my dafne knowledge because i keep forgeting stuff lol

Oct 19, 2010 addie 13 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses Okay my local refresher courses are ran twice yearly. Ive missed this entry for Nov 2010 so going to attend the June 2011 course. 3 hours 6-9 for one night only. Cant do any harm. Apologies I was unaware these courses were not ran in all DAFNE centres. Hope all you are in good health. Best wishes Ad

Oct 19, 2010 PNThompson 57 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses I have not heard about any refresher course, but I have had a yearly review meeting. I don't know if I would benefit from any review, but would certainly agree that people who do struggle could maybe do with attending a refresher course. Given time, even those of us who have done quite well with the course could do with a refresher course, as there will no doubt be changes, and people will not doubt stray from what they had learnt.

Oct 19, 2010 Jennifer Iden 11 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses I'm booked on a carb counting and dose adjustment refresher course later this year, having completed DAFNE last October.... Marke, is it you that I need to talk to about being promoted from a 'user' to a 'graduate'?

Oct 19, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,818 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses When you say people like me are you reffering to people with internet access...............I was given the handbook home as well. I do understand some people may struggle for whatever reason, but I believe only a small amount..... I agree only time will tell and also to dafne drop ins, if there were staff commited to only dafne that would be brilliant.

Oct 18, 2010 marke 655 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses Yes novaraidboi, but the refresher course is not aimed at people like you. Its aimed at people that don't frequent internet forums and didn't necessarily find the DAFNE Course easy to follow. Its also not easy for some of us to have a constant liason with our Diabetic team, there is a post code lottery out there you know ;-) I think there IS a need for some to attend a refresher course, however as I said its just a trial at the moment and a long way from becoming standard practice. There is no evidence base for a refresher course like there is the original course so it would be a lot harder to sell to PCTs and also its unclear if it will provide any benefits. Only time will tell. I think the DAFNE drop in is a good idea though and it woudl be good if other centres could find the resources to do them.

Oct 18, 2010 Jennypenny 34 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses its been going on for a couple of years and apprantly they get enough people going to keep carrying on with it

Oct 18, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,818 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses I cant see this picking up greatly, as people cant get the time off to attend.......... Constant liason with your diabetic team and a quick skim of the handbook is all it takes...... For me the dafne principals are simple, its the conastant battle with your own body thats the hard part...and this can be discussed with the HCPs as opposed to specifically DAFNE trained staff...

Oct 18, 2010 Benton Fred 7 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Dafne refresher courses Hi Ad Not familiar with DAFNE drop in. But i've got a refresher course on 1st November. I'll keep you psoted on how it goes. Fred

Oct 16, 2010 ThunderBolt 28 posts	Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed Cheers Simon... To be honest it's probably just me as I still can't seem to get into the habit of putting my needles in my pocket when I leave the house - or my blood test kit for that matter. If anything I'd suggest an option for auto-fill in the settings section similar to the one you did for bedtimes. Or maybe even (tech ignorance follows) a method of having the space blank until you tap BI and then it fills it in itself according to what's in the individuals settings. If I think of anything I'll let you know, but as I say, the way things are now are ace. The app v site bedtime thing isn't much of a problem as such. I just wanted to raise the subject to warn anyone doing a last minute print before a clinic visit. I was just assuming everyone else was as disorganised as me!?! Heheh! Re Dr Jez comments... Sounds like a stonking idea. Whatever you both decide I wish you well. Perhaps we could also look at providing diabetics with FREE iphones. Or is that pushing it a bit?

Oct 16, 2010 Dr Jez McCole 11 posts	Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed Simon, the app is a treat to use; simple, effective and a great way to get the momentum back into carb counting. I believe the summary section is where the real potential lies, over and above what DAFNE can do in a paper diary. One simple idea (not so sure how simple it may be to implement) would be for the summary section to have some lines that split data by entry type, eg, PAST 7 DAYS: (and then 14 and then 2 BREAKFAST AVERAGE 5.5 LUNCH AVERAGE 5.5 DINNER AVERAGE 5.5 BEDTIME AVERAGE 6.5 perfect diary that one, just like mine I like the current summaries and think they should stay, but data like the above can help someone think about ratios. Thanks again Simon. As a Doctor working in Primary Care and Diabetes I'd like to talk with you at some point about the wider platform development of this app and looking at some cetral funding somehow. I seriously see this as a way forward for the DAFNE program as a whole. Jez

Oct 16, 2010 Simon 574 posts	Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed Hi Thunderbolt, Fair point about the site not reflecting the same bedtime as the app - I'm focusing on getting the app stable at the moment (we may have some good news on the in-app carb counting too so watch this space). With a busy day job schedule this means not much time to update the site. Rest assured it is our plan to release a new (better looking) version of the site in the not too distant future, with enhanced diary and other features. On the auto-populate for BI, is there anything I can do to improve it for you? Simon

Oct 16, 2010 ThunderBolt 28 posts	Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed Hello again... As per usual, top work on the updates and app as a whole. I'm having a few teething troubles with the auto BI, as I noticed a frew days back I'd apparently had 4 doses instead of the usual 2... Oops. That'll teach me to be such a lazy beggar. Heheh! One thing I have noticed is that the bedtime feature - which works an absolute treat - isn't implemented on the results table online, so if you hit the pit at say 3am and test at the time, it still shows as the following day on your result table. By no means a big thing, but can be a bit confusing if you aren't aware of the fact when you hand your sheets to your doctor. Cheers!!!

Oct 16, 2010 Alann 12 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Android App Another vote for an Android app