Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Jul 16, 2010

Mark Duncan 4 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Which Blood Meter

Cheers man

I will have a wee looky looky at them and see whats what

Jul 16, 2010

Caroline 29 posts

Topic: General Discussion / An app for carbs

There is an app for your iphone, ipad, itouch if any one has one of these. It is called Insulin Dose Pro calculator. I have found this to be a really useful tool for working our your insulin particularly when you you need to adjust because of high mmols or simply because of exercise. Check it out GCE= Insulin Pro

Jul 16, 2010

NiVZ 82 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Which Blood Meter

Hello,

I posted a link to lots of different blood glucose meters here:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showpost.php?p=76872&postcount=13

Just click on the meter name to see the manufacurers web pages to see which ones you fancy.

Personally, I use OneTouch UltraSMART and UltraEASY as my main meters and I also liked the Bayer Contour USB. Of all the meters, the UltraSMART is the one I feel fits DAFNE best as you can record insulin and carbs on it, but it is a bit bigger to carry around.

NiVZ

Jul 16, 2010

Mark Duncan 4 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Which Blood Meter

How Do

I was wondering if anybody had a any recommendations on a good blood meter. I have been using a Freestyle Mini for tha last 5 years since doing my DAFNE course but have been asked by my GP practice to go and get a new one. I'm sure that the 1 I use is now a bit dated and was just looking to see if there was any advice on a newer one that anybody might suggest because I will probably be updating it.

Cheers

Jul 16, 2010

richard.arkle 16 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pens

Hi Garry,

The batteries seem to last about 6 months in the Memoir. When they fail I just phone up Lilly and they send me a new one free and a reply paid envelope to return the old one.

I always keep an Autopen 24 around and always use it when travelling as it is much lighter and easier to carry.

Cheers Richard

Jul 16, 2010

kid127 25 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Diabetes.............

I asked a doctor once and they said it was a disorder. Definition from google web deictionary:

â€¢a physical condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning

I'd say that sums it up a bit better

Jul 16, 2010

Garry 328 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pens

Can you advise me Richard how long a battery tends to last?
I have only used a Memoir for 6 months now. I requested a spare pen from my GP to put in the drawer for the eventual battery failure, but would appreciate some guidance as to when that might be - particularly with holidays coming up.

Thanks Garry

Jul 16, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Need a kick up the backside! :(

We are all here to help in anyway we can..........

I think the key to my success is routine which is helped by a fairly settled lifestyle but routine can come in many forms...

Jul 15, 2010

richard.arkle 16 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pens

I have had the same problem with memory and the Memoir pen does help. However it is very bulky and heavy and the batteries dont last very long. Lillly are very good at providing replacements free of charge and postage. I find the problem is after 30 years of x shots a day it becomes so automatic and as life goes on all around it is easy to forget.

For the Lantus shot at night, which I have forgotten at times, after taking the shot I put the pen in the bathroom sink. I have to take it out next morning so will know if I have taken it.

Have thought about having some indicator on the pen to show when the last shot was. Maybe the pen cap could be marked round the edge with hourly intervals and having taken a shot then you put the cap back on with the time aligned to a mark on the body of the pen. So if you are not sure when you took your shot pick up the pen and look at the time against the mark. Hope this makes sense.

R

Jul 15, 2010

marke 681 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

caroline, your works occupational therapist should have their license revoked and be told to stay the hell away from Diabetics. What training or understanding of diabetes do they have, it sounds like very little if they are giving bizzare and wrong advice like that !!
With regards to tips on how to manage your diabetes, I will let novarapidboi26 do the advising as I don't disagree with it and I should not be seen to give advice to non-DAFNE grads given the sites connection to the DAFNE programme. As I said before the best solution is to get on a DAFNE Course with educators that understand how to treat diabetes unlike occupational therapists. The danger with doing it solo is you don't have the support infrastructure if something goes wrong. On the course you have educators and a group of other diabetics you can ask, doing it solo you only have the web to ask. I'm sure people on this site will help as much as they can but its not the same as a room of people doing the same thing as you.

Jul 15, 2010

Graeme 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Need a kick up the backside! :(

Derek,

I am currently doing DAFNE at Southern General. It has been a great boost meeting others with similar problems and discussing potential improvements. I would urge you to work at your control and keep striving for the best you can get. My best friend died about 10 years ago after a long and painful fight against complications brought on by poor control.

Best wishes and keep striving for the best you can

Graeme

Jul 15, 2010

Graeme 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Hi,

I am currently doing the DAFNE course at Southern General, I got 2 days paid and had to take 3 from annaul leave / flexi leave entitlement

Jul 15, 2010

Caroline 29 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

I haven't really played around with the Lantus... it seems to be within a good range from bed to morning just these past few days, so think that is ok for the time being. I will continue to do plenty of blood tests and monitor my sugars and adjust accordingly. Thank you ever so much for your help and support.

Jul 15, 2010

Nat 30 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Night hypo and Morning BG

I did think that you change it straight away as I had a night hypo last week and emailed in for confirmation that I was right and they said it was the first thing I should do and never risk a night hypo!

Jul 15, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

There are different target ranges for different times of day but ideally you want to be 5.5, so you subtract that from your reading (10) and that gives you 4.5.

1 unit drops you between 2-3 mmol/l, so assume 3, so that would mean you would correct with 1 unit...........

try that for now................the higher you are the less 1 unit brings you down, or thats the case for the majority of people........

Are you confident your lantus keeps you steady overnight....................??

Jul 15, 2010

twitch_101 1 post

Topic: General Discussion / Diabetes.............

I settled with condition on a good day and on a bad day its a disease Razz

Jul 15, 2010

Caroline 29 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

I am on Novorapid for the quick acting insulin and Lantus at night time. I have increased the morning insulin from 1c: 2units to 1c :3 units, so hopefully I will get there. I think its knowing how much to adjust by to try and keep in range. If my blood sugar reading is above 10, how much would you take to bring it down again? Im pulling figures out of the air and risk an unwanted hypo.

Jul 15, 2010

Caroline 29 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

Thank you very much for all your advice. I am on the waiting list... which could take me into next year! I have been advised to try this method (without a manual) so apologies if my recordings do not make sense. I do mean 1 is 10g. I usually have 30 carbs for breakfast, 40 for lunch and 40 for dinner. My Diabetic Specialist thought this was a right way for me to try it now as a works occupational therapist recommended I tried an aktins diet of not eating carbs for breakfast or lunch but having large carb dinner (thereby only taking insulin twice a day)! I am at the end of my tether with what advice to take as I feel so exhausted most of the time. Sorry to rant on... I will try and obtain a manual from somewhere. Thanks again, I really appreciate speaking to other diabetics in my situation.

Jul 15, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

Sorry about that, I didnt know what privelages each user class had, makes sense I suppose................

I however was given the basics of dafne a year before attending by my dietician, even then it made a big difference.......

The course cements it all together.........

Jul 15, 2010

marke 681 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Night hypo and Morning BG

I have also requested that its added to the Hypo section as well as its current location to ensure people like me don't miss it ! This is the benefit of having it online and having thousands of people reading it !

Jul 15, 2010

marke 681 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

all, sorry she can't read the DAFNE manual without going on the course and the hospital should NOT tell her to 'try the DAFNE way' without sending her on the course !
Caroline did they say they were going to put you on the waiting list for the course ? There is so much to take in and understand you really do need to attend the course. Everyone is welcome to advise and help you thats what the site is for, but ultimately you need the support of a DAFNE team and that means going on the course.

Unfortunately 'users' do not get access to the DAFNE Online manual only 'graduates', this is to protect them as well as DAFNE Central.

Jul 15, 2010

novorapidboi26 1,819 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

Hey there,

My advice is get on the course and in the meantime have a read at the DAFNE manual.

As I am settled with the dafne principals I am struggling to make sense of your sugars as they are not displayed the way a dafne student would.

For example corrections being shown as +1 or +2 onto your QA.

Your QA insulin is lower than your carb intake, this might be because your writing the carbs down wrong, 1CP being ten grams of carbohydrate. (Nat and Karl noticed this too and explained)

Recording the results in the easiest way possible is paramount in order to spot patterns and also to allow other to help you easily.

Looking closely at the results you are using the principals correctly, which is brilliant.

The first thing I would do is make sure your BI is right, your on one dose so that means Lantus more than likely.

If you take you BI at bed with no food inside you or QA insulin and you wake up with the same reading as you went to bed with you can bet that its doing its job.

If not then you need to up or down the dose a few units, because its lantus (I am assuming), you will have to wait a few days to see the effects, continue until you are held steady over night.

Then you can start with your QA insulin, if the BI alterations didnt iron out your highs through the day then you can start with the lunchtime reading, is it high 3 consecutive days?, if so ratio needs to go up at breakfast, and this works vice versa, if low, ratio down.

Eventually you will get it, then move onto the dinner, altering the lunchtime dose.........

I feel as if I have just rabbled on the basics there so I apologise if you have heard it before......

Have a read at the manual as I say, but it may seem overwhelming if the theory is not explained to you...

DAFNE asap......

Good Luck........

Jul 14, 2010

Karl 83 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

I would guess your CP are in grams? CP should be 1 / 10g

I would say you need to up the dose at lunch as you are high at dinner most days

Are you on a list to get on the course, there is lots to learn - I tried before i went on the course, didn't work that well but since the course (Jan '10) A1C is already down by 2

Jul 14, 2010

Nat 30 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages

Hi, I am new to daphne too about 3 weeks in now. I have had diabetes type 1 for 19 years. When we started the course everybody started on the same ratio i.e. for every 10g of carbs you took 1 unit of insulin. When you start seeing a pattern then you can started to change things. Your carb portions look very high are you using the carb counter link to find out what your carbs are? If like on your wednesday reading you had 20 cps (carb portions) for breakfast really you should have taken 20 units of insulin - that is why I am wondering how you are counting your carbs as this is really high. Most cereals and bread would only be about 4 carb portions although some how you managed to keep well controlled until later on in the day.

Jul 16, 2010 Mark Duncan 4 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Which Blood Meter Cheers man I will have a wee looky looky at them and see whats what

Jul 16, 2010 Caroline 29 posts	Topic: General Discussion / An app for carbs There is an app for your iphone, ipad, itouch if any one has one of these. It is called Insulin Dose Pro calculator. I have found this to be a really useful tool for working our your insulin particularly when you you need to adjust because of high mmols or simply because of exercise. Check it out GCE= Insulin Pro

Jul 16, 2010 NiVZ 82 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Which Blood Meter Hello, I posted a link to lots of different blood glucose meters here: http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showpost.php?p=76872&postcount=13 Just click on the meter name to see the manufacurers web pages to see which ones you fancy. Personally, I use OneTouch UltraSMART and UltraEASY as my main meters and I also liked the Bayer Contour USB. Of all the meters, the UltraSMART is the one I feel fits DAFNE best as you can record insulin and carbs on it, but it is a bit bigger to carry around. NiVZ

Jul 16, 2010 Mark Duncan 4 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Which Blood Meter How Do I was wondering if anybody had a any recommendations on a good blood meter. I have been using a Freestyle Mini for tha last 5 years since doing my DAFNE course but have been asked by my GP practice to go and get a new one. I'm sure that the 1 I use is now a bit dated and was just looking to see if there was any advice on a newer one that anybody might suggest because I will probably be updating it. Cheers

Jul 16, 2010 richard.arkle 16 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pens Hi Garry, The batteries seem to last about 6 months in the Memoir. When they fail I just phone up Lilly and they send me a new one free and a reply paid envelope to return the old one. I always keep an Autopen 24 around and always use it when travelling as it is much lighter and easier to carry. Cheers Richard

Jul 16, 2010 kid127 25 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Diabetes............. I asked a doctor once and they said it was a disorder. Definition from google web deictionary: â€¢a physical condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning I'd say that sums it up a bit better

Jul 16, 2010 Garry 328 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pens Can you advise me Richard how long a battery tends to last? I have only used a Memoir for 6 months now. I requested a spare pen from my GP to put in the drawer for the eventual battery failure, but would appreciate some guidance as to when that might be - particularly with holidays coming up. Thanks Garry

Jul 16, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Need a kick up the backside! :( We are all here to help in anyway we can.......... I think the key to my success is routine which is helped by a fairly settled lifestyle but routine can come in many forms...

Jul 15, 2010 richard.arkle 16 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Insulin Pens I have had the same problem with memory and the Memoir pen does help. However it is very bulky and heavy and the batteries dont last very long. Lillly are very good at providing replacements free of charge and postage. I find the problem is after 30 years of x shots a day it becomes so automatic and as life goes on all around it is easy to forget. For the Lantus shot at night, which I have forgotten at times, after taking the shot I put the pen in the bathroom sink. I have to take it out next morning so will know if I have taken it. Have thought about having some indicator on the pen to show when the last shot was. Maybe the pen cap could be marked round the edge with hourly intervals and having taken a shot then you put the cap back on with the time aligned to a mark on the body of the pen. So if you are not sure when you took your shot pick up the pen and look at the time against the mark. Hope this makes sense. R

Jul 15, 2010 marke 681 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages caroline, your works occupational therapist should have their license revoked and be told to stay the hell away from Diabetics. What training or understanding of diabetes do they have, it sounds like very little if they are giving bizzare and wrong advice like that !! With regards to tips on how to manage your diabetes, I will let novarapidboi26 do the advising as I don't disagree with it and I should not be seen to give advice to non-DAFNE grads given the sites connection to the DAFNE programme. As I said before the best solution is to get on a DAFNE Course with educators that understand how to treat diabetes unlike occupational therapists. The danger with doing it solo is you don't have the support infrastructure if something goes wrong. On the course you have educators and a group of other diabetics you can ask, doing it solo you only have the web to ask. I'm sure people on this site will help as much as they can but its not the same as a room of people doing the same thing as you.

Jul 15, 2010 Graeme 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Need a kick up the backside! :( Derek, I am currently doing DAFNE at Southern General. It has been a great boost meeting others with similar problems and discussing potential improvements. I would urge you to work at your control and keep striving for the best you can get. My best friend died about 10 years ago after a long and painful fight against complications brought on by poor control. Best wishes and keep striving for the best you can Graeme

Jul 15, 2010 Graeme 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Hi, I am currently doing the DAFNE course at Southern General, I got 2 days paid and had to take 3 from annaul leave / flexi leave entitlement

Jul 15, 2010 Caroline 29 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages I haven't really played around with the Lantus... it seems to be within a good range from bed to morning just these past few days, so think that is ok for the time being. I will continue to do plenty of blood tests and monitor my sugars and adjust accordingly. Thank you ever so much for your help and support.

Jul 15, 2010 Nat 30 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Night hypo and Morning BG I did think that you change it straight away as I had a night hypo last week and emailed in for confirmation that I was right and they said it was the first thing I should do and never risk a night hypo!

Jul 15, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages There are different target ranges for different times of day but ideally you want to be 5.5, so you subtract that from your reading (10) and that gives you 4.5. 1 unit drops you between 2-3 mmol/l, so assume 3, so that would mean you would correct with 1 unit........... try that for now................the higher you are the less 1 unit brings you down, or thats the case for the majority of people........ Are you confident your lantus keeps you steady overnight....................??

Jul 15, 2010 twitch_101 1 post	Topic: General Discussion / Diabetes............. I settled with condition on a good day and on a bad day its a disease

Jul 15, 2010 Caroline 29 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages I am on Novorapid for the quick acting insulin and Lantus at night time. I have increased the morning insulin from 1c: 2units to 1c :3 units, so hopefully I will get there. I think its knowing how much to adjust by to try and keep in range. If my blood sugar reading is above 10, how much would you take to bring it down again? Im pulling figures out of the air and risk an unwanted hypo.

Jul 15, 2010 Caroline 29 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages Thank you very much for all your advice. I am on the waiting list... which could take me into next year! I have been advised to try this method (without a manual) so apologies if my recordings do not make sense. I do mean 1 is 10g. I usually have 30 carbs for breakfast, 40 for lunch and 40 for dinner. My Diabetic Specialist thought this was a right way for me to try it now as a works occupational therapist recommended I tried an aktins diet of not eating carbs for breakfast or lunch but having large carb dinner (thereby only taking insulin twice a day)! I am at the end of my tether with what advice to take as I feel so exhausted most of the time. Sorry to rant on... I will try and obtain a manual from somewhere. Thanks again, I really appreciate speaking to other diabetics in my situation.

Jul 15, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages Sorry about that, I didnt know what privelages each user class had, makes sense I suppose................ I however was given the basics of dafne a year before attending by my dietician, even then it made a big difference....... The course cements it all together.........

Jul 15, 2010 marke 681 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Night hypo and Morning BG I have also requested that its added to the Hypo section as well as its current location to ensure people like me don't miss it ! This is the benefit of having it online and having thousands of people reading it !

Jul 15, 2010 marke 681 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages all, sorry she can't read the DAFNE manual without going on the course and the hospital should NOT tell her to 'try the DAFNE way' without sending her on the course ! Caroline did they say they were going to put you on the waiting list for the course ? There is so much to take in and understand you really do need to attend the course. Everyone is welcome to advise and help you thats what the site is for, but ultimately you need the support of a DAFNE team and that means going on the course. Unfortunately 'users' do not get access to the DAFNE Online manual only 'graduates', this is to protect them as well as DAFNE Central.

Jul 15, 2010 novorapidboi26 1,819 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages Hey there, My advice is get on the course and in the meantime have a read at the DAFNE manual. As I am settled with the dafne principals I am struggling to make sense of your sugars as they are not displayed the way a dafne student would. For example corrections being shown as +1 or +2 onto your QA. Your QA insulin is lower than your carb intake, this might be because your writing the carbs down wrong, 1CP being ten grams of carbohydrate. (Nat and Karl noticed this too and explained) Recording the results in the easiest way possible is paramount in order to spot patterns and also to allow other to help you easily. Looking closely at the results you are using the principals correctly, which is brilliant. The first thing I would do is make sure your BI is right, your on one dose so that means Lantus more than likely. If you take you BI at bed with no food inside you or QA insulin and you wake up with the same reading as you went to bed with you can bet that its doing its job. If not then you need to up or down the dose a few units, because its lantus (I am assuming), you will have to wait a few days to see the effects, continue until you are held steady over night. Then you can start with your QA insulin, if the BI alterations didnt iron out your highs through the day then you can start with the lunchtime reading, is it high 3 consecutive days?, if so ratio needs to go up at breakfast, and this works vice versa, if low, ratio down. Eventually you will get it, then move onto the dinner, altering the lunchtime dose......... I feel as if I have just rabbled on the basics there so I apologise if you have heard it before...... Have a read at the manual as I say, but it may seem overwhelming if the theory is not explained to you... DAFNE asap...... Good Luck........

Jul 14, 2010 Karl 83 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages I would guess your CP are in grams? CP should be 1 / 10g I would say you need to up the dose at lunch as you are high at dinner most days Are you on a list to get on the course, there is lots to learn - I tried before i went on the course, didn't work that well but since the course (Jan '10) A1C is already down by 2

Jul 14, 2010 Nat 30 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Adjusting Dosages Hi, I am new to daphne too about 3 weeks in now. I have had diabetes type 1 for 19 years. When we started the course everybody started on the same ratio i.e. for every 10g of carbs you took 1 unit of insulin. When you start seeing a pattern then you can started to change things. Your carb portions look very high are you using the carb counter link to find out what your carbs are? If like on your wednesday reading you had 20 cps (carb portions) for breakfast really you should have taken 20 units of insulin - that is why I am wondering how you are counting your carbs as this is really high. Most cereals and bread would only be about 4 carb portions although some how you managed to keep well controlled until later on in the day.