Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Apr 4, 2010

PPS North Stand 1 post

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Hello
This is my first posting after graduating from DAFNE during the February half-term........there you go February half-term!!!......... working in a school, there is very little likelihood of schools releasing teachers for a DAFNE course as they have to pay for cover (Â£180 - Â£200 per day). Hence I and other school based employees HAVE to do it in holiday time.

Mar 31, 2010

marke 655 posts

Topic: DAFNE Online Mobile / DAFNE On Line Mobile

Kate, perhaps you could encourage your educators to sign up as well ! I was asked to add Bromley PCT in a hurry so they could generated centre codes for their graduates and as usual no Educator has signed up just graduate(s). YOU need a centre code to access the online handbook, which is why we need an educator to sign up to generate one.

I'm glad you like the mobile site, any improvements you can suggest please feel free to let us know.

Mar 31, 2010

Lizzie 87 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

My employer was really good, I got it as special leave using the DAFNE letter.

Mar 31, 2010

Kate Head 1 post

Topic: DAFNE Online Mobile / DAFNE On Line Mobile

Brilliant site - my Nokia E63 works AOK with it. I'll contact the rest of my Dafne Group (first one run in Bromley PCT last week) about the site. Kate!!

Mar 29, 2010

Clare77 2 posts

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

Simon, I am really excited about the prospect of an iphone DAFNE app! I have also have the glucose buddy on my iphone but I feel that I could get much more help from an app that is designed for the DAFNE system. I love the DAFNE regime but it can be quite time consuming when I'm at work and want to grab some lunch quickly. I would like to be able to have my ratios stored in the app and so all I need to do is input my CPs for each meal (I like the idea of having the CP list available to use for reference). Could the app generate the recommended insulin dose for me? And suggest corrections insulin doses also if I'm off target?
More than anything I would like my diary to appear on the screen exactly like the written DAFNE diary so I can view a week's data at a time and make choices about ratio changes. A notes section beside each day would also help me to input what changes I have made....again, just like the written version.
I hope I've not just been stating the obvious here Simon, this could really make such a difference to daily life for me...yey!!
Please contact me if you want to discuss anything further.

Clare Joyce
DAFNE Graduate 2004
Glasgow

Mar 29, 2010

marke 655 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Marc, the letter is a good idea which is why DAFNE DO have a letter that people wanting to go on the course can use. I split the time for the course between my employer and myself. They paid me two days and I took three as holiday.
So anyone wanting to do a DAFNE Course ask your DAFNE Educator for a letter yo give to your employer. Others I'm afraid you will just have to ask your hospital. One of the advantages of DAFNE is that there IS evidence to back up the claims of reduced complications and better management and so less time off. With PCT invented courses this is harder to prove, although any education/training is definately better than none ! I guess at the end of the day it depends on yuor employer more than anything else.

Mar 29, 2010

Karl 83 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Of the 9 on my course 2 retired 2 unemployed 1 full time mum the rest - 2 worked for Social Services - 1 Local health Authority and me small to medium local company - we all got the time off - paid - not part of holiday entitlement.

Mar 29, 2010

Luggerz 10 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Karl

But was that as paid leave or as part of your annual holiday entitlement?

Marc Lungley 2072

Mar 27, 2010

charlotte77 11 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Want to do DAFNE Course

I managed to fall of the hospital list when I moved house. I was looked after by my GP surgery for a while but was alarmed when the nurse got confused with ratios and wanted me to go from glargine to insultard despite me saying it didn't work for me! I wrote to my GP and asked if I could be referred to the diabetes clinic at the nearby hospital and I was seen again within about six weeks.

Mar 27, 2010

charlotte77 11 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Lantus and Apidra

I use lantus cartridges in pens manufactured by Aventis. There are two options and the one with the window on the side which shows how many units you are dialling up is the best.

Mar 27, 2010

Karl 83 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

i got full time off - no problem

Mar 27, 2010

Luggerz 10 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Just wondered how peoples employers reacted to requests for time off to go on your DAFNE course. At Russells Hall Hospital were I go we do our course which possible isn't DAFNE as such but similar over one Saturday and then 4 Thursday afternoons spread over a month then two follow up meetings in the afternoon one month after the course then two months later.

I just wondered how your employers reacted? Did you get the time off as sick leave like a normal clinic visit? Did you have to take it off as holiday or make the time back up? Interested in this as myself and another college at work have done the course at Russells Hall and we both had to make up half the time we had off. But it took a lot of stuff to get. What did others find esp as the DAFNE course is done in a one week block?

Perhaps DAFNE could do with writing a letter setting out a business case for itself for employers advising better control therefore less chance of complications and clinic vists so time off work.

Marc

Mar 27, 2010

Luggerz 10 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Just wondered how peoples employers reacted to requests for time off to go on your DAFNE course. At Russells Hall Hospital were I go we do our course which possible isn't DAFNE as such but similar over one Saturday and then 4 Thursday afternoons spread over a month then two follow up meetings in the afternoon one month after the course then two months later.

I just wondered how your employers reacted? Did you get the time off as sick leave like a normal clinic visit? Did you have to take it off as holiday or make the time back up? Interested in this as myself and another college at work have done the course at Russells Hall and we both had to make up half the time we had off. But it took a lot of stuff to get. What did others find esp as the DAFNE course is done in a one week block?

Perhaps DAFNE could do with writing a letter setting out a business case for itself for employers advising better control therefore less chance of complications and clinic vists so time off work.

Marc

Mar 26, 2010

marke 655 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Help

Anthony, wise advice, I agree I have learnt not to stress about results but just write them all down and look back and try to work them out. it can be a challenge but worth it in the long run , although I still find it tough letting others see my results.

By the way, nice to see someone from Oz contributing, I have been hassling your educators for a while to get people signed up. Its always a good thing to get a different perspective from people whose health care system might be different from ours and whose challenges may vary even though we ALL basically have the same problems, something that is clear I think on the first day of a DAFNE course when you meet a group of other people with pretty much the same problems as you.

Mar 26, 2010

marke 655 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps

Chris, I don't necessarily object to you using our site to advertise your book and application, but please make clear it is nothing to do with DAFNE. Chris according to the website mentioned leads BERTIE which is another Diabetes Structured education course. This means although he is a Dietican he is not a DAFNE Dietician. You don't say how much your app will cost ?

The DAFNE Online one when Simon completes it, I'm sure will be free. Not to discourage people getting yours, but hey its our site we should be able to advertise as well ;-)

Mar 26, 2010

angelaallison 7 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps

Hi Chris,

Will give you feed back with pleasure. I have 5 daughters 1 with Type 1 Diabetes & Coeliacs and another with Coeliacs. Life is a challenge on occasions. Will pass the book onto our Dietician & Team if they haven't already purchased one. I am attending my local group on Staurday will promote it there, along with Dafne online which few people seem to be aware of.

Best wishes

Mar 26, 2010

ccheyette 3 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps

Hi Angela,

Thanks for the feedback it will be good to hear what you think of the book when you get it. It should be with you towards the end of next week.

Many thanks,

Chris

Mar 26, 2010

angelaallison 7 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps

Hi ccheyette,

I have just pre-ordered the book! I can't wait for the iphone application. I had already heard about the book on diabetes.org facebook site. People that am I friends with have shown a lot of interest. We all have children with Type 1. Quite a few are on pumps and carb counting.
Claudia is 9 , she weighs her own food and carb counts a lot on her own (we check). I think the book will help her become even more independant and help her with more complex foods.

Best wishes & thanks

Angela

Mar 26, 2010

ccheyette 3 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps

Hi All,

I am a diabetes specialist dietitian working at Kings College Hospital in London.

I have been working on a new IPhone app. which will be out in around 1 month (May 2010). This will be based on a new book coming out on the 29th March and will feature over 1200 food photographs of different portions of food and drink and include a range of meals and take-away food. Other features will include an insulin calculator, calendar function to store previous dayâ€™s intake and also the ability to add in your own data.
Details about this and the book can be found at www.carbsandcals.com

Mar 26, 2010

vanniebee 1 post

Topic: Questions ? / Hypo recognition.

An interesting discussion and as I'm trying to regain my hypo awareness having suffered some seizures in the past month - very relevant too.

I agree with Peter - hypo symptoms come about from a rapid fall in BG which can of course happen even if your BGs are in the teens - if you experience a rapid drop, you will feel hypo. Interesting what someone said about symptoms/experience changing the longer you have the condition - as a relative newbie (6 yrs) I'm certainly going through a different phase in my diabetes now - perhaps the honeymood period really is over now!

Mar 26, 2010

Dr Jez McCole 11 posts

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

Excellent Idea. I have only recently got an Iphone and one of the first apps I was looking for was a glucose monitoring one. Shortly after graduating the Sheffield course in I think 2001 I wrote an Excel file that looks like the DAFNE log book but which takes the valus to chart average glucose by meal times or insulin dosings. It would also multiply up your insulin dosings based on the carb intake and QA ratio for that meal. This was great but requires a mobile Excel device or access to the PC for each dose. Cue the IPhone!
I have been looking at GlucoseBuddy on the Apps store (free) and this seems simple and navigable.

The idea of analysis of sugars to suggest alterations in the ratios as data is collected would be good.
The idea of an onboard carb count ready reckoner library would be good.
Hypo Spotter would be a useful alert, so that if they appear to be showing a pattern in terms of timing this could be pointed out.
The idea of an icon that links to on screen flow charting for sick day rules would be very helpful.
The ability to sync with the DAFNE online log would be great (much like the GlucoseBuddy software).
An HbA1c predictor tool would be very interesting from a research perspective, now that there is IFCC standardsation in the lab testing.

Not much to wish for!!

Happy to help though,

Kind regards,

Dr Jez McCole, GP
www.gleadlessmedicalcentre.co.uk
Type 1
[email protected]

Mar 26, 2010

Luggerz 10 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Home Made Meals

How do you manage your carb counting when you have peole make things like shepherd's pie or a fry up. I've only been carb counting and amending my dose for about 2 weeks and I've gone to my parents and one night had a fry up and the other time had shepherd's pie. The problem was the try up all the potato etc was cut up and mixed up with the other vegetables so was hard to count. Yesterday it was shepherd's pie and I could not find a figure for it anywhere help!

Marc

Mar 26, 2010

Luggerz 10 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Lantus and Apidra

Does anyone know if you can get lantus and apidra in cartridges for nova pens as well as the solostar pens?

Marc

Mar 26, 2010

Anthony Holmes 3 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Lantus Lasting 24 hours?

I also need to split my Lantus: 11UBI at 8:00 and 10UBI at 20:00. If I'm late by even as little as 45 minutes in giving my Lantus dose I see my blood glucose rising (in the absence of anything else to affect my level). My gut feeling is that for doses of around 20ish Units per day, there are a fairly large number of people who find it doesn't last 24 hours. This was a discovery that most of the people doing my DAFNE course made: a significant majority of them ended up splitting their Lantus (but not everybody).

(Before I did DAFNE I was taking 50 Units of BI per day. Admittedly I also ate a lot more then,... but I have little doubt that the 50 units was lasting 24 hours or more.)

Apr 4, 2010 PPS North Stand 1 post	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Hello This is my first posting after graduating from DAFNE during the February half-term........there you go February half-term!!!......... working in a school, there is very little likelihood of schools releasing teachers for a DAFNE course as they have to pay for cover (Â£180 - Â£200 per day). Hence I and other school based employees HAVE to do it in holiday time.

Mar 31, 2010 marke 655 posts	Topic: DAFNE Online Mobile / DAFNE On Line Mobile Kate, perhaps you could encourage your educators to sign up as well ! I was asked to add Bromley PCT in a hurry so they could generated centre codes for their graduates and as usual no Educator has signed up just graduate(s). YOU need a centre code to access the online handbook, which is why we need an educator to sign up to generate one. I'm glad you like the mobile site, any improvements you can suggest please feel free to let us know.

Mar 31, 2010 Lizzie 87 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers My employer was really good, I got it as special leave using the DAFNE letter.

Mar 31, 2010 Kate Head 1 post	Topic: DAFNE Online Mobile / DAFNE On Line Mobile Brilliant site - my Nokia E63 works AOK with it. I'll contact the rest of my Dafne Group (first one run in Bromley PCT last week) about the site. Kate!!

Mar 29, 2010 Clare77 2 posts	Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed Simon, I am really excited about the prospect of an iphone DAFNE app! I have also have the glucose buddy on my iphone but I feel that I could get much more help from an app that is designed for the DAFNE system. I love the DAFNE regime but it can be quite time consuming when I'm at work and want to grab some lunch quickly. I would like to be able to have my ratios stored in the app and so all I need to do is input my CPs for each meal (I like the idea of having the CP list available to use for reference). Could the app generate the recommended insulin dose for me? And suggest corrections insulin doses also if I'm off target? More than anything I would like my diary to appear on the screen exactly like the written DAFNE diary so I can view a week's data at a time and make choices about ratio changes. A notes section beside each day would also help me to input what changes I have made....again, just like the written version. I hope I've not just been stating the obvious here Simon, this could really make such a difference to daily life for me...yey!! Please contact me if you want to discuss anything further. Clare Joyce DAFNE Graduate 2004 Glasgow

Mar 29, 2010 marke 655 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Marc, the letter is a good idea which is why DAFNE DO have a letter that people wanting to go on the course can use. I split the time for the course between my employer and myself. They paid me two days and I took three as holiday. So anyone wanting to do a DAFNE Course ask your DAFNE Educator for a letter yo give to your employer. Others I'm afraid you will just have to ask your hospital. One of the advantages of DAFNE is that there IS evidence to back up the claims of reduced complications and better management and so less time off. With PCT invented courses this is harder to prove, although any education/training is definately better than none ! I guess at the end of the day it depends on yuor employer more than anything else.

Mar 29, 2010 Karl 83 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Of the 9 on my course 2 retired 2 unemployed 1 full time mum the rest - 2 worked for Social Services - 1 Local health Authority and me small to medium local company - we all got the time off - paid - not part of holiday entitlement.

Mar 29, 2010 Luggerz 10 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Karl But was that as paid leave or as part of your annual holiday entitlement? Marc Lungley 2072

Mar 27, 2010 charlotte77 11 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Want to do DAFNE Course I managed to fall of the hospital list when I moved house. I was looked after by my GP surgery for a while but was alarmed when the nurse got confused with ratios and wanted me to go from glargine to insultard despite me saying it didn't work for me! I wrote to my GP and asked if I could be referred to the diabetes clinic at the nearby hospital and I was seen again within about six weeks.

Mar 27, 2010 charlotte77 11 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Lantus and Apidra I use lantus cartridges in pens manufactured by Aventis. There are two options and the one with the window on the side which shows how many units you are dialling up is the best.

Mar 27, 2010 Karl 83 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers i got full time off - no problem

Mar 27, 2010 Luggerz 10 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Just wondered how peoples employers reacted to requests for time off to go on your DAFNE course. At Russells Hall Hospital were I go we do our course which possible isn't DAFNE as such but similar over one Saturday and then 4 Thursday afternoons spread over a month then two follow up meetings in the afternoon one month after the course then two months later. I just wondered how your employers reacted? Did you get the time off as sick leave like a normal clinic visit? Did you have to take it off as holiday or make the time back up? Interested in this as myself and another college at work have done the course at Russells Hall and we both had to make up half the time we had off. But it took a lot of stuff to get. What did others find esp as the DAFNE course is done in a one week block? Perhaps DAFNE could do with writing a letter setting out a business case for itself for employers advising better control therefore less chance of complications and clinic vists so time off work. Marc

Mar 27, 2010 Luggerz 10 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Just wondered how peoples employers reacted to requests for time off to go on your DAFNE course. At Russells Hall Hospital were I go we do our course which possible isn't DAFNE as such but similar over one Saturday and then 4 Thursday afternoons spread over a month then two follow up meetings in the afternoon one month after the course then two months later. I just wondered how your employers reacted? Did you get the time off as sick leave like a normal clinic visit? Did you have to take it off as holiday or make the time back up? Interested in this as myself and another college at work have done the course at Russells Hall and we both had to make up half the time we had off. But it took a lot of stuff to get. What did others find esp as the DAFNE course is done in a one week block? Perhaps DAFNE could do with writing a letter setting out a business case for itself for employers advising better control therefore less chance of complications and clinic vists so time off work. Marc

Mar 26, 2010 marke 655 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Help Anthony, wise advice, I agree I have learnt not to stress about results but just write them all down and look back and try to work them out. it can be a challenge but worth it in the long run , although I still find it tough letting others see my results. By the way, nice to see someone from Oz contributing, I have been hassling your educators for a while to get people signed up. Its always a good thing to get a different perspective from people whose health care system might be different from ours and whose challenges may vary even though we ALL basically have the same problems, something that is clear I think on the first day of a DAFNE course when you meet a group of other people with pretty much the same problems as you.

Mar 26, 2010 marke 655 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps Chris, I don't necessarily object to you using our site to advertise your book and application, but please make clear it is nothing to do with DAFNE. Chris according to the website mentioned leads BERTIE which is another Diabetes Structured education course. This means although he is a Dietican he is not a DAFNE Dietician. You don't say how much your app will cost ? The DAFNE Online one when Simon completes it, I'm sure will be free. Not to discourage people getting yours, but hey its our site we should be able to advertise as well ;-)

Mar 26, 2010 angelaallison 7 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps Hi Chris, Will give you feed back with pleasure. I have 5 daughters 1 with Type 1 Diabetes & Coeliacs and another with Coeliacs. Life is a challenge on occasions. Will pass the book onto our Dietician & Team if they haven't already purchased one. I am attending my local group on Staurday will promote it there, along with Dafne online which few people seem to be aware of. Best wishes

Mar 26, 2010 ccheyette 3 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps Hi Angela, Thanks for the feedback it will be good to hear what you think of the book when you get it. It should be with you towards the end of next week. Many thanks, Chris

Mar 26, 2010 angelaallison 7 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps Hi ccheyette, I have just pre-ordered the book! I can't wait for the iphone application. I had already heard about the book on diabetes.org facebook site. People that am I friends with have shown a lot of interest. We all have children with Type 1. Quite a few are on pumps and carb counting. Claudia is 9 , she weighs her own food and carb counts a lot on her own (we check). I think the book will help her become even more independant and help her with more complex foods. Best wishes & thanks Angela

Mar 26, 2010 ccheyette 3 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps Hi All, I am a diabetes specialist dietitian working at Kings College Hospital in London. I have been working on a new IPhone app. which will be out in around 1 month (May 2010). This will be based on a new book coming out on the 29th March and will feature over 1200 food photographs of different portions of food and drink and include a range of meals and take-away food. Other features will include an insulin calculator, calendar function to store previous dayâ€™s intake and also the ability to add in your own data. Details about this and the book can be found at www.carbsandcals.com

Mar 26, 2010 vanniebee 1 post	Topic: Questions ? / Hypo recognition. An interesting discussion and as I'm trying to regain my hypo awareness having suffered some seizures in the past month - very relevant too. I agree with Peter - hypo symptoms come about from a rapid fall in BG which can of course happen even if your BGs are in the teens - if you experience a rapid drop, you will feel hypo. Interesting what someone said about symptoms/experience changing the longer you have the condition - as a relative newbie (6 yrs) I'm certainly going through a different phase in my diabetes now - perhaps the honeymood period really is over now!

Mar 26, 2010 Dr Jez McCole 11 posts	Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed Excellent Idea. I have only recently got an Iphone and one of the first apps I was looking for was a glucose monitoring one. Shortly after graduating the Sheffield course in I think 2001 I wrote an Excel file that looks like the DAFNE log book but which takes the valus to chart average glucose by meal times or insulin dosings. It would also multiply up your insulin dosings based on the carb intake and QA ratio for that meal. This was great but requires a mobile Excel device or access to the PC for each dose. Cue the IPhone! I have been looking at GlucoseBuddy on the Apps store (free) and this seems simple and navigable. The idea of analysis of sugars to suggest alterations in the ratios as data is collected would be good. The idea of an onboard carb count ready reckoner library would be good. Hypo Spotter would be a useful alert, so that if they appear to be showing a pattern in terms of timing this could be pointed out. The idea of an icon that links to on screen flow charting for sick day rules would be very helpful. The ability to sync with the DAFNE online log would be great (much like the GlucoseBuddy software). An HbA1c predictor tool would be very interesting from a research perspective, now that there is IFCC standardsation in the lab testing. Not much to wish for!! Happy to help though, Kind regards, Dr Jez McCole, GP www.gleadlessmedicalcentre.co.uk Type 1 [email protected]

Mar 26, 2010 Luggerz 10 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Home Made Meals How do you manage your carb counting when you have peole make things like shepherd's pie or a fry up. I've only been carb counting and amending my dose for about 2 weeks and I've gone to my parents and one night had a fry up and the other time had shepherd's pie. The problem was the try up all the potato etc was cut up and mixed up with the other vegetables so was hard to count. Yesterday it was shepherd's pie and I could not find a figure for it anywhere help! Marc

Mar 26, 2010 Luggerz 10 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Lantus and Apidra Does anyone know if you can get lantus and apidra in cartridges for nova pens as well as the solostar pens? Marc

Mar 26, 2010 Anthony Holmes 3 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Lantus Lasting 24 hours? I also need to split my Lantus: 11UBI at 8:00 and 10UBI at 20:00. If I'm late by even as little as 45 minutes in giving my Lantus dose I see my blood glucose rising (in the absence of anything else to affect my level). My gut feeling is that for doses of around 20ish Units per day, there are a fairly large number of people who find it doesn't last 24 hours. This was a discovery that most of the people doing my DAFNE course made: a significant majority of them ended up splitting their Lantus (but not everybody). (Before I did DAFNE I was taking 50 Units of BI per day. Admittedly I also ate a lot more then,... but I have little doubt that the 50 units was lasting 24 hours or more.)