Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Apr 25, 2010

marke 681 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps

given the time, we would like to develop something however I suspect its not going to happen in the near future unless someone volunteers to do it. I do have a windows mobile phone ( although I'm afraid windows mobile 6.1 drove me to the iphone which I am now in love with) and I thing the visual studio 2010 beta will let me do something for that platform. If I get time, othwerwise I can't afford a full copy of visual studio, the software needed to develop for windows mobile.
I will let you know if we do develop anything.

Apr 25, 2010

marke 681 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Help how to loose weight

bad news Chris, the answer I believe is yes. You do need different BI and ratio on days you exercise and days you don't. As JWo points out your fitness levels effect your insulin requirements as the fitter you are the better your body uses insulin to assist the conversion of sugar to energy. You also need to understand that when you exercise it causes your muscles to increase their energy requirements for much longer than the exercise actually lasts. It can cause your BG to be lower for upto 24 hours. I used to have this problem on the mornings following a gym visit. I am not suprised that you hypo-ed in the night after your 28 mile ride. Your 'high' reading at 10pm was most likely due to all the sugar pumping around your body to feed your muscles during the exercise. As I said because the requirement lasts 'after' the exercise , your
BI probably assisted your body in keeping the flow of BG out of your blood into your muscles while you slept hence the hypo.
It is a tricky balance and there have been a number of posts on these forums about exercise and BG's. I don't think there is an easy answer unfortunately, although there should be a number of people that can help with advice.
The problems you have with weight could be due to the fact that exercise helps to convert 'fat' to muscle and of course muscle has weight so the net result may not be weightloss. Again I don't think there is an easy answer to this, I personally wish there was but thats life I guess.

Apr 25, 2010

Harry 4 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps

Hi All,

I know that this is a thread for an iPhone app, but it would be great if the same also existed for Windows Mobile...

Any ideas suggestions for any software that incorporate (i) DAFNE calculation of Carb portion list and/or (ii) DAFNE diary (ideally by downloading readings from the meter)?

Best wishes,
Harry

Apr 25, 2010

Anil 39 posts

Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter?

I agree, i guess the aim is just to bring your glucose to as normal and consistent as possible.
I was just thinking this because of the price of test strips, I mean for Â£25 ppk/50, or so, Id have thought it would be much more accurate and consistent across different test strips and meters,
Great response!
Thanks!
Anil

Apr 25, 2010

JayBee 587 posts

Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter?

Considering 10-20% is likely to be such a minut amount to be out by, are we sure it's worth bothering with changing to a machine that apparently gives more accurate readings?

It says on most manuals that results can be inaccurate, especially at higher readings, but that's because the higher the amount, the higher the 10-20% total will be. Even the machine testing stuff they send you to test your machine is reliable is set between two points and not an exact result...

With this, I don't think it's worth the change personally. Only when it's a case of seriously effecting your control, I'd check the monitor to see if it is functioning properly and then maybe consider the machine change if it wasn't.

Apr 24, 2010

MarkM 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter?

I think you're both right. Just before my post, my BG was 11.2 and then 12.2 using the same blood on my UltraEasy meter. I recently read on the following website:

http://www.mendosa.com/precision.htm

that precision, i.e. consistently getting similar readings on successive tests of the same blood sample, is more important than accuracy. I am generally very happy with the UltraEasy but would change to a different meter if I knew it had greater precision. I wonder if the Which consumer group or similar compares meters on that basis.

Mark

Apr 24, 2010

Barney 1 post

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Am i counting carbs right

Hey I just graduated and during the course took 22 units for a meal I would have guessed less than 10, just stick to rules and test if unsure, know Im new but seems to work, Kev

Apr 24, 2010

JayBee 587 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Help how to loose weight

I'm not sure what else to suggest considering it says in the DAFNE handbook that if you want to aim to lose weight, aim to reduce your insulin. Considering my DAFNE nurse told my group that insulin is a growth hormone, I am not surprised by this being in the book.

When you do exercise, your body uses the insulin a lot more effectively resulting in you needing less of it to prevent a hypo. However, sometimes it's just as effective to eat more CPs before the exercise, but with the weigh loss plan, I would assume that this would not be as effective as simply reducing your insulin by the recommended amount in your DAFNE book for the exercise you take.

I am not sure how well it works if you don't take any insulin for a small meal before exercise... but you'd think that the BI would be enough for that...

If you have any doubt about your ratios or background, I would concentrate on that first because exercise can confuse things - but if you're finding that your results are good most of the time, especially considering you have a exercise heavy regime, I then think you're doing a marvelous job.

I do a lot of exercise most days of the week from just walking to work and doing my job generally. I've found that despite getting my blood sugar levels right most of the time to cater for this exercise, my weight hasn't shifted much... it hovers up and down half a stone... but I am at a weight that I'm happy with so I don't worry about it too much.
With this, I do wonder if you just need to give it a bit more time - or perhaps on a more positive thought, perhaps most of your weight is muscle?

Hope I've been of some help... best wishes!

Apr 24, 2010

Anil 39 posts

Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter?

Hi,
Yes i agree with the 10-20%.
I have a freestyle Lite, and have recently obtained a Accu-Check Mobile.
I pricked my finger and used the same blood on each machine.
At this time (after dinner), The freestyle lite shows my sugars to be 10.8, the Accu-check showed 12.4.
So i decided to stick with my freestyle lite for now, until I have better control over my sugars,
There definatley is a difference between different Blood Glucose machines, I was advise you to use the same one as before to ensure correct and accurate results.

Apr 23, 2010

JamjarsNZ 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / "Balance" letter about injecting in public

I have never had a problem injecting in public (buses, planes, pubs). If anyone asks what I am doing, usually someone I know or has just met me but never a stranger yet, they have not even noticed it was a needle. You can hardly see the needle at all! A quick explaination of what I am doing turns even quicker into a full blown conversation about diabetes and I get the chance to inform people about the condition. Don't know how many hours I have spent dispelling other peoples myths. I like it, education leads to less ignorance and discrimination.

Apr 23, 2010

Ryan Breakwell 3 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My Diary For First Week Of Dafne

Here Is My Diary From My Week Doing Dafne For The First Time. I Hope To See Major Improvements Before My Follow Up In Six Weeks Time Smile

Apr 23, 2010

superman3000 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Help how to loose weight

I have had diabetes since I was nine, I am now 33, I am happy with my general control up until now. I have completed a Dafne course, which has helped me achieve a HPA1C of 7.1%, which I am very happy with.

The problem is I have become a keen mountain biker, and have been regular riding for about 8 mouths and have covered 2000+ miles. But I am yet to lose any weight. I am 5â€™8â€ and weigh 92kg which is too heavyâ€¦ On a normal Sunday and Wednesday night ride I would cover approximately 30miles and burn 3500 calories each ride.

Because I have not got the results I am after, I have stepped up my training to, going out around three times a week doing approximately 30 miles on each ride, as well as three times a week I cycle on an exercise bike for an hour at 60% heart rate (fat burning zone).

When I first started riding I was having to eat a lot the following day to stop myself from becoming low, but now I have reduced my insulin ratio from 1.5:1 to 1:1 which has stopped me from having to eat. But if I miss any training I have to return to my normal ratio the following day otherwise I will go high.

Last night I went out for a 28 mile ride, I had a 3cp for dinner (new boiled potatoes 200g at 6pm) with a blood sugar level of 5.6. When I arrived home my blood sugar level was 11.6 @ 10pm. I did not eat or drink any carbohydrate. I then checked my sugar level at 11.30 before bed which was 5.8, I was keen to see if my background was correct, so I didnâ€™t eat anything. This morning I was woken by the paramedic after recovering me from a hypo.

Does this mean I have to have two different background amounts and two different ratios for when I am exercising and when I am notâ€¦. I am trying very hard to get this under control but I donâ€™t know the best way to work out all the variablesâ€¦.

I am assuming my metabolic rate speeds up when I am exercising, and my body needs less insulin to control my blood sugar level. So, do I need to do the same level of exercise all the time so my metabolic rate stays the same, giving me time to get my background and ratio right?
It does annoy me when I am having to take on loads of calories just to stop me for being low.
Any ideas on what I should do would be great.

Cheers Chris

Apr 22, 2010

NiVZ 82 posts

Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter?

Hello,

I've heard that meters can be as much as 10-20% inaccurate. Not sure what the most accurate meter is though.

NiVZ

Apr 21, 2010

MarkM 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter?

Hello,

Does anyone know which is the most accurate meter? I have an UltraEasy and two tests seconds apart can vary significantly.

Mark

Apr 21, 2010

ccheyette 3 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Carbs and cals book

Hi Steve,

If you go to the website www.carbsandcals.com it is available to order from there and will be sent out within 1 day.

Apr 20, 2010

Jonny 1 post

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

Simon, with the long awaited release of CS5 from adobe, flash CS5 will now have the native ability to develop iphone apps. I currently develop flash apps at present and shall be looking into iphone apps once the software is released.

I am not sure if this would be of any use to you however feel free to get in touch.

Regards,

Jonny

Apr 19, 2010

sandnotoil 1 post

Topic: General Discussion / "Balance" letter about injecting in public

Like most when I first went on to insulin I was very unsure, not embarrassed, about giving myself an injection, therefore retired to a toilet, but after a couple of weeks I figured out what I was doing and began injecting wherever I was at the time.
I inject in public every day as I own a market stall and can't get away to do it elsewhere as the nurse would have me do, and in 2 years there only 1 person has ever noticed me injecting. I have a few ways to draw attention away from what I'm doing, the best I've found is to not to look down at the needle once it's in and look interested in something else, if anyone then looks towards you they'll follow your gaze.

You don't have to get your insulin out and wave it in people's faces to prove a point, but no one is going to make me feel guilty about doing something that keeps me healthy.

Apr 19, 2010

Kentbabe 10 posts

Topic: General Discussion / "Balance" letter about injecting in public

Im quite shocked about a nurse reacting to injecting in pulbic offencive. When i was first diagnosed like lots of people i used to do it in the toilets. But after being told by my diabetic nurse that this wasnt a good idear i now do it when i need to. Ive had a few doggy looks from people but i think if i was injecting something illegal i wouldnt be doing it in public would i??

In response to Richards post ive had no problem injecting or blood testing on planes. And the cabin crew have been understanding when i experienced a hypo and needed some carbs to help my sugar levels stay up.

Apr 19, 2010

Netz 2 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Weighing scales

Does any on know wher I can get a good, but small set of kitchen scales that weigh smaller portions of carbs in GRAMMES???

Apr 19, 2010

marke 681 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Carb Links section added

Alan,
You are welcome to add one. When the subject of Glycaemic indexes was raised with DAFNE Central they said the issue was firstly there are a number of them and they don't all agree and secondly they thought it was an added complication to DAFNE when some people struggled with carb counting. However if people want to look at GI tables as well and can cope with the additional complications then why not.

Apr 25, 2010 marke 681 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps given the time, we would like to develop something however I suspect its not going to happen in the near future unless someone volunteers to do it. I do have a windows mobile phone ( although I'm afraid windows mobile 6.1 drove me to the iphone which I am now in love with) and I thing the visual studio 2010 beta will let me do something for that platform. If I get time, othwerwise I can't afford a full copy of visual studio, the software needed to develop for windows mobile. I will let you know if we do develop anything.

Apr 25, 2010 marke 681 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Help how to loose weight bad news Chris, the answer I believe is yes. You do need different BI and ratio on days you exercise and days you don't. As JWo points out your fitness levels effect your insulin requirements as the fitter you are the better your body uses insulin to assist the conversion of sugar to energy. You also need to understand that when you exercise it causes your muscles to increase their energy requirements for much longer than the exercise actually lasts. It can cause your BG to be lower for upto 24 hours. I used to have this problem on the mornings following a gym visit. I am not suprised that you hypo-ed in the night after your 28 mile ride. Your 'high' reading at 10pm was most likely due to all the sugar pumping around your body to feed your muscles during the exercise. As I said because the requirement lasts 'after' the exercise , your BI probably assisted your body in keeping the flow of BG out of your blood into your muscles while you slept hence the hypo. It is a tricky balance and there have been a number of posts on these forums about exercise and BG's. I don't think there is an easy answer unfortunately, although there should be a number of people that can help with advice. The problems you have with weight could be due to the fact that exercise helps to convert 'fat' to muscle and of course muscle has weight so the net result may not be weightloss. Again I don't think there is an easy answer to this, I personally wish there was but thats life I guess.

Apr 25, 2010 Harry 4 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Iphone Apps Hi All, I know that this is a thread for an iPhone app, but it would be great if the same also existed for Windows Mobile... Any ideas suggestions for any software that incorporate (i) DAFNE calculation of Carb portion list and/or (ii) DAFNE diary (ideally by downloading readings from the meter)? Best wishes, Harry

Apr 25, 2010 Anil 39 posts	Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter? I agree, i guess the aim is just to bring your glucose to as normal and consistent as possible. I was just thinking this because of the price of test strips, I mean for Â£25 ppk/50, or so, Id have thought it would be much more accurate and consistent across different test strips and meters, Great response! Thanks! Anil

Apr 25, 2010 JayBee 587 posts	Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter? Considering 10-20% is likely to be such a minut amount to be out by, are we sure it's worth bothering with changing to a machine that apparently gives more accurate readings? It says on most manuals that results can be inaccurate, especially at higher readings, but that's because the higher the amount, the higher the 10-20% total will be. Even the machine testing stuff they send you to test your machine is reliable is set between two points and not an exact result... With this, I don't think it's worth the change personally. Only when it's a case of seriously effecting your control, I'd check the monitor to see if it is functioning properly and then maybe consider the machine change if it wasn't.

Apr 24, 2010 MarkM 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter? I think you're both right. Just before my post, my BG was 11.2 and then 12.2 using the same blood on my UltraEasy meter. I recently read on the following website: http://www.mendosa.com/precision.htm that precision, i.e. consistently getting similar readings on successive tests of the same blood sample, is more important than accuracy. I am generally very happy with the UltraEasy but would change to a different meter if I knew it had greater precision. I wonder if the Which consumer group or similar compares meters on that basis. Mark

Apr 24, 2010 Barney 1 post	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Am i counting carbs right Hey I just graduated and during the course took 22 units for a meal I would have guessed less than 10, just stick to rules and test if unsure, know Im new but seems to work, Kev

Apr 24, 2010 JayBee 587 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Help how to loose weight I'm not sure what else to suggest considering it says in the DAFNE handbook that if you want to aim to lose weight, aim to reduce your insulin. Considering my DAFNE nurse told my group that insulin is a growth hormone, I am not surprised by this being in the book. When you do exercise, your body uses the insulin a lot more effectively resulting in you needing less of it to prevent a hypo. However, sometimes it's just as effective to eat more CPs before the exercise, but with the weigh loss plan, I would assume that this would not be as effective as simply reducing your insulin by the recommended amount in your DAFNE book for the exercise you take. I am not sure how well it works if you don't take any insulin for a small meal before exercise... but you'd think that the BI would be enough for that... If you have any doubt about your ratios or background, I would concentrate on that first because exercise can confuse things - but if you're finding that your results are good most of the time, especially considering you have a exercise heavy regime, I then think you're doing a marvelous job. I do a lot of exercise most days of the week from just walking to work and doing my job generally. I've found that despite getting my blood sugar levels right most of the time to cater for this exercise, my weight hasn't shifted much... it hovers up and down half a stone... but I am at a weight that I'm happy with so I don't worry about it too much. With this, I do wonder if you just need to give it a bit more time - or perhaps on a more positive thought, perhaps most of your weight is muscle? Hope I've been of some help... best wishes!

Apr 24, 2010 Anil 39 posts	Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter? Hi, Yes i agree with the 10-20%. I have a freestyle Lite, and have recently obtained a Accu-Check Mobile. I pricked my finger and used the same blood on each machine. At this time (after dinner), The freestyle lite shows my sugars to be 10.8, the Accu-check showed 12.4. So i decided to stick with my freestyle lite for now, until I have better control over my sugars, There definatley is a difference between different Blood Glucose machines, I was advise you to use the same one as before to ensure correct and accurate results.

Apr 23, 2010 JamjarsNZ 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / "Balance" letter about injecting in public I have never had a problem injecting in public (buses, planes, pubs). If anyone asks what I am doing, usually someone I know or has just met me but never a stranger yet, they have not even noticed it was a needle. You can hardly see the needle at all! A quick explaination of what I am doing turns even quicker into a full blown conversation about diabetes and I get the chance to inform people about the condition. Don't know how many hours I have spent dispelling other peoples myths. I like it, education leads to less ignorance and discrimination.

Apr 23, 2010 Ryan Breakwell 3 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My Diary For First Week Of Dafne Here Is My Diary From My Week Doing Dafne For The First Time. I Hope To See Major Improvements Before My Follow Up In Six Weeks Time

Apr 23, 2010 superman3000 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Help how to loose weight I have had diabetes since I was nine, I am now 33, I am happy with my general control up until now. I have completed a Dafne course, which has helped me achieve a HPA1C of 7.1%, which I am very happy with. The problem is I have become a keen mountain biker, and have been regular riding for about 8 mouths and have covered 2000+ miles. But I am yet to lose any weight. I am 5â€™8â€ and weigh 92kg which is too heavyâ€¦ On a normal Sunday and Wednesday night ride I would cover approximately 30miles and burn 3500 calories each ride. Because I have not got the results I am after, I have stepped up my training to, going out around three times a week doing approximately 30 miles on each ride, as well as three times a week I cycle on an exercise bike for an hour at 60% heart rate (fat burning zone). When I first started riding I was having to eat a lot the following day to stop myself from becoming low, but now I have reduced my insulin ratio from 1.5:1 to 1:1 which has stopped me from having to eat. But if I miss any training I have to return to my normal ratio the following day otherwise I will go high. Last night I went out for a 28 mile ride, I had a 3cp for dinner (new boiled potatoes 200g at 6pm) with a blood sugar level of 5.6. When I arrived home my blood sugar level was 11.6 @ 10pm. I did not eat or drink any carbohydrate. I then checked my sugar level at 11.30 before bed which was 5.8, I was keen to see if my background was correct, so I didnâ€™t eat anything. This morning I was woken by the paramedic after recovering me from a hypo. Does this mean I have to have two different background amounts and two different ratios for when I am exercising and when I am notâ€¦. I am trying very hard to get this under control but I donâ€™t know the best way to work out all the variablesâ€¦. I am assuming my metabolic rate speeds up when I am exercising, and my body needs less insulin to control my blood sugar level. So, do I need to do the same level of exercise all the time so my metabolic rate stays the same, giving me time to get my background and ratio right? It does annoy me when I am having to take on loads of calories just to stop me for being low. Any ideas on what I should do would be great. Cheers Chris

Apr 22, 2010 NiVZ 82 posts	Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter? Hello, I've heard that meters can be as much as 10-20% inaccurate. Not sure what the most accurate meter is though. NiVZ

Apr 21, 2010 MarkM 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / What is the most accurate meter? Hello, Does anyone know which is the most accurate meter? I have an UltraEasy and two tests seconds apart can vary significantly. Mark

Apr 21, 2010 ccheyette 3 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Carbs and cals book Hi Steve, If you go to the website www.carbsandcals.com it is available to order from there and will be sent out within 1 day.

Apr 20, 2010 Jonny 1 post	Topic: Site Development / DAFNE Online iPhone application - help with content/design needed Simon, with the long awaited release of CS5 from adobe, flash CS5 will now have the native ability to develop iphone apps. I currently develop flash apps at present and shall be looking into iphone apps once the software is released. I am not sure if this would be of any use to you however feel free to get in touch. Regards, Jonny

Apr 19, 2010 sandnotoil 1 post	Topic: General Discussion / "Balance" letter about injecting in public Like most when I first went on to insulin I was very unsure, not embarrassed, about giving myself an injection, therefore retired to a toilet, but after a couple of weeks I figured out what I was doing and began injecting wherever I was at the time. I inject in public every day as I own a market stall and can't get away to do it elsewhere as the nurse would have me do, and in 2 years there only 1 person has ever noticed me injecting. I have a few ways to draw attention away from what I'm doing, the best I've found is to not to look down at the needle once it's in and look interested in something else, if anyone then looks towards you they'll follow your gaze. You don't have to get your insulin out and wave it in people's faces to prove a point, but no one is going to make me feel guilty about doing something that keeps me healthy.

Apr 19, 2010 Kentbabe 10 posts	Topic: General Discussion / "Balance" letter about injecting in public Im quite shocked about a nurse reacting to injecting in pulbic offencive. When i was first diagnosed like lots of people i used to do it in the toilets. But after being told by my diabetic nurse that this wasnt a good idear i now do it when i need to. Ive had a few doggy looks from people but i think if i was injecting something illegal i wouldnt be doing it in public would i?? In response to Richards post ive had no problem injecting or blood testing on planes. And the cabin crew have been understanding when i experienced a hypo and needed some carbs to help my sugar levels stay up.

Apr 19, 2010 Netz 2 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Weighing scales Does any on know wher I can get a good, but small set of kitchen scales that weigh smaller portions of carbs in GRAMMES???

Apr 19, 2010 marke 681 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Carb Links section added Alan, You are welcome to add one. When the subject of Glycaemic indexes was raised with DAFNE Central they said the issue was firstly there are a number of them and they don't all agree and secondly they thought it was an added complication to DAFNE when some people struggled with carb counting. However if people want to look at GI tables as well and can cope with the additional complications then why not.