Recent Posts - DAFNE Online

Apr 8, 2010

JayBee 587 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

I showed my employer the course letter and after the HR department researched a bit more about DAFNE, I got the okay for 3 special leave days if I agreed to take the rest as holiday. I agreed.

One thing that annoyed me though was the fact the manager who gave me the okay for special leave had to ask me why I had not asked sooner - I can't help not knowing about it! Â¬_Â¬

Apr 8, 2010

JayBee 587 posts

Topic: General Discussion / What do you carry your diabetes stuff in?

I keep everything inside a large bathroom/make-up bag.
All my needles are in a pencil case... Have a two pen holder thing for my insulin pens and everything else just goes in as they are.

Apr 8, 2010

JayBee 587 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Lantus Lasting 24 hours?

I'm someone who used to take ... golly, it's been a while but I think I was on 18 units when I was on one BI injection a day... and I found everyday I was around 15 BG in the afternoon after starting DAFNE. It took DAFNE to pick up this and now after splitting my Lantus dose to 6 BI at 10pm and 9 BI at around 7am-7.30am... my control has stablised quite nicely.

It frightens me to think I've been taking the wrong amount with out splitting it for years. Sad

As a result - Lantus so does not work for 24 hours for all... and for me, it works 16 hours which last I heard was about an hour under the estimated minimum working time. I happy to hear that the split dose change is also working well for you too.

Took me a while to work out my dose amounts on that note - I was hypoing in the night for a while because a half split was too much for my over night amount.... I need the over lap in the morning I find, but working out the doses was annoying with the continuous 3am checking! >_<

Apr 8, 2010

DavidJ 23 posts

Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers

Hi,
My employer (Mono Pumps in Manchester - about 400 employees) allowed me to have the week off with pay. I was on nights for the follow up and booked a holiday.
Dave

Apr 7, 2010

Lizzie 87 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Cold Medicines

I have a bad cold. So far so good (cross fingers), no ketones and blood sugars under control. But I was going to have something to ease the symptoms as I don't really want to take time off work. I know there is no medicine that cures a cold and you just need to wait for it to run its course. But it would be easier to work without blocked ears, stuffy head and bunged up nose.

But all the decongestant type medicines I checked say either not to take if diabetic or to ask your doctor. I get why cough medicine would say that, and have got some sugar free stuff. But why do things like Lemsip or Beechams say it? Surely there is no sugar in those? What effect could they have on my diabetes? Does anyone know? Is it a risk I can take? I know some products like hot water bottles say the same, but the reason for that is obvious (neuropathy), I have good feeling in my feet and know not to make them too hot, so I can use them. So I want to know is it something like that, where the manufacturers are just saying it to cover themselves? Or is there a real reason for it?

Apr 6, 2010

christine gregg 3 posts

Topic: General Discussion / laser eye treatment

would love to hear from anyone who has had laser treatment for retinopathy. Just recently had it and was also told I may need an op for cattaracts.

Christine

Apr 6, 2010

charlotte77 11 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Home Made Meals

Hi Marc

I can highly recommend the Food and Diet Counter (little yellow book, published by Hamlyn and written by Dr Wynnie Chan) which was recommended to my DAFNE group. It covers pretty much everything. The ISBN number is 0600607097. There are one or two typos (which may be corrected in more up to date versions) I remember our dietitian advising us that porridge was incorrect!

Charlotte

Apr 4, 2010

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Where you inject matters

Until recently, it had heen several years since I last had a night-time hypo, but in February, I had two. On the evening of the 25th, my BG before bed was 14.2 - unusually high for me - so as well as my normal dose of BI, I had one unit of QA. At around 3am I had a bad hypo - requiring assistance from my wife. I could see no reason for this hypo, so I assumed it was 'one of those things'.
A few nights later (on the 27th) my BG before bed was 10.0 - but I did not take any corrective QA. I awoke at 3:45am covered in sweat and when I tested my BG, I was 3.6 and was able to take some corrective carbs.
This was now a real concern. I looked at my BG diary, and noticed that I normally inject in the stomach area before dinner, but on these two occasions I had injected into my thighs. I raised this at the 1-year DAFNE review and was told that insulin injected into the legs takes longer to become active and that this could explain my night-time hypos.
Since then I have injected in the stomach before dinner and have had no further night-time problems.
It seems, that for me, where I inject really does matter. I was not aware of this before. Has anyone else noticed this?

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 686 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 686 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 686 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 686 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 ;-)

Apr 8, 2010 JayBee 587 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers I showed my employer the course letter and after the HR department researched a bit more about DAFNE, I got the okay for 3 special leave days if I agreed to take the rest as holiday. I agreed. One thing that annoyed me though was the fact the manager who gave me the okay for special leave had to ask me why I had not asked sooner - I can't help not knowing about it! Â¬_Â¬

Apr 8, 2010 JayBee 587 posts	Topic: General Discussion / What do you carry your diabetes stuff in? I keep everything inside a large bathroom/make-up bag. All my needles are in a pencil case... Have a two pen holder thing for my insulin pens and everything else just goes in as they are.

Apr 8, 2010 JayBee 587 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Lantus Lasting 24 hours? I'm someone who used to take ... golly, it's been a while but I think I was on 18 units when I was on one BI injection a day... and I found everyday I was around 15 BG in the afternoon after starting DAFNE. It took DAFNE to pick up this and now after splitting my Lantus dose to 6 BI at 10pm and 9 BI at around 7am-7.30am... my control has stablised quite nicely. It frightens me to think I've been taking the wrong amount with out splitting it for years. As a result - Lantus so does not work for 24 hours for all... and for me, it works 16 hours which last I heard was about an hour under the estimated minimum working time. I happy to hear that the split dose change is also working well for you too. Took me a while to work out my dose amounts on that note - I was hypoing in the night for a while because a half split was too much for my over night amount.... I need the over lap in the morning I find, but working out the doses was annoying with the continuous 3am checking! >_<

Apr 8, 2010 DavidJ 23 posts	Topic: General Discussion / DAFNE and Employers Hi, My employer (Mono Pumps in Manchester - about 400 employees) allowed me to have the week off with pay. I was on nights for the follow up and booked a holiday. Dave

Apr 7, 2010 Lizzie 87 posts	Topic: Questions for HCPs / Cold Medicines I have a bad cold. So far so good (cross fingers), no ketones and blood sugars under control. But I was going to have something to ease the symptoms as I don't really want to take time off work. I know there is no medicine that cures a cold and you just need to wait for it to run its course. But it would be easier to work without blocked ears, stuffy head and bunged up nose. But all the decongestant type medicines I checked say either not to take if diabetic or to ask your doctor. I get why cough medicine would say that, and have got some sugar free stuff. But why do things like Lemsip or Beechams say it? Surely there is no sugar in those? What effect could they have on my diabetes? Does anyone know? Is it a risk I can take? I know some products like hot water bottles say the same, but the reason for that is obvious (neuropathy), I have good feeling in my feet and know not to make them too hot, so I can use them. So I want to know is it something like that, where the manufacturers are just saying it to cover themselves? Or is there a real reason for it?

Apr 6, 2010 christine gregg 3 posts	Topic: General Discussion / laser eye treatment would love to hear from anyone who has had laser treatment for retinopathy. Just recently had it and was also told I may need an op for cattaracts. Christine

Apr 6, 2010 charlotte77 11 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Home Made Meals Hi Marc I can highly recommend the Food and Diet Counter (little yellow book, published by Hamlyn and written by Dr Wynnie Chan) which was recommended to my DAFNE group. It covers pretty much everything. The ISBN number is 0600607097. There are one or two typos (which may be corrected in more up to date versions) I remember our dietitian advising us that porridge was incorrect! Charlotte

Apr 4, 2010 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Where you inject matters Until recently, it had heen several years since I last had a night-time hypo, but in February, I had two. On the evening of the 25th, my BG before bed was 14.2 - unusually high for me - so as well as my normal dose of BI, I had one unit of QA. At around 3am I had a bad hypo - requiring assistance from my wife. I could see no reason for this hypo, so I assumed it was 'one of those things'. A few nights later (on the 27th) my BG before bed was 10.0 - but I did not take any corrective QA. I awoke at 3:45am covered in sweat and when I tested my BG, I was 3.6 and was able to take some corrective carbs. This was now a real concern. I looked at my BG diary, and noticed that I normally inject in the stomach area before dinner, but on these two occasions I had injected into my thighs. I raised this at the 1-year DAFNE review and was told that insulin injected into the legs takes longer to become active and that this could explain my night-time hypos. Since then I have injected in the stomach before dinner and have had no further night-time problems. It seems, that for me, where I inject really does matter. I was not aware of this before. Has anyone else noticed this?

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 686 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 686 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 686 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 686 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 ;-)