Recent Posts by Phil Maskell

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194 posts found

Nov 11, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Is it normal!

Thanks everyone for the replies
 
Nov 8, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / 7-day waking average

Louise,

Unless 1:1 ratio at breakfast is wrong or it was less than 3cps or BG too high!

Too many variables and possibilities for any of us to ever get this 100%!

Phil
 
Nov 8, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Is it normal!

Louise,

I think ratios are fine, hindsight and all I think I missed judged carbs in dinner, then over corrected, nothing new there really. Just fed up with having to deal with this rubbish and ranting.

Thanks,

Phil
 
Nov 8, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Is it normal!

Hi,

I have been diabetic since '87, so a while, did DAFNE in 2005, so been at this for some time now.

Is it normal to get waves of being annoyed/ fed up/ depressed with it all?

Last night I had a perfect BG 6.5 before driving home. 7 before dinner, 24.9 before walking the dog in the evening! What and why! I am a bit OCD when I'm in the mood about controlling things (other times I let it slide, don't write any BG down,HbA1c suffers!) and then I get crap like that, I corrected and went massively hypo, needed 140 carbs to keep a reasonable BG before bed!

Just ranting as feel naff after massive hypo last night!

Phil
 
Nov 7, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Endurance Exercise and BG

Rafa,

I find if I am high (cos I've overdone the gels or not enough QA on board) when I get back before dinner I will not correct, if it was a long/strenuous ride rather than a relaxed social thing I will lower my QA for the next meal regardless of BG and then check again at bed.

For 20-25 mins of running this might not be the case, at 12.8 not correcting does it drop anyway?

Phil
 
Nov 6, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Endurance Exercise and BG

James,

I go on 6+ hour solo rides and do stop-test-start regularly, but group rides are often longer than this upto 15 hours in the summer, the weather (wind n rain) and profile also play a big part in the effort, I try not to sit on the front for too long on a long ride if I can help it, hide behind some of the bigger guys out of the wind Wink

I think I need to lower BI and try a few solo rides and play with the QA. Just annoying when go out on 6ish BG and stop 3-5 hours in with 20+ BG. On a dif day with dif weather/effort/speed/cadence etc... 5 hours in my BG could be 3ish! I need to keep testing on solo rides, I also need to find some slower GI carbs to have as well as the gels.

Phil
 
Nov 6, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Endurance Exercise and BG

James,

Thanks for the info, it is very similar to what I try to do with the 'drizzle', but like Warwick has said I might have too much BI.

As for mounting Accu Chek on bike, not sure I'm that good on the bike to do that while riding yet Wink I would like a CGM to be able to just look at the direction of travel of BG at any time before eating on the bike, but they're too much money at the moment, the one off purchase wouldn't be too bad, but it would cost £1000s a month in pads which I couldn't do!

Thanks,

Phil
 
Nov 6, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Endurance Exercise and BG

Warwick,

Thanks for the response, yeah I have the Accu Chek Mobile, but I still need to stop to do a test, which is fine if I'm out on my own, but in a group its a bit harder, often have to guess if I'm hypo or tired!

I think you've probably hit the nail on the head with too much BI and possibly a bit more QA.

On really long rides we do stop for food, I try to have slow GI carbs such as potatoes, rice or pasta which helps.

The lentil loaf idea is also good, I could have it for breakfast (bit strange I know) to keep some carbs on board for the whole day.

Hope this thread helps other endurance atheletes too, not that I'm an athelete as such!

Phil
 
Nov 5, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Endurance Exercise and BG

Hi,

Over the last year I have taken up cycling, I am having real problems with BG.

I don't seem to have too many problems under 3 hour rides, but i seem to struggle on longer rides, especially if I go with a group as it is awkward to keep testing.

I know it seems counter intuitive, but before a big ride (5+ hours) I half my morning BI and have a normal breakfast like porridge, with sugar unlike normal and a few units of QA. Everything seems fine during the ride for the first few hours and if we stop I test and it's normally ok, but hours in my BG usually plummets and I struggle to have enough energy gels. On 10+ hour rides I get to the point where I feel ill from the acidic nature of the energy gels!

Sometimes on a group ride I will feel hypo and have a gel without testing only to find I was knackered not hypo and my BG is 15+ and this makes me feel lethargic on the bike along with being knackered!

I am never sure on long rides if I am going to overdo it with gels and feel bad or not have enough gels to cope with the dropping BG. Does anyone else do endurance sports and have problems?

This whole situation is getting me down as other people in the cycling group don't have to deal with this rubbish, on a long ride I will take about 20+ gels and energy bars with me! other people in the group take 2 or 3!

Thanks,

Phil
 
Jan 16, 2013
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / exercise

Lows after exercise are caused by muscles taking sugar to replenish themselves (so I've read/been told). Its this replenshiment that helps them rebuild themselves slightly better each time you exercise.

If I'm going out on a proper ride (more than 20 miles) I will half my BI before and lower my meal before (usually breakfast) ratio to 05:1 from 1:1 for short rides (about 10 miles) to 1.5:1 for no ride. For long rides I will also lower the ratio for meal after (usually lunch) from 1.5:1 to 1:1 to stop after exercise lows.

I also find SIS energy bars are great as they are 40g carbs, but only 20 is sugar so they keep you up as well as bring you out of a hypo, pockects on the back of cycling tops are great for a handful of bars and my trusty Accu-chek mobile (no strips so can test while riding Very Happy

This is what I do, but never seem to get it completely right though, all trial and alot of error!

Hope some of the insulin/carb ideas help.

Phil
 
Sep 21, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Result.

Hi,

I would say 4.1 to 5.3 that your BI seems ok

Phil
 
Sep 21, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / Has anyone else had this happen?

Hi,

In all honesty with newer insulins unless you have absorption problems NovoRapid should be fine in thighs, just don't run or cycle after as this will speed up absorption due to muscle use.

Everyones different though so you may have issues with it, but I never have.

Have you tried Levemir in your stomach though? Does it swell up there?

Phil
 
Sep 19, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / diary keeping help!

I was going to sugest the smart phone app, but you have that.

Does your BG meter record previous readings? Could you leave them on the meter and enter them in the app for 10 mins in the evening or something. I would guess it would have to be same day to remember CP and Insulin, if I'm hypo and out on my bike I will do a test then add that to the phone when I get back using the time from the meter.

In general I have got in the habit of testing filling this in on the phone as it now calcs the QA + Correction based on the CP and BG, so it saves me having to think about ratios etc...

Phil
 
Sep 16, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: Site Development / Auto calculate QA from BG - let's get it right

Annette Bell said:
Yep I'm on same as you, but on the iPod touch.



Over to you then Simon, Annette as a developer myself I am guessing Simon will probably ask you for the logs when you add a carb entry, but on iOs I am not sure how to get these so I will leave this to Simon Wink

Phil
 
Sep 16, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Let's hear your story!

Hi,

I did DAFNE at Nottingham QMC in November 2005, my reason being I was self adjusting my insulin like DAFNE without any clue really. My HbA1C was 11 ish at times which I got down to about 9 before DAFNE, after DAFNE it is now 7 ish, last one was 7.2. Sorry still do my HbA1Cs in old format Very Happy I have recently found that I have been on a low carb diet pre holiday and my control is so much better I am hoping for a 6 ish in my next HbA1C Wink

Another big reason for doing DAFNE and trying to get things under better control was I had a bad case of retinopathy, having laser on a weekly basis in both eyes, followed by an Avastin injection in one eye. Since doing DAFNE and getting better control and having the injection and laser I have gone from weekly eye checks with laser to 12 monthly checks now, as touch wood I have had no more significant growth.

Overall I think DAFNE has improved my control greatly, I can now inject and correct if needed with confidence a mistake I used to make before DAFNE was to correct high BG at any time not just at meals and would then hypo and then over correct, yo-yoing a lot.

I used to have an excel spreadsheet on my old phone before the days of the iPhone and am a software developer with the intention of developing something like the DAFNE Online app, but too lazy in my spare time to get round too it! I think the iPhone app is a great thing and big improvement over my excel spreadsheet, I use the app for every blood test and injection, between 5 and 10 a day depending on exercise and hypos.

Further to the app I have found this forum invaluable for support and having had diabetes for over 25 years and try to pass on anything I found useful along the way.

I hope this information is what you wanted, ask me any more questions if you would like to know anything else.

Phil
 
Sep 16, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: Site Development / Auto calculate QA from BG - let's get it right

Annette what version of the app are you on? What device and iOs version? The carb function works fine on mine.

I am on the latest 1.6.2 on later iOs 5.1 I think (too lazy to go fetch my phone to check) on an iPhone 4

Simon I hope this info helps

Phil
 
Sep 16, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: Site Development / Auto calculate QA from BG - let's get it right

Annette what version of the app are you on? What device and iOs version? The carb function works fine on mine.

I am on the latest 1.6.2 on later iOs 5.1 I think (too lazy to go fetch my phone to check) on an iPhone 4

Simon I hope this info helps

Phil
 
Sep 14, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: Site Development / Auto calculate QA from BG - let's get it right

Just tested, if I add a before driving with say 4.2 and no CP so therefore no QA it still suggests QA of 0-2 in my case.

What would would be nice to help fix this is allow nulls for ratio (not make it mandatory) then you could ignore calculations on these types e.g Hypo or Driving where you wouldn't correct. With DAFNE you're only supposed to correct at meal times. This would then allow hypo CP or extra CP before driving without the corrections coming up.

Hope this makes sense?

Phil
 
Sep 14, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: Site Development / Auto calculate QA from BG - let's get it right

Simon said:
Hi Annette, this behaviour has been fixed in the latest update. Thanks.



Is this in app store yet or still in the pipeline? I'm on 1.6.2

Phil
 
Sep 14, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Result.

novorapidboi26 said:

As far as the weekend goes, you are reducing your insulin because you are less active, which is good, but it's the wrong insulin. Reducing QA applies if your going to the gym or to play football etc....moderate to intense activity over a relatively short period. BI is reduced if its minor to moderate over a day for example, like hillwalking. So I believe the BI reduction is what you need here....



Shouldn't you be reducing insulin if your more active and increase it if your less active, just so people don't reduce/increase wrongly Sad
 
Sep 12, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

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

Annette Bell said:
Thanks Phil - I didn't notice this because I only use the carb counting bit occasionally. If we add our own, does everyone get to see what we've added or is it our own private list like e.g. "Mum's cakes"?



I would hope its just private, no ones complained about any of my wierd labels coming up Very Happy
 
Sep 12, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

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

Under carbs in the iPhone app is a + in the top corner for adding your own foods, they then get listed in 'Show mine', it will also be under the category you pick like fruit, you can choose it as a favourite or not too, I just use the fact it is in 'Show mine'.

Hope this makes sense and helps.

Phil
 
Sep 12, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Help! Lantus split and early start

Is there a problem with doing it on the plane? I always take insulin on plane with me. If you had inflight meal you would have QA?

Where are you flying too, my biggest problem with flying is time difs, how to time background when time dif! I have Levemir @ 11am and 11pm, for this I wait until the next 11 in the new time zone so for a bit I might be low on background.

Phil
 
Sep 7, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: Questions for HCPs / bereavement

Well said novorapidboi, deepest condolences...

Just take each day as it comes
 
Sep 7, 2012
Phil Maskell 194 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Result.

Jayne Blakes said:
Excuse my typing I'm not on the usual keyboard I'm on the iPad!
Vic - you would really only find the ibg star tester as good as me with the iPhone!
They're brilliant together x



I looked at these, my concern is the iPhone 5 is rumoured to have a new bottom connector which would make the ibg unusable. Shame cos they look cool Very Happy