Recent Posts by Alan 49

Nov 15, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Nat-Sav
it's worth getting your flu jab sorted ASAP - in case your GP runs out. I've had the fluu jabs from day one and never had any problems . You don't want to get the flu.

Nov 11, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / BD Pen Needles

I have been in email contact with BD and that there has been a production problem with th 5mm needles and when I asked about the 4mm being discontinued, I was told that they have NOT been discontinued.
This an extract from the email from them:

I can confirm this is definitely not the case. The BD 4 mm pen needle has not and will not be discontinued.
What has happened is the name has changed slightly on the prescribing system used at GP surgeryâ€™s. It may now come up as BD 4mm Micro fine Ultra instead of Micro Fine Plus. There has however been no change to the packaging or product itself.

Nov 10, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings

I think that if your finger is wet before you get the blood out, the blood sample will be diluted, which could give you a false 'low' reading.

Nov 9, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / BD Pen Needles

I normally use 5mm BD Micro-Fine pen needles. When I picked up my prescription a few days ago, my local Lloyd's Pharmacy told me that they couldn't get any 5mm BD needles and that I should get my GP to prescribe an alternative - which I did. I picked up that prescription from Lloyd's today and was told that they could only get the 8mm BD needles. I accepted these because my stock was low. The pharmacist told me that there was a problem with the manufacturer, which was likely to last over a month.

I searched the internet for information and found a forum on diabetes.co.uk that had a topic entitled 'Withdrawal of BD 4mm pen needles'. It appears that BD are going to stop making 4mm pen needles (I didn't know that there were such things) and I wondered whether all the 4mm users were going over to the 5mm variety and causing a shortage.

Has anybody else had these problems?

Is there an alternative manufacturer of 5mm pen needles?

Nov 8, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings

I'm glad to hear that other people 'milk' their fingers as well - thanks for that.

Nov 8, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Peer Support for People with Diabetes

I thought' DAFNE online' was for 'peer support' - you have a problem or a question about your diabetes, you post it in the appropriate Forum and you get lots of useful replies. That's always worked for me.

Oct 31, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Peer Support for People with Diabetes

Can someone please tell me what a 'hangout' is?

Oct 9, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings

I can't see how massaging your finger can decrease the blood-sugar readiing.

Perhaps an HCP could answer that.

Oct 8, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings

The User Manual that came with my Mendor Discreet BG meter says that when testing BGs, milking the finger to get the blood 'may cause low test results'.

I've never heard this before - is this true?

Oct 6, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Mendor Discreet meter

I received in the post a Mendor Discreet blood glucose meter yesterday. It came with a letter from a company called Merck Serono, thanking me for applying for it. I don't remember applying for it, but I suppose I might have ticked a box on a website or something.

Anyway, I followed the User Guide and set it up. When I tried to use it, the test-strip appeared at the side if the meter, I inserted a lancet in the side of the mete (this bit isn't mentioned in the Guide) and primed it, as shown in the Guide, but I couldn't get the finger-pricker to work.

Has anybody managed to get it to work?

Aug 8, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Cocoa

I was thinking of having one or two cups of hot chocolate every day at home.
I don't have any cocoa or hot chocolate to refer to the nutrition panel. I'll have to look at it on the supermarket shelf.
Do you think hot chocolate and cocoa are one same thing?

Aug 8, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Cocoa

I think I remember something on the radio this morning about Cocoa (is that the same as drinking chocolate?) helping older people's memories. I can find no mention of either in my copy of 'Carbs and Cals' nor in the DAFNE CP booklet.

Can anybody throw any light on this, please?

Jun 11, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / TV Programme

It was all about the use of Byetta, Januvia and Victoza which are injected to achieve better diabetic control and also weight-loss. It seems that they can also cause pancreatisis - which can then lead to pancreatic cancer. According to several of the doctors contributing to the programme, the pharmaceutical companies who manufacture these drugs are refusing to reveal some of the findings relating to the testing of these drugs. The question these doctors are asking is 'Do these companies have something to hide?'

Jun 10, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / TV Programme

TONIGHT - CHANNEL 4 @ 8pm - Diets, Drugs and Diabetes - could be interesting.

Jun 8, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected?

Yes, good point Garry, but I forgot to mention in my last post that after the highlighted letter from the DAFNE team some blood-testing strips were prescribed as well as the two pots of urine-testing strips - so I'm fully equipped now.

Jun 6, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected?

The faxed letter from the DAFNE team resulted in me getting a prescription for a pot of urine testing strips! I contacted the DAFNE team to confirm that the faxed letter specified ketone blood-testing strips and they confirmed that it did and they faxed it again. I got another pot of urine testing strips! I asked the DAFNE team to fax it again, but highlight the words 'Ketone blood-testing strips'. I made an appointment to see the GP today, to explain that I don't need the blood-testing strips at the moment - I only need them when I am ill. I was amazed when she said 'But we don't know when you're going to be ill'. I had to explain that that is why I wanted them on the prescription request form - so I could request them when I'm ill. So at last, they have been added to my request form - it was a real struggle.

May 30, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Optium Xceed meter renewal

After illness, when my blood sugars were running high and I was concerned about ketones, I contacted Abbot to ask if the ketone test-strips are still available for my old Optium Xceed meter. They informed me that the new strips would not work and they are sending me a new meter. Top marks for customer service.

May 28, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected?

I contacted PALS (as Mark suggested) but they said they were 'not able to comment about CCG Policies and Procedures'. So I contacted the DAFNE team in Maidstone Hospital and they faxed a letter they had sent my GP earlier in the year, saying that the ketone blood-testing strips should be made available to me. So hopefully, the problem is solved - thanks for everybody's help.

May 27, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected?

Thanks for all your suggestions - I will definitely follow this up.

I am slightly confused about a couple of things: The meter I was given is an Optium Xceed (manufactured by Abbott) - everybody seems to be referring to 'Freestyle' meters - are they different? The other thing is that I was referring to Ketone test-strips not glucose test-strips, which might be cheaper.

May 24, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected?

I was given an Optium Xceed meter for blood-testing ketones on my DAFNE course. When I asked my GP to add the test-strips to my prescription request form, she said that the strips were Â£2 each and were too expensive. She would only give me the urine test strips - which she said were Â£2 per pot.

May 15, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / bosses

Kay
Is there an HR department where you work? If so, you should report this to them. Are you a member of a trade union - they would take this up. It's just not acceptable.

May 1, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / My current Diary

Leighton
If you're running consistently high, I hope you're testing for Ketones.

Apr 25, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Carbohydrates on Packaging

We were told on our DAFNE course always to round partial CPs up to the next whole CP.

Apr 22, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Flu Virus?

I am just recovering from two weeks of hell. On the 6th of April I woke up with a cough. Then throughout the day I felt worse and worse, and then in the evening I was sick and went to bed without any dinner. The next day I sneezed all day and I had a terrible sick feeling in my stomach. The GP came, said I had a virus and prescribed Penicillin tablets. I knew that antibiotics have no effect on viruses, so can only assume that they were internded to ward off secondary infection. I was bed-bound for two weeks, feeling absolutely awful. The cough resumed and kept me awake at night and I had diarrhoea. My BS levels were in the high teens and I applied the DAFNE "sick day rules" and did not get Ketones (thank-you DAFNE).

After over two weeks of this, I thankfully began to recover and am now feeling my old self. I reckon that this was a form of the flu virus not covered by the flu jab I had in October.

Has anybody else been similarly effected?

Apr 11, 2013

Alan 49 284 posts

Topic: General Discussion / Faulty meters

If you've got a One Touch meter you should read this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22112565

Nov 15, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Flu Jab Nat-Sav it's worth getting your flu jab sorted ASAP - in case your GP runs out. I've had the fluu jabs from day one and never had any problems . You don't want to get the flu.

Nov 11, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / BD Pen Needles I have been in email contact with BD and that there has been a production problem with th 5mm needles and when I asked about the 4mm being discontinued, I was told that they have NOT been discontinued. This an extract from the email from them: I can confirm this is definitely not the case. The BD 4 mm pen needle has not and will not be discontinued. What has happened is the name has changed slightly on the prescribing system used at GP surgeryâ€™s. It may now come up as BD 4mm Micro fine Ultra instead of Micro Fine Plus. There has however been no change to the packaging or product itself.

Nov 10, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings I think that if your finger is wet before you get the blood out, the blood sample will be diluted, which could give you a false 'low' reading.

Nov 9, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / BD Pen Needles I normally use 5mm BD Micro-Fine pen needles. When I picked up my prescription a few days ago, my local Lloyd's Pharmacy told me that they couldn't get any 5mm BD needles and that I should get my GP to prescribe an alternative - which I did. I picked up that prescription from Lloyd's today and was told that they could only get the 8mm BD needles. I accepted these because my stock was low. The pharmacist told me that there was a problem with the manufacturer, which was likely to last over a month. I searched the internet for information and found a forum on diabetes.co.uk that had a topic entitled 'Withdrawal of BD 4mm pen needles'. It appears that BD are going to stop making 4mm pen needles (I didn't know that there were such things) and I wondered whether all the 4mm users were going over to the 5mm variety and causing a shortage. Has anybody else had these problems? Is there an alternative manufacturer of 5mm pen needles?

Nov 8, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings I'm glad to hear that other people 'milk' their fingers as well - thanks for that.

Nov 8, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Peer Support for People with Diabetes I thought' DAFNE online' was for 'peer support' - you have a problem or a question about your diabetes, you post it in the appropriate Forum and you get lots of useful replies. That's always worked for me.

Oct 31, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Peer Support for People with Diabetes Can someone please tell me what a 'hangout' is?

Oct 9, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings I can't see how massaging your finger can decrease the blood-sugar readiing. Perhaps an HCP could answer that.

Oct 8, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Milking fingers causes low BG readings The User Manual that came with my Mendor Discreet BG meter says that when testing BGs, milking the finger to get the blood 'may cause low test results'. I've never heard this before - is this true?

Oct 6, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Mendor Discreet meter I received in the post a Mendor Discreet blood glucose meter yesterday. It came with a letter from a company called Merck Serono, thanking me for applying for it. I don't remember applying for it, but I suppose I might have ticked a box on a website or something. Anyway, I followed the User Guide and set it up. When I tried to use it, the test-strip appeared at the side if the meter, I inserted a lancet in the side of the mete (this bit isn't mentioned in the Guide) and primed it, as shown in the Guide, but I couldn't get the finger-pricker to work. Has anybody managed to get it to work?

Aug 8, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Cocoa I was thinking of having one or two cups of hot chocolate every day at home. I don't have any cocoa or hot chocolate to refer to the nutrition panel. I'll have to look at it on the supermarket shelf. Do you think hot chocolate and cocoa are one same thing?

Aug 8, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Cocoa I think I remember something on the radio this morning about Cocoa (is that the same as drinking chocolate?) helping older people's memories. I can find no mention of either in my copy of 'Carbs and Cals' nor in the DAFNE CP booklet. Can anybody throw any light on this, please?

Jun 11, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / TV Programme It was all about the use of Byetta, Januvia and Victoza which are injected to achieve better diabetic control and also weight-loss. It seems that they can also cause pancreatisis - which can then lead to pancreatic cancer. According to several of the doctors contributing to the programme, the pharmaceutical companies who manufacture these drugs are refusing to reveal some of the findings relating to the testing of these drugs. The question these doctors are asking is 'Do these companies have something to hide?'

Jun 10, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / TV Programme TONIGHT - CHANNEL 4 @ 8pm - Diets, Drugs and Diabetes - could be interesting.

Jun 8, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected? Yes, good point Garry, but I forgot to mention in my last post that after the highlighted letter from the DAFNE team some blood-testing strips were prescribed as well as the two pots of urine-testing strips - so I'm fully equipped now.

Jun 6, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected? The faxed letter from the DAFNE team resulted in me getting a prescription for a pot of urine testing strips! I contacted the DAFNE team to confirm that the faxed letter specified ketone blood-testing strips and they confirmed that it did and they faxed it again. I got another pot of urine testing strips! I asked the DAFNE team to fax it again, but highlight the words 'Ketone blood-testing strips'. I made an appointment to see the GP today, to explain that I don't need the blood-testing strips at the moment - I only need them when I am ill. I was amazed when she said 'But we don't know when you're going to be ill'. I had to explain that that is why I wanted them on the prescription request form - so I could request them when I'm ill. So at last, they have been added to my request form - it was a real struggle.

May 30, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Optium Xceed meter renewal After illness, when my blood sugars were running high and I was concerned about ketones, I contacted Abbot to ask if the ketone test-strips are still available for my old Optium Xceed meter. They informed me that the new strips would not work and they are sending me a new meter. Top marks for customer service.

May 28, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected? I contacted PALS (as Mark suggested) but they said they were 'not able to comment about CCG Policies and Procedures'. So I contacted the DAFNE team in Maidstone Hospital and they faxed a letter they had sent my GP earlier in the year, saying that the ketone blood-testing strips should be made available to me. So hopefully, the problem is solved - thanks for everybody's help.

May 27, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected? Thanks for all your suggestions - I will definitely follow this up. I am slightly confused about a couple of things: The meter I was given is an Optium Xceed (manufactured by Abbott) - everybody seems to be referring to 'Freestyle' meters - are they different? The other thing is that I was referring to Ketone test-strips not glucose test-strips, which might be cheaper.

May 24, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / NHS Medication Changes: Are you affected? I was given an Optium Xceed meter for blood-testing ketones on my DAFNE course. When I asked my GP to add the test-strips to my prescription request form, she said that the strips were Â£2 each and were too expensive. She would only give me the urine test strips - which she said were Â£2 per pot.

May 15, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / bosses Kay Is there an HR department where you work? If so, you should report this to them. Are you a member of a trade union - they would take this up. It's just not acceptable.

May 1, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / My current Diary Leighton If you're running consistently high, I hope you're testing for Ketones.

Apr 25, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: Carbohydrate Counting / Carbohydrates on Packaging We were told on our DAFNE course always to round partial CPs up to the next whole CP.

Apr 22, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Flu Virus? I am just recovering from two weeks of hell. On the 6th of April I woke up with a cough. Then throughout the day I felt worse and worse, and then in the evening I was sick and went to bed without any dinner. The next day I sneezed all day and I had a terrible sick feeling in my stomach. The GP came, said I had a virus and prescribed Penicillin tablets. I knew that antibiotics have no effect on viruses, so can only assume that they were internded to ward off secondary infection. I was bed-bound for two weeks, feeling absolutely awful. The cough resumed and kept me awake at night and I had diarrhoea. My BS levels were in the high teens and I applied the DAFNE "sick day rules" and did not get Ketones (thank-you DAFNE). After over two weeks of this, I thankfully began to recover and am now feeling my old self. I reckon that this was a form of the flu virus not covered by the flu jab I had in October. Has anybody else been similarly effected?

Apr 11, 2013 Alan 49 284 posts	Topic: General Discussion / Faulty meters If you've got a One Touch meter you should read this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22112565