DAFNE Diary

[LauraNoraLoo]

Thought id start this DAFNE diary for people to read if their interested, seeing as though people asked me to let them know how i got on! So heres my how my first day went ...

So, naturally i was really nervous this morning, i had hardly slept during the night so wasnt feeling my best. I woke up with a BG of 5.2mmol which is really rare for me! Got to the hospital half hour early so i was the first there, i prefer it this way, dont like walking into a room with everyone there!

Had the usual introductions, stated who we were, how long we had been diabetic so on so on ... wasnt as bad as i though! It did break the ice and everyone seemed really friendly!

First part was on WHAT IS DIABETES? This sounds a stupid topic to have to go over but i was suprised at how little i did know and understand. Knowing and understanding the basics obviously is a big help so knowing what can "cause" diabetes and the differences between type 1 and type 2 was really interesting.

Next was the identifying carbs and understanding how carbs affect the BG levels. Again, seems really simple but it was a big help to go over the basics and know how and why it happens!

We then got near lunch time so we got told/adviced about our carb/insulin ratio. The teachers were really helpful at figuring out our ratio and advising us how to work things out. This was the worst part of the morning by far - i was so nervous about getting it wrong when i worked out my lunch! It didnt help that i was hypo at the time, however when we went down to the canteen and got our food, i worked it out quielty there and then and to my suprise i got my dosage correct! So happy

In the afternoon, again another simple lesson but a vital one - WHAT IS INSULIN? i have never really been told what insulin IS - i know what it does but not how it does it etc. This was really interesting and was explained well.

Last part of the afternoon was looking at each others BG's for that day and checking we knew what we were doing.

Overall, better than i hope thought it was going to be - hard work and lots to take in but i think ill get there!

Laura

 

[noblehead]

Laura.

Sounds like you've had a good day, brought back some good memories reading your post and I look forward to reading your diary again tomorrow.

Nigel

 

[Clairslloyd]

Sounds like you enjoyed your day - fabulous. There is an Xpert course in my area that I wasn't sure about attending but after reading your post I will get my DN to refer me, thank you and I will also look forward to day 2's posting

 

[LauraNoraLoo]

DAY 2

Hypo last night for the first time in ages! felt terrible but good at the same time; something about DAFNE is working and that whats I like to see!

Every morning when you start DAFNE you share your blood sugars to the group and we see what changes we can make. My result was that i would drop my long acting insulin that i take in the evening by 2 units - i wasnt sure about this but for the purpose of the course, i went along with it!

Weighing out foods was really interesting. Its helpful also as it gives you a rough guide, so now i know (if i can remember) what a certain amount of, lets say chips looks like i can take a rough but nearly accurate guess at how many carbs are there. Was a really useful activity! As i am a creature of comfort with my food, im gunna guess that i will find it easy!

In the afternoon it was all about insulin and insulin injection technique. I found this to be honest a bit pointless - ive been diabetic 11 years, im fully aware of how to give a correct injection. However, again i listened and took notes.

At the end of the second day I was feeling blue. I was hypo practically all day, felt not in control and just blurgh. My body isn't used to running so low (i was used to BG's of 14+) so i hope that changes!













Day 3

Bad hypo last night (seeing a pattern here with PM hypo's) so high BG in morning (due to liver functions). Find it hard not to correct a high blood sugar after a hypo (DAFNE rules) but again seeing as it is the purpose of the course i gave it ago. Was suprised to see that it worked and at dinner time when i tested my BG was down to DAFNE target levels.

We did recipies today and looking a pictures of meals and seeing if we could guess how many CP's were in them. Again a useful task! Getting more used to this CP thing and most of the people in the class including myself got good answers!

The afternoon allowed parents or partners to come and listen as we were covering hypo's and **** day rules. This was very very useful and i cant believe how oblivious i have been for so long, especially with sick day rules.

Inbetween this i tested my BG. The reading was 21. I spoke with the tutor and said that i wasnt happy about it being that high and i wanted to take insulin to rectify it! She told me to wait and i did and found that at tea time, my BG was 6.2! AMAZING!!!!!

Had me tea, carb counted and took insulin accoriding to ratio. Felt hypo 1 hour and half later and tested to find that my BG was 2.6! NO idea how, and its weird, but ive treated according to DAFNE, and im sorted ... for now.


End of third day ... Getting there!

P.S - Ive already cut at least 20 units a day of my short acting insulin, and 4 units of long acting!

 

[smidge]

Hi Laura!

Well done with this! I know you're having a bit of a tough time with the hypos, but you're doing so well! And thank you so much for diarying this for us. I'll be swapping from intermediate acting to rapid acting insulin in the next 10 days, and I'm terrified! Reading your experiences of carb counting and adjusting doses is really helping. Thank you and good luck!

Smidge

 

[ebony321]

sounds like your doing really well, DAFNE really does work if you let it

Sounds like your having a little trouble with hypo's, stick at it though, which im sure you will as your seeing the benefits already!!

 

[noblehead]

Laura,

Working out your insulin ratio's takes time and you have to expect that you may experience the odd hypo/hyper whilst adjustments are being made. The structure of the DAFNE course must vary as we didn't cover sick-day rules with partners/parents until day 4, have they mentioned you going out for a meal together yet?.......a great experience and your first chance to put into practise what you have learnt over the week, this normally takes place on the last day of the course at lunchtime.

Keep posting Laura as we are all enjoying reading your DAFNE diary!

Nigel

 

[LauraNoraLoo]

Laura,

Working out your insulin ratio's takes time and you have to expect that you may experience the odd hypo/hyper whilst adjustments are being made. The structure of the DAFNE course must vary as we didn't cover sick-day rules with partners/parents until day 4, have they mentioned you going out for a meal together yet?.......a great experience and your first chance to put into practise what you have learnt over the week, this normally takes place on the last day of the course at lunchtime.

Keep posting Laura as we are all enjoying reading your DAFNE diary!

Nigel

Hi Nigel, every lunch time we have been going into the canteen and orering what we want, and then carb counting it there and then, so i guess this is the practise that you are talking about?

 

[LauraNoraLoo]

DAY 3

Was looking forward to today as it was covering all things that ive never known how to deal with; alcohol, eating out, diets, exericse. Very helpful and explained very well. Cant believe how long ive been doing it all wrong for! Lots of little quizzes to do as well which made it a bit more fun and less infomation packed!

In the afternoon, I found myself getting upset. We were covering things like travel, driving and pregnancy...the social aspects. Ive always wanted to have children and never thought of diabetes complicating that. However, apparently i was wrong. I never realised how tight you have to be when you even just consider getting pregnant. Im currently on the contraceptive implant so im not going to fall pregnant without me planning it, but still, it scares me all the same. What they told me your BG's should be when pregnant seems really unrealistic for me, and high BGs could damage the unborn child - last thing i would ever want. This of course is looking right ahead into the future (no plans for a good 6 yeats yet!) but still, scary thought.

Hypo again at the same time today which so i can see a ratio change in the morning = less insulin! Yay!!

 

[noblehead]

Hi Nigel, every lunch time we have been going into the canteen and orering what we want, and then carb counting it there and then, so i guess this is the practise that you are talking about?

Yeah we went down to the hospital restaurant everyday for our free lunch too, but on the last day we all went out to a Chinese restaurant for lunch and put our carb counting skills to the test. Sounds like you've had good day again!

Nigel

 

[ewan]

DAY 3

Was looking forward to today as it was covering all things that ive never known how to deal with; alcohol, eating out, diets, exericse. Very helpful and explained very well. Cant believe how long ive been doing it all wrong for! Lots of little quizzes to do as well which made it a bit more fun and less infomation packed!

In the afternoon, I found myself getting upset. We were covering things like travel, driving and pregnancy...the social aspects. Ive always wanted to have children and never thought of diabetes complicating that. However, apparently i was wrong. I never realised how tight you have to be when you even just consider getting pregnant. Im currently on the contraceptive implant so im not going to fall pregnant without me planning it, but still, it scares me all the same. What they told me your BG's should be when pregnant seems really unrealistic for me, and high BGs could damage the unborn child - last thing i would ever want. This of course is looking right ahead into the future (no plans for a good 6 yeats yet!) but still, scary thought.


Just thought i would say this:

My mother is diabetic, she gave birth to me in 1958 (bless her), how ever back then blood monitoring was not invented, so dont know how she was treated or even tested, in 1970 when i became diabetic, i had glass syringe and metal needles kept in a jar with cotton wool soaked in surgical spirit. the only way of testing was a testube and a pill that droped into the test tube with urine in, it then changed colour, but of course would only show that ages ago you had sugar in your urine. So when I was born or prior control and insulins were extreamly limited!!

Okay, so the only adverse effect to me is that i have developed diabtes (some might say brain damage) so my point is, that today with all the testings and treatment and understanding that adverse effects on a baby may not be that risky.

dont know if my mad ramblings have reassured you at all

anyway good luck for 6 years time

Hypo again at the same time today which so i can see a ratio change in the morning = less insulin! Yay!!

 

[ebony321]

DAY 3

Was looking forward to today as it was covering all things that ive never known how to deal with; alcohol, eating out, diets, exericse. Very helpful and explained very well. Cant believe how long ive been doing it all wrong for! Lots of little quizzes to do as well which made it a bit more fun and less infomation packed!

In the afternoon, I found myself getting upset. We were covering things like travel, driving and pregnancy...the social aspects. Ive always wanted to have children and never thought of diabetes complicating that. However, apparently i was wrong. I never realised how tight you have to be when you even just consider getting pregnant. Im currently on the contraceptive implant so im not going to fall pregnant without me planning it, but still, it scares me all the same. What they told me your BG's should be when pregnant seems really unrealistic for me, and high BGs could damage the unborn child - last thing i would ever want. This of course is looking right ahead into the future (no plans for a good 6 yeats yet!) but still, scary thought.

Hypo again at the same time today which so i can see a ratio change in the morning = less insulin! Yay!!

My auntie in law is T1 and she is currently 8 months pregnant and has a planned cesarean in the end of march

She has had T1 since she was 3 and is now in her 30's, shes complication free and the baby is perfectly healthy! and normal size too (although we dont know the sex so im desperate to find out)

When you do decide to have babies, your diabetes team will prepare you for the tight control you need to have, and will help you acheive this, my auntie uses a pump so it was better for her.

And i think knowing very tight control is needed for the health of your baby will spur you on to acheive what seems impossible!

ive also read about women who fall pregnant with HBA1C's higher than recommended and have sucessfully pulled it together to what is recommended.

Hope this eases your worries a little, i'm enjoying your diary, i think its a great idea

 

[Clairslloyd]

Absolutely love reading your diary. Sounds like the course is very interesting and informative. Can't wait to read the rest

 

[LauraNoraLoo]

LAST DAY

Soooooo last day, kinda nervous to be doing all by myself now and putting it all into action but im fully prepared and know everything now! we had the doctor come in and we could ask her questions which was good; most were about insulin pumps and diabetes cures.

Really short day but thats it! All done now...no more learning! Hopefully it will come more second nauture to me and i dont let things slip, it would be a great shame as im on 25 less units a day now! which will also help with my weight

 

[LauraNoraLoo]

I would also like to recommmended this course to anyone who is even just thinking about doing it! Well worth the time and all the infomation you get given is what you need to know! I really really really didnt want to go on the course but im so glad that i plucked up the courage and just went for it.

Give it a go, its worked for me

 

[noblehead]

LAST DAY

Soooooo last day, kinda nervous to be doing all by myself now and putting it all into action but im fully prepared and know everything now! we had the doctor come in and we could ask her questions which was good; most were about insulin pumps and diabetes cures.

Really short day but thats it! All done now...no more learning! Hopefully it will come more second nauture to me and i dont let things slip, it would be a great shame as im on 25 less units a day now! which will also help with my weight

Did they not mention a DAFNE 12 week follow-up? We all got back together after 12 weeks to discuss how our control was progressing and ask the DAFNE nurse any questions or concerns we may have. It's great getting back together and seeing how well everyone is doing in such a short space of time!

Nigel

 

[AndyS]

Coincidentally I did DAFNE this week too.
When I was diagnosed a couple years ago I got stuck in learning everything I could and was more or less following DAFNE anyways but I was still seeing spikes between meals that worried me and was having between 3 and 5 hypos a week.

At my pre-assesment I was swapped onto Levemir and that made a HUGE difference. Almost overnight it took around 10-15 units of fast acting out of my day and I too am also now losing a bit of weight which is AWESOME!

The first few days talking about what Diabetes is and what insulin does and its activity profile was noting really new.
The guidelines on only testing just before meals and correcting at that point and not worrying about 2 or 3 hours after has made me much happier and I have had one of the flattest weeks ever.

The sick day rules were a real eye opener. Talking to some of the people on the course that have had T1 for 30+ years they were saying how they had gone from fine to feeling ill to ketoacidotic in hospital in as little as 28 hours. All I could think was "I am SOOO lucky that I haven't really been ill in the last 2 years". I would have had no clue.

As plenty of other people has said this course is brilliant. It was make your life better and also make you less stressed about managing your diabetes. The only thing I still remain unhappy about is how long it took to get a place on DAFNE. I put my name down when I was diagnosed and was even put on the short notice list and still it took almost 18 months.

But that is a resources issue and the DAFNE educators I had were fantastic. Follow up is in 6 weeks so fingers crossed I can keep things nice and steady till then. I have a business trip to the US coming up next week and those have usually been real BG roller coasters. Hopefully with the travel tips I can sort something out.

If you are thinking abouy doing DAFNE, don't think... Just go and do it. You will not regret it. In all liklihood your insulin requirements will actually drop and you will feel much better.

/A

 

[Snodger]

thank you so much LauraNoraNoo for posting all this stuff and sharing your experiences.