Diabetes Education Courses

steppitoe

Member
Messages
12
Hi there.

I live overseas and was diagnosed whilst living here therefore I have never been on a course and whilst I am on metformin and try to be careful I would love to find an easy to understand resource of information.

Any ideas?
 

VeggieJacey

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello, I was diagnosed type 2 earlier this year and booked onto a DESMOND course. More information can be found here http://www.desmond-project.org.uk/whatisthedesmondprogramme-271.html The one day course i attended was well structured, delivered in a easy to understand, friendly, professional way. It involved all attendees and the numbers were kept low so you would not feel too self conscious. There were six of us and at lunchtime some of us took the chance to have a lunch time walk - that pleased the tutors. I was apprehensive about attending, but really pleased I did. Hope this helps.
 

bulkbiker

BANNED
Messages
19,576
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I have never been on a course and am quite interested as to what diet advice was given on your desmond @VeggieJacey?

@steppitoe what exactly would you like to understand? If you want to address diet then you could do far worse than read
https://www.dietdoctor.com
to find out about the way of eating (and living) that a lot of us use to control our Type 2 Diabetes.. assuming of course that is what you have.
Regards
Mark
 

Andy_Morton

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I was diagnosed in early July, but only managed to attend a NHS type 2 group education session yesterday.
The day was six and a half hours long, and broken down into three sections. The section I was most looking forward to was the dietitian part at the end of the day. Ultimately though I found some of the information to be contradictory to info and advice from earlier in the day. I came away feeling pretty much the same as I had going in, with more or less the same amount of knowledge.
I'm glad I attended, but only in so much as I know I haven't missed a learning opportunity.
 

bigjim19

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,960
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
a lot of food im supposed to eat yuk
I'm still waiting for Desmond after 4 months
I've found all the information I've needed from the people on this site they are the ones to ask although not doctors etc I value their advice and it has helped me since I was diagnosed
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm still waiting for Desmond after 4 months
I've found all the information I've needed from the people on this site they are the ones to ask although not doctors etc I value their advice and it has helped me since I was diagnosed

You may be waiting a lot longer. My Health Centre (2 separate practices) and a few others I know of have stopped sending patients on these courses as a cost cutting exercise. I was told this by my DN just this afternoon. Some practices may still use DESMOND, X-Pert etc but I doubt for much longer. It seems they may move over to locally produced courses provided by the local nurses.
 

bigjim19

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,960
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
a lot of food im supposed to eat yuk
Wouldn't be surprised I'll find out on Wednesday when I see the doctor
 

bigjim19

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,960
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
a lot of food im supposed to eat yuk
Still doing them according to doctor
 
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Diamum5972

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,841
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Prejudiced people (my son has learning difficulties) and not being able to find a job
I was diagnosed T2 last October and my DN registered me to go on a Desmond course. I still haven't heard anything from them!
 

miahara

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,019
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Insulin
If you are quick there's just about time to get started on this Futurelearn.com on-line course about diabetes. I did it a few months ago and it's pretty good. The course is a Dundee University course and free. It's a 2 week course of 3 hours per week. Currently in the second week but you can still start the week 1 modules.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/diabetes-epidemic
 
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Tabbyjoolz

Well-Known Member
Messages
557
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Cruelty, bigotry
I just finished the Futurelearn course. Wasn't too happy about quite a few elements of the course, I'm afraid.
 

CollieBoy

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,974
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Hi carb Foods
Some practices may still use DESMOND, X-Pert etc but I doubt for much longer. It seems they may move over to locally produced courses provided by the local nurses.
Even the Exellent X-pert courses can suffer by being filtered through the prejudices and ignorances of the local nurses who act as "educators"
 

miahara

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,019
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Insulin
I just finished the Futurelearn course. Wasn't too happy about quite a few elements of the course, I'm afraid.
Yes, I'd agree some of the units were not all that good and some presenters could have done with a bit of coaching on talking to camera. However I did find that I learned a fair bit, but maybe I was just clueless to start with! The unit that described hypos helped me to recognise that I'd experienced one a few weeks earlier and was far better than any written description I'd come across. Didn't rate the video about shopping in a supermarket though - pretty poor information and lacking in real detail.
However overall it's not a bad educational course especially for those who can't access face to face courses.
 

Helb167

Newbie
Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm half way through the x-pert diabetes course. I'm finding it useful, especially about carbohydrates
 

covknit

Well-Known Member
Messages
467
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
If you are quick there's just about time to get started on this Futurelearn.com on-line course about diabetes. I did it a few months ago and it's pretty good. The course is a Dundee University course and free. It's a 2 week course of 3 hours per week. Currently in the second week but you can still start the week 1 modules.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/diabetes-epidemic
Oh I have missed the Dundee one. I am down for the Deakin University - demistifing diabetes starting 6 March. I can recommend these courses. I did the science and nutrition one which has just finished. Currently doing well being, Aberdeen university and the Cardiff making sense of what to believe. Loving the Cardiff one. The science one was a good introduction. So far the Well-being one seems to be conventional and makes be want to rock the boat of their complacency but I am not knowledgable enough.

The Desmond course was interesting and yes the two leaders set the topics to be discussed but within their framework the ground coverd were set by the attendees. Some knew more than me. A few less. I recall it focusing on calories. The lass next to me was amazed about portion size being the key. I am sure what came as a great revelation to me was a " but everyone knows that" to her. I recall the information being disseminated by taking snack wrappers and placing them in order of calorific content. In the second week it was toy food to be ordered. The focus was on the British good nutrition eatwell plate. The Aberdeen university wellness course and OU science of nutrition course covers it much better. Discussion on this site is a lot more open minded and wide ranging.

I enjoyed my Desmond course but the people on it were great and it took place within 2 miles of where I live.
 

miahara

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,019
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Insulin
Oh I have missed the Dundee one. I am down for the Deakin University - demistifing diabetes starting 6 March. I can recommend these courses. I did the science and nutrition one which has just finished. Currently doing well being, Aberdeen university and the Cardiff making sense of what to believe. Loving the Cardiff one. The science one was a good introduction. So far the Well-being one seems to be conventional and makes be want to rock the boat of their complacency but I am not knowledgable enough.

The Desmond course was interesting and yes the two leaders set the topics to be discussed but within their framework the ground coverd were set by the attendees. Some knew more than me. A few less. I recall it focusing on calories. The lass next to me was amazed about portion size being the key. I am sure what came as a great revelation to me was a " but everyone knows that" to her. I recall the information being disseminated by taking snack wrappers and placing them in order of calorific content. In the second week it was toy food to be ordered. The focus was on the British good nutrition eatwell plate. The Aberdeen university wellness course and OU science of nutrition course covers it much better. Discussion on this site is a lot more open minded and wide ranging.
I enjoyed my Desmond course but the people on it were great and it took place within 2 miles of where I live.

I've just completed the Science of Nutrition course too. Enjoyed it and learned a lot. I copied all the text and illustrations into a MS Word document and have printed it so I can easily go back and revise.

Dave
 

covknit

Well-Known Member
Messages
467
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
I've just completed the Science of Nutrition course too. Enjoyed it and learned a lot. I copied all the text and illustrations into a MS Word document and have printed it so I can easily go back and revise.

Dave
Thats a good idea. I could try doing that on google cloud. I have written everything into an schooltype exercise book but need to get a proper plan of the blood flow around the human body as I struggled with that part. I have registered interest in joining the next run of the Dundee diabetes epidemic course you gave the link for. It does not have a date yet. I posted before realising how long ago the OP placed his question. I must pay closer attention. It is however always a good time to promote these courses.