What Education should newly diagnosed Type 1s receive?

[tim2000s]

To all the Type 1 diabetics who are on the forum, no matter how long you've been diagnosed, what education do you wish you had received when you were diagnosed?

I've split it into a number of broad options, so if none fit, please post your comments in the topic and we can collate them.

 

[himtoo]

I believe that a comprehensive course in all aspects of managing diabetes should be standard within a couple of weeks of diagnosis. ( I realise the chances of this are between slim and none)

I was diagnosed outside the UK , on a friday afternoon , spent the weekend in hospital and on the following monday attended 2 weeks of full time education ( 8:30am - 5pm) All food was eaten in the hospital and snacks were sent home in case of hypos overnight .

OK -- as a 14 year old it frightened the life out of me, however it taught me as much info as was available at the time and due to this I have always looked after everything I am meant to.

using the options detailed above @tim2000s I would opt for "Basics of Carb counting and adjusting insulin using multiple daily injections on diagnosis"

 

[Sucre Bleu]

Believe it or not, been one for so long the Charge Nurse showed me how to sharpen my needles with a file, and clean a test tube for Clinitest tablets so as not to contaminate the result
Personally for me. I would have preferred being given more confidence to self manage my dosages. All that was as a child

 

[azure]

@himtoo Thats what I voted for too, but it's only showing one vote : /

I am gobsmacked that so many newly diagnosed Type 1s are told to basically 'eat what they want' and aren't taught to count carbs on diagnosis. Basic carb counting is easy and quick to teach. When I was diagnosed a dietician spent an hour or so with me, gave me a very useful booklet of carb amounts for normal foods, and that stood me in excellent stead. I've never done DAFNE but that initial help re carbs has been absolutely invaluable.

 

[ewelina]

Everybody should received the training straight after diagnosis. I think it should be spread over longer period ( not like standard full week of Dafne). Maybe couple of hours a week over 3months.
Im not a big fun of Dafne as I think its massively simplified and outdated. There should be some sort of new educational course designed

 

[himtoo]

@azure
sorry -- my reply was a bit misleading as regards the voting -- I actually voted other ( something else )based on my experience -- I think we should get comprehensive training

but for Tim's purposes of the realistic things we might expect from the NHS I WOULD have voted for the training upon diagnosis option -- hope that clears it up.

( my wife tells me I always complcate things too )

 

[azure]

Yes, it clears it up : D

I only asked to check that my vote hadn't gone astray somehow : D

 

[PC16]

I was dx oct 14 so i am fairly new to all this - the picture i get from my nurse and dietitian ( yes two HCP helping me ) is they are over worked and under staffed ( as expected ) I started out from oct 14 with 3 nurses all of whom left the hospital for one reason or another and got different levels of understanding from all three - my new nurse to start with was only ringing me every few weeks to get my blood data and I went to see the doc every three months. BUT now because they changed my insulin from NOVAMIX 30 to levemir and novorapid, I made sure that I got an appointment every month to see my nurse and dietitian - however the only course I have attended was a carb counting, which helped even though its not rocket science but after joining this website and reading all sorts including diets i find myself a tad overwhelmed and when you think your on the right path you read something that chucks you off that path!! hope that made sense