my first full day as a diabetic!

[DaveDisco]

hi guys, just wanted to share my experiences here and see if they sound familiar to any of you all?

think I was in shock yesterday and it hit me today that my life from here on in is to be filled with pricks, sugar levels and injections, didn't want to get out of bed this morning as knew first thing I had to do was check my BM, ended up staying in bed for an extra hour to avoid it!

I'm finding it really dificult to test my sugars because it hurts like a ******* (lol yes i'm a wimp)
also finding it difficult to get enough blood for my monitor so end up wasting lancets and testing strips. and having to prick 2 or 3 times. and this is only day 2! I feel dread for the half hour before I know I have to test myself
will i eventually go numb to it? and will it get easier? anyone got a special technique for getting enough blood? or a good spot?

also tried to do my first test and injection in a public place today (in a cafe) but couldn't manage it and had to go home and do it there, felt like everyone was looking at me like a smack addict when I got all my kit out lol can laugh about it now but just couldn't do it

almost at the point of not wanting to do any testing/injecting and just thinking sod it (which I know I can't really do). as i write this now, know i need to go test in a bit before tea and my fingers are already twitching saying "don't prick me" lol

anyone else go through a similar thing when they started?

 

[norried]

i find testing on the side of my finger less painfull as the tips have all the sensitive nerves on them.

good luck with the injections im not t1 so cant help there. but if you remember the first time you went on a bike you probably skint your knee,it should get easier.

norrie

 

[Stuboy]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the roller-coaster

What blood glucose meter are you using? Reason i ask is becasuse they all come with their own lancet device (your finger pricker, if you didn't know).
So i'd like to share with you my opinion on the ones i've used...

The OneTouch ultrasoft - comes with Onetouch Ultrasmart and ultra system - Nasty thing, hurts.
The OneTouch Mini - comes with Ultra easy meters - better than the ultrasoft but still hurts.
There's a Bayer one that comes with the breeze 2... dont like that either.
The best one i've used so far, is the Accu-Chek softclix which comes with the compact plus meter- can barely feel a thing.
I think the multiclix uses the same technology, but has a drum of lancets within the device.

Others probably think differently, this is just my opinion on those lancet devices. If you dread pricking your finger because of the pain... it's well worth finding the right lancet device for you.

I use the softclix lancet device with my one touch ultrasmart meter, testing about 10 times a day and my fingers... although dotty, dont hurt!

 

[timo2]

Hi Dave,

Yes, it can all be a bit freaky to begin with. I had particular problems when it came to injecting
into my stomach in the early years. It's second nature now though.

Diabetes does get easier.

The first 10 years are the worst. :wink:

All the very best,
timo.

 

[jopar]

Hi Dave

It does get easier honest..

I find that I tend to test around the edges of the main finger pad... I would check the depth of the lancet setting, keep adjusting until you get the right setting...

And instead of the BG being something to dread, it won't belong before you are doing it either without realising, or looking to do it to work out you insulin dose...

As to injecting in public, you will find that most people who aren't next to you or are a part of your group, will not notice what you are up to, you can get comments from friends and family, and some will protest... But grit your teeth and take no notice, as why should you have to go to the loo or not jab when you really need to... It is a case of getting used to just ignoring those around you... Always remember you aren't doing any thing wrong, so why feel ashamed...

You do actually harden up over this...

As yes we all do go through this, you will most likley find times when you greive over your lost life style of eating what you want and when with out any worries... But it won't be long when as you head out your front door, you pick up your meter, pen emergeny glucose as easy as you do your wallet and your doorkeys, it comes second nature...

You need to remember that you hitting a big change in your lifestyle, one that you haven't perpared for, one that know could perpare you for... It comes with a whole new set of words and languge to it and no time to learn at a slow pace... You are made to jump in both feet first..

When I joined the club 20 years ago, I had just found out that I was pregnant with my second child, and had to spend 3 weeks in hospsital to 'get used' to being a diabetic eek, and with no internet available in those days, finding support and help outside the limited support your medical team was very difficult indeed...

 

[Jen&Khaleb]

You sound like you are in good spirits and still have a sense of humour. I am a parent of a diabetic but can tell you that I sometimes test myself and have put needles in myself so I know how my poor kid feels. I also struggle with the public management but when it comes down to it I don't really want to go to the parents room either. Yes, I also wonder if people think we have some sort of drug habit. I have discovered that people notice less if you just carry on doing what you are doing rather than slinking off to some remote place. There is a big difference between products and I have found a few that certainly leave less of a mark and give less reaction so I agree with the other posts that tell you to look into better gear. Some meters only need the smallest amount of blood where others want a heap. The sides of the fingers are most certainly better than the pads or tips of fingers. I try to keep track of rotating sites for testing and injecting to avoid bruising or damage. Keep on testing and before you know it just becomes routine.

Jen

 

[candy1567]

Hi Dave

Am a newly diagnosed diabetic T2 but have recently started on Byetta so i have to inject myself

I am not scared to do this, and needles dont bother me, so you might be thinking why this post?

Well i just cant press the button, i know mad isn't it!!! even testing my BG i cant press the button, i can stab myself with the lancet and thats fine as i can see the needle but not press the button.

But i have the most wonderful saviour my partner who has great delight in stabbing me, i think he almost has a little smirk when he does it (only joking)

I keep tellin myself it will get easier and its only been 2 weeks so there is hope yet for me

The pen for the finger prick i use has different depths for the lancet so you only need to do it once, maybe you need to experiment with this ( haha me giving advice, whats the world coming to)

BTW think this sites great, so much info and great ppl

Juliexx

 

[Stuboy]

oh oh oh!! I have another tip for you for testing.

If you find that your fingers hurt some, you can also use a different finger each day, that potentially then gives each finger a 9 day rest between a day of stabbing. 7 if you dont use your thumbs, and 5 if you dont use your thumbs or pinkies (i never use my little fingers).

Also you can use AST, Alternate Site Testing. Some say not quite as accurate as fingers, but some also always use an alternate site. You may have a clear cap with your lancet divice... that for AST!

 

[LittleSue]

To minimise finger damage try alternating your hands (Monday left, Tuesday right etc) and changing fingers throughout the day (breakfast/morning little finger, lunch/afternoon ring finger etc). Gives each finger time to recover.

 

[DaveDisco]

hi guys,
thanks for responses as ever.

I use a Onetouch Ultra easy monitor, the "pricker" is this contraption that you load a lancet into, spring load it then press a button and it fires at you with a sickening "pphhwwwang" that sounds like a cross bow lol

I changed the depth and now seem to be better at getting it. only problem is I'm so left handed and have no coordination with my right hand so can only prick right hand fingers (tried loads of times on left hand but can never manage coordination to prick and squeeze enough blood out!)
Im getting better but still dread the pphwwwang every time ha ha

good news today, I stood at the desk in Mcdonalds, got out my book, worked out how many CHO was in my big mac meal and dosed accoringly (although did have to do it in toilets)

nothing makes you feel more like a smack addict than sticking a needle in yourself in a mcdonald's cubicle :lol:

went to the diabetes clinic today and it was full of people looking the picture of unhealth:- one legs, wheelchairs, blind, obese, generally looking at deaths door, ironic thing is felt as if i stood more out there than standing in front of the mcdonalds counter with my carb book doing my sums out with the guy shouting "next please" five times at me.

 

[totsy]

lol dave ,
glad your coping well, you get used ta injecting in public, my kids hate me doing it in the middle of wakefield lol
have a good weekend

 

[Stuboy]

Dave Maccy D's has nutritional info on their "place mats" i recommend if you're going to eat there that you look at them... you might be suprised at what you worked out and what it actually there!!

I remember working it out once and finding to my horror it was double what i thought it was! lol

Dave... Try a multiclix or softclix lancet device from accu-chek... you'll never use that onetouch lancer again! (see here)

 

[LittleSue]

fires at you with a sickening "pphhwwwang" that sounds like a cross bow lol

I had one like that, and even after 10+ years of type 1, I found it hard to make myself press the button more than halfway. Nearly as bad as using a naked lancet, when I found the hand holding the lancet would screech to a halt just before lancet met skin! Worth changing to something you're happier with. Multiclix is brilliant, no fiddling with single lancets when out and about. Not sure if you can get Multiclix without buying a meter, maybe ask your nurse if she has a 'spare' or can get from the company rep.

went to the diabetes clinic today and it was full of people looking the picture of unhealth

Prepare yourself for being told you "don't look like a diabetic". My answer is, if you could tell a diabetic by looking at them, there wouldn't be half a million who don't know they're diabetic.

Most food chains have nutritional info on their websites so you can check the ones you're likely to need, though you need to learn to estimate too. Wetherspoons was an eye-opener - 160 carbs in one dessert!

On the bright side, diabetes opens up a whole new world of gadgets you'd never have known about

 

[coxy68]

hello all, i use the softclix lancet set to 3 and very rarely feel a thing. i've been type1 for a year now and have a reasonably grip on things its very hard at first to come to terms with but it does get easier, as for injecting in public just go for it we need to do it to stay alive and well so sod anyone it upsets. I refuse to go in to a dirty public toilet to do it just because some busy body may get the wrong idea or doesn't like needles (the needle on my pen is 5mm long so if you are more than 5ft away you can't see the **** thing)

Bill.

 

[Andy12345]

Hmm that was a big time jump, is dave still here. I'd love to know how he got on