my boyfriend has just found out he has type 1

Messages
4
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi again.
Some more advice for the longer-term. After about a year, once your boyfriend has worked out what he has to do, I strongly recommend the NHS-delivered DAFNE course. It's a life changer but only delivered in selected hospitals around the country. Because space is limited, it is not widely offered - you have to ask for it. More info here:
http://www.dafne.uk.com/

Martin
 
Messages
2
Hi Lucy, I hope your boyfriend is doing ok and I just wanted to say how lucky he is to have you supporting him in this way. I don't think I can add anything more than what the other posters have said, but having read this forum for a long time your post compelled me to join and post a reply.
My son is 23 and has been a diabetic since the age of 11. Your post made me think back to those early days (well I do often anyway!) and how hard it was. I can easily become tearful and can't look at the photos of him at that time - he was so thin and looked so ill - we had no idea it was diabetes and was sent to the hospital straight away - with numbers similar to your boyfriends.
Cutting a long story short he is now a strapping 6ft 23 year old who towers over his dad and me. We travel the country watching him play football, and his dad and I are so proud of him.
I suppose I am just trying to say that although it seems all doom and gloom to your boyfriend at the moment - things will improve!People will say to us - how is your son, is he stable and things like that. Well maybe one day his readings are great but tomorrow is another day! I don't think anyone can have perfect nos. all of the time - it can be a roller coaster at times.
Just please pass on my best wishes to your boyfriend and also to yourself.
Linda x
 

JontyW

Well-Known Member
Messages
89
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Ignorance & Arrogance.
lucy j said:
Im trying to educate myself on type 1 to so if anyone has any book recommendations or anything please share thank you for reading my long and probably confusing post xx
Hi Lucy,

Here is my answer to your original question about "book recommendations" ....

Type 1 Diabetes- reading matter to get started
One of the key issues to overcoming the initial shock of knowing you are a Type 1 diabetic and having been diagnosed with a lifelong condition, is to gain as much knowledge as possible. For managing diabetes .. knowledge is power.
As you gain more knowledge then your initial fears will subside, you will gain in confidence and ultimately you will realise that this condition can be controlled so that you can indeed live a long and healthy life and it should not stop you doing anything you wanted to do.

That has been my attitude, and although I've been T1 for 43 years, diagnosed in the late 1960s when the medication and technology was very basic compared to today, I've never let my condition restrict what I wanted to do in anything .... relationships, family life, career, travel and leisure pursuits. I took my diabetes seriously, I controlled by diabetes and didn't let it control me! So after more than four decades I have none of the complications that can occur from poorly controlled (high) blood glucose over an extended period. Gaining knowledge, and then using it to maintain good blood glucose levels, was key to my strategy.

So where to start to gain this knowledge?
Documents available on the internet:-


Note: ALL adult T1 diabetics should be using carb counting in order to get good blood glucose control.
Note: Ensure that you consult your DSN before making any changes to the current insulin and diet regime. They are medically trained to answer your queries and should always be consulted on such issues, particularly in the early days during the steep learning curve.

I hope you find these references useful, and I wish you and your partner every success on your long journey ...
Knowledge is power for diabetics and so I strongly recommend that you read carefully the following documents and books …

Documents available on the internet:-

A. An introduction to carbohydrate counting and insulin dose adjustment
An excellent introductory document from Diabetes UK that covers all aspects of diabetes, and the method of carb counting, insulin adjustment and insulin-carb ratios is covered in Chapter 2 (Carbohydrates) and Chapter 3 (Insulin). Even if you are not doing carb counting, you should definitely read this!
https://shop.diabetes.org.uk/store/lite ... -book.aspx

B. Basal Testing … how to check your Lantus or Levemir dose is correct
In the absence of food, exercise and mealtime/bolus insulin, basal insulin should hold the blood sugar steady. Any significant rise or fall in blood sugar during a fasting basal test probably means that the basal rates need to be adjusted - even if the blood sugar winds up near normal by the end of the test. This document shows you how to check it.
http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/info/?page_id=120

C. Adjusting your Insulin when results are too high or too low:
A detailed guide, with plenty of examples, to assist you in making required insulin adjustments. Download it and print it out so it is readily at hand after blood sugars have been made & recorded.
http://www.diabetes-scotland.org/ggc/do ... Change.pdf

Books you should consider purchasing (particularly the first two books):-

1. Carbs & Cals: A Visual Guide to Carbohydrate & Calorie Counting for People with Diabetes (Chris Cheyette)
Buy this excellently illustrated book that provides clear pictures, portion sizes & weights plus carbohydrate values of nearly every food you might need.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0956 ... 01_s00_i01

2. Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults (Ragnar Hanas)
A comprehensive book with great detail in all aspects of managing diabetes with emphasis on children. This is easily the best book I have ever read about managing Type 1 diabetes, so if you only buy one book …. this is the one.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diabetes-Childr ... roduct_top

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

3. Using Insulin: Everything You Need for Success with Insulin (John Walsh)
“The best material available written on a subject that can be complicated and daunting. "Using Insulin" is an essential requirement for anyone who has either just started insulin therapy or who has changed to a basal/bolus approach as the preferred treatment”
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Using-Insulin-E ... 973&sr=8-1

4. Think Like a Pancreas (Gary Scheiner)
“Dozens of books offer advice on managing diabetes, but few focus specifically on the day-to-day issues facing those who use insulin. This book covers how to successfully master the art and science of matching insulin to the body's ever-changing needs”
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Like-Panc ... a+pancreas

You just need to ensure that both your boyfriend and yourself, in the early days, just ... read .. read .. read ...

Best of luck .. you WILL win this battle!

Jonty
 

sw11bloke

Well-Known Member
Messages
207
it sounds like your bf has had diabetes alot longer than he knew. Usually a new diabetic does not have such high readings because their body still produces some insulin.
My advice
1) do a DAFNE (Dose Adjustment Course for Normal Eating) ASAP. His diabetic clinic would arrange this. This course will teach him the basics and how to carb count and adjust his insulin. It will teach him to take control over his diabetes and provide him with confidence.
2) Dont eat more than 40/50 grams of carbohydrate per meal. Huge amounts do spike you blood sugar readings.
3) Eat whole grain carbs & veg which grow above the ground.
4) stay off alcohol until he has done DAFNE
5) Excersise moderately
6) Text regularly
7) Always carry his glucometer, insulin and Lucuzade.

Good luck to you both and keep us posted how he gets on.