An old timer struggling

Fearless36 said:

Thank you - what is DAFNE and who is 101? That is at least an option I am definitely going to consider!

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DAFNE stands for Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating (http://www.dafne.uk.com/) - a specific course for Type 1 diabetics (DESMOND is the Type 2 equivalent). On the course you will learn how to carb count etc.

101 is the pre-emergency phone assistance line for help that is deemed just below emergency, e.g. a bad cut that is not an emergency, I think your situation suits this service.

@Mbaker 101 is the police non-emergency number. Did you mean 111?

Fearless36 said:

Thanks, I saw that book mentioned earlier and already have placed an order on amazon. I'm looking forward to reading it!

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The book often gets a mention on the forum, it's a great read and so informative. Good luck.

Wow, people really are different. I was put on twice daily injections at diagnosis, and it drove me absolutely crackers. Having to eat set amounts at set times was so stressful. Two weeks in I went to my DSN and demanded a basal-bolus regime, and took to it like a duck to water.

Also, four injections a day is not a lot. This time last year I was taking up to 50 injections a day (severe insulin resistance).

Having said all this, it's your body and your life, keep pushing for the treatment that you are comfortable with.

Fearless36 said:

Sure, I was advise to literally use the size of my hand to determine portion sizes with protein, carbs etc. In the old days they used to teach using a plate, divided into sections, protein, carbs, vegetables (x2). The ideal portion size was a handful - so if you were eating say lentils, its a handful of lentils, if you eating almonds - its a handsize full of almonds.

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It's funny how we all have or had so many different ways of measuring our portions. I was five when diagnosed 55 years ago. My parents and I measured everything in ounces and did a grams of carbs per ounce of foodstuff calculation for total carbs (how's that for mixed units of measurement?). I was put first on Lente, if anyone remembers that, soluble and isophane some years later, then Actrapid & Insulatard. Now on Lantus (twice per day) and Humalog. An icecream scoop of mashed potato was 10 grams and milk was/is 10 g/fluid ounce and were the only things I remember being a volume measurement at the time. I don't remember ever using my hand as a measure I have always used grams per portion weight in ounces as my unit of measurement and still do most of the time for familiar foods. Where once I set my carbs per meal according to the bolus insulin dose, typically 6 units/60 grams carbs, now I carb count, adjust the dose (and time 'til the meal) accordly and tweak for the pre meal BG. Plus, I snack like crazy when out for long walks in hilly Brighton.

azure said:

@Mbaker 101 is the police non-emergency number. Did you mean 111?

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Yes, this should be 111, apologies.

So glad to hear from you. @Fearless36 and that you got a new hospital and took your case to NHS England.

The wheels of complaint are slow.. I know that from horrendous cancer care at one hospital and lodging a complaint.
Sometimes. As you are suggesting its a case of then letting go and moving on. I wanted answers and assurances that no other woman would have such appalling care. I gave tgem deadlines and they failed on all the deadlines too, and that was the CEO (now paid off!).....
when I let go it let tge anguish subside too and allowed me to spend time and care on myself and hubby that had also been thru hell.

Diabetes ways of management have certainly changed each decade but it doesnt mean to say that one size fits all. You are individual and need to be treated as an individual. Thats what makes a good consultant or a bad one.

I had a consultant recently reflect to me about something he was told in training.... (20+ years ago??). That actually gave me angst because things have changed in that 20 years and his training quote was out of date...

However, I'm glad to hear you got a quicker appointment and now all you need to donreally is to list details and if necessary copy it and hand it to the consultant. (I do this all the time now!)... prompts and record for both of us...

Good luck on 30th...x

Hello Fearless36
I have only just found your post and as an old hack myself (43 years a type 1 and only 49 years old) I sympathise.
What was your old insulin that you want to go back to?
I am really really lucky to have a perfect gp practice as they make things happen.
Please don't think I'm trying to insult your intelligence but have you tried looking on the CQC website and moving to a better rated practice and is this an option where you live?
If I needed specialist help like you do I would be talking to my practices nurse who isn't a DSN but she has access to them!
She would and has sorted things for me and my sister who is also type 1 who has drastically changed her regime recently.
I would happily share what she did if you wanted just let me know.
The worry I have is the volume of insulin you are on is way way greater than hers and mine and this goes back to that thing about us all being different.

Either way I wish you all the very best

Tony

Hi, I am sorry you're having such a terrible time. It is so frustrating when you get mixed messages and to go from good control to what you're experiencing now must be a complete nightmare. I can only suggest you go back to your doctor with someone beside you to give you support. I'm sorry that there's nothing else I can say but I'm a newly diagnosed T2 and only just starting to learn about it. But you've done the right thing coming on here. My DN pointed me to this site and I am so glad she did! Everyone is really helpful and supportive. Look after yourself as best you can.