Back in the day!!!!!!!!

[johen]

Great post @Ushthetaff
31 years for me! Urine testing was just about coming to an end. I was given the BM sticks but I was told to "cut them down the middle so they last longer" so a tub of 50 strips was actually 100, providing you had access to scissors. Then of course, the colour-matching to the side of tub which was totally impossible at the lower end as unless you were in a really good light, you could not tell the difference. Hail the light-up meters we have now! I had to go to my diabetes nurse at my hospital clinic for a few more bags of the disposable syringes as they were not yet available on prescription, though were relatively soon after that. I used to draw up insulin, from each of 2 bottles and had to make sure I had my lunch and evening snack on time otherwise I would hypo. When I changed to pre-filled pens a few years later, the needles were not available on prescription, so like before, I got a small box of 25 at a time from my hospital and told to use each one for as long as I could. Long was this ingrained in me that I still struggle remembering to put a fresh needle on each time.....
I would love a libre freestyle. Unfortunately in my area they are severely restricted, limited to pregnant women, children or people who have had hospital admissions. I have fibromyalgia and painful hands (caused by long-standing diabetes) but I still do not qualify. I am considering self-funding but it won't be something I can afford to do full time, so it'll be 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off at best. I can only hope they'll relent soon as with the syringes and then the needles... Ahh onwards and upwards!!

 

[Grant_Vicat]

That's the puppy!
It did have a "stainless steel?" Spring in the bottom... Reminded me of the battery compartment of a "classic" torch. But without the bulb or electrical contacts.

Alas @porl69 , I can't find any reference on the web either..

I think this is what you are looking for! Notice the earlier aluminium version on the left (early 70's). This might interest you all;

1978 I went InterRailing round Europe with Jonty Ward, a great friend from school. We stayed with some of his relatives in North-West Paris for three days and then progressed towards Florence. By the time the train had reached Novara I was not very well and we decided to leave the train and look for somewhere for me to do my injection, in relative privacy and hygiene. We found nothing useful. Later on we looked at the Michelin Guide in which the first entry stated “Novara is a grim town.” We proceeded to Milan Central. As expected, the station was enormous and we had little difficulty spotting the signs for “Gabinetti”(WC). Unfortunately these were all holes in the concrete with squatting slabs. Nothing would make me inject myself in there. We therefore crossed the street and headed towards a brand new Al Italia office. Jonty sat with the back packs against a bus stop, while I ventured inside a very plush office, hoping to spot the magic sign. They were downstairs, which meant passing the reception desk. Once downstairs I was able to wash my hands and find the first proper lavatory in Italy. Wouldn’t the Romans be proud? This meant that I had somewhere I could sit behind a locked door. Having injected myself in the thigh, the fact that somebody in heavy shoes had been constantly pacing backwards and forwards outside my cubicle suddenly took on an alarming significance, so I pretended to be in there for legitimate reasons. He tried the door handle. I sweated. After a few minutes I realised the futility of my acting and decided to brave it. A tall man in a very smart braided uniform allowed me to wash my hands and then walked slowly ahead of me towards the stairs. On the way up, he spun on his heel and curtly demanded “Documenti.” I handed him my brand new passport, which aroused suspicion. He snatched my syringe case, which was of the old type, with a double ended spirit-filled tube inside an aluminium box. He opened this and started to unscrew the tube. In the best English that flooded into my racing head, I advised “I shouldn’t do that if I were you.” Spirit sprang over his wrist and for some reason he took exception to this. He had found what he wanted and pulled me up to the reception, where two other men were seated. Their conversation reminded me of a million starlings. Eventually I uttered the only words of Italian which I knew (probably in a laughable accent) “Sono diabetico.” Blank stares. Help! Should I try French? “Je suis diabetique et en regime d’insuline.” Suddenly the smallest of the three brilliantly deduced “ah, e diabetico” I could have kissed him and happily shot the other two.

 

[Penquin47210]

Some real memory jerkers here having been through King's College Diabetic unit in 1962 aged 11 and still will not eat rabbit 'cos I had sat down to eat and was told "Can't eat that 'till you have done your injection."

Same meal was sat there stone cold 11/2 hours later after having been shown how to assemble glass syringe, draw up units of 80 strength soluble porcine (didn't know that at the time) and been shown how to use Clinitest kit to test pee..... Vigorous bubbling etc.

"You must eat it all as you have had your injection". Yuk as it had all congealed - sauce, mashed potato and unknown veg plus bony rabbit bits....... Talk about developing a phobia in an 11 year old - that was a major event.

Now on pump, with cgm and worried if deviates even a tad (which it does after meals - surprise, surprise).

Old needles (Rocket or Luer fitting) lasted for a MONTH then returned to chemist to be resharpened (like corkscrews and needed screwing into skin), developing lumps etc. in skin. Aluminium guard to put over thin slice of WHITE bread onlyand that was cut down to size = one portion and allowed 6 for breakfast, lunch and supper and 2 for mid-morning, mid-afternoon and bedtime plus one for waking up ! Aluminium screw top container to keep glass syringe in (in surgical spirit). Boil syringe in saucepan once a week to keep it sterile (!), managed to boil a couple dry, then melt the glass...

Getting a replacement rapidly was not easy as only allowed one at a time.

British Diabetic Association holiday for one week at school near site of Great Train Robbery and going to Whipsnade School. Many other memories from that time but have now survived 57 + years on insulin..........

Lots of memories of doing things that "you can't do that as you're Diabetic" - oh yes I can, and did and have the certificates to prove it..... some considerable changes in opinion, supported by some excellent Doctors in various places.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

That's the puppy!
It did have a "stainless steel?" Spring in the bottom... Reminded me of the battery compartment of a "classic" torch. But without the bulb or electrical contacts.
Alas @porl69 , I can't find any reference on the web either..

I have been having trouble uploading the following with a prototype Hypoguard case made of aluminium as well as the plastic one:

 

[Jaylee]

I think this is what you are looking for! Notice the earlier aluminium version on the left (early 70's). This might interest you all;

1978 I went InterRailing round Europe with Jonty Ward, a great friend from school. We stayed with some of his relatives in North-West Paris for three days and then progressed towards Florence. By the time the train had reached Novara I was not very well and we decided to leave the train and look for somewhere for me to do my injection, in relative privacy and hygiene. We found nothing useful. Later on we looked at the Michelin Guide in which the first entry stated “Novara is a grim town.” We proceeded to Milan Central. As expected, the station was enormous and we had little difficulty spotting the signs for “Gabinetti”(WC). Unfortunately these were all holes in the concrete with squatting slabs. Nothing would make me inject myself in there. We therefore crossed the street and headed towards a brand new Al Italia office. Jonty sat with the back packs against a bus stop, while I ventured inside a very plush office, hoping to spot the magic sign. They were downstairs, which meant passing the reception desk. Once downstairs I was able to wash my hands and find the first proper lavatory in Italy. Wouldn’t the Romans be proud? This meant that I had somewhere I could sit behind a locked door. Having injected myself in the thigh, the fact that somebody in heavy shoes had been constantly pacing backwards and forwards outside my cubicle suddenly took on an alarming significance, so I pretended to be in there for legitimate reasons. He tried the door handle. I sweated. After a few minutes I realised the futility of my acting and decided to brave it. A tall man in a very smart braided uniform allowed me to wash my hands and then walked slowly ahead of me towards the stairs. On the way up, he spun on his heel and curtly demanded “Documenti.” I handed him my brand new passport, which aroused suspicion. He snatched my syringe case, which was of the old type, with a double ended spirit-filled tube inside an aluminium box. He opened this and started to unscrew the tube. In the best English that flooded into my racing head, I advised “I shouldn’t do that if I were you.” Spirit sprang over his wrist and for some reason he took exception to this. He had found what he wanted and pulled me up to the reception, where two other men were seated. Their conversation reminded me of a million starlings. Eventually I uttered the only words of Italian which I knew (probably in a laughable accent) “Sono diabetico.” Blank stares. Help! Should I try French? “Je suis diabetique et en regime d’insuline.” Suddenly the smallest of the three brilliantly deduced “ah, e diabetico” I could have kissed him and happily shot the other two.

Worrying experience I once got challenge by an official on a Greek island ferry. "Papers." He thought I had no ticket. My wife (partner at the time.) had them.

Getting caught red handed;

Spent 3 years at a dance college in Surrey.
I got caught by a lad in the changing room injecting. (plastic syringe by this time.)

The rumour went round I was a "junkie."

It actually did me some "favours. "
One fellow student I had a "thing" with. I plucked up the courage to ask her out.. "I don't know..." She replied, "I've heard stuff about you..?"
Going for broke. What could I say but "yep, they're all true.."
Lol, to my surprise she actually said "OK."

About ten years back we had a reunion back in Epsom.

"Hey! You look great. So you managed to kick the habit?" No, I didn't... Still diabetic.

 

[Jaylee]

I have been having trouble uploading the following with a prototype Hypoguard case made of aluminium as well as the plastic one:

Hello little brown needle box. Long time no see!

 

[therower]

@Grant_Vicat . Great picture.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

Thank you for all the pics, porl69 and the memories that come with them. I started on insulin 55 years ago and I was the third in our house. My mother and grandmother were also type 1's. Every night the pot went onto the gas ring and three sets of syringes and needles were boiled up for 5 mins. My mum and I used the Clinitest tablets for testing urine but my gran wouldn't move to them and preferred Benedict's solution. She'd been using that for many years.

Another odd thing was the needle fittings in those days. Mines was always the 'luer' size but both my grandmother and mother had syringes that were much more 'pointy' and thinner at the end and their needles were, I think, the 'record' gauge. No matter what size the fittings were the needles were truly enormous in length as your pictures show.

Each of us had a small flat sweet tin with a lid. This is where we put each of our syringes and needles into after boiling, all resting on a bed of cotton wool. I vividly remember mine's have a red lid and I think it had Newberry Fruits stamped on it!

Bill

Somewhere I've got a converter for using record needles to a Luer fitting! Like the posts Bill

 

[Jaylee]

Some real memory jerkers here having been through King's College Diabetic unit in 1962 aged 11 and still will not eat rabbit 'cos I had sat down to eat and was told "Can't eat that 'till you have done your injection."

Same meal was sat there stone cold 11/2 hours later after having been shown how to assemble glass syringe, draw up units of 80 strength soluble porcine (didn't know that at the time) and been shown how to use Clinitest kit to test pee..... Vigorous bubbling etc.

"You must eat it all as you have had your injection". Yuk as it had all congealed - sauce, mashed potato and unknown veg plus bony rabbit bits....... Talk about developing a phobia in an 11 year old - that was a major event.

Now on pump, with cgm and worried if deviates even a tad (which it does after meals - surprise, surprise).

Old needles (Rocket or Luer fitting) lasted for a MONTH then returned to chemist to be resharpened (like corkscrews and needed screwing into skin), developing lumps etc. in skin. Aluminium guard to put over thin slice of WHITE bread onlyand that was cut down to size = one portion and allowed 6 for breakfast, lunch and supper and 2 for mid-morning, mid-afternoon and bedtime plus one for waking up ! Aluminium screw top container to keep glass syringe in (in surgical spirit). Boil syringe in saucepan once a week to keep it sterile (!), managed to boil a couple dry, then melt the glass...

Getting a replacement rapidly was not easy as only allowed one at a time.

British Diabetic Association holiday for one week at school near site of Great Train Robbery and going to Whipsnade School. Many other memories from that time but have now survived 57 + years on insulin..........

Lots of memories of doing things that "you can't do that as you're Diabetic" - oh yes I can, and did and have the certificates to prove it..... some considerable changes in opinion, supported by some excellent Doctors in various places.

Hi @Penquin47210 ,

"White bread only?" This rings a bell.. I remember in the early years my mum being quite upset (I would have been 8 or 9?)
We'd been to an appointment at the clinic & i'd mentioned I liked brown wholemeal bread to the HCP?
Lol, from what I could gather. They frowned upon this & pretty much gave my mum a hard time. She seemed to be muttering something about "they think they don't know what's good for my child." They weren't to keen on me eating salad neither, as I recal..?

 

[Tonto73]

Trip down memory lane

We remember TAB dont know if it was liked or not.
Pork Insulin, then the swap to Human derived stuff caused some fun and games.
Learnt from early on that any food that had "Diabetic" in the title was to be avoided, tasted YUK!

I’ve been type one since 1977. Food was awful and “diabetic food”. Remains awful ( and a con ). I do miss Jackson’s of Devon diabetic sweets though! They were tasty and I’d finish a pack in an afternoon and spend the night by the lavatory!

 

[Grant_Vicat]

Gee, that's a blast from the past! Haven't seen those clinitest strips for ages. Diagnosed 48 years ago and after many years of denial am back to proper management . My wee sticks in those days were either orange or blue.... never in between, and it was so degrading I wouldn't do it very often. Was very skinny throughout my teens....no wonder, I was ketoacidocic most of the time.

Boiling the syringes too and injecting surgical spirit before the insulin exited the syringe was painful.....and , no, you can't have a new needle yet, you only had a new one two weeks ago. How did we survive?

Thank you technology, Freestyle Libre and my pump, still excitingly new for me...but most of all to the lovely staff in the clinic i attend who rescued me.

BTW, has anybody added up how many times they have injected themselves throughout their life ?????

just over 32,000

 

[Grant_Vicat]

Hi,

(Looking at your profile.) it's great to see another West country D.

Yep, been a long time since I've sampled these drinks. Most of the sugar free stuff squash/cordial was obtained from my local chemist during the formative years on a diabetic shelving rack..

We can probably thank the Jane Fonda explosion back in the day for the likes of Tab?

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water came out in 1965. My parents always got me a glassful whenever they took us to the pub. I still drink it!

 

[_dr__rossco_]

I can remember having to buy disposable syringes pack of 10 cost £1.10 and a box of 100 medi swabs and having to go to toilets if you were in a pub/restaurant to do your injection as you had to use the 2 viles of insulin had also forgot about the blue plastic sleeve with spring inside to keep glass syringe and that needle what can you say it was massive but 40 years later still here and when I meet guys that I went to school with I actually in better condition than they are. As people said in previous comments about checking urine I have to be honest for many years I didn't bother much checking urine but my BS levels when going for check ups were always good and since finger pricking started my levels have always been between 6 & 7. What helped me was playing football and going to gym 2 or 3 times a week. But definitely glad for all the newly diagnosed that things have come a long way since then and they can live a healthy life and do what they want in life being diabetic shouldn't stop you from doing and achieving anything in life

 

[Jaylee]

Schweppes Slimline Tonic Water came out in 1965. My parents always got me a glassful whenever they took us to the pub. I still drink it!

Wasn't for me when I was a nipper. I seem to remember my dad letting me try it.
However, I've aquired a taste for it with gin...

 

[Grant_Vicat]

JMK1954 in some ways I was lucky about MDI. I'd no idea what I was heading into that day at the clinic and I sat with the consultant who spent a lonnnng time praising me for everything, average sugar levels, no complications etc despite being on insulin so long. Then, he said he was changing my insulins and and injection regime and I asked him why especially after he'd just praised my control to high heaven on the existing regime. His reply was something like 'although your existing insulin is still being produced this is the the way ahead and everyone at this clinic is being moved onto it'. This was much the same reply I got when I questioned his decision to put me on statins. I refused those and I refused this proposed change. The choice should be mine unless there was a possibility my control would improve and it wasn't going to. It went even more quickly downhill when I asked if there would be financial gain for the hospital/his department by introducing this to ALL patients without discussion or agreement (as there had been with other changes to diabetic patients en masse over the years). The end result was, I remained on the twice-a-day regime (fortunately with the full support of my GP) and never saw that consultant again. I was told later I'd been removed from his list.

Over the years I have met very many wonderful doctors and consultants at the diabetic clinic and some who have, what I call, the God Syndrome. I bet you've met them too because they are averse to discussing or agreeing things with the patient and it's a case of 'just do what you are told'. Always a challenge and always one I am up for.

Bill

This occured in the late 90's and exactly echoes your thoughts:
A short while before, I had had a totally different reaction from a junior doctor at King's.
“Why are you on such an old fashioned system?”
“Because it works.”
“Don't you realise that we do things differently nowadays? Our patients inject four times a day allowing them to eat what they like when they like.”
“That is what DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating, devised by Professor Stephanie Amiel at King's College Hospital) is about, and in 1998 Stephanie Amiel wrote me a very sympathetic letter, understanding my reasons for not wishing to start DAFNE.”
“What were they?”
“Chiefly that at the age of 41, I am trying not to put on weight, and being on the Lawrence Line Weight diet has kept me in trim up to the present day.”
“But that is not how we do things now.”
“Listen, so far you have not given me any concrete reason for switching, other than fashion.”
The way he addressed me irritated me so much that when I got home I wrote a long complaint to Peter Watkins. He sent a charming letter back, assuring me that he had spoken to the junior doctor. On the next visit I was seen by Peter who told me that the young man was suitably contrite. Suddenly I felt pity for him. Peter said “When our patients are upset by the way they are received, we have to deal with it appropriately.” As I left the clinic via W.H. Smith, who should be coming the other direction? He just said “Hi.” I hope he has progressed into a first class diabetologist now.
Have a healthy 2020!
Grant

 

[porl69]

Did you ever get the big blue finger picker that had yellow guides to make the aim easier? The sound of that coming down onto your finger still gives me the fear, I was diagnosed in 1984. Loving a wee wander down memory lane

The guillotine....OUCH

 

[Tonto73]

I know there are a many newly diagnosed diabetics on this forum and there are a lot of concerns about life expectancy and diabetes, so I thought I’d like to try and give a bit of perspective to people who think diabetes is the end of the world.
Don’t get me wrong it is a minefield especially at the outset but it does get better as you understand you body’s needs and idiosyncrasies,
So
Once upon a time “ In A Galaxy Far Far Away’"......................

There are many T1 diabetics on this forum who like myself have had diabetes for 40 years and longer ,
Developments in technology and treatment have made living with diabetes and having good control , let’s say a tad easier (that comment may be a tad controversial ) than it was say 30 years ago.
There was a time when there was no blood sugar testing unless you went to hospital ( it was urine testing with a “ chemistry set) Insulin came from a pig, it came in different strengths so you had to know your times tables.lol there were no insulin pens , no pumps.We had prescription syringes ( the ones your granny use to inject brandy into the Xmas pud with ) the needles were about the size of dart tips , we were told to use them “ til they went blunt”
They were sterilised in surgical spirit, I’m sure some older diabetics can remember stuff I have forgotten .
The point of this trip down memory lane is to say I’ve had diabetes for 40 years and gone through that with technology that had computers the size of a house .and I’m still here relatively healthy plus the amount of people on here with diabetes in excess of 30 years who went through the the same as me., there is a good chance I believe that the new diabetics with technology advancing the way it is advancing will live to “ ripe old ages “ with far less complications that in the past.
Ps
One thing I’m so glad they developed was diet cola cos TAB for those of you who remember it was total pants and minging lol!!!!!!!!!!

Great memories ( or not so great ). Been type one since 1977, a test pilot for u100, a computerised dose calculator and yes that was DOS with a huge desktop PC from the university, first insulin pump in 1986 ( Nordisk Infuser ); you could change the dose with a screwdriver and the butterfly cannula “stabbed” every time you bent over. I remember Rand Rocket glass syringes, alcohol sterilisation, the evil Autolet and urine chemistry sets that fizzed and got hot. ( kind of exciting when you are 4 years old).

Fresca and Diet Pepsi or water were the only options ( TAB was awful IMHO ) Jackson’s of Devon sweets and Orbit were the only “allowed” sweets. And everything was measured in Bread units or egg sized potatoes.

Thankfully my parents didn’t let Diabetes slow me down and the British Diabetic Association and my Consultant ( Dr Peter Swift at LGH ) made sure Summer Camps were a real adventure with education, adventure and safety.

These days I have a smart pump, CGM, ultra fast insulin, 4 kids, all my extremities, good vision, a motorbike for my adventuring and a job that takes me round the globe. I spend my work days designing smart drug delivery systems and patient engagement solutions.

I know I’m lucky and my condition is stable and for some people it’s a tough journey; but it is so much easier to live with today than 40+ years ago. Bruises all over arms and legs from horse (elephant) needles, scabby fingertips and endless hospital visits ( not all scheduled ) are a distant memory.

Many thanks to the discovery of insulin and the first human injection in 1922. Also all the ongoing work in Pharma and MedTech to make life easier for all of us living with ( owning ) diabetes. A big thanks to what was the British Diabetic Association, now Diabetes UK for all the good you have done and continue to do.

Hopefully there will be a vaccine one day - in the mean time, cautiously, PARTY ON! Or for the less gregarious “Keep on Keeping On” ;-).

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I was never told to eat potatoes of a particular size because we had been given a diet scale. 2ozs of boiled potato was 1 black line, ie. 10 g of carbohydrate. 2 thirds of an ounce of bread was 10g, or 8 ozs of carrot, or 2 ozs of peas. My parents and I could judge amounts accurately by eye after a few months, but I still weighed occasionally to check my estimates were remaining accurate, even as an adult. Anyone else remember Laurence's 'Line Ration Scheme' ? I was suddenly mocked by a doctor at my clinic after some years, for answering in terms of black lines when asked what I was eating. To be honest, I still think of carbs in 10 unit chunks. I find it easier. It doesn't mean I don't take the extra odd grams I need into account !
I had not thought about some of this stuff for years, but basically it did work. If I show my face at a hospital clinic now, because I have grey hair I am routinely treated as if I'm an idiot. I have been told by nurses at the clinic that I'm type 2. I laughed out loud at that. It's either that or cry. In the old-fashioned days, nurses were trained in how to deal with type 1 as a matter of routine. Things started to go wrong in the 1980s. It's back to the 1970s for me !

Here it is:
Sorry, can't upload for some reason.

 

[porl69]

Just the 86k for me lol

 

[Tonto73]

I have some pics on my phone of the "good(?) ol days".....will try and find them

Jaylee

The now long-gone company called Hypoguard used to make a small blue plastic flat box to hold needles, antiseptic pads and insulin bottles etc. Inside it was the syringe holder you describe which was sky blue and if I remember correctly, it had a spring inside, at the bottom on which the head of the syringe rested. It had a screw top and I happily used it for years. Bill

Had one of those ;-). Worked quite well. I believe they were made by Owen Mumford who also made the AutoLet in a 3 fold case with no where for the “BM” ( Boehringer Mannheim ) strips. LOL.