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Constant blood glucose monitor NHS

Andy7075

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, I have only been diagnosed with type 1 for about 6 months, at first I checked my sugars all of the time but lately I either forget, don't have time or quite simply can't (if at work and in a meeting or something). I really feel that a constant blood sugar monitor and pump would suit me so more than checking my sugars manually. I also think that I would suit a pump rather than insulin pens.

When I do get round to checking I am sky high most of the time, I take insulin to manage it but then don't get round to checking my sugars to see if I have successfully balanced my sugars.

I feel that as I am managing my diabetes quite poorly that I just feel ill all of the time, I have now been diagnosed with depression which I feel is because of this (maybe I'm not depressed at all) and I have horrible itchy skin things all over my legs. I lost loads of weight before I got diagnosed and I just can't seem to put it back on. Is this because of the diabetes?

Are constant blood sugar monitors available on the NHS and do they send the information directly your pump? Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
Hi Andy, the fact you don't test your blood sugars very often excludes you from a pump. You have to show commitment in looking after your diabetes, which obviously you are not CGM's are not available on the NHS except in exceptional circumstances i.e. hypo unawareness this also depends on where you live. High blood sugars would make your mood very black as well. So no 1 on the list is bring your numbers down and most of your health problems will disappear. Start by getting your basal (back ground) insulin correct and that's 3/4's of the battle won.

A couple of pumps are cgm enabled which means they have a receiver built into them to read the cgm readings, but the pump does not adjust your insulin you have to do that and they are a lot of hard work.
 
Thanks for the advice, I probably just need to be more vidgalent with everything. After being diagnosed for only 6 months I have never had to do something so annoying in my life! It's such an inconvienience!

I'm going to try and put this first over other things from now on. Just need to be more organised I reckon.
 
Unfortunately the annoying has to be your life now so you have a good and healthy life. You will become used to it so it becomes second nature in the end. People do struggle and find it hard to cope so don't be afraid to talk to your hospital team so they can help you through it. They see many people and do not judge, but if you don't say help I'm struggling they wont know except from the blood sugar checks they make.
 
Thanks pal, on it now I promise!
I have just organised my little kit and set reminders on my work laptop to check my sugars, starting in the morning I'm going to be a right geek with this, I've even designated a 'hypo pouch' in my laptop bag which I've filled with sweets. I'm thinking if I'm going to control this I will have some hypo's now and again.

I reckon I just hit a wall with the whole thing, gotta go through it I guess!

Thanks again pal, a
 
You are more than welcome There's a couple of books to look into, think like a pancreas and using insulin, both can be found on Amazon.
Ask your team to put you forward for the DAFNE course as well.
 
Have you done a DAFNE course or equivalent? Frankly, people need a lot of support and education to manage well in the first couple of years. You need to learn how to adjust insulin in the light of blood sugar tests. The tests don't do anything for you unless you know whether, when and how to react to results.
 

Hi Ruth, no I haven't done this course, I only heard about it the other day. I'm not going to lie I didn't go to the appointments with the diabetes team. I went to one when I was first diagnosed but then didn't go back, they sent me a letter saying that I would have to get refered through the G.P surgery again now I really do not have the time to keep going to all these appointments, they are constant! As a manager I just can't get away with an appoinment every two or three weeks. Maybe they would get less often in the long run. I am assumimg that they would have put me on one of these courses if I had kept to my appointments. I am pants at this diabetes thing.

I did what I said and was very good with it all today though It wasn't that bad, if anything I was less stressed as I knew what my sugar levels were all day. I do get worried about being low though, not because of it being uncomfortable but the fact that I am in meetings most of the time, I can't really sit there eating sweets and if I did my colleagues would all ask why I am eating sweets in an important meeting - I don't want the world to know that I have diabetes to be honest!

Aanyway, like I said - good day with it all today
 
Hi Andy. I too have a busy schedule. I feel your pain with monitoring levels. I have been diagnosed 5 yrs now and this week I have been transferred to a pump. All the hard work paid off I guess. #diabetesisapain but only in the beginning. It gets easier.
I was much like yourself not wanting people to know initially. But. There is always a but. I got really ill with infections 2 years solid every 6 weeks antibiotics. I then decided to get on with it and not be bothered what people thought. Good luck with it all. Loads of people on here to get help from.
 
Hi Andy, I have had diabetes since 5 years old, now 54 and using a pump. Things do get easier I can assure you when young pre 20years had very little hypo awareness.( No blood sugar testing then was urine testing.) There have been huge advancements in a diabetes management and it becomes a way of life after a while. It must be hard being newly diagnosed ( and I can understand people wanting to ignore it as far as possible and not let others know, I was the same when a child.) Glad to see your beginning to contro it, rather than it controlling you. Good luck .
 

Hey Andy, totally hear you on how much of a pain in the ****** a*se it is! But long term complications will be even more of one. I barely tested for the first few years after being diagnosed (ages 24 so 5 years ago now) and ended up in hospital with Diabetic Keto Acidosis. Followed by two weeks off work in bed - wouldn't that properly screw you over work wise if it happened to you?!

You just need to adjust to a new routine. Unfortunately it takes time to get there but it will become second nature eventually, and you'll become more aware of your body that you'll know little signs of when you're feeling high or low. It's amazing how your body works really. Just pretend you're some sort of bionic terminator super human.

As for managing at work (I work ridiculous hours at an ad agency so I get it), I've found that making the people around me aware I have diabetes without it being a sob story just generally helps. They will get used to seeing you test, and if you have to excuse yourself, people know why without you having to explain each time. I've found the more normal and day to day I make it, the more they just get on with it too. No one bats an eyelid anymore.

Aside from that, It's important your colleagues know what to do in case you had a hypo and weren't able to treat it yourself. Which could happen now you're getting your blood sugars under control.

Lastly, these forums have helped me no end. Everyone here wants everyone else here to do well and the support is amazing so when you feel sh*tty, this is a good place to come!

Best of luck!
 

Surely as a manager it would be a good example to set your employees to look after their health and be a better rounded individual? I would hope your company advocates a healthy lifestyle so this should come under that.

The more appointments you miss now the more you will have in the future as side effects stack up.

Also why dont you have a bag of sweets big enough you can share? If you take a few and put the bag on the table then I'm sure no one would mind.
 
do the dafne course as soon as you can..you need to establish good habits ASAP...i was diagnosed T1 in Nov 2014 did the Dafne course in Jan 2015 and has helped hugely with management of BGLs...I got my Hba1c down to 7.0 since then (not bad considering all the **** i eat!!)...also put back on the lost weight and got through life threatening illness and major surgery..all this is down to counting carbs and matching insulin doses...you'll get the hang of it in no time ...good luck
 

I've had type 1 for 28yrs now and really does just become as normal as brushing your teeth, although it always an extra consideration! Couple of things -
Hypos - could you take a bottle of coke or Lucozade into the meeting rather than sweets? I am a teacher so do this rather than eating a mouthful of sweets in front of the kids. It also acts quicker as it is already in liquid form.
DAFNE - an absolute must. It wasn't around when I was first diagnosed but has given me control of my diabetes rather than it controlling me. I can eat what I want, when I want and not at all if I don't feel like it. You've got to have your background levels right to do this though
Blood tests - I use my forearms and thighs rather than my legs (you need an AST cap for your lancet device) and the people I work with don't even bat an eyelid when I test - it's just something I do at break time in the same way as they drink their coffee.

I'm on a pump - got one during my second pregnancy and have fought to keep it. It would be impossible to use if I didn't have the DAFNE knowledge or test 8-10 times a day. Because my HbA1C is in the low 6's I have an appointment once a year at the hospital diabetic clinic and once a year with my GP (if they show they are helping to manage my diabetes they get a bonus)

Good Luck - get help and put yourself first. Hopefully a few appointments will help you get to grips with it and work will benefit because you will be healthy.
 
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