DAFNE course

That's the most positive post I've read regarding the DAFNE course Rhinne!

I'm really looking forward to it now and pray it has as positive of an impact on me as it has Rhinne! x

pinkjinks58 said:

I'm really looking forward to it now and pray it has as positive of an impact on me as it has Rhinne! x

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Hoping it does pinkjink, just remember they give you the knowledge on the course and it's up to the individual to put it into place, the back-up after is very good and any problems they are always happy to help.

i did the dafne in 2007 and it was totally worth it

Rhinne said:

I attended a 5 day DAFNE course back in July last year, which was my 7th year as a diabetic.

Until that point my BG levels were all over the place, usually much higher than they should be.
I had very little control, I wasn't very sensible with how I handled things and I had no clue when it came to hypo treatment. My hypo treatment was to eat as much sugary food as I could find in the kitchen in a panic and worry about bringing my levels down later.
My morning readings were often around 16 to 20, some days.

10 months on, I am the one in control of my condition.
I can eat what I want, when I want (within reason, of course). My morning levels are around 5 to 6 and I feel great.

I cannot recommend this course enough, this should be mandatory for all diabetics because it literally changed my life for the better.
This is the best I have felt since being diagnosed.

You will see positive changes within that first week.
It can be tough at first, getting your head around the concept, especially if you have been diabetic for a long time and used to your current treatment regime, but it's worth it.

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This is such a great result!! I am going on mine on 6th Aug 2012, and I am wondering what to expect. I have just had all my bloods done and the surgery said they need to see me as my HbA1c has gone up slightly again, it was 7, then 7.3 now I don't know until next monday when I see the DAFNE nurse for a pre assessment. but I bet it's up to about 7.5% as my basal was not quite right and my fasting was up to 10's and the pre lantus was creeping up too, so my Specialist (who I rang in a panic when my bedtime readings were up to 12! said to up the lantus by 2u. now it's getting better. I can't wait for the DAFNE course to get me on the right track and get that HbA1c back down again. My bloods seem to yoyo right now. Thanks for the positive post Rhinne it was a joy to read for me!!! I'll keep you posted after my course !

Hope all goes well on the course susieg :thumbup:

Off to start my DAFNE course today! Looking forward to it !

susieg said:

Off to start my DAFNE course today! Looking forward to it !

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Good luck, report back how you get on

Very positive as its takes much of the guessing away.

Sick day rules are also really useful, but I suggest getting a meter that measures blood ketones.

Day two over, I have a 'keytone meter' several boxes of hypo treatments, several hundred pieces of paper, a new pen, new meter new teeny weeny needles (Which are amazing!) diaries and such and a whole new outlook on carb counting!!
All good so far! getting my bg's stable now, after everyone is 'levelled off' I had 2 days of being in the high range 14 - 17's EEEEEKKK but I now have one solution to work on.
So much info on food nutrition and values. and a much easier way to calculate it all.

(My brain hurts a little) lol

But... what will the rest of the week bring.

susieg said:

But... what will the rest of the week bring.

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Sick day rules is good and you have the chance to bring along a wife, husband, partner, parent or friend with you so they can learn how to help you in times of illness.

The last day is also good where you all eat out at a local restaurant :thumbup: ......although I don't know if all DAFNE courses do this!

noblehead said:

susieg said:

But... what will the rest of the week bring.

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Sick day rules is good and you have the chance to bring along a wife, husband, partner, parent or friend with you so they can learn how to help you in times of illness.

The last day is also good where you all eat out at a local restaurant :thumbup: ......although I don't know if all DAFNE courses do this!

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Sounds good to me Nigel as long as it's not McDonalds! A good Indian or anywhere that does a big juicy steak is welcome in my books!

Hi Susieg

I am due to go on a DAFNE course on 14 Nov. Looking forward to reading about your experience.

Paul1976 said:

Sounds good to me Nigel as long as it's not McDonalds! A good Indian or anywhere that does a big juicy steak is welcome in my books!

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No not a fan of McDonalds food myself, the group collectively decide where to go and it was unanimous that we go for a Chinese meal

Yes we're all going out on Thursday to the local restaurant for a meal, lovely little country place it is, by a river, smashing!!! Not touched on sick-day rules as yet, all family etc in tomorrow morning.

Well, that's my week over, I can't praise them enough,
I've learned so very much, everything you need to know about carb counting, sick day rules are invaluable! sensible eating, and insulin adjustments - this gave me so much more confidence in adjusting my ratios and background insulin.
My BG's were all over the place last week, but now after reducing my background insulin and tweaking my ratio's I'm getting some nice level readings.
It also dispels some dodgy advice we'd all been given by different sources, I'd always thought that upping your background insulin would lower your overall readings, but was so very wrong. Gone are the hypo's at night, thank's to my reduction in Lantus.

We also brought up the subject of low carbing, It wasn't pooo poo'd as I thought it might be, but put into perspective and we are told the roles that all the food groups played in keeping us healthy. I can look at it all in a different way now.
One thing I do know is that I will form my own opinions as to what to do with my diabetes rather than listen to so many different people who try to bully you into doing it their way!

Over the week we all came good friends and were all of the opinion that it was nice to discuss between ourselves our own problems and that we all knew what it felt like. and pledged to each other we'd all be there for each other, which is so nice!
Looking forward to catching up with everyone on our 6wk review day.

@pinkjinks58

Hi, there. I'm interested in that course you did. I had asked my doctor about DAFNE at my last review because it sounded like something I needed. At my review before that one, the internet told me there was a six month waiting list. But this time her boss told me I was ineligible because thought Type 1, I didn't qualify since I was on Humalog 505/50 and my two daily injections didn't really depend on what I was eating.

Nevertheless, I would like to know about carb-counting and how planned exercise affects my insulin dosage.

Thanks in advance for any info you can give me.

DAFNE is designed for people on a basal/bolus regime.

I have found DAFNE to be fantastic, I did it 3 years ago and to be honest didn't follow it through, after some serious soul searching about my diabetes control I attended a refresher course and this time I am really making an effort, it's not all plain sailing, I am still struggling a little to get my ratios correct, but I am getting there if you take on board all the info, and stick to it, DAFNE can change your life. Good luck

Hi there - I have been through the DAFNE course and it really did make a massive difference to me. It has made life so much easier knowing about the ins and outs.

The course itself you have to put into it what you want out - it's no good turning up and asking the course instructors "so what do I need to do to fix it" as the only way things can be fixed is by working out yourself what you need to do - there were a couple of people on my DAFNE course that were like that and they got nothing out of it yet myself and a couple of others got loads from it. You have to work at it and there will be hypos from time to time but it is definitely worthwhile