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First appointment - Diabetic Specialist Nurse

KennyA

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4,145
Location
Northern Ireland, living in Yorkshire
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Had my first DSN appointment today. I am so glad I had done a lot of reading on this forum (and others) beforehand. I'm not on medication (good) and am being largely left to my own devices. I asked about DESMOND - apparently we don't do DESMOND in this part of Yorkshire, we have our own called DICE. I'm told they should be in touch in a few weeks. Anyone have any experience with this?

I asked about a BG monitor - nope, although I will get one if and when I do the DICE course (I'd do it tomorrow if it was possible). It will be a Gluco RXQ but I think I will have to buy my own testing strips. Anyone know anything about this meter? I'd really like one that connects with a program on a computer so I can keep proper records. The Acucheck Mobile was mentioned - is this worth thinking about?

I have had a retinopathy scan and will be seen by podiatry in a couple of weeks. Back to the DSN in three months, when I'll have my next HbA1c.

Sorry for all the questions, but is this how it is?
 
If you have to buy your own strips, find out how much the strips are for the gluco, compare with strips for the sd codefree or tee2. They are your running costs.
 
Has anyone said to you 'its all about the carbohydrates' since your diagnosis?
It is something which seems to be left unsaid.
I bought a Tee 2 meter and strips from Spirit Healthcare. You need to register and send back an email notification before ordering, though someone said they phoned up and ordered 200 strips, and had the meter thrown in free. They are specific to the meter, so can't be used in the ones handed out.
Reducing the starch and sugar in your food, swapping to low carb options - I have found that I quite like roast turnip and swede, having gone some years avoiding roast potatoes.
 
I have an accuchek mobile. There’s a widget for Bluetooth that attaches to it and can send data to mysugr app. It has an attached fingerpricker and is a nice bit of easy kit. It also has a cassette not strips which is less fiddly and I like that.

There’s also a “contour next one” that has Bluetooth. I have this one too as I “won” it on their Facebook page (everyone wins, especially contour of you then go on to buy their strips). I have used the accuchek for continuity and familiarity though.

Neither of which have the cheapest testing cassette/strips compared to the others mentioned above.
 


Hi, thanks for the reply. I'm committed to low-carb and have done low carb weight loss successfully twice in the past. However no one I saw yesterday mentioned low carb, and when I raised it there was no reaction. All the leaflets handed to me continue to repeat the same guff about generic "healthy" eating and recommend continued carbohydrate intake. The info seems more directed at reducing heart disease than managing diabetes, and I suspect much of the text has just been copied over. It seems OK advice for the average person but less so for anyone with diabetes. I have gone pretty far in removing carbs since diagnosis and am probably having about 0-10g/day mainly from veg. Result, immediate weight loss in the month since and symptoms reduced. No idea what effect it's having on the BG.
 
xfieldok said:
If you have to buy your own strips, find out how much the strips are for the gluco, compare with strips for the sd codefree or tee2. They are your running costs.
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Thanks for the advice from all the folks identifying the test strips as being the cost issue here. Really helpful. Because of the test strip cost, I've opted for the GlucoRX Q at least to start with. Local pharmacy will get me the Q test strips for less than the manufacturer would charge.....and whenever the NHS locally issues me with a meter I will have a spare for when I break it.
 
Contour next is great , links to your phone so you have all your reading from your first test available, strips are 25£ from pharmacy but I get mine on eBay - usually 20-25£ for a 100. It’s a great machine and accurate
 
bulkbiker said:
I'm afraid that will be IF the NHS issues you with a meter which to be honest is pretty unlikely..
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Ha! Indeed. I have been told that they will hand me one IF AND ONLY IF I complete the DICE course. Of course GlucoRx's manufacturers are following the Gillette protocol in supplying the base model free in the hopes of long term sales of strips. But completing the course might mean sitting through six sessions of "eat healthy, eat carbo" propaganda - don't know, no-one seems to have actually done it. The CCG is reporting attendance at less than 10% of all newly diagnosed. So I thought it was worth £9, postage included, to have the option of walking off...
 
Not surprised attendance is 10% who has time to take a week course, especially if during working hours. And all the infos there on the internet.
 


I was diagnosed in November, I haven't been given the eye test yet and the diabetic nurse did the feet check not podiatry.

They offered a course which I didn't take because I feel Ive read enough, bit aggrieved to see it marked on my medical record that I refused the course.

No one mentioned testing strips or monitors but I didn't expect this as I’m only 6.6.

The only follow up will be the yearly check up and now whenever i go to an appointment the doc will see my high bp and try and push statins cause of my diabetes.
 
Hi Kenny
Im a newbee too. I bought my own blood glucose meter on amazon and i keep food diary. The book the nurse recommended for me is Carbs and Calorie converter. My meter came with a blood glucose indicator card which helps me see exactly where my results sit. Not gonna lie this is life changing and its taking time and effort and stamina to cope.
 
The thing that's struck me in the last month is both how different the disease is with each person and how variable the treatment and response is by the NHS. Discovered a bloke I know has been diabetic for a while (ie HbA1c at 55) but had and has no symptoms and was put straight on Metformin. Different GP to me, different CCG.

Today's big task is to learn how this BG meter works.
 
Dark Horse said:
The diabetic eye screening should take place within 3 months of diagnosis of diabetes.[/QUOTE
3
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I seem to remember them saying it would take about 3 months to get appointment due to demand but yeah probably should check up on my referral.
 
First use of BG meter this morning. Calibrated and instructions followed to the letter. Couldn't get any blood out....took five goes before anything significant appeared. BUT fasting BG was 4.7mmol. I'm really pleased.
 
KennyA said:
Couldn't get any blood out....took five goes before anything significant appeared
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Just a couple of tips for getting your drop of blood. Wash your hands in warm water first, soak them for a little while if particularly cold, hang your hand by your side before pricking it, this will encourage blood flow to the ends of your fingers. Check the depth setting on your lancing device you may need to set it a bit deeper and finally are you pricking the side of your finger beside your nail rather than centrally on the tip?

Edit for typo
 
Thank you - I eventually realized that I'd been sitting pre-test with my hands elevated and it all worked fine after I let one hang for a few seconds. Lancet is set at full depth and I did pick up the tip on using the side of the finger from somewhere else. It can only get better with practice.
 
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