Give Us Newbie's A Break.

[daisy1]

@Moggely

Hello Moggely and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it useful. Ask as many questions as you need to and someone will help.


BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS

Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.

A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 235,000 people who are demonstrating this.

On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.

The role of carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.

If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.

The bad news

Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.

The good news

People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.

Controlling your carbs

The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.

There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:

• Reduce your carbohydrate intake
• Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates

Reduce your carbohydrates

A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.

The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.

Choosing better carbohydrates

The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.

Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.

Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.

Eating what works for you

Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.

To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.

The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:

Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (adults)

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l

Blood glucose ranges for type 1 diabetes (children)

• Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
• 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l

However, those that are able to, may wish to keep blood sugar levels below the NICE after meal targets.

Access to blood glucose test strips

The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:

• structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
• self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education

Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.

You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.

Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Take part in Diabetes.co.uk digital education programs and improve your understanding. Most of these are free.

• Low Carb Program - it's made front-page news of the New Scientist and The Times. Developed with 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes; 96% of people who take part recommend it... find out why
  
  
• Hypo Program - improve your understanding of hypos. There's a version for people with diabetes, parents/guardians of children with type 1, children with type 1 diabetes, teachers and HCPs.
  

 

[Deleted member 308541]

i was never given a welcome pack such as daisy gives but that was ok because i was lucking and learnt a lot for 3 months before i posted.

@Moggely I was in a similar position as I never got a much of a welcome or a "Daisy info pack", but I found a lot of info that I wanted before I joined so did not worry about it.

So stick with us here I post stuff that never gets a reply as well.

 

[zand]

lol ….who said that?

 

[Jaylee]

@MoggelyI post stuff that never gets a reply as well.

If you & i were drinking in a bar... LOL

 

[Deleted member 308541]

If you & i were drinking in a bar... LOL

I would like that @Jaylee, top shelf stuff, none of that cheap stuff...

 

[rhubarb73]

Hello. I’m a newbie in the last 3 months and I already feel like s veteran on here.
It takes a bit of navigation to use this site effectively but when you do people are always eager to help.
Please keep trying @Moggely - I hope you can find it as useful as I have.

 

[Mike d]

Judgements FAR too early made @Moggely . Do what you must though

 

[Crocodile]

For what it's worth I didn't get the Daisy handout either. It doesn't matter though since it is a rather ubiquitous document and I can find it without searching. Sometimes my queries don't get a response either or are slow. Unfortunately, this is a group resource and I understand that members may not be perched at their screens waiting for my next tantalizing instalment. I'm really sorry that you feel this way. I know that even I have responded to some of your posts. I look at it objectively and consider what I've got out this site compared to what goes in. I've definitely been the recipient of some excellent advice on how to manage this monster. I've looked through some of your postings and can see that at times there are good responses and sometimes slow ones or none. On balance, it seems that you too have been given some help. It is a reality that groups like this can only function by learning from each other and support in kind. It is most definitely a numbers game. I hope that you reconsider.

 

[Moggely]

I'm sorry i started this thread as i think you all have mistaken what i have meant. First of all i really wasn't concerned about a welcome pack as i had read it many times while i was lurking, which was about 3 months before my first post. Second i have never ever expected everyone to drop everything and react to any of my postings as i mostly got the answers in the threads (what have you had to eat today) or (what is your ffg). I started it because i saw several people newly posted and some of those post went unanswered for about 2 or more days so i thought i would kick start it by commenting on them so the pro's could come in and help. This thread was never meant to be ( All about me ) not by a long shot, only after i kicked started those threads were these new ones that had posted started getting some information there were in need of hence i think the reason why they never ended up in the unanswered threads. Third I know none of you are doc's and nurses as i have seen you all post that. Last i think but not less lol. Was, i actually did this thread after reading another one about how he felt left out and that it was like a little club with just regulars posting to regulars and he had left this forum for a year as his posts were deleted for say maybe swearing but not too sure but you can read that for yourselves, i can't remember what it was called . One of my posts was censused for that and i have never ever used a swear word or been disrespectful towards anyone, i simply understood were this person was coming from. So tried to help by stating this thread. Mike D my judgement was not made far too early, how long does one have to be in here to give a judgement or an opinion?. Wrong, Mike i am out spoken YES. Open minded also. Again this thread was done for other new people who are vulnerable and afraid not for me as i had learnt a lot by lurking for quite a long time. I can say sometimes it's possible for those diagnosed years ago may have forgotten that feeling so could it be possible to lose a little compassion?. Only you guys can answer that. Hope i have covered all the answers you people have posted. Sorry if you are all offended. That was never my intention. The post of mine that was deleted was after i had posted say about 4 times and the word i used if memory serves me correctly was ( hell ). I was not under the opinion that was a swear word. It was enough thought for me to agree with another poster. Anyway i have said enough i will continue to visit such forums as the above ones i mentioned and refrain from commenting on the front or new posts so to speak. To the person that said i am insulin dependent. Don't know what that means but i am type 2 diet controlled, no medication. Thank you for taking the time to listen now surely we can move on.

 

[Indy51]

To the person that said i am insulin dependent. Don't know what that means but i am type 2 diet controlled, no medication.

This is what we're talking about - it's the description below your profile avatar:

It seems to be a bug in the software - to fix the description to just "Type 2", you need to go to your profile - hover above your profile (top right hand corner of screen) - a drop down appears - click on "Personal Details", then scroll down till you see "Type of Diabetes" - it may still appear to you (it seems to vary by device, browser or some variable nobody is completely aware of) as Type 2, but you still need to click on the down arrow and select the very first Type 2 description you see (it should be line 2 of the drop down). That should fix the problem.

@Administrator - this software bug has been reported on numerous occasions by various forum members but the problem has be ongoing for at least a year. Is it possible for us to be given an update on why the problem apparently can't be fixed or hasn't been fixed to date? Thanks.

 

[zand]

@Administrator - this software bug has been reported on numerous occasions by various forum members but the problem has be ongoing for at least a year. Is it possible for us to be given an update on why the problem apparently can't be fixed or hasn't been fixed to date? Thanks.

It is certainly very misleading. As a diet controlled T2 with no knowledge of how to use insulin I tend to gloss over posts if someone is annotated as 'with insulin' and leave it to those who do use insulin. I once asked about this for a friend and was told that only the member themselves could change the description (or request that it be changed )once it has been put up, so it is down to @Moggely to change this to help us all to help her more effectively.

Also @Moggely I noticed that in one of those threads where you warmly welcomed a newbie you didn't tag daisy1 for them. That's why I asked if you knew how to tag, as I know you feel this welcome pack is useful to others. Daisy1 is no longer a moderator and only sends the pack if someone tags her to do this, usually it's one of the first people to answer the thread.

 

[Moggely]

This is what we're talking about - it's the description below your profile avatar:

View attachment 27917

It seems to be a bug in the software - to fix the description to just "Type 2", you need to go to your profile - hover above your profile (top right hand corner of screen) - a drop down appears - click on "Personal Details", then scroll down till you see "Type of Diabetes" - it may still appear to you (it seems to vary by device, browser or some variable nobody is completely aware of) as Type 2, but you still need to click on the down arrow and select the very first Type 2 description you see (it should be line 2 of the drop down). That should fix the problem.

@Administrator - this software bug has been reported on numerous occasions by various forum members but the problem has be ongoing for at least a year. Is it possible for us to be given an update on why the problem apparently can't be fixed or hasn't been fixed to date? Thanks.

@Indy51 I don't know why it's looking like that as when seeing it it just says. Moggely type 2 well known member. Anyway i will have a look. thank you.

 

[Moggely]

It is certainly very misleading. As a diet controlled T2 with no knowledge of how to use insulin I tend to gloss over posts if someone is annotated as 'with insulin' and leave it to those who do use insulin. I once asked about this for a friend and was told that only the member themselves could change the description (or request that it be changed )once it has been put up, so it is down to @Moggely to change this to help us all to help her more effectively.

Also @Moggely I noticed that in one of those threads where you warmly welcomed a newbie you didn't tag daisy1 for them. That's why I asked if you knew how to tag, as I know you feel this welcome pack is useful to others. Daisy1 is no longer a moderator and only sends the pack if someone tags her to do this, usually it's one of the first people to answer the thread.

@rand I didn't know how to tag daisy1 but also was too new so thought others can do it as they know what they doing. I don't even know how to private message someone as i tried because this person messaged me and the whole conversation went on the front page so never did that again. I'm learning it just takes time. Thanks.

 

[zand]

@Indy51 I don't know why it's looking like that as when seeing it it just says. Moggely type 2 well known member. Anyway i will have a look. thank you.

It's not your fault it's a problem with the software, try to change it as Indy says because even though you see it correctly others don't.
@Administrator @DCUKMod To my mind this is the worst fault with this forum and it needs sorting out now, it isn't good enough to keep on ignoring it. It is very misleading and the problem has been here for years now, not months. Please fix it.

Edit: Since posting this I have been advised that admin is still trying to solve this problem, it isn't being ignored. Apologies for jumping to conclusions.

 

[Indy51]

@Indy51 I don't know why it's looking like that as when seeing it it just says. Moggely type 2 well known member. Anyway i will have a look. thank you.

The problem is that it varies for other people (depending on an unknown factor that has yet to be debugged by the programmers), the very people who will respond to your posts and who may be confused by seeing the description that I see as depicted in the image above. If you change it to the first time you see "Type 2" in the dropdown list, it will appear as that to everyone and hopefully will fix the confusion.

 

[Guzzler]

It is a little unfair to assume that people who may have been diagnosed some years ago have forgotten what it was like. I refuse to be chastised or to be put on the back foot because of one member's perception of how those who are newly diagnosed are received on this site. The OP is as welcome to state an opinion as anyone else, will be censored (be that by moderators or by the site's own software) just like anyone else and can choose to answer any thread or comment just the same as anyone else.

Ask any member and I will bet you £1 that they can give you a blow by blow account of the day they received their diagnosis, their thought processes, their immediate reaction and their feelings during the days and weeks following those words "You have Diabetes".

I am now unfollowing this thread.

 

[Moggely]

The problem is that it varies for other people (depending on an unknown factor that has yet to be debugged by the programmers), the very people who will respond to your posts and who may be confused by seeing the description that I see as depicted in the image above. If you change it to the first time you see "Type 2" in the dropdown list, it will appear as that to everyone and hopefully will fix the confusion.

Ok @Indy51 I have done that so hopefully it say's what i see.

 

[zand]

yes you have done it! thank you!

 

[Indy51]

Yay, it worked:

 

[Brunneria]

Hopefully the following info may iron out a few misunderstandings:

Daisy1
She is a marvellous, generous, unpaid volunteer who logs on (almost?) daily and answers tags and threads by new members. She waves her magic wand like a fairy godmother and inserts the standard basic info post. She doesn't trawl through every single thread and post by new members to find their posts in existing threads. That would be the work of a full time team.

Any member, anytime, can tag her into a thread (as explained above) by using the @ symbol followed by her Daisy1 name.

Just ask, and she will appear and very kindly do her thing - which she has been doing (almost) daily for the entire time I have been a member here, and I for one am EXTREMELY appreciative.
She is allowed days off, holidays, and to miss a tag occasionally.
She is human and not an automated service.

Recent Posts
Many members (including myself) use the Recent Post button near the top of the screen, to look for recent activity on the forum.

Yes, we could hit the 'Forums' button, which will let us look for new activity in specific forums but that is more cumbersome. The Recent posts button shows us a list of all the latest posts, most recent activity at the top.
It is by far the easiest and quickest way to see what is going on, and which are the most active threads.
Every time someone posts on a thread it is automatically 'bumped' up to the top of the list where people are more likely to see it.

This way the 'hot' threads stay 'hot' and the cooling threads fall further and futher down the list.
If anyone sees an unanswered thread falling down the list, all they have to do to bump it back up to the top is to post on it. Doesn't have to be a detailed answer. A simple comment like
'Hi and welcome, I see your thread hasn't got any answers yet, but my post should bump it up to the top of the Recent Posts again, where members will see it,. I hope you get the answer you are looking for.'
This can be extremely helpful for nervous newbies, especially if they are in Oz, NZ and other parts of the world where they are posting in the UK night time. Sometimes these posts can drop down the list before the UK morning and don't get noticed.

Anyone is welcome to answer.

The Search Function.
It may not be the best search function in the world, but it does work. Please use it. Use a keyword. Select by username. Play about with it and explore. You may find out some interesting stuff.

Sometimes we get several threads a week on the same theme, by newbies who haven't got a clue that they are repeating the same question we heard 5 times last week. Completely understandable. And they deserve just as much support and information and welcome as anyone else.

But there is absolutely no reason why experienced members who can remember an interesting, useful and informative thread from last week can't provide a link to it. Why post the same info over and over again when posting a friendly welcome and a link to a brilliantly useful older thread will answer the question AND automatically tag in every single member who posted on that earlier thread?

And finally, I would like to encourage everyone reading this to get involved in the forum.
It only exists because members give their free time, step up and contribute.
It is easy to sit back and complain and say 'other people aren't doing enough' and 'someone should...'

Well sorry, that is nonsense.
YOU are the community.
Don't have an answer?
Go find it.
Google it.
Educate yourself.
Post a link.
Get involved in the discussion.
Broaden your mind and share it.

You may not get it right first time but you and everyone reading will learn, and someone will politely explain/discuss/put an opposing view (and if it isn't done politely, then the mods will step in). Just try and make it relevant. No point posting Low Carb High Fat diet instructions on a thread about insulin dosage, is there?

By taking part, you will continue to learn and understand and be giving something to someone else, whether that is support, shared experiences, information or just a sense of community.

We are all in this together.