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Hello, and a question

M

maximus

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Hello. I am new to this forum and would like to introduce myself. I am semi retired (medical grounds), aged 59 and now my lovely wife has "progressed" from diet controlled to insulin controlled. She was only diagnosed with type 2 about 18 months ago. She never stops helping others and being there for them, esp our children and grandchildren. Now I would like to help her all I can. Especially as I now have time on my hands. However, I don't know how I can help. I am not talking about housework, shopping etc etc. I mean helping her when common difficulties associated with her diabetes occur. Any advice would be more than welcome.
One other question: Would the "progression" to insulin control mean her car insurance is more expensive? No problem if it will be but we'd like to be prepared.
Many thanks in anticipation for your help and advice.
PS, sorry to join and ask for help straight away :oops:
 
Hi Maximus, and welcome!

This forum is here to help, so don't worry - we all ask questions all the time. One of the monitors or another experienced person will be along soon to pass on the basic info for new members, and to answer your car insurance question. Meanwhile, I think a good way for you to help your wife would be to learn as much as you can so that you can have an informed discussion with her when she wants one, and understand her problems when she gets a bit 'down'.

How lucky she is to have such a supportive husband!

Best wishes to both of you!

Viv 8)
 
Hi Maximus and welcome to the Forum. The subject of car insurance rates for diabetics has come up recently in various threads but I think some members will come along soon and answer your question with information specifically for your situation. Viv is right that you knowing the basics of diabetes will help your wife considerably so I am attaching some information written by the Forum Monitors so that you know more about it.

BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETICS.

Postby sugarless sue » 02 Oct 2010, 17:49
Here is the advice that Ken and I, as Forum Monitors, usually give to newly diagnosed Diabetics. We hope that these few ideas gained through experience help you to gain control and give you some understanding of Diabetes. This forum doesn't always follow the recommended dietary advice, you have to work out what works for you as we are all different.

It's not just 'sugars' you need to avoid, diabetes is an inability to process glucose properly. Carbohydrate converts, in the body, to glucose. So it makes sense to reduce the amount of carbohydrate that you eat which includes sugars.

For more information on CARBOHYDRATE see here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20306

This is NOT a low carb diet suggestion, just a reduction in your intake of carbohydrate. You have to decide yourself how much of a reduction will keep your blood glucose levels in control.

The main carbs to avoid OR reduce are the complex or starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, starchy root veg and also any flour based products. The starchy carbs all convert 100% to glucose in the body and raise the blood sugar levels significantly.

If you are on Insulin you may find that reducing the carb intake also means that you can reduce your dose of insulin. This can help you to keep weight gain down as Insulin tends to make you put on weight and eventually cause insulin resistance. This should be done slowly so as not to cause hypos.

The way to find out how different foods affect you is to do regular daily testing and keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If you test just before eating, then two hours after eating, you will see the effect of certain foods on your blood glucose levels. Some foods, which are slow acting carbohydrates, are absorbed more slowly so you may need to test three or even four hours later to see the effect that these have on your blood glucose levels.

Buy yourself a carb counter book (you can get these on-line) and you will be able to work out how much carbs you are eating, when you test, the reading two hours after should be roughly the same as the before eating reading, if it is then that meal was fine, if it isn’t then you need to check what you have eaten and think about reducing the portion size of carbs.

When you are buying products check the total carbohydrate content, this includes the sugar content. Do not just go by the amount of sugar on the packaging as this is misleading to a diabetic.


As for a tester, try asking the nurse/doctor and explain that you want to be proactive in managing your own diabetes and therefore need to test so that you can see just how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Hopefully this will work ! Sometimes they are not keen to give Type 2’s the strips on prescription, (in the UK) but you can but try!!

For TIPS FOR STRIPS see here:

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=19002#p173253

If you are an Insulin user in theory you should have no problem getting test strips.

The latest 2010 NICE guidelines for Bg levels are as follows:
Fasting (waking and before meals).......between 4 - 7 mmol/l...(Type 1 & 2)
2 hrs after meals........................no more than 8.5 mmol/l.....( Type 2)

2hrs after meals......................... no more than 9 mmol/l ......(Type 1)

If you are able to keep the post meal numbers lower, so much the better.

It also helps if you can do at least 30 minutes moderate exercise a day, it can be split into 10 min sessions to start with. It doesn't have to be strenuous.

The above is just general advice and it is recommended that you discuss with your HCP before making any changes. You can also ask questions on the forum on anything that is not clear.

Finally a few QUESTIONS TO ASK AT DIABETES CLINIC.

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17091



Sue/Ken.
Click to expand...
 
Anyone who starts on insulin needs to inform DVLA, who will make enquiries, then issue a 1, 2 or usually, 3 year licence, free of charge. Initial & subsequent reports / examination are free to driver. Most insurers just want to know that you've informed DVLA.
 
Hi there and welcome!

Having someone to share the effort of understanding about diabetes, learn with you, and care what happens, is hugely valuable.
As Viv said, support when you're down is another very helpful thing. Sometimes you just have days where you just think 'I wish I could have a holiday from this'. There's nothing spouses/partners can do about it apart from just give a hug and say 'I know'. But that is also hugely valuable.

It sounds like you are the kind of person who would do this naturally so as others have said - you have a lucky wife!
 
Hi Maximus

Driving was something I was worried about. I started on insulin in December 2010. I told the DVLA, who have now given me a three year licence. I had to fill in a fairly simple form, which you can download from the DVLA website. They then wrote back and said I could have a three year licence and asked me to surrender my old one via post. Initial response took a few weeks, but the licence was returned in about a fortnight I think. My insurer (Mini) just noted the info and did not change my premiums. My view on renewal will be that if I did not need an additional premium when I told them, I shouldn't require one now. They can't charge you more for being diabetic, that's discrimination, but they can charge more if you present a higher risk, which should only be if your wife has lots of disabling hypos etc. If she is having lots of severe hypos then she really shouldn't be driving so it's a fairly moot point. Having said that, other people have noticed the premiums going up uncessarily, so advice has been to shop around if they do bump the premium up. Other people may have a view on this of course.

Standard advice is also test before driving anywhere and don't drive under 5.5; have a small snack if that's the case. Always pull over and test if you feel ill / hypo and keep glucose tabs and a carby snack in the car - I keep a couple of cereal bars and some dextrose tablets. My advice - don't get the orange flavour ones, they're disgusting.
 
Yes, I do care a lot about my wife. She's looked after me through many illnesses and bad times. It's sort of nice to be able to return the love and care. My wife doesn't have/hasn't had any hypos. Her reading this morning was 22! (should be between 4 and 7 I think I remember). She is very sensible about her driving and will not even drive if she's a little tired. Her weight LOSS was dramatic, almost 4 stone in a year! She now weighs just over 8 stone! She is being monitored but they reckon it's because she is passing out sugar before it's absorbed. Or something like that. She is one of lifes unsung heroes and is always looking after others. Maybe now she'll get her rewards!
Thanks a lot for the above, we'll stert working on the DVLA stuff as soon as I get her permission. (Guess who wears the trousers in our house!!).
 
Good man! Th ebest thing you can really do is read as much information as you can on this very site. There is a wealth of information here - and if you have time on your hands to do the research, and teach your Mrs. about it then it would be a good use of your free time.

Welcome aboard!
 
What a nice Man you are :D I wish my hub would be a bit more understanding..He just hopes it will go away..sigh..He is a good man , but I think any illness scares him :( I am the " strong" one in this marriage and also like your Mrs, I am the one who is EVERYONES support system..been doing it so long now.
Funny :? Nobody ever says " How are YOU" :)
 
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