Hi

Hi all, just introducing myself to the forum. Having just been put onto insulin I was looking for some advice. So as I am unsure what area to post this in I will explain, first I will offer a little medical history first.

I was diagnosed at 33 with type 2 diabetes and have had a range of various tablets, I had resisted insulin as a, my HBA1C would dip in and out of 7...ish and two I 'held' a HGV licence which I did not want to lose. Now after 20 plus years it seems I have no choice and my Spanish doctor said it had to be done as other health issues were beginning to rear their ugly head, i.e. blood pressure, rapid decline in sight etc.

Now, first question I am unsure if my Spanish doctor has heard of type 1.5 and wondered if this applies to me, when I registered with him this year he just followed the type 2 line as per my English doctor. So if I do not inject insulin my BG slowly climbs to between 15 -25 and swings quite wildly between this for no apparent reason. Tablets will bring this down to around 10 - 12 which is about the lowest I have been for a number of years. I have only just started insulin so I assume I am somewhere between Type 1 -Type 2?

Next, ok I hung on to the HGV licence as long as possible but alas it has gone and at 53 I still have to maintain an income, I do manual work so house maintenance/mechanic/gardening etc. The main problem I have is I get carried away with time and forget to eat at the right times, so far this has not resulted in any hypo's thus far as my doctor is increasing the units of Lantus slowly every two weeks.

I assume as I get nearer the lower limit I may run into them so was looking for a watch I could programme with at least 6 daily alarms however, the only watch that seems to fit the bill is the Cadex 12 alarm but it is NOT waterproof, in fact they advise against wearing it in the shower!

I want something rugged as it will get knocked about a bit, so I thought 'G SHOCK' but they have only 3/4 alarms. There is another called vibralite I think? The problem here is the reviews rate it very poorly so at the moment I have been using my smartphone which is great......except today I left it in the car and did not hear the alarm as I was working some distance away I need a watch.

So, am I type 1.5 or 2, and I need a watch.

Sorry for the long first post but need to get this right, injections are no issue but real upset about losing my licence.

Many thanks in advance

Dave

I will find that **** camera!!! Yep I was a little overweight when diagnosed but we are talking about 15 kilos over the 'average' for my height etc. At 33 it was assumed I was a very late Type 1 but after the diet did not work (lost 10 kilos) I was put on tablets, and there the slippery slope began. Until recently I had a reasonable control but a virus wiped out all my stomach, gut and bow 'good' bacteria. I had become severely dehydrated and ended up in ER overnight. During and since then I have lost 11kg (3 weeks) and my BG had climbed and my last HBA1C had climbed as well. Interesting you say I can drive LGV, is that a guess or fact? My UK doctor said no, I did not ask my Spanish doctor as I only kept it as a 'backup' income in case I was forced back to the UK, but your comment raises some hope.

Many thanks for you input.

Dave

That's good to hear, I am going to the office to transfer my UK licence to a Spanish one sometime this week, it will be interesting what their doctor say's.

Thanks for that

Dave