HSSS
Expert
Routine appointments might take weeks. Emergency ones should be hours or a day or two at most.
Routine appointments might take weeks. Emergency ones should be hours or a day or two at most.I agree with you, but it hasnt stopped, also I cant get appointments at my GP for weeks, so the next appointment wouldnt be until Jan anyway. NHS is in an awful state right now, we all know why.
I have eaten some chicken and my blood sugar has gone down to 11 now from 13.1, so its still going down, so I must be producing something.
Ill be cooking and eating my tea in about an hour, the problem is I cant get it below like 10 before I have to eat again, I wont starve myself.
What should I do about this?
I understand what you say about having blood tests. I find having bloods taken very painful every time. However, injecting insulin is different. The insulin needles are thin and do not hurt as much. The hospital diabetes nurses will teach you to do your injections. If you have three meals a day, that means three injections of fast-acting insulin and one injection a day of long-acting (background) insulin. You can do it, and it will make you feel batter.I cant stab myself with a needle multiple times a day - I can only just bare blood tests
Thanks -I understand what you say about having blood tests. I find having bloods taken very painful every time. However, injecting insulin is different. The insulin needles are thin and do not hurt as much. The hospital diabetes nurses will teach you to do your injections. If you have three meals a day, that means three injections of fast-acting insulin and one injection a day of long-acting (background) insulin. You can do it, and it will make you feel batter.
I agree with the previous replies. You should get referral to a hospital diabetes team before Christmas. You could try telephoning the specialist diabetes nurses at your nearest hospital and explaining your situation. You may well get a quick appointment.
By far the most times I don't feel it at all, but sometimes I hit a somewhat sensitive spot. This still doesn't hurt more than the fingerpricker though.What does the insulin needle feel like? Can you even feel it?
It takes time to learn, it's a process. You don't have to be perfect all the time, and at the beginning it's a steep learning curve.Also - how do you know how much to inject after eating out? Say you go out for a curry and have a curry, rice and naan, how do you know the carb content? Its all very overwhelming
That sounds very similar in feeling to an insulin pen to meI don’t know if insulin is the same, but mine is a pen, you take the lid off, you put the short needle into your tummy (if I had my eyes shut I wouldn’t know whether it had gone in or not, I can only tell by looking at it. I don’t feel anything at all). Then you press the button at the top of the pen. Its not a “needle” like they use for doing blood tests.
I would love it if there was NO need to prick my finger but this is not the case. Even the manufacturers advise to check the readings from the sensor when they do not correspond with how you feel. And my DSN advises to check all highs and lows as the sensors are calibrated to be most accurate at "normal" levels.You can also use cgm, it hurts a little when you put it on, but for two weeks there is no need to pierce your fingers and the needle on the sensor you also don't see when you put it on your hand. It's a little unpleasant to take it off, because then you see the needle, but you get used to it quickly
Though this would seem to suggest otherwise.There are needle free delivery systems such as InsuJet but they are expensive to buy and I don't think they are available on the NIHS as a rule.
I calibrate cgm when I put it on and check when bg is below 3 or above 16, but that's about five times in two weeks. But yes, you're right, it's not a complete rejection of finger pricksI would love it if there was NO need to prick my finger but this is not the case. Even the manufacturers advise to check the readings from the sensor when they do not correspond with how you feel. And my DSN advises to check all highs and lows as the sensors are calibrated to be most accurate at "normal" levels.
Libre and other CGMs are fantastic for much much more than reducing the number of finger pricks. The value I gain from seeing what happens between finger pricks is amazing.
****, it probably sounds scary for a person who is afraid of needles, but it really doesn't hurtthat's about five times in two weeks
It can also depend on the exact CGM - for instance mine (Medtronics slightly older one that works with their pumps) needs calibrating every 12 hours otherwise it just wont have a reading, and due to its reminder an hour before its needs calibrating I end up calibrating at least 3 times a day so I dont get woken early by its reminder - though I think we may be going off topic hereI calibrate cgm when I put it on and check when bg is below 3 or above 16, but that's about five times in two weeks. But yes, you're right, it's not a complete rejection of finger pricks
Years ago, a group from my hospital trialled something like this, and apart from one person, we all found it much more painful than injections, and some of us got huge bruises from the force required to get the insulin under the skin. Took weeks for mine to go. Give me needles any day, and I've got a needle phobia!!There are needle free delivery systems such as InsuJet but they are expensive to buy and I don't think they are available on the NIHS as a rule.
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