• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

No DAFNE course at my hospital

Levy

Levy

Well-Known Member
Messages
312
Location
Leeds
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I just learnt about DAFNE courses, and whereas I already technically know how to count carbs, I still thought it would be a great idea to attend one of these courses just to learn it all again properly, but most of all to meet other people with type 1.

I asked my diabetes nurse but unfortunately the hospital I go to does not provide DAFNE courses at this point in time. I have had a look around online and apparently you can't attend them unless they are provided at the hospital that you are registered with. Quite disappointing..

So I was thinking, would it be possible for me to register with a different hospital that might be a little bit further away (but still not any more difficult for me to get to than the one I am at now) which does do DAFNE courses, or does anybody know of any other group courses that might be available?
 
I don't think it's that simple just to register at another hospital so you can enroll on the DAFNE course, but hopefully someone may be along soon who may offer some practical advice on how best to overcome this problem.

Nigel
 
My hospital doesn't run one either but they do run their own version - Sophie or Lydia or something. However, they say they won't contemplate enrolling me until 6 months after diagnosis. Is this usual?
Tracy
 
Hmm my hospital didn't mention any alternative. They said you can talk through it individually with the dietitian, but the main reason I want to go to a DAFNE course is because it's in a group.

I can understand that they will wait a while before sending you on a course, mainly because in the first few months your body will still be adjusting to everything. In my case, when I was first diagnosed my body was still producing a little insulin itself which stopped completely a few months after, which meant that the amount of insulin I had to inject increased in that period. They will be accounting for things like that I assume.
 
What a shame your hospital doesn't do DAFNE!

I don't see any harm in maybe calling a diabetes centre in a larger hospital that i assume may be more likely to offer the DAFNE course? see if they would be so kind to offer you a place? certainly would be worth the effort i would think.

When i was reading up on insulin pumps a few sites mentioned that some people 'switched' hospitals just so they could get one, but i have no idea how to do this and as Nigel says it's probably not as simple as it sounds but they only way to get what you want is to ask :)

I hope you do manage to get on the DAFNE course or something similar as i really do think it's the best thing since sliced bread! :)
 
Yes it's usual to make u wait. They try to help you work out your insulin based on the readings you give them. It's likely that up to 6 months you can still be honeymooning so you'd be trying hard to get it right then your pancreas will give a little spurt and throw all your numbers out!
 
Levy...kust wondered of you lived in Berkshire...as that is exactly what I was told. If so, drop me a pm, and I can tell you what happend with me...I did end up doing a course..in the end, and it was great. I too knew quite a bit about carb counting, as it is what I was taught to do in the "old days" but the dose adjustments were useful to learn.

Have you tried teh online version by the way?
 
No sorry I don't live in or near Berkshire. :(

I'm trying to register for the online course at the moment. Curious to see how it's going to be.
 
They do make you wait... I waited 9 months.
I was (when I did DAFNE) and still am honeymooning and it made no difference to what I gained from the course.

Personally I would have preferred to do it as soon as I was diagnosed. By the time DAFNE came around I had already picked up most of what was taught. You can find most of the info online. Although nothing 'officially' from DAFNE - they insist you come on the course rather than just read the material.

The most useful part was meeting the other diabetics and seeing how they dealt with various things.
 
You can ask to be referred to another diabetic clinic generally within your PCT area what you will need to check is whether the clinic you are intending to ask to be referred to does DAFNE or Carb counting...

It is more difficult to get your doctor to refer you to a hospital outside of your PCT area unless the purpose is for pump reasons...

It's not so much the getting through the hooneymoon period or allowing the physical body to adjust to diabetes, but more to do with the psycological (sp) side of things that a lot of clinics pefer to wait before sending you on a carb counting course.. Giving you time to come to terms with it mentally rather than physically..
 
Back
Top