Partner not listening at all - worried

[Eiche]

I bought my first meter myself at the pharmacy and it cost me only £15. It was an Accu-Chek Aviva. My second one (Accu-Chek Aviva Nano) I got free from my Diabetes Nurse at the hospital. Check if your local hospital has a drop in Diabetes clinic and see if they will give your husband one for free. Asking can't hurt and they can only say yes or no

 

[bowell]

If i bought him a glucose monitor (the gp wont prescribe) can i buy the blood strips too? basically can we get everything we need from a shop? i dont even know where to start tbh

That may just work ! Is he a Gadget man , :?: May make him feel in control
if so get him one he can link to PC see all his results ect

You can pick up meters from most high st chemists inc test strips
or on ebay for a lot less inc test strips
Ask him if you treat him to a BG meter what one would he like :wink:
then show him the web page link below
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes_care/blood_glucose_monitor_guide.html

I may know how he feels
My wife seemed to go overboard with all this diabetic stuff Books food ect
and i did resent this,,at first , Problem it had not really sunk in my thick scull ,
Once i understood .I was so glad she was there to help me .

All you can do it keep dropping hints try get him to read watch some information
it will sink in in the end ,You can try to alter his diet bit by bit ,

See if you can get him to watch this video its not gory at all
or you watch it with the sound up :wink:

Diabetes & associated complications
[youtube]DpdlJ79ACCo&feature[/youtube]

http://youtu.be/DpdlJ79ACCo

 

[cugila]

An excellent Video...very informative, concise and factual. Well done for finding that one Bob...

 

[NMrs2010]

Thank you for those link, very interesting video i will try and get him to watch it later and also have a look at the glucose monitors had a quick look myself but its all very confusing. I know he does appreciate me trying to help and he knows i just care but on the other hand maybe feeling like its over load, i think if he agrees to a monitor and can see what the rubbish he eats is doing to his bloods then maybe it will give him a little shake.

 

[sailorj]

Hi,

I've found having 20g of dried fruit and nuts a real substitute and useful for the mid-morning munchies. Alternating the types and dry roasting the nuts I like gives variety. Likewise dry roasting seeds makes gives them a nutty flavour and their great on salads to give different flavours. I also find a 20g chunk of cheese a useful alternative and after 2 months I found I was not missing the chocolates and biscuits and now I appreciate them more as an occasional treat. We are all indiviual and everyone finds what works for them but monitoring the blood glucose levels is I find essential for finding out what does work best.

I have some really easy to follow cook books - very simple and quick meals that have been great and aimed at the non-cook as well as the foodie. They both tell you the number of carbs per portion and include ideas I'm using for lunch boxes. I am sure others will have different books they favour but for the reluctant cook I'd suggest looking at:

N Graimes The big book of low-carb recipes - £12.99 but I got it cheaper on Amazon. Has 365 recipes in 212 pages and all with 2-4 well explained and simple steps.

B Jones The ultimate book of diabetic cooking - I found this in a garden centre! Sorry I don't have a price but I think it was less than £10. Has lots of useful information about diabetes and nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. I learnt a lot from these sections and it made me think about what I was doing more. Has 170 recipes, each with at least 1 photo and some have more to show the steps. Also has useful tips and ideas so you can re-use the recipe but with a different twist.

I've used both a lot in the last 2 months. Everyone has loved the food and the non-diabetics I've cooked for have been surprized at what I can eat. All things in moderation.

 

[NMrs2010]

Thank you will look into those books. Well we had a talk tonight and hes agreed to make an effort, he had even went and done a little exercise on our cross trainer but then took a funny turn after wards and was shaking and dizzy i panicked and gave him some ice cream and about an hour later he was ok, anyway hes agreed to get a blood glucose monitor so im going to get the accu chek aviva start basic, one question though the lancets, i take it you use a fresh one each time yes? surprised at the expense of these and the strips shocking that they are not prescribed really

 

[bowell]

The accu chek aviva comes with the muticlix lancet with drum lancet system so you get 6 lancets in each drum

Supposed to use new lancet each time ,, But i use the same one all day :roll:

You can pick up all items on ebay at lower cost
or off the self at boots

I use same one as my back up meter Good luck

 

[NatKH]

Hi

I was diagnosed with type 2 just over 5 years ago. Initially I was angry and upset and ignored all attempts to sort myself out. I was prescribed glyclacide (for 1 month) and metformin. The idea with the glyclacide is to being the sugar level down quicker so this sounds right. Your partner seems to be going through the usual denial phase, but he will eventually get used to the idea and make changes to his diet and exercise regime. You mentioned he felt dizzy etc when/after using the cross trainer - I think this is because when I was first diagnosed I was having hypos when my blood sugar level was 10 and 11 and it took a good few weeks for me not to hypo until I was at between 3 and 5. Symptoms of hypo include dizziness, shakes, sweats, palpitations, etc, etc. Thankfully he has an understanding partner who is looking into it all for him - my husband still buys me a 500g bag of sweets when he decides I need a treat....good luck, I'm sure he will be fine once he gets used to the idea

 

[NMrs2010]

Thanks yeah i think it is a bit of denial phase hopefully wont last too long, he was due first appointment at diabetic clinic today which i hoped would be useful in explaining things to him but they just called and cancelled! and put it back another month, so thats over 2 months since diagnosis he will need to wait, not very happy with that

 

[navrally]

It is worth noting that when buying testing kits; strips or lancets at a chemist always remember to sign a HMRC declaration that you are diabetic and therefore suffering from a chronic illness. This will mean that you will not have to pay the VAT content. Boots have their own form and you have to sometimes wait until they find someone who understands the cash till well enough to do the deduction.

 

[cugila]

You mentioned he felt dizzy etc when/after using the cross trainer - I think this is because when I was first diagnosed I was having hypos when my blood sugar level was 10 and 11 and it took a good few weeks for me not to hypo until I was at between 3 and 5. Symptoms of hypo include dizziness, shakes, sweats, palpitations, etc, etc.

Just to clarify for the OP and others benefit.......you do not have a hypo at levels of 10-11 mmol/l. If you get hypo symptoms at those levels that is what is termed a 'False Hypo'. Not a hypo at all.

Your body has been so used to running at higher levels it thinks that is normal.......when levels drop lower than normal it then gives out warning signs to encourage you to bring the levels back up again.

A true hypo is any level below 4 mmol/l. You should get warning signs before you reach that level. My own early warning begins at about 4.5 to 5 mmol/l usually.

 

[sailorj]

Hello NMrs,

Just a thought, lots of GP surgeries now have a practice nurse or district nurse who is the teams diabetes specialist and monitors the diabetic patients rather than the GP. It might be useful to call the practice receptionist to find out.

I am very lucky, my nurse has an 'open door' policy and can be contacted by phone or email as well as regular appointments for newly diagnosed patients. She also welcomes spouses to attend appointments (as is the local diabetes consultant at the hospital) and to see her on their own if they are concerned. I may be unusually lucky but worth trying. She also sorted me out with the monitor, lancets, strips and sharps box (to put the needles in) as repeat prescriptions.

 

[ailz]

My brother was like this. The only thing that has made him work at his sugar was the doctor explaining that he wouldn't just drop dead one day from diabetes, but would end up being ill and having to have lots of invasive action - injections, dialysis etc. - now he's being more careful. Though he still insists that high GI is what diabetics need not low. If anyone tries to talk to him about it he just shouts. Perhaps you could speak to his GP and give him the nod as to your hubbies behaviour. My brother's now treats him differently - more direct and less polite.