Poll: Which diabetes course(s) have you attended?

Which of the following structured diabetes education courses have you attended?

  • DAFNE

    Votes: 122 18.8%

  • DESMOND

    Votes: 122 18.8%

  • X-PERT

    Votes: 70 10.8%

  • ASPIRE

    Votes: 3 0.5%

  • Freedom4Life

    Votes: 2 0.3%

  • Other (Please state in a post)

    Votes: 67 10.3%

  • Never attended one

    Votes: 291 44.8%
  • Total voters
    650
I've also been to some meetings of the local branch of DiabetesUK and some of the talks there have covered much the same material.
 
Good evening went to the X-Pert course this morning and unfortunately it was totally waste of time,not the courses fault,its just that I had learnt so much here from all of you,I knew everything already from the help and advice from here,the lady spoke non stop for two hours and wouldn't let anyone ask any questions,I won't be going again as I feel that it would suit someone else better,and as there are 500 people on the waiting list I feel that one of those can have my place,she dismissed low carbs out of hand,I was very surprised that I was the only one there that thanks to you all knew so much about Diabetes,everyone else had no idea at all and were not given any information by their GP or anyone else they were totally in the dark:) very disappointed and disillusioned by the whole experience:)
 
wiseowl_123 said:
Good evening went to the X-Pert course this morning and unfortunately it was totally waste of time,not the courses fault,its just that I had learnt so much here from all of you,I knew everything already from the help and advice from here,the lady spoke non stop for two hours and wouldn't let anyone ask any questions,I won't be going again as I feel that it would suit someone else better,and as there are 500 people on the waiting list I feel that one of those can have my place,she dismissed low carbs out of hand,I was very surprised that I was the only one there that thanks to you all knew so much about Diabetes,everyone else had no idea at all and were not given any information by their GP or anyone else they were totally in the dark:) very disappointed and disillusioned by the whole experience:)
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How odd she would not accept questions. Anyone that is confident they understand their material is generally happy to have input from the group. I am starting this free on line one on Monday. No idea what it will be like, I am sure it will keep to the traditional format but there is scope for discussion and questions. Free, 3 hours per week for 2 weeks it seems too good an offer to miss https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/demystifying-diabetes
 
Hi, I put other as it was the DOTTIE course done in doncaster . 2 half day (2hrs to 2.5 hrs each) sessions.
Definitely leaned a lot more from diabetes uk web site. Focused on general healthy eating not low carbs, some complications of diabetes and looking after feet. OK course but does not seem anywhere as good as some mentioned.
 
DOTTIE for me too. Once when diagnosed and again last year when I asked for a refresher.

They said that it was the last one they were running as they were going to do a new course. We had the EATWELL plate - huge plastic thing spread across the table with plastic food to place on it. The only thing I came away with was the DN saying that it may not be my diet but just natural progression of the disease which was why my Hba1c had gone up. This cheered me up at the time as my surgery DN had implied that it was down to me and what I was eating.

I now know better thanks to this forum :-)
 
Dafne, saved-my-sanity. Absolutely. Introduced me to the idea that all our different bodies will set their own guidelines and patterns! A relief. In reality, you gotta have a weighing scales by your side when there's new food on the menu...seems easier to just eat fruit, vegetables and breakfast cereals\porridge because starches such as boiled spuds v roasted spuds can have wildly different effects on blood sugars. DAFNE was a really worthwhile course tho.
 
I was put on a DEREK course. It was informative sure, but they didn't seem very motivated and so that kind of affected the way we felt afterwards. A lack of motivation.
 
amey_13 said:
I was put on a DEREK course. It was informative sure, but they didn't seem very motivated and so that kind of affected the way we felt afterwards. A lack of motivation.
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I've seen this attitude in various educators and GP's. It is depressing, yet I motivate myself to keep up the vigilance. Never get complacent.
 
I was offered DAFNE after good 15 years of struggle with my type 1 diabetes, until I was hospitalised. I've never been offered the course before!
 
I have Type 1 Diabetes and was struggling with my Diabetes control for more than 10 years.
I was suggested to do the DAPHNE Course and I did it 3 years ago and what a difference it has made on
my life. I suggest everyone with Type 1 Diabetes should go for it.
 
I am T2 the seminar attend was southwark call walk away from diabetes. Lectured about diabetes most of the time there was a language barrier in the seminar. A board with all human shape and magnetic body parts and food, watch the ladies stick them on the and what category is reversable diabetes. "what if it's heridartry ask" told we get to that, 2 hours later last on the list,. Did l really waste my time to be told l m overweight, like l didn't know complain about it for 2yrs at the doctors. This forum has shown me more in a few days
 
Administrator said:
This month we're taking a look at structured diabetes education courses in the UK and how well they work.

Have you taken one since you were diagnosed? If so, how helpful did you find it, if at all?

If you haven't taken any courses - is that because you've never been offered a place, or because you just felt like you didn't need it?

Would you recommend the course(s) to any of your friends if they were to get diagnosed with diabetes?
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DAFNE is the best course and easy to understand and control your diabetes
 
OH & I went to the D.E.R.E.K. course last week. The two specialist nurses running it were very motivated and informative. It did show up how different doctors practices can be, we're getting great support from ours but others reported terrible/no support from theirs.
 
I was offered DESMOND but declined to take part because in general I find all NHS information to be oversimplified and I do not have the patience to deal with people who are often patronising or who dodge questions when answers would go against the accepted norm. When I told my DN she brushed it off saying 'perhaps I will rerefer you in a few months' !
 
I attended a three hour session called Diabetes 2gether run by the NHS in Oxfordshire. It was fairly good, they explained Type 2 diabetes in enough detail, without blinding us with science. They did an exercise categorising foods into low, medium and high carb. They said we should eat mainly from the low section, occasionally from the medium section and avoid the high. They drew the line at giving a suggested amount of carbs per day though when I asked! As for monitoring, there was only me and a taxi driver (who has to monitor because of his meds and job), they neither disagreed with me monitoring, neither did they encourage the others to!
 
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