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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 did the Desmond course for type 2, recently, and while the information on diabetes and how affects body was useful to us newly diagnosed, the rest seemed to be a tick box presentation.

The course was delivered at a fast pace, and little attention was paid to questions asked, with only those that seemed to meet the 'expected questions' being answered, anything else received a standard response of 'we will cover that later' and added to a flip chart or, 'we are just the sign posts for you to find that out yourselves', or annoyingly, pretending they had not heard a question in favour of an easier one asked earlier.

This was especially so when questions were raised bout diets (LCHF), food groups, their effects, spikes etc.

Eventually, the group stopped asking questions, Common consensus among the group afterwards was that the facilitators rarely get a group prepared to question just why x was better than y, and wanting to look at heathy diets as a whole, and balance between food groups, not just good food / bad food in isolation.
 
Hello

I want a free tool because sometimes what we need that is not in that programme, so first I want a free tool once I'm satisfied with that programme I will do payment
 
Mick1959 said:
I did the Desmond course for type 2, recently, and while the information on diabetes and how affects body was useful to us newly diagnosed, the rest seemed to be a tick box presentation.

The course was delivered at a fast pace, and little attention was paid to questions asked, with only those that seemed to meet the 'expected questions' being answered, anything else received a standard response of 'we will cover that later' and added to a flip chart or, 'we are just the sign posts for you to find that out yourselves', or annoyingly, pretending they had not heard a question in favour of an easier one asked earlier.

This was especially so when questions were raised bout diets (LCHF), food groups, their effects, spikes etc.

Eventually, the group stopped asking questions, Common consensus among the group afterwards was that the facilitators rarely get a group prepared to question just why x was better than y, and wanting to look at heathy diets as a whole, and balance between food groups, not just good food / bad food in isolation.
Click to expand...

Couldn’t agree more. This was exactly my experience with DESMOND. Their stock reply for ‘difficult’ questions was ‘Can we park that for now’ an annoying response in any context.
My questions on lchf were politely ignored.
 
I have received an invitation to attend 2, 3hr sessions of a 'Diabetes Patient Education Programme' by Warrington & Halton NHS Trust, held on Friday mornings.
I was diagnosed with T2D in January with a HBAlC of 58 and straightaway prescribed 500mg Metformin and a statin. I was quickly referred to the foot clinic and for an eye check-up, which both rated as 'low risk'. I have been following the LCHF diet now for the past 2 1/2 months, I've just been re-tested and levels have dropped to HBA1C of 45 and am now 1 stone lighter with greatly reduced cholesterol . I am a bit dubious about attending this training as it involves taking time off work (I am freelance and won't get paid for 6 hours work). I don't want to find LCHF being rejected and wasting my time having the standard diet information thrust at me because I already know through testing that bread and other high GI carb foods really spike my levels. Is there much point in going?
 
Just to let you know that in LincoIn you get to go on a spotlight on diabetes course you go on two afternoons for a two hour session in a group with a nurse from the community diabetes nursing service, it is basic but it is all there. They are more origntated to diabetes.org
Still push 5 fruit and veg a day not a lchf friendly course looking back at it
Chris
 
DAFNE course greatly reduced my blood sugars and introduced me the world of carb counting, 3 years after diagnosis, never heard of it before that just used to guess.
 
I have on DAFNE course after a considerable time trying to do it alone. The course allowed me to stabilise my levels and cut down on the amount of insulin used. Now have got to really crack the diet side.
 
Has anyone been on the TIDE course (Type 1 Intensive Diabetes Education) offered by Trafford CCG? Its a 3-4 day course split over 3 weeks but there doesn't seem to be much information available on it that I can find.

I'm booked on one at the end of Nov/start of Dec but I'm not really sure what to expect. The DSN and Consultant have sold it to me as an alternative to DAFNE which doesn't mean I have to take a full week off work.

I'm hoping it'll help me work out my insulin to carb ratio and how long my NovoRapid stays active in my system - I'm having real problems getting these right!
 
MisterMints said:
Has anyone been on the TIDE course (Type 1 Intensive Diabetes Education) offered by Trafford CCG? Its a 3-4 day course split over 3 weeks but there doesn't seem to be much information available on it that I can find.

I'm booked on one at the end of Nov/start of Dec but I'm not really sure what to expect. The DSN and Consultant have sold it to me as an alternative to DAFNE which doesn't mean I have to take a full week off work.

I'm hoping it'll help me work out my insulin to carb ratio and how long my NovoRapid stays active in my system - I'm having real problems getting these right!
Click to expand...
I can't comment on the TIDE course, but can say that any DAFNE-like course is better than none. (My own hospital's course lasted 2 days and was very useful.)

As for working out your carb ratios, I thought I'd check that you have a half unit pen, as this can make a big difference.
 
dancer said:
I can't comment on the TIDE course, but can say that any DAFNE-like course is better than none. (My own hospital's course lasted 2 days and was very useful.)

As for working out your carb ratios, I thought I'd check that you have a half unit pen, as this can make a big difference.
Click to expand...

I currently don't have a half unit pen, but won an eBay auction today for a brand new NovoPen Echo (I currently use the NovoPen 5). This will all help me hopefully get the carb absorption rate, insulin lasting time and insulin:carb ration set up right in xDrip to manage my T1. And if TIDE/DAFNE-lite can help further, then great!!
 
MisterMints said:
I currently don't have a half unit pen, but won an eBay auction today for a brand new NovoPen Echo (I currently use the NovoPen 5). This will all help me hopefully get the carb absorption rate, insulin lasting time and insulin:carb ration set up right in xDrip to manage my T1. And if TIDE/DAFNE-lite can help further, then great!!
Click to expand...
You can get the Novopen Echo on prescription.
 
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