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rant- sorry in advance

J

JConnor

Well-Known Member
Messages
106
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am sick and tired of hospitals.
I should of been referred from one hospital to another 8 weeks ago, 3 weeks ago i chased up the new hospital for an appointment to be told they hadn't received the referral, i asked for it to be sent again by fax and provided them with phone number. Today i have phoned again to be told they still not received referral.
I have received no support at all since diagnosis of type 1 and have pretty much had to figure levels out myself, 2 weeks ago i stoped taking insulin altogether as was so fed up of constant hypo's that was happening, i have never been a big eater and kept forgetting to eat lunch etc. i have only just started taking it again and feel out of my depth, at moment i am running at 23.2 and DSN at the old hospital just told me take 2 units of nova?? I have 2 children to take care of and all this stress is making me ill. the service i got when was diagnosed Gestational was amazing couldnt fault them on there helpfulness now the whole attitude seems to be you will work out. But in the meantime why i try to work it out how much damage will i do to my body.
Is it really to much to ask for some help in the early days, for help to actually find my correct dosage etc
I am really losing faith and patience at the moment, what is it gonna take to get the help i need
 
That's awful. You could ask your GP to refer you - but it really sounds like you need help quite soon.

Maybe pester your GP for help in the short term.
 
Thak you Robert. Will try GP but to be honest wont hold my breath as he next to useless, knows nothing about diabetes and offers dangerous advice i.e eat fried eggs to deal with a large insulin overdose. i really dont have much luck at the moment and reading this forum is the only support ive got.
 
Would also be worth getting a couple of books:

Using Insulin by John Walsh
Think Like a Pancreas by Gary Scheiner

Anything you don't understand, just ask here and someone will help.
 
Thank you just registered for that online course hopefully it will help and will look for the books. will phone up and ask for referral AGAIN, if they dont hurry up and do it i will forward my phone bill for costs of the calls im having to make :lol:
 
personally I use 1 unit of novorapid to drop blood by 1 full point of blood, as a correction, and correct to 9mmol, that gives you a bit of leeway, i.e if your sugars are 22, then I'd take 13, and if you have to take a large 'hit' you really need to take extra tests just to keep an eye, always keep a bottle of lucozade or 'full fat' cola, handy in the house/car, as these are laden with sugar and will bring you back quickly, if your low. I've been type1 24 years, and have spent time @both ends of the scale, I'm not trained, but have had to deal with both ends of the sugar scale, if you pm me sometimes its good just to speak to someone else who actually has to deal with it as well, as HCP's can, usaually give you the 'book' answer, whereas people that are in the same boat have found different ways round certain situations, 'theres more than 1 way to skin a cat' kind of thing.

Good luck

Maybe hear from you soon

Bob
 
I wouldn't advice 1u of insulin to drop blood glucose 1mmol/l as 1u of insulin will drop my BG by 7mmol/l

You work out your correction dose by looking at your TDD... Haven't got the forumla to hand, but will look it up..

The rule of Thumb the medic's use for a starting point is 1u = 3mmol/l drop.. But if you are unsure always use caution.

I would speak to your GP and ask him to refer you to the hospital clinic, and while you waiting your surgery hopefully can be helpful, sadly some surgery diabetic nurses can be very good (like mine) or not so great.. I would also ask about a carb counting course as well.
 
Correction dose is calculated with the 100 rule:

100 divided by TDD (total daily dose of basal and bolus combined) tells you by how much 1 unit of quick acting will drop your blood sugar by (in mmol/l)

In my case I use 32 units of Lantus and Novorapid combined (16+16) so 100/32 gives 3, so 1 unit Novorapid drops my blood sugar by 3mmol\l.

You may need a little more to correct for a high like 24 (not sure why) but proceed with caution. Use your calculated correction dose and wait 4 hours before taking any more correction dose or you'll stack unspent insulin in your body and risk going hypo.
 
i personally would not do one unit of rapid to bring your sugars down 1 mmol, ive been on that, i do 2 injections a day again its not very flexible but i like a routine anyway. I know i started on around 24 units of lantus and used to take around 6 units at each meal time. Simple fact is every diabetic and life is different. Its a joke there already geting slated by the poor care for diabetics across the UK..Is there a diabetic nurse at your local GP. This site is useful but it comes to something when you have to look on here and the internet because youve not hardly been given any information. This site is useful but you still need alot more basic information, ive put a thread bout the stuff going onto watchdog or panarama diabetics are geting treated like ****. In the mean time id suggest ringing GP and asking for there diabetic nurse even if its jst over the phone for advice, and asked to be refered to the hospital consultants etc.
 
just to clarify what I posted before, the 1 for 1 ratio is what I personally use as a correction dose, as worked out by my DSN, that was not my mealtime dose, sorry if that caused any confusion...........

Bob
 
You have my heart-felt sympathy. I found the diagnosis and initial training totally inadequate. In the end, the only way to make it work is to find the information for yourself and try to befriend and be very nice to anyone who seems sensible.

Quick clarification question on TDD. I take different doses of Novarapid each day depending on what I eat. If I have a day where I don't eat (does happen on really busy days bar tea and coffee) I stay stable with 2 units AM and 4 units PM of Humulin I.

Any suggestions on how I work out my TDD as my bolus is so variable?
 
Hi there

Firstly, the treatment you describe is a disgrace. I am sorry that this has been your experience.

You can contact your local Patient Advisory Liaison Service for help, I have found them to be helpful in the past - they will also call you back at your request to save your phone bill.

http://www.pals.nhs.uk/

:thumbup:
 
To clarify, PALS will be able to help with your referral / treatment transfer - not your dosage!

Have you been given ketone test strips? You must get some. The standard (relatively new) NHS advice on treating high BG as given to me at clinic are:

Glucose: More than 14 Ketones: 0 -1 Take correction dose
Glucose: More than 14 Ketones: 1-3 Take double correction dose and repeat hourly until ketones less than 1
Glucose: More than 14 Ketones: Over 3 Take double correction dose as above and seek medical advice

Measure glucose and ketone levels hourly
Drink plenty of sugar free fluids
Retest ketones every hour until less than 1.


*Reposted by me as my table was unclear! :***:
 

Ahh, that was never explained to me......I would never dream/think, to double the correction dose, but I have noticed that when 'off the chart' high, it does take longer than usual to come down, I just put that down to the sugars being higher than I accounted for (my meter reads to 33mmol)

you learn something every new every day..... :thumbup:

Bob
 
Have you contacted your local PALS service? they should be able to help.
Also try Diabetes UK for the "careline"[sorry I have for gotten the number, but it's on their website]. They offer help and support with healthcare professionals.
Hana
 
Thank you everyone for taking time to reply, i am going to check again tomorrow as to if refferal been recieved, if not i will attend walk in session at my doctors and kick some butt. I really want to get this under control now and is very hard when feel like im on my own. I have some Ketone strips and at most have been showing +1 so feeling relieved at that, i am very worried about using nova rapid much as most the time im on my own with baby and really fear hypoing and not being able to attend to her. I know this is psychological and is something i need to address.
If i have no luck tomorrow i will defiantly be contacting PALS for assistance. Just hoping i will see someone before christmas
 
Finally got an appointment for next monday about time
 
It astonishes me when i hear the advice some people are given. The scary thing is that the bdec course is more or less what i was taught 24 years ago. I've always found that it is really effective.

I'd suggest picking that up and also trying to get the details of a local diabetic nurse who you should call and discuss your problems with, and as others have said, keep your sugars close whilst you adjust your insulin levels.

Don't give up, it's worth it, and once you get your blood sugars down to a more healthy balanced level you will feel much better.
 
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