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Upset.

NaijaChick

Well-Known Member
Messages
219
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello all,

As some of you may remember, I was having issues doing the finger pricking. My hypersensitivity did not help. So I called the DN team and was told to come to the drop in today.

I meet a nurse who proceeded to tell me that I had no choice but to do the finger pricking and it doesn’t hurt because she is diabetic.

There was no option. It was basically, you need to do this because you need to be on insulin before you get pregnant and during that time you’ll be doing it 4 times a day. She then went in to tell me that I’ll be diabetic all my life so I need to get used to it.

She said the Libre is not worth the money and that did I want to be paying almost £100 a month for something that is not accurate.

I told her if this is what I’ll be going through then I’ll start looking at adoption. I think this must have had an effect because she started talking about alternative testing sites and getting me equipment for that.

I’m not sure that I’m cut out for insulin and I’m really upset. She is going to be running the clinic next week and I feel like changing my appointment date to avoid her.

Sorry to rant.
 
NaijaChick said:
She said the Libre is not worth the money and that did I want to be paying almost £100 a month for something that is not accurate.
Click to expand...

That's a sweeping statement from her! I'm sure it had to pass certain criteria (accuracy being one of them) to be available to the general public, in some respects it's more accurate than finger blood tests - but yes for some people it just doesn't work right.

Now I remember a while back a device coming to the market that you held between your thumb and forefinger that took a 'blood' glucose reading, no prick, no pain apparently, the name or any meaningful information escapes me at the mo, I'll see if I can track it down, I don't know if it is even available now though.
 
Hi @NaijaChick Unfortunately it sounds like you found a nurse lacking an empathy button which in my experience is rare, but also not very good for you.

I have some tips with finger pricking, it doesn't need to be painful, I use the side of my pads of my middle, ring and little fingers, so don't use the forefinger or thumb. I can adjust my finger pricker from 1-9, so keep it on the 5 setting, I also change the lancet regularly too so it's sharp. Also try and train your brain to think of something else whilst you do it so hum a favourite tune, it's a distraction technique but will stop you focusing on pain which leaves a negative impression.

Libres are worth the money - I can only guess this nurse hasn't used it so doesn't realise the importance of the information it can provide, knowledge is key to good control.

Don't let one person put you off, this is just one person, stand up for what you believe in but please remember key to all of this is that you need to keep good BG control, so if insulin is the best way to manage this then you will need to accept this is the best way forward for you.
 
@slip thank you so much. We had a trainee nurse in with us and she mentioned this but the nurse told her that is did not exist. The student said it was a trail that another patient in her old hospital had brought in with them. This is amazing. I’m actually going to email it to them and say
 
in the web page to the left there's a sign up for trialling it - just in case you missed that bit, but yes contact them by all means possible!
 
@NaijaChick I have just been reading your profile and, of course, your post at the start of this thread. You are Type 2, young (intending to get pregnant) and on Metformin only. Most surgeries refuse to prescribe testing strips etc to people in your circumstances, saying it is quite unnecessary and even dangerous!!! Is there something I've missed here?
Type 2 diabetes is all about high sugar levels largely caused by consuming too much sugar and starches. Testing your own blood sugars before and after meals is the best way of showing you how different foods affect you and what to avoid, though if you read around the Diet Doctor site, https://www.dietdoctor.com/ you'll soon get the idea. Once you know what not to eat and you stick to it as a way of life, there is little need to test (unless you want to) and the likelihood of progressing to insulin is remote. Indeed you should be able to have normal blood sugars.
Sally
 
The Freestyle Libre is a brilliant tool for helping with control, this cannot be disputed. Many T1s on this forum have gained superb control because of it. However, it is not a replacement for finger pricking for people using insulin. Other insulin users and Libre users will confirm this.
 
they area couple of grand. i know this is going to sound un caring but if you cant cope with finger pricking then pregnancy and child birth are going to be fun. if your going onto insulin then you dont have a choice. you must test with the libra you still need to prick plus the sensor wont be fun. the sensor that reads your skin colour also needs the odd prick. it would be better to invesigate whats caused this phobia and get treatment. even considering adoption instead of child birth is a silly comment. dont allow acondition to rule you. just as we dont allow diabetes to rule us.
 
I can't help wondering why you have been told to test 6 times a day when you are a Type 2 on Metformin. Yes of course testing is advisable in order to help with control, but it isn't essential. I also don't understand why you have been told you will be moving to insulin. Is this something to do with trying to become pregnant? What exactly is in your nurse's mind and has she explained any of this? Have I missed something here? Sorry to be a bit thick here. I have no experience of diabetes and pregnancy.
 
I was told by DN that regardless of bgs/no-meds you had to be on insulin and it had to start before you were pregnant... otherwise the baby would be fat (I'm sure there's a legit medical reason but .... pffft). Anyway, that put me off sharpish!
 
Try alternative sites.
We are all different.

Remember libre still needs backing up with pricks too.
 
Chocomin said:
I was told by DN that regardless of bgs/no-meds you had to be on insulin and it had to start before you were pregnant... otherwise the baby would be fat (I'm sure there's a legit medical reason but .... pffft). Anyway, that put me off sharpish!
Click to expand...
Some fat babies can kill you.
Why would you cause a baby all the associated problems with a bad pregnancy/birth and maybe no mum?
Insulin is to protect everyone. Mum from strokes or a heart attack in pregnancy or at labour.
Its very very expensive insulin need and care for pregnant type2s. NHS wouldn't spend all that money, if they didn't have to. Believe me.
 
Chocomin said:
I was told by DN that regardless of bgs/no-meds you had to be on insulin and it had to start before you were pregnant... otherwise the baby would be fat (I'm sure there's a legit medical reason but .... pffft).
Click to expand...
I'm just hoping @Chocomin that you mis-heard the diabetic nurse (easily done!), or that s/he has been sent down the salt mines for a period of re-education. What on this earth would someone with very good/normal-due-to-diet blood sugars, on no-meds need with injections of insulin? Permanent hypo, I would have thought. It is raised insulin (first signs of diabetes) which causes big babies (it's the fat storing hormone), which allows the authorities to say, "if you have a big baby you are at risk of diabetes". A big baby is/can be a very early indication of something not quite right metabolically.
Sally
 
Thank you all for your replies. The problem is the pain that I experience while doing the prick and after. I have a very low pain threshold but the pain is like a cut that is healing and should not be disturbed. I’m 35 and the stress of Pregnancy put me off for a long time, I know that pregnancy and child birth will be difficult, thanks for reminding me
.
The general rule is that if you even for a second think your going to get pregnant as a Type2, it’s straight to insulin and you testing. I understand that the risks to the baby can be life threatening hence the NHS giving test strips etc(Apart from the supplies I received last week, I buy all my lancets and strips, I don’t want to drain the NHS, when I can afford it)
I’m not needle phobic but it’s the pain that is the issue. I’ll buy the genteel as the long term cost is slightly cheaper than my OneTouch system. Wish me luck.
 
I've been reading up about this as I was intrigued. As far as I can see, insulin is only needed if blood sugar levels are not controlled to the level required for a safe pregnancy. Clearly there is a need for regular testing to ensure BS levels are satisfactory. However, if the levels are satisfactory then insulin will not be required. BS can be brought to satisfactory levels with an appropriate low carb diet. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/type-2-diabetes-women#2

I do wish you luck. x
 
Fortunately normal pre-pregnancy care if the NHS envisage a large baby and huge complications.
Many don't have children for less thou.

I saw one lady delighted she was having a huge baby. She was going to become famous for giving birth to the world's biggest baby. However it wasn't a live birth.
 
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