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Original poster

Type 1 Diabetes Support Thread

25 replies

sunndydays · 12/02/2011 13:45

I don't think there is already one...Can we have one please? Obviously people with type 2 can join too....I really want some chocolate and since having DD have been so slack that my Hba1c is over 9 :(

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paddyclamp · 12/02/2011 18:23

I'll join! My last a1c was 6.3 but my bug bear is hypos..have hypo unawareness that is getting worse :/

Original poster

sunndydays · 12/02/2011 18:30

Mine was 6.3 when I was pregnant, best it's ever been! That must be awful for you, maybe you should get one of those dogs that tells you when your sugar lever is dropping! Are you in the UK?

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paddyclamp · 12/02/2011 20:41

Yeh i'm in the UK...are you? Have thought about getting the pump but don't fancy it really..think it's the idea of being attatched to something 24/7

The only times i feel a hypo is either when i'm asleep...it wakes me up thankfully..and when i've been drinking!!!!

Original poster

sunndydays · 13/02/2011 08:26

Yes I am, luckily I have the most amazing team at my hospital. I was going to ask you about a pump, in the US and Germany everyone has one, the criteria here seems to be pretty strict... ISWYM about it being a bit weird though, I still feel it would be better than 5 injections a day, for me anyway, but it is unlikely to ever happen!

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paddyclamp · 13/02/2011 19:33

Yes i think anyone can get a pump privately but to qualify for one on the NHS you have to show that other methods of treatment ie MDI has failed..when were you diagnosed?

Original poster

sunndydays · 13/02/2011 20:38

Diagnosed when I was 12, nearly 12 years ago, my mum has type 1 and picked up the symptoms

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brambleschooks · 13/02/2011 21:09

My son has t1. All our lives changed amazingly for the better when he got his pump. Hes in control now and his hb is better. He can also alter for having lazy days or energetic days. We're now paying for continuous glucose monitoring using a dexcom 7 system.

Look at the nice guidelines for pumps for t1. Having a high hb is one of the qualifying things, I think.

Do you carb count? That helps us. He eats what he wants when he wants - within limits of course of 'healthy eating with treats'!

paddyclamp · 13/02/2011 23:24

Yeh i read that too about the high a1c qualifying us for a pump..i honestly don't mind the injections cos i too eat what i want and when, just cover the carbs with novorapid

I think the other thing that makes me worry about the pump is how i would hide it! At least an injection is over and done with!

That's interesting about your mum sunndy...i'm always paranoid if one of my kids gets thirsty or tired!

Original poster

sunndydays · 14/02/2011 07:28

Yeah, they say it isn't hereditary, but obviously it is an autoimmune disease so my mum and I have diabetes, my sister has lupus, my other sister has had trouble with her kidneys and there is a history of thyroid problems (mine is currently borderline) I hope dd stay free of it all!

When my hba1c was good I was carb counting, to be honest I have just become lazy and have been using dd as an excuse but I am now ready to get back to work and my first mission is to get my first morning bm to below 7, I fibnd once that one is sorted it is easier to do the rest.

brambles have you paid for the whole pump? Does that mean you have to go private for all of your sons diabetic care?

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brambleschooks · 14/02/2011 13:36

My husband is coeliac, that's the link with my sons diabetes.

Sunny, nearly all of my sons care is on the good old nhs. His pump is fantastic, by animas. There are lots of ways to hide it on women, like bra cases! We just adapt the trouser pockets so that the tubing comes up through it as he likes to be private. We are just paying privately for sensors - many parents of children with t1 are having to do this as there are currently no separate nice guidelines for pcts to follow.

Original poster

sunndydays · 14/02/2011 20:15

Looking at the guidelines I don't think I would be a candidate as we all know that my hba1c can be below 7, and it seems you can only get the pump if it is consistently over 8.5 despite trying to keep it down or if you are having awful hypos. paddy maybe you should look into it, I have seen videos of them on youtube they look amazing!

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brambleschooks · 14/02/2011 21:09

Never say never, sunny. Some teams are more flexible in their approach. Some of my friends have moved hospitals to get the care they need for their children.

fallingandlaughing · 14/02/2011 21:58

Has anyone tried the DAFNE course? It is not available everywhere, but it is really good. Did it at my local hospital 2 years ago and it has changed my life - good control with less hypos. Am now 17 weeks weeks pregnant. Last HBA1c was 6.3. Can eat choc whenever I want!

brambleschooks · 14/02/2011 22:32

We did the equivalent of dafne at our local hospital - fab. However, steady control in a boy going through puberty is a challenge!
Congratulations on the pregnancy. :)

paddyclamp · 14/02/2011 22:39

Teens was the time that my levels were most unstable Brambles!! I did the equivalent of DAFNE too and i do stick to it...don't have much trouble with highs at all..think maybe i'm so scared of them that causes the hypos cos i run my levels a bit too tightly!

How often does everyone else test? I have to check every hour at work :S

Original poster

sunndydays · 15/02/2011 08:31

I have been told to be careful how much I test because I can get a bit obsessed with it So I tend to try to stick to 4 times a day. I haven't done the DAFNE course but I know my hospital offer it, maybe I should?

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Original poster

sunndydays · 15/02/2011 09:05

Also Congrats on your pregnancy fallingandlaughing have you started your fortnightly appointments yet? Are you going to be induced at 38 weeks?

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paddyclamp · 15/02/2011 21:12

Yeh congratulations! Is this your first baby?

brambleschooks · 15/02/2011 21:44

We test Munson every couple of hours and at least once in the night- more if he needs it. The sensor means that we can test less now and warns us of highs and lows earlier.

brambleschooks · 15/02/2011 22:05

iPad spellcheck fail! My son not Munson!

fallingandlaughing · 26/02/2011 16:04

Thanks for the congratulations.

Yes, first pregnancy. It seems to be going so quick! Past 19 weeks so more than halfway there.

From 12 weeks I have had fornightly appts. I see midewife, diabetes nurse, diabetes consultant, obstetrician, dietician. Feel well looked after, to say the least. The appts will go weekly from 30 weeks and I should be induced at 38 weeks or before.

paddyclamp · 27/02/2011 22:50

I was lucky in that i didn't need to be induced as i went early with both of mine (38 weeks and 36 weeks)....did have quite big babies though! But the docs said that might not have been diabetes related because my control was really good throughout pregnancy...also even thought they were big they weren't chubby!

Original poster

sunndydays · 28/02/2011 12:17

My dd had the chubbiest cheeks ever!! 8lb at 36 weeks, but that was her massive head so I am told not diabetes related.

It sounds like you are being really well looked after fallingandlaughing I used to love getting more scans than anyone else I know!

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Oblomov · 18/03/2011 18:30

Just adding name to list. Hb1ac is 7.4. Target set by Kings is 6.5 - 7.5.
My hypos are getting worse. I am 2.1 atleast twice per day. 33.1 twice a week.
I keep sending my pump downloads to them weekly. we are really trying, but ....
Funding agreed for a VEO last month. so maybe the glucose monitor part will help me, we'll see.

JenMcS · 31/01/2012 16:18

Hi there,
I am a PhD student at the University of Southampton. I have been working with people who have diabetes for the past few years.

Some of the people I spoke to had other conditions as well as diabetes and found it difficult to manage all of their conditions at the same time.

A few people I spoke to had depression with diabetes and told me about their experiences of having both conditions.

Based on these interviews I have designed a questionnaire looking at how people make sense of and manage having both diabetes and depression. I'm hoping this questionnaire might be used to help people with diabetes and depression in the future.

I would be really grateful if anyone who has diabetes and depression would like to take part. Further information and a link to the questionnaires online are available under Media/non-member requests: Diabetes and Depression Research

If anyone has any questions or would like more information then please get in touch.

Thank you!
Jenny

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