Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dee on March 3, 2008 at 10:07am

I know exactly what you mean! About a year and a half ago I started DAFNE- multiple injections and carb counting and went from 10 down to 7.9 (now up to 8.2) - it made an amazing difference but I felt a bit angry that the doctors were telling me off for years when without the DAFNE education there was no way I could lower my HbA1C. I remember giving up because nothing ever worked and at one point ended up with HbA1Cs of 14. Now I understand it more it is easier but not perfect. My DAFNE course also taught me to be a bit more assertive with doctors- I dont think anyone should be told off because it is not like you asked for diabetes, is it?

Have you done DAFNE? If not- it advises only to take two fast acting carbs, like 4 jelly beans or a smallish glass of orange juice to raise you back up to the right level- it is much better than eating chocolate or eating until you feel better and you feel better quicker without the high hangovers.

Permalink Reply by Rebekah Humphrey on March 3, 2008 at 11:42am

Hey.

I have only just started SAILING (which is like DAFNE). This is because I want to go on the pump. Since starting te course, 3 weeks ago, I have only had4 lows - I usually go low at least once a day.

It is really good. One thing the nurse said was that the diabetes is mine, so no one should have a go at me about the way I live.

And she said that monitering is for my benifit, therefore I should test as I feel fit. So some people wont hardly test, while I now test 10 times a day often. Since I have started testing because I want to, I have started to see the benifit of testing, and writing down what I eat and do.

Permalink Reply by Lisa on March 30, 2008 at 4:49pm

My does this sound familiar! My daughter goes through this all the time. She is 14 and we just went to the endo on Friday. They think they are going to get her down to 7. She is 9.7 right now and the nurse just went on and on about how high that is for one of their patients. I felt like belting her right in the kisser! They think everyone is textbook. She was 12 until she got on the pump. I told them that we were doing everything right and they didn't believe us. She was on 33 units of Lantus. Three months after being on the pump her HbA1c was 9.1. They were shocked. Lantus was barely touching her.

But I hear your frustration. Can you possibly find another doctor?

Permalink Reply by weezie on June 30, 2010 at 5:14pm

My diabetes educator, who has made such a difference in my dealing with my type 2, told me when I was first put on Lantus (my a1c at that time was 14.6) that for a lot of us, a long-acting insulin like Lantus just isn't enough, since it works by keeping your liver from releasing glucose into your bloodstream, which is totally different than the way fast-acting insulins work. I couldn't get my readings or my a1c down until my doctor put me on a bolus insulin that I inject before breakfast and dinner. Since I started on in addition to the Lantus, and being extremely careful with my carb intake, I've gotten my a1c down to 6.3. Maybe her doctor should consider doing something like that with her.

Permalink Reply by Dean Phillips on March 30, 2008 at 5:07pm

Don't let anyone, especially a doctor or nurse, get you down. This disease is a pain in the ass to deal with. When I was first diagnosed an A1c of 8.0 was great, now that apparently is unacceptable. All labs are different and will likely give different results from the the same sample. My advice would be to not let "numbers" get you down. I too have eaten until feeling better, which starts the see-saw highs and lows which can be really tough to handle. This disease belongs to you and the best way to handle it is what works best for you, find your own way. Stay positive!

Permalink Reply by Dee on April 4, 2008 at 6:42am

Good advice! Sometimes they do not know everything. I have tested at least 4 times per day, never in my life missed an injection and now count carbs but it still isnt right for me and I know that this is because long acting insulin doesnt work for me personally (it never has) but this hasnt been suggested to me - I just know my records and myself. We are all individuals...

Permalink Reply by Lisa on April 5, 2008 at 11:41am

Long acting insulin did not work for my daughter either. Her A1C was 12 and after three months of the pump it was down to 9. We can't seem to get it any lower than that at the present moment, but it was very obvious to us that Lantus was barely touching her (up to 33 units a day before going on the pump). We even tried splitting the dose (like 1/2 the dose taken every 12 hours). Type 1 has got to be the most individualized disease out there. I'm all about changing doctors until you find one that works for you. We wouldn't stay with a hairdresser that gave us hard time over our hair, why do we put up with it from doctors. I was a medical transcriber for a few years. Most of them are so full of themselves, they forget that they are hear for us, not the other way around!

Permalink Reply by Stuart on September 12, 2008 at 8:53am

Hello Bek:

How's things going???

Stuart

Permalink Reply by Rachel on November 15, 2008 at 8:37pm

I totally understand that one.

Permalink Reply by Denise Suzanne Grant on January 24, 2010 at 3:59pm

I can sympathise with you.. Anything I eat, everything I eat, puts my blood sugars up. My last A1c test brought a number of 11.2 and I'm at a real loss what I can do short of starving myself. I eat healthily and exercise really healthily.. nothing helps!

Permalink Reply by Gina Scala on March 31, 2010 at 5:08am

What the heck does DAFNE and SAILING stand for....

Permalink Reply by Jake on April 6, 2010 at 4:57pm

DAFNE is a UK NHS run educational program for MDI... Think of it as advanced diabetes school.. they teach MDI and carb counting and what most consider pump basics... SAILING is similar (dont know where thats out of however)...

Shh im not sure im supposed to be here. I got my firs HbA1C post pump. and it hit 7.5 on the nose . I think thats the first time in 15 years..

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