T1 diabetics thread
Discussion
mike9009 said:
Hi
T1 diabetic here, diagnosed at 7 years old (suspect cause mumps). 38 years later still here despite some periods of poor control. I don't understand the new scales for HBA1C but mine was 7.9. <must try harder>
Had some complications along the way (mainly retinopathy to date).
Mike
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-units-converter.htmlT1 diabetic here, diagnosed at 7 years old (suspect cause mumps). 38 years later still here despite some periods of poor control. I don't understand the new scales for HBA1C but mine was 7.9. <must try harder>
Had some complications along the way (mainly retinopathy to date).
Mike
Better than mine.
mike9009 said:
Thanks for that link. 8.3is not too bad. The two lads at work are both in the 6's which always makes me feel bad. Except the number of hypos they have seems abnormal. Almost daily or more frequently they seem to be grabbing a bottle of lucuzade.
I go 'low' perhaps once or twice a week - but have pretty good signals still.
HbA1c are a useful measure but not the be all and end all. No good having a decent average if you're not stable. I go 'low' perhaps once or twice a week - but have pretty good signals still.
mike9009 said:
PositronicRay said:
mike9009 said:
Thanks for that link. 8.3is not too bad. The two lads at work are both in the 6's which always makes me feel bad. Except the number of hypos they have seems abnormal. Almost daily or more frequently they seem to be grabbing a bottle of lucuzade.
I go 'low' perhaps once or twice a week - but have pretty good signals still.
HbA1c are a useful measure but not the be all and end all. No good having a decent average if you're not stable. I go 'low' perhaps once or twice a week - but have pretty good signals still.
One thing we have often discussed is a blood sugar monitor which tells you the current value and whether the blood sugar is increasing or decreasing. (not sure how this would work??) But if you take your level a couple of hours after a meal and it is 14 - do you inject and if so how much? If the level was dropping or rising you would have two completely different answers as to how much insulin to take. (or just don't test too close after a meal or injection!
)Mike
PS there must be more T1s on here other than us two???
If I'm @ 14, 2hrs after a jab, I'm often down to 5 or 6 before my next meal so don't risk correcting, sugar spikes are a problem so I've started to split my basal (lantus) 50/50 am/pm
Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 12th February 08:44
Feirny said:
Mine will be 22 years as of Wednesday. Current HBA1C is 6.1 in old money.
Suffered a detached retina caused by retinopathy which was casued by poor control over a number of years, now back under control and being pretty strict with it all.
Pretty tight control there Feirny. Suffered a detached retina caused by retinopathy which was casued by poor control over a number of years, now back under control and being pretty strict with it all.
Corso Marche said:
Type 1 for 21 years now. Another sibling is type 1 since the age of 9.
I need to get serious about exercise, weight gain over the last 2-3 years has been pronounced, and in the last 6 months my blood sugars are quite high in the morning, it seems my basal evening/overnight dose isn't performing as it used to. Daytime and evening are still ok though.
It's a tricky one this, I tend to increase my basal, seems to sort it for a while, then night time hypos start, so peg it back to where it was.I need to get serious about exercise, weight gain over the last 2-3 years has been pronounced, and in the last 6 months my blood sugars are quite high in the morning, it seems my basal evening/overnight dose isn't performing as it used to. Daytime and evening are still ok though.
Stress sends everything haywire too.
I've started splitting my basal now 50/50 am/pm. It took a couple of days to settle seems to be working, early days though.
Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 12th February 08:45
mike9009 said:
PositronicRay said:
Corso Marche said:
Type 1 for 21 years now. Another sibling is type 1 since the age of 9.
I need to get serious about exercise, weight gain over the last 2-3 years has been pronounced, and in the last 6 months my blood sugars are quite high in the morning, it seems my basal evening/overnight dose isn't performing as it used to. Daytime and evening are still ok though.
It's a tricky one this, I tend to increase my basal, seems to sort it for a while, then night time hypos start, so peg it back to where it was.I need to get serious about exercise, weight gain over the last 2-3 years has been pronounced, and in the last 6 months my blood sugars are quite high in the morning, it seems my basal evening/overnight dose isn't performing as it used to. Daytime and evening are still ok though.
Stress sends everything haywire too.
I've started splitting my basal now 50/50 am/pm. It took a couple of days to settle seems to be working, early days though.
Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 12th February 08:45
Mike
So I've pegged it back down and split the dose am/pm, it's taken a week or so to settle down but I've now started to tweak it up again. If need be I can run with a different day/night time doses.
I haven't fitted for a few yrs, when I did I don't think it was basal related. Just out of my normal routine and screwing up.
Feirny said:
PositronicRay said:
I'm pleased, that thar Christmas is finished, BS has been all over the place.
Off to the clinic on the 17th with a view to petitioning for a freestyle libra.
I’m the same with Christmas. I’ve had a libre for 18 months, most of it self funded but the last 3 months have been on the NHS. It’s absolutely brilliant bit of kit.Off to the clinic on the 17th with a view to petitioning for a freestyle libra.
I'm impressed you managed to get NHS to fund. After self funding I'd have thought they'd be reluctant.
Corso Marche said:
My sister started with the Libra earlier in 2019, self-funded. She's well impressed. Considering it myself, but waiting to see if any other companies bring similar offerings to market in 2020 before I do.
That must be unusual to have T1 siblings. Any genetic connection? pharmvrs said:
NoNeed said:
I have had the same, self funded for some time then the consultant said he would help me get it on the NHS as he liked to help people that wanted to help themselves it also means I can manage my shift working better too
If anyone want’s to get the NHS cost of their current set up please drop me a PM or post here - test strips, lancets, insulin etc etc all add up to a total cost which may be higher than the total cost of the libre device. When these costs are presented it may help persuade your prescriber. I use 2 machines, one for the house and one for walking & working.
Accu-chek mobile and Accu-chek compact
ETA
Based on economics I should be in with a shout, I'm doing circa 200 finger picks a month.
Edited by PositronicRay on Wednesday 1st January 16:13
Corso Marche said:
That's interesting. My sister uses a pharmacy over 1 hour away from me and they told her last summer they could no longer get the cassettes for the Mobile.
Then in September my pharmacy told me the same thing. I bought some myself elsewhere, but finished the last cassette a few days ago.
Looks like I'll be asking some more pressing questions in the pharmacy in coming days!
Yes, I pick up a script most months. Then in September my pharmacy told me the same thing. I bought some myself elsewhere, but finished the last cassette a few days ago.
Looks like I'll be asking some more pressing questions in the pharmacy in coming days!
pharmvrs said:
Just a quick follow up:
Mobile cassettes: £9.99 per 50 tests (Still available in UK and Ireland but supplies can be sporadic)
Lancets generally £2-3 per 100
Needles generally £2-3 per 100
Sharpsbox £1 per 1litre size
Humalog cartridges per 5 pack £28.31, kwikpen pack of 5 £29.46
Lantus cartridges and solostar pen per 5 pack £37.77
Levemir flexpen for 5 pens £42.00
There is the potential with the libre device that you use less insulin as the glucose control is better.
ThxMobile cassettes: £9.99 per 50 tests (Still available in UK and Ireland but supplies can be sporadic)
Lancets generally £2-3 per 100
Needles generally £2-3 per 100
Sharpsbox £1 per 1litre size
Humalog cartridges per 5 pack £28.31, kwikpen pack of 5 £29.46
Lantus cartridges and solostar pen per 5 pack £37.77
Levemir flexpen for 5 pens £42.00
There is the potential with the libre device that you use less insulin as the glucose control is better.
Cheaper than I thought, how much does the NHS pay for libre sensors?
pharmvrs said:
PositronicRay said:
Thx
Cheaper than I thought, how much does the NHS pay for libre sensors?
The NHS pays £35 per device which is operational for 14 days.Cheaper than I thought, how much does the NHS pay for libre sensors?
I have heard there are some supply issues with the libre device currently
blackscooby said:
Freestyle Libre update.
Sensor failed get send a reading to my phone a few times on Saturday, then on yesterday from late afternoon it won't send anything to the phone. Just gives "Glucose reading is unavailable. Try scanning again in 10 mins".
Spoke to Abbotts and they're going to send me a new sensor. Not the best way to start a 2 week trial, but at least they're sending me a new sensor.
Mark
The failure rate concerns me, the things ain't cheap. Good to see Abbott doing the right thing. Sensor failed get send a reading to my phone a few times on Saturday, then on yesterday from late afternoon it won't send anything to the phone. Just gives "Glucose reading is unavailable. Try scanning again in 10 mins".
Spoke to Abbotts and they're going to send me a new sensor. Not the best way to start a 2 week trial, but at least they're sending me a new sensor.
Mark
mike9009 said:
Looks like accu chem discontinued it in December.
https://www.accu-chek.co.uk/help/blood-glucose-met...
Ahh that explains it, it was a pretty clunky old thing. I'm using a mobile too, so stick with it for a while. https://www.accu-chek.co.uk/help/blood-glucose-met...
mike9009 said:
I am a reasonably healthy T1 of 46 years of age. I was diagnosed aged 7 years old.
I have never had the flu, tonsillitis, etc. - my immune system is pretty robust.
However, I have the option to work from home for the medium term, so I think from next week I will. My concern, is if I do catch this my normal control will go out the window. I believe viruses can do weird things to blood sugar levels, according to my T1 work colleagues.
The only caveat is, if I catch it now, I can build my immune system a little, ready for the next mutation/ strain.
Anyone staying at work?
Mike
As a T1 your immune system is compromised. If I'm getting a cold often BS levels increase before any other symptoms present. I have never had the flu, tonsillitis, etc. - my immune system is pretty robust.
However, I have the option to work from home for the medium term, so I think from next week I will. My concern, is if I do catch this my normal control will go out the window. I believe viruses can do weird things to blood sugar levels, according to my T1 work colleagues.
The only caveat is, if I catch it now, I can build my immune system a little, ready for the next mutation/ strain.
Anyone staying at work?
Mike
Sometimes it seems, no matter how much insulin you use levels just don't come down, even if not eating. Careful though, they can just crash.
I have issued a ketone testing kit too, the problem is it has a very short shelf life. So not really possible to keep one in the house.
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