Who In The Forum Is Diabetic ???

[Slinky]

I'd like to hear from our diabetic members just how they were educated, instructed and trained to monitor their diabetis including insulin shots if necessary.

WHO did the educating and training?

I'd like to rub the comparison w/CPAP training and rub it in the faces of a few "sleep specialist" doctors.

[Eleena]

I have been diabetic for 30 years. I was 7 years old when diagnosed. I remember my mom taking me to classes at a hospital to learn about how to test blood sugar and how to give insulin. I also saw a dietician to learn what I could and could not eat. I now take insulin twice a day. My current doctor allows me to change my insulin dosage as needed but I do have a prescribed amount which I normally stick to. My doctor is great and still educates me about diabetes. I test my blood sugar regularly which I believe is why my A1C's are always good.

Missy

[chimp]

Slinky
I was diagnosed with Diabetes approximately 10 years ago and was given a little training in the hospital when I was diagnosed and suffering from ketoacidosis. The training consisted of the proper loading of the syringe with insulin and different injection sites. The day after I was released I attended a Diabetes education class put on by the same hospital. It was a 1 day class that lasted a hour or so and was taught by a RN. There I was issued glucometer and instructed on its use. They also talked about healty diets and how to count carbs.
I had heard good things about another class given by a local medical clinic, so I decided to sign up. I learned so much from these classes. There were 3 two hour classes over a period of three weeks. The class was taught by a dietician, who was also a certified Diabetes educator. She taught us about how the different Diabetes medication work. She also made us keep a log of our daily blood glucose levels before and after meals. We also had to log what we had eaten and when we had eaten it. We were also taught about the complications of uncontrolled Diabetes. At each class she went over the meals we had eaten and our glucose readings to find out if our diets were working for us. She recommended changes in our diets if needed. We were given samples of low carb snacks and drinks. She wanted us to take control of our own therapy and to learn as much as we could so hopefully we woundn't suffer from any complications due to Diabetes. This class was taken around three years ago and I am happy to say that I am on oral medications and am no longer take insulin. I hope this helps.

Chimp

[greenvelvetdragon]

i was only diagnosed this past august (almost 1 year post cpap). i was very fortunate to be able to access the services of a "mobile" diabetes educator. she is an RN who comes to your (home or work, i chose home) it was BRILLIANT. i am on orals and diet and the support and info i had from her and still get is fantastic. as we have socialised medicine in OZ i was able to have the sessions partially funded and i got 6 per calendar year. i have only been out of pocket about 45.00 per session save the first one which was about 65.00 however in addition to a very frank discussion about NIDDM she also provided me with a glucose monitor and full training. so i saw her 3 times before xmas and once since. she lets me ring her/email when ever i need support or have questions. she set me up on an appropriate diet plan, looked at my feet, the whole box and dice. i did have the option to see the diabetes clinic at the hospital for free, but i actually work there, so not my preferred option. i knew this stuff anyway but from a practitioners view and it was really good to sit back and be the patient. i also have a very supportive gp, who made the referal to this wonderful lady. its made the whole expereince much easier to get my head around.

cheers- gvd

[Catnapper]

I was diagnosed about 2 years ago after several tests. I asked for and was given the device to check blood sugar, and told to check it once a day at different times before meals. No further instructions. Every 3 months I have a new A1C test, which is always in the normal range. No instructions. I asked to be sent to a dietitian who told me to eat lots of carbs according to the food pyramid. That was a 2 hour session at the hospital that had to be approved by insurance. I thought her advice was not very good. My blood sugar stays pretty good when I avoid lots of carbs.

I don't take insulin. I would have expected instructions if I did. I do take Metformin at supper time. I was told if I lose enough weight it will go away. (That sounds familiar to cpap instruction.)

I had better instruction with cpap.

That's it.

[JeffH]

I was diagnosed by my GP about 5 years ago. Was Rx'ed pills that have changed since. Not having insurance until recently, was given no education other than what is common knowledge.

JeffH

[Wulfman]

I'd like to hear from our diabetic members just how they were educated, instructed and trained to monitor their diabetis including insulin shots if necessary.

WHO did the educating and training?

I'd like to rub the comparison w/CPAP training and rub it in the faces of a few "sleep specialist" doctors.

About four years ago for me.....Type 2. WHAT "EDUCATING" and "TRAINING"?
That was as big of a joke as the Sleep Apnea experience.....but then it was from the same "group" of doctors in that clinic.

It took me about two years (and finding the ADA and dLife forums) to figure out how to get this more under control with diet and exercise. If I'd have kept doing what I was doing and following the doctor's instructions ("take these pills"), I'd be in seriously deep "do-do"......and been dependent on medications and/or have body parts amputated.

Den (could write a book on this one, too)

[Slinky]

This boggles my mind!!!! Those of you who were provided w/so little training and education for something as serious as diabetis!!! The type of support and training that Eleena, Chimp and GreenVelvetDragon received were more what I expected! I don't know what I am so surprised the medical profession and medical care has been going down hill in the USA for years!!! H*ll, I got better care back in the 1960s and even maybe the early 70s than we do now!!!!

[Wulfman]

This boggles my mind!!!! Those of you who were provided w/so little training and education for something as serious as diabetis!!! The type of support and training that Eleena, Chimp and GreenVelvetDragon received were more what I expected! I don't know what I am so surprised the medical profession and medical care has been going down hill in the USA for years!!! H*ll, I got better care back in the 1960s and even maybe the early 70s than we do now!!!!

Here's an interesting (current) thread discussing the "education" costs and insurance coverage (or lack thereof) FOR that education for people with diabetes. (It ain't free when they figured out that they can charge insurance to pay for it.)

http://community.diabetes.org/n/pfx/for ... &tid=28620

Den

[Goofproof]

I've been Diabetic for over 20 years. The first ten years was treated by doctor with pills, which did not control it, but lifes needs didn't make it a priority for me, so my health took the hit. For the last ten years I have takes a stronger effort to get treatment under control, and now am on two types of insulin. I use a avg of 200 units a day, in three doses of a mix that I decide by need and the type of foods I eat.

I still have a problem keeping my level lower than the high levels. My main problem is not being able to move and work, so it's hard to burn off the fuel, even with the Insulin. While I do need to keep the sugar level lower, I'm not willing to control my food intake, as it's the main thing I still enjoy. So we work within the area we are dealt. Jim

[Kiralynx]

I am not diabetic, though I had a scare in 2004 with an A1C of 6.1. Fortunately, a friend directed me to this Diabetes Forum

http://community.compuserve.com/n/pfx/f ... s-diabetes

This is somewhat smaller than it once was, but the people who are there are themselves diabetics and understand the issues. I went there to learn, then, when it developed that the higher BG was courtesy of the damaged knee, stuck around because I enjoyed the company.

One of the folks there, Dot, reports on her endo who provides education classes which he requires all his patients attend. He and his wife prepare suitable diabetic meals which are served at these classes so the patients can see that diabetic meal planning need not eliminate the good stuff. He was recently written up in the Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger (on 27 January 2009.)

Dr. Woo has developed a six-module education course that he requires his patients to attend, two hours per module, taught on Monday evenings. Dr. Woo himself does the teaching and prepares some of the food that is served during class. His wife, Pat, prepares the rest.

[GuyK]

About 6 years for me -- I wish I could report it was a good experience (the training, etc) but it wasn't. I ran into "professionals" who I think gave shallow advice that would easily be misunderstood by those that don't do the research into their own condition, and "take charge of their own therapy!"

Sound a little like an OSA experience?

On the other hand, and I did have this discussion with the CDE (certified diabetes educator), everyone diagnosed with DM (Type 2), should be handed a copy of Gretchen Becker's book "Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year." It is an excellent resource and is far better at explaining things than any other source I've ever seen. The CDE had never heard of the book. It's like a "What to Expect" for diabetics.

In fact, it would seem like there's a market for someone to write the book "OSA: The First Year" .

[Debjax]

We can also tie this in to cardiac rehabilitation. Hubby had an MI 3 years ago. He was sent by the doc to cardiac rehab where they taught him the proper way to exercise, also how to monitor his own BP, heartrate and O2 levels, AND the necessity to check his sugar (he is also diabetic) before and after exercise. We now have Glucose meters, BP machines, Nonyx O2 device, heartrate monitor for use when exercising....and now we have CPAP machines with a doctor and RT that are actually excited that we are monitoring our stats. My RT said she is "proud of me" for getting educated and staying up, after I said "I bet you hate patients like me..." She was emphatic in her response that MY keeping up with my treatment makes her job easier.

[GuyK]

I asked to be sent to a dietitian who told me to eat lots of carbs according to the food pyramid. That was a 2 hour session at the hospital that had to be approved by insurance. I thought her advice was not very good. My blood sugar stays pretty good when I avoid lots of carbs.
...
I was told if I lose enough weight it will go away. (That sounds familiar to cpap instruction.)

I had a very similar experience with a dietician. Here on one hand, you have a person with a chronic disease of impaired carbohydrate metabolism. On the other hand, you have a person armed with a food pyramid that weights carbohydrates. The two kind of clash, and absolutely must be balanced.

On diabetes forums, the intercourse is brutal, especially between those that are affirmed "low carbs" types and those that follow the ADA advice. The detractors of the ADA point out that major funding for the ADA comes from pharmaceutical companies that have a vested interest in higher carbohydrate diets along with pharmaceutical therapy.

Another good hot topic on those forums is the notion that it goes away. It's a chronic disease. Even if you lose weight and get blood glucose numbers back into a normal range, you still have the disease. It's just sitting there waiting for an increase in your carbohydrate consumption to prove that you can't metabolize them properly.

I knew I was in for trouble with my primary care doctor when he saw an A1C of 5.9 (high side of normal range) and said, "look, you're no longer diabetic!" I guess I can just run right out and eat a pound of M&M's then, right? (that was one of those things I wished I would have said).

[Slinky]

Amazing! For gawd's sake we got better medical care 40 years ago than we do now!!! At least in my experience!