# Hello



## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

Hello i am a newbie diagnosed LADA 6 months


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## rebrascora (Jun 30, 2020)

Hi Gaza and welcome.

How did your diagnosis come about and how are you managing it? Which insulin have you been given or are you still managing without at this stage? 
Anything particular you are struggling with?

You have certainly come to the right place for guidance and support. The forum is a fantastic resource of knowledge and experience as well as a friendly and empathetic community. I hope you find it as hugely beneficial as I have over the past year and a bit. 

Feel free to ask anything.... someone will know at least one answer.... but usually there will be a variety of responses to choose from. Diabetes can be very individual and what works for one person may not work for another. You have to become the expert in your own diabetes, but you will get lots of tips and tricks on how to achieve that here. Make yourself at home.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

Hi rebrascora 
I was diagnosed for type 2, 10 years ago by my GP, since then I have went from 10 stone down to 7 stone 12
My GP just kept giving me more and more meds and sugars kept rising.
After a review with dietetics they sent me to hospital to see a consultant.
Got a c-peptide test done measurable at 1.1 and a antibody test which returned positive.
This all happened 6 months ago now being treated as LADA 1.5 on novo rapid and lancet solo star H1abc 60.
I have gained 2 stone in 6 months so glad they figured it out for i was just wasting away.
It has take sometime to get my head around it with no follow up due to the pandemic but getting there.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

rebrascora said:


> Hi Gaza and welcome.
> 
> How did your diagnosis come about and how are you managing it? Which insulin have you been given or are you still managing without at this stage?
> Anything particular you are struggling with?
> ...





rebrascora said:


> Hi Gaza and welcome.
> 
> How did your diagnosis come about and how are you managing it? Which insulin have you been given or are you still managing without at this stage?
> Anything particular you are struggling with?
> ...


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## Hannah Diabetes UK (Jun 30, 2020)

Hi Gaza, 

Welcome to the Forum! Please feel free to participate in any conversations, we have tried to create a friendly environment for people to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with. So have an explore and do not hesitate to reach out if you need any further support.


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## rebrascora (Jun 30, 2020)

Oh dear! There was me thinking someone was on the ball and diagnosed you as LADA straight off. Sorry to hear you had such a rough time getting the correct diagnosis. We see quite a few new members here who are diagnosed Type 2 when their symptoms suggest otherwise and we encourage them to press for C-peptide and GAD testing. Having the correct diagnosis and treatment is so important but unfortunately most GPs are just not clued up on Type 1 let alone LADA or the other even rarer forms of diabetes.

Have you been offered any tech to help manage your BG levels like the Freestyle Libre. I am guessing you haven't been on a course like DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) or whatever your local equivalent us as all courses have been cancelled due to lockdown.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

rebrascora said:


> Oh dear! There was me thinking someone was on the ball and diagnosed you as LADA straight off. Sorry to hear you had such a rough time getting the correct diagnosis. We see quite a few new members here who are diagnosed Type 2 when their symptoms suggest otherwise and we encourage them to press for C-peptide and GAD testing. Having the correct diagnosis and treatment is so important but unfortunately most GPs are just not clued up on Type 1 let alone LADA or the other even rarer forms of diabetes.
> 
> Have you been offered any tech to help manage your BG levels like the Freestyle Libre. I am guessing you haven't been on a course like DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) or whatever your local equivalent us as all courses have been cancelled due to lockdown.


Hi Barbara 
I was due to attend a DAFNE course in April but it was cancelled, I have been offered the Freestyle Libre but I think I have to complete the DAFNE course first.
I might be waiting awhile.
Kind regards
Gary


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## rebrascora (Jun 30, 2020)

Good to hear that you have been offered the Libre and a DAFNE... which is really great by the way. I have been sanctioned by the consultant for the Libre on prescription but I have to have a training course first and like DAFNE they are on hold, so I decided to self fund until I get them on prescription. I am on my second sensor now and absolutely love them. You get so much info from them and the convenience of just swiping whenever you want gives you so much more confidence to make decisions about food and bolus doses and corrections and exercise and going to sleep on a night and being able to scan it in the middle of the night if you need to without having to put a light on and faff around trying to get blood out of a finger and then just roll over and go back to sleep.
They are not cheap to self fund and I certainly can't afford to do it long term but I will be ordering some more to replace these as I really do not want to be without them now.


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## Deleted member 27171 (Jun 30, 2020)

Hi @Gaza51 welcome to the forum. What a rough ride you’ve had getting the right diagnosis, glad to see the right treatment is working well though.
Youll find lots of support here so any questions, thoughts, tips etc are always welcomed not matter how big or small they seem.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

rebrascora said:


> Good to hear that you have been offered the Libre and a DAFNE... which is really great by the way. I have been sanctioned by the consultant for the Libre on prescription but I have to have a training course first and like DAFNE they are on hold, so I decided to self fund until I get them on prescription. I am on my second sensor now and absolutely love them. You get so much info from them and the convenience of just swiping whenever you want gives you so much more confidence to make decisions about food and bolus doses and corrections and exercise and going to sleep on a night and being able to scan it in the middle of the night if you need to without having to put a light on and faff around trying to get blood out of a finger and then just roll over and go back to sleep.
> They are not cheap to self fund and I certainly can't afford to do it long term but I will be ordering some more to replace these as I really do not want to be without them now.


It is worth looking into.
In the current climate of Covid 19 it could be a game changer for me.
Have you heard of any complaints of verifine 4mm pen needles, as I am having a few issues lately.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

LucyDUK said:


> Hi @Gaza51 welcome to the forum. What a rough ride you’ve had getting the right diagnosis, glad to see the right treatment is working well though.
> Youll find lots of support here so any questions, thoughts, tips etc are always welcomed not matter how big or small they seem.


Thanks for your help 
Sometimes I wonder how I am still alive after all this, my GP was terrible, it was only after the hospital Dietician flagged it, due to having lost so much weight.


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## Deleted member 27171 (Jun 30, 2020)

I must admit I exclaimed “10 years!” out loud when I read your post - it is quite astonishing that you went for so long without further investigation. You must’ve been feeling dreadful!


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

LucyDUK said:


> I must admit I exclaimed “10 years!” out loud when I read your post - it is quite astonishing that you went for so long without further investigation. You must’ve been feeling dreadful!


Hi Lucy I was down to 7 stone 12 pounds and I felt terrible.
Since I started using insulin I am now up to 9 stone 9 pounds and feel 100 times better.
I am just worried if any long term damage might have happened to before I was diagnosed.
Would you happen to know what HA1bc of 60 equates too? just got my results back from GP.
Thanks 
Gary


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## Deleted member 27171 (Jun 30, 2020)

60 is about 7.5 in old reporting format.
Were you getting all your annual diabetes checks when thought to be Type 2? So kidney function test, eye screening, foot checks etc?


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## rebrascora (Jun 30, 2020)

Gaza51 said:


> It is worth looking into.
> In the current climate of Covid 19 it could be a game changer for me.
> Have you heard of any complaints of verifine 4mm pen needles, as I am having a few issues lately.



No but I am having problems with BD Viva 4mm needles at the moment and so id another member here. 
What problems are you having.... needle blocked?


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## rebrascora (Jun 30, 2020)

It is a game changer regardless but certainly in the current climate even more important to have as good control of your diabetes as possible and Libre definitely facilitates that. It was £133 for a starter kit of reader and 2 sensors which is 28 days of as many readings a day as you like... I'm averaging about 35 swipes a day and I'm getting 95% readings in range this week and no hypos in last 7 days.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

LucyDUK said:


> 60 is about 7.5 in old reporting format.
> Were you getting all your annual diabetes checks when thought to be Type 2? So kidney function test, eye screening, foot checks etc?


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

Hi 
Yes I was getting my annual checks through my GP,   kidney function test, eye screening, foot checks.
But was getting more and more meds to control my rising sugar levels, the last one I had can't remember the name but it was to flush your kidneys of gulcose.
My last eye screening was in march of last year and was confirmed stage 1, feet ok, but long over due check up.
My injections are between 7-8 units of novo-rapid every meal and between 10-12 lancet solo-star at night.
Having problems eating the same food though all the time, and worried about eating fruit, I only eat pears.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

rebrascora said:


> No but I am having problems with BD Viva 4mm needles at the moment and so id another member here.
> What problems are you having.... needle blocked?


Blunt needles causing bad bruising.
I have had a few occasions when the part of the needle that goes into the pen has not been fully inserted.
I did check 2mls before use, but the pen locked halfway through, but managed to force it through.
Then it leaves me wondering did I get the correct dose.
The answer was no a while later when I checked.


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## Deleted member 27171 (Jun 30, 2020)

Gaza51 said:


> Hi
> Yes I was getting my annual checks through my GP,   kidney function test, eye screening, foot checks.
> But was getting more and more meds to control my rising sugar levels, the last one I had can't remember the name but it was to flush your kidneys of gulcose.
> My last eye screening was in march of last year and was confirmed stage 1, feet ok, but long over due check up.
> ...



Once you are able to attend the DAFNE course you should find more confidence in varying your diet a lot more. There is an online version that might help you out in the meantime called BERTIE





						Welcome - BERTIE Online
					






					www.bertieonline.org.uk


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

Thank you so much


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## SB2015 (Jun 30, 2020)

Welcome to the forum @Gaza51 from another late starter. 

What an awful time you had in the lead up to your diagnosis.
It is so common for older members to be misdiagnosed as T2 and given the wrong treatment.
So glad that have got you sorted out now and that you are in the hands of specialists.

The Libre is definitely a game changer, so I hope that you are able to get that soon.  With the delay in DAFNE, would it be worth asking if you can leapfrog that stage?  There are online courses about carb counting which you might be able to use in place of DAFNE.  The carb counting and learning how to adjust your doses is essential to make effective use of your Libre.  I learnt a lot of that from my DSN  before DAFNE because I knew that I needed to change my Bolus doses according to what I was eating.

Glad you have found the forum and look forward to hearing more from you.


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## Ditto (Jun 30, 2020)

Hello and welcome to the forum.


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

Ditto said:


> Hello and welcome to the forum.


Thank you


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## Gaza51 (Jun 30, 2020)

SB2015 said:


> Welcome to the forum @Gaza51 from another late starter.
> 
> What an awful time you had in the lead up to your diagnosis.
> It is so common for older members to be misdiagnosed as T2 and given the wrong treatment.
> ...


Thanks


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## trophywench (Jul 1, 2020)

Ring the Dr and tell him the needle probs you are getting and also that other Type1 diabetics have told you the BD Viva ones are currently causing the same probs, so can you have a box of some decent needles which won't jam and bruise you pdq - cos you're quite keen on staying alive.


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## SB2015 (Jul 1, 2020)

I have just read another thread where a number of people are complaining about the needles that you are using.  When I was switched I contacted the Practice Manager, explained why I was unhappy and I was switched back.  They are under financial pressures but they don’t have to use these every day.

BD Microfine were fine, and I was switched to Gluco RX which bruised every time, and I have now been given the viva ones.  I have not had to use any as yet as they are only my back up system, so I am hoping that as mine are quite old they are not as bad as those reported.


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## KARNAK (Jul 1, 2020)

Hello @Gaza51 (Gary) welcome to the forum.

Been through mill mate haven`t you? yes I lost 4 stone and all my mates kept
telling me to go to the Dr`s, took nine months before I went ambulance was called
immediately. HbA1c was 156, Ketones six, have you got a meter that does Ketones?
if not ask for one and make sure your meter is registered with the company who
supplied it, you can do it online or usually a free phone number. You can normally
get free batteries and log books, if there is a new up date on the meter just phone
them and they will send you a new meter FOC.

Please keep your meter for you will still need it if you go onto a Libre.
Although you are on the forum and thankyou for joining you have the
option of subscribing to the the DUK membership and receive a magazine
which is full of info and keeps you up to date with the latest technology plus
great recipes and people of all walks of life telling about their Diabetes journey.
Take care stay safe. Hope this helps?


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jul 2, 2020)

Welcome to the forum @Gaza51 

Sorry to hear about your delayed DAFNE course. 

And also the dreadful 10 year mis-classification you had to endure. I hope you can bounce back now you are on the correct treatment, and that no significant damage was done. 

There is no requirement to have attended a full structured education course like DAFNE in order to get Libre on prescription. I haven’t done DAFNE, but have been approved for Libre.

Your consultant just needs to be confident that you have the knowledge to make effective use of the tech, and then allow you a trial period - usually 6 months. 

These videos give helpful hints and tips about using Libre to maximum effect: https://abcd.care/dtn/flash-glucose-monitoring


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## Gaza51 (Jul 2, 2020)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Welcome to the forum @Gaza51
> 
> Sorry to hear about your delayed DAFNE course.
> 
> ...


Thank so much


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