# Another 75 year old newbie.



## Dodie (Feb 11, 2022)

Hi!  My name is Dodie and like Richard, I became type T3C last September when my pancreas was removed (along with some other bits of my digestive system). Although I would especially like to talk to any other T3C  diabetics, I would welcome help and advice from anyone who, like me,  had great difficulty in learning to cope with day to day problems such as suddenly feeling unsteady or heart beat racing and also being absolutely terrified of a Hypo so much so that as soon as I notice my glucose levels dropping to 7 or 6, I am reaching for a glucose drink or jelly babies, which of course sends my levels to far the other way.   
Many thanks for any advice   Dodie


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## Windy (Feb 11, 2022)

Hi Dodie, welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. I'm not a T3C, but I'm aware that there others on the forum who post reasonably often, so hopefully one of them will connect with you. 
Best wishes, Sarah


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## Inka (Feb 11, 2022)

Welcome @Dodie  @eggyg and @Proud to be erratic are just a couple of 3cs that spring to mind but there are lots more.


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 11, 2022)

Hello Dodie @Dodie and welcome to a select club.

I had pancreatic cancer and in Feb 20 I surrendered my pancreas during a Whipple procedure and gained instant diabetes. I, like you, found it all very challenging: post op recovery, then adjuvant chemo (just in case ....) and it was only late Oct 20 that I started to even think clearly. 

BUT, there is some light at the end of this tunnel. Now, 2 yrs on I'm still learning, yet feel much more in control than previously. It would help if at this stage you could tell us a little more, for a starter: 

    Why was your pancreas removed? Mine was because of cancer, but others often as a result of increasingly difficult pancreatitis.
   What insulins are you taking for your basal and bolus? I was started on Levermir 2x daily for my basal and NovoRapid 3x daily for my bolus, with a very rare corrective dose when really high. 
     Are you carb counting or just following a predefined formula given to you for insulin dosing? I started carb counting in late Oct 20 and that became a great help in better management of my Diabetes Mellis (DM).
    Do you have Libre 2 or just dependent on finger pricking to find out your BG? If you do have Libre 2 have you read some of the observations on this site about the good and not so good aspects of Libre 2? If you are only finger pricking at what frequency? I was given Libre 2 in Feb 20, just after the improved availability on the NHS. A further huge help in gaining control; but I'm pleased that I had a year doing the traditional method of finger pricking only, since when Libre 2 glitches I'm relaxed about managing without it. I did my apprenticeship! I now have an extra app called Diabox on my phone which gives me a Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system - but that's for another time.
   What reference material do you have access to, apart from this site - which is a great place to start? Have you found the Learning zone here at the Red tag at the top of this page?

Have you found the book by Gary Scheiner "Think Like a Pancreas" ? He writes unashamedly for insulin dependant diabetics and despite being in America takes the trouble to convert US numbers into European units. I found this book exceedingly helpful.

Are you under a Hospital based Diabetes Clinic and do you have the name and contact details of a Diabetes Specialised Nurse (DSN) who you can reach out to for technical queries? This is not the Nurse who might deal with diabetes patients at your GP's Surgery; it is highly unlikely that a GP surgery Nurse will know enough to help you with T3c aspects; almost all of their patients are Type 2s with very different problems. It is essential that as a T3c you are "nestled" within a Hospital Diabetes Specialist Team; in theory this will include a named Endocrinologist, but in practice at this stage you need a DSN who can interpret your fortnightly logbook readings and adjust you're insulin dosing regime. You will (should) get an Endo consult at about the 6 month point after your op; but I guess the timings are vulnerable to Covid backlogs. But if you have a DSN and there is something important to be reviewed that DSN can make that happen for you.

I completely understand your worry about going hypo. It's not nice, but it is manageable and I doubt there is even one insulin dependent diabetic who has not been there. But for now staying 6 or above is fine, as you get the measure of things and gain confidence in what you are doing. 

I didn't have any unsteadiness problems, but if this is a DM side effect there will be someone on this forum who can comment. I did have some heart issues and before my op in Feb 20 I had a rigorous review to confirm I was fit for surgery. One of the many factors that can affect Blood Glucose is stress - all types, ie stress from problems and worries, emotional stress and medical stress. Stress plays havoc with your BG and I now try to do everything I can to relax (easy said, but ..) and keep calm even when my BG is all over the place. I even did some mindfulness investigation, as a technique to keep myself calm and less stressed.

Regarding the rebounds into hyper zone - this does happen a lot; not least because with no pancreas you - personally - have to manage most aspects of: your digestion; your carb intake; your insulin dosing; and your glucose response. You don't even have the hormone that receives instructions from your brain and then tells your liver to open the glucose store when you have too much insulin in your blood stream. So it has taken me a while to gain some control and reduce the "yo-yo" effect with my BG. One initial piece of advice is to try not to over-react. When my BG is falling at c.6 I eat a small (non-chocolate) biscuit: perhaps 1x hobnob =9 gms CHO, or 1x Nairns biscuit =6gms CHO, or similar; at this stage not a jelly baby. At c.5 and falling I might take c.10-15 gms CHO (still no chocolate - which slows down the digestive process) and I keep the JBs for below 4.5 - ie Urgent response. I needed to experiment, gently and slowly, to find what works for me.

I'm assuming you are taking Creon and I will take 1x Creon capsule with each snack. I had digestive problems for almost 2 yrs, which happily seem now to have receded. However, the consequence was that although I was rigorously carb counting from Nov 20, for almost a year I wasn't fully absorbing what I was eating; so my carb count was generally correct but I was frequently overdosing with insulin!

I'll stop here for now. Please ask any question that occurs to you, there will be someone on this forum who can offer a response. Some of your challenges are more specific to Type 3c, but by no means all. If you feel OK about answering my barrage of questions to you, that would help us understand where you have got to so far and allow us to provide more specific answers.

Right now, this is really daunting - or it certainly was for me; diabetes is complicated, confusing and contradictory and a few months in I still found it frightening. That fear has rescinded as I learnt more about what was going on: "Knowledge dispels Fear".

Good luck.


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## soupdragon (Feb 11, 2022)

Hi @Dodie and welcome from another Type 3c. I only have a little pancreas left following pancreatitis.

I was very worried about hypos after having a few when I was in hospital for the pancreatitis (before I was managing my diabetes for myself). I was doing a lot of blood tests when I came out to try to avoid them. Being told that I would not be producing much glucagon to raise my blood sugar if it went low didn't help my confidence with low blood sugars!  I've since been told that glucagon is only part of the body's response to low blood sugar and the rest of the response should still be working which made me feel a lot better.
It took me quite a while to feel a bit more confident with hypos. I still try hard to avoid them but taking a couple of dextrose tablets if glucose levels are heading down often allows me to avoid them without shooting too high later on.

Having the Freestyle Libre 2 on prescription has been incredibly helpful for me with doing this. During the day I have the low alarm on 5.6 which usually allows me to deal with dropping levels before I reach hypo levels. 

Do you have Libre? I'm assuming you're taking pancreatic enzymes (eg Creon). It can take a while to sort the dosage of the enzymes. Juggling the Creon and insulin can be interesting!
Are you being seen by a hospital team for your diabetes?

It's still pretty early days since your operation. Hoping things continue to improve for you. I'm still being reminded that it takes a long time to recover and I went into hospital 3 years ago.
 Any other questions feel free to ask.


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 11, 2022)

Dodie, I've just done a search using the search tool at the top right of this page for: unsteadiness.
Lots of comments, including the obvious one of early hypo symptoms.. !!! I should have joined those dots! Have a look there and see if there is anything to help.


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## Andy777 (Feb 11, 2022)

Dodie said:


> Hi!  My name is Dodie and like Richard, I became type T3C last September when my pancreas was removed (along with some other bits of my digestive system). Although I would especially like to talk to any other T3C  diabetics, I would welcome help and advice from anyone who, like me,  had great difficulty in learning to cope with day to day problems such as suddenly feeling unsteady or heart beat racing and also being absolutely terrified of a Hypo so much so that as soon as I notice my glucose levels dropping to 7 or 6, I am reaching for a glucose drink or jelly babies, which of course sends my levels to far the other way.
> Many thanks for any advice   Dodie


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## Andy777 (Feb 12, 2022)

Hello young man, 
Welcome to the forum. 
I'm Andy, I'm 84 years young, disabled with a genetic rare neurological disease and diabetic for some14 years. Every time I log in to this website I learn something new. I must tell my wife about the remark the previous guy made to you about remaining relaxed. My wife often says that if I was any more laid-back, I'd be horizontal all the time. My wife sweetens me up every time I have a hypo because I have never been aware of going into one, being wheelchair-bound. I'm about to fit my third Libre sensor which is great for preventing hypos. I can take my own readings anytime and little arrows beside the reading indicate whether the reading is going up or down. I used to have persistent high readings around 32 but within a week of fitting a sensor they were down to 6 or 7. I merely had to stop drinking anything that was sweetened with sweetener. It was amazing to see which foods sent my reading upwards.

Take care.
cheers
Andy


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## SB2015 (Feb 12, 2022)

Welcome to the forum @Dodie from a type 1

It is understandable to be concerned about hypos, but you will gradually develop the confidence to know your own symptoms for these and to feel less panicky about them. 
Some things that might help with that

Test as much as you need to.  ‘Normal levels‘ are between 4 and 7, so if you are in there you are okay, although you might want to lift the bottom number so that you are further from hypo levels (below 4). 
Have hypo treatments everywhere.  We have a pot of jelly babies in every room, and I have a stash in every bag.  By the bed I have a small carton of juice for the pesky night hypos.
Having a Libre sensor helps LOADS, as it not only shows you your current glucose levels but also shows you the direction in which your levels are going.  So a 5 with arrows down would prompt me to go for some glucose, but a 5 and no arrow would not prompt any action
It would be worth talking to your team about this
Carb counting meals and adjusting your bolus also makes things more flexible
Contact your team and let them know how you are feeling.  

Keep in touch on here and ask any questions you have.  There is lots of experience to tap into on here and we ‘get it’.  Ask anything that arises. Nothing is considered silly.


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## Dodie (Feb 12, 2022)

Proud to be erratic said:


> Hello Dodie @Dodie and welcome to a select club.
> 
> I had pancreatic cancer and in Feb 20 I surrendered my pancreas during a Whipple procedure and gained instant diabetes. I, like you, found it all very challenging: post op recovery, then adjuvant chemo (just in case ....) and it was only late Oct 20 that I started to even think clearly.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your comprehensive reply. I am working my way through it and will get back to you.  Some of your comments have already made me feel a bit more positive.
D


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 12, 2022)

Dodie said:


> Thank you for your comprehensive reply. I am working my way through it and will get back to you.  Some of your comments have already made me feel a bit more positive.
> D


Dodie, absolutely fine. I asked a lot and did not expect you to do anything other than take some time.


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## everydayupsanddowns (Feb 14, 2022)

Welcome to the forum @Dodie

Glad you are finding help and support here.

And yes it is perfectly normal to be a bit concerned about hypos. But try not to let the fear of them run too rampant. Running a little on the high side is fine too - diabetes is a slow moving foe 

If you are frustrated by overtreating when fending off possible lows, perhaps it would help to try to discover an appropriate carb limit that works for you. Typically for a T1, a suggestion might be that 10g of carbs might raise blood glucose by 3mmol/L (though actual experiences vary). So if you were aiming for 8mmol/L from 6mmol/L you may only need 6 or 7g of carbs 

As @Proud to be erratic says, it’s a matter of working out your own go-to treatments to nudge your BG upwards just enough


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 16, 2022)

Hello @Dodie , I'm slightly concerned that my barrage of questions has driven you away, which was most definitely NOT my intention.
Could I make this easier and ask just one opening question: do you have Libre 2? Knowing the answer to this will allow me and other to focus their help and advice.
I look forward to hearing from you - if you want to reply. Absolutely no obligation. Roland


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## Dodie (Feb 19, 2022)

Proud to be erratic said:


> Hello @Dodie , I'm slightly concerned that my barrage of questions has driven you away, which was most definitely NOT my intention.
> Could I make this easier and ask just one opening question: do you have Libre 2? Knowing the answer to this will allow me and other to focus their help and advice.
> I look forward to hearing from you - if you want to reply. Absolutely no obligation. Roland


Hi Roland,
No you haven't put me of,  just had a couple of what I call 'Off days'.  I seem to be in a kind of loop at the moment, a few  good days when I feel really well and back to my old happy go lucky self and then a few days of feeling unwell, with uncomfortable stomach cramps, headaches etc.  I guess it is my body adjusting.  Plus, being half term, had grandchildren here hogging the computer!  
I do have a Libre 2 device. I have had it since December, 3 months after having my Pancreas removed.  Although in some ways it has been a help, for example knowing which way my BG is heading, I have also found it a hindrance.  I have found out that the readings are always higher than the finger prick which threw me to start with  and it frequently loses the signal. Having said that my fingers aren't painful any more.
Some more information about me. 
My pancreas was removed because whilst treating me for Gall  Stones it was discovered that the ducts in my pancreas were very dilated and therefore there was a 1 in 3 chance could very likely turn cancerous.  So I opted to have it removed along with gall bladder, bile duct and spleen.  That was in September 2021.  I am under the care of  a hospital based diabetes team, really excellent,  Over the time of discovering a gall bladder problem Dec 2020 I have lost 15kilos am now just 57 kilos and although steady at that weight I can't seem to put any more on. Would really like to be in the lower 60's.  I am taking Creon the advice was 2 with snacks and 3 with main meal. Do sometimes wonder if they are the cause of my stomach cramps have asked about it and the jury is still out on that one.
I am on Novo Rapid at meal times and Lantus in the morning. ( originally it was Lantus at bedtime but the diabetes team recently changed it)  I'm sorry to say my BG levels are usually in the teens, although I am working on getting them down.

Thank you for your help and support and sorry it took so long to reply
Dodie


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## Dodie (Feb 19, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> Welcome to the forum @Dodie
> 
> Glad you are finding help and support here.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that info, I will persevere


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## Dodie (Feb 19, 2022)

Andy777 said:


> Hello young man,
> Welcome to the forum.
> I'm Andy, I'm 84 years young, disabled with a genetic rare neurological disease and diabetic for some14 years. Every time I log in to this website I learn something new. I must tell my wife about the remark the previous guy made to you about remaining relaxed. My wife often says that if I was any more laid-back, I'd be horizontal all the time. My wife sweetens me up every time I have a hypo because I have never been aware of going into one, being wheelchair-bound. I'm about to fit my third Libre sensor which is great for preventing hypos. I can take my own readings anytime and little arrows beside the reading indicate whether the reading is going up or down. I used to have persistent high readings around 32 but within a week of fitting a sensor they were down to 6 or 7. I merely had to stop drinking anything that was sweetened with sweetener. It was amazing to see which foods sent my reading upwards.
> 
> ...


Thanks for replying Andy.  The nickname "Dodie" is misleading, I am actually an old lady!  not offended at all though.
I am enormously grateful to all those who have responded to my original  call for help and feel much more positive about being diabetic as a result.


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## Dodie (Feb 19, 2022)

SB2015 said:


> Welcome to the forum @Dodie from a type 1
> 
> It is understandable to be concerned about hypos, but you will gradually develop the confidence to know your own symptoms for these and to feel less panicky about them.
> Some things that might help with that
> ...


Many thanks for your reply.  I have found the Forum useful already.


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## Dodie (Feb 19, 2022)

Windy said:


> Hi Dodie, welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. I'm not a T3C, but I'm aware that there others on the forum who post reasonably often, so hopefully one of them will connect with you.
> Best wishes, Sarah


Many thanks Sarah


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## Dodie (Feb 19, 2022)

Proud to be erratic said:


> Hello @Dodie , I'm slightly concerned that my barrage of questions has driven you away, which was most definitely NOT my intention.
> Could I make this easier and ask just one opening question: do you have Libre 2? Knowing the answer to this will allow me and other to focus their help and advice.
> I look forward to hearing from you - if you want to reply. Absolutely no obligation. Roland





soupdragon said:


> Hi @Dodie and welcome from another Type 3c. I only have a little pancreas left following pancreatitis.
> 
> I was very worried about hypos after having a few when I was in hospital for the pancreatitis (before I was managing my diabetes for myself). I was doing a lot of blood tests when I came out to try to avoid them. Being told that I would not be producing much glucagon to raise my blood sugar if it went low didn't help my confidence with low blood sugars!  I've since been told that glucagon is only part of the body's response to low blood sugar and the rest of the response should still be working which made me feel a lot better.
> It took me quite a while to feel a bit more confident with hypos. I still try hard to avoid them but taking a couple of dextrose tablets if glucose levels are heading down often allows me to avoid them without shooting too high later on.
> ...


Thanks for your reply. I am encouraged by the help I have got from the Forum especially finding out just how long it takes to adjust to being diabetic and expecially T3C


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## Dodie (Feb 19, 2022)

Inka said:


> Welcome @Dodie  @eggyg and @Proud to be erratic are just a couple of 3cs that spring to mind but there are lots more.


Thank you Inca


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## Andy777 (Feb 19, 2022)

everydayupsanddowns said:


> If you are frustrated by overtreating when fending off possible lows, perhaps it would help to try to discover an appropriate carb limit that works for you. Typically for a T1, a suggestion might be that 10g of carbs might raise blood glucose by 3mmol/L (though actual experiences vary). So if you were aiming for 8mmol/L from 6mmol/L you may only need 6 or 7g of carbs
> 
> As @Proud to be erratic says, it’s a matter of working out your own go-to treatments to nudge your BG upwards just enough


Hi Mike. Do T2s also use carbs to raise bs? I have been taught to use glucose tabs or very sweet drinks and once the reading is nearing 4.5 and rising, to eat 2 biscuits to maintain that level. If I'm down at 3, and dazed, it can take all of 2 hours to get up again, my wife says, but I suppose that's the norm.
I'm pleased to say that I've only had 2 hypos since using sensors. Thx.


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 19, 2022)

Dodie said:


> Hi Roland,
> No you haven't put me of,  just had a couple of what I call 'Off days'.  I seem to be in a kind of loop at the moment, a few  good days when I feel really well and back to my old happy go lucky self and then a few days of feeling unwell, with uncomfortable stomach cramps, headaches etc.  I guess it is my body adjusting.


Hi Dodie, good to hear from you. At this stage, 5 months in, good days and off days are (in my non-medical opinion) totally to be expected. You've had major surgery, in itself a huge trauma to your body, then become an instant insulin dependent T3c. As I said previously I didn't really engage with anything until late Oct 20 after my op in early Feb 20. So my willingness to read, write or sometimes even take phone calls was 'erratic'. My wife took the brunt of all that!!

Thank you for your detailed answers.


Dodie said:


> Plus, being half term, had grandchildren here hogging the computer!
> I do have a Libre 2 device. I have had it since December, 3 months after having my Pancreas removed.  Although in some ways it has been a help, for example knowing which way my BG is heading, I have also found it a hindrance.  I have found out that the readings are always higher than the finger prick which threw me to start with  and it frequently loses the signal. Having said that my fingers aren't painful any more.


Libre 2 is a big help, and particularly in reducing the  finger pricking. I find each sensor behaves differently, some close, some constantly high, some low and one that startedvhigh, went low, then failed.

But Libre is best used with a solid understanding of its limitations; they don't remove its usefulness and importance but knowing the limitations makes me feel safer about using it. There was a recent thread about Libre 2, with specific comments on Libre 2 limitations. @helli wrote on 23 Dec 21 (along with a couple of other points from elsewhere):

" My advice would be to be fully aware of the limitations of libre.

- it may be less accurate for the first couple of days. Many of us insert it 48 hours before activating.
- it is calibrated to be accurate for “normal“ readings (between 4 and 8-10mmol/l). Therefore, always check with a finger prick test before correcting, treating a hypo or a high.
- Libre does not read blood sugars, which finger pricking does. It reads interstitial fluid which is behind blood sugars: claimed by Abbott as 2.1 mins for children and 2.4 mins for adults; more usually c.5mins and up to 15 mins. Libre 2 extrapolates the current trend to predict the last 15 minutes. This is fantastic most of the time. However, if the trend changes, it can over shoot. This is especially important when treating a hypo - always check your hypo has finished with a finger prick and treat again if still low; Libre will lag and could undershoot, saying you are still low even when recovery is happening - so trust your finger prick result.
- sometimes a rapid change confuses the sensor algorithm and it stalls, giving a Sensor Error message code 373; try again in 10 mins.
- some Libre sensors are faulty. If you have a sensor which is always off by a couple of mmol/l or reports a fault, report it to Abbott by phone (or e-mail). They will probably replace it and may ask you to return the faulty sensor so don’t throw it away.
- if your sensor falls off, Abbott have been known to replace the sensor if the adhesive is poor for your skin. There are several suggestions in this forum for improving adhesion or protecting the sensor.

Once you have got used to Libre, you can look to do things like:
- look for trends which suggest you need to pre-bolus earlier or later.
- look for trends which may suggest your basal isn't lasting between doses.
- see what happens overnight (do you experience Dawn Phenomenon or Foot on the Floor syndrome?).
- see what happens with exercise and general activity.
- you can use the phone app of LibreLink; or register and go to the LibreView website for more detailed analysis and reports.

If you are tech minded, you may want to consider converting the Libre to a CGM so you don’t need to scan it. There are a number of options for this depending upon your phone, whether your diabetes team are checking your readings online and how techy you are. But they are not official and written by techies for techies. _NB Diabox is written by a diabetic techie for diabetics. My addition. "_


Dodie said:


> Some more information about me.
> My pancreas was removed because whilst treating me for Gall  Stones it was discovered that the ducts in my pancreas were very dilated and therefore there was a 1 in 3 chance could very likely turn cancerous.  So I opted to have it removed along with gall bladder, bile duct and spleen.  That was in September 2021.  I am under the care of  a hospital based diabetes team, really excellent,


Excellent that you are under a Specialist Clinic. At this stage don't be afraid to ask them, particularly the DSN, about things that don't feel right. Quite early on I had an infection in my knee and my BGs had gone very high; my DSN guided me in temporary adjustments to my insulin dosing.
My GP, and I think this is true for many, is reluctant to change any aspect of my treatment unilaterally and needs, as well as expects, the Specialist Clinic to request or authorise any changes.
There is a list of checks that you should receive over the year as an insulin dependent diabetic; things like annual Eye tests, feet checks, etc. Are you already aware of these and is it clear to you which are arranged by your GP surgery and which by the Specialist Clinic? If not clear to you ask both teams which they are doing and review to see what is being missed! I've had to prod to get these to happen, after 2 yrs I've just had my feet checked for the 1st time, despite getting neuropathy in my feet during my chemotherapy; my oncologist knew and wrote about it in every Onc'y review, copies sent to GP - but I had to ask for the test (euphemistically referred to as toe tickling). My GP discontinued my periodic checks in surgery, since I was being looked at by the Spec team in Oxford (I live in Bucks); I was effectively excommunicated!!

_You said (I mucked up the formatting): Over the time of discovering a gall bladder problem Dec 2020 I have lost 15kilos am now just 57 kilos and although steady at that weight I can't seem to put any more on. Would really like to be in the lower 60's.  I am taking Creon the advice was 2 with snacks and 3 with main meal. Do sometimes wonder if they are the cause of my stomach cramps have asked about it and the jury is still out on that one._

I've not heard or read about Creon causing stomach cramps, but that doesn't mean they couldn't be the cause. I had dreadful digestion problems for 21 months, which needed me to gently persist in asking my dietician and then a referral to a gastroenterologist. Initially they worked on the basis that blood tests said nothing unusual and then a course of antibiotics did nothing - so it was to them as if it had gone away. But I knew from the daily incontinence and most unpleasant daily experience (!) that what was happening needed more medical attention. Eventually my persistence prevailed and the correct antibiotics seem to have resolved that problem. So don't accept that this is some incurable problem.


Dodie said:


> I am on Novo Rapid at meal times and Lantus in the morning. ( originally it was Lantus at bedtime but the diabetes team recently changed it)  I'm sorry to say my BG levels are usually in the teens, although I am working on getting them down.


I know nothing about Lantus, but am on Tresiba which is 1x daily basal. I was initially prescribed insulin from disposable pens, but changed to disposable cartridges along with the permanent NovoEcho pen. This has several advantages: better for the environment - less waste; the pen can dispense half units of insulin, which I now readily take advantage of for my bolus dosing; the pen keeps a 'memory' of when it was last used and how much insulin was dispensed - so when I have a bad response post bolus I can check 'did I actually jab, how much, when?' and reassure myself on that point; the catridges occupy less space in our fridge. If that interests you ask your DSN and he/she can ask your GP to change your repeat prescription.


Dodie said:


> Thank you for your help and support and sorry it took so long to reply
> Dodie


You are most welcome. No apology needed for the time lag in response; I asked a lot anyway!

I'm happy to sustain this dialogue under this relatively generic Newbie heading and feel free to ask about anything I've said that catches your attention.
I've annotated against your name that I'm following you; so if you had a specific topic you wanted advice on you could start a new thread on the General Messageboard and the site will alert me - with the advantage that your specific question won't get buried in this thread, thus others will have a better chance of seeing it and provide wider (and more experienced) advice.

It's stopped raining and the gale has abated  so time to do some clearing up in the garden. All for now, Good Luck


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## Dodie (Feb 23, 2022)

Proud to be erratic said:


> Hi Dodie, good to hear from you. At this stage, 5 months in, good days and off days are (in my non-medical opinion) totally to be expected. You've had major surgery, in itself a huge trauma to your body, then become an instant insulin dependent T3c. As I said previously I didn't really engage with anything until late Oct 20 after my op in early Feb 20. So my willingness to read, write or sometimes even take phone calls was 'erratic'. My wife took the brunt of all that!!
> 
> Thank you for your detailed answers.
> 
> ...


Hi Roland,
Hope you managed to sort the garden out before the next one arrived.
Thanks for all the help you are giving me, I really am finding it helpful.  It has taken me a while to figure out that the free style Libre is  not always reliable so I am pleased that you have confirmed that issue for me.  I am so glad that I joined the forum.  No doubt you will be hearing from me again.
Take care
Dodie


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 23, 2022)

Dodie said:


> Hi Roland,
> Hope you managed to sort the garden out before the next one arrived.


Hello again Dodie,
The garden is "work in progress" so never fully sorted, but getting more under control, thanks. Perhaps analogous to DM?

I failed to ask how you were doing overall? As time keeps ticking along are you feeling at least a bit more under control? In particular are you still experiencing those moments of unsteadiness and possibly been able to work out what is going on? Do you think they might have been related to hypos? If not have you asked your DSN for advice? Or consider raising a new thread on the General Message Board, describe your experience and the circumstances and ask if others have (or still do) had this problem.


Dodie said:


> Thanks for all the help you are giving me, I really am finding it helpful.  It has taken me a while to figure out that the free style Libre is  not always reliable so I am pleased that you have confirmed that issue for me.


Glad to have helped. Libre 2 is undoubtedly a major help, but the limitations do take some getting used to. My current sensor has been underperforming for c.36 hrs and even though this has happened before I've found today remarkably stressful - getting very low readings which finger pricks consistently show my BG is actually in a good place (6 - 8.5) but distracting and bothering me. Ironically on the one day this month that I had to make a long drive, lunch away from home and generally needing the tech to work!! Anyway I've just now activated my new sensor (early) and I think my old sensor has frozen at 2.9 (actual 6.9, new sensor 6.4 = close enough). But it takes a lot of "effort" to resist being panicked by the alarms, with constant low readings and making me doubt myself!


Dodie said:


> I am so glad that I joined the forum.  No doubt you will be hearing from me again.


Please do; no question is stupid and there is lots to get your mind around!


Dodie said:


> Take care
> Dodie


And likewise. Roland


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## Proud to be erratic (Feb 23, 2022)

Hi again Dodie, I've just stumbled into a thread (or topic) from Sep 2020 and I thought you might find it interesting: 









						5 Top Tips for Better Diabetesing
					

Just found myself absently wondering what I would say to myself if I could go back in time ‘Bill and Ted’ style and offer newly-diagnosed-me some hints and tips for better diabetes management, and a better relationship with my diabetes from future-me.  What 5 hints and tips I might offer myself...




					forum.diabetes.org.uk
				



Regards, Roland


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## wolf (Mar 14, 2022)

Hi all,
Hope you are doing well.
I've got a question to Dodie. 
Where did you have your pancreas remove? Also, who did it for you? 
I'm asking  because my husband has got a CP (Diabetes and severe PEI).
Kind regards,
Wendy


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## Proud to be erratic (Mar 14, 2022)

Hi Wendy @wolf,
To catch Dodie's attention it helps to mention her title, so by my saying here    @Dodie    this will flag up on her device whenever she is next logged in.

I surrendered my pancreas to pancreatic cancer from a Whipple procedure done at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. I'm not familiar with the abbreviations CP or PEI, but assume they are in connection with pancreatitis, which I can't help with, but others can. But I might be able to help with the Diabetes aspects; however if you've read all of my response to Dodie in this thread that might have exhausted all that I can offer!!  

Is there anything specific or general you would like help or advice with?


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## Dodie (Mar 15, 2022)

Hello Wendy,
Don't know what part of the country you are in but if you are anywhere near Surrey I can highly recommend the hospital where I received my treatment.
It was The Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford.  It is a specialist unit for Pancreatic surgery.  The team is led by Professor Nariman Karanjia,  and my consultant was Mr T Pencavel.
I was referred there by my local hospital.
Hope this helps and I wish your husband well.
Dodie


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## Dodie (Mar 15, 2022)

Hi Roland
Just read the 5 Top Tips for Diabetesing.  Brilliant advice!  Thanks for highlighting it for me.
All the Best 
Dodie


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## Dodie (Mar 22, 2022)

Dodie said:


> Hello Wendy,
> Don't know what part of the country you are in but if you are anywhere near Surrey I can highly recommend the hospital where I received my treatment.
> It was The Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford.  It is a specialist unit for Pancreatic surgery.  The team is led by Professor Nariman Karanjia,  and my consultant was Mr T Pencavel.
> I was referred there by my local hospital.
> ...


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## Dodie (Mar 22, 2022)

wolf said:


> Hi all,
> Hope you are doing well.
> I've got a question to Dodie.
> Where did you have your pancreas remove? Also, who did it for you?
> ...


Sorry Wendy if you didn't receive a reply from me the other week.  I have problems negotiating my way around the forum, and I am not sure if you received it.  I just noticed today that I was supposed to log in before I sent replies.
So hope you get this.
From a totally confused
Dodie


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