# Another Newbie !!!



## uselesspancreas (Oct 4, 2011)

after being on mixed insulin for 18+ years and having very little training guidance other than the yearly checkup.
 Ive recently changed to the basal bolus (3 weeks ago)  it was sold to me as the best thing ever for my lifestyle ( variety of shifts etc)
im wondering did anybody else feel they were thrown into the dark with no idea what to do.
Ive taught myself  a bit of carb counting but feel life is very different to what it has been for the last 18 yrs.
 it all seems a constant cycle of read this read that count this count that then blood test then inject then eat finally then check the time and see if its time to do it all again.
i feel im being held hostage by my useless pancreas.
am i odd or did anyone else feel like this when they started ???


----------



## Northerner (Oct 4, 2011)

Hi, welcome to the forum  It sounds to me like you were given very inadequate guidance when moved over to the new regime, and it must be very difficult to have to completely rearrange your thinking and habits after 18 years. Have you been told about education courses, like DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating)? If not, then you should definitely ask to be put on a course as it will help a great deal. 

I don't think you are odd, it can be hard changing your ways, but it does get much easier. Most of the time I just 'eyeball' food now and experience tells me what dose I need, including any adjustments needed for extra/planned activities etc., so I rarely actually need to carb count my food. Something that can be very useful is Carbs & Cals which many of our members use to estimate carb content of popular meals, so that might help. Are you keeping a diary of your food and insulin doses so that you can establish if you need any different ratios through the day? I've only ever known basal/bolus, but I know we have members who are in a similar position to you, so hopefully they can share their experiences and reassure you that life is easier and more flexible - eventually!


----------



## Steff (Oct 4, 2011)

Hi and a warm welcome to the forum


----------



## margie (Oct 4, 2011)

Hi and welcome to the forum

I am sorry that you have been left to struggle with your new regime.

I don't know if this will help but there is an online carb counting course which could help you get to grips with some of the principles.

http://www.bdec-e-learning.com/


----------



## Mark T (Oct 4, 2011)

Welcome to the forums uselesspancreas


----------



## Andy HB (Oct 4, 2011)

I like to try to shorten names (saves on the screen ink), but don't feel happy calling you useless! 

So, a big Hello from me too, UselessPancreas.

Andy


----------



## novorapidboi26 (Oct 4, 2011)

Welcome, love the name..........

When I first started basal/bolus I too was in the dark, so much so I went back to a mix insulin......but it wasn't long till my dietician persuaded me to go back on it, and he taught me DAFNE unofficially, until I could get on a course.....

If you can get one now, or put your name forward, I would do it......

In the mean time you can visit the Bournemouth Diabetes Learning website here, where you can learn pretty much all you need to know.........[I see this has already been linked]....

sharing the experience with other diabetics in unmissable, so you should still try for DAFNE....


good luck.........


----------



## slipper (Oct 4, 2011)

Hello, welcome to the forum.


----------



## Catwoman76 (Oct 4, 2011)

Welcome to the forum, I was diagnosed over 20 years ago and then, I didn't get lots of information.  It seemed to me, you are diabetic, inject yourself and that was it basically, it sounds shocking now doesn't it.  

You can get lots of good information, advice and support on here. Take care and best wishes Sheena


----------



## Robster65 (Oct 4, 2011)

Hi uselesspancreas. welcome

When I switched to basal/bolus I found it freed me up to try out all sorts of things where previously I'd been tied to the rigid regime of mixed insulins.

I suppose it depends how much of a routine you're in and how much flexibility you need.

If ever you need to skip or delay a meal, or maybe want to try less or more carbs for a change, then the bolus will give you that freedom at fairly short notice. I find there's less planning involved but you do need to trade that off with more testing and calculations. But I don't mind that.

Rob


----------



## uselesspancreas (Oct 4, 2011)

thanks for all your replies it was feeling lonely. stupid i know but you do feel as though your the only one ( i dont know anyone who's doing Basel) !!!

the dafne course has been mentioned but i was told it was for professionals and was very intense. a bertie course has been mentioned but that's all at the moment.
I should be having an appointment with a dietitian soon i hope it will be better than the last one over 10 years ago - i walked out I know not clever but things were pretty raw at the time and i hated all mention of food.
and now it feels like Ive took a step back in time . . .

i think treatment has changed very much since i was diagnosed 18 years ago. i haven't had much faith in the medical professionals as Ive always just felt 'left to it' it was 10 days after i started injecting that a professional visited and explained what i should be doing !! 
and 18 years later im told you should use a fresh needle every time i had been told as i had to buy them ! use them till thier blunt --- so yes things have changed and some for the better.

I hope i too will be able to read food by looking at it but i think its going to take time and im not very patient infact i have no patience at the moment.
once again thanks for your support


----------



## Northerner (Oct 5, 2011)

Well, as you can see, you're not the only one, but it's quite possible that you are the only one YOU know! This forum was originally started by a lady who had been Type 1 for over 30 years and had never met another Type 1. This is why a course such as BERTIE or DAFNE can be so beneficial, because you get to meet people in the same boat as yourself. What's this nonsense you've been told about DAFNE being for 'professionals'? Professionals at what? Diabetes? Interesting thought! As far as I know DAFNE and BERTIE are similar in their approach and content, and are for all people with Type 1, even if they are 'amateur' Type 1s! 

Do push to get on a course, it will benefit you enormously I am sure. Perhaps you could describe a typical day for us - tests done, insulin taken and food eaten - and we could then make suggestions of questions you could ask your DSN. It does sound like you have been left to your own devices rather too much over the years which is probably why you are finding it so hard to change 'your' way of doing things. Many long-standing diabetics end up in a situation where everyone assumes you must know everything, but as I know from reading the stories here there is always something new to learn in order to help you manage things better. I think it's time you started to test your healthcare team and make them work a bit harder for their money. They've decided you will benefit from this new regime so pester them until YOU are happy with it


----------



## uselesspancreas (Oct 13, 2011)

i just wanted to give you an update . . Ive adjusted my insulin /carb ratio so mid day bloods are better. I'm still trying to get my head around carb counting.
  i had a meeting today with a nutritionist she was very good and wasn't surprised how hard it had been  for me but said i was fast getting to grips with some things. 
she suggested the bertie/dafne course which is in January ive said ill do it.
also received a accu chek expert last week its a fantastic tool providing you know the carbs to enter into it but takes a lot of stress out of working out the insulin dose.
if your carb counting then i deffo recommend one of these.
thanks for your support !!!


----------



## Northerner (Oct 13, 2011)

Great stuff, sounds like you are really getting to grips with things!  It will get much easier, I promise! Good that you can go on BERTIE/DAFNE, not only will it help you with your diabetes, but I'm sure you'll make lots of new friends.


----------

