# hello, what a mess



## samade10 (Nov 10, 2011)

Hi im new here today, ive had diabetes for 28 years and its not been good.  I was diagnosed at the age of six and have been in hospital more times than i can remember.Ive been let down alot by doctors until now. ive been saying for years that i didnt want to look after my diabetes, didnt want to deal with it. Ive been ill with it and had to have my eyes lasered and had an op on one eye to restore my sight. 
Went to a new hospital and they recognised that im in denyal with my diabetes (and that i have protein in my urine). They have advised i go to the DAPNE course which ive been asking about for years. Ive got to see someone about facing diabetes and looking after myself properly to.

I was so relieved that i was listened to and they understood how i was feeling, its so hard trying to make people understand when they dont have diabetes.

I better stop going on, but thats a brief outline of me. A big mess at the mo but back to hosp monday and im actually looking forward to it.


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## Northerner (Nov 10, 2011)

Hi samade, welcome to the forum  So sorry to hear of the problems you have had over the years - how much different it might have been if someone had been able to help you come to terms with things earlier. But it's great news that you now have a team that are looking to get you on the right track! DAFNE gets lots of very good reports from members here, so I'm sure it will be beneficial for you. There are lots of people here who DO understand how it feels, so you don't need to feel alone  Please feel free to ask anything that you think we might be able to help with - just because you've had it a long time, you're not expected to know everything  No question is regarded as 'silly' and there will be lots of people willing to help, so fire away.

Hope things go well on Monday, let us know how thigs go!


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## Steff (Nov 10, 2011)

Hi Samede and a warm welcome to the the forum, so sorry to hear of all your problems x but im pleased you went to a new hospital who actually sounds like it cares,I hope it all goes well on Monday please post back with an update x


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## buckmummy (Nov 10, 2011)

Hello Samade and a warm welcome,i'm glad that someone at long last listened to what you were saying


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## Mark T (Nov 10, 2011)

Welcome to the forums samade10


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## novorapidboi26 (Nov 10, 2011)

welcome aboard, I am sure your many years experience will be valuable to us all.

Its a shame you have been let down for all these years, its never too late to start managing it properly.....

look forward to hearing from you..............


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## Copepod (Nov 10, 2011)

Welcome Samade10. 

Good to hear a new hospital has given the help and support you need - and DAFNE course soon. Many members have done DAFNE and found that the course changes their life for the better . I can't comment, as I've never been offered a place, sadly.


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## Cumbrianlass (Nov 10, 2011)

Hi Samade,

Glad you've made it to the forum. Sounds like you've made some massive steps in the past few weeks with your diabetes in finally getting the recognition and help you need. Its great that you are also feeling positive about going back to your next appointment, and hopefully this will continue to instill confidence in you to take back control and make the positive changes you seem well on the way to. 
Lovely to have you on board  and as has already been said I am sure you can make an enormous contribution to us all here with your wealth of knowledge and experience of living with diabetes and all it brings.

Lets know how you get on back at the hospital Monday.


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## MCH (Nov 10, 2011)

Hi there.
Welcome to the forum.
You will love your course when you do it.


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## Lady Willpower (Nov 10, 2011)

Hey Samade, a very big welcome to this forum, it is absolutely fabulous and so are the people on here. I can totally identify with what you are saying, every word! I have had diabetes for 46 years and I grew up with no one around who even knew anything about the condition and out of 29 first cousins I was the only one with it. I hated it with a passion and spent a long time coming to terms with it and a long time with bloods that were way too high for way too long. I also have had to have my eyes lasered and operated on and I think that I am truly lucky to have the sight that I do. I was also extremely lucky to have the best laser surgeon in the county too. My right eye is worse and I have been told that there is no space left to laser anything else. This gave me the biggest scare I have ever had and I have tried to keep my bloods as close to normal and it has paid off as I have not had any other bleeds. I am so glad that you have found this site as you get lots of support from here and I can't tell you how happy I am that you have now found a doctor that will listen and seems to have a great hold on living with the condition. I have also learned from this site lots of new things already and now I am going to research what a DAFNE course is lol x


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## trophywench (Nov 10, 2011)

Lady W - what hospital do you attend?  cos there are a couple of us in your area and between us we probably know what courses should be available at your hosp - I'm at UHCW and (I think) Natalie123 is at Warwick Hosp.


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## Blythespirit (Nov 11, 2011)

Hi Samade and welcome to the forums.

I'm sorry that you've had such a struggle over the years but pleased you've finally found someone who's listening to you. Take advantage of everything you are being offered now and keep in touch on here for extra support and understanding. XXXXX


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## Andy HB (Nov 11, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Samade. I'm really sorry to hear of all your troubles. You are amongst a good bunch of people here ready and willing to give support.

Andy


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## samade10 (Nov 11, 2011)

Thank you for all your kind words. Its good to know theres a great network of people who understand how i feel. Hopefully i can help to support others with diabetic things(ive been through soooooooooooooooo much with it). Im so glad theres support and help, Coming to terms with my diabetes may take a while but i want to do it. With diabetes support and hospital i can do it. Just wish i had realised there was help in so many places earlier.


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## Lady Willpower (Nov 11, 2011)

Hi Trophy, I attend Warwick for the rest of the things that I have but I see my doctor at Stratford as I refuse to see anyone else, I see Dr H*, love him lol. I suppose they don't offer me the courses as my HbA1c is always good and they must think that I can cope after having it for so long. I thought that they only sent you on the carb counting courses if you were going to be using a pump?


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## trophywench (Nov 11, 2011)

No - all T1's - need it for MDI as well as pumping.  Hell - it's useful whatever insulin regime you are on.

Alternatively there's always the online course from BDEC but of course you can't ask questions as you go and no 1 to 1 like you get on a course.

Ask GP if he can ref you to UHCW at Rugby? 

As this is right off topic - PM me if you need names, direct phone no's .......


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## MrsP1404 (Dec 23, 2011)

*Protein in Urine*

Hello everyone. I am new here too.

I have just been asked to have a second urine test, well two actually, as they think there is protein in my urine.

I can totally understand your dilema samade. I have had diabetes for about 7 years now (type 2) and just carry on regardless with it because I partly don't know anything about it and haven't wanted to.

I've just had a big wake up call with this protein thing and now don't know what to do or expect.  
Vee


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## Northerner (Dec 23, 2011)

MrsP1404 said:


> Hello everyone. I am new here too.
> 
> I have just been asked to have a second urine test, well two actually, as they think there is protein in my urine.
> 
> ...



Hi Vee, welcome to the forum  Anything you want to know, you've come to a good place to find out, so please ask away when you are ready


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## Robster65 (Dec 23, 2011)

Hi Vee. Welcome.

Are you on any medication ?

Hopefully we can help to fill in the gaps for you so you can start to make any necessary changes.

Rob


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## MrsP1404 (Dec 23, 2011)

Hi Rob, yes I am on Metformin 500mg 2 x twice a day

Glimepiride 3mg, which the nurse increased just before the urine sample came back from 2mg

Thanks


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## Robster65 (Dec 23, 2011)

Have you been given any advice on how to modify your diet ?

We hear of lots of new members who are told to avoid sugar, rather than how to eat low GI carbs and test their blood sugar to see how the food affects them.

It's a slightly hit or miss affair that is different for everyone, hence the poor advice that is often dished out wholesale.

Rob


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## Steff (Dec 23, 2011)

Vee hi and a warm welcome to this amazing forum x


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## MrsP1404 (Dec 23, 2011)

I think right at the beginning I was given some advice such as if you want chocolate have a square after your main meal is ok, and not to bother with diabetic sweets etc. Have plenty of veg (which I hate) and I don't remember anything else.

My cholesterol was a bit high and with medication I have that under control now. My bp has gone from high to ok and I no longer take bp medication.

That's about all I know, I'm afraid.


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## MrsP1404 (Dec 23, 2011)

Hi Steff and thanks for the welcome


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## Northerner (Dec 23, 2011)

MrsP1404 said:


> I think right at the beginning I was given some advice such as if you want chocolate have a square after your main meal is ok, and not to bother with diabetic sweets etc. Have plenty of veg (which I hate) and I don't remember anything else.
> 
> My cholesterol was a bit high and with medication I have that under control now. My bp has gone from high to ok and I no longer take bp medication.
> 
> That's about all I know, I'm afraid.



As you are having a 'new start', it might be a good idea to approach things as though you are newly-diagnosed, in which case I would highly recommend reading Jennifer's Advice and Maggie Davey's letter, and getting hold of a copy of Type 2 Diabetes: The First Year by Gretchen Becker. All these will give you a good start and hopefully a new perspective and motivation to learn how to manage your diabetes well  Do you know what your most recent HbA1c test result was? Do you have a meter to test with?


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## Mark T (Dec 23, 2011)

Welcome to the forum Vee


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## MrsP1404 (Dec 23, 2011)

Thanks for the suggested reading. I will have a look through that. 

I don't know what my last reading was from the drs. It was one of those that check your blood sugars from the past six weeks?.

I do have a kit but don't use it as I never know when to or how often to test.

Sorry I'm so useless at this.

Thank you for the welcome Mark


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## Northerner (Dec 23, 2011)

MrsP1404 said:


> Thanks for the suggested reading. I will have a look through that.
> 
> I don't know what my last reading was from the drs. It was one of those that check your blood sugars from the past six weeks?.
> 
> ...



The links and the book will get you up to speed. No need to apologise, you will soon pick things up I am sure  Diabetes is a very complicated condition to manage well and if you haven't received the right kind of guidance in the past then it can be very confusing. A good guide to testing is Test,Review, Adjust by Alan S


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## shelleyboo (Dec 24, 2011)

hi samade!your story has pretty much mirrored mine.iv been diabetic for 25 years since i were 7 and once i went into adult hood my diabetic control went out the window and no docters seemed to botherd to help me which has resulted in bad diabetic reitinopathy,lots of laser an op for detached reitinor and bleeds behind the reitinor resulting in bad loss of sight.im now only just getting the help i need and also looking forward to getting this all under control....we can do it!!all the very best.


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## Jennywren (Dec 25, 2011)

Hi samade , like you and Shellyboo , very similar story been diabetic since i was 10 (31 years ) omg that long ! was beginning to give up then in june 2010 i went on a DAFNE course followed by a pump in sep 2010 and i now have a HBA1c of 6.9 something i thought id never see , so if you can do your DAFNE course and hopefully things will improve


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