# MUM OF TEENAGER-15 NEWLY DIAGNOSED 8th dec



## delb t

just stumbled across this website and realised others are in the same boat as ours -we have sort of got our heads around carb counting -ordered thebook recommended - have had our good days and bad -its a big help to know things will get easier its such a lot to take in- also our nurses said carrots and cucumber were free as are 8 grapes -not too exciting I know -they have also given us carb counting for greggs .KFC ETC


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## Northerner

Hi delb t, welcome to the forum  I'm presuming it's your teen who has been diagnosed, not you - it would be a good idea to change your profile to 'parent' if that is the case 

You've done well starting to get to grips with carb counting already. As time and experience will teach you it's an important, but not the only factor involved in deciding on correct doses. I'm not entirely sure I agree with 8 grapes as being 'free carb' - these things need to be determined by testing the levels to see if they cause any spike, and grapes are notoriously sweet. People can have very individual responses to different foods so it's important to determine how things affect the person. You might like to enter our competition to see if you can win a Carbs and Cals book - have a look in the competition section 

Please let us know if there is anything that is confusing or troubling you and we will do our best to help!


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## delb t

Have now changed my status-thanks for your reply i'm sure we will have lots of questions in the future-it was the dietician who said 8 grapes-they have given us a carbs and cals book from the hospital- we live in birmingham and the support is really good with a 24 hr phone support if needed- and we have needed it to start off with


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## margie

Hi and welcome to the forums.

Have you heard of the children with diabetes web-site

http://www.childrenwithdiabetesuk.org/

they have mailing lists and maybe able to put you in touch with parents in your area.

On the grapes front - I was told not to have any more than 5 at a time.


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## Northerner

delb t said:


> Have now changed my status-thanks for your reply i'm sure we will have lots of questions in the future-it was the dietician who said 8 grapes-they have given us a carbs and cals book from the hospital- we live in birmingham and the support is really good with a 24 hr phone support if needed- and we have needed it to start off with



That sounds great - you'd be shocked at how many people get very poor levels of care, so it's good to hear of a clinic that is on the ball  We have lots of parents looking in, plus it can also be very useful to hear of the experiences of adults who were diagnosed as children and have grown up with diabetes as your teen is now doing  No question is considered 'silly', so ask away!


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## Robster65

Hi delb t. Welcome 

What insulin regime have they put your son on ?

There seems to be some differences of opinion between areas as to how the newly diagnosed should be treated.

Rob


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## robert@fm

Hi delb t, welcome to the forum!  As you've probably gathered by now, this is a great place to be!

Congrats on being given the Carbs and Cals book; it was recommended to me by my hospital (although I'd already heard of from this forum), but I had to buy my own copy.  It was worth getting however...


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## Steff

Hi and a warm welcome to the forum


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## delb t

To start with they have put him on Novorapid with each meal - (1 unit per 10 g carbs generally), and one nightly dose of 20 units of Lantus.
Although as we have reported his blood sugar levels every few days to the 
Diabetes team they have tweaked the amount of Novorapid, sometimes 1.5 units per 10g carbs depending on pattern of previous readings.
I suppose we will be continually changing until he becomes more settled in his readings.


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## daisymoo84

Hi delb t welcome to the forum. Everyone's really friendly and helpful here


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## Robster65

delb t said:


> To start with they have put him on Novorapid with each meal - (1 unit per 10 g carbs generally), and one nightly dose of 20 units of Lantus.
> Although as we have reported his blood sugar levels every few days to the
> Diabetes team they have tweaked the amount of Novorapid, sometimes 1.5 units per 10g carbs depending on pattern of previous readings.
> I suppose we will be continually changing until he becomes more settled in his readings.


 
It's good that they've put him straight onto MDI. It is the best method of control other than a pump.

You'll also find that the ratios and the basal needs do tend to change continuously, or at least cyclicly, as the years go by. Exercise levels, weight, weather will all play a part in modifying insulin needs.

You sound as though you've made a great start and have decent support. I hope we can help to fill some of the gaps for you.

Rob


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## trophywench

Hiya - lovely Xmas present, not!

There are NOT Nil carbs in grapes, even if you only have 1.  and 10g carb was always 5, but maybe more of the seedless ones which weren't about all that much in 1972 when I was told that!  Same with carrots.  But bearing in mind the modern approach is to not inject extra fast-acting for snacks less than 10g carb, then that is probably what she meant.

But I thought to myself in 1972, who the hell can stop at 5? and I have literally NEVER bought or eaten a single grape since then*.  Patti - a member here and elsewhere - describes them as 'individual little bags of sugar' - and that's about right IMHO!

* except thoroughly squashed and fermented of course! - even subsequently distilled and bottled with a label eg Courvoisier VSOP etc ......

I tell you what else is good - the Collins 'Gem' CALORIE counter.  Gives cals, carbs, protein, fat and fibre for 1,000's of foodstuffs, all expressed per 100g weight, or 100ml if it's liquid.  Very very useful for cooking purposes.  And various supermarket own brand stuff, although most UK packing materials have the carb count on the label.  (They do a carb counter book too but it's too vague - eg A third of a baguette = whatever - but how big was the original baguette? - doesn't tell you ....)

Good luck !


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## robert@fm

Just noticed that you say you're from Birmingham.

It may be a bit far off, but I suppose with luck we might see you (and your son?) at the Birmingham Forum Meet on September 15.  They're very informal, you would probably enjoy meeting the rest of us face to face (I do, despite being a rather shy person).  There might be other meets you could make, depending on your circumstances, such as the London ones (I made the last Brum meet) or the Brighton one (I think some of the Thameslink services run straight through -- or getting a coach to Victoria Coach Station in London, and changing to another coach, would probably be straightforward).


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## shiv

I was with the Birmingham Children's Hospital team for all my paed care (age 2 - 19) so I know them well and keep in touch with the nurses there. They are fantastic, really supportive - I guess you could be under a diff hospital depending on where you're living (I grew up in Kings Heath/Stirchley).

Welcome


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## delb t

yes its the childrens hospital we are with-out of interest how have people got on going abroad? we were thinking of planning an easter break to get some normality back -i know we would have to get some decent insurance cover- say with diabetes uk -but how can u find out what medical services are in a resort and what would the EHIC cover etc


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## Copepod

For what EHIC covers, see http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Then, for what each country offers to holders of EHIC, see links from http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/countryguide/Pages/EEAcountries.aspx

For what services are in individual resorts, you'd have to look specifically at local websites and websites of tour operators. 

Although I was diagnosed as an adult, going to spend Christmas with an uncle and aunt who lived on a small holding in Britanny, France, and then travelling round Belgium with an Australian friend, within a few months of starting insulin really helped me - particularly as I was started on bimodal insulin, didn't know any different (no internet in 1996), but a few weeks after Belgium, the Tasmanian pharmacist mother of my Australian friend sent me a photocopied journal article about MDI, and from then on, life became much easier and more exciting!


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## Monica

Hi Delb t and welcome from one parent to another.

We have travelled abroad several times since diagnosis almost 5 years ago. I buy the normal annual family travel insurance for europe (halifax and esure). So far I've always paid about ?10 extra to cover her diabetes. DUK travel insurance is expensive.

Make sure you always take double of everything with you and pack them in different cases. Insulin can't go in the hold (if you're flying), so make sure you have enough room for it in your handbag.


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## teapot8910

Welcome to the forum


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## shiv

Monica said:


> Hi Delb t and welcome from one parent to another.
> 
> We have travelled abroad several times since diagnosis almost 5 years ago. I buy the normal annual family travel insurance for europe (halifax and esure). So far I've always paid about ?10 extra to cover her diabetes. DUK travel insurance is expensive.
> 
> Make sure you always take double of everything with you and pack them in different cases. Insulin can't go in the hold (if you're flying), so make sure you have enough room for it in your handbag.



Very good advice re taking double and not putting supplies into the hold.

It's worth calling your airline beforehand and explaining that you will be carrying prescribed medication with you, most airlines should be familiar with insulin/needles etc, when I flew with easyjet in May 2011 I was allowed an extra hand luggage bag to put it all into (and which I squeezed a few other bits into as well, namely a towel and some shoes!).


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## Newtothis

shiv said:


> I was with the Birmingham Children's Hospital team for all my paed care (age 2 - 19) so I know them well and keep in touch with the nurses there. They are fantastic, really supportive - I guess you could be under a diff hospital depending on where you're living (I grew up in Kings Heath/Stirchley).
> 
> Welcome



Gone off the thread here but interested that you grew up in Kings Heath; thats where we live...


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## trophywench

Speaking personally, I wouldn't worry overly.

Hotel food can be a bit unpredictable even in UK , as can eating out.  If it's a served meal - or even on a buffet as a lot of hotels are these days - I'd never inject till my plate of food in in front of me.  And I'd only inject for THAT course then have another for the next, because a) you never know what you'll fancy, whether the 'healthy' fruit salad is doused with sugar syrup of whether you'd rather plump for the custard tart instead of the strawberries and cream (is that sweetened?) and b) timings.  If you had eg meat and veg sans spuds but already injected for a piggy dessert, you'd probably be hypo before you got it.

Heat tends to lessen my insulin needs - plus I do more on hols than at home - walking, swimming every day - whatever - which also reduces needs.  You do get used to it by the end of a fortnight but I've done fortnights in Greece at 40-ish degrees where I haven't needed to use any Novorapid till dinnertime.  And even then a lot less, because of the red wine!  About day 10, I start having to have some at lunchtime and by the time we come home, with all meals again as the body acclimatises.  So even if no insulin - meter and hypo rememdy must always be carried.  Full-fat Coke is the thing cos you can get it everywhere.

Diet drinks are not always available - you'd think America would be brill and in supermarkets yes, but not out and about. Diet Coke or Diet Coke is all usually.


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## delb t

Thanks for all your advice-the resort we had been to before- los gigantes in tenerife i cant seem to find out what medical services they have -I am just abit panicked that if my son became unwell how near would the hospital be-or if we had to call an ambulance etc  sound really cheery dont i?


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## cherrypie

This might help.

Scroll down to Doctors/ Hospitals.
http://www.losgigs.com/los_gigantes_info.htm

I don't know if you are staying in a complex or hotel but these places usually have information for you regarding medical matters.


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## Hanmillmum

delb t said:


> Thanks for all your advice-the resort we had been to before- los gigantes in tenerife i cant seem to find out what medical services they have -I am just abit panicked that if my son became unwell how near would the hospital be-or if we had to call an ambulance etc  sound really cheery dont i?



Hi and welcome 

 I thinks it is good to have things well planned and know where to go to access medical services. We have not yet ventured back abroad but the breaks we have had in UK have been planned to the n'th degree - checking out where nearest hospital and pharmacy is and how to get there, just in case.  plus 100 and odd checks of the supplies we take ( slightly anxious obsessive character ? - lol )


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## Tina63

All I would add, and not wishing it to be a dampener to your plans as I too had the same massive desire last year to prove to my son that life goes on, as it's early days you probably haven't experienced any hypos yet, and though they become second nature (kind of) they can be quite unnerving to start with.  Would it perhaps not be better to think of staying in this country just for the first few months until you have things really settled and get used to hypos etc?  If not, do go with PLENTY of cereal bar type things as well as dextrose tablets/jelly babies etc.  At least in this country you have your own DSN and hospital only a phone call away.  We had a long weekend in a caravan last Easter and the weather was of course obscenely goreous.  It was a wonderful break and just what we all needed, so it will do you all the world of good, wherever you go.

I guess to add on the other hand, it also depends on your own confidence.  It sounds like you are confident even considering a foreign holiday at this stage, so go with it!  I was just too scared of I don't even know what, but I kept imagining emergency hospital admissions right left and centre.  It just hasn't happened, so it does go to prove I was wrong to worry so much, but we are all different with things like that.  With hindsight, I do think that so often in life just biting the bullet and going with it is the best thing to do, and important to show you all that life really does go on.

Hope you have a wonderful time, wherever you go and whatever you do.

Tina


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## delb t

I dont know what to think really -and I wont rush into anything- I certainly dont feel confident by any means -he hasnt had any hypos as yet- afew lows-2.8 3.3 in the day and I think i will be freaked out when it happens,I feel im just muddling through at the moment.we have the dietician coming 2day to talk us through excercise-he is really sporty so thats hard-plus its GCSE year too! Anyone got any thoughts on no carb snacks for school weve laid off the grapes after reading others thoughts .thanks all


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## Monica

delb t said:


> -he hasnt had any hypos as yet- afew lows-2.8 3.3 in the day



Those are hypos, anything under 4 is a hypo. A hypo doesn't necessarily mean he will feel unwell or go unconscious.

As Tina says, take lots of glucose with you. But then there's always the option of full fat coke too. 150ml per treatment.


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## trophywench

Oh I didn't know you gave 25g carb for kids hypos Monica!  There you go, I learn summat new every day.


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## Hanmillmum

I find 10 to 15g more than enough for my daughter's hypos, must be individual thing


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## Monica

trophywench said:


> Oh I didn't know you gave 25g carb for kids hypos Monica!  There you go, I learn summat new every day.



?????
If I said that, I got it wrong. I don't. Carol has 3 glucotabs (12g) or a mini can of coke (150ml = 15.9g carbs)


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## trophywench

Sorry, I actually thought Coke was the same as Lucozade, where 100ml is 17g carb.  

Obviously isn't then, LOL


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## Monica

trophywench said:


> Sorry, I actually thought Coke was the same as Lucozade, where 100ml is 17g carb.
> 
> Obviously isn't then, LOL



 lol

No wonder I was confused, Carol hates Lucozade, I haven't bought any for a long long time.


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## Tina63

Why do you need your snacks to be no carbs?  We were advised 15g carb snacks, cereal bars like Trackers, Harvest Chewee, etc, or an apple or similar fruit.  The only carb free snacks I can think of are veggies, carrot, celery, pepper sticks etc, and nuts are also recommended though not too many because of fats and calories, oh and seeds are very good.  Is your son on MDI yet (sorry haven't read back through your thread) because if he is and needs bigger snacks he can always inject for them.  Oh, I think cheese is pretty carb free too I think, though again full of fat.

My son was diagnosed in Dec a year ago, also in GCSE year.  Unless your son has modules shortly, don't worry too much about GCSE stuff yet.  Nearer the time you will need to put in place a plan with the school as to how they allow him to take his testing kit and hypo stuff into the exam hall and how to be allowed to stop and take time out if necessary.  Your school should have an exams officer, and hopefully a nurse or first aider too, and they will be able to liaise and help devise a plan for him.

Good luck with everything.


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## Tina63

Also, as Monica said, those figures most definitely are hypos.  Did he not feel/appear unwell?  My son's first few were very very apparent.  Deathly white, shaking, feeling sick, horrible for him.  And his first couple weren't even below 4 (I guess an indication of how high he had been previously).  I would have thought they are more marked when you first have them.  Did he just discover them by chance or did he feel a bit 'off' and test?  Just curious!


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## jonburmingham

Hi delb t. i am in the same boat as you. my 6yo was taken into hospital just after xmas and has been diagnosed as a T1 diabetic. She is also on novorapid and glargine. 

it is all very confusing and a lot to take in. the nurses here in coventry have been great. hope things go well for you and your son


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## delb t

hi jon- your more of a newie than us -we are about a month in-we have got to grips with the carb counting -how are you doing with that? my best gadget is the digital scales!- Have you got a carbs and cals book- also ask your dietician for eating out places carbs lists -kfc subway etc as those are useful when shopping etc- my son seems to be managing ok -when he is low-just feels a bit weak -so pops some dextrose -no shaking or anything else yet.I have had a few meltdowns- yesterday at our first meeting at school a secretary said my son was doing so well-but to me " hope you dont take this the wrong way but you seem more  over anxious than him- I thought you try getting your head around this in a month!- anyway welcome aboard-the others know so much-I just muddle through at the moment-


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