Long - Re: Ruth's email on December 10 about UK diabetics

December 14, 2001

Hello

I know this was posted quite a while ago, but I thought as a UK diabetic I

would stress that Ruth's way of treating her diabetes (which obviously works

well for her and I'm really pleased it does) is no longer followed by some

clinics. I'm a type I diabetic and have been since 1984. Back then I was

told the exact amount of insulin to take and then eat a certain amount of

carbs to cover this. Then several years ago we were told to stop counting

carbs and just eat what we want. This did not work for me my Hb1AC was

always over 8 and creeping towards 9, and started to experience some side

effects (a very small eye bleed and severe depression).

Then about 3 years ago I joined a Diabetes Support group on the internet and

this dramatically changed my life. I spoke to people who did count their

carbs and then adjusted their amount of insulin to suit the food they were

taking. Upon approaching the hospital they told me of a program called

'DAFNE' which stands for Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating. Although all

the courses were full I was taught this on a one-to-one basis by a fantastic

dietician. Within 6 months my Hb1AC was 6.0 and for the first time I felt

better. I simply ate what I wanted but took the correct amount of insulin

to cover it, learning what food suited me and what didn't. I've now taken

this one step further and am on an insulin pump, which obviously means

counting carbs and testing frequently. But for the first time in my life I

can get up in the morning and feel as though I actually want to do something

that day (including exercising to help with my control)! My last Hb1AC was

5.6 and I work very hard to maintain it.

I appreciate that Ruth's experience with type 2 diabetes is different from

mine as a type 1, and is just as valid, but felt I should point out that

there is the move towards counting carbs in the UK once more (at least in my

experience). I believe to gain control of my diabetes it is the only way

and this is increasingly a common view.

Sorry this is so long, but I think it is important to remember that we all

have different ways of dealing with our diabetes and I, for one, cannot

speak for all UK or elsewhere for that matter, diabetic. This is simply

'my' experience.

Kind regards

Carol

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