 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Diabetes / April 20071955
Hi DaveT, I am fascinated to read you were diagnosed in 1955 T1. How has the medication changed over the years? My daughter was diagnosed a year ago. We live in Ireland. Here all medication including test strips which are associated with long term illnesses such as Diabetes are free so there is no limitation on how often she can test herself. KD > Hi DaveT, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > KD Hello there Thanks to the ability of injecting insulin and with a reasonable amount of care there is no reason for a T1 not to have a full and normal life. Is your daughter old enough to inject as well as test her self (even if it is under supervision)? I was dx at 10 years old and hate others injecting me but think nothing about injecting myself, every one else wants to act like they do on TV (quick jab) but if you let the needle just slide in you can pull it out and inject again if you have hit one of those spots that hurt. The only advance I have appreciated was when the ability to self blood test became available. A lot more accurate and a lot less messy and embarrassing. ;-) Trouble is if there was not the profits that are being made in test strips I believe 24/7 non intrusive testing would now be available instead of all the investment into redesigning what is already available. Just some thing that beeped if the BG went high or low so a normal test could then be done would be a start, but.... Everything else about the disease seems to be reverting back to when I was first diagnosed, especially the carb counting that is involved with DAFNE. Has your daughter come to terms with it and just as important have you? Are you getting good support from her medical team? -- DaveT T1 diagnosed 11/12/1955 BeefL & Lispro DAFNE > > I am fascinated to read you were diagnosed in 1955 T1. How has the > > medication changed over the years? [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > BeefL & Lispro > DAFNE hi, i'm noor from indonesia. i have testimonials of diabetes. here a nany. her name sofia, live in pangkalan bun kalimantan indonesia. she getting well, and her lession/ injured is recovery. 1 have some picts of it. Responding to your request, but from the US . . . I was diagnosed in 1959 at the age of 3. Initially: injections just once a day, in the morning--Ultralente and Regular, I believe. Meals had to coincide exactly with the peak effectiveness of the injections, so injection at 7:00 and breakfast, noon meal exactly at 12:00, evening meal exactly at 17:00. No glucose meters, so urine testing: Testape, which was dipped into urine--if it changed color, then used Clinitest tablets (two drops of urine, 10 of water, plus tablet in a test tube). A chemical reation took place. You then checked color of the result, to see if there was no sugar in the urine, a trace amount, 1/2%, 1%, 2%, or 5%. Accuracy left much to be desired (and that glass jar in the bathroom to collect urine: DISGUSTING) I kept hard candy in my school bag all through my school years. Later switched to NPH and Regular, two injections a day, but still kept up with the urine testing in university. Started carrying table sugar in 35mm film containers instead of hard candy. Early glucometers were introduced in my college years (80's), but they were expensive: I believe, about US$600, so my first blood sugars were done with visual strips. Eventually the companies figured out that money was in the strips, not the meters, and started giving away the meters in the US. I next moved to Lantus and rapid-acting Novalog, with five injections a day (about seven years ago). This was really a stepping stage to moving to an insulin pump. I am now using a pump (Smith Medical Cozmo) with an integrated glucose meter. I find it far easier to control my blood sugars, and would never return to injections. I rarely have hypoglycemic episodes (last one was five years ago when I forgot to wash my hands before testing. The meter found sugar from the juice of an apple that I had eaten--I bolused to correct a nonexistent high. I now make absolutely sure that I clean my hands before testing.) I have lost 30 pounds of excess weight. Some retinopathy issues that were beginning to show up prior to pumping have disappeared. The world for diabetics is rapidly changing. Best wishes to you and your daughter. Perhaps my brief description of diabetes in the 60s and 70s is of interest. > Responding to your request, but from the US . . . Jello5500, Glad to hear you have made almost 50 years of being diabetic with no health issues. I am in a simular position to yourself. But a few years younger. > I was diagnosed in 1959 at the age of 3. I was diagnosed in 1978 at the age of 18 months. My parents said it was a nightmare trying to wring out a nappy to get the 5 drops of urine to add to the 10 drops of water. I do remember the clinitest tablets. I started on one injection per day. Then in 1986 I went to U100 insulin Actrapid and Lentard mix. Then around 1988 I went onto 2 injections per day. Around 1999 I went to 4 per day. Lantus and Novorapid. Which I am still on today. As for testing I remember getting a meter around 1990 and tested once per day. I now test around 6 times per day. As for health effects I have sone neuropathy in my hands and feet, and also some retinopathy in one eye. I am trying to get my local health authority to let me use a pump and continuius meter as I still suffer from Hypo's. Unfortunately after 30 years I seem to be loosing most of the warning signs. Is there any more info you can give on the pump and monitor? Are there any issues that are not mentioned in all the sales papers. From what I have read I believe this will greatly improve my life. > I am now using a pump (Smith Medical Cozmo) with an integrated glucose > meter. I find it far easier to control my blood sugars, and would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > bolused to correct a nonexistent high. I now make absolutely sure > that I clean my hands before testing.) > > Responding to your request, but from the US . . . > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > mentioned in all the sales papers. From what I have read I believe this will > greatly improve my life. I went onto BeefL insulin because I lost all my hypo feelings. I had night hypos were I awoke in pools of sweat and apart from trying every so called human insulin on the market at the time ended up having to keep my BGs high just to feel safe. In the end I insisted the medics put me on to animal insulin and I got all my feeling back within a week. I was cautious in bringing my numbers down for obvious reason but the change to my life was remarkable. I can not guarantee you get all your feeling back as quick but it worked for me. As I understand it you have to try a few different insulin's before they will provide a pump so ask to be put on BeefL. It is a excellent basal with a long flat action of a full 24hrs and then it tapers off for aprox up to another 6 hours. If your doctor tells you that it is being stopped or any other excuse just ask him to look it up. It is made in Wales they are supplying animal insulin's to individuals in most of Europe Australia USA and have just got a licence to import their Pork insulin's into Canada so they are expanding rather than stopping production. I would not mind a continuous meter that I could double check the results with a normal meter but I don't fancy being hooked up to a pump, I like to see the goo going in. -- DaveT T1 diagnosed 11/12/1955 BeefL & Lispro DAFNE > I went onto BeefL insulin because I lost all my hypo feelings. I had night > hypos were I awoke in pools of sweat and apart from trying every so called [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > with a normal meter but I don't fancy being hooked up to a pump, I like to > see the goo going in. Thanks very much for the info. I booked an appointment a fe wmonths ago, due to the waiting list it is coming up at the end of May. I will ask about a pump first, then if not I will ask for the BeefL insulin and see if this helps. Regards, Mark. > I am trying to get my local health authority to let me use a pump and > continuius meter as I still suffer from Hypo's. Unfortunately after 30 years > I seem to be loosing most of the warning signs. Is there any more info you > can give on the pump and monitor? Are there any issues that are not > mentioned in all the sales papers. From what I have read I believe this will > greatly improve my life. I cannot give too much help, because I am not familiar with medical care and policies in the UK. I can tell you, that Smith Medical is a British Company, I would suggest contacting them about the Cozmo pump. Medtronic Minimed does make a pump with a continuous glucose monitor. My first pump was from Medtronic, and I was not happy with their service. Others have had no problem with them, but I decided I did not want to direct any additional business in their direction. Having hypoglycemic unawareness is something that the Medtronic equipment may help you with--I would contact them, as they know the processes that will need to be followed to get the pump, and what you might say to the doctor. My take on the Minimed equipment: be prepared for expenses. My insurance covers 80% of the cost, while the rest comes out of my pocket. The pump costs roughly $6000; the insulin reservoirs and infusion sets will cost $5-9 a day, depending on what you use; the glucose sensors will cost roughly $12 a day. Insurance does not yet cover sensors in the US. Plus the costs of insulin and test strips. My own opinion on this situation is that I will wait until insurance is available to cover the costs of the sensors. There are a number of companies that are in the process of developing products: Abbott Diabetes is working on a continuous monitor that is planned to be less expensive, and will actually replace glucose monitors; Smith Medical's Cozmo integrates the meter and pump (not what you are looking for, but something if find particularly useful); Omnipod, a new pump now available in limited markets in the US, has some new and interesting features. I can tell you that since switching to the pump, my glucose levels have been far more regular. I have learned that for my morning meal, I need one unit of insulin for every six grams of carbohydrate; for the rest of the day, I require one unit for seven grams of carbohydrate. One unit of insuline wil bring my glucose levels down 30 points (using the US system). One thing that I have discovered is that with insulin inections, there was a tremendous amount of variability in absorbtion--some days I would run high, other days low. My endocrinologist has said that there may be as much as a 20% variation in insulin effectiveness from one injection to the next. With the pump, I see far fewer problems, and I have not had a hypo in a long time. Some pump users say they are bothered by being tethered to a pump 24/7. As for me, changing an infusion set every 2-3 days is far preferable to injecting five or more times a day. When I get high glucose levels, I know exactly where they come from--usually, when I eat and miscalculate the amount of food I am eating. I test frequently, between 5 and 8 times a day, so that if I am high two hours after a meal, I will take a supplemental bolus. I strongly suggest that you get a couple of the books on pumping to get a better sense of what is involve. There is one by John Walsh that is really helpful, as well as others. I would suggest contacting this site for more information: http://insulin-pumpers.org.uk/ > I cannot give too much help, because I am not familiar with medical > care and policies in the UK. I can tell you, that Smith Medical is a > British Company, I would suggest contacting them about the Cozmo pump. OK Ill give them a look up. > Medtronic Minimed does make a pump with a continuous glucose monitor. > My first pump was from Medtronic, and I was not happy with their [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > will need to be followed to get the pump, and what you might say to > the doctor. OK I will try contacting them direct and see what they have to say. In the UK there is a government body called NICE who have a list of recomended pumps. The Medtronic Minimed is listed, but not the ones with CGMS. This is why I was heading down the minimed route as I had hoped that it would be easier to get another version accepted. > My take on the Minimed equipment: be prepared for expenses. My > insurance covers 80% of the cost, while the rest comes out of my [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > the US. > Plus the costs of insulin and test strips. In the UK they either pay for the pump and all infusion sets or nothing at all. They will not pay for the glucose sensors accept in very rare circumstances. > My own opinion on this situation is that I will wait until insurance > is available to cover the costs of the sensors. There are a number of [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > available in limited markets in the US, has some new and interesting > features. The CGMS would help me a lot. If I am in a business meeting and I start to feel unwell I am never sure if it is due to being diabetic, or the fact that I am next up for the presentation. Having a look at a meter would be ideal. I would be happy with doing daily injections as required, but after speaking to someone who has used a CGMS meter and a pen they were doing 7 injections per day where as the pump made life simpler for them. > I can tell you that since switching to the pump, my glucose levels > have been far more regular. I have learned that for my morning meal, [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > With the pump, I see far fewer problems, and I have not had a hypo in > a long time. This may also be a problem I am suffering from as I have the same problems.My life style is usually simular meals at the same time and also meal types are simular. However some days I am high and other days I am low. > Some pump users say they are bothered by being tethered to a pump > 24/7. As for me, changing an infusion set every 2-3 days is far [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > get a better sense of what is involve. There is one by John Walsh > that is really helpful, as well as others. I have just ordered the book by John Walsh and also another American book on the subject giving the advantages and disadvantages. > I would suggest contacting this site for more information: > http://insulin-pumpers.org.uk/ Thanks Ill have a read there as well. Regards, Mark. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.