Not my usual daily news digest but...

I was stopped in my tracks at the news stand this morning. “Diabetes ‘cure’ to end misery of jabs” screamed the headline. Of course, tales of cures for diabetes should always carry a, ahem, health warning; it seems that boy is still crying ‘wolf’. And the ‘misery of jabs’ seems to have eluded me thus far. Nevertheless, my curiosity being piqued I felt compelled to pick up a copy of the Daily Express. To make matters worse I had to hand money over it!

Feeling dirty and compromised I quickly consumed the front page story and page two follow up, discarded the evidence and began the process of erasing the episode from my memory. As you’ve probably gathered I bear a less than latent antipathy towards the Daily Express but hey, we all sell out sooner or later. The fact that my personal sell-out was in the name of advancing my knowledge of the condition that characterises my physical well-being has abated my guilt.

But enough of my rather public self-flagellation! Given my general scepticism I was not disappointed to quickly find out that the headline was indeed an overstatement. That said, it seems that despite the misleading title, this was actually an interesting story heralding what appears to be a major development in the management of diabetes. Perhaps I’m a bit behind the curve and many of you are aware of this development already, but I’m personally excited to find out that a UK research team has developed an implant device that will render unnecessary the daily grind of insulin jabs.

The team, headed by Dr Joan Taylor, professor of pharmacy at De Montfort University, Leicester has been working on the project for over twenty years and has finally revealed the prototype. It is anticipated that the first trials will begin in 2016, followed by availability on the NHS within ten years.

The device is about two and a half inches in diameter and is surgically implanted into the abdominal cavity. It releases precise amounts of insulin into the bloodstream and is topped up via a small catheter. The insulin is stored in a reservoir that is surrounded by a gel that slowly releases the insulin as bg levels rise. Don’t ask me about the science but it appears that as the bg levels subsequently drop the gel solidifies, ensuring the right amount of insulin is released. Clever, eh?

At an estimated cost of £5,000 per procedure this would seem to present what the Americans might call a ‘win-win’. The cost to the state of diabetes management is huge and is on an upward curve. This is exacerbated by the additional costs of related complications, not to mention lost work days etc. Not only does a development such as this appear to be a lower cost alternative to the conventional jab/pump methods, it also hugely improves individual lifestyle and management of the condition and mitigates long-term complications. To use another Americanism, it would appear that this development might prove to be a ‘no-brainer’ for future governments, on both health and economic levels. All of this makes for positive news.

So I’m glad I sullied myself and picked up this morning’s Express. If the story proves to be more than the usual hype surrounding diabetes ‘cures’ we can be excited at the prospects of an improved lifestyle and greater peace of mind. Not a bad thought with which to start the weekend.

Gadget Review: Insulcheck



Obviously any diagnosis attracts an army of well-meaning but ill-informed armchair/barstool medics eager to share the latest nugget they read in the Health & Lifestyle pullout of the weekend newspaper. The advice is sometimes patronising, often misleading and seldom, if ever welcome. Every once in a while however the well of unsolicited counsel throws out a worthwhile splash. Such was the case when the brother told me about Insulcheck.

As an opener the words "I was listening to a fella on the radio talking about diabetes" is usually more than enough to send me scurrying for the off switch, but force of habit compels me to listen up when it's the older and wiser brother on the other end of the phone. So he tells me about an Irish guy who has designed some gadget to help us remember we've taken our insulin. Apparently this chap collapsed after having double-dosed and this was he catalyst for us quest to find something that would prevent this from happening again. Failure to find such a gadget led him to put on his inventors hat and come up with something himself. Abracadabra Insulcheck!

The gentleman in question is John Hughes who, together with his friend and work colleague, William Cirillo set up the company Insulcheck in 2009. Hughes, a Type 1 pwd, was inspired to come up with a solution to the problem of double-dosing after having experienced one too many close shaves. Along with William, an engineer at Baydon Solutions he came up with an answer to the problem. Venture capital and support from state agencies has enabled the company to consolidate on its initial success and the company is now taking the device to an international platform.

So how does it work? Well it's a basically a digital timer that fits on your insulin pen and logs the time lapsed between doses. As soon as a dose is administered the timer reverts to 00.00 and begins counting the hours and minutes again. What's handy about the device is that it only reverts to zero and begins timing after the dose has been administered; particularly handy for those occasions when you set your dose but momentarily leave it down and forget to administer. Of course Insulcheck won't actually prevent you from forgetting to dose but it takes away the uncertainty; that niggling 'did I or didn't I?' feeling. A quick glance will tell if indeed you have or haven't and exactly when.

The device is compatible with a range of pens and comes with a battery life of about 12-18 months after the battery can be popped out and replaced.

The only criticism I have after having used Insulcheck for two months now is that for some reason it is unable to log doses of three units or less. I expect that this will be ironed out in time.

As a postscript I'd just like to mention Insulcheck's excellent customer service. I recently encountered a problem with one of my devices, e-mailed Insulcheck to report the fault and was pleasantly surprised to receive an e-mail the following morning informing me that a new replacement pen had been dispached. This duly arrived in the next day's post. Very impressive, I think you'll agree!

Every cloud...

You know, I'm a few weeks into it now and I must say that a Type 1 diagnosis isn't all bad. Sure, it's a serious condition and can lead to major complications, particularly if undiagnosed or not managed properly and of course it's also a life-long condition and a way of living from which there's no respite. However, there's another side to the equation. For a start, many of the complications associated with Diabetes are common problems that are also experienced by a great number of people who have never been diagnosed with the condition. On top of this is the fact that the chances of these complications arising are greatly reduced when one is sensible and takes all the necessary steps to manage the condition properly.

But what I think is most positive about a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes is the fact that it is a life-altering event from which there is no return. A bit of a paradox really.

Before I received my diagnosis I wasn't exceptionally unhealthy but I was at a stage in life where I was on the verge of an unhealthy middle age and subsequent old age, with a high risk of developing any one or more of a variety of conditions such as heart disease, blood pressure, cancer or, ironically, type 2 diabetes. I was a non-smoking, moderate drinking 39 year old but my lifestyle was in need of change. My diet, while not the stuff of your typical 'You Are What You Eat' candidate, was in need of improvement and exercise was something that had barely even made it on to my bucket list! My daily routine also left a bit to be desired. Skipped meals, eating on the hop, dinner often at an unearthly hour and frequently from a Dr Oetker frozen pizza box. Too much coffee, too little water and five a day was an aspiration rather than a reality.

Diagnosis diabetes however and all's changed, changed utterly. You could say I've diabetes has set me off on my own personal Operation Transformation!

I've become a proud MAMIL (middle aged man in Lycra), the hi-vis running shirt, ball-hugging pants and gel-soled trainers forming part of my daily wardrobe. My routine has become almost regimental, if a little predictable at times. Oatmeal, fruit and wholemeal bread are my new best breakfast buddies. Meals aren't skipped, I don't eat while rushing to the next destination and the frozen pizzas remain, well, frozen. I still have a somewhat unhealthy relationship with coffee but I'm also enjoying a passionate affair with my mistress water, one that sees us get together on up to six or seven occasions a day! A loss of around 10lbs has seen my fledgling middle-aged spread replaced by leaner, slightly meaner machine!

So while my diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes has resulted in my being a bit more susceptible to certain conditions, it has also put me firmly on the track to good health and will ultimately mean that I am less at risk of developing a raft of other serious conditions.

I'll settle for that.