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!

Time for a few drinks

Almost seven weeks have passed since my diagnosis and, thus far, I've been a very good little boy! An A1 model student (well, almost) I'd say. As you'll have gathered from my previous post I've made big changes in my lifestyle and the proof is in the low-carb unsweetened pudding. My levels have stabilised and have been broadly within range (I believe my assigned nurse actually used the phrase 'very impressive'; apologies for the self-congratulation!) and I'm now a slimmer, healthier and fitter me.

Of course one aspect of my new lifestyle has been the absence of alcohol. It has probably been my longest period of abstinence since I first discovered the joys of the grain and the grape, but it hasn't actually been all that difficult. I should point out that my exile from the world of the watering hole was pretty much self-imposed. I wasn't told to abstain from booze but, as any of you who have diabetes will know, the heady mix of carbs and alcohol can set the blood-sugar levels on bit of a roller coaster. So for that reason, coupled with my get healthy drive I refrained from drinking for a period.

Last night marked my return to the pub. I was a little apprehensive and expected my levels to go a bit awry but I'm happy to report that everything went just fine. My usual tipple of Guinness was replaced by a few glasses of red wine (my alcohol-carb feature will follow shortly), checked my levels at the appropriate times and took a light post-drinks snack. My morning reading? 6.8, thank you very much!

The alcohol-insulin-glucose relationship is a complex dynamic and one that I hope to explore in a later post. But a few glasses of merlot and a 6.8 reading is pretty good for now.

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.

Getting on with it...2

In my last post I brought you to the point of diagnosis, overlooking to mention that my diagnosis was of Type1 diabetes. Though I was aware of there being two types of diabetes I was not awfully familiar with many of the differing characteristics associated with the conditions. I'll come to differentiating between the two conditions in a later post, but for now I'll settle for telling you that when the young whippersnapper of a doctor mentioned the words 'type one' I knew enough to be able to convey an appropriate level of shock and fear. The fact that I was instructed to immediately make my way to the local hospital probably added a sense of urgency to the situation.
I found myself in A&E for the first couple of hours after which I was transferred to a ward. I spent the subsequent four days in hospital, during which I was shown the ropes. I met with my consultant & dietician and was assigned a specialist nurse with whom I'll be liaising on a regular basis.
We're all too familiar with tales of horror associated with the Irish health system, but my own personal experience of the system has been wholly positive thus far. I was fortunate in that it seemed a little quiet in the hospital during those days so there wasn't a whole lot of pressure to get me out of there and free up a bed. So far I've had good follow up with regular email and face to face consultations with my specialist nurse who, by the way, has been excellent and exemplifies all that is positive about our medical and health practitioners here in Ireland; dedication, expertise, professionalism and care.
While I've spoken to others who were discharged within hours of being diagnosed, with follow up taking place on an outpatient basis, I'm personally pleased that I had those few days in the hospital. It gave me the opportunity to get my head around the initial diagnosis and to develop a routine without having the anxiety of having the added anxiety of going it alone immediately.

Getting on with it...

So it’s just over a month now since my diagnosis. In yet another twist of politically correct folly, I’m apparently not ‘diabetic’, rather a ‘Person With Diabetes’ (PWD). That it matters not a jot doesn’t appear to bother those who become quite exercised at having to point out that “actually it’s ‘person with diabetes’ nowadays. The ignomy of not seeing beyond one’s condition!

So I think I’ll go with ‘guy with diabetes’. It’s got a bit of a ring to it, don’t you think? GWD. Yep, I’ll take that for now.

How was I diagnosed? Well it’s pretty straightforward really. None of the classic weight loss and fatigue in my case, though I did develop that thirst that’s oft spoken about.

Basically I started going to the toilet…going back to the toilet…and then some. At first I’m thinking kidney infection. Let it slide for the moment and see what happens. Then I’m feeling a bit dehydrated and I’m thinking that all that passing urine from my kidney infection has me dehydrated. I’m sipping on water and find that I’ve a bit of a craving for chilled yogurt. Passing water?..a slightly odd craving?…I couldn’t be, could i? nah, surely not…pregnant!!?? In hindsight the passing water and dehydration has become a bit of a chicken and egg conundrum; which came first? Either way I’m still thinking kidney infection.

However, after a day or two I’m getting a bit concerned. I’m not developing any other symptoms that one might associate with a kidney infection, or even with pregnancy for that matter! Now I’m beginning to suspect diabetes as the culprit. I’d heard (most likely on one of the many health related tv shows) of symptoms such as thirst and frequent urinating. Time to see the doc.

So at the surgery I’m greeted by a member of One Direction, or at least that’s who the rookie locum appeared like to me. Following a urine sample and a prick test (from which he deduced that I am indeed a prick!) the young fella asked me had I any thoughts myself about what the problem was. Eh, isn’t that what I pay you for?, I thought to myself. I told him that I feared it might be diabetes. His confirmation that my suspicions were well founded and that I needed to get myself to the local hospital ASAP left me in no doubt that this was quite serious.

A coupe of days in hospital saw my blood glucose levels stabilised and introduced me to the regime of monitoring and injecting, a regime which will continue for the rest of my life and from which there’ll be no respite; no holidays or bank holidays or lazy days. This is it from now on; 24/7, 365.

Join me as I keep you posted on my own personal journey with diabetes and as I explore the many facets of getting along with diabetes. I hope this will be of interest to those both with diabetes and those without. Talk soon