Abbott 21 Day Sensor Trial
I am participating in a trial at William Sansum Diabetes Center to test a 21 day sensor for the FreeStyle Libre real-time “flash glucose monitoring system.” The FDA recently approved the FreeStyle Libre real-time “flash glucose monitoring system.” In the US, the FreeStyle Libre is approved for adults with diabetes only. Like the international version, the FreeStyle Libre sensor is considered a replacement for fingersticks – it does not require any daily fingerstick calibrations and real-time readings and trends can be used for insulin dosing. FreeStyle Libre will be available in major retail pharmacies across the US by the end of the year. The cash price without insurance will be far less expensive than other sensors –it will cost around $120 per month for three sensors, and each reader will be around $60 (one-time purchase). FreeStyle Libre is considered a “continuous glucose monitor” (CGM), since it collects a glucose value every minute and displays a number and trend arrow. However, it does not have alarms and does not communicate continuously with the handheld reader device as other CGM devices do. To obtain a real-time glucose number and trend, the sensor must be “scanned” (within 1.5 inches) using the reader device. This can be done through clothing, making it far less visible, obtrusive, and painful than a fingerstick. The Libre sensor is approved for upper arm wear, is waterproof for showering and swimming, is fully disposable, is not affected by Tylenol (acetaminophen), and can store up to eight hours of recent glucose data on the patch. Continue reading >>
What Is On Theresa May’s Arm? The Prime Minister’s Clever Patch Helps Deal With Diabetes
Theresa May has an awful lot on her plate at the moment, but away from her political troubles she also has to deal with diabetes. The Prime Minister was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in November 2012 and has taken daily insulin injections ever since to combat the illness. May said earlier this year: ‘I am a type one diabetic. That means when I eat, I have to inject insulin, which I do. ‘I will be injecting myself four or five times a day… You just get into a routine. You depend on that insulin and you just build that routine into your daily life. The crucial thing to me is being a diabetic doesn’t stop you from doing anything.’ Part of her way of dealing with the condition is wearing a diabetes monitoring patch, which is sometimes visible on her upper-arm, depending on what she is wearing. It is a small, white, circular patch which monitors blood sugar levels and will warn her when she has to inject insulin. The patch is an update on the finger-prick blood tests which were used previously, as it involves a tiny needle under the skin which tracks blood sugar levels and sends the results digitally to a phone or smartwatch. Diabetes Monitoring patches, such as the FreeStyle Libre are now available on prescription via the NHS. The reader is not available via prescription but can be provided free of charge via a Health Care Professional. For more information on how the product works and how to get one, click here. Continue reading >>
Theresa May Proves Type 1 Diabetes Is No Barrier To Achievement
Theresa May is set to be officially confirmed as Britain’s 76th Prime Minister today and will be the first that we know of to have Type 1 diabetes, after being chosen as the Conservative Party leader following David Cameron’s resignation.Theresa May was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2012 after she sought medical attention for sudden weight loss - a classic symptom of the condition along with increased thirst, tiredness and urination. Since her diagnosis she has been very open about her condition and has made it clear that it has had little impact on the demands of her former role as Home Secretary, one of the most high-profile jobs in Government, which she held for six years. "Diabetes In an interview with Diabetes UK’sBalance magazine in 2014 she said: “I would like the message to get across that it doesn’t change what you can do. The more people can see that people with diabetes can lead a normal life doing the sort of things that other people do, the easier it is for those who are diagnosed with it to deal with it.” There have been a number of reports in the media that some MPs have questioned May’s suitability for the job because of her Type 1 diabetes. While it is true that May is very likely the first UK Prime Minister, and possibly the first world leader, that we know of to have Type 1 diabetes, suggestions that having Type 1 diabetes means that you are unfit to be Prime Minister are completely untrue and unacceptable. Type 1 diabetes is a serious health condition but it can be managed effectively with good care and support. It doesn’t change what you can do and people with the condition should have access to the same opportunities as people without the condition, whether that’s becoming Prime Minister, a doctor, teacher or any other job. Th Continue reading >>
'you Can Still Do What You Want To': Theresa May On How Diabetes Has Changed Her Life
When she came down with a heavy cold in November 2012, former Home Secretary and Prime Minister Theresa May’s first thought was that she should get it checked out by her GP. Her husband had just had a similar cold that had developed into bronchitis, so it made sense for her to get it looked at before the same thing happened to her. But she had no idea that this was a visit to the GP that would change her life forever. While she was there, she mentioned to her GP that she had recently lost a lot of weight, though she hadn’t thought much about it and had put it down to 'dashing about' in her role as Home Secretary. But the GP decided to do a blood test anyway. Suddenly, she was being told that she had diabetes. The news came as a shock, though looking back she realises she had some of the classic symptoms. As well as the weight loss, she was drinking more water than usual and making more frequent trips to the bathroom. But, it wasn’t something she thought about much at the time. “That summer was the Olympics, so life was in a different order,” she says. “There was a lot more going on, so I didn’t really notice.” She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but, when the medication didn’t work she went for further tests and, eventually, the news came back that she had Type 1. The more people can see that people with diabetes can lead a normal life doing the sort of things that other people do, the easier it is for those who are diagnosed with it to deal with it “My very first reaction was that it’s impossible because at my age you don’t get it,” she says, reflecting the popular misconception that only younger people get diagnosed with Type 1. In fact, one in five people diagnosed with Type 1 are over 40 when they develop it. “But, then my reaction wa Continue reading >>
Visiting 10 Downing Street And Being Inspired To Not Let Type 1 Diabetes Hold Me Back
Last Friday I visited 10 Downing Street with my family and proudly stood in front of the famous door with my FreeStyle Libre on my arm and insulin pump on my back, being inspired to not let type 1 diabetes hold me back. We were invited personally by Prime Minister Theresa May when I chatted to her about her type 1 diabetes and how she managed the condition at JDRF’s 30 years of progress event last year. Arriving at Downing Street with my JDRF banner and standing outside the front door where Theresa May resides was such a surreal experience. When you get diagnosed with type 1 you’re often told that the condition doesn’t stop you doing anything (apart from being in the army or being an astronaut) but sometimes it’s hard to actually believe this, especially when the person is normally a health care professional who usually doesn’t live with diabetes. However standing there I felt a sense of pride. Whether you support the Conservative Party, the Labour Party or any other, Theresa May shows us that type 1 diabetes has not held her back. For me this shows her as a positive role model, showing all of us that we can do whatever we want and although diabetes may make it a little more tricky, or we have to take a different path, we can achieve our dreams. I think being a Prime Minister is one heck of a dream! Being able to have this opportunity with my family was such a special experience. My Mum, Dad and sister, who have been there for me since day one helping carb count, attending hospital appointments and occasionally providing a shoulder to cry on were now stood beside me once again helping to spread the word about type 1 diabetes. Inside Downing Street we were greeted by our tour guide Michael who explained to us the history behind Number 10. Walking through the ma Continue reading >>
Meeting The Prime Minister And Hrh The Duchess Of Cornwall – Jdrf 30 Years Of Progress Event
‘Camilla praises Theresa May for ‘boosting’ charity by talking about her life with diabetes’ – (something we can all be grateful for) ‘As President, it has been a privilege to meet those who live every day with type 1 diabetes, as well as their all-important families who do so much to support them. They are at the heart of everything that this charity is doing. And although this is a time to look back over the many achievements of the last thirty years, I know that everyone at JDRF is looking forward in the hope that a cure for this devastating disease will be found in the not too distant future.’ – HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. Meeting the Prime Minister Theresa May and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall last Wednesday night was an opportunity I never dreamed of having. Arriving at the Guildhall in London we were met by Kris from JDRF who told my parents and myself that in 10 minutes time id be speaking to The Prime Minister Theresa May. Fair to say I was very nervous! However after shaking her hand and being told to address her informally as Theresa, my nerves disappeared. We chatted about our diagnosis’s, and how Theresa managed her diabetes through her hectic schedule. We also spoke about my blog and how raising awareness for Type 1 was so important. I showed Theresa that I wore my insulin pump on one arm and my Freestyle Libre on the other and that i didn’t mind wearing my devices so publicly because it raises awareness. Theresa told me that she was just about to start using the Libre, so I couldn’t help giving her a tip! It was such a fantastic experience being able to talk to such a lovely and influential person about a disease we both face day in and day out. I also found out Theresa did a geography degree. We already have two simila Continue reading >>
Open Letter To Theresa May: Leading With Type 1 Diabetes
Dear Theresa May, Congratulations on your new role as Prime Minister. I am writing to you as we have one thing in common, type 1 diabetes. Being insulin dependent requires constant blood glucose monitoring and taking insulin injections. The greater challenge ahead is that you will have to manage your health condition under immense pressure. Some reports surfaced this week that you were questioned about your ability of becoming a PM with Diabetes Mellitus Type 1. In my opinion, the MP who imposed such a question most definitely does not understand our health condition. Our determination of taking the responsibility of our health, makes us a stronger and more disciplined person. This condition does not restrict us from performing a job, quite the opposite. We are more dedicated because we have to make extra effort. As a fellow T1D of 20 years, I think that your new priority is not only about Great Britain but also your health. Hence, I have put together a list of my top 10 tips of managing our common condition: No. 1. Informing people you have type 1 diabetes People who have good control of T1D have no obvious physical alterations. Explaining your health condition to others, can help them to understand you better. No. 2. Regular blood glucose monitoring This is the key to manage T1D. By testing your blood glucose frequently, you will be able to know if you are taking the right amount of insulin or eating well. No. 3. Hypoglycemia Tell people around you if you have hypoglycemia immediately and ask them to give you at least 15 minute recovery time after drinking some juice. Symptoms of Hypoglycemia include confusion and unable to make decisions. As you will be making some of the most important decisions for the GB nation, please carry a juice with you at all times. No. 4. H Continue reading >>
Revolutionary Skin Patch Helps Ten-year-old With Type 1 Diabetes
Singing a solo on stage under the spotlights, Keira Oliver looks like a star in the making. But the ten-year-old is able to perform only thanks to a revolutionary skin patch on her arm which constantly monitors her blood sugar levels. The patch a sensor the size of a £2 coin means Keira can take part in two-hour performances without worrying about falling ill from type 1 diabetes. READ:Cancer and your child: The power of positivity She has even wowed audiences at the Royal Albert Hall. In the autoimmune condition, which the Prime Minister Theresa May also has, the pancreas stops producing insulin, meaning glucose in the blood cannot be turned into energy. Sufferers monitor their levels and adjust their insulin intake. Keira normally has to prick her finger up to 15 times a day to check her blood sugar levels but is terrified of needles. With the FreeStyle Libre patch, she can find out her levels by simply scanning the sensor using a smartphone-sized device. The technology has allowed her to perform in her first full-length production on a London stage without having to be taken off for treatment. Her mother Sharon, 42, said the patch is helping Keira fulfil her dream of becoming a stage star. ‘She just loves to perform,’ she said. ‘But before she had the patch I had to sit in the wings and keep dragging her off to do fingerprick tests.’ Keira, from Ashford, Kent, was ecstatic to be picked for a solo at her stage school Theatretrain’s How To Make A Hero! show at the Royal Albert Hall in September. Her mother said: ‘She had the scanner hidden in a pocket of her costume and she was able to quickly and discreetly scan.’ Keira calls the device her ‘Bleepy’ after the sound it makes and said it is ‘really cool’. She added: ‘It would be really hard to g Continue reading >>
What Is On Theresa May’s Arm? The Prime Minister’s Clever Patch Helps Deal With Diabetes
Theresa May has an awful lot on her plate at the moment, but away from her political troubles she also has to deal with diabetes. The Prime Minister was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in November 2012 and has taken daily insulin injections ever since to combat the illness. May said earlier this year: ‘I am a type one diabetic. That means when I eat, I have to inject insulin, which I do. ‘I will be injecting myself four or five times a day… You just get into a routine. You depend on that insulin and you just build that routine into your daily life. The crucial thing to me is being a diabetic doesn’t stop you from doing anything.’ Part of her way of dealing with the condition is wearing a diabetes monitoring patch, which is sometimes visible on her upper-arm, depending on what she is wearing. It is a small, white, circular patch which monitors blood sugar levels and will warn her when she has to inject insulin. The patch is an update on the finger-prick blood tests which were used previously, as it involves a tiny needle under the skin which tracks blood sugar levels and sends the results digitally to a phone or smartwatch. Diabetes Monitoring patches, such as the FreeStyle Libre are now available on prescription via the NHS. The reader is not available via prescription but can be provided free of charge via a Health Care Professional. For more information on how the product works and how to get one, click here. MORE: Homeless left with nowhere to sleep after gates are put up in doorways to deter them Continue reading >>
My Shocking Illness: Home Secretary Theresa May Reveals She Has Type 1 Diabetes And Needs Daily Injections... But Vows To Continue Her Political Career
In an exclusive interview with the Mail on Sunday, Mrs May reveals all Some said new image was part of plan to challenge David Cameron as leader Type 1 diabetes, a chronic illness, carries a risk of heart attacks and strokes Courageous Home Secretary Theresa May has vowed to carry on her political career after revealing that doctors have told her she must inject herself with insulin at least twice a day for the rest of her life. Mrs May, strongly tipped to succeed David Cameron as Conservative leader, is suffering from Type 1 diabetes – which carries a risk of heart attacks and strokes – and now carries a needle with her at all times. Disclosing the chronic condition in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, Mrs May, 56, said: ‘It was a real shock and, yes, it took me a while to come to terms with it.’ But she is determined to soldier on in her gruelling routine as Home Secretary, working up to 18 hours a day. ‘The diabetes doesn’t affect how I do the job or what I do. It’s just part of life... so it’s a case of head down and getting on with it.’ She diplomatically brushed aside questions over whether it could stop her achieving her dream of succeeding Mr Cameron, and becoming Britain’s second woman Prime Minister, saying: ‘There is no leadership bid. We have a first-class Prime Minister and long may he continue.’ Mrs May’s decision to talk candidly about the diagnosis stems partly from comments about her two-stone weight loss. It prompted reports that it was part of a makeover in preparation for a Tory leadership campaign. In fact, part of Mrs May’s weight loss is a result of her diabetes, although she had started a new diet and fitness regime before she was told in November that she had the condition. Initially doctors thought she Continue reading >>
Theresa May’s New Accessory: A Glucose Monitor
Theresa May is no stranger to flamboyant accessories but a discreet addition to her outfit at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London on Monday has a more practical purpose. A small white circle about the size of a £2 coin that was visible on her upper arm monitors glucose levels in her body and sends the data to a reader or smartphone app. Mrs May was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2012. Currently, most people with diabetes prick their fingers several times a day to check glucose levels in order to know when and how much insulin to inject. Sensors like that used by Mrs May can instead be worn on the back of the upper arm for up to 14 days. A small… Continue reading >>
New Glucose Monitoring Device
A new glucose monitoring device has just become available in the UK. This device is called the Freestyle Libre. The system comes in two parts. The first part is a white disc approximately the size of a 50 pence piece. This disc is attached to the upper arm. It has a small needle underneath which has to be inserted into the skin using a specially designed insertion device. The needle is then withdrawn leaving a small flexible sensor in the skin on underside of the disc. This sensor continuously measures blood glucose levels. The disc is very sticky and attaches firmly to the skin where it remains for two weeks. If the device is going to be used continuously then a new disc has to be inserted after the old one is removed. The second part is the scanning device which looks similar to current blood testing devices. This sensing device can simply be held close to the white disc sensor and give a readout of all the blood sugar levels over the previous eight hours. This readout can be taken through clothing while the scanning device is up to four centimetres away from the sensor. This is clearly a potentially useful development in terms of glucose sensing. It gives the wearer the ability to check very frequent glucose measurements and look at patterns over the previous 8 hours without the need for repeated finger prick tests. This may help facilitate changes to insulin regimes or warn of times when glucose values have fallen too low eg: during sleeping hours. There are two issues which need to be mentioned. The first is that the sensor measures glucose in the interstitial fluid which is the fluid between cells under the skin. Current finger prick testing measures blood sugar values. This is important since changes in the glucose in the interstitial fluid lags behind changes in Continue reading >>
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Student With Type 1 Diabetes Hails Theresa May As Positive Diabetes Role Model
A university student with type 1 diabetes has described being personally invited to 10 Downing Street by the Prime Minister as a "surreal experience". Lydia Parkhurst, 19, met Theresa May - who also has type 1 diabetes - at JDRF's 30 years of progress event last year. It was there that both women discussed how they both managed their condition and Mrs May suggested Lydia and her family should visit the famous home where she now lives. Lydia, who is from Doncaster and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged 12, said: "Arriving at Downing Street with my JDRF banner and standing outside the front door where Theresa May resides was such a surreal experience. "When you get diagnosed with type 1 diabetes you're often told that the condition doesn't stop you doing anything (apart from being in the army or being an astronaut) but sometimes it's hard to actually believe this, especially when the person is normally a healthcare professional who usually doesn’t live with diabetes. "However, standing there I felt a sense of pride. Whether you support the Conservative Party, the Labour Party or any other, Theresa May shows us that type 1 diabetes has not held her back." Lydia said she arrived on the doorstep proudly wearing the FreeStyle Libre on her arm and insulin pump on her back and admitted she felt that Ms May was a "positive role model" as she has proven that diabetes has not prevented her from ruling the country. The Parkhurst family was given a full tour of the property, which included sitting in a chair which once belonged to Winston Churchill and seeing the famous staircase that actor Hugh Grant danced down during a scene from Love Actually. Lydia said: "Theresa May lives with type 1 diabetes and studied geography at university. Two similarities with me - perhaps I coul Continue reading >>
Carlisle Mp Backs Diabetes Campaign Launched By Copeland Mp Jamie Reed
Carlisle's MP has backed calls to make vital glucose monitors free to all adults and children living with Type 1 diabetes. Conservative John Stevenson is supporting the campaign launched by fellow Cumbrian MP Jamie Reed. The Labour politican is calling for these monitors to be made available on the NHS as a right to all those living with the condition. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. The first is an autoimmune condition which causes the body to destroy its own insulin-producing cells. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, it is not triggered by lifestyle factors such as poor diet and lack of exercise. It means those diagnosed with the condition, many of them during childhood, can not prevent it and there is no cure. Those living with Type 1 diabetes rely on daily insulin injections and therefore need monitors - Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) and Flash Glucose Meters - to check their levels regularly. The two MPs argue these should be available on the NHS as they would prevent severe hypos - episodes where insulin levels drop to severe lows. Mr Stevenson argued this would actually save the health service money, by preventing patients having to be rushed to hospital. Access to these monitors is currently limited on the NHS. The Carlisle MP has demonstrated his support by signing Mr Reed's petition, which has gathered more than 23,000 signatures to date. It aims to reach 100,000 signatures before January 5, to be considered for a debate in Parliament. He said this important technology should be accessible to everyone living with Type 1 diabetes - not only those with the resources to afford it. “It is clear to me that Continuous Blood Glucose Monitors and Flash Glucose Meters should be made available on the NHS. That’s why I have supported the petition calling Continue reading >>
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You Can Do It…
“With the Freestyle Libre the blindfold disappears. ” I have been a type 1 diabetic for 39 years and whilst there have been many changes and technology advantages I have used, nothing at all compares to the confidence I have taken from my Freestyle Libre – to say this is life changing is an understatement. Not only can I now understand better than ever how my levels react to stress, food, time of day etc. I also have a new talking point which has so far seen me waxing lyrical and even removing clothing in shops to show off my sensor as I describe the system to people. I have taken to Freestyle Libre advocacy whenever I meet someone I find out is a diabetic or even to people who ask what I am doing when scanning who know a diabetic. On holiday last summer I watched as the hot weather affected my levels and sometimes at an amazing rate, the Freestyle libre meant I was able to take action before the dive south thus avoiding the hypos – fantastic, I read somewhere where having diabetes is like walking a tight rope blindfold and occaisionally lifting the blind (finger stick), with the Freestyle Libre the blindfold disappears. Those who know me have have commented on the change in confidence and that my diabetes is no longer quite at the forefront – diabetes absolutely doesn’t define me but even less so using this tool. All we need now is someone in the Government (perhaps Theresa May should be given one to try) to recognize how much of a saving this can make to the NHS, a diabetic friend of mine using Freestyle Libre has said how much more controlled he is now and how the number of emergency callouts has gone to zero for him as he has limited diabetic signals. Thank you Abbott for this change to my life Continue reading >>
