Question:
You’re exactly right, Marilyn. And speaking of effective spokespersons, look at how much Christopher Reeve has done over the last few years for people with spinal chord injuries. We need a passionate "big mouth" who will speak for us. I think all the good ones are taken. Jennifer – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are a couple problems with getting diabetes into the spotlight like breast or ovarian cancer or AIDS. The main one is the diabetics themselves, the other is the rest of the people. <weak grin At the JDF kickoff for our walk, a 13 year old girl talked about how her healthy she is, how her family eats better and exercises regularly, all because of diabetes. I hear T2s all the time say how diabetes has made them improve their bad habits and how they will probably be healthier because of it. I hear long term T1s say how they have no problems whatsoever. Then you have the people who know nothing about diabetes. People talking about how well they are doing does not help the cause. They see people who "only have to take a shot or watch their diet" to live well whereas people with cancer die or lose body parts regardless of what sort of diet they follow. Shortly after hearing the young girl talk at the kickoff, I was talking to a coworker about the article in our company’s newsletter about the JDF walk. I was bitching that the writer made light of what diabetes does and how it effects people’s lives. This woman said "well, it’s not like it kills people like cancer of AIDS". I explained to her how it does kill – bit by bit over a long time with lots of suffering along the way. She had no idea. Then there are the people, diabetic and not, who think that complications come about because people didn’t follow their diet or doctor’s orders. I think that one of the problems with a chronic disease is that in order to survive we have to put up a brave front. When someone says "you poor thing" the first instinct is to respond that there is no reason for pity. But, this is really counterproductive to the cause. I know I do it. When people ask me how my leg is I say "Great!". What I mean is that it’s not something I want to complain about. What they hear me saying is that it must be back to normal and I am abusing my handicap parking permit. Actually it is as good as can be expected and that I am fighting like hell to keep the bgs under control so the Charcot doesn’t flare up again. But if I say things like that my mental health suffers. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. — Marilyn Type 1 for 33 years, Minimed pumping for the last 12 Direct your gaze to the efforts made by women to fight breast cancer and ovarian cancer (these women fight like HELL on Capitol Hill!). Direct your gaze to the gay men’s groups who have become OUTRAGED at the atrocities that are directed towards those who are living with AIDS. I don’t think we’re so "pissed" that there’s no cure. But what we are pissed about is the fact that we have no effective spokesperson. You don’t have to have the disease to really speak up. Elton John and Elizabeth Taylor have done wonderful things for AIDS charities. And they are not "benign" nor "delicate" when they speak of the destruction of that disease. Diabetes is portrayed as a bad hangnail. I think us Type 1 and 2’s would do more if we felt it would shake the world. That’s why not having an effective spokesperson is such a big problem. Jennifer Type 1, dx’d at 12 in 1978. Proud supporter of breast & ovarian cancer research/educational efforts.
Response:
Jennifer, You are in the same boat as me. I was diagnosed at 12 in 1974! I agree with ya!! Sara
Response:
Is it the increasing cost of meds that makes this seem to be a much bigger issue than it used to be? I mean, here we are, the news broadcasts report that the economy is in such good shape, yet we have so many people who can’t afford meds and/or testing supplies. With diabetes, asthma, arthritis, hypertension, and migraines, my meds and supplies would run about $600 a month. With our insurance, we only pay a modest co-pay. Luckily, that insurance is also part of my husband’s retirement package, so we’ll have it as a supplement to Medicare. Some days, I talk to people who don’t have any insurance, and feel so awful. Forget about laws and all of that, and go back to the basics, and it’s just plain not RIGHT that people can’t afford medical care and meds.
And it’s going to get worse. The new buzz word is "defined-contribution" (I’ll abbrev it DC). Under this plan an employer makes a yearly payment to the employee for health insurance. The employee purchases their own plan. DC will be good for the young and health, because they will go into plans with others who are young and healthy and the premiums will be low. But those who are older or who have had medical problems in the past will be relegated to high-risk pools at a much increased premium. The editorial by John McCarron in the Chicago Tribune estimates that the number of uninsured will go from the present level of 50 million to 80 million when this idea takes off. Then he predicts a political insurance revolution that will give us basically what Clinton proposed at the begining of his term. Jude (uninsured) — Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – When I said nearly nothing, I was mainly expressing my frustration over the fact that the methods of treatment introduced in the past decade have been refinements of old treatments, and that developments in diabetes treatment (non-invasive meters, inhaled insulin), are so slow to happen, and even when they do, they are slowed by what seems to be an underfunded, understaffed bureaucracy (the FDA). Then again, I understand that it is partially in the interests of safety, but in a society that seems to be running more and more on "internet" time, it is nearly infuriating to see, to give an example, the FDA advisory board give a recommendation to approve the glucowatch and request an expedited review "in the interests of diabetes sufferers", and then 3 months later, nothing has happened, and not a word about any progress has been heard.
I would like to know more about the FDA and the approval process before I form any opinions. I’d rather have something take a bit longer and be proven safe than released because it does something remarkable then proves to be deadly. Look at drugs like PhenFen or Redux. Even Propulsid (the gastroparesis drug I mentioned earlier) is starting to look like it wasn’t tested enough. I think that part of the "problem" is the media and all the hype that anything new is given. We hear all the time about new discoveries being made. Many of these "discoveries" are experiments that others cannot duplicate or whose practical applications are nowhere close to being a reality. We have heard about inhaled insulin for years. It probably hit the media when it was no more than someone’s idea. When news like this comes out we get our hopes up that something wonderful is about to happen. Then, when it finally does come around it has so many restrictions and conditions that it really is not what we expected. The Glucowatch seems to be just like this. It is not going to be the end all. The manufacturer says the readings should not be used to determine insulin dosages – not too accurate. And it takes a lot of work, money and time to get it set up, you still have to use your traditional glucose monitor. I heard it uses a AA or AAA battery every 12-24 hours. I can only imagine how large it must be to have a battery this size. Yes, it is a start, but it sure isn’t what the media had hyped it up to be. A device like the Minimed continuous monitor sounds much more promising. Maybe it would help if you looked backwards and saw how far things have come rather than look forward towards how far we have to go. It really wasn’t that long ago that we were still testing our urine and if you received a diagnosis of retinopathy you were almost guaranteed to go blind. — Marilyn Type 1 for 33 years, Minimed pumping for the last 12
Response:
Are there any actual political efforts to influence diabetes funding?
How have you managed to avoid the mailing lists of the ADA and twenty others seeking funds to buy politicians? m
Response:
Jude Your wish is my command. I just put in a call to my doctor to discuss taking an adjuvant medication. This morning my bg was 148. That is too high. Lets see if he calls me back. When I was reading info on Prandin they showed a dosage of 2 mg three times a day. I think at my weight (which I wont repeat here) I am not taking enough or it isnot the right stuff. Thanks. I can always count on you. You are my guru. Now dont blush. loretta
Response:
Jude I aijm to please. I think you agreed with my comments. So far your prescriptions are manageable, but what will you do if they go higher. I see an advertisement on television for some prescription benefit club that is 7.95 a month and they guarantee large discounts of medication. I will watch for it ad when I find it I will forwrard it to you. Even if its20% it is better than nothing. Well since my back went out, I have gained three pounds. Not eating more, doing less . I hope this passes soon. I need to be thin.. I hope your dinner went well with Charlie and Happy Valentines Day because you are a sweetheart of a person. Loretta
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jude I am with you. My daughter calls me a left wing fanantic because I believe that government should have a strong hand in the health of our people and that there should be programs and trials paid for by the government, therefore, paid by our taxes. I dont know how I gave birth to a right wing fanatic who thinks government is already too much in our business. Government should not be everywhere but when it is needed, it should be there. My daughter wants tax custs. I asked her if the 200 dollars more she will get will make a difference in her life and yet that money can be used to fund my pet peeve, senior citizens not having money to buy prescription drugs. NOt everyone is as lucky as I am that I pay 5 bucks a prescription. Seniors are making decisions whether to get medication or buy food. In my local market, seniors are reduced to stealing. Or they are eatng cat food because the price of prescription drugs is so prohibitive. Clinton wants to pass a bill before he leaves including prescription drugs into medicare. The only problem with that is theamount is one grand and these elderly people can use up one grand in a month. I would say between my husband and I our prescription bills are 700 a month. I was fortunate to have a government job that will fill my prescriptions for the rest of my life. I dont know how much diabetic drugs cost, I think Prandin is about 60 a month. But I dont know the cost ofglucaphage and glucatrol.
I don’t have insurance. My job is technically part-time, but even if it was full-time, the employer is not required to provide insurance. On 1500mg Glucophage, my prescription is about US$69. My blood pressure medicine is cheap, it’s only about $18. I have to take a potassium supplement because of the blood pressure medicine, that’s $40 a month. Prandin for 30 is $23. Add 100 strips for a month at $63. That’s $213 and I’m a fairly healthy guy! on some of the lowest cost medicines. If youre a senior and you live near the Canadian border, there is a bus that takes people to pharmacies where the cost of medication is like one-quarter that of the US.
I can take a vacation to Mexico and get my medications for a year, and the savings will pay for a two-week visit. I take one medication that costs 268 for 60 pills. Who can afford that.
Hardly anyone. It is a national travesty that the level of care depends on the amount of gathered worth. 30-40 MILLION in the USA do not have insurance, cannot get appropriate care when they need it. They say we have the best medical system in the world, but how can that be when so many persons are not served? Loretta getting off her soapbox
Get on your soapbox whenever you like. Your comments are refreshing. Jude — Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
Response:
What they hear me saying is that it must be back to normal and I am abusing my handicap parking permit. Actually it is as good as can be expected and that I am fighting like hell to keep the bgs under control so the Charcot doesn’t flare up again. But if I say things like that my mental health suffers. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. — Marilyn Type 1 for 33 years, Minimed pumping for the last 12
what people seldom see are folk debilitated by complications. our society assumes wrongly that the obesity correlated with some variants of type 2 diabetes is the fault of the person so afflicted. what is needed is lobbying by survivours of amputations, cardiac events, and other diabetics with more visible manifestations of diabetes… person to person lobbying is the most effective. i regard diabetes to be a difficult disease to negotiate gracefully. eadred despite his ferocity must deal with his knowledge that a life without constant attention to diet, exercise, skin lesions or cuts, and so on may lead to deleterious consequences. as a manic depressive i must a constrained life but despite the discrimination and hatred leveled towards those so afflicted i do not face the horrors so many diabetics must face…… ah i wrote too much. see recent diabetes forecast for a mother whose daughter died in her twenties from diabetes. the mother has become a successful advocate and lobbyist for diabetes funding at the congressional level. the loss of her daughter has given her the leverage to make people listen carefully to what she presents. melee — melynda reid who wears hats but does not type caps as she hates to commit a capital offense i remain a shy and retiring artist without portfolio seriously seeking homeo stasis oh whither art thou homeo??? the over forty wicked wackey mermaid revue has just begun. stay attuned for the next episode..
Response:
There are a couple problems with getting diabetes into the spotlight like breast or ovarian cancer or AIDS. The main one is the diabetics themselves, the other is the rest of the people. <weak grin At the JDF kickoff for our walk, a 13 year old girl talked about how her healthy she is, how her family eats better and exercises regularly, all because of diabetes. I hear T2s all the time say how diabetes has made them improve their bad habits and how they will probably be healthier because of it. I hear long term T1s say how they have no problems whatsoever. Then you have the people who know nothing about diabetes. People talking about how well they are doing does not help the cause. They see people who "only have to take a shot or watch their diet" to live well whereas people with cancer die or lose body parts regardless of what sort of diet they follow. Shortly after hearing the young girl talk at the kickoff, I was talking to a coworker about the article in our company’s newsletter about the JDF walk. I was bitching that the writer made light of what diabetes does and how it effects people’s lives. This woman said "well, it’s not like it kills people like cancer of AIDS". I explained to her how it does kill – bit by bit over a long time with lots of suffering along the way. She had no idea. Then there are the people, diabetic and not, who think that complications come about because people didn’t follow their diet or doctor’s orders. I think that one of the problems with a chronic disease is that in order to survive we have to put up a brave front. When someone says "you poor thing" the first instinct is to respond that there is no reason for pity. But, this is really counterproductive to the cause. I know I do it. When people ask me how my leg is I say "Great!". What I mean is that it’s not something I want to complain about. What they hear me saying is that it must be back to normal and I am abusing my handicap parking permit. Actually it is as good as can be expected and that I am fighting like hell to keep the bgs under control so the Charcot doesn’t flare up again. But if I say things like that my mental health suffers. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. — Marilyn Type 1 for 33 years, Minimed pumping for the last 12
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Direct your gaze to the efforts made by women to fight breast cancer and ovarian cancer (these women fight like HELL on Capitol Hill!). Direct your gaze to the gay men’s groups who have become OUTRAGED at the atrocities that are directed towards those who are living with AIDS. I don’t think we’re so "pissed" that there’s no cure. But what we are pissed about is the fact that we have no effective spokesperson. You don’t have to have the disease to really speak up. Elton John and Elizabeth Taylor have done wonderful things for AIDS charities. And they are not "benign" nor "delicate" when they speak of the destruction of that disease. Diabetes is portrayed as a bad hangnail. I think us Type 1 and 2’s would do more if we felt it would shake the world. That’s why not having an effective spokesperson is such a big problem. Jennifer Type 1, dx’d at 12 in 1978. Proud supporter of breast & ovarian cancer research/educational efforts.
Response:
A caring doctor with generous pharmaceutical sales reps can make a world of difference!
| Hi Teri | Your letter touched me. For about a year my husband and I didn’t have | insurance and we just got some last month, finally. I have the same | illnesses as you and plus hyperlipidemia and anxiety and my meds were like | about 1,000 dollars a month but even though my doctor has a staff that has | alot to be desired, this precious doctor patted me on the shoulder because | of my embarrassment of never being in that predicament , and she said that | she would give me samples of all she was allowed to keep in her office and | you know she did. This precious lady doctor saved me because I would not | have been able to get any of the meds especially the migraine because I was | having them so frequently and those are like for only 10 tablets 150.00 | dollars alone. I am like you back to the basics where doctors really care | for their patients and cut this pre-existing stuff. I think of how much I | have paid to insurance companies and just now using it for the first time in | 20 years and all that money gone but now there is pre-existing things they | won’t allow. Sorry for such a long letter but I just really empathize with | people who are having a hard time of it. Thank God my hard time was only for | a year but then again it wasn’t due to a doctor who really cared for me. | Diana | | — | People Ask Me Why I Love God? Because He First Loved Me
| Is it the increasing cost of meds that makes this seem to be a much bigger | issue than it used to be? I mean, here we are, the news broadcasts report | that the economy is in such good shape, yet we have so many people who | can’t | afford meds and/or testing supplies. | | With diabetes, asthma, arthritis, hypertension, and migraines, my meds and | supplies would run about $600 a month. With our insurance, we only pay a | modest co-pay. Luckily, that insurance is also part of my husband’s | retirement package, so we’ll have it as a supplement to Medicare. | | Some days, I talk to people who don’t have any insurance, and feel so | awful. | Forget about laws and all of that, and go back to the basics, and it’s just | plain not RIGHT that people can’t afford medical care and meds. | | Teri | | | | Jude | | | | I am with you. My daughter calls me a left wing fanantic because I | | believe that government should have a strong hand in the health of our | | people and that there should be programs and trials paid for by the | | government, therefore, paid by our taxes. | | | I can take a vacation to Mexico and get my medications for a year, and | | the savings will pay for a two-week visit. | | | | I take one medication that costs 268 for 60 pills. Who can afford | that. | | | | Hardly anyone. | | | | It is a national travesty that the level of care depends on the amount | | of gathered worth. 30-40 MILLION in the USA do not have insurance, | cannot | | get appropriate care when they need it. | | | | They say we have the best medical system in the world, but how can that | | be when so many persons are not served? | | | | Loretta getting off her soapbox | | | | Get on your soapbox whenever you like. Your comments are refreshing. | | | | | | Jude | | | | — | | | | Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting | | Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch | | | |
Response:
Direct your gaze to the efforts made by women to fight breast cancer and ovarian cancer (these women fight like HELL on Capitol Hill!). Direct your gaze to the gay men’s groups who have become OUTRAGED at the atrocities that are directed towards those who are living with AIDS. I don’t think we’re so "pissed" that there’s no cure. But what we are pissed about is the fact that we have no effective spokesperson. You don’t have to have the disease to really speak up. Elton John and Elizabeth Taylor have done wonderful things for AIDS charities. And they are not "benign" nor "delicate" when they speak of the destruction of that disease. Diabetes is portrayed as a bad hangnail. I think us Type 1 and 2’s would do more if we felt it would shake the world. That’s why not having an effective spokesperson is such a big problem. Jennifer Type 1, dx’d at 12 in 1978. Proud supporter of breast & ovarian cancer research/educational efforts. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Are there any actual political efforts to influence diabetes funding? It seems to me that if some voting bloc of diabetics was established, there would be much more progress in encouraging development and funding of research. There are at least 200,000 voting age type 1 diabetics in America, at least 5 million voting age type 2 diabetics. Are there any political efforts going on? In my opinion, it seems like nearly nothing has been developed in the past decade to aid diabetics (with the exception of the pump, which could still be greatly improved). Also, it seems that the drug companies have been slow to research new products because of the inherent profitability of the current test-strip business. I believe that we should try to do something. I am clearly frustrated, and feel stymied at the hands of a government which does nothing for the sufferers of a condition that is had by an enormous minority of the population. Anyone else think so? -Andrew
Response:
Is it the increasing cost of meds that makes this seem to be a much bigger issue than it used to be? I mean, here we are, the news broadcasts report that the economy is in such good shape, yet we have so many people who can’t afford meds and/or testing supplies. With diabetes, asthma, arthritis, hypertension, and migraines, my meds and supplies would run about $600 a month. With our insurance, we only pay a modest co-pay. Luckily, that insurance is also part of my husband’s retirement package, so we’ll have it as a supplement to Medicare. Some days, I talk to people who don’t have any insurance, and feel so awful. Forget about laws and all of that, and go back to the basics, and it’s just plain not RIGHT that people can’t afford medical care and meds. Teri
| Jude | | I am with you. My daughter calls me a left wing fanantic because I | believe that government should have a strong hand in the health of our | people and that there should be programs and trials paid for by the | government, therefore, paid by our taxes. | I can take a vacation to Mexico and get my medications for a year, and | the savings will pay for a two-week visit. | | I take one medication that costs 268 for 60 pills. Who can afford that. | | Hardly anyone. | | It is a national travesty that the level of care depends on the amount | of gathered worth. 30-40 MILLION in the USA do not have insurance, cannot | get appropriate care when they need it. | | They say we have the best medical system in the world, but how can that | be when so many persons are not served? | | Loretta getting off her soapbox | | Get on your soapbox whenever you like. Your comments are refreshing. | | | Jude | | — | | Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting | Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
Response:
neat. anyone thinking about who they are going to vote for should read this: http://www.diabetes.org/ada/gore.asp Not that I’d vote for Bush anyway. A famous father and inside quasi-legal business deals can only get someone so far. -Andrew – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Are there any actual political efforts to influence diabetes funding? You should contact the American Diabetes Association at their web site; http://www.ada.org. Once there look up the Diabetes Advocate. They have sponsored for a collection of votes from everyone looking for support for NIH Funding of Diabetes. The last I heard they had at least 250,000 signed documents. It is a very good group for advocacy for those with diabetes. Be Well. . . Bob
Response:
Jude Hi, its me, Lawrence Welks daughter. Seriously, you write that Prandin gives type II more food choices. Can you tell me what they are. Yesterday, I ate 2 1/2 slices of pizza and woke up with 188 reading. I had one day of readings below l00 and I dont know what I did that day that I did not do before I am befuddled, bewitched and bothered. I am on 1 mg three times a day. Do you think that the dose is not enough for a woman who weighs over 200 by a few tens. Jude remember I said I have short term memory problems so if I asked you this before, please refer me to where I can find your answer. Thanks Loretta
Response:
Jude I am with you. My daughter calls me a left wing fanantic because I believe that government should have a strong hand in the health of our people and that there should be programs and trials paid for by the government, therefore, paid by our taxes. I dont know how I gave birth to a right wing fanatic who thinks government is already too much in our business. Government should not be everywhere but when it is needed, it should be there. My daughter wants tax custs. I asked her if the 200 dollars more she will get will make a difference in her life and yet that money can be used to fund my pet peeve, senior citizens not having money to buy prescription drugs. NOt everyone is as lucky as I am that I pay 5 bucks a prescription. Seniors are making decisions whether to get medication or buy food. In my local market, seniors are reduced to stealing. Or they are eatng cat food because the price of prescription drugs is so prohibitive. Clinton wants to pass a bill before he leaves including prescription drugs into medicare. The only problem with that is theamount is one grand and these elderly people can use up one grand in a month. I would say between my husband and I our prescription bills are 700 a month. I was fortunate to have a government job that will fill my prescriptions for the rest of my life. I dont know how much diabetic drugs cost, I think Prandin is about 60 a month. But I dont know the cost ofglucaphage and glucatrol. If youre a senior and you live near the Canadian border, there is a bus that takes people to pharmacies where the cost of medication is like one-quarter that of the US. I take one medication that costs 268 for 60 pills. Who can afford that. Diabetes is not the only illness that is underfunded in research. We have the orphan drugs that companies cannot make big profits and therefore, do not want to take the time to research or spend the money producting the drug because it will not be a financial windfall for them. Huntingtons disease comes to mind. Multiple Sclerosis, spinal chord injuries. And it is only when a celebrity has the disease of the month that attention is brought to it and they get on a bandwagon. Michale J. Fox, Annette Funnicello and Christopher Reeve come to mind. I believe that the republicans (and if you are one, I dont mean to offend you) are going to do everything in their power to see that Clintons prescription bill is not passed becasue they want to cut taxes. I hope the elderly remember this when it is time to reelect these politicians. I try to be charitable with what I have. I give to cancer, feed the children, alzheimers and now I will make diabetes one of my charities. I am surprised I never heard from them because I am solicited by every charity in this country except for them. I think I have opinionated myself to boredom. Thanks to all who listen and remember republicans are not looking to give quality health care to our citizens. They want to give a little, not as much as is needed. Loretta getting off her soapbox
Response:
Jude Hi, its me, Lawrence Welks daughter. Seriously, you write that Prandin gives type II more food choices. Can you tell me what they are. Yesterday, I ate 2 1/2 slices of pizza and woke up with 188 reading. I had one day of readings below l00 and I dont know what I did that day that I did not do before I am befuddled, bewitched and bothered. I am on 1 mg three times a day. Do you think that the dose is not enough for a woman who weighs over 200 by a few tens.
Well, a couple things, just so you know how your medicine works. Prandin stimulates your body to make insulin. It does that within the first hour you take it, and then it diminishes in your bloodstream. 50% of the Prandin has left your body within that first hour. Expect that one-quarter more will be gone in the second hour, and then it’s not significant any longer. Prandin will not help anything after that approximately two hours after you eat. So the high numbers are coming from something else. The first thing that comes to mind is that pizza has fat, and that could slow the digestion, making the Prandin (and the body’s insulin surge) less effective. But the most likely is the "dawn effect", which I can’t easily describe, but is described in detail here: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/diabetes/faq/part2/section-13.html If I understand it correctly, the body notices a low bG, then pumps hormones to raise the bG. I have had good results by taking a third 500 mg Glucophage (metformin) after supper. Of course, your results may vary. I’m not recommending Glucophage, I’m pointing out that there are alternatives which you should discuss with your doctor. But I’m really serious about you talking to your doctor about medication choices. Prandin is a very fast-acting medication, but has no residual effects. So it will not help you if you have morning highs. To understand each of the oral medications you might take, this is an important link: http://www.diabetes.org/ada/c30c.asp Best health to you. Jude — Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
Response:
Has it really been approved? When was it approved?
I was so close, but inaccurate: "On December 6, 1999 the Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Toxicology Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee unanimously voted to recommend U.S. approval with conditions for Cygnus’ GlucoWatch monitor. The FDA is not bound by its advisers’ recommendations but typically follows them. The FDA’s ruling is anticipated in the first half of 2000. " http://www.cygn.com/glucowatch.html Jude — Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
Response:
In the last 10 years there have been new meds to help with gastroparesis, neuropathy and insulin resistance to name a few. The pump (first introduced in the late 70’s, early 80’s) saw some pretty significant feature changes in the 90’s as did the infusion sets that are used. Some meters can now accurately provide results in 15 seconds, others are almost mini computers. On the insulin front, Humalog was introduced and HOE was developed, (sadly animal insulin production was stopped). The first continuous glucose monitor was approved last year, and the first noninvasive meter is in testing. So when you say that "nearly nothing" has been developed are you really just expressing your frustration that there is no cure? Even in that area progress was made. They have now identified the protein that causes diabetes, pancreas and Islet cell transplants are realities, they can run tests to see who will develop diabetes and can even delay the development of complete pancreas shut down. Yes, we do need to lobby together to be sure that funds are allocated to diabetes but not because nothing has been done. Because we are so close. — Marilyn Type 1 for 33 years, Minimed pumping for the last 12
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Are there any actual political efforts to influence diabetes funding? It seems to me that if some voting bloc of diabetics was established, there would be much more progress in encouraging development and funding of research. There are at least 200,000 voting age type 1 diabetics in America, at least 5 million voting age type 2 diabetics. Are there any political efforts going on? In my opinion, it seems like nearly nothing has been developed in the past decade to aid diabetics (with the exception of the pump, which could still be greatly improved). Also, it seems that the drug companies have been slow to research new products because of the inherent profitability of the current test-strip business. I believe that we should try to do something. I am clearly frustrated, and feel stymied at the hands of a government which does nothing for the sufferers of a condition that is had by an enormous minority of the population. Anyone else think so? -Andrew
Response:
When I said nearly nothing, I was mainly expressing my frustration over the fact that the methods of treatment introduced in the past decade have been refinements of old treatments, and that developments in diabetes treatment (non-invasive meters, inhaled insulin), are so slow to happen, and even when they do, they are slowed by what seems to be an underfunded, understaffed bureaucracy (the FDA). Then again, I understand that it is partially in the interests of safety, but in a society that seems to be running more and more on "internet" time, it is nearly infuriating to see, to give an example, the FDA advisory board give a recommendation to approve the glucowatch and request an expedited review "in the interests of diabetes sufferers", and then 3 months later, nothing has happened, and not a word about any progress has been heard. -Andrew
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In the last 10 years there have been new meds to help with gastroparesis, neuropathy and insulin resistance to name a few. The pump (first introduced in the late 70’s, early 80’s) saw some pretty significant feature changes in the 90’s as did the infusion sets that are used. Some meters can now accurately provide results in 15 seconds, others are almost mini computers. On the insulin front, Humalog was introduced and HOE was developed, (sadly animal insulin production was stopped). The first continuous glucose monitor was approved last year, and the first noninvasive meter is in testing. So when you say that "nearly nothing" has been developed are you really just expressing your frustration that there is no cure? Even in that area progress was made. They have now identified the protein that causes diabetes, pancreas and Islet cell transplants are realities, they can run tests to see who will develop diabetes and can even delay the development of complete pancreas shut down. Yes, we do need to lobby together to be sure that funds are allocated to diabetes but not because nothing has been done. Because we are so close. — Marilyn Type 1 for 33 years, Minimed pumping for the last 12 Are there any actual political efforts to influence diabetes funding? It seems to me that if some voting bloc of diabetics was established, there would be much more progress in encouraging development and funding of research. There are at least 200,000 voting age type 1 diabetics in America, at least 5 million voting age type 2 diabetics. Are there any political efforts going on? In my opinion, it seems like nearly nothing has been developed in the past decade to aid diabetics (with the exception of the pump, which could still be greatly improved). Also, it seems that the drug companies have been slow to research new products because of the inherent profitability of the current test-strip business. I believe that we should try to do something. I am clearly frustrated, and feel stymied at the hands of a government which does nothing for the sufferers of a condition that is had by an enormous minority of the population. Anyone else think so? -Andrew
Response:
Are there any actual political efforts to influence diabetes funding?
You should contact the American Diabetes Association at their web site; http://www.ada.org. Once there look up the Diabetes Advocate. They have sponsored for a collection of votes from everyone looking for support for NIH Funding of Diabetes. The last I heard they had at least 250,000 signed documents. It is a very good group for advocacy for those with diabetes. Be Well. . . Bob
Response:
Has it really been approved? When was it approved? Thanks, Andrew
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – FDA advisory board give a recommendation to approve the glucowatch and request an expedited review "in the interests of diabetes sufferers", and then 3 months later, nothing has happened, and not a word about any progress has been heard. The glucowatch has been approved. I’m not sure if it’s on the market yet. I know it will be expensive and it is still invasive. More products are in testing now. On the drug front, many new drugs have been developed, but as you know, some of them have had side effects that were not determined in the trials. That is an indication that the FDA is not being too conservative — their task is to protect the public. There are orals that are effective and safe and which have been on the market for quite a long time. Metformin (Glucophage) has been sold since 1958 and is still widely prescribed because it is effective and the side effects are usually minor. Prandin is a new drug that is giving Type 2 diabetics more freedom in their food choices, and it seems to have a low incidence of side effects. For the insulin-dependent diabetic, three types of insulin help them to keep their body under control. Now there is the "pen" which makes injecting much easier. And the pumps are getting better every year. I had a friend that had an experimental pump about 1983 and it was very bulky and somewhat unreliable. But the greatest strides have probably been in the meters we use. While we all complain about the price of the meters or the strips, they are a wonderful tool to help us effect our condition. Was it in your message? about companies being more interested in selling strips than in finding a cure? 100% wrong. If a company finds a cure, they will have one of the top-selling drugs known to man. No company is going to withhold it. While we should all be working with our Diabetes Associations and Societies, some of the research that will help us is not necessarily done there. For example, the Heart Associations are important to us, because most diabetics die from coronary complications. The Kidney Associations are important because some of us will have failure of our kidneys. Even such disciplines as human immunity will ultimately help us, and if HIV can be conquered, many maladies will be cured even tho we don’t relate them directly to HIV. Can we ever have enough money dedicated to particular diseases? Perhaps not. The government should be priming the pump, helping people to get into medical and scientific disciplines so that we have the researchers we need. The government should be involved in being the "safety net" for those who cannot afford their therapies. But we must all be generous and philanthropic to our research organizations. You brought a good topic to the group. Thanks. Jude — Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
Response:
I’m on the other side of the fence and see the glass half full while I believe you see itm half empty. There have been such improvements in the dx.and treatment.Much more awareness and certainly since that DDCC or whatever that study was has helped tremendously. What about medicare patients and others being able to get their supplies free and delivered to them as needed. How about the shoes that are available(one free pair each year)? When the Miss America was a diabetic and the year she was all around the country speaking up and making people aware and then when her year was over joining the American Diabetes Association. That has helped enormously. When movie stars get involved…Mary Tyler More comes to mind immediately and Wilfred Brinley….who hasn’t seen his ads on TV pertainng to Diabetes. There was a march on Washington b Diabetics,also the Race for the Cure and many politically active people nvolved. Yes,we make great strides. Those of us who belong to the American Diabetes Association get all the latest news and developements along with particpating in some of the latest studies. In jst the last few years alone,we have made great stride. I remember in grade school in 1939 or so when a friend of mine wh was a juvenile diabetic had to use litmus paper to test her urine and regulate her shot accordingly. I remember years later the awful time she had getting pregnant and carrying two of her pregnancies to term. How many miscarrages we lost count. She ad to stay in bed practically the whole 9 months.It was good she was in the Boston area where the Joslin Clinic was working overtime to get to help. Guess I’ve said enough. But there is lots goig on and I’m sure you can hookup with and be as political as you want to be.
Response:
FDA advisory board give a recommendation to approve the glucowatch and request an expedited review "in the interests of diabetes sufferers", and then 3 months later, nothing has happened, and not a word about any progress has been heard.
The glucowatch has been approved. I’m not sure if it’s on the market yet. I know it will be expensive and it is still invasive. More products are in testing now. On the drug front, many new drugs have been developed, but as you know, some of them have had side effects that were not determined in the trials. That is an indication that the FDA is not being too conservative — their task is to protect the public. There are orals that are effective and safe and which have been on the market for quite a long time. Metformin (Glucophage) has been sold since 1958 and is still widely prescribed because it is effective and the side effects are usually minor. Prandin is a new drug that is giving Type 2 diabetics more freedom in their food choices, and it seems to have a low incidence of side effects. For the insulin-dependent diabetic, three types of insulin help them to keep their body under control. Now there is the "pen" which makes injecting much easier. And the pumps are getting better every year. I had a friend that had an experimental pump about 1983 and it was very bulky and somewhat unreliable. But the greatest strides have probably been in the meters we use. While we all complain about the price of the meters or the strips, they are a wonderful tool to help us effect our condition. Was it in your message? about companies being more interested in selling strips than in finding a cure? 100% wrong. If a company finds a cure, they will have one of the top-selling drugs known to man. No company is going to withhold it. While we should all be working with our Diabetes Associations and Societies, some of the research that will help us is not necessarily done there. For example, the Heart Associations are important to us, because most diabetics die from coronary complications. The Kidney Associations are important because some of us will have failure of our kidneys. Even such disciplines as human immunity will ultimately help us, and if HIV can be conquered, many maladies will be cured even tho we don’t relate them directly to HIV. Can we ever have enough money dedicated to particular diseases? Perhaps not. The government should be priming the pump, helping people to get into medical and scientific disciplines so that we have the researchers we need. The government should be involved in being the "safety net" for those who cannot afford their therapies. But we must all be generous and philanthropic to our research organizations. You brought a good topic to the group. Thanks. Jude — Crouch Enterprises – Telecom, Internet & Unix Consulting Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
Response:
Are there any actual political efforts to influence diabetes funding? It seems to me that if some voting bloc of diabetics was established, there would be much more progress in encouraging development and funding of research. There are at least 200,000 voting age type 1 diabetics in America, at least 5 million voting age type 2 diabetics. Are there any political efforts going on? In my opinion, it seems like nearly nothing has been developed in the past decade to aid diabetics (with the exception of the pump, which could still be greatly improved). Also, it seems that the drug companies have been slow to research new products because of the inherent profitability of the current test-strip business. I believe that we should try to do something. I am clearly frustrated, and feel stymied at the hands of a government which does nothing for the sufferers of a condition that is had by an enormous minority of the population. Anyone else think so? -Andrew
Response:
Categories: Asacol Programs To Help Afford Your Meds | 
No Comments »
* Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free! 