Insulin Experimentation: 30 Days of Using Old-School Products - stackthspolies

DM) Hey Rob, how exactly did you get the mind to outset this 30-day challenge that you recorded via YouTube?

RH) Last fall, I was in California with Medtronic Diabetes, and ended dinner I asked about the about common complaint of T1D patients. Without hesitation, they told me price was the about common complaint and that most T1Ds pay around $2,500 each year for ticker therapy, and much more in years where they have to purchase a new pump.

All this is happening top of insurance premiums, prescription carbon monoxide gas-pays, primary concern visits, endo visits, etc. So I aboveboard had one too many glasses of wine-colored and said, "What if I did a 'Super Size Me'-style experimentation where I lived completely off all over-the-antagonistic insulins for 30 days?" They entirely collectively gulped but thought IT could be advantageous, and the idea stuck with Pine Tree State so I decided to serve it in 2018.

This issue of affordability and admittance has certainly become a hot button lately, hasn't it?

Yes, 2018 is an interesting meter to be a person with eccentric 1 diabetes. Connected one reach, we are making significant go on in some research and advocacy, with social media connecting T1Ds across the world similar never earlier. Happening the other hand, the cost of prescription insulin has tripled from 2002 – 2013, for no other argue than the pharmaceutical companies backside hiking the prices, and in the U.S. government, this bring out ostensibly couldn't resonate less with lawmakers.

The consequences of this injustice are dead sad. Stories are widespread of T1Ds perishing while attempting to ration insulin OR trading supplies on the "black market." Certainly in that respect are programs aimed to ply insulin for those who can't afford it, but even out they undergo been impotent to stop nine-fold deaths due to the high cost of prescription insulin in the United States.

These deaths break my heart because they could happen to any T1D. We all manner of walking a exquisitely personal line of credit.

Have you in person faced this issue of questionable access to insulin?

Yes, at the beginning of 2017, I left the consolation zone of my advertising agency chore to start my ain accompany. For years I'd wanted to enter an entrepreneurial venture, but forever hesitated because the healthcare options before of me left Pine Tree State with more questions than answers. I stockpiled as much insulin and as many heart supplies as I could, and devoted myself to ensuring that my new venture would be successful enough to get ME insurance in front I ran out.

I just about didn't hold the insulin stretchiness. Without the assistanc of a unknown (an angel in disguise) from Instagram, I would've run out of insulin ahead my insurance kicked in — at that place would've been a 3-4 week gap.

What did you hear from that experience?

That I wasn't asking the right questions, and when you are departed from the refuge net of being healthy to tattle to your restore about different treatment options you can ofttimes miss an opportunity to salve your life and treat your T1D for less than $100 USD per month. That's right. To a lesser extent than $1500/year, or 5 vials of prescription insulin without insurance.

I consider myself a bad educated T1D, heavy involved in the T1D community with tons of memory access, and I had ne'er detected of this discussion. When I was diagnosed, I had insurance, so I started on Novolog and Lantus injections. The days of R and NPH as a primary treatment were a thing of the past, KO'd of sight and out of nou.

But my friend told Maine he got his insulin from Walmart with no ethical drug and didn't use insurance. I was skeptical, intellection he essential be compromising good restraint in some agency, so I asked him to lunch to explain it to me.

What he told me is what many of you experience: you can live well as a T1D on R and NPH insulin from Walmart.

Had you ever used those 'over-the-counter' insulins before?

Actually, no. When I was diagnosed, I was connected Multiple Daily Injections of Novolog and Lantus, which are the trade name versions of the over-the-rejoinder drugs, but I'd never used them. They're fairly similar, but have a few subtlety differences in terms of timing, peaks, etc., which are supposed to make them more effective.

How were you tracking your results?

Two ways. I'm exploitation the One Drop metre and app, which is really the only bright spot on the over-the-sideboard treatment option, since it doesn't require a prescription. I use it normally, soh I didn't suffer to change anything there.

I'm also trailing my results connected the Dexcom G5 (continuous glucose monitor), which is great because I used that to review a 24-hour chart and go through the nuances of my daytime in a new video posted to my YouTube channel all night during the challenge. The Dexcom is the only part of the challenge that was non over-the-comeback, but I'm using it strictly for data collection purposes and I think it adds a lot of value.

And then your challenge wrapped up on Feb. 7. What was the experience like?

Frankly, information technology hasn't been all that bad. With the exception of a some highs early, it's been about what I expected. And while liberal syringe injections isn't super fun, it's more inconvenient than an actual problem. My hypothesis going into this was I'd be fit to live within a .25 variance happening my A1c (which was 6.3 before the challenge) and now that I'm a few days into IT, I think I'll live able to pull that off.

What has the reaction been like from the T1D community?

I've been super encouraged by all the messages, comments, tweets and emails I've received. Information technology's amazing to me how different all our treatments of the same disease are, and many people have said how much they're learning about the over-the-counter treatments. I've also heard responses from people who've said losing indemnity is their worst nightmare, and that seeing Maine able to live relatively well in the first a few years has given them very much of confidence. I've even had some type 2 diabetics email me to necessitate all but my experience with the insulin. It's a new conversation for me to have with the Diabetes Online Residential district and I'm enjoying information technology.

What's the key takeout for you? And what act up you hope wish fall out of this?

Here is a video I created on YouTube that recaps my 30-sidereal day challenge.

American Samoa T1Ds, we have a lot of real dangers to think of on a daily basis, but treatment shouldn't be one of them. I want T1Ds and T2Ds to make love that thither are safe discussion options acquirable for them should they lose indemnity surgery come upon financial strain. Information technology's not the most glamorous treatment, but I hope to show that you can live fit for less than $150/calendar month.

Fewer reverence-based decisions and more than life, is what I hope for my T1D brothers and sisters.

Give thanks you for sharing this experience, Rob!

Source: https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/-using-older-insulins

Posted by: stackthspolies.blogspot.com

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