By Lindsey Bewley McCann Counting carbohydrates is second nature to most people who live with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Gauging grams of carbohydrates and translating the information into insulin calculations needed to cover them—it all becomes pretty routine. But what about the approximately 10 percent of people with T1D who also suffer from celiac disease? [...]
By Kerri Sparling “Hi! I’m Kerri, and I have type 1 diabetes.” This is not normally the way I introduce myself to people. (Actually, this is never the way I introduce myself to people—bit of a creepy opener, wouldn’t it be?) I’m not shy when it comes to talking about my type 1 diabetes (T1D) [...]
By Darren Bolton Chalk it up to a “life lesson” that was well-learned and safely resolved. Sometimes you get thrown an unexpected curveball, just when you think you have everything under control. Here’s my story. When I was first asked to write this article about managing an emergency low-blood-sugar episode for Countdown, I was not [...]
Your Tour Guides for the Most Effective Diabetes Self-Care Ever: William Tamborlane, M.D. Trevor Orchard, M.B.B.Ch Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D. Marian Rewers, M.D., Ph.D. Francine Kaufman, M.D. William Tamborlane, M.D., pioneer in the development of the insulin pump and deputy director, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation; chief, Pediatric Endocrinology, Yale University, New Haven, CT “It’s [...]
JDRF and Amylin are enthusiastic about the potential of metreleptin to help improve blood glucose control in people with type 1 diabetes. A successful outcome in the metreleptin study would likely lead to studies with larger numbers of people and the development of alternative treatments to using medical insulin alone.
Adding metreleptin to insulin therapy improves blood glucose control and helps regulate blood lipid (including cholesterol) levels, according to a new study conducted on rodents. Metreleptin is closely related to the human hormone leptin, which plays a fundamental role in the regulation of fat and glucose metabolism in the body. A new clinical trial, funded [...]
These developments represent a giant step forward on the path to achieving an artificial pancreas, a fully automated system that can dispense insulin to patients based on real-time changes in blood sugar levels. Even the earliest systems could bring dramatic changes in the quality of life for people with type 1 diabetes.
Continuous glucose monitors are more than simply devices of convenience for people with diabetes—they are tools that can substantially improve blood sugar control in people of all ages when used regularly, without increasing the risk of dangerous low blood sugar. The growing evidence of the benefits of CGM underscores the importance of continued research into a closed-loop artificial pancreas, a system that uses CGM data to automatically deliver the right amount of insulin through a pump.
Q: I am very frightened of low blood sugar in my 10-year-old son, who was diagnosed less than two weeks ago. This is our first full day home from the hospital, and I feel like I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Any suggestions? A: Low blood sugars can be nerve-wracking. Some [...]
