Roche Accu-Chek New Mobile BG Meter.

Annual Diabetes Eye Clinic Appointment March 2013

March 7, 2013 by My Pump

Diabetes – Whats been going on and whats due this year ?

LifeScan’s OneTouch Verio IQ : Review by Dlife wwww.dlife.com, thanks very much for sharing this info.

Don’t forget to check out the Dlife web site which is superb.

Adam’s Favorites:

· Low and high blood glucose pattern recognition

· Bright color screen, simple menus, and interface

· New, accurate strips with a clearer sample window and better blood drawing action

LifeScan’s excellent OneTouch Verio IQ was approved in the US last fall. Its major highlight is its ability to recognize patterns of high and low blood glucose. After setting high and low limits (e.g., 80 mg/dl and 140 mg/dl or 4.4 to 7.8 mmol/l in my case), the meter will automatically search for high and low glucose patterns for every test. A “low pattern” means that in the last five days, the meter has measured at least two “low” test results at a similar time of day (within three hours). A “high pattern” is slightly different: the meter looks for three values over the high limit – although only results tagged “Before Meal” are included because the meter doesn’t want to include high numbers caused specifically from food (blood sugars usually rise right after eating).

When the meter discovers a pattern following a test result, it immediately flashes a message. For instance, I received one that said: “Low Pattern – March 16, 12:30 pm. Looks like your glucose has been running LOW around this time.” After I selected “Get details,” the meter displayed the past glucose results associated with the low pattern.

I found this pattern-recognition feature extremely useful for a number of reasons. First, it gave me the alert message right after my test, providing instant, real-time feedback right after a low or high occurred. Second, the meter searched automatically, requiring no manual calculations or logbook checking on my part. Finally, the feedback guided me on what actions to take – instead of something like an average blood sugar, I was able to see the times of the day when my glucose was out of range. The meter also has a “Pattern Log” that can be accessed from the home screen, allowing previous pattern messages to be viewed at any time. One downside to the pattern tool was that the “High Pattern” only uses results tagged as “Before Meal.” Although tagging only requires one button push following a test result, if you are in a rush and consistently forget to do this, you will not get “High Pattern alerts. “Low Pattern” results do not require any tagging.

Besides the pattern analysis, the Verio IQ also has a color screen that is easy to read in any light. I was also struck by the intuitive and easy-to-navigate user interface. Besides the previously described “Pattern Log,” the meter only has two other menus: “My History” and “Settings.” Navigating around the user interface requires just four buttons, making it difficult to get confused or lost in the Verio IQ menus.

Many thanks to Dlife for the great product reviews.

www.mypump.co.uk & www.mypumpblog.com

Diabetes stress & News,

by My Pump

Glooko MeterSync Cable and the Glooko Logbook app.

Founded and run by a team of people whose lives have been touched by diabetes, Glooko is on a mission to help people live life while effortlessly managing this disease.

Studies and reports have shown that it’s possible to gain better control of your diabetes and become a better self-manager if you can understand and visualize the effects of your day-to-day activities. And our hope is that by using the mobile tools that are already integrated into your daily life, you can get the information you need to have the most productive conversations with the people in your care circle!

Glooko’s Solution

Glooko’s breakthrough solution consists of the Glooko MeterSync Cable and the Glooko Logbook app. To use, simply plug the Glooko MeterSync Cable into most standard self-monitoring blood glucose meters and sync to an iPhone® or iPod® touch to automatically create a digital logbook of readings. It’s easy to review daily blood sugar levels, annotate them and share the results with a physician.

The Glooko MeterSync Cable is compatible with the following meters in market:
• Abbott: FreeStyle Freedom Lite®, FreeStyle Lite®
• Bayer: Bayer’s BREEZE®2, Bayer’s CONTOUR®
• LifeScan: OneTouch® Ultra®2, OneTouch® UltraLink®, OneTouch® UltraMini®
• Roche: ACCU-CHEK® Aviva, ACCU-CHEK® Aviva Nano, ACCU-CHEK® Compact Plus, ACCU-CHEK® Nano

Glooko’s Features

Glooko Logbook pulls the data already in your glucose meter(s) and creates an instant logbook on your iOS device. The app was designed for simplicity so you can efficiently add notes and review your readings anytime and on the go.

Sync: Quickly download all meter readings directly to an iOS device
• Keep the meters you already use and love and save time and eliminate errors from manual entry of blood glucose readings
• Consolidate readings from multiple meters into chronological order
• Plug-and-play in just a matter of seconds

Note: Conveniently track the factors that affect your blood sugar readings
• Add before or after meal tags to blood glucose readings
• Record carbohydrate intake, insulin doses, medications, and other wellness factors – on the go, while they happen
• Find carb amounts and other nutritional information in the food database and automatically add to your notes

Review: Easily discover trends with integrated meter readings and notes
• View how blood glucose readings change during different periods of the day
• Observe how daily actions affect blood glucose readings in a chronological list of readings and notes

Share: Stay connected to healthcare professionals
• Email or fax your two-week or one-month logbook summary

Export: Move data to a spreadsheet
• Export the data in the app to a CSV file and open it in most spreadsheet programs, such as Excel or Numbers, to generate a graph or statistics

Glooko Logbook History Report
• Create a consolidated logbook of all the data in your Glooko Logbook, including your blood glucose readings, meal tags, carbs, insulin, and comments - organized by date and time.
• It’s automatically created when you import your Glooko Logbook CSV file from the app into Glooko Logbook History Report, an Excel spreadsheet downloaded at Glooko Logbook.

Glooko Logbook Charts
• Quickly discover patterns at a glance by viewing your blood glucose readings in three charts: by time of day, by date, and by analysis by time of day.
• Graphs and statistics are automatically created when you import your Glooko Logbook CSV file from the app into Glooko Logbook Charts, an Excel spreadsheet downloaded at Glooko Logbook Charts.

For more information, visit www.glooko.com

The Power of Light

For decades, researchers, scientists and people living with diabetes have searched for a non-invasive way to continuously measure glucose.

Enter the power of light: C8 MediSensors' optical glucose monitoring technology is a breakthrough in glucose monitoring science. Completely non-invasive, this new technology promises a new glucose monitoring experience.

As you are probably already aware CGM or continuous Glucose Monitors have been available to us for quite a while now and range from individual devices to combined insulin pumps with built in CGM.

I was very lucky to have received an invite from C8 MediSensors to view their new Non Invasive CGM along with some fellow bloggers from Input, Insulin Independent, Every Day Ups and Downs - A Diabetes Blog all of course are certainly worth reading.

So the day started in London at a Consultancy Company who were great and had everything prepared for us bloggers (Nice sandwiches mmmm) as we can be hard work sometimes ha ha, we were all very excited to see this new CGM device and find out just how it works - not forgetting how much it costs. All the guys were very open and the day in my mind was for us bloggers to provide feedback on what we thought of the CGM which will also be operated using a smartphone app with various functions/log books etc so we all put our pennies worth into this as well.

I have been lucky enough to trial the Medtronic Enlite CGM Sensor and the Animas Vibe CGM Sensor of which both work in conjunction with the Insulin Pump which is great but still not perfect but they are certainly getting there. Both these devices use a wireless CGM sensor that in invasive ie literally goes into your skin that I found a little uncomfortable sometimes but you did get used to it very fast, I also struggled sometimes to find space on my body to insert the sensor as I was also wearing a canular for the insulin pump. All this said the technology on these devices is incredible and gives you a good trend on your blood sugar levels however you will still need to take regular finger prick tests to calibrate the CGM and this is the same for all CGM's at the moment.

The product itself is a non-invasive optical CGM and is currently classed as a 'investigational device', so not yet available for sale anywhere but hopefully this will change very soon - even this year but you all know what red tape is like. C8 MediSensors will hopefully receive European CE mark approval towards the end of this year and plan to launch in the UK and Europe first so that is good news for us.

The Power of Light: Using Raman Spectroscopy to Measure Glucose

Our technique involves shining a monochromatic light source into the skin and detecting the scattered light. The colors generated by Raman scattering are very specific to the exact chemical structure of the molecules in the sample. The molecules' various shapes, sizes, atoms, and types of chemical bonds will generate unique Raman spectra, a unique Raman "fingerprint" that can be used to non-invasively read and measure glucose.

I managed to find this info video on C8 web site which I found very helpful C8 MediSensors.

C8 MediSensor info which I hope you will find useful.

• CGM uses an optical light which was taken from Raman spectrometer which in its orignal state would be the size of an oven but the team have managed to minimise this to the size of a matchbox which is truly amazing.
• The device needs to go against the skin which needs to be clear of hair or anything that would obstruct the optical light, the device would update you on your smartphone if the light is broken.
• There is no separate control for this CGM as it is all done through your smartphone using te C8 MediSensors App which is still being fine tuned to meet our needs, you should be able to view you BG level, log books and lots of other useful info which is still to be confirmed.
• At the moment the CGM is designed for use only by adults but I am sure this will change in the future as we never know what is around the corner.
• The C8 MediSensor is about the size of a match box and similar in weight to a small mobile phone, there is also a separate battery pack to power the CGM of which both items are worn in a very non sexy looking material band - please remember this is brand new so like everything I am sure the C8 team will be working on revamped accessories etc.
• A huge plus point for me is the fact you can put it on and off whenever you want as it is non invasive - even if it is worn a=in a rather large band.
• As this device uses optical light it can be affected when you are in very bright areas or even sunshine but the guys have a special material light shield which fits over the CGM to eliminate any sunshine issues - but to be honest you possibly would not want to be wearing this device on the beach, well not yet anyway.
• The CGM can store a rolling 4 months worth of data which should be more than enough info for most of us.
• Initial calibration is between 45-60 minutes and when placing the CGM Sensor onto your skin it can take 15 minutes to warm u.
• COST - well a typical CGM Sensor alone could cost thousands of pounds per year but we were given an indication that the C8 MediSensor will retail at US$4,000 (approx £2,500 at today’s exchange rate). The shelf life would be up to 4 years so this one-off payment should in theory be it - this compared to invasive CGM would be far cheaper in comparison.

I hope the above has answered some of your questions and I must apologise if I have missed anything - please leave me a comment if you have any further questions ?

The Science Inside

Optical glucose monitoring leverages decades of technical innovation in optics, wireless, digital cameras, miniaturization and lessons learned from dozens of attempts at measuring glucose non-invasively. Utilizing a patent-protected process, our design will transmit a painless pulse of light into the skin to detect glucose levels. Paired with Bluetooth technology, the glucose reading will be transmitted wirelessly to an easy-to-use display application on an ordinary Android smartphone.

It was a real pleasure to meet the guys from C8 and Andrew from STWEM who arranged the event, it was quite refreshing to be speaking to a team that was open to the majority of our probing questions and they were free with the info, I hope that we as bloggers have given the team some valuable information to help enhance the device and I hope this will be a continued relationship with C8 - thanks again guys.

A New Experience Awaits

After eight years of research and development, we hope to make optical continuous glucose monitoring a reality for people with diabetes. Currently an investigational device and not available for sale, we plan to pursue regulatory approval and make this new technology available in Europe in 2012.

To stay apprised of product availability, sign up for our regular updates.

Reserve Now

Hi,

As you are possibly aware I have had Type 1 Diabetes all my life which is in fact 40 years – hard to believe I know

Since I was first diagnosed as a baby the technology has changed so much for products to assist people manage their Diabetes easier, I still remember having large stainless steal with glass syringes that needed to be sterilised each time you used it (Thanks to my Mum) and even checking your Glucose Levels involved urine in a tube which you added a fizzy tablet that changed the colour of the urine – oh my god.

Back to 2012 and some absolutely amazing new products to me which over the next few weeks I hope to have some more in depth Blogs about but some items that have caught my eye have been :

1 Mendor Discreet  – All in one BG Meter which is amazing.

2. C8Medisensors  – a new non invasive CGM due for release this year all being well, I was lucky to attend a product demo in London a few days ago – WOW. More details to follow.

3. Glooko  – this is a cable the attaches to your iPhone in conjunction with an App that allows you to sync your BG results to your phone with lots of other useful add ons. I love it and Blog coming soon.

4. Cellnovo  – Insulin Pump, come on guys we have been waiting such a long time for this to be released and I must say this again is technology at its best, I am looking forward to a trial of this patch pump/handset soon.

5. Sanofi  – iBGStar BG meter that is tiny and actually can be used on its own or is really created to clip to the bottom of your iPhone to work again in conjunction with an App – Amazing.

Please forgive me if I have missed anything out but these are a few items I have been looking at recently, not forgetting all the Diabetes companies which have literally changed my life such as Medtronic, Animas, Lifescan, Roche, Bayer, Everymed and Sanofi (iBGStar) to mention a few – THANKS TO YOU ALL.

Thanks very much for reading and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @MyPump1 or info on www.mypump.co.uk & www.mypumpblog.com.

Have a good weekend
Andrew

Hi

I just wanted to share some info regarding blood glucose meters and a superb company called Menarini Diagnostics who have a range of blood glucose meters called GlucoMen (LX PLUS and GM) which I have been using for a while now and found them easy to use, the customer support team have also been very helpful.

Here is a little bit of company info about Menarini:

Menarini Diagnostics was established in the UK during 1987. The company is now established as one of the fastest growing diagnostics companies in the UK with annual growth in excess of 20%. To date Menarini has already placed more than 700 analysers of various types in the UK market. MDUK are market leaders in the field of diabetes diagnostics, with leading edge systems for HbA1c, blood glucose and continuous glucose monitoring.

Nearly 60% of all HbA1cs in the UK are performed on our lab systems. That’s more than 1 million people relying on MDUK HbA1c systems every year. Over 1 million self tests are performed on GlucoMen blood glucose meters every day across Europe.

MDUK’s goal is to work closely with all Diabetes Specialist Nurses and patients, and continue to do the right things to support the growing number of people who choose to rely on the
GlucoMen LX systems to help manage their diabetes at home.

I have been using the Glucomen LX PLUS for a while now and when I first received the meter it was in a lovely gold box so also a little bit of bling (ha ha), anyway sorry back to my thoughts…..

MDUK’s GlucoMen LX PLUS is a blood glucose meter that incorporates a 2-in-1 blood glucose and ketone testing facility.

The ketone testing is particularly useful for insulin users and those who may wish to test their blood ketone levels.

GlucoMen LX PLUS meter advantages

The GlucoMen LX PLUS is a no coding meter that provides:
** Pain free with a unique lancet introducing comfort zone technology
** Blood test results in 4 seconds
** Coloured covers to personalize your device – hmmm funky.
** 0.3 microlitre sample for easy and comfortable testing
** Meal markers for controlling your diabetes
** The device has a rubber grip, which makes it easy to use and prevents it sliding off surfaces.

Alternative site testing is available for blood glucose tests however ketone testing should be done on the fingers alone.

The GlucoJect Dual S lancing device that comes with the meter has Comfort Zone technology designed to reduce pain when testing, this is one the best lancing devices I have tried.

A number of different coloured skins (10) are available for use with the meter.

More information on GlucoMen LX PLUS along with diabetes education and videos can be found on the company website www.glucomen.co.uk. They also have a facebook page with latest news and updates.

At the end of the day it’s down to your personal choice but this is certainly a meter that is worth trying.

Driving and diabetes: changes you must be aware of !

August 10, 2012 by My Pump

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We are writing to remind you of changes in standards introduced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which mean that people with Type 1 diabetes can now be considered for a licence to drive lorries and buses.

The DVLA has removed the ban for people on insulin driving these kinds of (Group 2) vehicles, providing they undergo an individual medical assessment to prove they are fit to drive vehicles in this category.

In Northern Ireland the same change is likely to happen this year.

It’s a welcome change, but it does mean that you need to be well prepared before you can get going.

People wishing to drive larger vehicles will need to demonstrate:
That they have not had a severe hypoglycaemic event in the last 12 months
That they have full hypoglycaemic awareness
That they have an understanding of hypoglycaemia
That they have control of their diabetes by regular blood glucose monitoring at least twice daily and at times relevant to driving
That they have a fast acting carbohydrate in the vehicle at all times when driving

You will need to have used a blood glucose meter with a memory function to measure and record your blood glucose for at least three months prior to submitting your application.

Equally, there have also been recent changes which affect assessment criteria for people applying for a licence to drive cars and motorbikes.

All the details, including the D2 application form, can be found on the Department for Transport’s DVLA web pages. www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/medical

It sounds quite onerous, but in fact providing you are well organised it doesn’t mean you need to feel restricted or be limited in what you can do. The key is to make the most of all the tools you have at your disposal, and be totally consistent and regular in your testing and monitoring routine.

So how can we help?
Using Bayer’s CONTOUR® USB meter will enable you to test, monitor and upload all the regular reports you will need to demonstrate your fitness to drive.
Use your CONTOUR USB meter with our GLUCOFACTS® DELUXE diabetes management software to analyse your reports, modify your routine and better manage your diabetes. Doing this routinely should help you understand what affects your blood glucose and so help you avoid hypoglycaemic episodes – and of course the records you keep will be able to demonstrate this.
Your CONTOUR USB has the memory function you need, and you will easily be able to store and download your last three-month results using our software.
Remember too that using our new My Reports feature on our website, you will be able to check your results and look at your reports any time, anywhere, from your smart phone or tablet.

All the information on the new standards are on the DVLA’s website, and if you would like more help on how to make the most of your glucose meter and monitoring equipment, just log onto www.bayerdiabetes.co.uk.

You will also find useful information on driving and diabetes at www.diabetes.org.uk. Remember to contact your diabetes healthcare professional if you have any questions about your diabetes management.

Please do check the bayerdiabetes.co.uk website, and if you would like to ask any specific questions regarding our diabetes products, please get in touch with us!

Ros Barker
Bayer HealthCare

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0.

INPUT Insulin Pump Exhibitions 2012 – Nottingham 14th July 2012

Hi all,

I hope everyone is well and thank you so much for your continued support, if you have a Blog you would like to share then please drop me an email info@mypump.co.uk and I will consider adding it to my Blog to share with others.

So that day I dread every year finally approached last week and no it was not my HBA1C results either ha ha, it was actually my yearly eye check at the Western Eye Hospital Nr Paddington, London on Thursday 28th June 2012 9.10am.

I left home at 7.00am (Time to grab a coffee at the local shop mmmm) to catch the 7.30am train to Paddington which takes about 1 hour so not too bad as it goes direct but also gets very busy, my appointment was 9.10am – yeah right (they always run late). I of course arrived early to be met with a fairly busy waiting room so I was already thinking I was going to be here a while.

Firstly I was seen by the nurse straight away to check my vision as normal and this has remained unchanged since last year which is good news, I still have big problems with night vision due to all the laser I have had in the past to help my retinopathy, I have also had two Vitrectomy Operations at the Western Eye Hospital going back a few years. I also have damage to my central vision in my right eye but it’s amazing how you cope. I was also given the drops to dilate my pupils which sting like hell for a few seconds but help the doctors see the back of your eyes easier.

30 minutes passed which gives the drops time to work and I was called by the photographer who takes images of the back of your eyes to check for any anomalies and also another machine which checks your macular condition again by a photograph.

Another 30 minutes passed and I was called by the Eye Consultant (Yes panic setting in by now) but at least I was being seen really fast which was great. I sat down with the Consultant who looked at the images of my eyes and macular condition the n she had a good look at my eyes with a very bright light. There is quite a lot of scaring to the backs of my eyes where I have had so much laser treatment but the consultant was very happy with the condition of my eyes.

So the outcome of my check up was all good news as my eye site was stable with no changes since last year and my macular was in good condition considering the procedures I have had done in the past.

Take care

Andrew

Hi all,

Over the past few years I have been comuting to and from work by cycle which is about 4 miles so not too bad, well apart from when it is raining – cold – windy in fact I hate it (only joking).

The one problem I have is my blood glucose levels plummet once iget to work or arrive home and I have tried numerous different products including dates and bananas which do definitely help. My problem is I am normally in a rush so prefer to pop something easy into my mouth and get going as soon as I can.

I am sure I am not the only person with Diabetes to have this issue and I have discovered jelly beans well Jelly Belly Beans which I must say do taste a little bit to nice as I struggle to put them down ha ha. A colleague of mine had read an article about people with Diabetes using jelly beans when running or swimming so I thought I would give it a try.

The great thing for me Is that each bean is approx 1g of carbohydrate and I tend to have between 10-15 beans before cycling which certainly does do the trick. What is do like is the fact they do not stay in my system for hours and hours but enough to cover my exercise which is usually about a 20 minute cycle. I have also tried Jelly Belly Sport Beans which do not taste quite so yummy but they do last far longer in your system and contain more carbohydrates per bean so better for longer bouts of exercise.

So down to my favourite flavours well all of them (Possibly not cinnamon). Cherry is so lovely, Top Banana is also a yummy bean and not forgetting Coconut.

Anyway I hope this has helped a little bit but if you have not tried Jelly Belly Beans before give them a try as they have helped me on more than one occasion but moderation is the key mmmmm.

Take care.

Andrew

www.mypump.co.uk
www.mypumpblog.com 

Feet first’ for diabetes patients – By Barbara Young, Diabetes UK chief executive

Free Upgrade to GlucoMen LX Plus for supporters of “My Pump”

SUNDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 2012
The Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes conference 2012 – a great blog from Anna at Insulin Independent

The 7th -10th February 2012 saw the arrival of the international event known as the Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) conference, which I was lucky enough to be able to attend as a representative of INPUT and funding from Dexcom to assist INPUT in the work they do. The ATTD is a worldwide conference where research outcomes at the very forefront of technological advance are presented. Being only 5 years old it is still in its fledgling years, but growing noticeably each year. Although I was not at last year’s event, I am informed that there were around 1000 attendees. This year, there were 1600 and I’m sure there are many more who would have attended given half a chance. It is aimed at diabetic professionals (or professional diabetics, in my case) mainly being consultants, nurses and diabetes educators, although the odd advocacy service pop up here and there too!
Being an insulin pump user, a diabetes advocate and a bit of an inquisitive old lass, it is always of great interest to me to see where this diabetes technology beast is heading. We hear terms like ‘Artificial Pancreas’ and ‘non-invasive glucose monitoring’ thrown about on an almost daily basis now and yet many people in the diabetic community feel these are creatures of myth and seem to hold a ‘that’ll be the day’ attitude towards them. So to be involved in a conference where this research is being presented was an honour and frankly, somewhat of an eye-opening occasion for me. .
Clearly it would be impossible to go through each of the presentations, symposiums and workshops in detail. Not in the least because my less than scientific mind would never be able to recall all the details for you. But perhaps giving you an idea of the things that caught my eye would be of use.

One of the stands in the exhibition which I kept circling in a slightly cautious way, was that of C8 Medisensors. In case you haven’t heard of them (I hadn’t), they are bringing to market a non-invasive glucose monitor that uses Raman Spectroscopytechnology which for those of you who don’t speak ‘medical journal’, is effectively a light that shines through the skin and identifies how many glucose particles there are in the interstitial fluid. Phew, mouthful ay. Well, according to early tests they are showing promising results, although the last test only involved 6 people. I would need to see a significant higher amount before I would be convinced it would rival the likes of Dexcom 7+ and Medtronic Enlite. Now we all remember the success of previous non-invasive systems such as the Glucowatch, the remnants of which remains burned on the skin cells of countless diabetics who had the misfortune of using it. But this was impressive. In its current form it is a bit on the ‘chunky’ side, and is held around the midriff with a tight neoprene band. But for those parents out there who hate the feeling of piercing their children’s skin with countless needles they have to face, I think this could be a contender. If, and only IF, they come good in clinical trials. Watch this space.

For quite some time I have been aware that in order to avoid post meal spikes I need to bolus 30 minutes before each meal, otherwise those spikes just creep in a couple of hours later. But we also know that each diabetic is different and we are told all the time to find our own way. So I was very interested in a lecture about bolus times in children using insulin pump therapy. In the results being demonstrated to the audience, the message was that 15 minutes was the optimum pre-meal bolus time to avoid those spikes. In addition to this the study, called “Fine Tuning of Insulin Pump Therapy in children with type 1 diabetes: The importance of bolus timing and type” demonstrated that making the most of dual wave boluses and separating correction boluses and meal boluses, would make all the difference. They found that with mediterranean food for example, boluses were split 70% straight away and 30% over 4 hours, while Pizza was 30% straight away and 70% over 6 hours. They also highlighted that the results of their study showed that when blousing for a meal, any correction bolus being included with the meal bolus, should be separated by 15 minutes, and that this would bring glucose down to normal via the fastest route. Fascinating stuff for me, someone who has always struggled to get my head about a dual waver

One of the key lectures for us to attend included INPUT’s very own Lesley Jordan taking to the stage. Lesley has been involved in a pioneering project to trial the Accu Chek Diaport, an intra-peritoneal (goes into the peritoneal cavity in the abdomen) infusion site which is permanently fixed (as long as the host wants it, that is). It is surgically implanted and regularly maintained and allows for insulin to be much faster acting (see number 3 on my list), removes the worry of hitting a bad site and means much better control. It may not be for everyone as it is surgically implanted but for those with site problems leading to frustration and poor control it provides a very useful tool in helping achieve control over their condition and maintain use of an insulin pump effectively. Lesley has been one of the Diaport ‘guinea pigs’ and thanks to feedback from her, the new and improved second generation is ready to launch.

There were also stands demonstrating the Omnipod, the Accu-Chek Combo, the Medtronic Veo and my particular favourite of the moment, the Cell-Novo. I had the chance to catch up with some old friends from Medtronic, meet new ones at Roche and Cell-Novo and had a chance to thank Dexcom for supporting INPUT and in a round about way, helped me attend such an inspiring event.

Sanofi to conduct a survey of parents who have teenagers and young adults with type 1 diabetes

January 18, 2012 by My Pump

Claims of 24,000 ‘excess’ deaths from diabetes

(Read online)

Shock statistics for diabetes deaths have been widely reported

As many as 24,000 people with diabetes are dying unnecessarily each year, many of the papers have reported today. This shock statistic was a conclusion from the National Diabetes Audit, the first ever report to look at deaths from the condition.

While this is a large number of deaths, it must be viewed in context – millions of people live with this potentially life-threatening long-term illness, yet it can be managed safely.

The National Diabetes Audit suggests that in England there are about 24,000 ‘excess deaths’ a year in people with diagnosed diabetes. This means that each year, around 24,000 more deaths occur among people with diabetes than would be expected to occur if their mortality risk was the same as that of the general population. A press release from the NHS Information Centre, which published the audit report, said these deaths could be avoided through better management of the condition.

What other risks did the National Diabetes Audit find?

The study found that the risk of death for a person with type 1 diabetes (where the insulin-producing cells of the body do not work at all) is 2.6 times higher than that of the general population. For people with type 2 diabetes (where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells are not sensitive enough to insulin) it is 1.6 times higher.

In younger people, the difference in mortality rates is even bigger. For example, women between 15 and 34 years of age who have type 1 diabetes are nine times more likely to die than women in the general population, and women of this age with type 2 diabetes are six times more likely to die.

The report also found a strong link between deprivation and increased rates of early death. Among under-65s with diabetes, death rates among people from the most deprived backgrounds were double that of those from the least deprived. Death rates also vary according to where people live; London has the lowest mortality rates from both type 1 and 2 diabetes, while the highest mortality rates were in the north east of England.

The study’s lead clinician Dr Bob Young, consultant diabetologist and clinical lead for the National Diabetes Information Service, said, “For the first time we have a reliable measure of the huge impact of diabetes on early death. Many of these early deaths can be prevented. The rate of new diabetes is increasing every year. So, if there are no changes, the impact of diabetes on national mortality will increase. Doctors, nurses and the NHS working in partnership with people who have diabetes should be able to improve these grim statistics.”

What is the National Diabetes Audit?

The news is based on the National Diabetes Audit (NDA) Mortality Analysis 2007-2008. This report was prepared in partnership with various trusts, including The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), which promotes quality in healthcare, and the NHS Information Centre, the official source of health and social care data and information for England. The NDA covered four key components of the government’s National Service Framework (NSF) for Diabetes:

checking whether everyone with diabetes was diagnosed and recorded on a practice diabetes register
looking at whether those registered are receiving key elements of diabetes care (such as regular checks of blood glucose levels, or for protein in the urine)
looking at the proportion of people registered to have diabetes who achieve the treatment targets for glucose control, blood pressure and blood cholesterol, as defined by NICE
looking at the rates of acute and long-term complications of people with diabetes, including deaths from the condition, the focus of the current report
As part of this GP audit, all primary care trusts contributed data from 5,359 GP practices on 1.4 million people with diabetes. This figure represents 68% of the 2.1 million people estimated to have diabetes in England in 2007-2008 (the participation rate). The current analysis focuses on mortality from the condition, and has therefore also linked data from the NDA to formal death notifications through the NHS Information Centre Medical Research Information Service (MRIS) in order to include data for those people with diabetes not included in the GP audit.

What was the report’s main finding?

By following up the ‘cohort’ of 1.4 million people with diabetes over the next year, the researchers found 49,282 deaths. As the ‘participation rate’ (see above) was 68%, taking the estimated prevalence of diabetes in England, it was estimated that the total annual number of deaths of people with diabetes was between 70,000 and 75,000. This represents about 15-16% of the 460,000 deaths that occur annually in England.

Researchers estimated that in total there were about 16,000 more deaths among people with diabetes than would been expected if their mortality risk was the same as the general population. By linking these results to records of national death certificates (in order to include people with diabetes who did not participate in the audit) they estimated 24,000 excess deaths each year in people with diabetes.

The risk of death for patients with type 1 diabetes was estimated to be 2.6 times higher than that of the general population, and for people with type 2 diabetes the risk was estimated to be 1.6 times higher. Across the country there were variations in mortality, from 1,852 deaths out of 100,000 people with type 1 diabetes in London to a high of 2,351 out of 100,000 in the northeast. For type 2 diabetes the figures ranged from 1,246 out of 100,000 in London to 1,668 out of 100,000 in the northeast.

Why are so many people dying of diabetes?

The analysis itself did not look at the specific causes of death among people with diabetes. However, it is widely recognised that without proper management of this condition, there is a higher risk of death from several causes including critically high or low blood sugar, heart failure or kidney failure.

Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects the body’s ability to process glucose (sugar). Normally the amount of glucose in the blood is controlled by the hormone insulin, which helps break it down to produce energy. In people with diabetes, there is either not enough insulin to process the glucose or the body’s cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin produced. This results in glucose levels building up in the blood.

There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and 2. People with type 1 diabetes do not produce any insulin. People with type 2 diabetes do not make enough insulin, or the body’s cells are not sensitive enough to insulin. Having either type puts people at increased risk of several serious complications, including heart disease and stroke, circulation problems, nerve damage, foot ulcers, blindness and kidney damage.

It is important to note that this audit measured deaths among people with diabetes – it did not show whether diabetes caused their deaths. For example, diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease such as heart attack or stroke. Also, other cardiovascular risk factors that often co-exist in people with diabetes, such as overweight or obesity or high blood pressure. It is not possible to tell the direct cause of death from this data.

How is diabetes usually managed?

Diabetes management aims to keep blood glucose levels as normal as possible. People with type 1 diabetes need to have daily injections (or administration by pump) of insulin.

In people with type 2 diabetes, management depends upon the severity of the condition. A healthier diet and lifestyle alone can sometimes control the condition in people with early stage disease, although most people with type 2 eventually need to take medication to control their blood sugar. Some people with type 2 diabetes may also eventually need to take insulin. Medication may also be needed to reduce other associated risk factors for cardiovascular disease. For example, medications to reduce high blood pressure or control cholesterol.

Self-management of this condition is also crucial. People with diabetes need to be aware of and monitor blood glucose levels, maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and have regular health checks.

How can these deaths be prevented?

Experts agree that people with diabetes can live long and healthy lives and reduce their risks of complications through appropriate self-management, as outlined above.

The charity Diabetes UK says that people with diabetes can sometimes feel overwhelmed with information about all the healthcare they require. Diabetes UK has drawn up a checklist of 15 ‘healthcare essentials’ to help people understand what care they should receive to reduce the risk of complications. These are:

get your blood glucose levels measured at least once a year
have your blood pressure measured at least once a year
have blood fats (cholesterol) measured every year
have your eyes screened for signs of eye damage (retinopathy) every year
have your legs and feet checked annually
have your kidney functions monitored annually
have your weight checked and your waist measured
get support if you are a smoker on how to quit
receive care planning to meet your individual needs
attend an education course to help you understand and manage your diabetes
receive specialist paediatric care if you are a child or young person
receive high quality diabetes care if admitted to hospital
get information and specialist care if you are planning to have a baby
see specialist diabetes healthcare professionals to help you manage your condition
get emotional and psychological support from specialist healthcare professionals
Not every healthcare essential may apply to children with diabetes who may have different requirements.

Do I need to worry about this if I have diabetes?

The figures are alarming but they do highlight the need to make people with diabetes aware of the importance of self-management and of obtaining the level of healthcare they require to help them manage their condition. With the right care and support, people with diabetes can go on to live long and healthy lives.

If you have diabetes, key ways to delay or prevent complications include:

maintaining a healthy weight by eating a balanced diet and taking regular physical exercise
not smoking
checking your feet every day
having regular check-ups with your diabetes care team.
Links to the headlines

24,000 diabetes deaths a year ‘could be avoided’. BBC News, December 14 2011

Diabetes report reveals 24,000 a year die from condition avoidably early. Guardian, December 14 2011

Up to 24,000 Britons with diabetes dying unnecessarily due to poor care. Daily Mirror, December 14 2011

Simple rules to beat diabetes. Daily Express, December 14 2011

Further reading

NHS Information Centre: National Diabetes Audit Mortality Analysis 2007-2008 (PDF 1.3Mb)

Press releases
NHS Information Centre: Up to 24,000 people with diabetes suffer an avoidable death in England each year. December 14 2011

John Davis receives MBE in New Year’s Honours

A message from John Davis
Posted on January 6, 2012 by inputadmin www.input.me.org

John Davis

I have been overwhelmed by the response to the announcement that I am to receive an MBE for services to diabetes in the New Year’s Honours list. I had no idea of the depth of feeling there is regarding my work with INPUT. It has been a humbling experience and I thank you all for your messages of congratulations.
Obviously it is a great honour and privilege to be recognised in such a way, and I am very proud to receive it. I believe that it is acknowledgment that, at last, insulin pump therapy has received the recognition that it deserves.

However, it could not have been achieved without the help and support of all of you out there in the “pump community.” There have been many who have contributed over the years and it is not possible to mention them all, but I must pay special tribute to Jackie Jacombs of the UK CWD Advocacy Group, who has been invaluable help for so long, and to Lesley Jordan, who has now taken over the reins of INPUT upon my retirement.

I would also like to give special thanks to;
Joan Everett, DSN at Royal Bournemouth Hospital. It was with Joan’s help that I started INPUT in 1998, back then there were only 180 pump users in the UK. Now there must be around 20,000.
Dr Fiona Campbell, who invited me to Leeds to make a presentation on insulin pumps to her Yorkshire colleagues. I took 3 children and their parents with me. I let the children tell their own story of life with a pump. It was after this presentation that Fiona decided to start using pumps in her clinic.

Finally, Prof John Pickup, a great man, who has not had the recognition he deserves for all his work in developing the pump. He gave me invaluable help in the early years.
It can be frustrating to be ahead of the curve. It took me several years of lobbying to get influential organisations and personalities in diabetes care in the UK to take pump therapy seriously. It is satisfying that we are now all going in the same direction.

Thank you

John Davis MBE

Fifth Annual Insulin Pumps Association conference by Anna Presswell Insulin Independent.

Last week (apologies for the delay) I was invited by INPUT to attend the Fifth Annual Insulin Pumps Association conference in Manchester. Never one to miss the opportunity to jump face-first into events like this, I gladly accepted and before I knew it was boarding a train to Manchester and syncronising hypos with Lesley of INPUT fame.

On arrival and another spookily timed skyrocket out of (ahem) ‘optimal range’ on both our parts, Lesley and I were having dinner with some of the many other attendees at the conference including several bods from Roche and some healthcare professionals from a number of different hospitals around the country. It wasn’t long before one of the sales managers from Roche had spotted that I was on a Medtronic pump and had begun their sales pitch at light speed. Frankly the Combo pump and blood glucose meter did impress, seeing as I was rifling through my bra for most of the duration of the meal to adjust insulin doses as each delicious (and very non-low carb) course came out, while all those with the combo remote controls were testing and bolusing (taking a shot of insulin for their meal) with ease. Truthfully I think the next pump for me will be a tubing free one seeing as the tubing is, for me, the biggest drawback of pumps in general. But it did show me that while my beloved Paradigm VEO was top of the market (again, just in my opinion) when I got it two years ago (is it really two years already??), it has been somewhat overshadowed by the newer sexier pumps on the market in recent years. Funny how quickly things move nowadays isn’t it? Our diabetic predecessors must have been using metal and glass syringes for the 50 year mark before hypodermics came in, and now within 2 years the sexy new pump you once sported is the equivalent of the cassette tape to the ipod or what the horse and cart is to the Porsche.

It was with an eager attitude that I met Lesley for a suprisingly low carb but tasty full English breakfast the next morning and with that the conference was under way.

The exhibitions room was as always packed with impressive stands. But this being the first pump specific conference I had attended I was keen to get stuck in, knowing full well that the newer model Omnipod would be on show and I was hoping, the Cellnovo as well. I’d heard rumours about the Animas display which can be seen at these events and true to form, the most eye-catching stand had to be theirs, with a fish tank fully equipment with water, lights, real fish, plants and yes that’s right, their insulin pump (!) suspended mid-tank. Although most pumps posit the same level of waterproofness (fairly confident that isn’t in the dictionary) Animas are one of the only (if not the only) pump provider who are happy to guarantee their pump when submerged in shallow water. Great waterproofity? Waterprooficiousness? What IS theword!

There were also displays from Medtronic, Adanced Therapeutics (the company who bring the Dana pump and Dexcom CGM to the shores of the UK), Omnipod and my personal holy grail, Cellnovo.

I had a great chance to have a talk with Gary from Omnipod, who went some way to reassuring me that the teething problems I had experienced when I first made enquiries about their system had now been ironed out, thanks to a multiplying workforce and a chance to get their feet under the British market table. The new pod is certainly smaller than the old one and a contender against the much smaller and sleeker Solo (don’t get too excited, its not avaialble here yet) and Cellnovo (watch this space, VERY soon). In truth I still have my doubts about Omnipod but only based on the fact that Medtronic’s customer service still is – as far as I am concerned – second to none. That being said, the mention of Medtronic brings me on nicely to the holy grail of the day, the Cellnovo.

For anyone concerned about customer service, one of the head honchos at Cellnovo used to be on the Medtronic team and not just any team at that. She started the whole blogger forum craze and was, from what I hear, absolutely a key player in getting Medtronic’s customer service at the very high level it is, which has been continued and pushed forward by their Justin Gray. So for a ‘new’ company who are just about to release their pump in the imminent future, I have a lot of faith they will do well. This, brings me to their pump.

I have looked at the website god knows how many times, but had until this point never had an opportunity to see it. ‘Miniscule’ is probably the most fitting term, considering inside it there are hundreds of parts, computers, insulin resevoirs and so on and so forth, that allow it to do it’s job. It is technically a patch pump as the pump itself sticks to the skin using a velcro attachemnt, but the tubing between the pump and cannula can be varied allowing you to continue to put it in a pocket if you wish. That may sound like it defeats the point, but I have come across suprisingly large amounts of people who say they would like the option of hiding the pump if they were wearing a slinky dress or tight fitting shirt. I don’t share these needs, but completely understand the concern. With the Cellnovo, that is possible. It is also equipped with a smart-phone like handset which allows real time measuring of impact of activity on BGs, acts as the remote control for the pump and frankly for the growing numbers of young people on pumps, will be a fantastic selling point. Considering for the most part young people are already well familiar with touch screen phones and wireless handsets.

It was great to see the Cellnovo and their team in action and provided there are no horror stories about the pump failing or customer service nightmares, I imagine this will be the kind of pump I aim for next, albeit in two years time!

But the reason above all else that I was there,was to attend the conference and hear the speakers. The name of this year’s conference was ‘From Cradle to Grave’ and the overall message of the conference was that insulin pumps can be used in ANY portion of society and at ANY stage of life. We were given case studies of people at end-stage renal failure who were on pumps, babies as young as days old who we were shown photos of (which to be honest I found a bit shocking due to the very tiny body connected to the pump, although the shock was more a feeling of sadness that someone so ‘new’ had to already live that life). We talked about the benefits for pregnant women, children and pretty much every group you could imagine.

I see a specialist team at Portsmouth who are without a doubt a proactive and insulin pump friendly team without whom I would not have been on the incredible journey I have travelled in the last two years, but without a doubt they had nothing on the speakers at these conferences. In Cambridge they purport to have 50% of all their Type 1 child patients on pumps, which without a doubt blows the NICE benchmark out of the water and deeply puts to shame all those PCTs who are yet to welcome and encourage pumps for their most at risk patients. The word ‘proactive’ doesn’t even begin to cover how forward thinking many of these professionals were. When I arrived at Cellnovo, the chair of the conference was even stood next to me (although I didn’t know who he was yet) asking questions about what the benefit to the patient, this pump would have. The benefit to the patient; have you ever heard such madness! In some areas they seem to disregard even the benefit to the PCT, let alone the humble patient!

We had a fantastic talk from Candice Ward from Cambridge University Hospital about where the artificial pancreas project was going and how CGM and pump technology could well be the key components which will significantly impact the lives of diabetics. Although it was clear she felt this was not quite an imminent success, she did intimate that it was on the horizon and creeping closer to us day-by-day. My brain has a little party whenever someone says that.

All in all it was a fantastic day and the messages I took away were:

Don’t buy it if you are told your clinic doesn’t do pumps, talk to INPUT.

No matter your age, demographic or favourite day of the week, ASK THE QUESTION OF YOUR SPECIALIST

No-one is too young, too old, or ‘too far gone’ (whatever that means) not to benefit from a pump

Cellnovo are the ones to watch

There ARE some highly proactive hospitals in the country, so ask about changing if your clinic fob you off.

All in all a brilliant day.

Hi

I left home at 7.00am this morning to get the train to London Paddington as today is my yearly eye hospital check up at the Western Eye Hospital nr Paddington. The train is absolutely crammed and I have someone sat next to me that really does need a bath (sorry had to be said). The train journey is fairly quick so I should arrive by 8.30am as the train goes direct.

My so called appointment is 9.10am but I could almost guarantee they will be running late.

Firstly I see a nurse who asks about my general health then checks my vision as would an optician. Next I have drops in the eye to dilate the pupil for the photographer to take a picture of the back of my eyes. Finally I see the Consultant who has a look at the pictures and my eyes to determine if they are ok or not – panic !!

Hopefully everything is ok as I have already had two Vitrectomy operations and 10,000 laser burns in each eye to treat Pre Proliferative Retinopathy . So I have basically had all the treatment possible but my eyes have been stable now for probably 5+ years apart from the operation side affects.

I will of course let you know how I get on and would really appreciate your experiences regarding eye problems.

Bye for now.

Hi all,

So the end of British Summer time has finally hit us all with vengeance and at 5.00pm tonight it was almost dark which is awful.

As you may already know I have had numerous trips to eye clinics due to suffering with Diabetes Retinopathy for the past 7 years which is really awful and was a real scary shock when I was first told, it was Vision Express that actually discovered the problem and instantly booked me into my Diabetes eye clinic. The problem really started after I had small blood vessels at the back of my eyes burst which affected my vision and made it very cloudy in both eyes. The treatment started with laser to burn around the blood vessels which prevents any new weak blood vessels from forming which then burst. Laser itself is very uncomfortable indeed and I have had approx 10,000 burns in each eye which I am told is the limit but this does seem to have stopped the bleeding which is great news and I am so thankful to the Eye Specialists. After all the laser it still left my vision cloudy so meant I had to have what’s called a Vitrectomy in each eye which basically entails having the clear jelly in your eye removed (Your eye replaces this fluid), I can honestly say this operation is not nice at all and means you have dissolvable stitches in your eyeball (Gross I know). Having said all that If this had not been done I would certainly not be typing this Blog even though one eye has very poor vision and both eyes have awful night vision.

So to the present day – my eyes seem to be stable at the moment and my latest eyesight test did not show any problems, even my prescription had not changed apart from my short sight vision which has got slightly worse. My next Diabetes eye check up is at the Western Eye Hospital in a few weeks time so fingers crossed I get the all clear but I am a little worried.

One of the worst things I am left with is very poor small detail reading in both eyes meaning typing Blogs like this I have to have the page zoomed in to make the words larger, damage to my central vision in my right eye meaning details in my right eye is near on impossible to read, also my night vision is really bad and means I am unable to drive in poor light so this time of year is even worse as it is dark late afternoon. It means I have to carry a very bright torch with me that literally lights the whole path/road that cost me a fortune and even then it is really hard to see if I am on my own walking home from work, without a super bright torch I would literally be stuck and please let me know of any pocket torch companies who make super bright torches. We just take our vision for granted and I am also guilty of this in the past.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment.

Andrew Borrett

Animas pumpers complete Channel Swim Relay.

The purpose of the Animas Channel Swim Relay challenge was firstly to
raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), but equally to
celebrate people with Type 1 diabetes performing at their best. The team was
made up of three swimmers with Type 1 diabetes, using Animas^® Vibe™
insulin pumps; Mark Blewitt, Matt Cox, and Claire Duncan. They were supported by
two, experienced channel swimmers, Pawel and Boris, as well as 17-year-old
Lorcan who will be attempting his first solo crossing this
August.

At 1:45 am on Thursday, July 21, 2011, the first swimmer lowered
himself into the cold water at Dover Harbour on England's southeast coast. The
Animas Channel Swim Relay was underway. After months of training and
preparation, Mark, Claire, and Matt were about to take on one the biggest
challenges of their lives. The 21-mile swim across the English Channel is one of
the most famous and arduous swims on the planet and those of us offering our
support from the dockside were relieved it was them rather than us, especially
as the news had been reporting an unusually high number of jelly fish in the
English Channel.

Just a few days earlier, we had been wondering whether the swim would
ever happen. Our original swim date had been postponed a couple of times due to
bad weather, and with a number of other groups waiting for their chance to swim,
we worried that we may have had to wait a few weeks before we got another
chance. Then, on Monday, July 18th, with just three days notice, we got the call
to say it was "all systems go."

On Wednesday evening, the swimmers, plus a large support crew of
friends, family, and Animas representatives, congregated at a hotel in Dover.
There was excitement among the swimmers, but also naturally some trepidation at
the challenge that lay ahead. The pilot of the support boat, which accompanies
all Channel Swims, gave the team their final briefing and then it was time to
go.

Each swimmer was scheduled to be in the water for hour-long spells.

The first into the water was Mark, and as the rest of the team
boarded the support boat with photographer in tow, he took his first strokes
towards the coast of France.

Once the swimmers were out of sight, it was our job--those left on
dry land--to keep everyone back home up to date with the team's progress.

By using a live GPS tracking link and regular calls and texts to the
support boat, we were able to provide a running commentary of their journey via
a dedicated Facebook page. The regular updates made for great reading and the
team's terrific swimming meant they were making great
time.

At 3:04 pm, the final strokes were made. The team reached the French
shoreline at Cap Gris Nez, a small outcrop of land between Calais and Boulogne.
The swimmers endured 13 hours and 26 minutes in water temperatures as low 15
Celsius /59 Fahrenheit and had run the gauntlet of seaweed and jellyfish. As
soon as we got word, we relayed our congratulations back to the boat team and
uploaded the great news via the Facebook page.

The swimmers' return journey by boat was naturally much quicker than
the outbound leg, taking just four hours, and when they reached Dover we were
there to welcome them and begin the celebrations.

Our swimmers can be proud to have raised over 4,000 GBP for a great
cause and they most certainly demonstrated that having diabetes shouldn't stop
anyone from taking on a challenge of a lifetime. I think swimmer Matt Cox put it
best when he said, "My son was diagnosed with diabetes and I'm hoping this
challenge will help Jack and other people with diabetes strive to achieve
exactly what they want in life."

Huge congratulations to everyone involved and don't forget, you can
still donate to the cause by visiting www.justgiving.com/animas-swimmers

Sincerely,

Animas UK/Ireland Team

Medtronic Junior Cup 2011 Geneva.                                                                         

On the 26^th-28^th August the 5th edition of the Medtronic Junior Cup took place at the Stade du Bout du Monde in Geneva, Switzerland.  Competing in this event were 250 children all with Type 1 diabetes, representing 15 countries and 10 of those children aged between 10-14 were the Junior Team for Great Britain.  These 10 talented footballers accompanied by their parents were chosen from over 100 applicants to an all expenses paid weekend of football and fun.  And have fun they did!   Frazer Briggs (13), Abigail Lewis (13), Alex Smith (12), Mark Mathison (13), Joseph Smith (10), Jordan Burke (14), Jack Dickson (14), Jack Delicata (11), Amit Sood (11), Aaron Dodds (12), all turned up   in Geneva ready to win Junior Cup 2011.

The event kicked off on the Friday evening with guest appearances from a talented group of young footballers exhibiting their ‘keepy uppy’ skills choregraphed to dance music, a fabulous troupe of teenage cheerleaders which brought a touch of glamour to the occasion and of course the much loved Medtronic mascot, Lenny the Lion whose dance moves put JLS to shame!   Then came the part of the evening for the live draw and GB drew Italy for their first game.  It has to be said that the GB team were rather quiet in comparison to the Italians who pretty much sang football songs throughout the whole weekend but what the GB team may have lacked in song voice they most certainly made up for on the pitch!

On day one of the tournament they easily defeated the singing Italians in their first game.  After this their confidence soared and there was no stopping them.  Considering they had never met each other before, let alone played together prior to this tournament these young footballers’ team spirit and natural talent came flooding through and they went on to win every one of their games on day one placing them a strong first on the leaderboard.   As part of team GB we had of course our very enthusiastic parents cheering their kids on, our fabulous coach John Pemberton a Clinical Specialist at Medtronic and a diabetic pump user himself who knows a thing or two about football and Claire Pesterfield a DSN from Addenbrookes Hospital whose role at Junior Cup was to ensure at all times that the children were fit and healthy on and off the pitch as well as donning on her Art Director’s hat for the Lenny Carb Counting Competition where the children had to paint a 1 x 1 metre canvas of Lenny representing Great Britain.  

Buoyed by the success of their first day, team GB and parents attended the evening lakeside barbeque and disco party with Lenny, where the kids enjoyed activities such as the human football table of which we couldn’t get them off and ended with a firework finale over the lake.

Second day of the tournament continued in much the same vein as the first with a high standard of playing exhibited by the GB team.  Now through to the semi finals the competition most definitely got tougher for our young footballers but goals scored throughout the tournament by Abigail Lewis (2), Jordan Burke (1), Frazer Briggs (3), Jack Dickson (12) and a nifty hatrick by Aaron Dodds against Ukraine plus one other, saw team GB triumphantly through to the final with The Netherlands.  After an early goal by the giant Netherlands team followed in quick succession by several more, this Junior Cup final was all over for team GB and as the final whistle blew our team of young footballers had to settle for runners up position.  However disappointment didn’t last too long and once they had collected their players medals and a very large shiny trophy at the award ceremony, team GB flew home to the UK tired but extremely excited and full of tales of an amazing weekend which according to them all and their delighted parents they will remember for the rest of their lives.   

The Medtronic Junior Cup yet again triumphed in connecting kids with diabetes together, to show them that their disease cannot stand in the way of their dreams and that living a normal life is theirs for the taking.  The weekend provided parents with the opportunity to talk to other parents and exchange experiences regarding their kids and their diabetes as well as help educate them all with the Carb Counting workshops and practical advice.  It would seem that Facebook and X-Box are a great way to keep in touch since the tournament and I have heard that since our footballers have returned home, their footballing skills and confidence are soaring.  Go team GB you did us proud!

Cellnovo Receives CE Mark Approval for World’s First Mobile Diabetes Management System

September 19, 2011 by My Pump

Let there be (En)Lite – Medtronic launches Enlite sensors in UK today

18 April, 2011 in Kit & equipment by Neville the Newshound - Shoot Up Or Put Up.

The day has finally come. Ring the bells, dance in the streets and drink til dawn to celebrate the arrival of some new diabetes tech. Medtronic’s new and improved CGM sensor – Enlite – has ticked all the legislative boxes and is being launched today in the UK.

According to the marketing propaganda “The Enlite Sensor combines greater comfort with improved glucose sensor performance in both overall accuracy and hypo detection”. Plus the sensor is thinner, shorter, approved for use for 6 days and comes with a new and improved insertion device, which looks less like a harpoon gun than the old one. And the really big news – it no longer has the 3ft long insertion needle that scared all but the most hardened needle poker.

 

Ye olde CGM sensor with monster insertion needle and harpoon gun (sorry, inserter)

The much smaller Enlite sensor (attached to the Minilink transmitter)

 

The new and less scary Enlite sensor inserter

Rather than struggling to get the correct angle of insertion which could be a bit of an issue with the old sensors, the new ones are inserted vertically, like a Quickset, so that should be one less thing to worry about. Also, the insertion needle, as well as being shorter and thinner has been polished, so it’s smoother too. Of course, when it comes down to it, you’re still shoving a bit of metal into your tender flesh so it’s never going to be a pleasure, but the stats say that 85% of testers found the insertion to be pain free. Even with a huge pinch of salt, it certainly seems to be a great improvement.

This dog knows that money is always a big issue when it comes to CGM. The new sensors are of course more expensive than the old ones (come on, did you seriously expect anything different?) but are cleverly priced to still be cheaper than the equivalent CGM sensors from Dexcom and Abbott. Wow, it’s like there’s a marketing strategy behind this stuff!

When Tim and Alison had a play with the new sensor recently, it certainly looked simpler and more comfortable to insert. And the improved accuracy claims are impressive. The proof of the pudding is of course in the metaphorical eating – do said sensors accurately detect the post pudding spike?  This dog is writing this piece because he knows that Alison is busy on the phone to the Medtronic order desk this morning to get her grubby hands on some of the new sensors and rumour has it that Tim might also be giving them a try soon…so watch this space.

My name is Andrew Borrett and I live in Berkshire, UK with my wife and 1 year old son - I also have my own Diabetes web site called www.mypump.co.uk . I have had Type 1 Diabetes all my life which is 40 years and technology/treatment has changed so much for the better since I was a baby. It would have been around 1972 when I was first diagnosed with Diabetes as my parents noticed I would be drinking a lot and lethargic. I still remember when I was a very small child that my Mum used to inject me with my insulin using a stainless steel and glass syringe which was very big and did used to be quite painful to say the least but I only had one injection per day. Diabetes back then was far more difficult to control and your Blood Glucose or sugar levels where monitored using a urine stick rather than the high tech blood glucose meters we use today from Bayer Diabetes Care, Roche - Accu Chek, Lifescan etc which are far more accurate. When I was very young I did spend quite a lot of time in hospital from very bad Hypo's where I actually would go into a Diabetic Coma and find myself waking up in Hospital which was awful. As time went on my control got better and of course technology also got better with small syringes and better insulin plus not forgetting the blood glucose meters we use today. Diabetes treatment changed fairly rapidly with me going from one injection per day to two which at the time was a huge step for me and then going onto an insulin pen with four to five injections per day (what a pain literally).
 
I never thought I would have any complications from #Diabetes but unfortunately in 2003 after a visit to Vision Express opticians they said I had signs of #Retinopathy eye complications and sent me to a specialist straight away. It was confirmed that I had #Diabetes #Retinopathy and would need laser treatment in both eyes to save my sight. I ended up having 10,000 burns of laser in each eye to try and stop tiny blood vessels bursting in my eye. The laser was very uncomfortable but did help but because the #Retinopathy was so bad I then ended up having a #Vitrectomy operation in each eye, this operation is not nice at all and involves a tube being placed in your eye and the clear liquid being taken out - your eye naturally replaces this cloudy fluid with its own clear liquid. My site now is stable but the operations have still taken there toll as my night vision is very bad (i.e. I can not see to drive a car) and my left eye central vision is damaged. I do think things could be far worse and I just hope they stay stable.

I got to the point where I seemed to be injecting myself 4-6 times per day which is surely enough for anyone and this is why I spoke to my #Diabetes team about the #Insulin Pump. So after being on injections for almost 36 years I was lucky enough to have funding from my local PCT for an Insulin Pump which is amazing and has really changed my life for the better as it is so easy to use. I use a #Medtronic Paradigm 722 and an #Animas 2020 pump (No not at the same time lol) with each pump having plus/minus points but far better than constantly having injections for food or correction dose's. An Insulin Pump basically delivers a small dose of insulin 24/7 as a background dose called a Basal Rate and each time you have a meal or snack you give yourself a boost of insulin to counteract the food called a Bolus dose. The pump did take some getting used to at first but once the tiny canular is inserted into the same are as you would inject you hardly know it is there. The pump itself is a similar size to a mobile phone and can be worn in normal places 24/7 and even while you are in bed (you do get used to it). One major thing you need to do when on an Insulin Pump is Carbohydrate Count to ensure the Bolus dose you give is enough to cover the food you have just eaten (See http://diabeticfriend.co.uk/diabetic-iphone-app/) but yet again this gets easy with time. My last Hba1c taken in June 2010 was 7.5 which I think is pretty damn good.

I hope you enjoy my Blog and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at all www.mypmump.co.uk or why not follow me on Twitter @MyPump1).

Thanks for reading.
Andrew Borrett www.mypump.co.uk

Hi,

I have finished my trial with the Medtronic Paradigm 722 CGM (Continous Glucose Meter) after a very kind offer from Medtronic to try the CGM to see how I found it.

So the trial it really did take some getting used to as you basically have another thing stuck in your butt the size of a 50p coin not forgetting I already have a canular for my insulin pump. The sensor is a bit of a pain to put on at first as you think it just inserts like a canular but you actually need to have a clear breathable sticky patch over the whole thing to stop it falling off. It certainly does not look pretty but once on feels fine to be honest and the clear patch they provide does a great job.

I did find that the alarms were quite annoying to tell you your BG was low/high or you need to calibrate by checking your BG on a standard meter, you still must test your blood sugar three times per day to callibrate the CGM. I know it must alarm to tell you what is going on but it is a little annoying. On the flip side I did have a few low BG during the night and the CGM did actually alarm to warn me which is a great weight off my mind. The CGM would be perfect for single people with Diabetes just to give them that boost of confidence while a sleep knowing the CGM would alarm if your BG is too low. The sensors do last for 6 days each which is long enough and it does feel nice to take it off as it does when wearing a canular for an insulin pump. I did find that my BG was far more stable while wearing the CGM as I know if I had a problem the pump would alarm especially during the night. I also find that sometimes   without the CGM   I will go to bed and my BG could be 6.0 but of course I don't know if my BG is rising or dropping so normally eat something to wake in double figures. The Medtronic software is also great and very simple to read which I find is a must, I have downloaded my results and will be emailing them to my Diabetes team to have a look at as the CGM measures your blood 24/7.

To conclude I would 100% have a CGM if I could afford it or maybe when the PCT fund them as it will most definitely help to control your Diabetes far better.

Thanks for your time and I will of course try to answer any questions you may have and dont forget you can follow me on Twitter @MyPump1.

Andrew Borrett

Hi all,

I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity of trialling the Medtronic Paradigm 722 Insulin Pump with a CGM (Continous Glucose Monitor) which I must say is amazing. I hope by me trying this peace of kit it can help you decide whether or not it is something you should consider. The actual piece of kit is an addition to your Medtronic Paradigm or if you are luck enough to own a Veo insulin pump as it works in conjuction with your pump (Also available seperate). One of the big down sides for me is that this piece of kit is not funded by your PCT (Only in serious cercumstances) which is a real pain as the costs of the sensors could be approx £2000 per year +/- so please check with Medtronic.

Anyway back to the trial, I have just   been given a kit to try which contains the wireless device which connects to the sensor to allow the sensor to talk to the pump along with four sensors which I now understand last for 6 days each. The sensor is similar to your existing insulin pump   canular but seems to have a slightly longer/larger needle (Nothing to worry about though) and also needs a clear sticky tape which covers the complete sensor as it is risky that the sensor would be knocked off. Once the sensor is in your body with the clear tape over it you can hardly tell it is there but I would highly recommend these clear tapes which cover the sensor (Speak to Medtronic for more details), as the wireless part of the sensor does seem to flap about a bit. I was a little nervous at first putting the sensor in as I only had four to use but found it fairly easy once the clear tape was covering the complete sensor I guess it is all a bit of trial and error at first. Once in the sensor takes 2 hours to initiate and then you take a BG to calibrate to sensor then after this the sensor will alarm to tell you to calibrate by entering a BG every 12 hours. I have so far used one sensor for the past three days and found it quite accurate as there is a slight lag but it is more the fact I can see what my sugars are doing over a long period of time especially while I am a sleep. The second night was a good test as the pump woke me during the night with a low BG of 4.4 so I did a BG to double check and my blood sugar was 4.8 and falling so I was very impressed. It does take a bit of getting used to putting on the sensor and calibrating etc but it is like everything once you get used to it its like second nature. I can actually look at my pump screen at anytime of the day or night to see my BG level which is great but it is of course not as accurate as a blood glucose test which you still need to do before meals or rather this is what i was doing (Please check with your Diabetes team for exact useage). The pump shows the last 3 hours history of your BG or 24 hour history on a clear screen with options to change alarms for low bg or high bg etc.

I have still two sensors to try as one of the sensors I seemed to mess up - not sure how to be honest but thought I would have a break for a day or so and then get another sensor on the go as I really think it is amazing. The big thing for me is that even if the CGM is not yet 100% accurate it would still let me know if my sugars were too high or low which is great for when you are a sleep.

I will of course keep you updated with my findings as my trial continues and please do let me know if you have any questions bt emailing me on info@mypump.co.uk or visit my Twitter page MyPump1.

Thanks for reading.

Andrew

** Please note when I mention pump sensor BG it is not actually measuring your blood sugar but glucose levels in tissue fluid.

Hi,

I was lucky enough to have been invited to visit Medtronic in Switzerland this weekend in Luasanne Switzerland which is very close indeed to Lake Geneva.

The objective of this event is to collectively discuss and explore the internet communication opportunities as part of a patient's quest to manage his/her diabetes mellitus.

Attending the event was a really great person from Medtronic UK called Justin (USA Born - lucky on the football)   who was very new to the world of Diabetes so I think he was broken in during this event ha ha thanks for your support Justin. There was also myself, Lesley from http://www.input.me.uk/, Tim   from Scotland   http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/   and not forgetting Mike from Madrid who is also UK born http://www.diabetesinspain.com/. Also we had some other Diabetic bloggers from Austria and Germany who I am afraid to say I do not have there web site details but hopefully I can add at a later stage.

The event was to provide diabetes diagnosis and therapy information with regard to new technologies, products and applications. We were of course asked to sign a confidentiality agreement to say that we would not pass on any top secret info and all I can say is that Diabetes Technology is flying fast and I hope we will all be able to benefit from this technology in the very near future. I also hope that we managed to give Medtronic some good idea's for future products/software and even info pages.

I was really suprised at how open Medtronic was regarding product development etc and I really feel quite honored to have been invited. The whole group of course tried to put our message accross as experienced Diabetics to try and cover as many aspects as we could relating to technology and information for people living with Diabetes.

Thanks again to all at Medtronic for looking after us all and it was also great to meet with some fellow people living day to day life with Diabetes.

Great news !!!

I cant believe it I have finally received the Medtronic Paradigm 722 Insulin Pump after waiting for Berkshire PCT to sign off the funding. It has only taken them  approx 10 weeks - which is unbelievable considering Wycombe General put me forward for the pump back in October. My next stage is pump training which is at Wycombe General on 4-2-08 so I am really excited and will of course keep my progress updated on the Blog !

I have never used an insulin pump and have been Diabetic since 1972. At the moment I am using Nova Rapid three times per day and Lantus once per day, so the idea of only having to inject the pump canualar once every three days sounds brilliant - the only downside I can think of is that I have to keep it on 24 hours per day.

But hey we will see .......

Just to give you an update on my Medtronic Paradigm Pump 722 situation. I have been contacting my Hospital in High Wycombe and they have been contacting Berkshire PCT to find out what is going on with my pump. Basically all I can find out is that I meet the criteria to get funding for a pump but Berkshire PCT are dragging their heals. I have also contacted John Davis and Leslie from www.input.me.uk   who are really excellent and helpful. Leslie has told me she will contact my local M.P. to see what can be done for me.

On another note I had a meeting with Elaine from Bayer Healthcare on 15-11-07 to talk about their blood glucose meters and products for Diabetics. After a great meeting with Elaine we have decided to add Bayer products and descriptions to www.mypump.co.uk and I will also be writing a short review about the products once I have given each a fair test.

Dont forget to keep checking my web site as new items being added over the next few weeks. Click on the mailing list and I will contact you with new products etc.

Hi this is my first Blog so please bear with me !

I have been waiting to go on an insulin pump since about February 2007 when I went to High Wycombe General Hospital and my consultant recommended the Medtronic Pump. It all sounded a little high tech and a bit scary to be honest but I was told how it could help my glucose control. So the wheels started and my next step was to go on an "Insulin/Carbohydrate Counting Course" at High Wycombe Hospital to teach you how to work out the exact insulin dose for how ever many carbohydrates you have. This course I managed to get on was early October for 4 days over 4 weeks which is the best course I have ever been on and learned alot. Once you have completed this course you need to speak to your consultant about going on a pump, they will then check if you meet the criteria and then contact your local PCT (Primary Care Trust) to see if you get funding. I was lucky and the PCT said yes but I am still waiting to get the pump but I hope to receive it soon and then have a training afternoon.