Quarter of U.S. Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Are Rationing Insulin

About a quarter of people with Type 1 diabetes ration their insulin because of cost, according to a study published last week by T1International, which advocates for insulin access and affordability. Internationally, 18 percent of people with Type 1 diabetes reported rationing their medication at least once in the past year, exposing themselves to potentially serious complications.

Two vials of insulin for $250 — with insurance coverage — seemed kind of steep to Joseph Strank. But he paid it anyway because he needs the medication to manage his Type 1 diabetes, which keeps his body from producing its own insulin.

But last year, when the cost increased to $250 for just one vial, the 60-year-old Philadelphia resident knew he had a problem.

“I was limiting my carbs so I wouldn’t have to give myself as much insulin,” Strank told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Mr. Divabetic stops by the Mermaid Parade

We’re talking about ways to proceed with ‘CAUTION’ when coping with Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) with musical inspiration from Mariah Carey.  

Diabetes Late Nite inspired by Mariah Carey

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks,  2015 AADE Diabetes Educator of the Year Susan Weiner, MS RDN CDE FAADE, Mama Rose Marie, Yoga For Diabetes Director & Author Rachel Zinman, WeAreEatNeat.com’s Lloyd Owens, Type 2 Diabetes What To Know Community Moderator Nick Zevgolis, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.

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Obesity Rises As Diabetes Rates Drop – What’s Going On?

CNBC reports the number of new diabetes cases among U.S. adults keeps falling, even as obesity rates climb, and health officials aren’t sure why. 

“The bottom line is we don’t know for sure what’s driving these trends,” said the lead author of the new report, Dr. Stephen Benoit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One reason explaining the drop off could be that the diagnostic threshold for diabetes was lowered in the late 1990s. 

“We might have mined out a lot of the previously unrecognized cases” and so new diagnoses in the last several years are more likely to be actual new illnesses, said Dr. John Buse, a University of North Carolina diabetes expert.

Additionally the hemoglobin A1C blood test used to diagnose diabetes is much easier to use than previous tests that required patients to fast for 12 hours or to undergo repeated blood draws.

New federal data released Tuesday found the number of new diabetes diagnoses fell to about 1.3 million in 2017, down from 1.7 million in 2009.

Mr. Divabetic takes a ’50 Shades of Gray’ approach to talking about diabetes and aging during this lively hour of diabetes education and empowerment. 

As you age, you may be most aware of your new gray hairs and wrinkles, but aging causes changes throughout the entire body. 

It used to be said that having diabetes aged people an additional 20 years. Today, thanks to better tools for managing diabetes and preventing and treating its complications, people with diabetes have the opportunity to live longer than ever before. 

However, managing diabetes in the golden years presents a variety of challenges, ranging from increased insulin resistance and weight gain to sexual health issues and depression.

Guests include Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, FACOG, OB-GYN, “How To Fight FATflammation!”,  Author  Lori Shemek PhD, The Secrets to Living and Loving With Diabetes” and “Sex and Diabetes: For Him and For Her” Janis Roszler, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND  2008-2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE), Humorist and Author “The Sweet Blessing: MyAdventures in Diabetes” Trisha Porretti RN, BSN, CDE. 

Throughout the podcast we will be playing selected songs from Mariah Carey’s “Merry Christmas’ album courtesy of SONY Music. 

Aging is inevitable — even botox can’t turn back the clock permanently. However, you do have a choice over how you’ll spend your twilight years. By doing everything you can to take care of your body and mind, you can help live a full, meaningful, and energetic life.

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