Investigate.Inform. Inspire
Dear Nadia, I have had Type 2 diabetes for five years. My doctor says if I lose 10 kilos in weight, diabetes may disappear. What do you think? Roland Dear Roland, Once you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it will not disappear if you lose weight. Some marketing people use the term reverse and cure diabetes while advocating juicing, eating a raw food diet
Read more
An online survey from Consumer Reports showed that the top complaint among 660 surveyed doctors was the failure of patients to follow advice or treatment recommendations. Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes can be effectively managed in most patients through diet, exercise and (in some cases) medication. People with diabetes often struggle to follow the orders prescribed by their doctors. People with diabetes express that they
Read more
I was thinking about getting an insulin pump, but I am worried that Medicare will not cover it. Why does Medicare cover insulin pumps for some people and not for others? Barbara Florida Dear Barbara, Insulin pumps are covered under Medicare if you meet their insulin pump management criteria, insulin antibody test or C-Peptide test. If you are thinking about getting an insulin pump, this
Read more
Dear MC, I asked the makers of OminPod your questions directly. They have given us a detailed response with action you can take to help influence legislation on approving coverage for their device. Keep us posted on your process. Wishing you the best in your health efforts, Nadia Question- What type of insulin could be used in the OmniPod? I presently use Lantus and the
Read more
I want to get a replacement manual for my daughter’s insulin pump. I don’t want an on-line version. I want the paper booklet. Karen South Hamilton MA Hello Karen, You can call the insulin pump company directly at their 800 number and request a manual to be mailed to you. I have listed all the phone numbers and their links as a reference source for
Read more
Dear Nadia: I use an insulin pump, and since we have changed insurance plans, I have a new Doctor, who will not give me enough insulin to last me a month. I have told him that I run out of insulin every month. Andrew Sacramento Ca Dear Andrew: That is outrageous. Is your physician an endocrinologist? Does he understand insulin pump therapy? His lack of
Read more
I love carbohydrates, and sometimes, I hate carbohydrates. I think part of my love/hate relationship with food goes back to the days just before my diagnosis of type 1 as a teenager. At 18 years old, I was suddenly eating everything in sight as the hunger from my high blood sugar, due to undiagnosed diabetes, kicked in. I lost more and more weight and became
Read more
The headline sounded too good to be true. Scientists were reporting that the old-fashioned licorice stick contains a natural substance called amorfrutins that not only lowers blood sugar but also reduces inflammation. Great news, right? Not if you’re taking the heart medication Lanoxin, also known as digoxin. In that case, regularly snacking on even a modest amount of licorice could increase your risk for developing
Read more
I was traveling in Italy and the question came up as to when my NovoLog and Levemir insulin pens expire. Technically when does insulin goes bad? Ted San Anslemo CA Dear Ted, All the insulin companies state that insulin expires within 28 days. This includes open and unopened pens. Insulin should never be frozen. Prior to any use, it is also advised that you look
Read more
Dear Nadia, Is there any promising research for curing type 1 diabetes? Seven years in our family. Any hope? Steve, Twitter Follower Dear Steve: Yes, there is hope—a considerable amount of it, thanks to research focusing on ways to “tell” the body not to mistakenly attack insulin-producing beta cells. This means that at some point, although I can’t guess how soon, we will be able
Read more