Comments on: Diabetes: As Costly As War

By: t1d

t1d — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:02:52 +0000

Amputations, blindness, and other organ failures also sound like the casualties of war.
PS when are they going to sell c-peptide to the people who can’t manufacture it themselves? It prevents those side effects.

By: jadesr

jadesr — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:57:19 +0000

So, the ADA spends the money I send them on ads to make people hate me? Great.

By: Melitta

Melitta — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:28:04 +0000

The “1 million” Type 1 diabetics in the U.S.A. is SO old. Rapid onset Type 1 diabetes represents about 5 to 10% of ALL diabetes (and 57% of those are diagnosed at age 20 or greater, i.e., adults, according to the CDC in Diabetes in America, 1995). THEN, there are all those pesky slow onset Type 1 diabetics (aka LADA) who represent 10 to 15% of ALL diabetes (Type 1 Diabetes in Adults, 2007). That makes 15 to 25% of ALL diabetes is Type 1 diabetes. That’s a lot more than 1 million in the U.S. if you do the math.

Regarding not passing on the genes, lots of women with GDM are antibody positive and go on to have full-blown Type 1.

By: Kendra

Kendra — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:36:36 +0000

How would you propose to do that, Lauren? Sterilize all Type I diabetics? (Of course not, I know that’s not what you meant – but that’s where my heart angrily and sadly leaps, because I know that’s an answer my classmate would have given.) I am not as noble as you, I fear, because I am 20 weeks pregnant as I type.

I have no family history of autoimmune diseases. I guess the family history is going to start with me . . . but I still have a hard time living in fear that my child will develop my disease. There are worse fates than diabetes – and one of them, I think, is living in a world where the privilege of conceiving and carrying a child is only extended to those considered genetically “okay” or “normal” or “above par” or whatever you want to call it. I don’t believe such individuals exist. I do believe there are ticking bombs inside all of us; some of us are just lucky to never have them go off.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:44:25 +0000

Also, I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I would also like to see the type 1 gene disappear in generations to come. For my part, I’d rather adopt and be a parent to a child who is already here on earth than play the genetic lottery.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:40:51 +0000

Before my diagnosis, one of my scariest symptoms was blurred vision. As a premed student I immediately thought of optic neuritis (one of the first signs of MS), a brain tumor, and other horrible maladies. When I was diagnosed with type 1, part of me was relieved the problem was something I could control. Of course, in those first days I had no idea just how much effort “good control” requires, despite growing up with a type 1 sibling. The amount of daily energy we expend to stay in control is something that people aren’t aware of.

Keeping BGs in check is a 24/7 job. There is a serious lack of understanding about this. I’m immersed in the medical field, yet most people I interact with on a daily basis think my disease amounts to “you can’t eat dessert.” We absolutely need more to spread awareness about the two types (including the fact that type 2 also has genetic components and can’t be blamed solely on lifestyle). We should not EVER feel guilty for a disease we didn’t ask for. Besides, I am of the opinion that most type 1’s are healthier and better nourished than the average American. We think about what we eat, way more than we’d probably like to!

By: CALpumper

CALpumper — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:54:01 +0000

Ah yes, money. Ah yes, the ADA. Ah yes, America.

After doing some research, unfortunately online, and realizing my best bet (sigh) was via the NIH, http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/overview/#scope
a report in 2002 states that Diabetes cost this country $132 billion. About 15 million diagnosed in 2005.

So an epidemic is when a disease affects 20 million (reported/documented) people and it is cause for action when it costs the country $147 billion?

After scanning the ADA’s latest cost analysis report http://care.diabetesjournals.org/misc/econcosts.pdf
the main stats are based on Type 2 Diabetes, older age, hospital visits etc etc. Type 1 was in the reference area on pg 17 of a 20 page report.

Stats for Type 1? About a million in the US. I found that on “some site”. And that is really about it. Many sites explain Type 1 very well. Some even offer treatment options and research. The cost (treatment, supplies, visits)? No clue. Anyone?

The Diabetes “epidemic” is still being lumped in mass media, there are many forms of this disease and lumping it is causing damage in so many ways.

Hmmmm, 20 million….1 million? Hmmmm, 5 years ago $132 billion, now $147?

All about the numbers and who profits from it. And well, we are just people with a chronic illness, jeez, well the heck with us huh, because you know, we asked for this….needing a vital hormone to sustain life, needing a glucose monitor and those darn $1 each test strips, oh and counting those carbs! Ugh! Who wants to think that much everyday?! Remember, most people don’t. They don’t because they have no “reason” to. We do….we want and can live a great life! When will people get that?!?!?!

By: Doug MacLeod

Doug MacLeod — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:46:32 +0000

I can only agree with poster #3 (Amylia); I have come to realize that I am a financial drain to my family, and part of the decision not to have kids involved guilt about (potential) genetics. If I didn’t have medical insurance, my existence would be tenuous. Interruption (i.e. natural disaster) in getting supplies and/or medical care could be a disaster on a personal level.

The ADA ad is both eye-catching and provocative, but I for one don’t want to be reminded about how I require so much medical intervention to stay alive. And the ad doesn’t seem to make any mention of the $147 billion being from uncontrolled diabetes.

Shame on the sensationalism!

By: Allison

Allison — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:38:08 +0000

Thanks for linking to me!

By: Linda B.

Linda B. — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:26:32 +0000

Until everyone in the business of doing business to make a profit changes their mindset, It will not change. Come on there are people who do not want to pay taxes for childrens education because they do not have children in school or there kids are all grown and out working so why should I pay for someone elses kids to learn. Most Americans and people in general never seem to move past the cost of something. The reality is whether Its taxes for education or taxes for research no one wants to pay for it but we all are guilty of screaming out to the government and whoever else will listen when nothing is being done about it.Nowadays its all about the money. the more the better. funding gets cut for services every year, for research, for city improvements, state improvements and we just let it go on and on. can you imgine how much we could accomplish if the American people as a whole stood up and said no more pork projects. Lets take that money given to build a teapot museum and the money that a certain Congressman (sorry, I do not recall his name) works into bills to have buildings in his home state named after him and use it for the things that really matter. Like oh I don’t know, levee repairs, bridge maintenance,Research funding, our childrens educations, they are aour future, the homeless the hungry, just to name a few. Millions of dollars are allocated evry year for non essential projects that no one really notices or cares about. The money for the teapot museum could have benefitted Autism research, or education programs or given to a scientist as part of the funding they need to research and develop new treatments and cures for diseases like ours and all the others. education programs to better equip people with chronic disease and smarter ways to take care of themselves. But instead its all about money and who can be paid off to vote the way big pharma and oil companies among a few want them too. maybe we all would have a little more faith in our government if the politicians took the time to see what is really happening to their constituents everyday. its time for them to come down off the Hill and live with a person who has to take 50 pills a day to fight HIV, the people who have to make the choice every month whether to pay a bill or buy medication or food that month. I used to have faith in our system to take care of us, but, as I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s till now all I’ve seen is the politicians and the people who could make differences in our country lining their pockets and feeding us lies about alot of things.I will not go so far as to say money is the root of all evil, but the path their seems to paved in greenbacks. The ADA numbers will continue to go up the cost will continue to go up and until people can see how we are damaging our future, the ignorance will grow the misinformation will continue and another teapot museum will be funded.