Afrezza question, are we being hi jacked?

Treatment
#1

I am truely excited about the potential use of Afreza for both T1 and T2’ but I am concerned about a recent post of a newly diagnosed T2 with an a1c of 7.1 with his experience with Afrezza.

One would think there would be a miriad of options before Afrezza which would include maybe some carb control and get up and move around, which would have a similiar result and just good health benefits.

Hey Afrezza could be a great thing, I am not sure why a doctor would prescribe it as the first line of defense.

And how do those newbies know how to count carbs and correctly determine a dosing…

Just wondering

Old Lady Sad
Old Lady Sad
#2

Who knows.... Like I noted in the other thread I have become aware that there are "pumpers" out there roaming the internet. I do not necessarily think he is one of them.

Interesting to note, though, that Sam Finta aka Afrezzauser, probably the most prominent user/advocate of afrezza claims that he doesn't count carbs with afrezza and sees no need to because its giving him excellent control for the first time in years. Some of what's out there may be hype. Some of it may be disingenuous. All we can do is continue to evaluate for ourselves. A number of us are or will be trying it soon. I have not heard 1 single bad review, and all the reviews I've heard have been consistent-- so I am also very excited. I get mine next week.

#3

Not demeaning all the great things that Afrezza can do, just I personally would need to be aware or the trolls out there. T2 here I still believe that diet and exercise are the first line of defense.

Pop a pill solve my issues NOT!

A question I am well controlled t2 diet and exercise only comfortable with it and my life.
So why do I need Afrezza, maybe that is the next question?..who really needs it
T1 hopefully should rejoice,
Just trying to put it in perspective

#4

80% of diabetics are t2
So Afrezza could be fantastic for t1’s
Why are s seeing post about t2’s
Money maybe. Again let put this in to perspective.
T1’s controlled BS is live or die, t2 it is can I have pizza or not.
T2 here
I believe I can live life without pizza.

#5

Well, it is a fact that T2 diabetics are being prescribed afrezza… Yes obviously he has a financial interest in Afrezza… Which he was upfront about. As do I. That doesn’t imply that he or I are liars. I read his entire message board. There was nothing inappropriate or shady in it. He excitedly reported his positive results, and others encouraged him to share his results with other diabetics-- there is nothing wrong with that, I’m not sure why it’s being portrayed in such a sinister light. And remember I’m the guy who was mad about investors quoting our message board and warned of trolls.

#6

You are blessed with curiosity, knowledge, the fortitude to use that knowledge for your benefit. Your awareness exerted itself, perhaps, earlier in the diabetes progression than many other T2Ds. Not every T2D can manage with diet and exercise. Many here have discovered adding a low carb diet and exercise to a moderate insulin program can provide great control. There are many T2Ds here that sport A1cs in the 5's.

Diet and exercise should be a first line of defense and that defense must come much sooner than it usually does. Afrezza is just a tool. How people with diabetes use it is up to each individual and their doctors.

#7

Doctor would prescribe Afrezza as first insulin for a Type 2 who may need to use insulin but will not because they do not want to inject, afraid of needles. Probably fear of needles is very common. Diet and excercise is always tried first for Type 2s, then oral meds; they may need to go on insulin long before it is prescribed. So Afrezza fits the bill for many Type 2s and I think it will be the insulin of choice for Type 2. Afrezzauser is getting quite a lot of flack about his diet from the diabetes community. But, he is very slender, exercises a lot (on his blog he mentioned a three mile swim as his exercise one day, noting Afrezza did not cause a hypo during or after the swim). I am sure he is trying educate to show how Afrezza handles problem foods, crappy foods. And not all Type 1s follow a low or moderately low-carb diet and even healthy carbs can be problematic.

#8

I still doubt the post, since he only revealed his connections after being challenged.
I wondered how he could get a prescription and supply so quickly, when you all have been having have been having such difficulty. From what he posted on this site I still have questions.

I speak only as a t2, and yes there are many different stories out here. For t2 the stories starts with diet and exercise. As I have said before I am “slender” non obese, very active, person whose body is carb intolerant, last A1c was 6.0 down from 12.0. No meds. I have been very fortunate to be able to accomplish this, hopefully for many more years.

#9

All of the issues that you guys have talked about in this thread are legitimate concerns and/or fair questions. During the past day I have read quite a few of the posts here and can easily admit that compared to most of you I know almost most nothing about the issues facing diabetics, particularly Type 2's. I get the same questions all of the time. All you had to do was exercise, lose weight, eat right and then if that didn't work, why didn't your doctor start you on Metformin, It's free at the grocery store pharmacy. All fair questions and I will probably be asked the same questions over and over. So, my doctor first called me a diabetic about 6 years ago when my A1c hit 6.0, The test before that one was 5.5. During the next 6 years, maybe I could have done better, but things happen. I broke 3 ribs, punctured a lung, hurt my knee twice, ankle once and had a couple of gout attacks. All of these incidents caused my weight to go up, because I stopped exercising. My weight varied between 199 - 214. On July 14 of last year, my A1c had climbed to 6.6. After a strong warning from my doctor, I admired to myself that I might be a pre-diabetic, so I was still in denial. During the next 7 months, I exercised regularly ( difficult because of arthritis, sciatica and planar fasciitis), Watched my diet and managed to lose 14 lbs. On 2/12/2015, I was looking forward to my A1c test. On 2/18 the doctor told me to my surprise, that it was 7.1. Reality check, why did it take me 6 years to accept the fact that I was diabetic? So, should I wait until it hits 8 or try treating my condition. Because of heart and particularly liver issues, Metformin and/or other oral meds might be too taxing on my liver. We decided to try Afrezza. So far so good. I don't feel any different, but my BG is different. Btw, this website is incredible.

Spiro here

#10

Thanks Spiro. You went the extra mile and if that doesn't satisfy your doubters, I don't know what will. Fraser doesn't seem to understand that he doesn't have "THE ANSWER" for all T2's.

#11

Spiro--Did your doc give you Afrezza samples at first? Or just straight to the Rx? Did he do the baseline lung testing on you?

#12

Thanks, dunewalker, But I don't intend to challenge my doubters. I am only here to learn and share my experience with Afrezza to those interested. This appears to be a great board and I appreciate the warm reception that I have mostly received. BTW my fasting B.G. was 100 today, Afrezza, before breakfast, 3 hours later, B.G. back to 100. When I started Afrezza on 2/27 my early results were so good that I thought my B.G. monitor was wrong. I went and purchased another monitor and 2 new boxes of test strips. LOl, What a waste of money, They both are usually within 1-3 points of each other. Same with the new test strips.

There are legitimate arguments to be made for and against the use of Afrezza. Each individual must evaluate the side effects of all of the medications available for treatment and then decide on the best option. My doctor and I decided on Afrezza. I am anxiously looking forward to May, when all of the early Afrezza user's will get their first A1c follow ups.

Spiro here

#13

There are some who may be classified as "T2's" but in reality they are very insulin sensitive and do quite well on small insulin doses. These folks are typically skinny and active already.

At same time some of these folks will be averse to insulin shots and more amenable to Afrezza.

You and me might know they are really LADA/T1 but I think it's better for folks to get the best treatment no matter what their classification.

#14
I believe I can live life without pizza

Good for you.

I don't want to. Afrezza gives me the ability to be like the rest of the world and enjoy pizza.

I'll go one further: While I'm not obese, with poor nutrition, I find it offensive to deny a treatment like Afrezza to obese, junkfood eating type 2's because they don't want to live the way you want them to.

Overweight people with poor nutritional habits are taking risks to live the way they apparently want to.

So do rock climbers, scuba divers, parachuters, and on and on. While I would completely acknowlege there is a world of difference between slothfulness and exciting risky hobbies, that's not the point: Hanging one's judgement on the incurrence of "risk" is fallacious. Risking one's life or health is not in and of itself a reason to criticize someone for the choices they voluntarily make. They are evaluating risks and benefits of their behavior and its impacts within the priority and value framework they have, which is the only one that matters.

There's nothing wrong with encouraging such people to do things we judge differently than they do, and often in such situations their values change and they change their priorities.

If an obese, slothful T2 diabetic refuses to change his lifestyle but wants to avoid blindness, amputations, neuropathy, etc. by significantly improving his BG control with Afrezza, he should not be denied the treatment because you think its "better" to treat it your way.

If he wants to incur the increased risk of various obesity-related diseases, that's his business. It's evil, in my view, to force him to incur other horrible risks just because you don't like the way he lives.

#15

No. You're putting it in your perspective, which is a very narrow way to analyze anything social.

Honestly, I respect and applaud your management of your T2 D exclusively with diet and exercise. It's something I simply can't do: I'm not willing to make the dietary sacrifices required. Not willing at all.

It's why I chose to start using insulin as a T2 -- not because I was forced to by my doctor. I wanted much better control, with the freedom to still, well, have pizza (pizza is a proxy for much more gastronomically and socially).

Frankly, your attitude is actually a threat to me. It encourages and supports the current T2 treatment approach, which is a complete disaster.

The goal should always the same: Holistic, life-encompassing, cure. Or as close as possible. This means, if I can live and eat healthy without restriction, any treatment that facilitates that. Afrezza does. Standard diet/exercise T2 treatment does not, for a supermajority of T2s.

Bottom line: You and I can achieve the same level of overall health, BMI, and (maybe) BG control. I will be enjoying pizza, cake and ice cream at parties, decadent meals on my birthday with garlic mashed potatoes, and on and on... And you will not -- unless you re-examine your views on this.

Some people, perhaps a lot of T2s will mis-use Afrezza to support their gluttony. So what? People mis-use Xanax, Valium, Percocet, and oodles of other fantasic therapies when used correctly. Why should Afrezza be any different?

Some D's will abuse it. That's not "sending the wrong message" -- that's abusing it. It is no reason to screw people like me.

#16
Diet and exercise should be a first line of defense and that defense must come much sooner than it usually does. Afrezza is just a tool. How people with diabetes use it is up to each individual and their doctors.

I respectfully disagree, Terry.

I agree with Joslin: Insulin should be the first line of defense, for T2s as well. Ironically, this may delay and/or inhibit further degradation of beta cells preserving endogenous insulin as much as possible, as well as slowing progression of insulin resistance.

If Afrezza proves out and doesn't end up on the chopping block with some major problem not found in the trials, going immediately on Afrezza with meals might turn out to be the most effective long-term approach.

Very very few people can stick to the sort of diet necessary to keep a1c under 7 without supplemental insulin (whether exogenous, or endogenous from secretatory meds). It simply isn't practical for most people. Simple things like, my prepared lunch is in the fridge at work, this meeting off site that we were originally going to be back from in time for lunch has just been extended several hours. They're bringing in sandwiches.

What to do? I'm starving. I don't use, and therefore have, insulin. My choices are very constrained and limited.

Contrast that to the healthy, fit, T2 with an Afrezza inhaler in his pocket. No more need be said.

#17

I think it's great, Many T2's will never exercise or go to a gym, and eat right that's a joke!...never going to happen. They are not going to get involved with the DOC....If they can inhale some insulin with their meals and snacks....then good for them....anything is better than nothing. I see my T2 employees 5 days a week and beg them to just try and do something to lower there BG...they say I know I know, then they smile and continue stuffing doughnuts down there hole....

#18

Why shouldn't we doubt your posts, and suspect you are a shill for the organic foods industry?

Gang, this factless suspicion, derogation, etc. of others here has got to stop. TuD is remarkably free from that sort of junk. It's one of the reasons I'm active here.

Fraser, when Spiro actually does or says something here worthy of condemnation, condemn it then. In the mean time, please stop casting suspicion on our brother.

When he proves to be everything you suspect, I'll be by your side running him out of town. As of now, there's no evidence he is anything other than another T2 diabetic, excited about Afrezza, sharing his experience, who has a financial interest in MNKD.

Big whoop, that describes me too. And Sam. And several others here. Cut him some slack.

#19

He shoots, He scores!!

#20

There's also fit, athletic PWD who are extremely disciplined about what they will eat who believe they will benefit tremendously from this. Like me.