The cost of insulin is a huge issue and I understand and applaud the efforts being made to reduce the exorbitant cost of insulin in the US. Why is there not at the same time a huge push for diabetics to go onto a low carbohydrate diet which would improve their overall health as they lose weight consequently dramatically reduce their insulin consumption? Every person can afford to change their eating habits which will save them money in less Insulin use.
I can’t feel overly sympathetic to people that just want to see insulin prices drop as they use more and more insulin, pack on the weight and then compensate with even more insulin. That does not make any sense. I am sure there is the odd exception but in general, we as diabetics, are our own worst enemy, perhaps through ignorance, perhaps through laziness.
Wow. You actually left me speechless and that doesn’t happen too often. my takeaway from what you just wrote is that it is the diabetics fault that they need more insulin than they can afford rather than the manufacturers charging exorbitant amounts year after year to the point where some diabetics without insurance would be spending over $3,000 a month. So I guess I wasn’t actually speechless…
There is no reason to look for fault on any side. What we need to look for are solutions. Manufacturers and/or PBM’s need to dramatically reduce their prices and at the same time for a great double cost whammy diabetics could contribute by lowering carbohydrate consumption which would lower the amount of insulin they need.
I am on Medicare, diagnosed at age 69. In 2014 my plan was charged $600 for a 90 day supply of pens. Last year my plan was charged $2000 for the same amount. I hit the donut hole pretty quick. The pens were approved by the FDA in 1996, the development costs should have long been recovered. Eating less carbs would be a drop in the bucket. I eat on average 100 carbs and I don’t think that’s excessive.
CJ114, I eat 300 healthy carbs daily and take a total of 23 units of insulin. I have no working beta cells. Do not just assume that a low carb diet is the only way to reduce insulin use.
Also, you do not know what each person with diabetes is struggling with or the reasons they make the choices that they do. We all have our own stories.
Maybe another perspective. I am a well controlled T2 doing diet and exercise only. I know many T2’s who like T1 require insulin to survive.
But the big but, I also know, maybe a large portion of T2’s who don’t want to cut carbs, or give up ice cream, and definitely don’t Want to exercise. Any way it seems that using insulin is a bonus to allow them to indulge in high carb food.
If that is what they want fine. Not me.
But if I were part of the “big” pharma, I would not concentrate on getting insulin to T’1s but I would cultivate a whole new generation of insulin dependent T2’s. Lots of them out there.
So before you trash CJ, step back and think about it.
Pease in no way do I suggest that those T1 or T2 who require insulin, should not have it available.
Gosh! Mouth drop. Not everyone wants to go on a low carb diet, nor is it healthy for everyone to do so. It can be unhealthy for some. And losing weight can be very hard for people to do and on insulin really really difficult. Insulin alone has an average weight gain to it besides a lot of the other drugs.
I am a vegan and I do not low carb. I have an A1C of 6.4. I believe in vegetables and fruits, whole grains as being powerhouses of nutrients. Some people disagree and I firmly believe each to their own.
If it was so easy to lose weight and be skinny half of America would not be overweight.
Yep not every one likes low carb or Keto Personally I prefer to avoid insulin if that is appropriate for me.
I do remember the days when I was told that everyone needed insulin, and then the Keto would kill me,. Still here.
Yes for you, I believe this top by CJ was referring more towards T2’s
At least as I took it. although I could be wrong.
I have been an advocate for T2’s for over ten years. But I am not a advocate of using insulin to compensate for a diabetic not controlling what they eat
It doesn’t matter to me if it is geared towards type 2’s. I would still have the same answer. Mouth drop over the statements made.
Sometimes reality is painful.
Like a family member who said I thought I was so special because I could control my T2 with diet and exercise. She just wanted a. Pill so she could eat what she wanted. And a reality check at 42 she died.
I my humble opinion T2’s need to be as diligent and focused as T1’s need to control diabetes.
Very sad article.
I’m probably at risk of opening up an ideological time bomb here, but I’m legitimately curious. How many American’s actually support the way the American health care system is run?
I just can’t fathom an event where I couldn’t afford insulin, and in Australia it’s essentially impossible. There are certainly problems with the Australian health care system, but by and large if you have a life threatening illness, you’ll be able to get medication and health care for free or at a very affordable price. And as far as I can see, given America is still the largest economy in the world and has one of the biggest GDPs per capita (certainly it’s bigger than Australia), it feels more ideological than an actual financial impossibility…
Maybe I just don’t properly understand how it’s structure in the US but to me it seems crazy.
I guess I am a proponent of carbs beget carbs. The more we eat the more we crave and as a society the fatter we get. To many of those on insulin, that means in order to stay in control, we just keep eating more and increase our insulin intake. I just have a very hard time taking seriously patients that go to big box pharmacy and pick up their insulin in one bag and then waddle over to the ice cream section and fill up another bag. Mouth drop or not, people have to be in total denial not to at least entertain the idea that in the US and other parts of the world excess carb consumption is not a major contributor of weight gain and increased insulin use in T1/T2 Diabetics.
I was originally diagnosed a T2; however, I have been insulin dependent (c-peptide < 0.1) for past 20 years. My total daily insulin usage has consistently ranged between 70 to 80 units throughout this period and my weight has also consistently ranged between 185 and 195 lbs.Total carb intake has ranged between 160 to 180 per day.
In my case, insulin has not begat carbs which begat insulin. I have remained consistent for 20 years. I am on a pump, so I need to count carbs; however, I do feel I am entitled to an enjoyable night out once a week (75 carbs or so.).
My son is also diabetic and insulin dependent. Several years ago he was between jobs and without insurance. He was “forced” to buy his insulin off of Craig’s List. My insurance no longer covers my sensors ($70 each) so I have occasionally bought a box of sensors off of E-Bay.
As I said I eat 300 healthy carbs daily with 23 units of insulin. I weigh 107 lbs. I never carb binge. There are other very healthy ways to eat besides low carb!!! I ate 30 carbs a day for 11 yrs and weighed ten more lbs then.
I too think it is very unhealthy to give extra insulin in order to eat whatever you want, but that is a choice some diabetics make and they need to be given the freedom to make that choice. But I agree, that it is frustrating and for me at least heartbreaking to watch. I lost a couple of friends to early deaths because of their love of carbs. They actually made the choice to live life to the fullest and for them that meant eating everything that they wanted and more and settle for deaths in their 50’s. Nothing I said changed their minds.
Heartbreaking to watch says it all, especially since oftentimes these same individuals can’t afford the high price of insulin leaving them a life of complaints and misery. My intention was certainly not to criticize anyone’s decision on how they manage their diabetes, just to point out that there is a huge opportunity for both T1/T2 to reduce insulin consumption when cost becomes a life or death issue. I am not convinced that many of these individuals even recognize the options being either lowering their carb intake or as you and many others do, eat healthy carbs. It must also be noted that most individuals on this platform take their diabetes management very seriously, and most likely do not represent a good cross section of the general diabetic population.
Perhaps my post should have been geared more strictly toward reducing daily insulin through any way possible but I think that would have led to more confusion because the quickest, most common method is through lower carb intake.
I am truly sorry if I offended anyone on this platform with my post which is the last thing I ever want to do and look forward to healthy debates and highly value all input both positive and negative from all participants.
For what it’s worth, eating low carb tends to be way more expensive than (some) high carb diets. It reflects some degree of financial privilege to have that option. So regardless about what you think about carbs and the extent to which they are the problem, suggesting low carb as a way to combat difficulties affording insulin seems unrealistic.