Chicago Diabetes Project, Transplat Study

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1

I just finished a day of screening to qualify, hopefully, for islet transplants at the University of Illinois, Chicago. If you are a type 1 diabetic and have hypoglycemic unawareness, and would like to be free of insulin or seriously reduce your need for it, go to their web site for more information. These projects are all over the country, not just Chicago. After 52 years on insulin, just the thought of going off the pump and not having dangerously low blood sugars is enough to make me tap dance a 65.

2

I wish you all the best Susie! Would love to see you tap dance =)
Please keep us posted with your progress…

3

Hi Susie,
I had an islet cell transplant in Minneapolis in 2008. It has made a tremendous difference in my life. I was able to be insulin free for 2 years and now take only a very small dose. No lows to worry about. It has been a great experience for me.

There is a facebook page called Pancreatic Islet Cell Recipients that is a sharing page for anyone who has had the procedure or is just interested. Its a great place to ask questions of others who have been through this. There are a few people who just had their transplant is we all enjoy living it with them. Here is a link to it: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113713851975220&v=wall

Best of luck to you, I hope you will keep in touch,

Kathy

4

Kathy, This goes to show you I need to check my mail on Tu Diabetes more often. I haven’t had my transplant yet but am heartened to read your e-mail. The fact that after you went back on insulin, it was a very small dose. I’m assuming you can tell when you have a low?

5

Hi Susie, I can tell when I have a low now. It really only happens if I over exercise. Going back on insulin was disappointing at first, but it really hasn’t been that bad. Its not like going all the way back to where I was pre-transplant. Now, I take only a small dose and have good control. This time around, things work like they should. If I take one unit to cover lunch, it works. That part is almost rewarding because it shows that I actually do know what I am doing. Before the transplant, it seemed like i was a constant failure at trying to control my BGs. Hope you are doing well. Are you on the waiting list?