I thought I would pose this question after reading this article wondering how much truth is really in it, especially thinking it would have come to light if it was true on these forums.
First Patient In Diabetes Trial Is Now Diabetes-Free - True Activist.
The problem I have with the term ācureā is that it has a medical definition and that is that it is a ārestoration of health.ā The problem with these transplants is that while they can restore beta cell function they donāt restore health. Most people with T1 have suffered an autoimmune attack and are vulnerable to a recurrence. The more appropriate term would be āremission.ā
And various techniques have been tried and made available over the years to transplant beta cells into patients and there have been many reports of patients being able to go off insulin overnight. Unfortunately for the vast majority of patients those transplants fail after just a few years.
Dr. Ricordi came here a little over three years ago to talk about this research
So while this article is ātrueā it has to take in context. This is good news but not the first time someone has gotten a beta cell transplant and gone of insulin. And second it has not been shown to be a cure, it should be considered a remission.
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I deleted the cure from the heading. In retrospect I have heard many times about transplants and the addition of a surgically implanted membrane which would stop the body from attacking the implanted islets of Langerhans. Iām sure if these proved successful most of us would have already have been through the procedure.
I didnāt mean to criticize you, rather that we have to be diligent about the press and popular opinion. We have so many people saying that they have a cure for diabetes. I hate when I am told there is a cure and it really isnāt one.
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While yes being on drugs to keep the cells safe might not be a cure in the true sense of a cure, but it is so exciting to see progress being made. For most of my life, I felt I would never see a cure. Now I am thinking it might happen. Not sure how happy I would be switching from one treatment plan to another but I do believe this can make us hopeful. And that is why I continue to volunteer for clinical trials. I think I need to help move this along.
It appears it worked effectively back in the fall of 2015 and I think we would all agree it was a very effective concept, to inject the cells in a different way. However, there have been no updates since then. Iāve known a couple of people that had islet transplants the old way and they worked great for a few months, then gradually started dying off again. So the test is whether she is still insulin-free after a year or so. Wish they would update us on her progress, but if it hasnāt gone well they likely wonāt.
The video states one of the patients who had a islet transplant has been insulin free for over a decade. Like all of us I am optimistic about what the future holds, but Iām not holding my breath and will continue along the path of dealing with the trials life throws in from of me. Sally I have not been successful in being allowed to participate in any clinical trials yet. I hope you are allowed in and that it is a life changing event for the better for you. Best wishes
Iād never transplant my pancreas. Cos itās MINE even if itās dead Itās MINE anyway 
Technically itās not - just your beta cells, the rest of your pancreas is working to help you digest food. You can live without a pancreas entirely, but that opens up a whole new problem regarding the lack of digestive enzymes. Even a transplant isnāt fully a ācureā considering youāre now on anti-rejection meds for the rest of your life and those come with their own issues and side effects.
Yep, whenever people say their pancreas is ādeadā I sort of cringe and in my mind go, āNo, itās not.ā (Iāve known someone whose pancreas really didnāt work, and they were on a lot more medications than just insulin every time they ate.) In diabetes, only 1-2% of your pancreas is damaged, the reast is working just fine.
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I am curious of your take on thisā¦Dr. Faustmanās findings.
Thanks for pointing that out! I have had pancreatitis and it has taught me a whole new appreciation for the job a pancreas does outside of insulin synthesis! Plus, the idea of walking around with a presumably ādeadā organ is just gross!