Type 1 Diabetes: Prognosis and Life Expectancy

Interesting statement about islet cells that are not detected by immune system. These are clearly not the cells being used by via cite. They require immune suppression.

1 Like

When I was diagnosed 40 years ago they told me “the cure is right around the corner and we are testing in mice”.

This end of this article seems to be saying the same thing.

The EXACT same thing.

I didn’t believe them 40 years ago and I don’t believe them today.

11 Likes

So I did not read the article carefully. But i think it said, T1 with complications live not as long, and the cure is near. Based on my own research, one of those are true. Can you guess which one?

In truth i do believe we are closer to a cure int eh newly diagnosed. The work coming out of Trialnet is most encouraging. That coupled with implanting specially coated Beta cells I think that means thousands might never be diagnosed as having diabetes.

As for us long termers? I am not holding my breath.

rick

5 Likes

This style of article disappoints me. For the casual, non-diabetic reader, it does offer some essential facts that can inform them. The headline, however, promises much more than it could ever hope to deliver in the brief format that it uses.

Under the diabetes treatment sub-header, it explains the basic action of insulin and insulin pumps but then makes no mention of CGMs, a technology that’s more useful and educational than an insulin pump.

Finally, the hope of a cure that it presents is fundamentally undermined when it discloses that this research has only progressed to the mouse stage. If only I were a mouse!

The author is a nurse, which could lend credibility, but I am unimpressed with the thin veneer of information she (and the editor) presents. The headline promises much and hardly delivers anything to anyone with pre-existing knowledge of diabetes. It feels like clickbait to me and perhaps I am not the target audience of this information.

3 Likes

Since I’ve been diagnosed 47 years ago, they’ve been saying that the cure is 5 years away. What they don’t tell us is that it is ALWAYS years away! :roll_eyes: Seriously, though, I don’t think any of those estimates were ever made in bad faith. I think we are finding that the more we learn, the more we know how little we know. For one reason or another, potential cures in animal models don’t carry over to humans. The past few decades have been GREAT for diabetic mice!

I’m most optimistic about the work of Denise Faustman. Here is an article about her work. It’s been a haul and has not gone the way I’d hoped, but I think it is still promising, albeit more that five years away…

2 Likes

I am hoping for a breakthrough with CRISPR. Wouldn’t it be nice if with one injection they could fix our T cells and this would be it?

2 Likes

For those who may be unfamiliar with the CRISPR technology that @Helmut refers to, here is a 5 and 1/2 minute animated video that provides a nice, not too complicated, explanation of how it works.

1 Like

I was told something similar but I took it positively. It was and is motivating.

I’m right with ya! 54 years ago “A cure’s just 5 years away!” In 1967 my brother and I weren’t supposed to live past 35. Even in 1986 when I was 30, my endo told me to expect major complications at 35. I’m still going strong with hardly any problems at 65!

4 Likes