Many of you know Gary Scheiner through his book "Think Like a Pancreas". Well, he and a team of other experts have launched the "Type 1 Diabetes University", "an online school for people with diabetes who use insulin, including parents and caregivers" at www.type1university.com.
Check it out and make sure to share your experience with the courses!
I have not taken these courses. These courses represent what I would term advanced insulin and diabetes education. They are of modest cost and are scheduled about every month. You have the option of pre-recorded or live. I presume you can do the pre-recorded anytime, but the live may enable real-time questions.
Looking through the course material, I would suggest that the book "Think Like a Pancreas" is a prerequisite. Get the book and read it thoroughly, if you don't understand the book, taking the courses won't be as beneficial. None of the courses goes over the basics, they start out with more advanced topics like Mastering Pump Therapy or Advanced Carb Counting. I have Scheiners "Ultimate Carb Counting Book" and suspect the topics are similar to what is in that book, looking at Carb factors, glycemic index, etc.
These courses appear to be an outstanding resource, I would hope that insurance companies consider covering fully these courses.
We have used Gary and would not hesitate to use him again. A Type 1 himself, dx'd at 17, he also treats Type 2 diabetics, so wonder if he has a Type 2 university?
Our insurance would not cover Gary because he is out of state. I'm sure if we lived in Pennsylvania, insurance would cover. Our insurance will cover quite a bit re CDE education. Too bad Gary can't open a satellite office in New York.
There is no way my insurance would cover it -- my lifetime benefit was $50, and I used that up a long time ago. Expenses for the diabetes class I took were mostly covered out of pocket, and if I wanted to see a CDE (we have some good ones here) I'd have to pay for it as well. So, considering how expensive they are, I just don't see CDE's -- either I figure it out myself or it just doesn't happen. My insurance can proudly say they cover diabetes education -- about as much as if a school district gave one day of kindergarten, and then claimed to have educated the child!
Having a university is wonderful. education is wonderful.
But excluding Type 2's because there are only a few of us that are insulin dependent (LIKE MYSELF) is not cool.
What a wonderful way to restart this SEPARATE BUT EQUAL rivalry we have already.
When i was dx'd I was never told about diabetic classes or knew what a CDE was. Something online is great idea if it is free or will at least let people give donations.
Just clicked on the link and found each course was $29.99. Each course covers a different topic, such as, "Strike the Spike," etc. Affordable for many people. I wonder if you can save the videos to your computer so you can re-view........
It seems interesting but, at the same time, if you are 'advanced', I would think you would get about as much hanging around a message board as you would by signing up for a course, taking a day off work ( guess I could just take 1/2 day for the 1:00 sessions?)? I suppose a course would have the advantage of being focused on a particular concern or aspect of taking care of yourself. The other thing I've noticed is that it always seems to boil down to the PWD being able to engage in trial and error, keep track of results and implement changes? A seminar could perhaps boost your confidence but that seems like sort of what they would tell you?
I should do the carb counting one though. I am a total slacker about that!
I think these are probably good for the newly diagnosed!
My observation : besides what I am learning here on TuD , I feel , that I get updated education from my Team here, including workshops put on locally by Medtronic Canada . This feeling is echoed by others I know in my Community .My Extended Health Plan would not cover attendance ; the Canadian system works differently .
If you read the site there is nothing in there saying Type 2s can't take the courses. In fact, the only place the term "Type 1" appears is the name. The site refers to "insulin users" but not specific types of diabetes anywhere. In the registration process it does not ask what type of diabetes you have or say only people with Type 1 can register. I'm guessing they picked "T1U' because it's a catchy name and because Type 1s are the main audience they are aiming at, rather than wanting to exclude people (they are making money off people taking their courses—why would they want to exclude anyone who might pay them???).
Wonderful educational resource! Courses seem to cover all the topics. Hope there are many diplomas from T1DU.
Just went on Gary's integratediabetes.com site. I believe he counsels Type 2s as well in his general practice; but I see he is working on a program for Type 2s who use insulin "to come". Advanced carb counting anyone can take. No one is excluded but why pay for information you cannot possibly use? He counsels people (both Type 1 and Type 2) individually on a pay as you go or tri-monthly, six-month or one year period.
When I took it there was no such thing as a CDE. See how far things have come? In my early diagnosis it was "trial & error"
I think it is a great idea. Being on the pump it is a way that I can learn to "tweek" the way that I use my pump. I have been on the pump since april and I would be interested in the next level of how to manage things a little better. Dr. offices truely do not have the time, nor do they have the details of every individuals daily processes.
You just answered my compliant. They are targeting Type 1's. I am a insulin using Type 2. Why not target everybody or introduce things together? Like I said earlier it is in the marketing. They are excluding people when you put a certain segment in a name. I assume the fact that I am Type 2 and I take insulin to live is not terribly important since there are more Type 1. Separate but Equal again.
If he is working on a program then either him or manny should be announcing that at the same time they are announcing the wonderful Type 1 program.
Can I be the judge of how I want to spend my money and if the information is important to me? This is one of those areas where Type 1's really don't know anymore than what the media says about Type 2. I think everybody can benefit from a carb course to help their health. As long as my money is green and my credit card is charged i know I won't be excluded. He needs a buck like everybody else. He probably thinks he can cash in more on Type 1's. Which I have to admit may be more true.
Why should we have to pay for classes for a common condition? This is something I really don't understand. I have been trying to work something out with my councilman about this. Do people with AIDS and breast cancer have to pay for classes on how to live with their ailments. Just asking???
I would think that any 'service' provided by a medical provider would have a fee associated with it. The $64 question is whether or not it would be covered by your insurance. I deal with this at work a lot, as I investigate car accidents so we are looking for more 'traumatic' diagnostic codes associated with the sorts of claims I am evaluating. For health insurance, they have to look at what the policy covers, sometimes there are yearly and/ or lifetime maximums for things like 'education', a %age of the cost covered, sometimes it might have a separate deductable for a 'class' kind of thing which, w/ a $29 class, might not even be coverable by insurance because it would be less than the deductable amount for the type of service? Similarly, the people putting it together are professionals who have designed a program that they are selling? I *really* like TLAP a ton, so it would not suprise me if the classes are very helpful and likely worth the $29 if you are interested in them? I am sure they have not discovered a 'magic bullet' but hanging around message boards is fun so a webinar type of thing might be fun too?