Diabetes, important info

monty · June 10, 2013

I'm sat watching a programme on Ch 4 about this ailment because I'm one of the many people who suffer with this disease. Astonishingly some of the medicines I am taking are giving great cause for concern in the USA due to many cases of pancreatic cancers being caused by continual use. Byetta, Victoza are just two of the ones I have taken, for some reason these drugs are limited in the USA who consider them to be dangerous but prescribed to all who suffer here.

This is diabetes week so I would advise any suffers out there try and see this programme if you can, it has scared the crap out of me. I'm due at my diabetes clinic this week, they'll have some tough explaining to do. For more info check Channel 4 Dispatches

carlos21 · June 10, 2013

monty said:
I'm sat watching a programme on Ch 4 about this ailment because I'm one of the many people who suffer with this disease. Astonishingly some of the medicines I am taking are giving great cause for concern in the USA due to many cases of pancreatic cancers being caused by continual use. Byetta, Victoza are just two of the ones I have taken, for some reason these drugs are limited in the USA who consider them to be dangerous but prescribed to all who suffer here.

This is diabetes week so I would advise any suffers out there try and see this programme if you can, it has scared the crap out of me. I'm due at my diabetes clinic this week, they'll have some tough explaining to do. For more info check Channel 4 Dispatches

very interesting Monty,

ijjysmith · June 10, 2013

My old man has diabetes so I get checked every so often. Odds are I'll end up with it later in life.

carlos21 · June 10, 2013

ijjysmith said:
My old man has diabetes so I get checked every so often. Odds are I'll end up with it later in life.

hope you don't mate.

roydo · June 10, 2013

It seems more and more folks are getting diabetes these days. Is it because diagnosis has improved, or a diet thing?

(BTW, if it is a diet thing, no slight meant at sufferers)

ijjysmith · June 10, 2013

carlos21 said:
hope you don't mate.

Thanks man.

I probably will so ill eat loads of sugary things now while I can!!

carlos21 · June 10, 2013

ijjysmith said:
Thanks man.

I probably will so ill eat loads of sugary things now while I can!!

okay mate.

Groucho · June 10, 2013

The thing is, if you read the side effects to any drug you'd have a fit (literally in some cases). A lot of stuff is not deemed safe for use in the USA but is prescribed freely here. You probably don't have much to worry about - the key here is continual use as opposed to a short course or intermittent use.

Although the game has moved on since I was in endocrinology, you are totally right to ask the clinicians on your check up any questions you need to to put your mind at ease.

ijjysmith said:
I probably will so ill eat loads of sugary things now while I can!!

Mate, this is a sure fire DIY way to develop diabetes.

monty · June 10, 2013

roydo said:
It seems more and more folks are getting diabetes these days. Is it because diagnosis has improved, or a diet thing?

(BTW, if it is a diet thing, no slight meant at sufferers)

Thin and fat get it mate. My wife says its down to years of swilling pints but the truth is they don't really know. Its a pity more research isn't carried out into the cause but its the drug industry that is benefiting in bucket loads

Groucho · June 10, 2013

monty said:
Thin and fat get it mate. My wife says its down to years of swilling pints but the truth is they don't really know. Its a pity more research isn't carried out into the cause but its the drug industry that is benefiting in bucket loads

I worked with one doctor who thought everyone over 40 has diabetes to a certain degree

monty · June 10, 2013

Groucho said:
The thing is, if you read the side effects to any drug you'd have a fit (literally in some cases). A lot of stuff is not deemed safe for use in the USA but is prescribed freely here. You probably don't have much to worry about - the key here is continual use as opposed to a short course or intermittent use.

Although the game has moved on since I was in endocrinology, you are totally right to ask the clinicians on your check up any questions you need to to put your mind at ease.

I have checked and researched but it seems these 'side effects' have strangely been missed out of the research information published hence my concern.

Groucho · June 10, 2013

monty said:
I have checked and researched but it seems these 'side effects' have strangely been missed out of the research information published hence my concern.

Look up co-proxamol. It was a commonly prescribed painkiller until it was discovered that it didn't do your liver any favours. Banned here in the UK now.

And also look up Vioxx. Worked quite well, until it was discovered that it also gave you a heart attack.

Azzurri · June 10, 2013

ijjysmith said:
My old man has diabetes so I get checked every so often. Odds are I'll end up with it later in life.

I eat roughly 4 million chocolate bars a day so same.

monty · June 10, 2013

Groucho said:
I worked with one doctor who thought everyone over 40 has diabetes to a certain degree

My sugars can vary between 8 and 20 plus, 6 being the accepted norm, technically if you are continually showing above or below the norm you have some form of the disease, the degree of the disease is another matter

monty · June 10, 2013

Groucho said:
Look up co-proxamol. It was a commonly prescribed painkiller until it was discovered that it didn't do your liver any favours. Banned here in the UK now.

And also look up Vioxx. Worked quite well, until it was discovered that it also gave you a heart attack.

I know all about heart attacks