Are we going to die post-Brexit?

SeanJ_99

Member
Messages
10
I’m scared, I’m only 19 and my life is at risk because of some vote. What do you think will happen post-Brexit? Will we run out of supplies?
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Well I don't want to sound unsympathetic to anyone worried but no, we are not going to die post Brexit unless you get run over by a bus of course. I don't agree with 'getting extra supplies in' because it is that very strategy that causes further diminishing supplies for everyone else.
 

sally and james

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,093
Type of diabetes
Family member
Treatment type
Diet only
@SeanJ_99 In your position, I would make sure, as far as I was able, that I was not going to run out of essentials immediately following Brexit. I would try and time my supplies and prescriptions so that I was not following the "just in time" approach. And, while I fully understand that you cannot and should not attempt to go without insulin, I would try and learn, now, how to reduce my usage slightly, ie by consuming less carbs. I'm not trying to preach "Low Carb" here, just suggesting that an understanding might help make limited supplies of insulin go a little further, should an emergency arise. A T1 will, hopefully, advise further.
Having said all that, none of us know what is going to happen.
May I suggest that you also share your concerns with your MP. Make them understand the possible consequences of their actions.
Sally
 

kev-w

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,901
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm looking on the bright side :) no more parallel import (pi) medications so no more insulin with a foreign language on the box with an English sticker over it, having travelled from where to there and however many storage depots in an audited temperature controlled environment.

Sorry :) rant finished and I'd say not to worry, the makers have published their plans to maintain an undisrupted supply.
 
D

Deleted Account

Guest
@SeanJ_99 In your position, I would make sure, as far as I was able, that I was not going to run out of essentials immediately following Brexit. I would try and time my supplies and prescriptions so that I was not following the "just in time" approach. And, while I fully understand that you cannot and should not attempt to go without insulin, I would try and learn, now, how to reduce my usage slightly, ie by consuming less carbs. I'm not trying to preach "Low Carb" here, just suggesting that an understanding might help make limited supplies of insulin go a little further, should an emergency arise. A T1 will, hopefully, advise further.
Having said all that, none of us know what is going to happen.
May I suggest that you also share your concerns with your MP. Make them understand the possible consequences of their actions.
Sally
As a T1, I would not advocate reducing insulin needs. It is unlikely that a lower carb diet would significantly reduce the basal insulin requirements. Therefore, changing diet is not going to help.
However, I agree with @KK123 that we are unlikely to run out of supplies and stockpiling insulin (or any other medication) is likely to make it more of a problem.
I always make sure to have a couple of weeks worth of insulin and test strips in case there is a problem such as bad weather which could impact availability and mean I could run out of supplies. I see Brexit another example of this kind of scenario. So I don't plan to do anything different in March next year.
 

Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
I was an in voter but I am also convinced that a huge amount of nothing will happen, at least nothing that will affect the average Joe (or Joanne) on the street, it may cost us more money or lower our standard of living but generally I expect a huge anticlimax, people will not be dropping dead in the streets.

Heres hoping anyway :)
 

Alison54321

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,221
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Post brexit we will all die eventually, however brexit is unlikely to speed up the process.

There is absolutely nothing to be worried about.

The current scaremongering over a possible no deal is just political game playing, it is shameful that these sorts of games start scaring people. You will not run out of insulin because of brexit, it's total nonsense.
 

ally1

Expert
Messages
5,402
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
liver
I don't use insulin so can't comment on whether to get stores in.
I feel we may get a bit of delay getting drugs but I feel what I take, admitted quite a few meds, but none are what I call life saving drugs. Yes I worry most if my quetiapine is slow at getting to me and may suffer mentally without it but there may not be any delays.
 

JohnEGreen

Master
Messages
13,188
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Tripe and Onions
that we are unlikely to run out of supplies and stockpiling insulin (or any other medication) is likely to make it more of a problem.
Tell that to the NHS as they are stockpiling for all they are worth.

By the way how much insulin is produced in the UK ?

Sir Michael Rawlins, the chair of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, told the Pharmaceutical Journal on Friday:

“We make no insulin in the UK. We import every drop of it. You can’t transport insulin around ordinarily because it must be temperature-controlled. And there are 3.5 million people [with diabetes, some of whom] rely on insulin, not least the Prime Minister.”

So I wouldn't get too complacent if you depend on insulin
 

PenguinMum

Expert
Messages
6,782
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Well there is no doubt the NHS will suffer with staffing issues. How many have been treated in hospital (whether by consultant, radiographer, nurses, many other specialists) by citizens from European countries. When my friend was diagnosed with breast cancer her consultant (not British) said her tailored treatment was down to the skill of the (Spanish) radiographer who persevered and found two growths at the back of her chest wall. How many specialists are the British education system going to churn out to to replace many of these talented people who disappear.
 

Gaz-M

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,108
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
baked beans
no we won't run out, if anyone thinks that the EU and our own country would put millions of lives out / damage peoples health then I would suggest yoyu see a specialist
 
  • Like
Reactions: Geoffno6

zand

Master
Messages
10,784
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Why would the EU care? We won't be part of it anymore.

I agree with @PenguinMum that NHS staffing issues will be the biggest problem. Then there's the dent to the country's finances.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbr10

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I need less basal and less bolus insulin now that I am on low carb.. but need the human (grown in a lab and not a pig or cow) stuff which gets imported from Lilly or Novonordisk.
I think you need plenty of pigs' pancreases to make a tiddly bit of insulin so I don't think we can rely on Wrexham for our supplies-
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/insulin-brexit for reassuring words from the government and DuK.
I am actually more worried about the huge distraction that all of this is from sorting real problems.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sarahlovesdogs

LooperCat

Expert
Messages
5,223
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Other
This place in Wrexham make insulin, but I believe it's predominantly porcine?
http://www.wockhardt.co.uk/our-uk-manufacturing.aspx
Tiny amounts, though. And I’m allergic to anything from pigs!

As a T1, I would not advocate reducing insulin needs. It is unlikely that a lower carb diet would significantly reduce the basal insulin requirements.
Hate to disagree, but since lowering my carbs I’ve almost halved my basal requirement from 42u to 25u daily. And my bolus has gone from 30u a day to less than 5u.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Fairygodmother

Geoffno6

Well-Known Member
Messages
524
Tiny amounts, though. And I’m allergic to anything from pigs!


Hate to disagree, but since lowering my carbs I’ve almost halved my basal requirement from 42u to 25u daily. And my bolus has gone from 30u a day to less than 5u

My understanding is that the body releases (or we inject) insulin to reduce blood sugar so less carbs = less blood sugar = less need for insulin, so I think you’re correct @MeldCP