Possible cure type 1

[steveD]

This may have been mentioned in the past,but it would now appear that the Govt. is going to throw some serious money at it.I hope it helps all who want it.Here is the link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7238418.stm

 

[ash]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">

<b>People with type 1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, which means they have to rely on injections of the hormone.
There are about 250,000 people with the condition, which usually develops in childhood and is unconnected with lifestyle factors such as obesity unlike the type 2 version of the disease.
</b>
The procedure involves obtaining cells - known as islet cells - from the pancreas of a dead donor and injecting them into the patient's liver.

Once there, the cells get to work producing insulin. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Why has this sensationalist style of reporting got my blood boiling [!]

HBa1C 6.3 T2

 

[steveD]

The only sensation I saw was the fact that the Govt was finally going to commit some serious money for a change.

 

[ash]

Typical superficial journo article

Type 1's don't produce any insulin

They imply that to be type 2 is to have inflicted diabetes upon oneself

Most people are struggling to get onto Byetta due to funding shortages with their PCT, I can't see the government agreeing with funding an operation for the masses which involves them taking immuno suppressant drug courses for the rest of their lives.

I think they just want to be seen to be doing something rather than actually making a difference !

HBa1C 6.3 T2

 

[ThinType2]

Also see 'Anyone seen this' topic

 

[steveD]

Ash,if I read the story correctly ( in the Telegraph )you would only be taking immuno suppressant drugs if you had a pancreas transplant and not if you had an injection Of Islet Cells.

 

[Dennis]

Steve,

Unfortunately it appears that you would need anti-rejection drugs. This article from the Wellcome Trust is very informative.

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD019350.html

 

Are they saying a cure is possible at the Wellcome Trust for type 2 Diabetes then Dennis ?

 

[rogervansteeden]

Sorry i forgot to sign in Dennis

 

[steveD]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Dennis</i>
<br />Steve,

Unfortunately it appears that you would need anti-rejection drugs. This article from the Wellcome Trust is very informative.

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD019350.html


<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

A very good article Dennis.

 

[Dennis]

Hi Roger,

It seems the Wellcome people think that this would benefit type 2s as well as type 1s (and why would it not?). Unfortunately the government's view, as made very clear from their announcement, is that type 1s can't help it so the treatment should be made available to them, but type 2s are all self-inflicted, so they don't deserve it.

<b>So if you are a Type 2 and are overweight and diabetic after following the government's own guidelines for a high trans-fat and high carbohydrate diet, just remember what they think of you when the next general election comes round.</b>

 

[rogervansteeden]

Am i right in thinking that whatever treatment the experts discover that Type 2 diabetics will always have to watch what they eat and test their blood.For myself i had a high blood pressure attack yesterday and at the Doctors surgery it was 233/112 and now i have to take Doxazosin 4 mg daily for rest of my life together with pioglitazone,ezetrol,thyroxine and prozac so im back on all my lifelong meds which i must admit i loathe.If the government could give islet cell transplants to type 2 diabetics it would be targeted to those most at risk of the severe complications and would there be enough donors to go around for everyone some people who hae good bg control would probably stick with their meds if they are working.

 

[Dennis]

Roger,

I don't know but I suspect you are right. Even if a beta cell transplant was able to restore your pancreas' ability to produce insulin, eating a high level of carbs would put it under huge stress again and, I suppose, could overstretch it to the point of failure.

You also have to remember that many Type 2s have cell resistance, in some cases caused by trans-fats, whereby what insulin you do produce isn't able to do its job because the body's cells won't allow the glucose to be absorbed properly into the cell walls. Anyone who has this problem would still need something like metformin even if they don't need a drug to produce the insulin.

 

[rogervansteeden]

What i cant understand that this blood pressure hike i had yesterday has now resulted in me having to take medication for rest of m life as with the cholesterol and under active thyroid which i had before i developed diabetes.

 

[Dennis]

Roger,

I guess whether your blood pressure medication is temporary or for life depends on whether the cause of the high pressure is "essential hypertension" or "secondary hypertension". The link below explains the different types.

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068761/