Remember when ?

[kevinfitzgerald]

I have tried to find a picture of my first blood test meter but can't find one or even remember it's name. I got it in about 1984 and it was the size of a large hard back novel, black and had 2 buttons on the top with a flap that you lifted on the top to put your test strip in. Used to have to leave the blood on for a minute and then put it in the machine to read for a minute. Can anyone remember the name of it?

I was only allowed to do 1 test a day so used to do breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime with obviously huge gaps left when I had no idea as to what my readings were.

I used to be on some kind of porcine insulin and the basel was cloudy and the bolus was clear (I only used to take it twice a day so I think calling it bolus is over egging the sugar free pudding a bit!). I was given a mantra to help me remember how to draw the insulin up which was cloudy, clear, clear, cloudy so I would make sure I put air in the bottles and not miss drawing up the insulin as I was only young at the time.

Happy memories .... I think!

Think it was called an Enigma Deciphering Machine !

 

[zjed]

Haven't a clue about the blood glucose monitor but I do remember mixing the long and short acting insulin in the same syringe. I can't believe I actually managed to do that without making mistakes!

I did that up until 2 years ago, only looked at new options once chemist said they'd have to order my insulin in.

 

[Matt J]

Can anyone remember a device for 'injecting' insulin without needles? It was advertised in Balance magazine in the late 1980's. I think it was supposed to work by creating a mist of insulin vapour that passed through the skin. It sounds like something that Bones used on Star Trek but obviously didn't work properly.

 

[Robinredbreast]

Can anyone remember a device for 'injecting' insulin without needles? It was advertised in Balance magazine in the late 1980's. I think it was supposed to work by creating a mist of insulin vapour that passed through the skin. It sounds like something that Bones used on Star Trek but obviously didn't work properly.

I have tried searching for it, but haven't managed to find anything. I don't remember it, as I was diagnosed in the late 1980's. Hopefully someone else will be able to shed some light on this.

 

[pipkin]

Yes I do I have been a type 1 diabetic for more than 43 years! I remember using 5 drops of urine & 10 drops of water adding a clinitest tablet & watching it fizz before it turned hopefully blue (neg) sometimes orange which meant sugar was present in urine. I also remember glass syringes! & using surgical spirit to clean the injection site.

 

[Dodo]

But do you remember these?!
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/hommedia.ashx?id=7788&size=Large

 

[yingtong]

Yes I do Dodo ,I used it once and in the bin it went,definitely a instrument of torture!

 

[kevinfitzgerald]

Still brings back bad memories, who on earth though of making that device

I think his name was Freddy Krueger !

 

[Matt J]

I have tried searching for it, but haven't managed to find anything. I don't remember it, as I was diagnosed in the late 1980's. Hopefully someone else will be able to shed some light on this.

I was diagnosed in 1986 so it must have been after that. It seemed to be a time of changes - disposable syringes, 'human' i.e. genetically engineered insulin, blood testing advances, I had the original Novopen (1.5ml cartridges) in 1987.

After a bit of googling it seems the technology is still on the go with a couple of devices - one called the 'Insujet'.

http://www.insujet.com/en-uk/how-does-insujet-work/

 

[lizdeluz]

I was diagnosed in 1986 so it must have been after that. It seemed to be a time of changes - disposable syringes, 'human' i.e. genetically engineered insulin, blood testing advances, I had the original Novopen (1.5ml cartridges) in 1987.

After a bit of googling it seems the technology is still on the go with a couple of devices - one called the 'Insujet'.

http://www.insujet.com/en-uk/how-does-insujet-work/

Nearly snap. I was diagnosed in 85. I remember the colour matching of wiped blood sticks, I think. I think urine testing was out of date by then (because it always entailed a few hours time lapse ) and I remember being a bit shocked and a bit superior whenever some hapless nurse wanted to do a urine test on me! I remember being pleased that I'd managed to cut blood testing strips into 4 with scissors, and then being told off a bit for doing it by my consultant with the comment that the results were probably not accurate anyway on such thin strips.

 

[Anaelena]

I did that up until 2 years ago, only looked at new options once chemist said they'd have to order my insulin in.

Sometimes we need to remember if it isn't broke , don't need to fix it .

 

[Anaelena]

Can anyone remember a device for 'injecting' insulin without needles? It was advertised in Balance magazine in the late 1980's. I think it was supposed to work by creating a mist of insulin vapour that passed through the skin. It sounds like something that Bones used on Star Trek but obviously didn't work properly.

I do remember that but also heard that it caused some sort of burn and was pretty painful in the end .

 

[Anaelena]

But do you remember these?!
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/hommedia.ashx?id=7788&size=Large

Yes that is what I was talking about !!!! Oh the anticipation was the worst !

 

[Matt J]

Nearly snap. I was diagnosed in 85. I remember the colour matching of wiped blood sticks, I think. I think urine testing was out of date by then (because it always entailed a few hours time lapse ) and I remember being a bit shocked and a bit superior whenever some hapless nurse wanted to do a urine test on me! I remember being pleased that I'd managed to cut blood testing strips into 4 with scissors, and then being told off a bit for doing it by my consultant with the comment that the results were probably not accurate anyway on such thin strips.

The colour matching didn't always follow. It had a two colour system blue and brown or blue and green? Well, the top half could be one level and the bottom half another. It was always a bit of guesswork anyway! As for cutting the strips - you've taken it to another level with 4 . I think I did manage 3 but some were a bit wonky and a bit of a sliver - very difficult to read properly.

Some of my glucose levels must have been horrendous in those days. I don't think I do a right lot different now from almost 30 years ago (apart from more accurate blood glucose testing) and my recent stats from a couple of weeks ago - HbA1c - 49, cholesterol - 4.1, BMI - 19.3, BP 112/61.

 

[yingtong]

Yes I remember touching the glucose testing tablets with wet fingers and ending up with quite a nasty caustic burn.

 

[Ladybirdy75]

I was diagnosed in 1986 so it must have been after that. It seemed to be a time of changes - disposable syringes, 'human' i.e. genetically engineered insulin, blood testing advances, I had the original Novopen (1.5ml cartridges) in 1987.

After a bit of googling it seems the technology is still on the go with a couple of devices - one called the 'Insujet'.

http://www.insujet.com/en-uk/how-does-insujet-work/

I do remember seeing this on a tv programme called "Tomorrow's World". They talked about it being the new treatment and demonstrated it by pressing the button and a mist shooting out. It looked a bit like a stungun with a radar dish lol. This would have been in the early 80's. My dad said he'd get me one but i couldn't wrap my young head around how it could fire insulin through my skin as a vapour so i said no thanks.

It didn't catch on needless to say.

 

[Matt J]

I do remember seeing this on a tv programme called "Tomorrow's World". They talked about it being the new treatment and demonstrated it by pressing the button and a mist shooting out. It looked a bit like a stungun with a radar dish lol. This would have been in the early 80's. My dad said he'd get me one but i couldn't wrap my young head around how it could fire insulin through my skin as a vapour so i said no thanks.

It didn't catch on needless to say.

I remember Tomorrows World very well. I was just a poor 6th former when diagnosed and my Dad who liked his gadgets seemed keen on getting one for me too. Thinking back I'm sure I remember reading the issues with it revolved around rate and amount of absorption.

The one I mentioned in the above post currently on sale has a selling point of 'suitable for use by needle phobics.' Yet, what do these needle phobics do for blood glucose testing at home and HbA1c etc at the doctors? Besides, the needles now are that small they're hardly even noticeable.

 

[Jaylee]

I do remember seeing this on a tv programme called "Tomorrow's World". They talked about it being the new treatment and demonstrated it by pressing the button and a mist shooting out. It looked a bit like a stungun with a radar dish lol. This would have been in the early 80's. My dad said he'd get me one but i couldn't wrap my young head around how it could fire insulin through my skin as a vapour so i said no thanks.

It didn't catch on needless to say.

I remember Tomorrows World very well. I was just a poor 6th former when diagnosed and my Dad who liked his gadgets seemed keen on getting one for me too. Thinking back I'm sure I remember reading the issues with it revolved around rate and amount of absorption.

The one I mentioned in the above post currently on sale has a selling point of 'suitable for use by needle phobics.' Yet, what do these needle phobics do for blood glucose testing at home and HbA1c etc at the doctors? Besides, the needles now are that small they're hardly even noticeable.

Hi guys.

I also have memories of this device (or something like it) on Tomorrow's world program in the early 80's stated as being available in the usual "next ten years."
My mum at the time. Always the optimist reaching for her cheque book....

Funny thing was. I only ever saw this concept subsequently as a "prop" on Star Trek.

The early Novo pens, thinking back somehow had the same flimsy build quality & styling of the "Sinclair C5." Funny enough. I did actually see a SC5 in the flesh..

 

[noblehead]

I was diagnosed in 1986 so it must have been after that. It seemed to be a time of changes - disposable syringes, 'human' i.e. genetically engineered insulin, blood testing advances, I had the original Novopen (1.5ml cartridges) in 1987.

After a bit of googling it seems the technology is still on the go with a couple of devices - one called the 'Insujet'.

http://www.insujet.com/en-uk/how-does-insujet-work/

Wonder if anyone on the forum actually used the Insujet?

 

[Jaylee]

Wonder if anyone on the forum actually used the Insujet?

Captain ruddy Kirk??