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Reality Check has received millions of questions and
emails over the years about how to find a "good"
doctor or diabetes team. And we've heard hundreds
of horror stories! Our
listing of endos and others, for the people by
the people, is one of the most popular pages on our
website.
We are putting together a new resource of people's experiences - good AND bad. And especially keen to hear things that you have learnt, any pearls of wisdom, about negotiating the system. Stories of all shapes and sizes are invited. (And there's even a prize - $50 voucher to the online store of your choice - if you feel like putting in some extra effort and crafting up a masterpiece!) |
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Reality Checkers road test 8 popular blood
glucose testing metres. Before
you go opening your wallet (or begging your educator
for a freebie!), check this out. See what might
work best for you. From Sof-tact to Xceed, Go to
Integra.
And we always love receiving new road tests. Whether you have a different opinion, or the metre you love isn't there. Drop us a line. |
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Lots of new listings just added to on one of our most
popular pages. Endocrinologists, Diabetes Educators,
a few cluey GPs, Counsellors, and even Alternative
Medicine practitioners.
Other young adults with Type 1 have passed these people's details to us, wanting to share that they have had good experiences. If you also have someone to recommend, please get in touch. |
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Our website has a lively discussion this week about
Hypo Fixes. Bored
of whatever is kicking around in your bag? Or need
something more convenient and easy to carry?
Or share your brilliant hypo solution with us! |
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An antibiotic which is used to treat acne, has proved
successful (in rats) at slowing and preventing
diabetic retinopathy: growth of blood vessels and
damage to the back of the eye caused by long-term
diabetes. So, it's only in rats (yick!), but it's an
important start. The work has been done at Penn
State University and funded by JDRF.
A drug which is already in use for another purpose is always a good sign - it means the testing to ensure it is safe to use on humans (sometimes a 10 year process) can be sped up considerably. Meaning benchtop to bedside much more quickly than a brand new drug. This is one of many such research projects where drugs are being developed and tested to slow or prevent complications. Imagine diabetes without the dreaded C word? |
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A few weeks ago, many of our endocrinologists,
researchers and diabetes educators flocked to
sunny Perth for the annual diabetes
conference. Australian Diabetes Educators
Association (ADEA) and Australian Diabetes Society
(ADS) put on a big show every year, rotating cities.
Need to spice up your next doc or educator appointment? Check out the link below. Do a Ctrl+F to find your doc's name - then ask them about the lecture or poster they presented at the conference, next time you see them! |
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The major scientific lecture at the recent ADS-ADEA
conference was given by Professor Mark Cooper of
Melbourne's Baker Institute, and entitled "Towards
the new AGE of uncomplicated diabetes". Professor
Cooper is a word-leading researcher in the field of
developing drugs which can prevent complications by
halting the damage which sugars in the blood do to
our organs and blood vessels. Diabetes plus drugs
like these would be a very different diagnosis
indeed!
On the management and Diabetes Educators' side of the conference, the key note speaker was the president of the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), Mary Austin. Ms Austin gave lectures and workshops on measuring behavioural outcomes in diabetes, the conceptual framework that AADE has developed for this, and the role of the diabetes educator. |
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Any unwanted, in-date insulin and blood glucose
testing strips can be donated to the amazing people
at Insulin for Life. This Australian-based organisation
arranges for the supply of donated diabetes
supplies to areas in desperate need all over the
world - most frequently responding to crises such as
Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami. The image
here is some insulin arriving in the Tsunami-stricken
Maldives.
All you need to do is dig it out of your cupboard and just send it in the mail to ... Insulin For Life, P.O. Box 2010, Ballarat M.C., Victoria 3354, Australia. |
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A diabetes and pregnancy seminar is being
organised by RADS in Geelong for Thursday November
24th, 7-10pm at the Geelong Football Club new
Eastern Stand Function Room. Supper will be
provided. Speakers to include obstetrician, diabetes
specialist and type 1 mums with wisdom to share.
Contact Kate Negus, convenor of RADS in Geelong on knegus@pipeline.com.au for more information. |
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"From before Vicki and I had first met I had
always
been a bit of a traveller. I usually had some sort of
field engineering job that required frequent travel
away from home and it taught me to be quite self
reliant. We were often on our own or beyond any
meaningful support ... . It suited me and I'd like to
think I was good at my job! Plus I learnt to cook and
do my own laundry too!
.... at 38 I was not expecting this! I was pretty fit and certainly active but I realised early on what might be happening, as my friend at high school had been a type 1 since childhood..." |
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We are running a quick poll to see how much insulin
you take. As we expected, results are varying
enormously already!
The chart here is the results of the poll, showing units of insulin down the left, as at today. Click through to add yours into the mix, or see what the results are now! |
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Hope you enjoyed this issue of Yada Yada. We do
encourage you to pass it around... Sharing
narratives is an important part of being human;
it helps us make sense of our experiences.
... and don't hesitate to hit reply if you have any questions or comments for any of the team at Reality Check. Cheers! |
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