Free Diabetic Supplies

If you happen to have diabetes, there are certain supplies that you need to use every day.  First of all, you need a glucose meter to be able to check your blood sugar levels.  This is extremely important because this information tells you whether your medication is keeping your diabetes under control.

In addition, you may need syringes and other supplies.  Some of these are quite costly and are not always available to individuals with low income or less than perfect credit, because companies that sell them want to have them paid for by the individual at the time of purchase, leaving many individuals with diabetes in need of these supplies. 

To address this issue there is a government program, provided for in part by the Bush Administration and Congress, which helps individuals with diabetes get their medicine and supplies.  These supplies are essential to individuals with diabetes so that they can stay in control of their diabetes and live healthy lives.

Many people are not aware of the fact that this program exists and that these supplies are available.  Individuals with diabetes can qualify for these supplies – and other benefits – by providing information to show that they are dealing with economic disadvantages.

If you – or someone you know – has diabetes and is having difficulties obtaining your supplies, paying your energy bills or you are in need of other services but cannot afford them, check into this program to see what assistance is available to you. 

Diabetes can be insidious and devastating.  It is important that individuals who are dealing with the disease and its effects are able to get the assistance they need.

For further information on this program and any benefits you can receive from it, contact www.GovernmentDiabetes.org.

We have all been told repeatedly that losing weight, engaging in moderate exercise and continuing to watch our diets helps lower the risk of diabetes whether we are a man or a woman.  This is still true.

New information, however, reveals that men must work harder than women to keep diabetes at bay or under control.  In a study of over 1100 men and women who went on strict diets, an exercise regimen and lost weight, the men in the study still had a higher risk of diabetes after the study than the women did, even though the men lost more weight and exercised more than the women did.

Interestingly, the weight loss and extra exercise translated into a lower triglyceride level in both men and women, as well as lower body fat and better blood sugar control.  However; even with these factors plus the fact that the men did better than the women did in these areas, the men did not have a better chance of not developing diabetes within the next year.  In fact, the men and women fared equally regarding diabetes risk, even though their results were better than the women.

Researchers and doctors involved with the study feel that upon looking carefully at the factors involved, the reason for the difference in risk for the men vs. the women was that the men had more risk factors for diabetes to begin with, prompting the question as to why this occurred.

Scientists feel that more studies are needed to determine what factors create the difference in risk between men and women and how to help narrow the gap.  Hopefully determining the reason for the difference will make it easier for men to avoid diabetes altogether or combat it more effectively if they are diagnosed with it. 

There are legions of individuals in the United States who have diabetes and are aware of some of the normal symptoms of diabetes.  For example, many people – even those who do not have diabetes – are aware that some of the symptoms are excessive thirst, frequent urination and fatigue.  They are aware that some issues linked to diabetes or some issues that can be exacerbated by diabetes are high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and possible stroke.

What many people do not know about diabetes is that one of the serious side effects of diabetes is that of vision problems that can lead to total blindness.
Current research shows that among groups of individuals who are not aware of the visual side-effects of diabetes, one of the least informed groups is Hispanics in the U.S.  One of the reasons for this is that many Hispanics do not get their eyes examined regularly. 

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University conducted the study which focused on Hispanics in particular because their rate of diabetes is quite high, hovering at nearly 2 times as high as that in non-Hispanic white people.  One main reason for this disparity is the language barrier which often keeps individuals from information that could help them access better care.  In addition, lack of information, community outreach, health insurance and other services are also factors that keep the diabetes rates for Hispanics so high. 

One in five Hispanics over age 40 has diabetes and of those, nearly 50% of those have diabetic retinopathy, a condition which often involves the swelling and leaking of blood vessels of the eye and which could lead to blindness. 

When over 550 diabetics in Baltimore were interviewed, many of them had not been to the eye doctor to diagnose or address eye complications.  In fact, a high percentage of them were not aware of that fact, and over 50% of newly diagnosed diabetic Hispanics had not been to the eye doctor for over a year.

More information and outreach is needed in Spanish and needs to be distributed in areas where a lot of Hispanics live so that they can stay abreast of this serious complication of diabetes and keep their vision in tact.

Diabetes has become a great health concern during the past 20 years or more, and the number of people in the United States and throughout the world who have diabetes continues to rise at an alarming rate.  Doctors and researchers are constantly looking for ways to diagnose diabetes as early as possible so that changes and corrections in diet, addition of medication and other factors can be addressed before the disease progresses too far.

There is good news on this front.  There is a new device that may give doctors early warning of eye disease, especially vision problems linked to diabetes. 

The device is able to read the eye and capture images that indicate that there is stress in a person’s metabolism and/or tissue damage even before a person has any symptoms of diabetes.  The device measures flavoprotein autofluorescence (FA) which is considered a reliable indicator of eye trouble.

If the retina can be measured to determine whether or not there is a metabolic dysfunction in its tissues, it could help doctors determine if a person has an abnormal metabolism, leading to the diagnosis of diabetes.  By performing this test innumerable individuals with diabetes, pre-diabetes or other changes in metabolism that could be leading to diabetes, would be able to be diagnosed – often very early on.  In addition, this unique and cutting edge test could diagnose diabetes and/or its early warning signs, in individuals whose physicians have not yet been able to find the symptoms and make a diagnosis.  This would allow for lifestyle changes and treatment before the disease progressed enough to do significant damage.

In tests involving diabetics and non-diabetics, the device captured the metabolic dysfunction – including higher levels of FA and metabolic dysfunction – in the individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes.  Also, individuals with retinopathy, a disease of the eye which can cause blindness and is associated with diabetes – had significantly more abnormal metabolic readings than those without retinopathy.

Since this testing is much quicker and less invasive or uncomfortable than traditional testing for diabetes, researchers, optometrists and other eye professionals, as well as physicians who are aware of this new test, are hoping that it will become more widely available soon so that it can provide a means of helping diagnose – and slow – the diabetes epidemic that has been rapidly growing during the pas decade or more.

Diabetes can be an insidious disease.  Why is it something that affects one person and not another?  Why can one person be quite overweight and not end up with diabetes, while another individual is slightly overweight but ends up with severe diabetes? 

There have been numerous studies and a tremendous amount of research to determine the factors involved in diabetes, what the best treatments are, what the best methods of control are and how and where to get the most accurate information.

There are more organizations that are providing information and services for individuals with diabetes today than in the past.  One of the areas that have been researched extensively is the isolation of specific causes of diabetes.

There have been some past studies that show the excess of certain proteins to be linked to development of diabetes.  These studies are important because they have provided the basis and the building blocks for further research.  Recent research has shown that the protein fetuin-A – especially in elderly persons – is linked to the development of diabetes.  Fetuin-A works by overcrowding insulin and preventing it from making glucose available to muscle cells.   In addition, researchers feel it is a link in answering the question as to why some people develop diabetes and others don’t.  The reason that fetuin-A is considered a link is due to the fact that it operates regardless of a person’s weight and other factors.  This means that this could be the answer as to why someone who is quite overweight might not develop diabetes, and someone who is slightly overweight or not overweight at all might develop the disease.

Studies showed that in research during a six year period, high levels of fetuin-A in individuals over seventy years of age increased the development of diabetes by over 70%.  Though the study did not determine specific antidotes to the problem, researchers are working on it.  The study was groundbreaking, in that it was the first to be conducted over a long period of time.

Researchers are still looking for ways to inhibit and limit fetuin-A, thus trying to diminish the onset and effects of diabetes.  Other factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, diet and more are still contributors, however, fetuin-A seems to make all of these accelerate diabetes and its problems.  Hopefully researchers will soon find a way to inhibit fetuin-A and slow the other factors, helping to eliminate some of the risks of diabetes in everyone.

Diabetes affects 7% of the average population of the United States and over 20% of individuals over age 60.  Those are some pretty high numbers for people living in what is considered to be a highly developed country that has some of the best health care in the world.

One of the issues in some states, however, is that with the high percentage of individuals that have diabetes, there is not enough health care for diabetes, and there is a proposed bill in Ohio to change that.  The bill called the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act (DCRA) is asking Ohio’s state-regulated health insurance plans cover essential diabetes care, particularly education, insulin, blood sugar monitors and other supplies. 

It is important to note that services for diseases such as cancer and heart issues are covered in basic health insurance plans, yet the services and supplies that are critical to keeping diabetes under control and helping individuals with diabetes monitor symptoms and learn as much as possible, are not covered under current policies.

In Ohio alone, during the past 10 years, the number of individuals with diabetes has risen approximately 35%.  This is a huge jump, especially since diabetes research and education has gotten more and more available and more concise.

May employers are worried about adding diabetes coverage to health insurance benefits.  In over 40 states, where employers have been offered the diabetes coverage, no employers have ever made the claim that diabetes coverage has cost them any more in premiums or other related expenses.

Having better and more inclusive insurance for diabetes is a win-win situation for all involved.  When dealing with diabetes, prevention is some of the best medicine.  In addition, there are tremendous cost benefits and savings to  preventing and controlling diabetes, as opposed to ignoring it and allowing it to worsen.

It is important for all states to look at their coverage for diabetes to be certain that they are doing al they can to help individuals battling with the disease and contain costs for everyone while doing so.

The average percentage of individuals with diabetes in America is about 7% on average and over 20% in Americans over age 60.  This is a high amount in itself.  Imagine, though, if you lived in an area where the percentage of the population with diabetes and chronic kidney disease hovers at 50% on a continuous basis. 

This is the case in American Samoa, and there is some assistance that has come to Pago Pago in American Samoa.  The assistance was sent late in June from Honolulu to the Tafuna Health Center, and it includes a new desktop computer and diagnostic as well as diabetes management equipment called the Bayer/Siemens DCA Vantage Analyzer.  The total cost of the equipment, supplies and assistance is about $12,500.

The Rotary Club and Rotary Club International contribute to numerous humanitarian and community causes and services.  In the situation with Tafuna Health Center in Pago Pago, a combination of organizations came together to provide assistance for the clinic in a tiny part of the world.

The organizations involved in this unique effort to help the 50% of the population that is dealing with the symptoms and complications of diabetes.  The money for the services and equipment was raised by The Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu, grants from Rotary Club International and matching funds from Rotary Club District 5000 along with the Pago Pago Rotary Club.  

When thinking about the high incidence of diabetes in the mainland United States, we often shudder at the percentages and are quite concerned and aware of diabetes symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, especially because of public health messages giving us information on what to look for, how to fight diabetes and how to avoid diabetes or slow it down.  We also have many organizations, centers for treatment and other medical, diet, health and exercise information and assistance readily available on the mainland.

With the gift of equipment and supplies from the Rotary Club, the Tafuna Health Center in Pago Pago will now be able to help the many people of American Samoa address their diabetes symptoms and live healthier.

To manage diabetes, a person needs certain supplies and medications.  If a person is on Medicare they do not usually have complete coverage, therefore, they have to pay for some things themselves or go without.

There is some help available now through GovernmentDiabetes.org.  The help is available to Medicare recipients and covers job training, phone bill assistance, financial assistance, grants, loans and scholarships.  There is also money available for small businesses owned or started by individuals with diabetes.  Many of these loans and grants are not used because people don’t know about them.

If a diabetic has a disability, there are other funds available for home repairs that are considered essential for day-to-day living, such as plumbing repair or replacement, repairing leaky roofs and other similar repairs.  There are billions of dollars available, and even if a person was considered a credit risk in the past due to their disability and/or limited income, this is no longer the case.  The dream of starting and owning a business or getting job training and going to work can become a reality due to these funds.  There are also funds to help diabetics who are considered economically disadvantaged.  These programs include energy assistance, legal aid, prescription coverage and home repair. 

To have an organization that helps disseminate information to and for diabetics is a big step forward.  This should help people with diabetes with many facets of life and take some of the burdens off them by giving them information that connects them to supplies, products and legal & financial services that are so vital to all of us, but have been out of reach to many individuals with diabetes until now. 

This information and assistance for individuals with diabetes will make a difference for many, especially now that it is coming out in the open.

For weeks we have been hearing about the vote that Congress was to have that would stop several important measures that would have a negative effect on physicians who treat Medicare recipients and a negative effect on many individuals – especially those with diabetes.

Congress voted on the measures and the issues at stake lost by 1 vote.  1 vote!  That is totally unbelievable.  Because of the one vote, doctors who take Medicare will be losing 10% of their payments.  Sadly, there aren’t enough doctors who take Medicare as payment in full as it is, but with the pay cut, there will be fewer doctors who can afford to accept Medicare patients.  As a result, both doctors and patients will lose out.  Medicare should be doing all they can to keep these doctors connected to their Medicare patients.  Instead, Congress has basically fined them!

The second area that is a huge issue is the area of diabetes supplies.  The way it stands now, since the vote, is that millions of Medicare beneficiaries will have less choices and lower quality diabetic supplies, products and services.  Testing equipment will be a hard-hit item.  This could have a very negative effect on individuals who are trying to manage their diabetes. 

Supposedly, Congress will go back to work this week and fix this situation by creating another bill to replace the misguided bill that has created the current problems.  Hopefully, this will happen because if thing are left as is, many medical equipment companies will go out of business, leaving millions of diabetics with an interruption in supplies and products which are essential for them on a daily basis.

It is critical that Congress fix this complex and difficult problem as soon as possible so that people that depend upon specific products and services from certain companies will be able to expect continuous care.

Though the UK may be somewhat different than the US, the symptoms of diabetes are the same wherever you are in the world.  If you are living with diabetes and taking care of yourself through proper diet and weight, regular exercise and regular health care and medication as necessary, it is well known that you can avoid some of the more serious issues such as kidney disease, kidney failure, heart disease and amputations.  If you are not able to totally eliminate these things, you can certainly delay them or diminish their effects.

An important report from the UK, however, shows that too many people are not taking care of themselves and their diabetes to the extent that they should.  As a result,  about 100 people per week have a limb amputated due to diabetes and the complications from the disease. 

The disease affects over 2 million people in Britain vs. over 20 million people in the United States.  Diabetes UK has said that it is urgent that there needs to be much more awareness of diabetes and its complications such as heart attacks, blindness, kidney failure, blindness and strokes.  Another complication is that about 7 out of 10 people that have amputations will die within 5 years.

People with diabetes need to have as much support as possible, plus guidance and clinical care to minimize the risk of amputation.  They need to be able to see more podiatrists on a regular basis to prevent foot ulcers and gangrene, which too often lead to amputation. 

It is essential that individuals with diabetes get the information they need and learn all they can about diabetes, its symptoms and its complications to prevent some of the more drastic issues that arise, such as the need for amputation.  The issues are critical since they are life changing events.  In addition, many amputations can be prevented with better management of a person’s diabetes.