There are no medications to maintain level blood glucose levels for people with Type 1 diabetes. Avandia, Metformin, Januvia and Byetta are only for people with Type 2. The hormone insulin is the only option for people with Type 1 diabetes.
There are a couple of people in my life that have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Each have been put on one of the aforementioned medications and things seem to be going rather well for them. Their morning glucose numbers have been below 100, they have cut their testing down to at most twice a day, and they are feeling great. I, on the other hand, am not feeling so great. While on one hand I am happy for these folks that they are seeing success so quickly, on the other hand I am a green eyed, jealous monster. Yes, you read that correctly, I AM JEALOUS.
Not jealous, of course that they were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but jealous that they can take a pill and feel better. My son doesn’t have that option. Yes, taking insulin 24 hours a day through an insulin pump attached to his body does make him feel better than if he didn’t have insulin. Especially without insulin my so would be dead, so yes, he does feel better with insulin, but imagine if his treatment were just a pill. It is this societal belief that my son can take these pills is the root of this jealousy.
There is a misconception in our world that these wonder drugs work for anyone with any type of diabetes and this is just not true. My son cannot take these drugs. They will do him no good, and definitely do some harm.
Insulin is his only option to live. People that we have encountered actually believe that my son has allowed his diabetes to get too out of control, so that is why they think he is on insulin. They think if he was more in control of his diabetes then he would be able to take a pill too. Like it is something that we are or are not doing with his care that prevents us from taking these pills. That is just not the case. My son needs insulin to live. He cannot take these pills, they were never ever an option for us. Insulin in the hospital when he was diagnosed, insulin now, insulin until he is dead (or there is a cure).
I would do anything for a cure. I would do anything for my son to be able to take a pill and not have to think about his diabetes until the next morning check. I wouldn’t do just anything for society to understand this, but if I knew I could make people understand, I would consider any reasonable request.
The medications out there are great, they are just of no use to my son.