Diabetes treatment changes life of Graham Thompson

Nov 5 2009 by Helen Rae, The Journal

A REVOLUTIONARY treatment for diabetes has transformed the life of a long-time sufferer of the condition.

Graham Thompson, who has chronic diabetes, was put on a new insulin pump three-months-ago.

Before that, the 37-year-old had to take insulin injections four times a day and closely watch what he ate and drank.

But, after one of many trips to his doctor, Mr Thompson was put on the pump – called a Paradigm Veo – and now only needs a needle once every two days.

The machine was developed by North East doctor James Shaw, a senior lecturer and diabetes consultant at Newcastle University, and is the size of a pager that attaches to Mr Thompson’s belt.

The pump automatically stops the flow of insulin to the body if blood sugar levels fall too low. It is designed to help prevent hypoglycaemic attacks – commonly known as “hypos” – which can leave diabetics in a coma and can prove fatal.

Manufacturer Medtronic said patients take glucose readings from the device’s monitor, supplemented with occasional pin prick blood tests, to work out their blood sugar levels.

They then programme the pump to deliver the right amount of insulin and input a “threshold” below which their blood sugar levels must not fall.

Mr Thompson, of Cramlington, said: “It really has changed my life – it’s amazing.

“About three-months-ago, I was talking to my general consultant. I have a lot of other health problems and, out of all of them, I told the doctor that it was my diabetes I wished I didn’t have the most.

“I think she was a bit shocked by that and it was then she told me about the new insulin pump and put my name forward for it.